Hurricane Hearts

by Nina Levine

  “Okay,” I agreed with a nod. “But I’m trusting you to make good on that promise.”

  He leant his face close to mine, his lips grazing my ear. “I will, but I’m wondering why you need me to. That says something about us, don’t you think?”

  I drew in a long breath. He was right, and now I’d shown my cards. I needed to get out of here before this went any further.

  Pressing my hand to his chest, I said, “I’ve changed my mind. This is a bad idea.”

  I spun on my heel to leave. I’d walk out of here, grab a cab and forget this ever happened.

  But Winter had other ideas.

  He always had other ideas.

  Catching my hand, he spun me back around and pulled me in close. So close I could hardly catch my breath because of the need and want swirling between us. “If you think I’m going to let you walk away from me twice this year, you’re seriously mistaken, Birdie. I’m not ever allowing you to do that again.”

  2

  WINTER

  Birdie Beaumont had owned my heart from the moment she waltzed into my life the day I turned twenty. We met at a football match. I’d just won the game for my team, who happened to be her team, and she’d smiled at me as I ran off the field. I hadn’t been able to get the sexy blonde out of my head all day, and when she’d turned up at my birthday party that night with one of my teammates, I’d made it my mission to get to know her. She’d tried to tell me she wanted to date my teammate, but that was bullshit, and she knew it. Our instant connection had scared her, and she did everything to avoid giving in to it.

  But I had never been a man who gave up on what I wanted, and I’d pursued the fuck out of her. And here we were, repeating history. Birdie continued to deny her feelings while I decided she’d be mine again.

  I held her to me firmly enough that she’d have to fight to escape. “If you think I’m going to let you walk away from me twice this year, you’re seriously mistaken, Birdie. I’m not ever allowing you to do that again.”

  Hell, she wasn’t a woman I could go on living without. I’d barely survived the last five years since she’d left me and fled Sydney. Since she’d ripped my heart out. She had no clue she still owned that heart. That my chest was a gaping hole of pain filled with nothing but memories that haunted my days and claimed my nights.

  Her eyes found mine, and I saw everything I needed to see to know I hadn’t misread this.

  Birdie wanted this as much as I did.

  “Winter,” she said breathlessly, but the way she didn’t make any attempt to wiggle out of my embrace betrayed any argument she might attempt. “We can’t—”

  I pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. “I’m just asking for a few drinks. We can go for a coffee somewhere else if you don’t want to drink anymore.”

  She remained silent, staring up at me like a deer caught in headlights. Still not moving out of my hold.

  “You wanna go grab coffee?” I asked when she didn’t respond. It was actually my preference. It’d be quieter, and I’d have a better chance at getting her talking.

  Shaking her head, she stumbled over her words in her haste to get them out. “No, I’ll stay here and have a drink with you. One drink.” It seemed she wasn’t confident about being somewhere quieter with me. That knowledge only confirmed my thoughts that she was trying to shut down her feelings.

  I held her for a few moments longer, not wanting to let her go. But I eventually did and then motioned to the bartender for two more drinks.

  She moved closer to the bar and placed her clutch down, still doing everything she could to avoid looking at me. I ran my gaze over her while we waited for our drinks.

  Fuck, she was beautiful. I’d never found a woman who even came close to matching Birdie. With her blue eyes that captured me every damn time, flawless tanned skin, curves, and legs that went on forever, and those lips I’d spent too many fucking hours thinking about, she had everything that got my blood pumping. But it wasn’t just her physical attractiveness that took my breath away. Birdie was the complete package with a soul that far exceeded any beauty she had on the outside. Everyone who met her was drawn to her in inexplicable ways. She was like that song you loved and couldn’t get out of your head, but for the life of you, couldn’t figure out why you loved it so much. Kind and thoughtful in ways many weren’t, Birdie marched to the beat of her own drum, and I was powerless to do anything but hang off every vibration.

  I paid for the drinks and slid hers across the bar, finally finding her eyes. I caught her off guard, and she quickly looked down. Before I could stop myself, I leaned in close and said, “Remember that night in Hobart when we got blind drunk and you ended up in that water fountain half-naked before I could stop you? It was so damn cold that night and I—”

  “You dragged me out of it, wrapped me in your T-shirt and jacket, and threw me over your shoulder so you could carry me to the taxi. And you froze your ass off—”

  I held her eyes. “Because I loved you and I would have done anything for you.” I paused, my fucking chest squeezing with love for her. “I still would.” I didn’t need to remind her of the long night of sex we’d had that night. It had been the kind of sex no one would ever forget. But then, we’d always had that kind.

  She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before taking a sip of her drink. “What are you doing, Winter?”

  “Remembering the good times we had.”

  “Yeah well, they’re just memories now. Dragging them up only hurts.”

  “So you don’t ever think about us? I call bullshit on that.”

  “You can call bullshit all you like, but it’s been five years and I’ve moved on.”

  “You’re dating someone at the moment?”

  She tensed like she used to when she tried to evade my questions. “I’ve just started seeing someone.”

  The idea of another man’s hands on her tore me up, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t thought of over the last five years. I pushed my displeasure down deep, locked that shit up because it wouldn’t get me anywhere tonight. “So he means nothing to you yet is what you’re telling me.”

  “No, Winter. What I’m telling you is that we’ve been out a few times and I like him.”

  I’d really fucked up our relationship when I hadn’t listened to her needs all those years ago. She had never demanded I walk away from the military, but if I’d stopped for just one moment and seen her and the struggles she’d been going through, I would have left a helluva lot sooner. And we’d still be together today.

  This dickhead she was seeing had fucking nothing on what I could give Birdie. We had history, and that had to count for something. I knew everything about her. That her favourite singer was Eminem and her favourite colour was pink; that she reserved Sundays for family and meal prep; that she organised her clothes for the entire week on a Sunday night; that she always fell asleep watching TV at night and never usually made it past 9:00 p.m. because she was always up at 4:30 a.m. to go running. I knew her heart, and who had trampled over it. And all the regrets she’d ever had.

  I might not have known her for the last five years, but I knew more than this new asshole did.

  “How’s your mum, Angel?”

  Her eyes widened a smidge, and she gulped down her drink. Placing the empty glass down, she picked up her clutch. “We’ve had our drink, and now I’m going home. My mum is good and no, she doesn’t ask about you anymore.”

  My lips twitched at the attitude she threw my way. It was a low blow, me asking about her mother. Jennifer had always loved me and had rooted for me after Birdie ended our relationship. She’d kept in touch with me for a long time, keeping me updated on her daughter and the fact she was still trying to make her see sense.

  Didn’t hurt to remind her of my ties to her family, though. At this point, I’d use every weapon in my arsenal.

  When she took a step away from me, I reached for her. The spark of our skin touching couldn’t be denied, not even by her. I saw
it in the flare of her eyes when they met mine again.

  “You can run and you can try to hide, but eventually you will be mine again.” I leaned in close. “I’m going to enjoy the fuck out of the chase, just like I did the last time we played this game.”

  3

  BIRDIE

  I’m never drinking again.

  No, scratch that.

  I’m never going out again.

  Ever.

  Guzzling some water, I stared out my kitchen window and contemplated the afternoon ahead. It was going to be long and painful if my family had anything to do with it, because any opportunity they got to grill me over my love life was painful. And when the reason we were getting together was to celebrate my brother’s engagement, it was the perfect chance for all of them to harass me over the fact I was thirty-three and nowhere close to being married. It was the kind of situation I would have really preferred to do without a hangover because the Beaumonts were relentless when it came to this stuff.

  Bloody Winter.

  This was all his fault.

  It actually wasn’t. I was just being dramatic and feeling all kinds of anxious over him appearing back in my life.

  “God,” I muttered, “Get yourself together, Birdie. Today will be all about deflecting. Deflect, deflect, deflect. You are the queen of that. If anyone can do it, you can.”

  Shit.

  Who was I kidding? If I was the queen of deflection, Jennifer Beaumont, my mother, was the queen of not letting anything pass her by. That woman saw everything. And I meant absolutely every damn thing. She’d been seeing through me for decades. She would take one look at me and just know Winter was back. She could sniff these things out, and the fact she never wanted us to break up would mean she’d be all over me again in an effort to convince me that we were meant to be together forever.

  Maybe I should call Patrick and see if he’ll come with me.

  No.

  No, no, no.

  Worst idea ever.

  You’ve only been dating for two weeks. No guy needs to meet the Beaumonts after only two weeks. He needs time to be prepped for that meeting. A lot of time.

  After pushing that idea aside, I faced the fact I couldn’t put the inevitable off any longer and headed into my bedroom to get dressed for Sunday lunch with my family.

  I’d just finished applying my favourite pink lipstick when the doorbell sounded. Worst timing, because I was already going to be late which was the last thing I needed. Lucas, my older brother, detested people being late and would give me hell for it, especially since it was his engagement we were celebrating. Carey, my other brother, was as easy-going as they came and would tell Lucas to quit harassing me. They’d get into an argument over it and—

  “Birdie! Open the door.”

  I froze.

  It was Winter.

  He banged on the door. “Your car’s in the driveway, so I’m guessing you’re home. I’m not leaving until you answer the door.”

  Shit.

  Why did I fill my garage with gym equipment? My car would have been in there right now if I hadn’t done that.

  After I procrastinated for another few moments, I faced the fact Winter would make good on his word. He was stubborn like that. If he wanted to see me, he’d wait hours.

  “Bloody man,” I muttered to myself as I headed to the front door. Yanking it open, I tried hard not to look at any part of him other than his eyes. It would be safer that way because Winter’s body was dangerous territory. It had been known to distract me from arguments enough to completely throw my complaints out the window.

  Today I failed in my efforts.

  Spectacularly.

  Winter’s masculinity blazed from him as he stood in front of me wearing jeans that hugged his muscles, a fitted dark blue T-shirt, and the leather jacket I gave him years ago. The way it sat so comfortably on him told me it was still one of his favourites. However it wasn’t his clothes that pulled me in, it was the way those brown eyes of his watched me with an intensity that caused my knees to weaken. Winter communicated so much from his eyes alone. I’d always been able to get a read on him from them. It was something I’d loved—the raw honesty he never hid. He wasn’t a man who ever lied or tried to, and he wore his emotions, thoughts, and feelings with an easy and open manner.

  He flustered me to the point of jumbling my thoughts, and that was without uttering a word. I could only imagine what he’d do to me once he spoke. In my bewildered state, I threw out, “You need to shave. That beard’s out of control.”

  I wasn’t lying; it was. He looked like a lumberjack who hadn’t seen civilisation in months. Well, not really, but I’d never seen that much beard on him. And while I preferred a little less, he was still sexy as hell.

  His lips twitched as a smile slowly made it to his eyes. “Out of everything I know you must want to say to me, that’s what you lead with?”

  His laidback sexiness was too much for me today. I didn’t have the brain capacity to stand my ground against it. He’d mentioned chasing me last night, and if I allowed him to continue down this path, he wouldn’t have to chase me for long. So I went on the offensive in an effort to deter him.

  “What I really want to say to you is that you’re wasting your time coming here. I’m not interested, so whatever this game is you think we’re playing, it’s all in your mind.”

  I tried to close the door, but he blocked that by stepping one foot inside my house. “You’re telling me that if I were to kiss you right now, you would push me away? That you wouldn’t feel anything?”

  My heart raced as I swallowed hard. “Yes, that’s what I’m telling you.” Glancing down at his boot, I said, “I have to go out.”

  When I angled my face back up, I found him watching me with heat. A few moments passed in silence while I did my best to gather strength. I’d need it to stick to my guns, because if the way Winter was staring at me was any indication, he was about to attempt to push his way back into my life.

  I wasn’t wrong.

  He refused to remove his foot from my house, and instead placed his hand to the door, pushed it all the way open, and took another step inside. Within a matter of seconds, he was in my home and had his hands on me.

  Eyes wide, I demanded, “What are you doing? I told you I have to go—”

  Taking hold of my face, he growled, “Showing you how wrong you are,” before wiping every last thought from my mind with a kiss that took my breath away.

  I wanted to fight him, and I did for a beat, but the connection we shared was too strong. It always had been. Winter wasn’t a man I could ever fight and win against. As much as I tried to argue that he didn’t still own my heart, this kiss would tell him once and for all that he did.

  The kiss lasted forever, or at least that was how it felt. It consumed me, and although I hadn’t wanted it, I didn’t want it to end. By the time Winter dragged his lips from mine, my arms were around him, my body was pressed hard against his, and I was breathless with need.

  He let me go and ran his finger lightly down the centre of my lips. “What time will you be home?”

  I scrambled to get my thoughts together. Just because his kiss had revealed my feelings, it didn’t mean I had to give in to him. It certainly didn’t change things between us.

  Shaking my head, I retreated. “No—”

  My phone rang, cutting me off. It sat on the table in my entryway, and I reached for it because I was waiting on a call from Mum.

  Glancing at Winter, I said, “I have to take this.”

  He nodded.

  I gave him the look that expressed my desire for him to leave, but he ignored it and said, “Take the call, Angel. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Jesus.

  Men.

  I put the phone to my ear, my eyes firmly on Winter as I hit him with a pissed-off glare. “Hey, Mum. Did you decide on the salad?”

  “Yes. Can you grab the chicken and pesto pasta salad?”

  The deli around the corne
r from where I lived made the best salads known to mankind. Mum had asked me to bring a salad but had changed her mind every day this week as to which one. They were all that good.

  “Are you sure now?”

  “No! But yes.”

  I laughed.

  Winter’s mouth curved into a sexy smile as he watched me. Clearly my glare was a fail. I tried to inject a little more pissed-off-ness into it, but it only encouraged him. When his smile grew, I muttered, “Ugh.”

  “What? You think I should choose a different salad?” Mum asked, mistaking my grumbling to be about the salad rather than about the man standing in front of me.

  “No, sorry, that wasn’t for you.”

  “Who was it for?”

  I realised my mistake the minute it was out of my mouth, but it was too late by then. “No one, Mum. I have to go. I’ll see you soon.”

  As I tried desperately to end the call, Winter reached for the phone and put it to his ear, blocking my attempts to grab it back off him. “Jennifer.” He uttered one bloody word, and I just knew my mother would melt. She loved him too much.

  I couldn’t hear her response, but the way Winter continued smiling told me she was happy to hear from him. “No, I don’t have any plans for today,” he said. After listening to what she said after that, he then replied, “I’d love to come. It’ll be good to catch up with you guys.”

  My eyes widened.

  Shit.

  No.

  I yanked my phone out of his hold. “I’m going now, Mum, and no, Winter won’t be coming.” Hanging up on her, I challenged him, “What are you doing?”

  “Like I said before, I’m showing you how wrong you are.” He paused briefly before adding with that goddam sexy smile of his, “And before you argue with me, there’s no way I’m not going.”