by Cathryn Fox
While that sounds like a great idea, I say, “No, I have to go, but thanks anyway.”
She goes up on her toes and gives me a hug. “Thanks for babysitting, and bring her by sometime.”
“Bring who by?”
“Whoever you bought that antique table for.”
My head rears back. “What the…” I bite back the curse since the kids are within earshot.
Jaclyn’s laugh fills the air. “You’re in the ‘burbs, bro. Rumor spreads fast around these parts.”
I grumble curses under my breath and head back to pick up Jules’ table. I load it into my Jeep, tie it down as best as I can, and head straight to Jules’ place. I can’t fucking wait to see the look on her face when she sees this beauty. I bet I can even guess where she’ll put it.
I reach her place, park behind her car in the driveway and grab the table from the back. Without even noticing the neighbors or anything going on around me, I head to her front door. I have a key, but I’m not about to use it. Instead I knock, and my face falls when a man opens the door.
“Oh, hi,” I say, completely thrown off to find some guy answering. The man stands there, gawking at me, and I feel like a goddamn idiot for showing up at her place unannounced. “Um, is Jules home?” I glance over my shoulder and see the cars lining the road. What the hell is going on?
“Jules,” the man calls out, still staring at me with wide-eyed recognition. Jules comes rushing around the corner, her ponytail bouncing, and the gentleman pulls her into his arms. A rush of jealousy I have no right to feel zings through me. “You have some explaining to do, dear daughter.”
I relax. This is her father. Oh, shit. This is her father, and it’s Sunday. I walked straight into a family dinner. I stand a little straighter.
“I should go,” I say quickly and spin.
“Wait,” Jules says, and I turn back around. “What do you have?” Her eyes narrow in on the table.
“I… uh.” I lift it for her to see. “I saw this at a yard sale this afternoon. I thought you’d—”
“I love it,” she says, her gaze lifting to mine, and Jesus fuck, the genuine gratitude in her big brown eyes is like a fist to the gut.
“I thought you might. That’s why I grabbed it. You love restoring old things, so…”
Okay, stop rambling, dude.
She runs her hand over the table top, her eyes full of admiration. “You actually picked this up for me?”
I shrug like it’s no big deal, and it’s not. We’re friends. And friends buy each other things. Right? There was that time I purchased a ball cap for Kane when I was getting one for myself. Same deal.
She blinks up at me. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I do,” her father says from behind.
My head lifts and for a moment there I forgot we weren’t the only two people in the universe.
“You can tell me what’s going on,” he says with a chuckle.
Her face flushes and she looks so adorable all I want to do is lean in and kiss her.
“Dad I’m sorry. This is Rider, he’s a friend of mine.”
Her father shakes his head. “A friend? All this time you’ve been friends with The Wingman, and never thought to tell your old man, who’s a big fan by the way.”
“Sorry,” Jules says with a sheepish grin. “Rider this is my dad, Jack.”
I hold my hand out for a shake. “Nice to meet you, Jack.”
Jack winks at Jules. “So when you say friend—”
“I mean friend,” she says, her voice holding a measure of warning. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Well it’s nice to have friends who brings such thoughtful gifts.”
“No, I’m going to pay for that,” Jules says, and I stop her from turning.
“It’s okay. I should go. You’re busy with your family.”
Before I know what’s happening, Jack takes the table from me, sets it inside, and comes back to put his arm around my shoulders. He leads me down the hall, and into the kitchen where Jules’ family are milling about, sipping wine, and chatting. All conversations come to a fast standstill when they see me.
“I shouldn’t be intruding,” I say and begin to back up, but come to a halt when I smack into Jules. Her hands go to my sides, and the warmth of her fingers seeps under my shirt and flows through my veins. Fuck, I love the way she touches me. I spin, and put my hands on her delicate shoulders. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” she says, her lips parted, her voice breathless, and it takes me back to our night in bed. Goddammit, I hated leaving her this morning. It took every ounce of strength I possessed not to wake her again and put my mouth all over her.
“I’ll grab another plate,” someone says from behind me, and Jules smiles.
“You’re not getting out of this one, Wingman,” she says.
I lower my voice for her ears only. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“I know, but there are plenty of people here who are glad you did.”
“Why?”
“Fishing for compliments?” she teases.
Yeah, maybe I am. Maybe I want to ask if she’s happy I’m here.
The question sits on my tongue, but I don’t vocalize it. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, or the right idea, or…oh hell, I don’t even know what is right or wrong anymore.
“Let’s do this,” she says.
“Mom, Dad, Misty, Jan, Lauren, Stacey, and Bella. This is Rider.” She smiles at me, but there is a teasing warning in her eyes—that I’m about to be bombarded. “Rider, meet my family.”
12
Jules
I just finish filling Peaches’ food bowl when the text comes in.
Rider: Miss me?
I laugh and pick up my phone.
Jules: Like a hyena misses a toothache.
Rider: Hey!
Jules: Kidding.
After his away game last night, the guys went out to celebrate the win, but Rider went back to the room to Skype with me. It was another fun night, and as much as I hate to admit it, and would never voice a word of it to him, I miss him more than words can say.
Rider: What are you wearing?
Jules: Didn’t we do this last night?
Rider: Yeah, that was fun, but I’m serious. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Put on something comfortable, and warm. We’re going out.
Jules: Where are we going?
Rider: You’ll see.
I drop my phone and hurry upstairs to my room. My pulse is leaping, anxious to feel his arms around me again. Yeah, okay, so I shouldn’t be letting myself get carried away, shouldn’t let myself fall for the man who’s a sworn bachelor for life—a guy who thinks people love him because he’s a hockey player.
Am I falling for him?
Oh, God, I very well could be and that frightens me more than anything. More than losing him? Honestly though, my time with him has been a whirlwind, and we’ve been having so much fun, I hadn’t realized that I’ve been going through life without living it. Fear has been holding me back, but goddammit, I’m so tired of being afraid.
With my emotions in turmoil, I tug on a pair of yoga pants, a t-shirt and grab my favorite hoodie. The sound of his Jeep pulling into the driveway brings a big smile to my face. I glance at my reflection in the mirror, smooth my hair back, and walk down the stairs when all I want to do is run into his arms.
He knocks and I open the door. The sight of him, freshly showered, hair still damp, overwhelms me. “You still have my key, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” he says and steps in to me, until his hard body is pressed against mine. “Want it back?”
“No, it’s always good for a friend to have a key.” I give a casual shrug. “You know, in case I lock myself out.” He nods, and I feel an odd little punch to my heart. What? Did I want him to say we were more than friends? Jesus, Jules, get it together. Things might be changing for you, but that doesn’t mean they’re changing for him.
“Or if I
want to sneak in and ravish you.”
“Yeah, that too,” I say, working to keep my voice casual.
His cock thickens against my stomach and I reach between us and cradle it. His eyes briefly shuts and he groans. “Keep that up and we won’t get out of here.”
“Maybe I don’t want to.”
His eyes darken as his gaze moves over my face, and for a brief second, he looks like he’s waging some internal war, then he exhales and steps back. “There are so many things I’m going to do to you later.” Peaches steps up to us and curls around his legs.
“Looks like she’s warming up to you.”
“Or she’s trying to trip me up.”
I laugh. “Yeah, probably that.”
“You ready?” he asks and takes my hands.
I fish my keys from my purse. “Are you going to tell me where were we’re going?”
“Nope.”
“As long as it’s not a gum wall, I’m game.”
He grins. “It’s hard to beat the gum wall, but I think you’ll like this.”
We make our way to his Jeep and he opens the door to let me in. I buckle up and my heart squeezes as he circles the front of the vehicle, giving me a wicked grin. I have no idea where he’s taking me, but I’m pretty sure I’d go anywhere with him tonight. Not a good thing, not a good thing at all.
His hand slides across the seat and captures mine. I turn his away and my heart is somewhere in my throat as I take in his smile.
“You liked the game last night?”
I roll my eyes. “It was okay. I only watched it because Dad made me. I never should have let him know we were friends.”
“At least they didn’t get the wrong idea about us.”
“My sister was happy we were just friends. I think someone has a crush.”
He grins, and it’s so damn cute, I can’t help but bring his hand to my mouth and kiss it. “Which one?” he asks.
“All of them.” He laughs out loud.
“I told them you didn’t date.” I let out a playful sigh. “You’re a heartbreaker, Wingman, and it’s hard to be your Wingwoman when I know it’s never going to be long term. Women want that, you know?”
“Not you, though, right?”
I cast a fast glance his way, but he’s scrubbing his chin and staring straight out the window. His concentration is so focused, you’d think the road ahead held all the answers to the universe.
“Ah, yeah, right,” I say, my insides a bit shaky. Can he see through me? Does he know I’m falling for him? Will that be the end of us?
Dammit, I don’t want it to be.
His smile dissolves. “So I should probably tell you…”
I frown and try to read him, but he won’t look at me. “Tell me what?”
“You know our goaltender?”
“The guy they call the Puck Charmer?”
“And you say you’re not a hockey fan,” he says with a grin, but it’s forced. I laugh at that. “Well, apparently, he’s interested in you.”
My head rears back. “In me?”
“Why do you say it like that?”
“I just…I don’t think I’m his kind of girl.”
“If you want me to be your Wingman, just let me know.”
“Oh, okay,” I say, and turn from him, incredulous that he’s all game for setting me with up with a teammate. Then again, maybe it’s a good damn reminder of what we are and what we aren’t.
I reach for the radio and turn it up, wanting the music to drown the sounds of my swallowing. A short while later, Rider parks and I glance out the window to see the Space Needle, so beautifully lit up under the night sky. My heart is pounding overtime, and sweat breaks out on my hands.
“What are we doing here?” I ask, my voice breaking slightly.
“I thought it’d be fun. It’s been a long time for me. I know you’re not a thrill-seeker, so I wasn’t about to take you skydiving, but this is pretty tame, right?” He winks at me. “Baby steps.”
I take a deep breath, then another, and work to keep myself in check, but stupid tears pool in my eyes.
“Jules?” Rider asks, his voice so soft and worried, every emotion bottle up inside me bursts to the surface. “We don’t have to do it.”
“No, I should,” I say.
His brows bunch and I turn from him. “You should?”
I sniff and he touches my chin to angle my face his way. “Hey, you can talk to me. If you’re afraid—”
“This is the last place Brett and I went, before…”
I try to turn away again, but he unbuckles both of us and shifts until he’s close. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t press and for that I’m grateful. I just let him hold me for a minute, and all around us, voices reach our ears as excited tourists make their way to the attraction.
“He was…my everything,” I say quietly. I lean into him, absorb his comfort and warmth. His head nods against my shoulder. “I miss him.”
“Tell me about him,” he says quietly, and that brings a smile to my face, because while it’s hard to talk about Brett, I like that he wants to hear.
“He was my first, you know. First everything.”
His smile is sweet, and he brushes my hair back. “He was special to you.”
“Very. We did everything together. We thought we would one day get married and have a family, but all that changed…”
I sniff, and Rider wipes at a loose tear.
“What happened?” he asks.
“Leukemia. Senior year of high school.” I take a fueling breath and glance at the Space Needle. We came here prom night, and then he got too sick to leave the hospital. I’ve never had the courage to come back since.”
“Tell me more about him,” he says.
Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m sharing stories about Brett, things I’ve kept bottled up and never shared with another soul. Some make me laugh, others make me cry, but speaking them out loud somehow helps soothe my soul, mend the hole in my heart. As I continue to talk, Rider holds me, and his comfort means the world to me.
“Sounds like Brett and I would have gotten along.”
“You would have loved him. Everyone did.”
“I know I would have. I’m glad he got a chance to love you, Jules. The way you deserve to be loved.”
I swallow against the tightness in my throat. “Thank you.”
“Sometimes life just isn’t fair,” he says, and rakes his hand through his hair. “We just have to play the cards we’re dealt.”
“And keep on playing the game,” I add.
He nods, and he looks through the window, but it’s easy to tell his thoughts are a million miles away.
“You did good, Rider.”
“What?” he says, my voice pulling him back.
“With the cards you were dealt. You did good.”
He grunts a non-response, and says, “Come on, I’ll take you home.” He’s about to move away, but I grasp his arm.
“No, I want to do this. Brett would want me to do this. He’s probably tired of me being a—”
“Chickenshit.”
I laugh at that, long and hard, and there is a new lightness in my shoulders when I stop. “I’m not sure I’d put it that way.” I shake my head. “You really don’t hold back anything, do you?” I say and nudge him.
“Yeah,” he says and turns from me abruptly, so abruptly, it takes me by surprise. Was it something I said? “You sure you want to do this?” he asks, as he looks out the driver’s side window.
“I do,” I say.
“Okay.” We exit the Jeep and he puts his hand on the small of my back to lead me to the attraction. An hour later—yes, after an hour—we finally make it. It’s not like we were far, or had to walk miles, but fans came out of the woodwork once they saw Rider. As he took pictures with his admirers, I stood back and watched. Is it any wonder he thinks the reason he’s loved is because of his position on the Seattle Shooters? But he’s so much more than a hockey player. He’s a brothe
r, a friend, a nurturer and protector. In fact, he’s one of the best guys I know.
And I’m falling for him.
His arm circles my back as we take in the spectacular view, and while I thought it would be hard to come back to this place, with Rider by my side, holding me, I’m glad I did. In fact, I probably couldn’t have done it without anyone but him by my side. After we make our way back to the street, we hold hands and quietly walk to his Jeep.
“Any other surprises?” I ask.
“Nope.”
“I might have one,” I say.
One brow raises. “Yeah?”
I give him a playful grin. “Or not!”
“You’re a tease, you know that?”
“You think that’s me teasing.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Take me home, Rider. I’ll show you teasing.”
His eyes narrow in on me and the next thing I know, he’s starting the Jeep and pulling into traffic. His knuckles are tight around the wheel but he’s reining his speed in, for me. But I’m just as anxious as he is, and maybe everything about this man creates an aura of safety.
“Can we go a little faster?” I say.
His gaze jerks to mine. “Yeah?” he asks, and I widen my legs, run my hands up my inner thighs. I’m pretty sure I’ve never wanted to be touched by this man more than I do at this moment.
“Yeah. Just don’t speed. A ticket will only slow us down.”
“Motherfucker,” he says, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as I caress my thigh. He goes a little faster, hits the speed limit and stays there and soon enough, he pulls into my driveway. We both hurry from the vehicle and like two teens with five minutes alone until their folks show up, we hurry to my door. I reach for my key, but he produces his faster and lets us in.
“I’m so glad I gave you that key,” I say, and his lips find mine as we stumble inside. He closes the door, presses me against it and deepens the kiss. I moan against his lips and close my eyes, welcoming all the sensations. Peaches brushes against my leg and purrs.
“We have company,” Rider murmurs into my mouth.
“Oh, shoot.”
He backs up. “What?”
I glance up the steps, and then back at Rider. “I forgot to feed her.”