Page 4 of Unlocked

“Well, I’ve been trying to strike up a conversation with you but not getting much response. Do you not want to talk to me? I promise I’m not that bad despite what you might have heard.” I spare her another glance and flash her one of my smiles that usually has the ladies drooling all over themselves. She gives me a shy grin in return.

“Sorry, I’m not much of a talker,” she answers. “I spend most of my time alone.” Now my eyes are wide as I take in her words. Why would a woman as pretty as she is spend all her time alone?

“You don’t have a boyfriend or a husband?” The question is out before I can think better of it. I cringe. The words leave a bad taste in my mouth. I suddenly wish I hadn’t asked but better to know now than later, I suppose. That thought has me even more confused.Why do I care?

“No.” Relief floods me. I sit up a little straighter in my seat as the realization dawns on me that I am relieved. Why does her not having a boyfriend make me feel pleased, almost warm and fuzzy? I don’t get warm and fuzzy feelings. EVER.

Minutes pass, neither of us saying a word. My jaw begins to ache. I realize I’ve been gritting my teeth. I heave another sigh. I can see Shelby turn to look in my direction. I side-eye her, noticing she looks apprehensive. I’ve made her uncomfortable with my frustration that has nothing to do with her, but solely with me, which only leads to me being more frustrated with myself.

I haven’t ever had feelings for a woman before. Attraction? Yes. Desire for physical activities? Absolutely, but anything beyond that…No, never. So why am I concerned over what this woman sitting next to me is thinking and feeling? Why does her apprehension bother me? And why does it annoy me to no end that getting answers out of her is like a fucking act of Congress?

“What’s wrong?” Shelby’s soft voice startles me out of my musings. My gaze bounces to her briefly before focusing back on the road. I heave another sigh.

“Nothing is wrong,” I assure her. “It’s just…” I pause. It’s what? Can I blurt out that I’m fascinated with her and frustrated at her lack of willingness to have a conversation with me? Wouldn’t that just freak her out and ensure she never speaks to me again?

“It’s just what?” Shelby demands, turning in her seat, angling herself in my direction. I’m again struck my just how beautiful she is. Her face is round with minimal makeup. Her lips are fulland seem to be begging for a kiss. My mouth goes dry. I have an intense urge to pull the car over so I can kiss her senseless. I tamp that down as I’m confident that would not help my case when it comes to getting Shelby to open up to me.

“I’m not used to having this much difficulty getting a woman to talk to me,” I confess. “It’s… unsettling.” Shelby’s face pinks as she processes my words. She looks into my eyes shyly. For a moment, the look is welcoming, as if she can’t believe that I’m interested in her, before her countenance changes. Determination comes over her features, and I know the moment I’ve lost all hope of reaching her. She turns away from me, shifting in her seat to stare out the window.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” she practically whispers. “I’m not falling for your charms. I’m no one’s plaything.”

“What?” I ask incredulously. I don’t understand her attitude. “I don’t know what you think I’m trying to do, but I assure you, I’m only trying to get to know you. You are Marley’s close friend, and she is marrying my brother. I figure we will be seeing a lot of one another in the future, so it would be nice to at least be friends.” I get no response. She continues to watch the scenery flash by as we make our way closer and closer to Virginia Beach. “Fuck!” I mutter angrily under my breath. Shelby hears me, though, as I notice her flinch at my curse. I force myself to calm down and contain my ire at having upset her even more as I don’t want to make the situation worse. We travel the rest of the way in a tense silence.

Resolve sets in the closer we get to Luke’s beach house. I will get her to talk to me, to get to know me. For some reason, my gut is telling me Shelby Brooks is my future. Ialwayslisten to my gut. It’s never failed me before, and I know without a doubt it’s leading me in the right direction now.

Chapter 2

Shelby

This is a colossal disaster. I wish Marely would have allowed me to just take an Uber from the airport instead of having this brute pick me up. I’m sure Marley is worried over the cost. Neither of us had two pennies to rub together when we were growing up. Yes, it might have cost a lot, but I have the money. I’m no longer impoverished. I’ve worked my ass off over the last eight years to ensure I’m financially secure. I work in finance for Pete’s sake. I know how to manage my money well. Factor in that I never go out or take vacations means I have plenty of savings. I hardly have anything to spend my money on, not even a pet to spoil. The only major expense is what I send to my mother every month in an effort to make sure she doesn’t go back to my piece of shit father.

I keep my head turned to stare out the window at the passing scenery so I don’t have to interact with him, Bo Robertson. A.K.A. the brute. The man is entirely too good looking. His black hair is cut short like a military haircut. A beard and mustache cover the lower half of his face. Both are trimmed short and neat. What I can see of his arms and backs of his hands are covered in ink. His t-shirt is stretched tight over his broad shoulders and chest. I wonder how much of it is inked?

I take a deep breath to calm my frayed nerves, but it does no good because all I can smell is his delicious cologne and man scent. It’s a woodsy fragrance with a bit of bergamot. His scent does things to my body that I absolutely do not want. Butterflies had erupted into a flurry in my stomach and goosebumps had popped up on my skin when he’d said my name. Then when our hands had touched when he got my suitcase, the most unnerving sensation shot up my arm and into my chest. Every time he speaks, heat forms in my lower belly, and my lady parts throb with a desire for things I’ve never experienced before.

Yeah, that’s right. I’m a thirty-year-old virgin. Sue me, okay? I haven’t had the easiest of lives and trusting someone that much…with something so important, just isn’t something I’ve been willing to do. I’ve never met anyone who I felt would treat me the way I want to be treated. Like a princess who’s the most important person in the world to them. Yes, I know I sound like a spoiled, self-absorbed brat, but in my defense, I’ve never been treated well, so I refuse to settle for less than what I want. What I know in my heart I deserve. I’m a good person who treats everyone well until they show me they don’t deserve it.

Relief overwhelms me when the car slows, and we pull into the driveway of an enormous house. My mouth falls open in awe. So Marley is marrying money? Good for her! I just hope the bastard is good to her. Marley nor I had very much growing up. Our mothers worked hard to feed and clothe us. Marley’s dad had taken off when she was little, and I was often envious of this fact. She never knew just how lucky she was to not have a father.

While Marley isn’t as overweight as I am, she’s not skinny by any means. I shudder as memories of my past flash in my mind again. I shut them down. I’m not going there today. I mean, I may eventually because I’m sure it’s inevitable. Being around Bo Robertson is not conducive to avoiding some of the horrors ofmy past. His hot body and cocky attitude hits too close to the mark of one of my past traumatic experiences.

Bo parks the car but doesn’t make a move to get out, which makes me nervous. I’m not going to sit here another minute while he tries to sweet talk me. I reach for the door handle when his hand flies out grasping mine. I freeze as heat and tingles shoot through my skin and up my arm. I can feel my traitorous body reacting to his touch. Goosebumps erupt. My nipples harden, and heat swirls in my lower lady parts.

“Sit tight,” Bo murmurs. I nod but refuse to make eye contact with him. He drops my hand, and I let out a sigh of relief. Neither of us move for a beat. “Shelby…I…” Bo begins but doesn’t finish his thoughts. “Fuck it!” Bo mutters as he opens his door, flinging it away from him irritably. He unfolds himself from his seat to stomp around the front of the car. I can’t keep from admiring the way he moves, such grace and confidence, even in his anger. He opens my door, and without my consent, he takes my hand, again my body having an inappropriate response to his touch, helping me to my feet from the obscenely low sitting car. Our bodies are so close together, they’re nearly touching when I reach my feet. I don’t really have room to stand between him and the car. I sway in the confined space in an effort to not touch him. He makes no effort to move out of my personal space, though. He seems to enjoy pushing my boundaries. I jerk my hand from his and receive a wounded look in return. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I was only trying to help. The car is so low it can be a bitch to get out of.” Mortification hits me. Why am I being such a bitch to him?

I study him another few seconds and realize it’s because he reminds me of Lance, not that he’s actually done anything to me to warrant my behavior. I frown as I consider this revelation and contemplate on if I should apologize. I mean, I know I should, but I don’t want to encourage him to keep making an effortwhere I’m concerned. It’s better if he thinks I’m an uncaring, bitch.

Bo’s jaw tightens, gritting his teeth. A shout from the house saves me from further embarrassment over my poor behavior. Bo turns away to the back of the car, and I turn toward the house. Marley is waving from the front door. I return the wave with a smile, wondering why she doesn’t come out to greet me, but I don’t deliberate on it. I turn to help Bo with my bags. We make eye contact over the top of the sports car.

“I’ve got them,” Bo announces. “Go on and greet Marley before she explodes with excitement.” He glances in Marley’s direction with a smile that only enhances his attractiveness. There’s a fondness in his expression that shocks me. He likes my friend, cares for her. Huh…the ogre has feelings; who’d have thunk it? I chuckle to myself as I recall the silly saying Marley and I would say as kids. Yes, it’s a made-up word, bad grammar and all that, but it’s our thing. I can’t help but smile at the memories of us as pre-teens thinking we were so cool.

Suddenly I feel Bo’s gaze on me. My eyes widen when I see what I’m pretty sure looks like desire in his eyes, but that can’t be right.Can it?I’m not the kind of woman who causes men to have desire. I’ve been fooled before. I don’t trust myself to know what’s real and what isn’t. Especially when it comes to men.

Turning way, I hurry toward Marley’s waiting embrace. She practically smoothers me in a hug, squealing in my ear. “Shelby! I’m so happy you could come visit before the wedding. Luke’s sister Daisy is here, and we need all the help we can get to be ready for the ceremony.” I hug her back. Despite my unease at being around Bo, I am so very happy to be here with Marley. It’s been much too long since we’ve been together. It seems the bonds of our friendship can withstand the test of time and distance. We fall into step with one another as she leads me on a tour of the massive house while catching me up on all the crazyevents that have been happening in her life. I’m shocked to hear she’d lost her home, her job, and her car. Not to mention being kidnapped and beaten by some crazy psychopaths. I shiver as she tells me about how she’d been treated, but then saved by her boyfriend’s sister and some special forces Marines.

“Marley! You should have called me when all this shit started,” I scold. We begin to climb the stairs heading for the second floor. “I could have helped you, too. You know I would have let you come stay with me.” Marley nods and smiles at me.

“Well, when things got the worst, the day I lost my job and my home got broken into, Luke was there.” Marley gets a far-off look, recalling the memory. “He found me in the parking lot of The Bistro crying my eyes out. He just kind of took over and took care of me.” She gets a wistful look. I can tell she’s deeply in love with the man who’s stolen her heart.

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