Protect Me

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Protect Me Page 6

by Alexis Winter


  “I…” I swallow down my passion. “You just scared me, is all. I wasn’t expecting you to be standing there when I turned around.”

  He lets out a silent laugh as his lips get closer and closer to mine. “Is that all? I thought maybe you were ready for round two.” He stops moving toward me when his lips are only a millimeter away from mine.

  I wet my lips, waiting for the kiss that doesn’t come.

  His thumb lands on my bottom lip, gently sweeping across it. “Don’t get all quiet on me now,” he jokes.

  I roll my eyes and decide not to hold myself back. I leap into his arms and the minute I do, his lips are on mine. He presses my back against the fridge as his hands massage my thighs, which are already wrapped around his hips. His lips are soft yet firm and only allow me to take what he’s willing to give. He won’t let me deepen the kiss and his hands don’t tour my body like before. Now they’re locked on my ass, holding me to him.

  He breaks the kiss. “That’s more like it.” He presses a kiss to my neck, right beneath my ear. “I’ve got to get this food on the grill or we’ll never eat.” He places me on my feet. “But don’t forget where we left off.”

  I’m breathless, but I want to tease him as much as he’s teasing me. “You mean don’t forget that I was about to fall to my knees and suck your cock until you begged me to stop?”

  He pauses by the door, jaw flexing and eyes becoming darker than I’ve ever seen them. “Careful what you wish for, baby. I’m not the kind of guy who loses at a game of chicken.” Without another word, he walks out, closing the door behind him.

  I grab my glass of wine and finish it off before pouring another. With a grin, I start planning how I can win this game we’re playing.

  I’m just finishing setting the table as Tyler walks in with the tray of food. We both make our plates of ribs, baked potatoes, salad, and rolls, and sit down at the kitchen table. I lower the lights, pour us both a big glass of wine, and even figure out how to get the house’s music system to work, so there’s soft music playing in every room. The game is coming together nicely.

  “So, Tyler,” I say, moving my food around my plate.

  He looks up at me. “Amy?”

  “It’s just occurred to me that I don’t really know much about you. Where are you from originally?” Maybe if I can get him to open up about his past, I’ll learn why he’s so closed off when it comes to relationships.

  He nods his head like he already knows where this is going. “Oklahoma. I was born and raised there.”

  “Siblings?” I question.

  He nods as he takes a bite of his dinner roll. “I have three brothers.”

  “Wow! What are their names?”

  “My oldest brother’s name is James. He was named after my dad. Then there’s Ryan and Mark, then me. I’m the baby.” He laughs.

  “I have an older brother. His name is Ethan, but he isn’t around much. Because of our home life—growing up with an alcoholic mother and no father around—he enlisted in the army the moment he turned eighteen. He doesn’t come home very often.”

  “I get it. I’m the youngest, but I’m the only one who moved away from home. James, he took after my dad. He stayed home and is running the cattle ranch there. He’s putting in his time so he can inherit it all when my parents pass. My other two brothers, they’re twins, and they don’t do anything but fuck up. They went to college after my dad practically had to buy their way in, but they flunked out. Now they just work the ranch and live with mommy and daddy. They drink their nights away at a local bar and bring home whatever girls they can find.”

  “Sounds like you’re the only one who broke free in search of his own life.”

  “Yeah, but it took a little push. I only left after I found my fiancée cheating on me with my best friend.”

  Now it all makes sense. “I’m sorry. That had to be tough.”

  “What made it worse was he skipped out of my bachelor party early to go hook up with her. I found them right in the middle of the new house I’d just bought for her.”

  I think my eyes double in size. “Damn.”

  “It’s whatever. I mean, at the time it sucked, but it gave me the push I needed.” He shrugs. “I’ve found better things.” He smiles and winks at me. “So, what’s your story?”

  I press my lips together. “I guess I don’t really have a story.”

  He cocks his head to the side and gives me a sidelong look. “Everyone has a story, Amy.”

  I shake my head. “Not me. I mean, my life hasn’t really started yet. I went to college, came home, and started working for Vesper. I’ve never had a serious relationship.”

  “I find that hard to believe. I mean, look at you.” He waves his hand toward me.

  I giggle at the compliment. “I’m serious. I was more of a party girl. I went out and had fun, had random hookups. I never was the relationship type.” I don’t tell him that part of my life is now over.

  “Well, it looks like we’re the perfect pair then.”

  I smile, but that statement brings out a bout of sadness. I want a relationship…with him. Yet he thinks we’re the perfect pair because he refuses to be hurt again, and I’ve never been in a relationship. He’s going to be completely blindsided when the truth comes out. He thinks he’s found the perfect person to be alone with.

  Our conversation drifts off as we eat, and I find myself drinking more than eating, trying to bring my spirits back up since it’s once again been confirmed that what I want, I’ll never get.

  After we clean up the kitchen, we both take our wine into the living room to sit by the fire. The soft music is still playing, and the crackling of the fire is soothing. The wine already has me relaxed, and I nearly jump when Tyler breaks the silence.

  “Tell me what’s wrong, Amy.”

  My head jerks in his direction. “What? Nothing’s wrong.”

  He gives me a look that clearly says he’s not buying it. “Before dinner, you were practically ready to rip my clothes off. Now, since we’ve talked about our pasts, you seem sad and distant. Did I upset you somehow?”

  “No.” I force a smile and wave my hand through the air, dismissing the thought. “It’s nothing.”

  He places his wine glass on the table between us, sits up, and turns his body to face me. He reaches over, taking my hand in his as his eyes narrow on mine. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Just tell me. Please,” he nearly begs.

  I let out a deep breath and place my glass next to his before standing and pacing back and forth in front of him. “It’s just that, everything I said about me was true. I was a party girl. I had more random hookups than anyone I know. I’ve never been a relationship type of girl…”

  “But?”

  “But that’s not me anymore.” I stop and turn to look directly at him. “I want my life to start, Tyler. I want to be happy. I want love. I want a relationship. I want what Vesper and Liam have. I want to know that there’s someone out there who loves me and would do anything to keep me and protect me. There’s not one person in my life who would do that. And before you say anything,” I hold up my hand to stop him when his mouth opens, “I know what you said. You’re not looking for a relationship. And I’m not trying to force you into one, but I’m just so confused.” I take a deep breath and run my hand through my hair, away from my face. “I mean, we’re great together. And while we don’t know each another enough yet, I would, at least, like to know that there’s a possibility for us.”

  He leans back in his seat, gazing at the fire instead of at me as he thinks over my words. “I don’t know what to say, Amy. I thought we were just having fun?”

  “I know.” I nod. “And the first time, we were. But then when I woke and found you gone, it kind of put things into perspective. I’m tired of the hooking-up thing. I want to be normal. I don’t want to spend my life working as a receptionist. I don’t want to look at my future and see nothing but taking care of my alcoholic mother, barstools, and booty calls.�
�� I fall to my knees before him, looking into his eyes and taking his callused hand in mine. “I want a life. A happy life. I want love. I want a career. I want a family.”

  “Are you saying that if I can’t give you what you want, then this is over between us?” His face contorts in confusion, anger, and maybe even a little bit of pain.

  I bite down on my bottom lip. “I want to know if this is all we’ll ever be, or if there is a possibility there could be more.”

  He shakes his head. “I can’t give you that, Amy.” He pulls his hand away and leans back in his seat. “I don’t know what will happen with us.”

  “I’m not asking you for the future, Tyler. I’m asking if, one of these days, there’s a possibility that you’ll finally let your guard down and let me in.”

  “Amy, I…”

  I nod my head and press my lips together. “I guess that’s my answer.” I stand and grab my glass of wine. “I’ll see you later, Tyler. Please lock up when you leave.” Without another word, I head for the stairs, alone.

  When I get up to the guest room, I head straight for the bathroom. Placing my wine glass down on the edge of the tub, I begin filling it with hot water. When the temperature is right, I turn and dig through the drawers for some candles. Scattering them around the darkened room, I strip off and slide deeply into the tub. The music is still playing, and the warm water and scented candles help me to relax. I take a sip of my wine and think about what just happened.

  What did happen? Did I fuck up everything between us? Will I never get the life I want? Should I just settle for what he’s willing to give me? I mean, it’s not like I’m asking him to marry me right now. I just wanted to know if there was even the slightest possibility that things could progress between us.

  I wonder if he feels as shitty as I do right now.

  “Ugh,” I groan, placing my glass down and sliding underneath the water completely. The hot water covers my face and head. My lungs begin burning for oxygen, but it’s a pain I need.

  They say pain is the way you know you’re alive, and right now, I’m not so sure. Why is it that everyone else in the world knows where their life is going? They go to college, knowing what they want to become. They graduate and get the job they’ve worked hard for. They find love, get married, and have a family. Everyone knows but me. I’m lost and have no idea where my life is heading.

  When I can no longer hold my breath, I push myself back up in time to hear my phone ringing. I quickly grab a towel and wipe the bubbles and water from my face and hands before reaching for the phone in my jeans pocket.

  “Hello?” I answer, still trying to wipe the water from my eyes.

  “Hey, Amy. I can’t sleep—my schedule is still off with the time zone difference. I wanted to hear how your night is going.”

  I sit back in the tub. “Not good, Vesper. I think I totally fucked things up with Tyler.”

  “What? How?”

  I let out a whimper, not crying but whining. “We talked about our past and he mentioned that we must be the perfect pair because he refuses to be in a relationship and I’ve never been the relationship type of girl.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeaahhh. So then, of course, I was hurt and flat-out asked him if there was a possibility for us in the future. To which he could not answer.”

  “I’m sorry, Amy. I really wanted things to work out for you.”

  I wave my hand through the air as I reach for my glass of wine. “It’s…whatever. What’s up with you? We’ve talked more on the phone since you’ve been gone than we did in person while you were still here,” I joke, wanting to lighten the mood.

  She laughs. “Well, I was hoping to catch you at a better time, but Liam and I, we’ve been discussing the wedding, and I was hoping that…you’d be my maid of honor?” Her voice gets high-pitched and squeaky when she finally spits out the sentence.

  I smile wide, uncontrollably happy that my best friend is in love and getting married. “What? Of course I will!” I sit upright in the tub, causing the bubbly water to splash over the edge.

  “What about your sister, though? Won’t she be upset?”

  Vesper laughs. “Have you met my sister?” She’s joking. She knows I know her very well since we were basically raised together. “She’ll be a bridesmaid, of course, but not the maid of honor. That job is reserved for my best friend.”

  A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. “I love you, Vesper. I seriously don’t know what I would’ve done without you in my life.”

  “Aww, I love you too, Amy. And remember, I’ll support whatever you choose to do, as long as it makes you happy.”

  “Thanks. Good night.” I hang up the phone and toss it onto the pile of dirty clothes near the tub. Picking up my glass of wine and leaning back in the tub, I have a sense of happiness, despite the mess with Tyler.

  I may not know where my life is going, but I’m still lucky. I have a best friend who loves me like a sister, and I know she’d do anything for me. This whole time, I’ve been slightly jealous of Vesper’s life. She has a career she loves, a man who loves her, and she’s about to start her own family. But now I see that I shouldn’t be jealous because, really, it’s something to look forward to—something to inspire me to work hard and keep trying.

  I may not have Tyler by my side, but I know now that that’s okay. I will open my store and make my life as happy as I can. I WILL find someone who loves me—someone I can love back—and I’ll get my happy ending. I’m determined.

  Chapter Nine

  When I wake in the morning, I’ve completely forgotten about Tyler and last night. Today, I’m focusing on me and what makes me happy. And the first step is to investigate the location I’ve found for my store.

  I head downstairs and pour myself a cup of coffee and feed the cat. Then I head back upstairs and work on getting ready for the day. I want to look good—I want to look like a professional, not someone who just walked in off the street having no knowledge about real estate or how to run a business.

  I curl my dark hair and leave it hanging down my back in loose ringlets. Then I fix my makeup, lining my eyes lightly and using just enough shimmery eyeshadow to make them pop. I put on a light pink lipstick and head to Vesper’s closet to find something to wear since I only thought to bring jeans and t-shirts.

  Of course, Vesper is a professional at being a professional, so she has plenty of skirts and dress shirts to choose from. I pull on a black pencil skirt that hugs my curves and ends just below my knee. I also find a crisp white dress shirt that I tuck into the skirt. Sliding my feet into a pair of heels, I stand back and look myself over in the full-length mirror. I’m only slightly surprised at how well I pull off this look. Maybe I can do this after all.

  Grabbing my jacket, purse, and coffee mug, I head back downstairs. I quickly wash the cup and turn off the coffee pot, then walk out the front door, locking it behind me. I notice movement off in the distance and I pray that Tyler doesn’t see me. I’m not in the mood to talk to him right now. I’m feeling good about making these improvements to my life, and I know discussing last night will only bring me down.

  To my surprise, it isn’t Tyler. A man I don’t know comes walking up to me with a big cheerful smile.

  I open my car door and toss my things inside, then move to greet him. With his cowboy hat and Wranglers, he looks like he belongs here, but I should probably make sure since I am responsible for the property until Vesper and Liam return.

  “Howdy, ma’am. I’m Dillon, the new vet.” He holds out his hand.

  I smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Amy. I’m looking after the place while Vesper and Liam are gone.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Amy.” He smiles, and the sun hits his blue eyes, making them shine.

  It’s easy to see how handsome Dillon is, but he’s nothing compared to Tyler. “I really hope you have everything you need, because I have no idea how to help you if you don’t.”

  He lets out a deep chuc
kle. “No, I’m good. I just wanted to introduce myself.” He grins. “Especially to someone as beautiful as you.”

  A smile spreads across my face as heat creeps up my cheeks. “Thank you, Dillon. That’s very kind of you to say.”

  “Forgive me for being so forward here, but would you like to have dinner with me sometime?”

  Movement draws my eyes away from the sexy man in front of me, landing on Tyler standing at the edge of the barn. His dark eyes are trained on me and Dillon, and his jaw is flexing. Is he jealous?

  “Thank you for the offer, Dillon, but I’m not really seeing anyone right now.”

  He nods his head, dipping his hat slightly. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  I offer up a small smile. “Thank you. Have a good day, and if you need anything, don’t ask me,” I joke. “I have no idea what’s going on around here.”

  He laughs as he starts backing away.

  I climb into the truck and turn over the motor. As I’m shifting into drive, I see Tyler give me one last look before following after Dillon. A part of me is happy that he may be a little jealous, but another part of me is afraid that I will cause trouble between them, which would mean trouble for Vesper and Liam. That, I am not okay with.

  A little while later, I’m pulling into town, driving straight to the location. The space is part of a group of businesses, and I happen to know that the owner of this space is the older gentleman who runs the office supply store right next door. I hadn’t realized Mr. Lally owned this space until I called the number on the “for sale” sign earlier.

  I climb out of the truck and walk inside. I’ve always loved these older buildings. They have so much charm and character. The floor is done in a black-and-white checkered pattern, and the ceiling is copper tiled. Everything in the building is original—from the old glass windows to the antique register sitting on the glass countertop.

 

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