Page 80 of Sweet Surrender
Her fork still held her helping of cheesecake and she brought it to her mouth. Her first bite since she was seventeen. She shoved it in, immediately moaning as the flavors hit her tongue.Sugar, glorious sugar.She inhaled the rest of the slice, licking her fork clean, tongue combing the tines before she remembered her manners. She looked up. His eyes were locked on her mouth, wide and burning at her.
“We’re leaving now,” he grumbled and dragged her out of the booth, slapping some money on the counter as they left. Taylor was glad Ruby wasn’t around today to witness the scene, she would have a fuck ton to say about it.
They ran back to the cabin until she had to stop halfway, her ankle starting to hurt again. He heaved her over his shoulder and kept running, slapping her ass when she griped about it and then she giggled at his desperation to get her home. He put her down on the front porch so he could unlock the door. She ran her hands over his wide shoulders and broad back, eager to get him naked and have him inside her making her moan.
He unlocked the door and went inside already reaching for her but she stilled him, spotting the white envelope on the doormat. A chill ran through her veins at the sight of it, all her mail went directly to the bar, the last time she got a note like this it was from Dale.
“What is it?” he asked.
She picked it up, turning it over. The envelope was blank, unsealed. She steadied her shaking hand and pulled out the paper inside. There were a few sheets folded together in half. She unfolded the first one, taking in what she was looking at and gasped.
Chapter 21
Tension thrummed in his veins as all the color drained from her face.
“What?” he demanded, taking the paper from her hands. Then he saw it: it was a sketch of a forest but in the clearing, against a rock was a man and a woman. The woman was on her knees while the man had a hand buried in her red hair, his head tipped back in pleasure.
Beau’s stomach dropped as he realized it was depicting their mind-blowing encounter just hours earlier. Only one person would be following them, only one person would be sick enough to draw a picture of their private moment then send it to them. Dale had been so quiet for so long that Beau had been certain he had gotten the message and left them alone.
“He’s still watching,” Beau said, scrunching the paper in his hand. She nodded, her hand covering her mouth. He took the other pieces of paper from her and looked through them. They were all different sketches of the two of them together. Them at the gym, at the bar, playing basketball, even watching TV on the couch: the fucker could still see into the cabin.
“Christ, he’s been watching us this whole time!” Beau shouted, rage consuming him at all their intimate moments being invaded.
“What’s it say on the back?” At her voice so quiet, so small, his rage dulled and his need to protect her roared to life. He flipped the page over and ran his eyes over the angry red scrawl.
All these private moments and not a single kiss shared…
Beau growled, tamping down his instinct to tear the note to pieces when they needed the evidence.
“Fuck!” he shouted, some of his rage escaping. He pulled Taylor into a hug, needing to hold her, to know she was safe in his arms and craving comfort himself. She buried her face in his chest and sighed deeply.
“It’s gonna be okay,” she mumbled against his t-shirt.
A laugh huffed out of him despite everything. “I’m meant to say that to you.”
She pulled back and looked up at him, shrugging. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this, it must be a nightmare for you.”
“Hey, no! Do not apologize, it’s not your fault, it’s his.”
She gripped his t-shirt, balling the material in her little fists. “I’m glad I’m doing this with you. As vile as the situation is I’m kind of grateful. I mean look where we are now, compared to a few months ago.” A small, shy smile formed at her lips. “We’ve got our friendship back.”
She was right, if anything this trouble with Dale had done the impossible by bringing him and Taylor closer together. Although it was true, he was annoyed she reminded him that they were just friends, even now, after everything. Surely they were at least friends with benefits? It felt so natural and he didn’t want this to end. He wanted them to stop faking and start living this relationship for real. They were the best of friends, but he wanted more, he wanted forever.
The thought pinged around his mind like a pinball. He knew in his soul she was the one for him, had known it his whole life. No other woman had ever compared to her, no other woman felt as right as Taylor did in his arms. No other woman had ever known him like her. She was it. She washis.
The only part of his realization that terrified him was that he knew she didn’t feel the same. He knew she was happy they were friends again, but more than that? She didn’t do relationships, didn’t doanyserious attachments, so where did that leave them? It was too depressing to think about, so he shoved it aside and smoothed a hand over her hair. “I hate the guy but I think I’ll always be grateful for what he’s given me.”
Her wide eyes, full of emotion, wrecked him. Making him want to get on his knees and beg her to let him inside her heart, let him love her and love him in return. But he couldn’t.
“Let me call Blake,” he said, pulling away. When Blake answered Beau proceeded to explain what happened. After a few grunts and some cursing, Blake said he’d meet them at the bar when Taylor’s shift started.
Taylor went to shower and get ready while Beau checked the perimeter of the cabin and tried to rearrange the drapes so there was no way Dale could see inside. When she was done, Beau got changed and they went to the bar together. He would stay all night; he didn’t dare leave her alone tonight.
When Blake turned up, they all went into her office.
“What are these pictures?” Blake asked, pulling on forensic gloves. Taylor unfolded them and held them out. Beau held up his hand as Blake took them.
“One of them is…sensitive.” Beau gave him a meaningful look. He wasn’t worried about how it looked on him, it was Taylor’s privacy he cared about. Blake nodded and looked them over, cursing when he saw the one of them in the forest. Taylor shifted next to him, and when Beau took her hand in his, she squeezed it in comfort.
