by B. C. Falls
Dane reaches out and pushes my chin up with a finger so I look at him. “That’s why I stayed.”
“You stayed because you were worried I wasn’t going to take care of myself?” I push his hand away. “Don’t do me any more favors,” I look away again.
“Royce,” He demands my attention. I don’t give in. “I stayed because I care. You being upset doesn’t sit well with me and don’t ask me why. I have no clue why the hell I care so much about you after only knowing you for a week. I just do, and like I said last night you need to get used to it and get over it because I’m not going anywhere.”
I sigh loudly, “Just go, Dane,” I turn over and curl my legs up until I’m comfortable. “Please.”
“I don’t want to leave you like this,” his thumb rubs slow circles against my skin. A fire begins to burn there. I clench my thighs together and curse myself for getting so worked up over a man who clearly can’t see that I’m an independent woman, who won’t take this well at all.
When I don’t respond, he gets off the bed and finishes dressing. He comes back over to me once his shirt is buttoned up and puts his lips so close to mine that if I moved, even the tiniest bit, we would be kissing. “Can I take you to dinner tonight?”
I scoot away from him a little, “Maybe,” I mumble carelessly.
“What?”
I roll my eyes, “I don’t want you to ask me out just because I was upset.”
“I’m not asking you out because of that. I’m asking you out because I want to. I just waited until you wanted it just as much as me,” I look up into his eyes.
“Then, yes,” and with that, he stands quickly, I turn to watch him as he watches me, both of us gauging each other’s reactions. His subtle grin definitely isn’t unnoticed and I’m sure my cheeks are a little red.
“I put my phone number in yours and vice versa while you were in the shower last night. I’ll call you later,” he stands up and I listen as his footsteps take him out of my little trailer.
Dane
It’s just past seven when I meet Trent at the coffee shop. He had called after everything happened last night wanting to know what my deal was.
I sit down in the booth across from him, “What was that shit last night?” he asks. “You never overreact like that. You are literally one of the calmest guys I know in every situation.”
I take a big gulp of my coffee letting the burn wake up my insides. “I don’t know man just seeing that guy on her. It…”
“Tore you up inside? Made the color of your world go red?” I nod. “I used to get that way about Blake. Still probably do sometimes.”
“You still believe Blake is alive?” he smiles a little. “What makes you think that?”
“It’s just a little hunch. I think Royce has a lot to do with it.”
I perk up at that. “What’s that?”
“There’s a lot of suspicion around Royce being here. Even Dallas isn’t sure what’s up.”
“You talked to him about it?”
He nods. “He told me when she called it was like hearing a different person talk. Said she told him some story about an ex breaking her heart and that Kady deserves a new family, which he totally believes, but he isn’t sure if that’s the only reason she moved here. When he tried to talk to her about it she said there was nothing else.”
“He didn’t believe her?”
“No, but it’s Dallas. He can read everyone.”
“So you believe that Royce and Blake know each other?” I fold my arms over my chest. “She died.”
“They never found a body and the whole situation made her think she needed to run. She had the money.”
“Blake got shot but survived. Then ran to keep you safe. You were left behind and just let her go?”
“I had no indication of her being alive until I got an email from her.”
“You got an email from your dead girlfriend?”
“It wasn’t in my email it was in hers. She had it logged into my old laptop from back in high school. I turned it on three years ago and she had an email from some guy in California. All it said was that he’d sent the papers to Kentucky. You know who’s from Kentucky?” I don’t have to answer. “Plus, the bank account set up here with Blake’s money is slowly being withdrawn by Royce.”
I pick my head up again “So you think Royce moved here to get Blake’s money?”
“Pretty fucking sure she’s also giving the money to some asshole,” he pulls a picture out of his jacket pocket and slides it across the table to me. The picture is Royce handing an envelope over to some tall man who looks like a fucking douche bag.
“Who the fuck is this guy?”
“No idea, but he was spotted with her twice.”
“I have to ask her about this.”
“Not yet, Dane. Just wait. Let me figure something out first.”
I lean back in my seat, “I won’t lie to her. Or Dallas.”
“I’m not asking you to. Just give me some time to work out what’s happening.”
“Fine,” I take a long sip of my coffee before throwing down a ten and leaving.
I’m on duty, but the shift today is short since I was doing overtime last night. I need to talk to Dallas and because my shift is in the district, where I know he will be, I don’t feel bad about stopping off. I pull through the clubhouse gates and spot Dallas sitting in his usual spot on the front porch of the bar. “Hey kid,” he yells when I get out of my cruiser and sit down next to him. I shake my head at the beer he offers me. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’m going to take Royce out,” he just nods. “Why is she here?” I ask.
“Trent talk to you?” I nod. “He came to me last night again.”
“So she is here for Blake then?”
“I don’t know. I hope it’s not just for that. I hope it’s for more than that, for a better chance at knowing her family.”
“But you haven’t asked her?”
“No. Why should I? If she’s here, she’s here. Nothing else matters,” he takes a deep breath. “I fucked up a lot in my life. With Royce, that was the biggest mistake of all, not being there for her. I have a lot of making up to do, and sitting here questioning why she moved here is not something I am going to do.”
“I guess it doesn’t.”
“If you want to, you can ask her, but Royce is here. She’s here, and that is all that matters to me. So don’t tell me what she says.”
I get off shift at two and head over to work on Royce’s house with the guys. Around five, the kitchen is done and I smell like sweat and beer. I grab some new clothes out of my truck and head upstairs to take a shower. The master bedroom was finished today also, so Royce and Kady can move in.
“Dane!” I hear Royce call out. I quickly finish and get out before she comes up here. “Dane!” her voice is closer. I grab a towel and wrap it around my waist. “What are you doing?” she asks looking over my body.
“Sorry. I didn’t want to smell when I came to pick you up.”
“That’s okay.” she leans against the bathroom door jam. “So, it’s finished?”
“Just this room and the kitchen, but I figured you and Kady could move back in, sleep in here together instead of the trailer. Kady’s room and the others will be finished soon.”
“I like the trailer.”
“Weirdo.” I pull my pants up under my towel but keep my eyes on her. When I pull the towel off she watches it fall to the ground. “Royce,” she looks up at me. “Why’d you move here?” she knows I know. I can see it in her eyes. “So, Blake is alive?” She doesn’t answer. “Why’d you move here?” I button up my jeans and throw on my shirt.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Just can’t.”
“You gonna take all that money?” she folds her arms over her chest. “That’s why you are here right? For the money? For that guy?”
Royce looks pissed now. “Is that what you think of me?” she asks. “
You think I’m just here for the money? Is that what everyone thinks?”
“No. Everyone hopes you are here for family.”
“You don’t hope that do you?” I step towards her and she steps back.
“I hope to hell that you are here for every reason I have running through my head.”
I take another step and she takes another step back. “What reasons are those?”
“That you want to give Kady a family. That you want to help Blake, if she actually is alive. I hope that you are here because you need the Puckett’s as much as they need you. If it’s just the money, then you don’t deserve their time.” Her breath hitches when her back is against the wall behind her. “So tell me. Which reason is it?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Don’t give me that, Royce,” I growl.
“It’s the truth. I can’t tell you the reasons I am here. So just go.” She points to the door but I don’t budge. I won’t budge. I take the last step until we’re touching. My chest pushed against hers. “Just go Dane.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
“Because I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone until it was safe.”
“Why isn’t it safe?” I ask leaning down until my lips are inches from hers.
“You can’t get me to tell you by kissing me.”
“I know. I just want to kiss you.”
My lips touch hers just slightly. Just enough to get a taste, and when I get that taste, I can’t help myself. I crush my lips against hers and my hands go around her waist. I lift her until she’s as close as possible to me. I slip my tongue into her mouth and really taste her, our tongues move against one another getting us all worked up.
It’s suddenly not enough. Our kiss is demanding and wanting. I push her against the wall and grab one of her thighs so it’s around my waist. She takes the hint and wraps her other one around my hip locking her ankles together. Her nails run through my hair causing my hips to push against her center. “Fuck, I love that,” I say pulling back.
I kiss and lick my way down and across her neck. Her legs tighten around my waist as I run my teeth just below her ear. Her smell, her legs, her fucking touch, is intoxicating me.
“Dane,” she moans out. I kiss my way back to her lips slowing myself down. I kiss her slowly now, very slow until I pull back enough to lean my forehead against hers. My thumbs rub slow circles against the skin of her stomach. “Wow.”
“You are amazing, Royce.”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You tell me when you are ready to tell me. Just know that whatever the reason is, I don’t think I’ll be able to stay away from you,” she smiles just a little before kissing me again.
She leans her head back against the wall and stares at me, “I like your beard.” Her fingers run across my cheeks. Normally I trim my beard down so it’s short, but I’ve been growing it out.
“I like you,” we both smile.
“Is this our first date?” she asks, “Because if this is all I get, then I’m totally in.”
“No,” I laugh. “Come on,” I step back and let her slide down my body until her feet are on the floor. I quickly put on my boots, grab my various things, and then grab her hand.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I pull her down the stairs.
“Somewhere.”
I put Royce into my truck and kiss her before I get in. She laughs at me when I lean over and kiss her again. “Are you going to kiss me every time one of us moves?”
“If I want to.”
A couple years ago my dad told me about this place up in the hills. It overlooks all of Miller Falls and the locals call it Heaven. Not a lot of people come up here these days. It’s been labeled as “restricted access” sine the mudslide last year, but it’s perfectly safe.
“Did you just rip off that sign?” Royce asks as I climb back into the truck. She’s referring to the restricted access sign I just threw to the side. I also pushed the gate open enough for us to get through.
“Yes,” I drive up the road until I can’t anymore. “Let’s go.” I get out first and go around to her, side but she’s already out before I can get to her. “You could’ve waited,” I growl.
“Calm down, caveman,” she puts her hand in mine, which feels like it belongs there. “Are we hiking or what?”
“It’s not a hike,” I say as we start our ten minute walk up the path. “I used to come here to think. I haven’t been here in a long while.”
“Why haven’t you been up here?”
“Too busy.”
“Life get’s in the way like that.”
“It does,” I smile at her. “But I’m glad you are here. You’ll like this.”
“Great view?”
“Not better than the one in your backyard, but it’s a close second.” I look down at my watch, “We’ll just barely make it for sunset.”
When we get to the top of the path she lets go of my hand and walks quickly towards the edge. “Whoa there, pretty girl,” I wrap my arm around her waist so she won’t get too close. I pull her back against my chest and her hand goes to my forearm that’s wrapped around her.
“It’s breathtaking,” she leans her head back against my chest.
I kiss the top of her head, “Yes, you are,” I whisper. “Tell me something I don’t know about you, Royce.”
“I hate spiders,” I chuckle. “I’m also really good at ignoring people while I’m reading. You?”
“I can cook.”
“No way?” She asks. “You cook? Like what kind of cooking?”
“Anything really. I used to whip up some mean goat back in the army.”
“You eat goat?”
“While I was deployed we got sent out to this small village. They had a number of tips that their had been IED’s planted there. I had defused three that day so the village gave me a goat. We found some ice in town, bought as much as we could carry, cut the goat up, and ate that thing for four days.”
“Was it good?”
“Not really, but it was better than what we’d been eating. A man can only go so long without some proper meat.”
She laughs. I want to hear that laugh for as long as she’ll let me. I want to make her laugh and feed her happiness. I want her. “I can’t cook. I have a horrible time in the kitchen. When I walked in there today and saw that you’d made it beautiful, I was sad. It’s probably never going to see a proper meal.”
“I can teach you,” she shakes her head. “Then I’ll cook for you.”
“Why Dane?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you like me?”
“Royce,” I pull my arms away from her and step back making her turn around. I put both of my hands on either side of her face. “I just do. There is something about you that makes me want to know more. That makes me want to kiss you. Don’t ever question that,” I kiss her quickly. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” I take her hand in mine and pull her back down to the truck.
I take Royce to a nice restaurant on main. It’s not super fancy, but Trent suggested it. “You ever been here before?” I ask her.
“No,” she says while she’s looking over her menu. “What’s good?”
“Not sure, I’ve never been here before either, but the lasagna sounds good,” I hum as I look over my menu at her. “You.”
“Me?” she asks looking up from hers. “Me what?”
“You look good,” she starts to blush. “Did I overstep for the first date?”
She laughs, “No. I like compliments. Plus, you kissed me at the beginning so I think the date has been a anything but traditional.”
“Good. I plan on giving you a hell of a lot more compliments and kisses,” I grin over at her.
“So the lasagna huh?” she asks looking at her menu again.
We talk throughout the rest of dinner and I hang on every word she says. She tells me about college and her career. I tell her about my family. We laugh a lot. I haven’t had t
his much fun in a long time. I’m pretty sure this woman already has me wrapped around her finger.
When we get back to her house, we walk up to her trailer. “I had a great time,” she tells me. I have my arms around her and she’s got hers around my neck. “Are you going to kiss me now?
“If I kiss you, I won’t want to stop and if I don’t stop then I won’t be the man my dad raised me to be.”
“It’s okay to be bad sometimes,” her smile is sly, most definitely thinking dirty thoughts.
“Not tonight,” I lean down and kiss her cheek. “Good night, Royce.”
“You are no fun at all,” she pushes me back.
“I’ll call you.”
“Fine,” she waves me off.
“You say that a lot,” I tell her with a smirk on my lips.
“You don’t talk much,” she raises an eyebrow and I can’t help myself. I wrap my arms back around her and pull her up against me. I kiss her with as much passion as I can put into a kiss. The way her body melts into mine makes me want to be bad, but I refuse to do it. I can’t until she gives me everything.
CHAPTER FOUR
Royce
Kady left me again. I don’t hold it against her or anything, but I don’t have many friends here and I’m bored. I miss her. Damn Danny for having an awesome house and a perfect fucking life.
When I’m about to start my period or when I’m really freaking bored, I start cleaning. So I’m throwing random clothes into the washer along with some sheets. My phone rings snapping me out of the little day dream I was having.
I pull the phone out of my back pocket and hold it up to my ear, I pin it between my shoulder and head so I can continue to load the washer.
“Hello?” I sound flustered.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Dane demands.
“Excuse me?” I ask stepping back from the washer. “What do you think I’m doing?”
“Why do you sound flustered?” his voice is deeper than usual and he sounds pissed.
“I’m cleaning. Now what the hell did you think I was doing, Dane?”
“Nothing. Look, Barbie got some tickets for this concert in Savannah tonight. She gave two to me.”