by Rhonda Helms
I sat there in stunned silence, my brain whirring. Dad was going to be okay. Frankly, I didn’t want one penny of Mom’s money, but it made me glad that he could have it strings-free to help him get on his feet. He could buy new furniture for the duplex—or even get a better place to rent if he chose.
And I could sock away my income to save up for my own apartment soon, plus take out a few loans and enroll in school to finish my degree guilt-free. The financial burden on my shoulders had just gotten exponentially lighter.
Then I realized where my train of thought had gone. Not in moving back to New York, but in staying here. Building my life in Edgewood Falls.
This town was my home now.
“I know it won’t make up for what I did,” Mom added, “but I hope it will help you get your life back. Your father explained to me how far you guys fell because of my actions, the work you’ve done to keep the two of you on your feet. I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself. I messed up big time.”
“I’m not ready to forgive you,” I told her bluntly. “And I’m still angry. But I appreciate the gesture.” It was a start in the right direction. She and I might never have a good relationship again, but at least she was righting her wrongs.
“Fair enough,” she said. “This is my new cell. I’m back in New York, and I’ve gotten a job at another firm and a condo in Manhattan. If you ever want to visit…” She stalled and gave an awkward laugh. “Of course, I’m sure you’re not ready to see me yet. But if you do, you have a room here anytime.”
“Okay,” I hedged, uncomfortable. “I gotta go.” I wanted to spend a bit of time with my dad. Relax and enjoy dinner, try to shake off this stress before going to see Gavin.
“Oh, sure. No problem.” Mom paused, and her voice trembled. “I know you might not believe it, but I do love you.”
That chipped away at something in my heart. It was hard to believe her right now, but time would tell. “Thanks for calling us. I’ll be in touch in a while. I just need time to think things over.”
We hung up. I knocked on my dad’s bedroom door, and when he invited me in, I ran to him and gave him the biggest hug I could.
Chapter Sixteen
“Thanks for dropping me off,” I told Natalie. I was going to ride my bike over to his house, but with these sexy red heels on, it would have equaled disaster. So I’d called her and asked for a lift.
She squeezed my hand, and my stomach lurched with nervousness. “It’ll be fine. He’s a reasonable guy. Just be honest with him.” She paused. “If you need a ride back, no problem. I’m not going out tonight, so I’ll be home and can get you.”
I nodded. The air locked in my lungs. “I’m freaking out.”
“Don’t freak out.”
“What if he hates me now?”
She rolled her eyes. “Please. He doesn’t hate you. His feelings are hurt. Guys withdraw when they’re thinking about heavy shit like this. Their feelings don’t just turn on and off like that.”
“You’d better be right.” I forced a laugh and opened the car door. Chilly air swooped in. “You’re sure this is where he lives?”
This time, her eyes rolled so hard I almost heard them rattle. “Seriously. Small town. Everyone knows where everyone lives. There’s no big mystery here.”
“Good point.”
“Stop stalling. You’re freezing me.” She shoved me out the door and shot me an innocent grin. “Go get your man, Anna Parker!”
I nodded. “Right. Okay. Thank you.” Then I closed the door, smoothed my skinny pants and made my way up the stairs to his front door as she backed out of the driveway and drove off.
The house was quaint, but cute—a cozy bungalow with bright white siding and green shutters. The lawn looked pristine. He took care of his property; the place reflected his careful attention.
My heart leaped to my throat as I raised my fist and knocked on the door.
No answer.
Crud. Should I call her back and ask her to get me?
The door opened, and there he stood, wearing low-slung jeans and a T-shirt that showed off his muscles. His hair was sexily mussed, and his feet were bare. Oh, holy hell. So this was sexy, casual Gavin.
He blinked. “Anna?”
“Hi. Um, can we talk? Are you busy?”
His eyes shuttered instantly. He thinned his lips. Unease was written all over his face.
“Please. I need to explain some things.” My pulse throbbed in my throat.
With an almost inaudible sigh, he backed away, opened the door more and waved me into the warmth. “Can I get you a drink?”
My mouth was dry; maybe a little sip of something would help. “What are you having?” I stepped through the entryway into his small but cute living room. It was all neutrals, with pops of bold colors in the accents—several red pillows, a purple throw rug, a bright blue vase. Somehow, it worked.
I liked his style. It was welcoming and fresh.
“Wine,” Gavin said. There was still a lot of caution in his voice, which stung me a bit. “Just opened a bottle.”
“Sounds great, if you don’t mind.” I stripped off my coat and perched on the edge of the couch as he padded into the kitchen. A moment later he reappeared, glasses in hand. He gave me one, and I took a sip then put the glass down on the dark wood coffee table.
Gavin took the chair adjacent to me. His body language suggested he was at ease except for the slight tension in his shoulders, the tick of his jaw. The look on his face was hard to interpret. “What did you want to talk about?”
I licked my lips. My heart thrummed with nervousness. “I’m so sorry I canceled yesterday. I was really looking forward to our date. But something came up that I needed to deal with.” I paused and glanced away from him toward the plush rug under my feet. “My ex stopped by.”
“Oh.” Gavin stood, his movements wooden. “Well, I hope you two are happy together.”
“No, no,” I said in a rush as I stood as well. I grabbed his hand and made myself say, “That’s not it. The situation’s overly complicated, and I realize this sounds bad out of context, but I’d broken up with him and he didn’t get the message. He came here to surprise me. When he saw where I was living, the truth about my parents came out. Then he, uh, proposed because he felt bad about my circumstances, and I turned him down.” I swallowed in desperation to get moisture into my mouth. “It felt wrong to see you after that because, well, you can figure it out, I’m sure.”
He remained silent, his eyes fixed on me. I couldn’t detect his feelings at all. His hands were still in mine, but they didn’t move.
“Gavin.” I squeezed his fingers and took a step closer. Peered up into those endless green eyes that entranced me. “I’m laying it all on the line with you right now, though it’s scary as hell when I can’t read your face or know what you’re thinking. If we’re going to have a chance, you need to know the truth. My ex and I weren’t good together. There was no resonance in that relationship. No love.” My cheeks burned, and I made myself continue. “I want to be with you. Only you.”
I cupped his face, let my thumbs brush his cheekbones. He closed his eyes and sighed. The scent of his cologne wafted to my nostrils and I breathed him in. Felt the tiny stubble of his five-o’clock shadow. All my senses were on overload.
“I thought you changed your mind,” he finally said in a husky tone. “About us. That you decided you didn’t want to give this a try.”
“No, not at all.” A tiny flutter of hope lit in my belly. I dropped my hands to the front of his chest and caressed his pecs, which flexed under my fingers.
“Anna,” he groaned then wrapped me in his arms. He pressed his forehead to mine, and my heart swelled and filled with a surge of emotion I’d never felt before. I needed this man—his wit, his grins, his wicked fingers and kisses.
“I’m falling for you,” I told him. He hadn’t yet said a word about how he felt, but I couldn’t stop myself from spilling out my emotions. “And it scares me to admit
that, but it’s how I feel.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you.” He pressed a kiss to one corner of my mouth then the other. His breaths became a bit more ragged as his tongue slid along my jaw. “The way you taste. Your scent. Your eyes. Your stubbornness. Your laugh. I need more. So much more.” He paused. “I want everything.”
I gasped as his mouth sucked on my earlobe, and I pressed my breasts to his chest, curling my fingers along his neck to keep him close to me. Yes, this was where my heart belonged—cradled in his hands.
“I’m falling so hard for you, Anna,” he breathed then captured my lips in a soul-searing kiss. His tongue dove into my mouth, frantic with need, and I clung to him like he was my anchor.
His arousal was evident in the coiled tension of his body, the hard line of his shaft against my pelvis. My fingers scrabbled for his shirt, and he pulled away from me only long enough to tug the shirt off. Then he grabbed my top and flung it onto the couch.
Our heated torsos pressed together. My breasts swelled, my nipples growing tighter by the second. I rubbed against him, and he groaned, dug his fingers into my hair and arched my head back to expose my neck.
His tongue slicked across the front, and then he sucked on the base of my throat, nibbled my clavicle, made his way down to the top of my breasts. My core clenched; my panties dampened. Arousal ribboned through me, sucked the air from my lungs.
“Bedroom,” he said roughly.
I nodded, and he took my hand and led me down the hall into a dark room. He flipped on the light, casting a golden glow across the plush bed.
Our moves were hurried—stripping off our clothes, rushing back together to kiss more. My tongue tangled with his. His body was a furnace, matching the heat building inside me. I could probably orgasm from a flick of his finger. He laid me down on the bed and ran his hands across every bare inch of my flesh.
“That feels so good,” I said as I sighed and rested my head on the pillow.
“I want to go slow, but I need you right now.” His words were almost harsh-sounding, but I knew they reflected the same hunger I had.
“Slow next time,” I agreed.
He reached into his drawer, pulled out a condom, put it on and then covered the length of my body with his. Those brilliant hands kept moving across my skin, kneading the curves of my flesh, his tongue licking my shoulder, my nipple, the line between my breasts. I cupped his ass and urged him closer to me.
He paused and looked down at me, arousal rich in those heavy-lidded eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve been thinking about this for so long. Fantasizing about having you in my bed.”
A flush worked its way across my skin, and I grew wetter from his sexy admission. I reached a hand up to cup the back of his neck and gave him a kiss.
He entered me, and we both sighed. His cheek brushed mine, his fingers in my hair as our bodies became slick with sweat. I could feel my orgasm starting to build from his steady, powerful strokes. I gripped his ass, wrapped my legs around him.
Our eyes locked on each other, and our mingled breaths warmed the scant space between us. My lower belly grew tighter. We couldn’t stop touching each other.
My orgasm hit me hot and hard, and I yelled as my body exploded in a burst—the way I’d wanted to scream yesterday. His eyes flashed with triumph, and he pumped harder then buried his face in my hair and groaned as he stiffened on top of me.
We lay like that for a while, limbs entwined, bodies damp, him still inside me. Then he moved off me and gave me a kiss much different than any he’d given me before.
This kiss was more than just passion.
I brushed the hair off my sweaty cheek and turned on my side to face him. “That was perfect,” I whispered.
He reached out and stroked my waist, my hip. All the walls were down, and I could read his emotions as clearly as I knew my own. “It was for me too.” He kissed my nose. “How about you clean up first?”
Man, it was tempting to fall asleep, but I nodded and slipped out of bed. Went into the bathroom we’d passed in the hall, took care of business and tiptoed back.
He stood, claimed my mouth in a sexy kiss, winked then smacked my ass as he headed to the bathroom.
I bit my lip and slipped back into my clothes. My body felt deliciously sated.
When Gavin got back, he dressed too. The atmosphere between us was different now. More intimate. More familiar. We sat down on the couch, side by side, and sipped our wine.
“This is nice,” I said as I rested my head on his shoulder. We fit together so well.
“Just nice? Guess I’m doing something wrong.” When I pinched his stomach, he sat up and laughed as he rubbed the area. “Kidding. I agree, actually.”
It hit me then—if Mom hadn’t left us, I’d never have moved here. Never would have met Gavin. Never would have made love to him in this way, felt this content and blissful. Something good had come out of a bad situation because I’d taken the initiative to go after what I’d wanted. It made my heart warm even more.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Anna,” he said as he wrapped a possessive arm around me and tugged me closer into his side.
“Me too.” I closed my eyes, let the stress go.
Let the happiness in.
Thanks so much for reading One Broke Girl!
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You’ve just read the first story in the Edgewood Falls series. Each features its own romance arc (no cliffhangers!). Stay tuned for book 2, Two Little Lies (out June 2014) and book 3, Three Perfect Nights (out August 2014).
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen