“Way to evade the question.” He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. “You’re beautiful, smart, tough, and from what I can tell, cynical. You’ve been burned before?”
She didn’t want to talk about Justin, but she wasn’t willing to shut Reese down either. If she was going to continue seeing Rowan, she wanted to be on friendly terms with his brother. “My last boyfriend cheated on me, so I know what Rowan is going through. It isn’t easy to put yourself out there again after you’ve been hurt.”
“No, it isn’t.” He sighed, shaking his head. “He’s a really good guy, Tenley. He’d give the shirt off his back to a friend in need, and I know he may come across as this badass who doesn’t give a shit about anything or anyone, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“I can see that he’s a good guy,” she said, thinking about how good he’d been to her in the short time they’d known each other. “And you don’t have to worry. I have no intention of hurting him.” If I can help it.
“Did he tell you about what happened to our mom?”
She nodded, offering him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you, growing up without her.”
“The old man really stepped up,” Reese said, rubbing his jaw. “I don’t know what the hell we would have done without him.” He smiled. “Rowan always promised Dad that if he ever made it big, he’d take care of him. And he made good on that promise. Before I started making real money, Rowan got his first decent contract. He worked like a beast, trying to be the best he could be for spring training and the whole time, he had his eye on the prize.”
“Making the team,” she said, knowing how hard it must have been for him to achieve that goal with so many talented men vying for the same spot.
“Yeah.” Reese chuckled. “The only thing that mattered to him was being able to do right by Dad. He was finally able to buy him a house and a car, which allowed Dad to retire. I’ve never seen my brother happier than when he handed Dad those keys.”
Damn, if she hadn’t already been falling for him, that story would have convinced her. “That’s so nice.”
“He’d never tell you that himself. He doesn’t like to take credit for any of his good deeds. I just thought you should know the kind of man you’ve got a chance with.”
“I’m not going to take him for granted or use him, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Tenley felt Reese’s love and concern, but she wasn’t offended by his subtle warning. She would have felt the same way if she saw one of her brothers falling hard for a woman and she couldn’t figure out her intentions.
“I’m just not sure that I’ve seen him as hung up on a woman as he is on you.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “That means you could be the best or worst thing that ever happened to him, depending on how this plays out.”
“And that scares you?”
“Hell, yeah. I don’t want to see him get hurt. After what went down with Elle, he swore off women for a while.”
Tenley wondered about the woman he’d been with the night he drunk dialed her. “Except for hook-ups?”
“Well, yeah,” Reese said, smirking. “He is a guy.”
She nodded, understanding perfectly. She’d grown up with two guys just like Rowan, who’d had no problem separating love and sex.
“What kind of bullshit has he been feeding you?” Rowan asked, curling his arms around Tenley from behind.
She jumped, laughing self-consciously when she realized he’d probably overheard part of their conversation. “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in.”
When he kissed her neck, she closed her eyes, inhaling the spicy scent of the same body wash she’d lathered herself with in the shower.
“Sorry,” she said, standing. “I promised to clean up, but Reese and I got to talking.”
“No problem,” Rowan said, stacking the plates. “I can take care of that.”
In spite of Rowan’s protests, Reese and Tenley both helped with the clean-up, and they were all out the door twenty minutes later. On the short drive to her apartment, they talked about music, alternating between different radio stations until they all found songs they liked.
They were laughing as they pulled into her parking lot, but her amusement died when she spotted a black car with tinted windows parked at the curb in front of her building.
Obviously Rowan noticed it too because he jumped out of the truck, telling his brother he was going to walk Tenley upstairs.
“You think it’s him?” Rowan asked, leaning in close to Tenley as he gripped her hand while they both tried to get a look at the person or people in the running car.
“I don’t know,” she said, her heart hammering. She knew so little about Justin’s life now. She didn’t know if he had friends on the outside or whether he’d kept in touch with any of the people they used to know when they were a couple.
She practically sprinted to the door. “I just want to get upstairs and make sure Stacey’s okay. I didn’t see Ace’s car in the parking lot. Did you?”
“No,” he said, shooting a look over his shoulder. “But maybe they’re out together.”
Tenley hoped so. She didn’t want to think of her friend being alone and caught off guard if some stranger came to the door looking for her. Her hands were shaking as she tried to fit her key in the lock.
Rowan took them from her, whispering, “Relax, babe,” as he unlocked the door and ushered her inside.
“Hey, you two,” Stacey said, smiling at them from her post on the couch where she was painting her toenails. “What’s up? Did you have fun last night?”
“Uh, yeah.” Rowan kissed Tenley’s cheek when she sagged against him with relief. “It was great. You want me to stick around for a bit, Ten? I can text Reese and tell him to come up.”
“No.” She patted his solid chest as she came down from the adrenaline high that had propelled her up three flights of stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. “I’m okay now. I need to talk to Stacey, and you need to see your father.”
“You said you’re working at the studio this afternoon?” he asked, looking as though he’d rather stay than leave as he reached behind him to grip the doorknob. “Then at the club later?”
“Yeah, I have classes at one, three, and five. Then I’ll be heading to the club ’til close.”
“I’ll pick you up at closing time.”
“You don’t have to do that. You need your sleep.”
“Making sure you’re safe is more important to me than sleep,” he said, lowering his voice when Stacey shot them a curious look. “Don’t argue with me about this. I won’t sleep until I know you’re home safe and sound. Unless Ace plans to stay with Stacey again. Then you can come back to my place.”
“No.” It wasn’t that Tenley didn’t want to spend another night in his arms. She did. More than anything. But she couldn’t afford to get too comfortable in his posh home. If she did, she’d feel like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight when they eventually broke up and she had to return to her own modest digs. “I have an early class in the morning.”
He frowned. “You’re closing at the club and opening at the studio? What the hell? So you’re only going to get a few hours of sleep?”
She rolled forward on her toes and kissed him. “You’re sweet to worry, but I’m just filling in for a friend tomorrow. Don’t worry. I’ll come home and take a nap before I have to go back to the bar. I promise.”
He sighed, looking as though he wanted to argue, but eventually, he pulled her into a fierce hug instead. “Just be careful, okay? And text me when you get to the club and the studio. Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Okay, see you later, Stacey.” He waved at her before he gave Tenley one last kiss, and she closed the door behind him.
“Wow, looks like things are getting serious between you two,” Stacey said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“I could say the same about you and Ace,” Tenley said
, trying to deflect as she sank down next to her on the couch. “I hear he stayed here again last night.”
“He did,” Stacey said, grinning. “I’m really into him. I’m just worried about scaring him off the way I did Walker, ya know?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” she said, making a mental note to talk to Rowan about his friend so she could figure out whether he and Stacey were on the same page in their relationship. “I love my brother and all, but Ace seems a lot more mature when it comes to the whole male-female thing.”
“Oh, speaking of guys,” Stacey said, reaching for a slip of paper on the end table. “One called for you earlier. He didn’t want to leave his name or number, but I took down the number on the call display, just in case you recognized it.”
She looked at the local number, wondering if that meant Justin was living in her zip code. “What did he say?” she asked, trying not to panic.
“He just wanted to know if you were here. When I said you weren’t, he wanted to know when you’d be back. I said I had no clue but could give you a message for him. He said he’d call back later.”
Tenley didn’t give her number out to random guys, and those who called her always called on her cell, not her landline. But since their number was published and in her name, it would be easy enough to find. That, and their address. Damn it. She should have thought of that sooner, but when they moved in, Justin was still in jail and she had no reason to live in fear. What a difference a couple of years made.
She thought of the car she’d spotted downstairs and realized she couldn’t put off telling Stacey about Justin any longer. Her friend had a right to know that living with Tenley may be putting her in danger. She would hate to lose her as a roommate, but she wouldn’t blame her if she decided to bail.
“So, um, if you have some time, I need to talk to you about something.”
Stacey re-capped her nail polish and set it down. “This sounds serious. Is everything okay?”
“Not really,” Tenley admitted, hugging one of Stacey’s favorite floral pillows.
“It’s not about Rowan, is it?” she asked, glancing at the door Tenley had locked. “You guys seemed so tight when he dropped you off.”
“It’s not about him,” she said, trying to find the words that had come so easily last night when she was telling Rowan her story. “It’s about my past. There’s a lot I haven’t told you.”
“Okay,” she said, turning to face Tenley. “What is it?”
“You know I’ve never really been into relationships,” she said, tracing a pattern on the faux suede couch. “I mean, I’ve had plenty of hook-ups and I’ve dated a few guys for a while, but I’ve never really been interested in getting serious with anyone.”
“Yeah, I’ve wondered about that,” Stacey said, tucking her legs under her. “Did someone really do a number on you, or what?”
“Something like that,” she admitted, knowing what she was about to tell her would shock and terrify her. “I was engaged before.” She ignored her look of surprise, determined to continue before she lost her nerve. “Right out of high school.”
“Wow, I had no idea,” Stacey said, laying her hand on Tenley’s knee. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s not something I’m proud of,” she said, thinking how much shame she still felt regarding the first and only man she’d ever given her heart to. “He was a bad guy. A really bad guy.”
“Did he hurt you?” she whispered, her wide eyes fixed on Tenley’s.
She swallowed her fear and met her friend’s gaze. “He kidnapped me. And he, uh, threatened to kill me, Stace.”
She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God! What happened? Where is he now? Rotting in jail, I hope.”
Tenley was still emotionally exhausted from telling Rowan the whole story and didn’t think she could do it again, so she simply said, “It’s a long story. Bottom line, he’s out of jail now. And I have reason to believe he might come after me again.”
Stacey glanced at the cordless phone on the coffee table. “Do you think he’s who called you earlier?”
“It might have been. There was also a car I didn’t recognize parked outside of our building when I came in. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but the windows were tinted and—” The air rushed out of Tenley’s lungs when Stacey threw herself at her, hugging her tight.
“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. “You have people who love you and would do anything to protect you. We’re not going to let him hurt you again. Ever.”
Tenley had never had a friend like Stacey, one who put her safety first. Who thought of her before she thought of herself and the danger this put her in. “Walker offered to let us stay with him for a while, if you want to. I know it might be awkward, given your history with him. But it’s a secure building and…” Tenley tried to read Stacey’s expression as she contemplated her proposal.
“I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head. “How would I explain that to Ace?”
Stacey was right. Her current boyfriend probably wouldn’t appreciate being told she was shacking up with her ex, even if there was a legitimate reason. “Then maybe you should think about staying with Ace for a little while?”
“No, it’s too soon for that. Besides, I’m not leaving you all alone here. You’d be a sitting duck if that bastard came looking for you.”
“I can defend myself,” Tenley assured her. Stacey knew she carried a gun and could handle herself in close quarters combat. “It’s you I’m worried about. What if Justin comes when I’m not here?”
“You really think he’d do that?” She rolled her lip between her teeth. “But isn’t there some kind of protective order? Doesn’t he have to stay away from you?”
“He does, but that doesn’t mean he will.” Justin had never been big on following the rules, and she imagined seven years in prison had made him even more averse to obeying authority. “Brant said he’d try to patrol our area and put the word out to his buddies on the beat, but he can only do so much. He can’t watch our backs twenty-four, seven.”
“That’s why you parked Pearl.” Stacey sighed. “I should have known something was up when Walker lent you his car. He loves that car.”
“He didn’t want me to take the chance of riding her,” she admitted. “I hate that I’m changing my life so much, living in fear of a son of a bitch who’s already taken so much from me, but what choice do I have, right?”
Tenley was stronger than she’d been back then: mentally, physically, and emotionally. But experience had taught her that no one was a match for a madman wielding a gun while threatening the lives of everyone she loved if she didn’t succumb to his demands.
“How did Rowan react when you told him?”
“He’s concerned, obviously. But he never made me feel like it was my fault.” That had been her underlying fear all along… that he would think less of her for being stupid enough to agree to marry a man who would do those things.
“It’s not your fault,” Stacey said, sounding appalled. “God, don’t even think that.”
Tenley was glad she’d told her the truth. Coming clean felt better than she thought it would, especially since the people she’d confided in were offering her support she hadn’t even realized she needed.
“Enough about him,” Tenley said, pressing her fingertips against her temple when she felt the threat of another headache. “I just wanted you to know so you could be more cautious. Now that you know, let’s talk about something else. Like Ace. How’s that going?”
Stacey smiled, but she couldn’t help noticing she didn’t light up the way she used to when they talked about her brother. Tenley hoped, for her sake, that she’d given up on Walker. She’d hate to think Stacey was letting her feelings for him influence her relationship with a guy who really seemed to care about her.
“He’s great. Really,” she said, gripping Tenley’s hand when she narrowed her eyes. “I should thank Rowan for introducing us. It’s been a long t
ime since a guy has made me a priority in his life. It’s nice.”
Since she was Tenley’s best friend, she had to ask, “But is he the right guy, Stace?”
“I want him to be.” She closed her eyes, then took a deep breath as she stared straight ahead at the blank TV screen. “I keep trying not to compare Ace to your brother, but I can’t help myself. What the hell is wrong with me? I have a great guy in my life, and I’m wasting time thinking about a man who never gave a shit about me.”
“I don’t know that I’d go that far,” Tenley said, thinking about Walker’s reaction when he learned Stacey was seeing Ace. “I think my brother cared about you as much as he’s cared about anyone. But it just wasn’t enough. You wanted, needed, and deserved more than he could give.”
“Right,” she said, sounding resolute. “And that’s why I need to forget about him and focus on what I have with Ace. Because he really could be everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Tenley thought of the way she felt when she was with Rowan as she sank back against the cushions, still gripping one of the handmade pillows Stacey loved. “Does he turn you on? Does he make you feel like you can never get enough of him?”
Stacey sat back beside her, shoulder to shoulder, her feet stretched out on the coffee table as she wiggled her freshly painted lilac toes. “He’s hot. There’s no question about that. The sex is great.”
“But?” Tenley tipped her head to look at her friend. “Don’t even tell me there isn’t a but, girl. I know you too well.”
“Ugh.” She groaned, rolling her head back. “What is wrong with me? Why can’t I just be happy with what I have instead of wanting something more?”
“What more do you want?” Tenley asked, nudging her shoulder. “More orgasms? More oral?”
Stacey giggled, blushing. “No. Not more like that. I just want…”
“Tell me.” Since Tenley had already told her deep, dark secret, she wanted Stacey to feel free to tell her anything.
“I want him to make me feel the way Walker did when we were together.”
She hadn’t realized it until right that second, but her big brother had really done a number on her best friend. She was going to have to smack him upside the head the next time she saw him.
Sweet Spot (Summer Rush #1) Page 11