Page 49 of The Night Ride
I leaned over her and wrapped my arms around her, pressing my lips against the back of her neck.
“Did I hurt you?”I asked as I returned to my senses.
She giggled.“No.But I’m glad the health department didn’t make a surprise visit.They’d shut me down for sure.”
I snickered.She glanced over her shoulder with a mile wide grin.And my heart squeezed, because I knew given time, I could fall for this woman.
But fear held my emotions in check.
Chapter sixteen
Whenwereachedherhouse a short time later, we spent the night in her bed.It had been a long damn time since I’d slept beside a woman.Unable to resist each other, we spent most of the night turning to one another again and again until our bodies were spent.Maybe it was because we both knew our time together was short.The fire that burned between us blazed brighter than the sun.
And once she slept, curled within my arms, I laid there unable to sleep and watched her.Feeling as if I was a dragon hoarding its treasure.Because that’s what Beth was, the finest treasure imaginable, wrapped up in the most achingly beautiful woman I had ever known.Bright, engaging, and caring, she was the embodiment of the woman of my dreams.
Dreams I thought were dead and buried a lifetime ago.Dreams that I knew if I wanted, all I had to do was reach out and take them.
But even though I ached to do just that, I couldn’t get past the oath I’d sworn her brother.
***
5 years ago
I sat on my front porch with a beer waiting.It wouldn’t be long.Evan had texted he was on his way.Whether it was to beat my ass for kissing his sister or just lay into me without an audience, I didn’t know.And I didn’t blame him for his fury.I fucked up.
In more ways than one too.
I wiped a frustrated hand over my face.I didn’t think I would ever forget Beth’s crestfallen expression.It wasn’t until Evan told me it was his sister that I realized why she felt so familiar to me, because she was.I remembered her, the sweet and shy girl who had cooked meals for us when I visited Evan’s family home with him years ago.
At the time, I’d been a cocky divorcee, looking to score as much pussy as possible.And I did.But I still remembered her, remembered how Evan’s mom admonished her, her voice like whip lashes laden with toxic barbs.
If Evan hadn’t spoken up, I would have, because no one needed that type of negativity in their life.Especially since she had only heaped her vitriol upon Beth.Evan and their baby sister, Nora, remained unscathed all weekend.
His mom had been one of the reasons why I hadn’t returned with him the following year.She was a vindictive shrew bent on belittling Beth at every opportunity.And I hadn’t thought it wise to want to put his mother in her place.So I’d avoided going.
Now I wished I hadn’t, because then perhaps I would have witnessed Beth’s transformation from an awkward teen into a stunning woman.One who was engaging, funny and smart as a whip.And if I was honest, the woman set my body on fire.
I needed to apologize to her.The wounded look in her eyes when I retreated would live rent free in my mind for years to come.
The lights of Evan’s Camero swung into my driveway.
Evan hopped out of his car with a burr up his butt the size of Texas.Taking a swig of my beer, I rose from my perch on the front steps and set my half full bottle down.I didn’t want to give the fucker any more ammo to use against me.He was one of the toughest SEALs I knew, and I was no simpering miss.But Evan could beat the tar out of me on a good day.When he was fired up, hold on to your butt, because it was about to get whooped.
“You, motherfucker, deserve this.”Evan stalked toward me, fury riding every step.
I stood at the ready.He might be pissed off enough to kill me, or at least to try.I spied lights coming down the street and breathed a sigh of relief.Ben was almost here.I’d called in reinforcements.Ben was one of the few people who could get Evan to cool his jets when he was all fired up.
Evan’s fist shot out and connected with my jaw.Hard enough it snapped my head back.When he brought his left fist in to jab me in the gut, I blocked it.I’d given him one hit, because I deserved it.
“Enough,” I snapped at Evan.“I didn’t know it was Beth.”
“You mean to tell me you didn’t even ask her name before you decided to put the moves on her?”
No, I hadn’t.Our repartee had been so engaging neither of us had asked.But I see the err of my judgement.Beth hadn’t asked because she’d known it was me.When the reverse couldn’t be said for me.It had been a total dick move on my part, except she’d stunned me with her dazzling wit and engaging smile that made me feel as if the sun shone on my darkened soul for the first time in years.
“It was an honest mistake,” I explained, blocking his fists.
Evan snarled.“Why you motherfucking piece of shit?”And he came for me with a vengeance.
