She cracks open the window and pokes her head out. “Uh, hey there.”
Bear bites at the air with her greeting. I haul him in tighter. “Hi, Sutt. Wasn’t expecting you.”
“Yeah, maybe I should have called.”
“Would’ve been a good idea.”
She eyes the vibrating hound at my side. “You’re not gonna release him, right?”
I almost crack a smile. “That depends. What’re you doing here?”
“Thought we could catch up. We used to be, um, friends.”
“Did we?” That doesn’t sound right to me. That term has never fit for how I picture her in my life. But the platonic label is what’s best for her sake.
“I like to think so.”
“All right then.”
Sutton reaches over and lifts a bag. “I brought you dinner.”
A mixture of melted cheese and garlic wafts over. Without hesitation, I suck in a deep inhale. Another rumble attacks my gut. Bear gets a whiff and releases a pitiful whine. Damn, she’s reeling us both in.
“What is it?” The question is stupid. As if I’m going to turn her away.
“I made my mother’s lasagna.” She hoists the paper sack higher.
“You cooked?”
She nods. “I did.”
“For me?” This deal keeps getting sweeter.
“Well, yeah.” Sutton nibbles her bottom lip. “This used to be your favorite at our house.”
A deeply broken piece inside of me twists painfully. “Can’t remember when I had that last.”
“Figured as much.”
I glare at her assumption. “And why’s that?”
“Looks like you’ve been occupied elsewhere.” She nods toward the house.
Her soft tone soothes me in a way I can’t reason with. The fire in my veins is tempered, but the lust boils hotter than before. This girl reaches me on an elemental level. I widen my stance to hide the evidence. “Yeah, I keep myself busy.”
Sutton glances away, a furrow in her brow. “Is it okay that I stopped by?”
I want to tell her no. This is a terrible idea. Having her in my space is an invasion. There are no scenarios where this ends well. The word curls on my tongue, but I swallow it with a shrug. “Guess so.”
“Can I come out?”
“Why couldn’t you?”
She points at Bear. “Your dog doesn’t like me very much.”
“He’s just protecting me.” I ruffle the fur on his head.
Her twinkling laugh is a siren song, and I’m helpless against the pull. “I’m not a threat.”
“You sure about that?”
Sutton’s throat trembles with a rough gulp. “Yes.”
I wave her toward me. “Come on.”
Her movements are rigid and robotic. She creaks open her door at a pace that rivals paint drying. She steps out of the car even slower.
There’s no fighting my chuckle. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve got a strong hold on him.”
Some of the strain falls off her limbs. “Okay. I’m not really afraid, but he seemed pretty determined to get rid of me.”
I glance down at my trusty sidekick. “Most of that is for show. Not sure he’d really hurt anyone. He’s a total softie with me.”
Sutton doesn’t look convinced. “What’s his name?”
“Bear.”
She smiles. “That’s fitting. Can I pet him?”
“Go ahead and try.” I tighten my grip on his collar.
“You’re really selling it.”
I lift a shoulder. “I don’t get many visitors so this hasn’t been tried and tested often. He’s a guard dog. It’s his job to scare off harm.”
She shuffles another foot closer. “To keep you safe. You always wanted a dog.”
These strolls down memory lane are bashing at my armor. It’s a constant battle to keep my guard in place when she’s around. I force my expression to remain stoic. “One of my best decisions yet. He’s great company.”
“And very handsome,” Sutton coos while inching forward.
He yips and drags me her way. “Don’t just dive straight in. Let him smell you first.”
Sutton extends her fingers in Bear’s direction. One sniff of her hand and his defenses crumble. In the next beat, Bear’s tail is wagging in a happy dance. The final threads of his reluctance unravel within moments. His entire body begins wiggling with the type of joy that only occurs when he’s gained a trusted ally. He scoots on his ass trying to erase the remaining space between them. His efforts are successful when she kneels in front of him. If she’s not careful, one-hundred pounds of German Shepherd are about to be sitting in her lap. Lucky fucking mutt.
“Oh, you’re such a good boy.” Sutton scratches Bear behind the ears. Pretty sure he’s giving her a dopey smile in return. She’s been initiated into his inner circle and has no clue. Sutton is too busy fending off his slobbering kisses. Her giggle tells me she doesn’t mind too much. “What were you worried about, Gray?”
“Pretty sure you were screeching for help a minute ago.” I fold my arms. “Clearly I’m the one who overreacted.”
Bear rolls over, offering his belly for a rub. He’s a goner. I know the feeling well.
Sutton doesn’t hesitate, finding a sweet spot that makes his hind leg shake. “Does he always warm up this quick to strangers?”
“The few he’s met? Not at all. Bear still growls at Jace when he tries messing with me.”
“He’s a great judge of character.”
I stare at her smiling face. The happiness radiates off every feature. “He certainly is.”
She peeks up from under her long lashes. “Thanks.”
I rip my gaze off her. “So, you found me. What now?”
She stands and nudges me, the playful move familiar. “Just returning the favor. Figure it’s only fair since you sought me out last time.”
“That was different.” And her brother is really to blame, not that she needs to know.
“Well, yeah. Tracking me down at the bar was a bit unnecessary. But I’ll let it slide.”
“And I’ll overlook your trespassing.”
“That’s a tad dramatic.”
I signal to the open space surrounding us. “Never a dull moment.”
Sutton follows the motion and a curious glint flickers in her gaze. “Can I have a tour?”
I’m not prepared for her question, or any of this. My vision narrows on all the flaws and scars littered about. What good is there to see? Then my eyes land on earnest baby blues. Those glittering pools draw me in, calming my breath. This is Sutton. She’s the reason, my motivation, behind all of this. Why wouldn’t I show her?
Because she’ll dig too deep.
I shove the warning away, but shackles of doubt remain. “Won’t the food get cold?”
She swings the bag in her grip. “We can nuke it. I don’t mind.”
“All right, follow me.”
I turn on my heel and stride toward the backyard. Sutton’s sandals slap against the ground as she hurries to catch up. Bear lopes off ahead, more than happy to lead the way. We pass by the house without pause. Those bare bones won’t hold any interest. I continue guiding us across the lawn, the last streaks of sunlight painting the grass.
Her gasp triggers a tightening in my gut. Fuck, that connection is a maze I’ll never solve. A single sound scrambles my ability to function normally. Making it through this evening unscathed will be quite a feat.
“Oh my gosh.” Surprise elevates Sutton’s tone several octaves.
When I glance over, she has a few fingers pressed to her lips. She stares at the scene spreading out in front of us, a landscape of vibrant green and blue. I stay quiet and focus on the lake’s sparkling surface. A zing rips up my spine while recalling the first time I saw this view. I bought the place thirty minutes later.
We stand in silence. The type that’s comforting and easy to get lost in. I watch Sutton take it all in, from the rickety dock to a massiv
e oak reaching over the shore. Wonder colors her cheeks the most beautiful shade of pink. She gobbles up every detail as if this is a decadent meal. Pride threatens to split my chest wide open. Maybe she’ll want to visit more often.
I shake that idiotic thought away. Beautiful as the sight might be, she doesn’t belong here. To believe she’d actually want to is ridiculous enough. I can’t let myself fall into that trap.
“So,” I burst the bubble. “What’s the verdict?”
Her gawking continues. “This place feels familiar. Is that weird? Like a dream I’ve had. There’s so much I love about it.”
Every fiber in my body misfires. I’m winded without moving a muscle. I wasn’t ready for that answer. Hell, I probably never will be. If Sutton looks hard enough, she’ll see the truth.
She doesn’t notice the war splitting me apart. “This is a hidden gem. Nice find, Gray.”
“Are you sticking around Silo Springs?” The question trips out of my mouth without warning. Why the fuck should I care? But I do. There’s no stopping it.
Sutton flashes those potent baby blues at me. I almost stumble from the magnitude. “That’s my plan. Why?”
I cough into my fist. “Just curious. You went off to school. Wasn’t sure if you’d land elsewhere.”
A crinkle forms between her brows. “This is my home. Not sure I could plant roots in another city. I’ll be at my parents for at least a month while looking for my own place in town.”
“What’re you doing for work?”
She beams at me. “I started my own business in media marketing. The large majority is done online so I can be flexible and remote. It’s a lot of scheduling and planning. Building brands and selling products. Most of my clients are authors. Fingers crossed that I’ll find an apartment near Main Street so there’s a coffeehouse or diner nearby. But I’m not too picky.” Sutton pauses with a huff. “Ugh, sorry, I’m rambling. I don’t want to bore you.”
That’s the very last thing she’s capable of doing. I could listen to her rattle off a list of job duties all night. She’s clearly passionate about this. It gets my blood pumping hotter watching her be so animated.
I lock my jaw to contain a sloppy confession of truths. Instead, I tuck my chin and look away. “Nah, it’s all good. I’m not surprised you’ve got a swanky job. I’m still roughing it in the trenches.” I hitch a thumb over my shoulder.
“You’re literally building a future, and I’m glad it’s in Silo Springs. Who’d want to live anywhere else?”
I snort. “Plenty of people.”
“Like?”
“Me.”
Her eyes bulge in their sockets. “What? You’re going to leave?”
“Well, not tomorrow. But eventually I’ll be ready to go.”
Sutton flails her arms out in front of her. “You have a slice of paradise. Where else will you find this?”
I dig the toe of my boot into the dirt. “I hear Minnesota has a lot of lakes.”
“And cold ass winters.”
“Doesn’t bother me.”
I can feel her penetrating stare on me. It takes all my strength to continue avoiding her.
“I figured you’d be a lifer,” she whispers.
It would kill me to stick around, have a front row seat of her settling down and raising a family. I’m not strong enough to face that type of torture. Bile burns the back of my throat. “Nah. There’s nothing locking me down here.”
She flinches. “Oh. Guess that makes sense.”
“Let’s not pretend I have a reason to stay, Sutt.”
“But what if you did?”
I comb through my shaggy hair. “I don’t want to find out.”
“Maybe you’ll find one anyway.” Her soft words attempt to revive a semblance of belonging inside of me. It would be easy to agree with her. I could beg her to be mine. She’s capable of healing the hurt, being my one and only happy something. We would be whole, at least for a bit. But eventually she’d start resenting me.
I can’t look at her. There’s no doubt that hope is reflecting in her sky-blue gaze. “Doubt it. This town doesn’t have room for me. Nothing has changed.”
“I’d argue the opposite. Clearly we’re different people.” Sutton points at my bike parked in the driveway.
I squint at her. “You’re right. We’re practically strangers.”
Sutton turns to me. “I wouldn’t go that far. The boy I grew up with is hiding in there. I’d like to know the man you’ve become.”
“That kid is long gone. He took everything decent with him,” I mutter.
She’s quiet for a moment. I’ve ruined this, mostly on purpose. There’s no point pretending we can have anything together.
Sutton’s focus returns to the shore. “I’d like to be the judge of that.”
A grunt doused in disapproval is all she gets in response.
“Well,” she blows out a heavy breath. “Your property is beautiful.”
The snarl of pressure calms as we veer onto safer ground. I try not to let the sag in my posture show. This I can handle. “But not the house?”
Sutton twists to glance behind us. Her lips part, but nothing comes out. She flounders with wide eyes and knotted fingers. I can almost hear the potential niceties she’s trying to dredge up.
With a snort, I let her off the hook. “Just fucking with you. I know it’s a mess.”
“It looks more like a work in progress. And to be fair, I’ve only seen the outside.” She quirks a brow.
I scratch the back of my neck. “Guess we should eat. Do you wanna come in?”
She’s already treading backwards. “Thought you’d never ask.”
7
Sutton
Happy something #108: Feeling the wind whip through my hair as I race my horse around the barrels.
My boots hit the ground in a cloud of dust. The summer heat mixed with minimal rain is turning the arena’s fluffy sand into compacted concrete. I’ll have to water and drag the grounds before my next ride. Not that I have any intention of pushing Daisy faster than a relaxed lope. The need to turn and burn died with Pago. Any riding I do now is strictly for the sake of enjoyment.
I reach for Daisy’s reins and loop them over her head, leading us to the hitching post. Her velvet nose wiggles against my pocket in search of a treat. With a laugh, I remove her bridle and pass one over. My horse chomps the apple wafer while I slip on her halter. I loosen the cinch and slide the saddle off Daisy’s back. After grabbing the pad, I set both on the nearby stand. The movements come automatically out of habit, regardless of the months that have passed since I’ve done this.
The early morning sun gains strength as I drift a brush along her shiny coat. Her neck is still damp, but she’s cooled off. May has officially faded into June and taken any remaining chill with the passing spring. Today will be great for the lake. Not that there’s ever a bad one.
Memories from the other night filter in with that image. If I try hard enough, the lazy slap of water against the shore echoes in my ears. I wasn’t sure what to expect when pulling into Grady’s driveway. It wasn’t the massive German Shepherd trying to claw his way through my door panel. When I got over the initial shock from Bear and stepped out of the car, all the air was yanked from my lungs.
His house is... the house.
It’s a place I once described very vividly as a happy something. It needs a ton of work, but the bones are all there. I could see a new wraparound porch with two chairs sitting out front. The colonial pillars will need a fresh coat of paint but they’re solid. I absently wonder if he plans to add a swing to that large oak by the lake. If Grady doesn’t think I noticed, he’s more lost than I pegged him for.
Daisy bumps my hip and those thoughts vanish in a whoosh. I’m stretching out the tremble from my fingers when she knocks into me again. She earns a soothing stroke down her blaze. I untie her lead rope and head toward the gate. “Ready to roam, pretty girl?”
The rapid clomp of her hooves is
my only response. I pass over another treat and set her free. Daisy doesn’t hesitate. She kicks up her hind legs and runs off to find our other horse. That spunk never translates while riding her. I let a giggle loose while walking to the barn.
“What’s so funny?”
I lift a hand to shade my eyes. Jace is leaning against the fence, waiting for me to approach. I smile at him. “Daisy is feeling her oats.”
He nods. “She doesn’t get out much. I’m sure the exercise gave her a boost.”
“She did seem overly eager for attention. What happened to all the lesson kids?”
“Mom still works with a few. They tend to choose Buster and his spots.” He shrugs.
Our other remaining horse is an appaloosa and a favorite with kids. “Sad news for Daisy.”
He nudges my shoulder. “She’s got you.”
“It was nice getting back in the saddle.”
Jace’s blue eyes laser into mine. “Do you ever miss competing?”
It’s my turn to shrug. “That depends.”
“He was just a—”
I hold up a palm. “Don’t even start with that shit. You’re not attached to animals, but I sure am. Don’t pass more judgment about how I feel. Horses are like dogs—part of the family.”
His scoff drives a stake through my heart. “To you, maybe.”
“And every other little kid who has felt that bond.” I continue striding toward the barn, more than done with this conversation.
Jace jogs to catch up. “Speaking of, we should get another dog.”
“You mean mom and dad?”
Without looking at him, I know his gaze is set on the empty kennel. “Every farm needs at least one.”
“No argument from me. Maybe a big breed that’ll protect the land.”
He grunts. “Pretty sure Maggie never chased anyone away.”
A grin curls my lips recalling our old Yellow Labrador. “You’re right. She loved everyone.”
“I heard the Allen clan is raising Boxers.”
“Or we could ask Grady where he got Bear.”
His steps come to an abrupt halt. “You met his dog?”
I turn to face him. “Sure did. I went over to his place earlier this week.”
Tempt Me: A First Class Romance Collection Page 92