by Jo McNally
“It wasn’t just you I ran from. You were the one who was left standing there, but I was running from other things. Running from not being heard. Running from other people’s expectations. Running from...disappointment. In my parents. And yes, in you.” She looked up again, her blue eyes cautious beneath her long lashes. “Everytime we’re together, though, I remember the good times. The beaches. The mountains. The silly motels. The romantic dinners.” She grinned. “The back of your Bronco.”
His fingers tightened on her hips involuntarily. They’d had some great times in that Bronco. They’d had some great times, period. And it sounded as if he wasn’t the only one who thought so. She slid her hands up to his shoulders, then behind his neck and up into his hair. Again, he waited. Afraid to move. Afraid to breathe.
“Half the reason I was so mad at you was because I missed you. The you of those fun times. The you who laughed, who loved me. It probably wasn’t fair, because I should have known you’d gone through stuff over there. I should have understood...”
He had to stop her there. “No. You tried, Luce. You begged me to talk to you. You knew there was something eating at me, and you tried to get me to share it with you. I refused. That’s on me, not you.”
Her fingers moved slowly and lightly through his hair. He wondered if she even knew she was doing it. She didn’t seem convinced of his words.
“But if we loved each other, I shouldn’t have had to...” She sighed. “And I did love you. I think I still love you... .” His pulse jumped. It wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, but it wasn’t a shutdown, either. “I just need...time to sort this all out. My frustrations with everyone have spilled onto you, and I can’t separate it in my mind. I look at you, and I see your parents and my parents and the business and...”
“Then don’t look.”
“What?”
“Don’t look. Feel. Close your eyes and let your heart feel what’s right or wrong.” She stared at him as if he’d started speaking Portuguese. This moment wasn’t anywhere in Dr. Find-Love’s app. He hadn’t planned it. But it felt right, and he was going with it. “Close your eyes, Lucy.”
She did, and he pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her waist. He breathed the words against her neck, her skin silky soft on his lips.
“Keep them closed and feel. You can stop me anytime you want, but...give it a chance. Give us a chance.” His mouth traced slowly along the line of her jaw, and he felt her tremble before pressing herself against him. He was instantly hard, but he forced himself not to move his hips. This was about feelings, not physical chemistry. Even though his physical chemistry felt combustible at the moment.
His mouth brushed the corner of hers, and her head turned ever so slightly to meet him. Her eyes were still tightly closed, but her hands were pulling his head down, lost in the moment. Owen had to be careful. One misstep and the moment...and maybe all hope...would be lost. He barely kissed her—more like a brief meeting of mouths before he pulled away. That’s when Lucy took control. Her fingers tightened, twisting in his hair and tugging him down to meet her lips. Just before they crashed together, she murmured something so softly he almost didn’t hear her command.
Kiss me.
As a soldier, he sure as hell knew how to obey an order. They connected so quickly their teeth clicked together before his tongue pushed forward and she surrendered with a moan that shot straight to his groin. His hands lowered to cup her bottom and hold it against him. Patience and self-control be damned. Their heads turned and twisted, but their mouths didn’t part. He just wanted to taste her—his sweet, sweet Lucy. He didn’t want to stop, and clearly neither did she, considering the way her leg hooked around his as if she wanted to climb him. Yes, please.
Owen grabbed her thighs and lifted her so she could wrap her legs around him. He turned and braced her against a tree trunk, pressing in against her and wondering just how far this little experiment of his was going to go. He lifted his head to fill his lungs, and barely had time to do even that as she pulled him back down to her kiss. Things were burning hot. Just the way they used to be. Just the way he liked it. Her legs tightened, and his fingers moved up under her flowy little skirt. Brushed against her panties. His brain was yelling at him to slow down, but his heart and his dick were telling him something very different.
Lucy groaned and dropped her head to kiss his neck, gasping for breath as she whispered his name.
“Owen...yes...”
He was just lifting the hem of her dress when he heard another voice. A child’s voice.
“Mommy, what are they doing over there?”
Shit, shit, shit!
The opposite side of the waterfall was a park. A public park. A family friendly public park. And here he was, basically humping Lucy against a tree trunk. Maybe he should have listened to his brain after all.
Lucy heard the boy’s voice, too, and her whole body went still for a beat, then her hands pushed frantically on his chest. He’d already lowered her feet to the ground, and he slid them both around to the other side of the tree. She buried her face against his chest, hiding from whoever it was who’d appeared across the stream.
“What did you see, sweetie?” A woman’s voice. A woman who luckily hadn’t seen their display of animal instinct. But her little boy had. Owen rested his cheek on Lucy’s head as they listened.
“A man was carrying a lady and they were kissing!”
The kid sounded disgusted. His mother’s laughter was wry, but not angry. “Well, this is a popular place for...that. Your aunt and uncle got caught up here once, kissing and...stuff. In fact, there’s a very gushy, romantic legend about the waterfall. Do you want me to tell you about it?”
“Ew! Gross! No!” The little boy sounded horrified, which was probably exactly what his mother intended. She chuckled, and he heard them walking away. Had he and Lucy managed to stay hidden from view?
The woman spoke again. “That’s what I thought. Come on, Eric, let’s go up the trail to the top of the falls.” Her volume increased. “By the time we get up there, I bet there won’t be anyone kissing, or doing anything else, behind that tree over there.”
The woman knew they were there, and was telling them to scram. He glanced around the tree and saw mother and son disappear into the trees. He and Lucy got the message loud and clear. They hurried down the trail toward the vineyard. They were deep into the trees when Lucy stopped, covering her face, her shoulders shaking. Owen’s heart fell.
“Damn, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking...”
She lifted her head in surprise. There were tears on her pink cheeks, but her wide eyes sparkled with laughter. The relief almost made his knees buckle.
“We both had a hand in whatever that was.” She giggled and reached up to smooth his hair. “And it was a mistake.” She waggled her finger in front of his face. “That will not happen again. Especially in public!” She laughed again, then started tugging at her clothes, which were a lot more rumpled than before. “I can’t believe we got caught. I mean, I can believe it because it’s a lovely summer day and that’s a public park, but what were we thinking?”
Owen nodded, helping her straighten her skirt. His brain was stuck on especially in public. Did that mean she wasn’t opposed to doing that in private? Kissing her could have slammed the door shut on hope completely, but maybe...just maybe...it had done the opposite.
She swatted his hand away and shoved him. “Get back. I don’t want anyone seeing us together and knowing about that...that...”
“That smokin’ hot kiss? The way you crawled right up my body to get more of it? My fingers brushing against your...”
“Stop!” She punched him in the shoulder, but she was still laughing. “I was there. I don’t need a play-by-play. How do I look? Normal?”
He chuckled, plucking a leaf from her fading pink hair.
“Lucy Higgins, you have never looked
normal in my eyes. You’ve always looked special. Unique. Wild. Beautiful. Hotter than hell.” She was staring at him now, her mouth soft and slack. “But normal? No way, babe. Normal is boring. And you have never been that. It’s why I love you.”
Lucy was the only unplanned thing in his life. And he’d never been able to resist her, right from the moment they’d met. She’d bewitched him with her laughter. She’d made him imagine a different, happier future with her at his side. His parents said it was impossible, but for the first time ever, he’d defied them. For Lucy. He swooped in for a quick kiss on those inviting lips. She returned it for a moment, then stepped back, waving her hand in front of his face.
“No more kissing! You’re not playing fair.” She gestured at him from head to toe. “And no more of that sweet talk, either. You’ve never been a sweet talker. A dirty talker, yes. But flowery prose is not your style and you’re...you’re confusing me.” She stepped back again. “And don’t stand so close. I don’t want anyone to see us and get any ideas.” Her eyes narrowed. “Especially you. What happened back there was not what friends do, and we agreed to be...” Her voice trailed off. She’d already admitted it wasn’t just him who’d gotten hot and heavy in the first place.
“I think...” His voice grew serious. “We can both agree that what happened means we’re not just friends anymore. Let’s not kid ourselves. No one needs to know. I get that, and I respect it. But we know. And we’re going to have to talk about what that means sooner or later. That kiss... that heat...there’s something between us that’s worth saving. Admit that much to me.”
She licked her bottom lip, then pressed her tongue against it. Her eyebrows drew together as she stared at the ground between them. Eventually her shoulders fell and she let out a long breath.
“You might be right. But I’m not ready.” She glanced up in time to see his brief smile, and she returned it. “Yes, I know I seemed very ready just then. But Owen... I walked out on our wedding. I need to deal with that. With what made me do it. With what I do next. With what other people are going to do about it...” Her smile deepened. “I’m pretty sure your mom plans on suing me. Part of me still loves you. But for now, I really need you to be my friend. Not my lover. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us until we know what our plans are going to be. And that?” She pointed back toward the falls. “That doesn’t help me. It just muddles things even more.”
His chest felt lighter. Hope. She was giving him hope.
“I hear you, and I understand. But remember...you gave me thirty days, so if I seem anxious, it’s because there’s a clock ticking in my head. Louder every day. But I’ll behave. No kisses unless you beg me for them.”
She scoffed as she turned to walk away. “In your dreams.”
Yup. That’s exactly where that kiss was going to live. In his dreams, every time he closed his eyes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CONNIE WATCHED LUCY wipe down the counter in the shop. Or more accurately, wipe one particular spot on the counter. Over and over again. While smiling and staring off into space. Lucy could be bubbly. Unpredictable. Strong-willed. But dreamy-eyed was a new side of her. Connie closed the cooler door and arched her brow.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were downright swooning over something. Or somebody.” Lucy looked up in surprise, as if she hadn’t even noticed that Connie had walked right in front of her to get to the cooler and back again to stand in front of her.
“What? What do you mean?” She scrubbed with a bit more energy, still on that one spot next to the computer monitor.
Connie nodded. “Ah...that’s what it is, isn’t it? Someone. Is that fiancé of yours finally making some progress?” Lucy’s blush deepened. Nailed it. “Well, isn’t that interesting. Does this have anything to do with the picnic at the winery the other day?”
She’d barely gotten the last word out before Lucy jumped to deny it.
“No! Why would a picnic change anything? Besides, there was a whole group there. It’s not like it was a romantic tryst...”
Well. That was an interesting choice of words.
“I never said anything about romantic trysts, but now you have me curious.” She leaned her hip against the counter. “Helen said the two of you were at a private table near the top of the hill. And Cecile saw you walking into the woods together.”
Lucy’s cheeks were flaming now. Bingo. Something had happened.
“Oh, my God. The gossip in this town is worse than down South, and I didn’t think that was possible. Owen and I walked over to see the waterfall. That’s all Cecile saw. And we only took that table because the others were full. Nothing happened.”
“I call bullshit on that.”
Lucy’s mouth fell open. “I beg your pardon?” Her Southern accent deepened. She stared as if she expected Connie to back down and apologize, which was not about to happen.
“Look, darlin’.” Lucy’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the mockery, but Connie kept right on talking. “You were staring so far off into space just now that you didn’t even see me putting flowers in the cooler. And you’ve been wiping the same exact spot on that counter for ten minutes. I’ve been around the block a few times, girl, and I know a besotted expression when I see one. There’s no one else you’d look that way for except for Owen Cooper. My guess is you’re beginning to regret leaving him at the altar.”
It was as if she’d pushed a button that collapsed Lucy like one of those floppy dolls they sold at the fair. She was still standing, but all the air was let out of her, and...there were tears in her eyes. Lucy hadn’t come close to shedding a tear in front of Connie before now.
“Oh, shit.” This was what happened when she started caring about people. She had to deal with waterworks. “Come on in back. I’ll get you some water.” She took Lucy’s elbow and led her back to the worktable, where Lucy sat on a stool and buried her face in her hands. Connie kicked herself. She’d really done it now. Emotions. Emotions were flowing all over her workroom, and she didn’t know how to stop it. She awkwardly patted Lucy’s shoulder as she cried silently. She’d misread this completely. Owen must have done something stupid. She fetched a bottle of water. She checked the front of the shop to make sure no one was there. Then she sat at Lucy’s side.
“Look...men can be jerks. They’re born idiots and aging doesn’t help them one bit. Whatever Owen did...”
Lucy wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“He kissed me.”
Connie sat back, trying to figure out where the tears were coming from.
“Without your permission?”
Lucy shook her head emphatically. “No, nothing like that. I kissed him, too. In fact, I think I kissed him first.”
“I see. That bastard.”
A bubble of laughter came up through Lucy’s tears. “Right? I’m so confused. I mean... I left him. And he picked me up, put me against a tree and kissed me like nothing had ever happened. And it was...it was...”
“Earth-shattering?”
She wiped her face again, then took a drink of water.
“Something like that, yeah. I thought we were done. We had to be done, right?” She turned to face Connie. “Why wouldn’t we be done after I dumped him? Isn’t that the definition of dumping a guy? That you’re done? But then...”
“Then he kissed you. Against a tree.”
“Yes. He kissed me. Against a tree. And said he loved me. And I...said I might love him, too. But that makes no sense!”
Connie put her hand over Lucy’s.
“This may come as a shock to you, but love rarely makes sense.”
The room was silent for a few minutes. Lucy sniffled, her tears finally coming to an end.
“Tell me about your husband.”
“Where did that come from?” Connie yanked her hand away. “What does my marriage have to do with you and Owen?�
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“You mentioned love as if you loved your husband once. But you never talk about him.”
She was now well and truly bristling, her voice sharp. “I don’t have to talk about him. He left me. You know that, right?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t love him once.” Lucy’s eyes went soft.
Connie started organizing ribbons and beads, trying to ignore the welling up of emotion inside of her. “I did, right up until he left me here alone and took off with that Sandy woman. I never saw it coming. That wasn’t the deal. It wasn’t the plan...” She sighed, remembering the absolute shock of the day she’d found Danny packing his suitcase. “I guess it isn’t fair to say I didn’t see it coming. I knew something was wrong. We’d settled into different lives. Him with his real estate business and me with the shop. Our son was grown and gone, and we had to find a new life just for the two of us. But Dan went out and found a new life that didn’t include me at all.
“And yes... I loved him for a long time. Even more importantly, I liked him. We had fun together. Like Cecile said, we threw some wild parties and laughed all the time. But once our nest was empty, I guess I wasn’t enough for him anymore. Maybe it was my health worries. Maybe it was male menopause or whatever they call it.” She tried to smile. “I guess I wouldn’t be this angry with him if I hadn’t loved him so much. Like I said...love doesn’t make sense. But he betrayed me. He betrayed our vows. He betrayed all the plans we’d made together.”
“I’m really am sorry.” Lucy tipped her head to the side. “You sound like Owen with all of your focus on plans. He doesn’t like having plans derailed, either.”
“He doesn’t mind derailing your plans to leave him.”
“Ha! That’s true.” Lucy’s forehead wrinkled. “I wonder why. He’s always said meeting me was never in his plans, but now he won’t let me go. I can’t figure out if it’s because he really cares about me, or because I disrupted The Plan. And since The Plan is based in Greensboro, that’s not going to happen.”