Page 68 of If You Loved Me

“He doesn’t deserve to walk around with that smug look on his face,” she whispered.

“He doesn’t deserve to walk around at all."

“Thank you, Ranger. For not letting them win. You have too much to lose now.” Sorrow blanketed her face and I knew she meant that I’d found something really special with Sarah.

“I had too much to lose the first time,” was my only response before I went back to organizing the boxes and she started taking orders from patrons who were strolling up.

What I didn’t tell my sister was that it took everything in me not to make LeRoy pay for what he’d done to our family. For the years he’d shaved off my life like I was nothing.

I wanted to do better. To let it all go. But I knew, deep down, that if I ever had the chance to make him suffer without anyone knowing. I’d fucking do it.

“Hi, beautiful.” Sarah’s chestnut hair was held up high on her head in a messy bun. Long tendrils framed her face. She looked so damn pretty, it made my chest hurt.

“Hi!” she breathed, looking up from cleaning the now empty glass case where she’d sold out of her bakery items.

The glass door snicked shut and she hopped around the table with a bright smile on her face before jumping straight into my arms.

Sugar and spices overwhelmed my sense of smell in the best way. It was whollySarahand I breathed in deeply, taking note of exactly what she smelled like so I would remember it when we had to be apart.

“I’ve missed you,” she said and then her soft lips met mine in a crushing kiss that had me drawing her closer. A soft moan had her mouth vibrating against mine as she opened up for me and I met her tongue with mine in long fluid strokes.

Fuck, she tasted so damn good. The way she melted against my body had my cock hardening against my jeans. I’d gotten a taste of her last night and my mouth watered for more. I wanted every part of her to be mine.

“I missed you too, sugar,” I said as we parted. I framed her face with my hands and kissed her forehead.

“Are you ready for tonight?”

Her cheeks hollowed out as her lips twisted to one side. She was supposed to see the guy her mother had set her up with to end things. Even though I knew nothing had happened between the two of them, it still rubbed me raw thinking of another man taking her on a date. Even ifshe was going to tell him she no longer wanted to see him.

“Mmhmm.” She nodded, burying her hands under my coat. I loved when she did things like that.

I stroked the back of her hair, loving how soft the strands felt in my rough hands. “I have to admit, I’ll be pretty damn happy when it’s over.” I knew what ending things with this guy would mean for Sarah. She would have to face the wrath of her mother and whatever bullshit she would try to pull. But wanting Sarah meant wanting every bit of her. Sharing even an hour of her attention with another man had my head swimming with what I could only describe as jealousy. I’d never felt the emotion in my entire life before her.

“Honestly, me too. I’m tired of letting my parents influence what I do in my life. I don’t want to be afraid of their consequences anymore. This is the first step in healing from all of that.”

“If there is anything I can do to help, you just say the word and I’ll be there.”

She bit her lower lip. “Actually, there might be something you can do if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Name it.”

She took a moment to consider her words. “He hasn’t given me any true reason to think that he might react poorly to me rejecting him, but…I just have this feeling. I can’t really describe it and I might be completely overreacting. But I get the notion that he has it in him to be a real douchebag if he doesn’t get what he wants. Would you mind picking me up just in case I can’t get rid of him?”

That fierce protectiveness that I got from my father immediately sharpened my focus. Sarah hadn’t told me these concerns before. Now, I was on high alert for her safety.

“If you have a feeling like that, then you’re probably right, Sarah. Are you sure you want to do this in person?” I wasn’t going to control what she wanted to do. It wasn’t my place, even if I felt jealous or protective. But I wanted to ask to let her know she didn’t have to do this if she didn’t want to.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Ending things will burn enough bridges through my mother. I don’t need him telling everyone in town that I’m a coward who couldn’t end things with him in person. I think it’ll be okay, I’d just feel more comfortable having you as my getaway driver.” She winked at me and her cute smile did something strange to my stomach. It felt like a swarm of bees or dragonflies were buzzing inside of me.

“Just name the place and time and I’ll be there.”

“Thank you.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek that had me grinning like a fool.

“Let me help you finish packing up your car.”

With her hand in mine, she guided me under her tent. “It’s nice to have some big strong muscles to help me with these things now.”

“You can borrow them anytime you want, sugar.”

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