Page 32 of Break Away
She sat down on that dusty spot, pulling ather hair to redirect her emotions. When she got so mad, that’s whenthe anger won. She couldn’t let the anger win this time. Controlwas crucial, because if she lost control, she risked failure.Working toward her goal meant staying focused, not gettingsidetracked. She wasn’t about to let a slut like Zoey Hardesty getin her way.
Dusting off the seat of her pants, Charissafocused next on the children who would be her nieces and nephews,some of them only babies. They were soadorable.Shecouldn’t wait until her own babies were there playing with theircousins.
She scanned across the entire group, thenback over them again, her breath catching in her throat. Where werethey? The men who were in law enforcement were no longer on thedeck or at the tables under the tree.Oh god, had they seenher?
Fear had her scrambling up the trail to hercar, panic biting at the back of her neck with razor-sharp teeth.She threw the binoculars into the backseat as sweat beaded on herforehead and acid churned in her stomach.
How would she explain herself if she werecaught? People didn’t understand her kind of devotion. The starterin her car made a grinding noise as it had been doing recently.Please start.She turned the key again, sweat slicking herhand. This time the engine turned over and she gunned the engine tomake sure it caught.
She executed a hurried three-point turn,tires slipping and spinning on the soft shoulder. Then the fronttire gained purchase and the car shot forward on the dirt road andshe was racing away, a cloud of dust billowing behind her.
***
Levi turned his motorcycle into the driveway.He didn’t want to go back to the cabin where he’d stew over hisconversation with Brad. He didn’t like to think that he’d been soself-absorbed after their dad had died that he’d totally missedwhat his brother had sacrificed. He’d never thought through theramifications of Maddy needing their mom when her daughter had beenso sick, or that Brad had taken time from college specifically tobe there for Levi. That he’d resented his brother and acted like ashit didn’t sit well all these years later.
Zoey’s Prius was in its spot in front of hercottage. Going with the impulse, he stopped next to her car andleaned over to remove the extra helmet he’d hooked under the seatof the motorcycle, hoping she’d come for a ride with him. Heclimbed the steps to the porch, and once again Lucy announced himbefore he could knock.
The door swung open, framing the woman whohad started occupying an inordinate amount of his attention lately.Zoey still wore the dress, but he didn’t think that was what hithim like a sucker punch. The whole deal. The dark eyes, the mass ofhair that seemed to go every which way, and the curvy little bodyhe wanted to get his hands on in the worst way.
She didn’t seem surprised to see him.
“Levi.”
“Zoey.” She gazed at him and he didn’t have aclue what she was thinking. He knew whathewas thinking.How she made him feel more like himself when he was with her, thatsimply seeing her made his day better, and how he could get used tothat.
“Want to come for a ride with me?”
Lucy nosed around Zoey to sniff his jeans,then lean her not insubstantial weight against his leg.
Zoey lowered her brows and, call him crazy,but he found her instant suspicion a turn-on. “On yourmotorcycle?”
“Yeah, on my motorcycle.” He motioned to thesky. “You see that?”
She looked past him. “What?”
He snagged her hand and walked her to theedge of the porch, Lucy following them. From there they could seethe wide canvas of the western sky aglow with vibrant shades ofpink and lavender, the granite peaks of the Sierras showing in anuneven silhouette.
“Come with me. We’ll ride around the lake.”He held up the helmet, eyebrow cocked.
She looked from the sky to Levi, then a smilebloomed. “Let me change into pants and a jacket. But, to make surewe’re clear, this isn’t a date.”
Chapter Ten
“Here, you’re wearing this on our non-date.”Levi held out a bulky jacket. His words were light, but he seemedto be trying to shake off a mood. Since Zoey was feeling a bitpreoccupied, too, maybe an evening ride would do them good.
In jeans and a jacket, she locked Lucy intothe cottage. Levi returned from a quick trip to his cabin wearingblack boots and pants with a leather coat over the body armor he’dworn before. Bad-boy sexy, and she appreciated the view.
“I’m wearing my denim jacket.”
“This one is reinforced with impactprotectors. See?” He opened it to show her how protective plateswere sewn into the garment. “It’ll be big on you but gives a lotmore protection than what you’re wearing.”
She shed her jacket, dropping it on theloveseat, and donned the reinforced one. Before she could zip it,he held it open. “See these?” He held up a strap. “This strap goesaround the belt loop on your jeans. They’ll need to be cinched downsince the jacket will be way too long on you.”
“What’s the point of the straps?”
“If you do hit the pavement, it keeps thejacket from pulling up and exposing your skin to the asphalt.”
“Oh, that’s smart.” She attached the strap toa belt loop on the front of her jeans, then Levi moved behind herto attach the ones in the rear. Warm fingers brushed against theskin of her back, then she felt him go still until he traced afinger above the waistband of her jeans. “There’s the top edge of atattoo here.”
