Page 24 of Almost Had You

I adjust my laptop case on my other elbow and shake my head. “Seriously. It might be Greenton’s way of making sure you never come back.”

He waggles his brows. “Couldn’t keep me away with a blow torch. Cape Cod tries to kill me with cold. It’s a balancing act.”

I cross my arms, waiting for my friend to pick up on it. “Consider me called on. You can run somewhere else now,” I say.

She’s quick on the uptake. “Cape Cod? I thought you were stationed in Florida?” Tannie hisses, her eyes on me the entire time. Every once in a while, our local paper does a story about our small-town hero. She must have missed an article here or there, just as I suspected. “This is why you’re moving to Cape Cod? Oh, dear baby Jesus on the cross, Clover Wellsley, I take it back. Your mama isn’t going to pop her top she’s going to kill you dead. Then your daddy is going to kill Mercer.”

Mercer chuckles. “I had nothing to do with her plans. I know it seems like strange and ironic timing, but that’s sort of been our trend. Clover is doing her own thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she’s heading my way.” He winks at me but turns his attention back to Tannie. “If you think someone’s daddy is gonna kill me, you don’t know me very well.”

“It really is a coincidence, Tannie. I swear it. You know Goldie lives there.”

She’s tapping her nails together, making an annoying clicking noise. “I guess so,” Tannie replies. “Listen, I have to get back to the office. Sheila is covering phones for me and she gets madder than a wet panther when I take too long. We have more to talk about later.” I swallow hard. “I don’t think you’re just strong anymore, though. You’re strong and sure-fire crazy, Clover. Good luck.”

She clicks off down the street, and I turn to face my sweaty suitor. I eye him, feet up and back down, slowly. “Those shorts are atrocious. I can nearly see the promised land.”

“Navy issued, darlin’. I think they do good things for my quads.” He points a leg out to flash bulging muscle on his thigh and calf. “What do you think?”

I take a deep breath to clear my head, but it’s a mistake. Mercer Ballentine enters my oxygen. A sweaty, delicious mess of alpha male. “I think you are going to drive me to drink. That’s what I think.”

“When are you going to tell your parents?” Mercer asks. “You want to beat Tannie to it, right? Or do you have some other devious thoughts on how it’s going down?”

“You’re not afraid of being killed by my daddy. That’s what you said?”

He starts jogging in place again. My gaze darts down to his shorts and the huge, bouncing shaft making the silky material jut up and down. Forgive me, Lord, but it is hypnotizing. I can see the curve of the tip—the width, basically the whole shebang. I try to avert my gaze, but I’m not quick enough and Mercer drawls, “Conversation is up here.” His eyes are narrowed, lips upturned in a sexy smirk.

I lick my lips. “You didn’t answer my question,” I say, trying to get the X-rated image out of my head but failing. “You’re not afraid?”

He cocks his head, studying me. “I’m not afraid of much, definitely not your father. What’s that have to do with you telling him?”

I fix my shoulders and run a hand through my soft curls. “You owe me an apology. In the Wellsley family, actions speak louder than words, so you’ll be with me when I tell them.”

His eyes widen. “What? You want a bodyguard?” A bout of laughter escapes him.

I shake my head. “No. You’re going to be an arsenal. We’re together now. Two Greenton kids in Cape Cod. We’re a couple. You’ll take care of me while I’m far away from home.”

Mercer opens his mouth to say something, then closes it again. “You’re serious. You want to use me so they are more open to you leaving?”

“You say using, I say stretching the truth. I am capable of taking care of myself, you know that. Having you as my…partner is a safeguard. They’ll worry about me and if they know I have you, they’ll worry less. Just roll with it. This was your proposition.”

He places his hands on his hips, standing still now. “How do you do that?

“What?” I ask, breathing heavy.

He raises both brows. “Make it seem like I’m responsible for your crazy ideas?”

I lift and lower one shoulder. “You’re in or you’re in, Mercer Ballentine. What’s it gonna be? You scared? You want me? Us? Willing to fight for it?”

“Yes. No. Double yes. Always,” Mercer deadpans.

My heart races as five words sink into my awareness. “I’m parked over in town square. Want to take a ride to Daddy’s office?”

Mercer looks down to his workout clothes and pinches his damp shirt. “Wearing this? This needs to be done right now?”

I nod. “We’ll start with Daddy then ride over to my house to talk to Mama. You can run there if you want to finish your workout?” I let the sentence hang. “No time to change.”

“You are a hurricane. Not a tornado.” He sucks in a deep breath. “Let’s go then. I’ll run over to DR so I can grab my bag. I want to change out of these clothes eventually.”

I agree as we cross the road together and I can tell his mind is running away with him. “You’re forgetting something, though. Your daddy doesn’t want you with a man like me.”

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