by Sable Hunter
“Well, I think that’s it.” Doris slammed shut the back doors of Avery’s SUV. “I think we bought all the Halloween decorations left for sale in Kerrville.”
“I think you’re right. It’s going to be neat.” Seren climbed in the front, shutting the door behind her. “I haven’t celebrated Halloween before. Where I’m from Christmas, Easter, and Yom Kippur were the big holidays.”
Doris laughed. “Well, hold on to your hat. Avery and Isaac love Halloween. We’ve been spreading the news for weeks about the party. This year, anyone who comes to the club has to be in costume.”
“Sounds fun,” she said weakly, other things on her mind. Closing her eyes, she dreaded what she was about to do. “Doris, can I trust you?” she asked after the older woman had positioned herself behind the wheel.
“With your life, girl. What’s wrong?”
Her worried expression made Seren feel more secure. “I need to go to the drug store and buy something. Since the fire, I don’t have any money to speak of.”
“No problem. Let’s go.” Doris backed out and headed down the street. “I’m not sure why that request requires trust.”
Seren swallowed and let out a long breath. “I need to buy a pregnancy test.”
Total silence prevailed for a few seconds, then Doris whooped and hollered, “You might be pregnant! That’s fantastic!” A heartbeat or two passed and Seren didn’t say anything. “This is a good thing. Right?”
Seren nodded, unable to deny the budding wonder in her heart. “Of course.”
“Well, let’s go.” Doris was all smiles. “Want to talk about the father?”
“Uh, no. Not yet.” A swarm of questions buzzed in her head, but now wasn’t the time to deal with them. First, she needed to know if there was a baby.
A baby.
A baby!
Absolute wonder built up inside her like a rising tide. She’d never, ever, even imagined such a thing. A warm cloud of hope enveloped her. She closed her eyes, imagining herself holding a tiny baby in her arms. A baby with Canyon’s dark hair and warm eyes. Seren was so deep in her daydream, she didn’t realize they’d pulled up in front of the CVS.
“Come on, let’s go.”
Seren followed Doris into the store, her heart beating a mile a minute.
“We’d better get more than one.” When they found the item in question, Doris grabbed three different brands.
“So many?”
“You need to be sure.”
“Okay.” Seren stood meekly back as Doris paid for the item, then trailed her to the SUV.
“When we get to the club, I’ll unload the SUV and you head to the bathroom to pee on these sticks.”
Seren grimaced a bit as she read the instructions on each box. “Slightly unsanitary, huh.”
“Ha! Sex is unsanitary. Why, my husband…”
As Doris regaled Seren with too much information, her mind wandered to what she and Canyon had shared. Being with him hadn’t seemed unsanitary at all, it had been wonderful.
As they neared the club, Seren stuffed the pregnancy tests back in the bag. “You won’t say anything to anyone, will you, Doris?”
Doris zipped her lips. “Not a word.” Shutting off the engine, she patted Seren’s knee. “Although, you should know that everyone at Hardbodies will stand by you. No matter what. I don’t know everything about your circumstances, but you won’t be alone.”
“If I am pregnant,” Seren insisted, not yet fully believing the possibility.
“Right. Now go.” Doris pointed to the entrance. “I’ll get this in and meet you inside for the results.”
“I could help you first,” Seren protested, wanting to put off the verdict for a few more minutes.
“No.” Doris grinned. “This is too exciting. I don’t want to wait!”
“You don’t want to wait? How about me?” she grumbled to herself as she made her way into the club, heading straight for the bathroom. Doris might be excited, but panic was rising in Seren’s breast with every step.
Once inside the bathroom, she locked the door and leaned against it for support. Was she ready for this?
No – but she needed to know.
Moving to the stall, she readied herself to take the test. Working mechanically, she refused to think until she knew the truth.
One by one, she peed on the sticks, setting them aside on a piece of toilet tissue atop the paper dispenser – then she waited.
Facing away from the little sticks, she placed her face against the cool metal wall.
Three minutes proved to be an eternity.
Finally, she took a deep breath and turned – her eyes going to the first stick. With wide eyes, she grabbed the boxes to confirm what she was seeing.
One showed two clear lines.
Another contained a plus sign.
And the last contained one word – PREGNANT.
Gasp!
Sinking back to the toilet, Seren tried to assimilate this new life-changing revelation and what it would mean. As she considered having Canyon’s baby, the only emotion flooding her soul was joy.
Pure joy.
Yes, Seren knew she should go to a doctor to get the information confirmed, but in her heart – she already knew.
The baby was real. It was Canyon’s. And she wanted it more than anything.
How she would manage, she didn’t know. The only truth she could recognize was that she would move heaven and earth to protect her child and make a life for it. Love for the tiny life growing inside her filled Seren and flowed beyond her body. The only thing she cared for more was the father. Hugging herself, Seren sat still for a moment, basking in the awe this miracle wrought within her.
Suddenly, the door knob jiggled and Seren jumped up, stuffing all of the paraphernalia back into the plastic bag. Stuffing the bag under her arm, she wiped the happy tears from her eyes. “Be right out!”
Once she flipped the lock, the door opened and Doris burst through. “Well?”
Seren smiled and nodded, putting a finger to her mouth to indicate she wanted Doris to keep the news to herself. Nevertheless, her friend let out an exhilarated whoop. “This is so exciting!”
“What’s exciting?”
Hearing Canyon’s voice when she least expected it caused Seren to stumble over her own feet and right into his arms.
“Hey, careful, sweetheart.”
“Too late.” Doris snorted.
Giving her friend a warning look, Seren rested against Canyon’s strong chest. “Decorating for Halloween. We bought tons of decorations.”
“Ah, okay.” He wasn’t sure he completely bought her explanation, but who was he was to understand feminine bathroom quandaries? “Guess what?”
Grateful for Doris making a hasty exit, she looked up into his face. “What?”
“I’ll be working here for the next couple of weeks.” The smile on his face told her he was happy about the development.
“Great! Doing what?”
“Come see.” He took her by the hand to tug her down the hall and out the back. “Isaac has a project for me to work on.”
She went with him to see the spot where an outdoor kitchen would be built. Even though her thoughts were preoccupied with the recent discovery, Seren showed the proper amount of enthusiasm. Just seeing his smile and excitement made her happy. “So, you’ll be here. Every day?”
Canyon nodded. “For a while. This won’t be something we just throw together.”
“I’m glad.” She squeezed his arm. “I enjoy being around you.” She couldn’t deny that truth to him, much less to herself.
“Me too,” he told her, then set out to outline his plans, painting a picture of the project he was about to undertake. “I’ll forge the pits, Isaac wants to be able to cook a whole cow if he so chooses. Later, we’ll encase it all in Austin limestone. There’ll be room for a fridge and a sink. I think he wants to be able to have cookout contests and such.”
“I’ve tasted some of his brisket, h
e deserves the ultimate outdoor kitchen. You’re just the one who can give it to him.”
Canyon seemed pleased at her confidence. Rubbing his hands together, he grinned. “Well, I’ll get to it…and see you on break?”
She nodded. “All right. On break.” Walking backward, she watched him get to work, lifting a heavy slab of steel from the back of Isaac’s truck. With every flex of his broad back, the thin T-shirt he wore stretched over an intriguing landscape of muscles. Her mouth watered and she licked her lips at the sight.
“Whoa!” Emma placed her hands on Seren’s back. “Careful.”
“Oh, sorry.” Seren got her footing and moved out of Emma’s way. “I was…distracted.”
“Ha!” Emma laughed. “I know that tone, same one I get when Josh is close by. I might be blind, but I’m super-aware of him in a thousand other ways.”
“I know you are.” Seren gazed at beautiful Emma with great affection. “You absolutely light up when he’s around.”
“I do.” She patted Seren on the arm. “Doris is looking for you. She needs help hanging streamers.”
“On my way.” She took one last look over her shoulder at Canyon before throwing herself into the spirit of the holiday.
By the time the bar opened, the place was festive. Every surface was decked out in orange and black, countless clear and orange lights were hanging from every beam. Along the bar, carved pumpkins held flameless candles, and life-size ghosts, witches, and skeletons leaned casually against walls or sat in chairs, just waiting for someone to join them for a beer.
From the first drink served to the last, Seren was busy. There was not a moment to spare dwelling on anything other than her customers and getting their orders right. If something could go wrong, it did go wrong. She dropped a tray of drinks. Once, she got an order wrong and the customer was not happy about it. Another time, an inebriated biker got a little too friendly, reaching out to cup her butt as she walked away. She saw Canyon rise to come her way, but she handled it, earning her a tip of the hat from her designated protector. He didn’t know it, but the reason she felt secure enough to stand up for herself was because he was nearby – watching over her. Heaven help her, she was so addicted to him. How she was going to live…
“Stop it,” she chided herself. “Not now.”
Now, it was time to clean up and go home.
With Canyon.
From Canyon’s perspective, he’d wanted to tear the ape a new one for daring to touch Seren. He sat at a table with Isaac, Bull, and Jacob, celebrating Bull’s homecoming. His friend had surprised them a few minutes ago as Isabella dropped him off to touch base with his friends while she went to pick up a few things they needed at the grocery store.
“I think you have a future as a bouncer, Brady,” Bull drawled.
“He has a job here when he wants it.” Isaac chuckled.
Jacob’s eyes followed Seren’s progress as she assisted the young man who was busing the tables. “You’re awfully protective of the new girl, Canyon. Anything we ought to know?”
Turning to face his boss, he shook his head. “No, not really. Just doing my good deed. Being chivalrous. She’s alone and needs a champion, so she’s staying with me for a few days. Other than that – we’re just friends.”
“Uh…can I get you guys anything else before Emma closes the bar?”
Canyon had to bite the inside of his jaw to keep from wincing. Seren stood right behind him. She’d heard every word he said. Bull gave him a knowing glance and he pressed his lips together, letting Isaac answer for them all. “We’re good, Seren. Thanks.”
“Good job.” Jacob chuckled as Seren walked away. “If you did have any plans of moving out of the friendship zone, I think you’ve blown it.”
Seren held her back straight as an arrow as she moved away.
There was nothing like a reality check.
“They’re good, Emma,” she reported back, then stepped over to the cash register to close out her drawer. She had to do the count three times as her mind tried to make sense of everything. Once she was through, Seren kept her head down as she made for the bathroom. She needed a few moments to gather her wits before facing Canyon once more.
Once inside the restroom, she didn’t waste the opportunity. Seems like she always needed to go these days. As she washed her hands, she stared into the mirror. “I have no right to feel dejected and betrayed. He may be attracted to me, but it’s no more than that. I shouldn’t be surprised, he’s said this same thing several times. He doesn’t remember loving me. All memory of us was wiped from his mind. This is my punishment. What’s happening now is just more of that punishment.”
She splashed some water on her face, continuing the lecture to herself. “This is another test. A test I’m probably failing miserably,” Seren groaned softly. “We’ve switched roles. He’s protecting me. And to confuse matters even more, I’m back in his house. Heck, if I had my way, I’d be back in his bed in a heartbeat.” Hanging her head, she tried to reconcile all the sweet things he’d done for her, all the plans he made. The tense moments of sexual tension. Were they all her imagination? “No, I don’t think so.” Seren giggled sadly to herself. “My imagination isn’t that good.”
All of this was just too new for her. Feeling the weight of human emotion. What she’d always considered to be a blessing, was proving to be a curse in some ways. “No, no. Don’t say that.” She placed her hand on her middle. “I could never regret you.” Even though Canyon didn’t think he could ever want another child, she knew their baby was a product of pure love.
Tearing off a piece of paper towel, she dried her face and eyes. “Okay, Seren, this is the way it’s going to be. Canyon wants me with him right now…and I need him.” She closed her eyes and bowed her head. “In more ways than one.” Nodding her head, she acknowledged that her thought process was sound. “I can’t stay forever, but I’m here for now. I’m going to cherish every moment I have with him.” She wrapped both arms around her middle, hugging herself and her child. “And when it’s time to go…I’ll be taking part of him with me.”
Taking one more deep breath, she straightened her hair, then turned to leave the restroom. When she entered the hall, it was to find Canyon waiting for her. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He moved close and touched her arm gently. “What you heard out there…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Seren felt a pang of hurt in her heart. “I know how you feel.”
“No, you don’t,” Canyon spoke softly. “I don’t even know how I feel.” Cupping the side of her neck, he used his thumb to caress her cheek gently. “I’m so confused. I stopped living after Matty died and I didn’t know I could feel again until I met you.”
Seren chewed on her lower lip, holding in everything she wished she could say to him. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything else.”
He leaned forward and placed a feather light kiss on her cheek. “Fine. I won’t try and explain what I’m feeling. Let’s go home and I’ll show you.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Fine. I won’t try and explain what I’m feeling.
Let’s go home and I’ll show you.
Seren learned quickly that she much preferred show to tell.
They drove home from the club without saying much. He was polite as always, assisting her into the cab, fastening her seatbelt. The only thing Seren could define the quietness as being was sexual tension, thick enough to cut with a knife. She shivered, her skin dancing with frissons of excitement. Considering the circumstances, Seren felt very vulnerable. She knew she was letting her longing and desire for Canyon get in the way of common sense. The thought made her smile, she wasn’t sure how much common sense she’d been granted.
“We’re home.”
“I’m glad.” She didn’t bother to climb down herself, knowing full well he expected her to sit still until he came around to help her down. Once he did, she took his hand and let him lead her into his home. They were no more than inside th
e door before Canyon came right into her space, his wide palms framing her face. His nearness sent a scorching curl of desire winding its way through her.
“God, Seren,” he whispered as his fingers slid up to tangle in her hair. “I can’t explain what you do to me.”
“Don’t try.” Seren stared into his eyes, licking her lower lip in anticipation of his kiss. “Like you promised…just show me.”
A growl was his only answer before he dazzled her senses, layering his mouth over hers, sliding his tongue between her lips. Claiming her mouth with hunger, his kiss demanded a response. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Seren answered him in a wild tangle of lips and gasping breaths. Between them, there was no tentativeness, no hesitation, no reluctance. Canyon might not know it, but this wasn’t their first kiss. His taste and touch were dear and familiar, as necessary to her as the air she breathed. Seren pressed herself against him, loving how his kisses lingered, as if he were unwilling to break the connection. “Ummm,” she purred, rubbing her aching body against his ever so slightly.
Boom! Canyon felt like he’d been knocked for an erotic loop. From the first touch of his lips to hers, she’d stolen his control, turning him inside out. Tightening his arms around her sexy body, he felt gratified when she parted her lips a little wider for him. He sank deep, teasing, tasting. When his lips slid down to kiss her neck, she followed him, recapturing his mouth with a mewling protest. Her palms were flat on his chest, her fingers kneading and rubbing. Canyon knew she could feel his heart beating out of control. Fuck! This was so good.
Too good.
He felt at home in her arms. He felt like she belonged in his.
Whoa!
Easing off, he changed the kiss, powering down. Burning need became tender smooches, light brushes of lips, sugar bites. He wanted this woman and she seemed more than willing. The only thing standing in his way was…him. He needed to get a handle on his feelings before he dove off the deep end and drowned.
Seren clung to him, her whole body alight with passion. She could tell he was backing off. As much as she desired this, there was part of her mind that admitted stopping was a good idea. “I guess you showed me,” she murmured, her words breathless.