Dare to Love

by C. J. Welles

  Callie lets out a small sob but she smiles at Bryson as she nods. “It’s okay, Bryson.”

  “Okay, now that everyone is clear with what’s going on, let’s move on,” Bryson says as his hold on me tightens. I meet his eyes and he gives me a reassuring smile.

  Bryson and Jace talk as Callie scoops up Ella and lets me know she’s going to put her in her crib.

  I feel slightly uncomfortable sitting here, in Jace’s house. I know he said he was only looking out for Bryson, but what if he truly doesn’t like me.

  When we all hung out together, Jace and I didn’t really talk often, so I don’t know if he is serious or not. Or if he does or doesn’t like me.

  “We better get going,” Bryson says a short time later. “You have your mom to get home to and I have a chat with my dad waiting for me.”

  Just as we walk out onto the porch, Jace touches my shoulder. “Can I steal your girl for a moment?” he asks Bryson.

  “If I didn’t know that you are already happily married, I’d be answering you with my fist,” Bryson answers with a calm tone but we all know he’s joking by the smirk he’s trying to hide.

  I look at Jace after Callie and Bryson have walked over to Bryson’s truck. “About before. I’m sorry if I upset you. I just… He was a wreck and I don’t want to see him like it again.”

  “I understand,” I quietly reply.

  He gently grabs my arm. “We were never close, but I remember you and that you were a nice person. I hope you and Bryson can become what you used to be.”

  “Thanks, Jace.” I hold his eyes as I give him a true smile.

  He smiles back then nods his head towards where Bryson and Callie are standing. “I better let you go before he comes over here and tries to fight me for you.”

  I let out a laugh as we walk down the porch stairs. “I doubt it. Anyone would have to be blind to miss the love you have in your eyes for Callie.”

  Jace is quiet for a moment and I look over at him and find him looking at me. “I know. It’s also the same look Bryson has when he’s looking at you.”

  I suck in a breath and it’s then that Bryson’s words from earlier sink in.

  I love Casey and I know she loves me.

  “He loves me,” I mutter to myself.

  “Yes, he does.” I’d forgotten about Jace and his words make me jump.

  I slide up next to Bryson and he wraps his arm around my waist. “You two okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Next time you make my girl uncomfortable, you won’t get off so easily.”

  Jace shrugs. “I don’t think there will be a next time, but okay.”

  Callie gives me a hug before I get in Bryson’s truck and tells me to come visit her when I’m back in town.

  I shove away thoughts of leaving town and Bryson, while I smile and say goodbye to them.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bryson

  “CASEY’S HERE,” RYAN says as he walks into the kitchen where I’m talking to mom as she cooks.

  I jump off the stool and take long strides towards the door. Ryan begins laughing and I can hear him talking to mom as I reach the front door. Swinging the door open, I find Casey on the other side wearing an aqua tunic top, pair of Wrangler black skinny leg jeans and a pair of flip-flops.

  I laugh as I see her footwear. “Don’t laugh. I’ve been wearing boots all week and I miss wearing my flip-flops.”

  “I think it’s cute.”

  “At home, I’m usually wearing stilettos for work then I live in flip-flops or bare feet.”

  “Baby, I think your feet are sexy, feel free to show them off whenever you want,” I say as I pull her in for a hug and a rough and scorching kiss. I can never get enough of the feeling of her lips against mine.

  When she pulls away, her lips are puffy and red, she has a glazed lusty look in her eyes and her chest is rapidly rising and falling. If I didn’t know that family dinner night was so important to mom, I’d be dragging Casey into my room and taking her every way possible.

  “You two are sickly sweet with your words and I think I need to go vomit, after seeing you trying to remove each other’s tonsils,” Ryan says from behind me.

  Casey’s eyes flick over my shoulder, towards my brother, and her cheeks heat. “Shut up, dickhead,” I growl as I punch Ryan in the arm.

  “Hi, Ryan. How have you been?” Casey asks him.

  He shrugs and plants a fake as fuck smile on his face. “Haven’t been better.” That’s a lie. He’s been moping around like someone stole his last beer.

  “That’s great.”

  “Come on, come see mom. She’s excited and has been fussing around all day.” I’m surprised mom didn’t race me to the door, to meet Casey first. I clasp Casey’s hand in mine and thread our fingers together before leading her to mom.

  “Oh, dear. Look at you.” Mom puts down the spatula and walks around the bench to wrap Casey up in a tight hug. “It’s been too long since I last hugged you.”

  After a minute, I tap mom on the shoulder. “I think you need to give her some room to breathe.”

  Mom reluctantly lets Casey go and stands back with a smile on her face. She opens her mouth to talk but the oven timer goes off. “Just let me get the pie out of the oven and we can talk.”

  Casey nods and once mom turns around, she wipes away a tear that spills over the edge of her eyelid. “Are you okay?” I ask quietly.

  “I’m fine. I just didn’t think I would ever be here again and that your mom would welcome me into her house so warmly,” she replies, her voice just above a whisper.

  “Why wouldn’t she?” I ask as I sit down on one of the dining chairs, then pull Casey so she’s standing in between my legs.

  She shrugs as she looks down to the ground beside us. “I didn’t think she would like me anymore after I hurt you.”

  “Casey,” I say as I reach up and swipe my thumb over her cheek. “I never told anyone about why you left. Well apart from Jace. Apparently, I told him.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  Dropping my hand from her face, I wrap both arms around her thighs, pulling her closer to me. “It was just easier for everyone to think that I had abandoned you than to correct them.”

  “But then everyone would have thought less of you.”

  “I know but it seemed better for everyone to think I couldn’t care for you, over thinking I couldn’t care for you and you found someone else’s bed for comfort.” I see her eyes begin to water and her hands shake as she puts them on my shoulders. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I don’t know why we’re talking about this… Again.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not. I hate seeing you cry.”

  She smiles down at me with so much love in her eyes, that I find it hard to breathe. “Every tear I shed, is worth having you back in my life.”

  She leans down and brushes her lips against mine and then goes to pull back but I want more. Reaching up, I place my hand on the back of her neck and hold her head in place as I continue the kiss. Her soft lips move against mine briefly before she parts them and flicks her tongue against my lips. Just as I open my mouth and our tongue twine together, I hear my mom’s voice.

  “Alright children, enough of that. It’s time for dinner.”

  With a groan, I move my hand from Casey's neck and let her pull her face away. Trying to hide the evidence of my arousal, I rearrange my cock inside my pants before I stand up and pull out the chair next to me for Casey.

  “I saw that,” she mumbles next to my ear, her breath fanning against my ear and neck.

  I wait for Casey to get seated before I sit back down. “You play your cards right and you’ll get to see it more later.”

  She gives me a wicked smile as she places her hand on my crotch. “I have no doubt I’ll get to see it and use it later.”

  I turn when I hear someone making gagging noises. “See,” Ryan says as he nods his head to me. “I told you they�
��re disgusting,” he says to Nath.

  “Hi, Casey,” Nath says before he answers Ryan. “Leave them alone you douche. At least they’re happy.” Ryan just grunts at Nath before he sits down opposite me. “Maybe if you tried the love thing, occasionally, you wouldn’t spend your days grunting and sulking like a pussy.”

  “Fuck off dickhead.”

  “Boys,” mom scolds. “Don’t use that language.”

  “Mom, he talks like that all the time,” Nath says, winking at us.

  “Fuck off, Nath.”

  “See mom.”

  Casey bursts out laughing but smothers it when she sees the look on mom’s face. “I’m sorry, Caroline,” she says when she composes herself.

  “Boys, are you two making your mom grumpy again?”

  “No,” Ryan answers as Nath says, “Yes.”

  Dad rolls his eyes at Ryan then helps mom bring over the dishes.

  As mom sits down, she looks over to Casey. “Welcome back to family dinner night.”

  ***

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Casey

  I CLOSE MY EYES, trying to stop the tears from falling, as I wrap my arms around Bryson’s middle.

  “It’ll only be a week until I come visit you.” He leans back so he can see my face. “Don’t worry baby, we will survive.” He says it like he’s not affected but I can tell from the sad look in his eyes. They look like sad puppy dog eyes.

  “I know, I’m still going to miss you.”

  “Me too.” He looks over the roof of the car towards Jolene. “Make sure you both drive safely.”

  Jolene rolls her eyes. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Call me as soon as you get there.”

  “I will do.” I give him one last kiss before I climb into the passenger seat of Jolene’s car.

  “Please tell me you’re going to move back here,” Jolene says as I watch Bryson in the side mirror.

  “I don’t know. I want to, but I just don’t know. I would need to find a job and somewhere to live. I wouldn’t survive living with mom and dad while dating Bryson.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we’d always either be at his parents or my parents’ house and I’m getting tired of having sex in the back of his truck.”

  “Why not just do it in your bed? You’re twenty-nine, not a virgin sixteen-year-old.”

  “I know but there is only one thing that is nearly as disturbing as hearing mom and dad having sex, and that is the thought of them hearing me having sex.”

  “Urgh, I didn’t think of that.” I laugh at the face she pulls. “I’ve only heard mom and dad going at it once and it was horrid.”

  I shudder at the thought. “Let’s not go there. Where’s all your music? I ask as I open her glovebox.

  “It’s on my phone in Spotify. So much easier than CDs”

  “Are you telling me that you don’t have the old Aqua or Backstreet Boys CD’s anymore?”

  She gives me a cheeky grin. “They’re on my phone. I just know how much you love listening to them.”

  “About as much as I love hearing fingernails scratching down a blackboard.” I scroll through the music until I come across Honky Tonk Stomp by Brooks & Dunn. “This song makes me want to go line dancing.”

  “When you come back to visit next time, we’ll have to go to Joe’s.”

  We spend the rest of the trip taking turns to drive while we fight over the music.

  As the miles grow between Bryson and I, my heart grows heavier. I don’t know if I can do the whole long-distance relationship thing. I’ve spent five years away from him, I now want to be with him every minute that I can be.

  “What’s on your mind?” Jolene asks when we pull up in my driveway.

  “Bryson. Me. Being apart.”

  “Just move home. You know in your heart that you want to.”

  “I know.”

  Talking about moving back is the easy part. Actually moving is the hard part.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Bryson

  “WHO PISSED IN YOUR Wheaties?” Ryan asks when I walk into Joe’s.

  I flip him the bird as I sit on the stool next to him. Joe’s talking to two guys at the other end of the bar but slowly makes his way to me, picking up empty glasses on the way. He goes to grab the bottle of Jack, but I stop him and ask for Budweiser instead.

  He raises his eyebrows at me. “You not on the Jack tonight?”

  “No, I have no reason to write myself off anymore.”

  He lets out a low whistle. “Did that lovely lady decide to take back your ugly ass?”

  “There ain’t anything ugly about my ass, but yes she did.”

  Joe lets out a rumbling laugh as he places my beer on the bar. “Why are you here if you have a sweetheart at home waiting for you?”

  “She went back to Kansas City a few days ago.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Sure does.”

  Joe walks off to serve a group of girls who walked in and I turn my head to talk to Ryan, but he has his eyes settled on someone behind me. I look over my shoulder and roll my eyes. A tall and skinny leggy blond has caught his attention. She doesn’t look a day over fifteen though.

  “Don’t go there,” I warn Ryan. “You’ll end up behind bars.”

  “Wasn’t going to,” he answers as he tips his head back and drains the rest of his beer.

  “Why don’t you just talk to her?” I ask him. “Have you thought that maybe she is as miserable as you are?”

  “Bry, don’t,” he grinds out.

  As much as I love my brother, I know he has a temper worse than me and a short fuse. He’s probably the only person in the world that I don’t push.

  “Whatever,” I mumble.

  I spend the next hour with Ryan sitting next to me while he sulks. He drinks beer after beer and then switches to tequila shots when one of the girls buys him one. They offer me one, but I turn them down. Tequila and I don’t mix well.

  I usually wake up the next morning and can’t remember anything.

  Another hour down and Ryan is rotten drunk. I’ve lost count of the number of shots he’s had. Leaning back against the bar, I take in my brother’s appearance and it makes me think. Did I look like him while I was trying to chase away my broken heart?

  No wonder my mom was worried about me. Ryan can barely stand in the one spot and every second word that comes out of his mouth is the word ‘fuck’.

  “Do you have to?” I ask as he lies a chick down on the table and licks salt from just above her belly button. He then moves up and fastens his lips around the shot glass that is sitting in between her tits. Lastly, he takes the lemon from in between her lips and spits it on the floor before devouring her mouth.

  “You’re just jealous that you can’t,” he slurs.

  I just shake my head as I type out a message to Nath. He can come here and help me drag him home.

  A message comes in from Casey and my mouth nearly waters. There’s a picture of her lying in her bed, her hair fanned across her pillow, and I can see from her chest up. You can’t see her nipples, but you can see the rest of her breasts.

  Casey: I wish you were here with me.

  Me: You keep sending pictures like that and I’ll be there in no time.

  Casey: That’s what I’m hoping.

  Me: Soon baby. Soon.

  Really fucking soon. Come morning, I’m heading to Kansas City and I’m not leaving until she’s coming with me.

  Fifteen minutes later, I see Nath walking through the door and he rolls his eyes when he sees Ryan. He’s still sucking face with some redhead who is dressed up as a cowgirl wannabe.

  “Tequila?” Nath asks.

  “How’d you guess?”

  “It’s the go-to drink when Ryan wants to get rotten drunk.”

  “Help me get him home.”

  It takes us half an hour and two failed attempts at trying to get him into my truck, but eventually, we get Ryan into Nath’s run-ab
out Focus.

  *

  I TURN MY HEAD side to side, trying to prevent the kink I can feel in my neck.

  After Nath and I got Ryan into bed last night, I packed an overnight bag and got a few hours’ sleep before I took off. I waited around long enough until dad was up, so I could tell him I was taking off for a week or so. He was okay with it but said to not come back until I decided what the hell I’m doing it.

  I understand. He’s trying to run a cattle ranch and he delegates jobs to me, then I take off.

  Ten hours later and two piss breaks, I hit the outskirts of Kansas City. Thank fuck it’s only another twenty minutes to Casey’s house. My ass is starting to go numb from sitting for so long.

  Once I’ve negotiated the rush hour traffic, I pull up outside her house. Jolene’s car is in the driveway, but Casey’s isn’t.

  Pulling out my cell, I send Casey a message asking what she’s up to and how her day has been.

  Casey: It’s been a long, shit day.

  Me: What time do you finish tonight?

  Casey: Was meant to go home half an hour ago but looks like I won’t be out of here for another hour.

  Well, that sucks.

  Me: Call me when you get home.

  Casey: Okay. I miss you. xx

  Me: I miss you too babe. x

  Sliding my cell back into my pocket, I grab my bag from the back seat then make my way to the front door. Knocking once, I turn the handle and walk inside.

  “Anyone home?” I call out

  “Bryson?” Jolene questions. “What are you doing here?” she asks as she walks into the living area. “Casey is going to jump your bones when she sees you.”

  “I’m hoping for it.”

  “Just as long as I don’t have to hear anything that goes on inside that room.” She points to Casey’s bedroom.

  “It’s okay, I’ll use the gag and cuffs tonight, so you won’t hear a thing.”

  Jolene stares at me with a smirk on her face. “You know what? It wouldn’t actually surprise me.” I arch an eyebrow. “Seriously. It must be-”

  I shake my head as I go and put my bag in on Casey’s bed. “Too much information.”