Somehow Chris, the baby of the family, had been the only one to stay and keep the White family roots in Sweetbriar. Charlie was back; maybe this would be an opportunity to get Travis back as well and cleaned up in the process.
The community of Sweetbriar was a tough crowd to win back over once they’d been messed with. They were forgiving in some ways; they overlooked the foolishness of the kids and teenage pranks. He and Ryan were proof of that. They’d caused a hell of a lot of trouble as kids. But when it came to deceiving or endangering the people who lived there, that was where the people of Sweetbriar drew the line. Travis had a long line of White men to thank for the good name and history he had on his side. Now he needed to not screw it up — if Chris could even convince him to settle down in Sweetbriar.
“We almost there? I need to take a piss,” Travis grunted from the back seat.
The nap didn’t seem to have improved his shitty attitude.
“Twenty minutes. There’s nowhere to stop between here and home, so if you need to go, you’re doing it on the side of the road.”
A snort was the only response, so Chris kept the truck moving along the highway.
The sun was setting as they arrived in Sweetbriar. Chris headed through town, his thoughts on Tori. He had hoped she’d text him during the day to ask about Travis, or hell, just to see how he was doing, but it had been radio silence.
He ached to get home and see her. How quickly he had associated her as part of his home. When she moved back to her apartment, if she moved back, the place wouldn’t be the same. He wasn’t letting her go without a fight.
He pulled in the driveway and stared ahead at the dark house. If she was there, the house showed no signs of it. He was starting to get a bad feeling, none of which he could attribute to the shitty day or the uncertainty of having Travis live with him.
That was something he needed to talk to Tori about. It was his house, but he wouldn’t let Travis stay if it made Tori uncomfortable. Charlie had space at the downtown house, but he didn’t want to ask him to take on that kind of responsibility when he was just getting settled.
“We’re here,” Chris said, turning off the engine.
“Let’s go,” Charlie said, opening Travis’ door and motioning for him to get out.
“Am I being escorted to my cell?” Travis quipped with a grin that quickly faded as he stepped out of the truck and winced in pain.
Charlie curled his lips in a snarl. “You ungrateful—”
“Easy, you two. Let’s just get inside. Charlie, why don’t you stay here tonight, and we can figure out everything else tomorrow?”
“That sounds heartwarming,” Travis said through gritted teeth.
Charlie swore under his breath but wrapped an arm around Travis and helped him into the house.
Tori downed the last of her margarita and slumped forward onto the bar.
“And the worst part is, I still want his sexy ass. Did I mention how sexy he is? Seriously sexy.”
“You might have mentioned it,” Claire said, sliding a water in front of her. “Drink that water, and then let’s get you home.”
“Home. Ha! I’m homeless. A homeless drunk who got played. Again. So sexy.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Claire said, waving Jake and his friend and fellow police officer, Frank, over from a table across the room.
Jake and Frank were off duty, but looked the part of menacing public servants, from their matching SBPD t-shirts to the way they carried themselves — alert, attentive, and jumping to action at the slightest indication they were needed.
Tori didn’t bother waving them off as they flanked her out of Cliff’s bar and into Claire’s car parked out front.
“Need any help getting her to Chris’?” Jake said, eyeing a slumped-over Tori in the passenger seat. “We’re happy to follow you and assist if you want.”
“I got it from here, boys. Thank you.” Claire blew Jake a kiss as she drove away.
“Alright, missy, we’re here,” Claire chirped happily.
Tori groaned as she looked out over the dash to the big house lit up in front of her. Chris was home, and here she was, an unwelcome guest, showing up sloppy drunk. If she wasn’t still feeling the effects of the last margarita, she might have been embarrassed. Instead, she felt self-righteous. She had just enough liquid courage to go in there and tell him exactly what she thought of him and his sneaking off after the most incredible sex of her life. She frowned. Maybe she’d leave that last part out. No sense inflating his ego any more.
“Honey, I’m ho-o-ome,” Tori crooned as she flung open the front door.
“Sweet, you hired strippers.”
The deep voice stopped her in her tracks. Not Chris. He had company, and not just any company. His brothers. Chris was nowhere to be seen. Perfect. This day was ending as badly as it had started.
Tori pulled her coat tight around her, covering as much skin as she could. Maybe she’d gone a little overboard in borrowing one of Claire’s dresses for the night. Her best friend’s wardrobe was more daring than her own, and she felt exposed in the short, tight, strapless dress.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you— What the hell happened to you?” Tori said, finally getting a good look at Travis’ bruised face.
“You should see the other guy,” Travis said with a wink.
Tori stumbled in her stilettos and caught herself on the kitchen island.
“Easy. Let me help you,” Claire said, coming in behind her.
Chris appeared on the stairwell, wet hair and sans shirt. Tori watched as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.
It really is “a crime to cover all that up.”
Oops, I may have said that last part out loud.
Chris jogged down the stairs and froze when his eyes landed on her. His eyebrows furrowed like he was trying to assess the situation.
Her vulnerabilities bubbled to the surface under his tight scrutiny, and she hated that he’d flipped the situation so that she felt like the one who had done something wrong. He was supposed to be the one on trial tonight, not her.
“How much did she drink?” Chris asked, looking beyond her at Claire.
“Three margaritas.” Claire handed him Tori’s purse and keys.
“She’s this lit from three? That’s impressive,” Charlie said from the couch, saluting her with the beer bottle in his hand.
Tori squirmed out of Claire’s and Chris’ grasp, kicked off her heels, and flounced onto the couch between Charlie and Travis.
“Do you have another one of those?” Tori asked, pointing at Charlie’s beer.
“Have mine, darling.” Charlie handed over his Bud Light, walked to the fridge, then returned to his seat with a fresh one.
Chris glared in her direction but didn’t speak.
“Travis, it’s so good to see you,” Tori said, throwing herself at him to wrap him in a bear hug.
She’d always liked Chris’ brothers, but she had been closer to Travis than Charlie growing up. Travis was only a year older than Chris, so Tori had hung out with him more than Charlie when they were kids. That had changed as they got older. Charlie came back to Sweetbriar more often than Travis, but the memories of childhood were a strong bond.
“Ah, easy killer,” Travis said, wincing in pain as she squeezed him.
“Oh my God, it’s not just your face. What the hell happened to you?” Claire said, forcing Tori aside and examining Travis. “Broken ribs?”
Travis nodded.
“You should get it checked out. Broken ribs could cause internal issues, and even if you’re lucky enough to not have done any more damage, you need some pain meds to help you breathe easier until they’re healed.”
Travis shook his head as Chris responded, “We’re taking him in first thing in the morning.”
Claire nodded. “Take him to see Dr. Lawrence. She’s the best, and she’ll be discreet.”
Travis groaned. “I’m right here. Don’t talk about me like I’m a child.”
&n
bsp; “Then stop acting like one,” Chris said through gritted teeth.
Tori watched the busy room around her through a haze. She felt small and insignificant. She’d been planning on waltzing in there and giving Chris a piece of her mind, and instead she’d been force-fed a slice of humble pie to see him taking care of his injured brother.
Tori placed the beer down on the coffee table in front of her and headed up the stairs. She needed a moment to deal with her own insecurities and to get out of the ridiculous getup she was wearing. She could barely breathe in the dress, and her neck ached from the weight of her thick tresses piled on top of her head.
She pulled the bobby pins from her hair and released her locks down her back, tilting her head and rolling her neck from side to side.
A prick of awareness sent goose bumps over her skin, and she turned slowly, finding Chris leaning against the doorframe watching her. She ignored the pit in her stomach and the racing of her heartbeat.
“Can you help me with the zipper?” Tori asked, turning her back to him.
He stepped forward without saying a word and placed his rough hands on her shoulders. He turned her to face him.
“What’s wrong?”
“The dress is a little tight. I’m having a hard time breathing,” she said, avoiding his eyes.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Chris said, placing a hand underneath her chin and forcing her to look up into his eyes.
Damn, he wasn’t going to drop it.
“You went to get Travis this morning,” Tori said.
It was more of a statement than a question, but Chris nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I thought… I thought you left again.” Tori’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment, and she tried to look away from the softening blue gaze.
Chris held her chin firmly in place and brought his lips down to meet hers.
Despite her residual anger and frustration, she melted into him, throwing her hands around his neck and letting him lift her up to him.
He turned, slamming the door with a foot and pinning her against it. Her hazy senses were waking, and she inhaled the smell of him — soap and testosterone. It was a heady mix.
She deepened the kiss, running her hands through his wet hair and pulling his head closer. She felt him slowly back up, carrying her with him only a few steps before he loosened his grip and her feet found the wooden floor.
He turned her around, stepped back, and slowly eased open the zipper of her dress.
“Get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow. Charlie and Travis are staying the night. I need to get back down there and try and piece together the mess he’s made.”
Chris kissed the crook of her neck, and then he was gone. Her body felt chilled without the heat of his arms around her, but it was her heart she was the most worried about. It hurt, it bled, and she still wanted his sexy ass.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“So, are you guys going to tell me what’s going on here or not?” Claire asked as the boys sat and ate the delivered pizza in brooding silence.
No one said a thing.
“Okay, fine. Let’s start with direct questions. Travis, where have you been living?”
Travis looked to Chris and Charlie before answering.
“All over. St. Louis most recently.”
Travis looked down, staring into his plate of food and shoving another bite of pizza in his mouth.
“Is it true you’re building a house up here, too?” Claire asked, turning her attention to Charlie.
Charlie nodded. “Well, Chris is building it, but yes.”
“You’re moving back to Sweetbriar?” Travis asked, shooting a look around the room.
Aw, hell. Chris had wanted Travis to find out from him and Charlie, but Claire was determined to get them talking.
“I am. I think it’s time to come home,” Charlie said, looking out the living room windows out into the star-filled night sky.
Travis snorted. “Why in the world would you want to come back here?”
Claire cut him off, moving to Chris for the next question.
“What are your intentions with Tori?” A smug smile spread over her face.
Chris shifted in his seat, aware that all eyes in the room were now on him. Well, they might as well know. Having Claire on his side couldn’t hurt.
“My intentions are to make Tori mine and to keep her safe and happy.”
Travis and Charlie whooped and laughed, a welcome noise, even if it was directed at him.
Claire studied him carefully but remained silent. She was going to be tougher to convince than he’d thought.
“Seems as if you’re all going through some big life changes. Could be nice to have one another during these tough times,” she said, smiling at them as she stood and walked to the door.
The White brothers weren’t good at talking through their feelings or asking for support from one another. If they were, they probably would have bonded over their parents’ death instead of each dealing with it on their own and forging their own way.
“Chris, can I see you outside for a minute?” Claire asked sweetly.
Too sweetly.
Shit. He was going to get his ass handed to him for sure.
Chris shut the door behind him, sealing himself outside of the warm and comfortable house and into the cold night with who he assumed was a pissed-off Claire.
He shoved his hands into his pockets for warmth and walked to her car where she stood waiting for him. He forced his eyes from the ground to meet hers. He needed to make sure she understood he was serious, even if she didn’t believe or like him.
Claire threw her arms around him, catching him by surprise and nearly taking them both to the ground, as Chris stumbled to catch his balance.
“Finally!” she said, stepping back and smiling up at him. “I wasn’t sure if the two of you were ever going to stop fighting long enough to see how much the other cared.”
Chris was shocked. He’d always assumed Tori had filled Claire in on the details of their past, and in doing so, probably hadn’t put Chris in the best light. But Claire had never let on that she knew anything. Certainly, she’d never indicated that she was rooting for them.
“You knew all along?” Chris asked.
Claire rolled her eyes. “I’ve known you two were crazy about one another since the eighth grade. I didn’t know that you’ve had many, many chances and kept screwing it up.”
Chris held his hands up, blocking the punches Claire was throwing his direction.
“Ow, I’m sorry. I know… I was an idiot.”
“Biggest. Idiot. Ever.” Claire continued her onslaught of punches to his arm.
Chris grabbed her wrists to stop her. He wasn’t sure if he’d get this chance again, and he wanted to make sure she knew he was serious before she left.
“I was an idiot, but I will never hurt Tori again. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to her. And you.”
Claire stopped resisting and dropped her hands to her side. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Take care of her, and don’t screw it up again. Or I’ll kill you.” Claire said with a wink and got into her car.
Chris headed back inside the house, a smile plastered on his face. He had Ryan and Claire’s blessings. Now for the fun part, winning over Tori once and for all.
Tori stripped out of her dress and walked into the massive master bedroom. Hopeful that a shower would calm her and help put out the heat that Chris had left her feeling, she stepped into the white marble shower in the attached bathroom. She cursed under her breath as she fiddled with the controls. No shower should be this complicated. But when the jets and dual showerheads sprayed her body from every direction, the effect was heavenly.
She let the water massage her body, relieving tension she hadn’t noticed she was holding. She relaxed her shoulders, closed her eyes, and let the steady stream wash away all the doubts she had for getting involved with h
im again.
Maybe she’d always known it would come to this. It had always been Chris against the rest of the male population, and the latter was found severely lacking in every way.
She reached out and grabbed the familiar bottle of body wash before it occurred to her that he’d stocked his shower with all her favorites — right down to her favorite type of razors with a stock of extra blades. She was beginning to expect this from him. He hadn’t been content with just placing her used items in the shower. Oh no, he’d gone out and bought new stuff in mass quantities.
As far as character flaws went, it wasn’t the worst one she could think of.
Tori reluctantly dragged herself out of the shower and wrapped a big, plush towel around her. She was coming down from her tequila high and needing another shot of something strong. Like Chris.
She dressed quickly, eager to see him. Hesitating only a second at the door to reconsider, she slipped down the stairs to the sound of SportsCenter and the faint clanking of metal.
“Where’s Chris and Charlie?” she asked, standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Travis was laid back on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, staring at the TV. He nodded toward the garage. Tori, finally understanding the sound was weights, lost a little of her exuberance to see Chris. Plus, Travis looked awful.
She sat adjacent to him in the big matching recliner and kicked the bottom out so she was lounged in a similar position.
“Bulls are having a rough season.”
“I bet five hundred dollars on that game. Don’t think I’ll be seeing that money now that I’m being held prisoner,” Travis huffed, fidgeting with the remote.
Spar (Sweetbriar Lake) Page 8