Timeless Vows: Five Tales of Love (Timeless Tales Book 4)

by Ruth A. Casie

  “Can you tell me what happened?”

  Her soft words sucked him in and he got lost in her chocolate-colored eyes. Incredibly long lashes framed their depths and he found himself staring at their beauty.

  She shifted and he could’ve smacked himself for allowing the silence to build.

  “If you’d rather not, or it’s too much, that’s fine, too.” She bit her lip and he honestly believed she’d given him an out from talking about it.

  Oddly, that gave him the strength to continue. He swallowed hard. “Well, we both enlisted in the Marines after senior year ended, which pissed off our parents. Said they’d wasted all that tuition money. But after nine-eleven and the war continuing, Danny and I knew what needed to be done. I’ll tell you boot camp was an eye opener for two pampered college boys.” He shook his head with a smirk. “Then deployment after deployment happened. We both thought about making the Corps a career.”

  “That must have been interesting, you know, traveling the world and all.”

  He shrugged. “The traveling part was okay, but Danny wanted to be home more. He’d gotten married.”

  Her eyes widened. “Married? That’s nice, I guess. Not that I would know.”

  “Me neither,” he admitted. “I got banged up—shot—then discharged. The Corps wouldn’t send me on recon missions because of my injury, and I hated the idea of a desk job.”

  “You don’t look injured.” She perused his body, chest to boots. “Um…at least to me you don’t. But what do I know…go on,” she stuttered and fidgeted with the wispy wrap thing around her shoulders.

  Tara had a shy air about her, something else he’d never expected from someone famous.

  He rubbed the back of his neck and forced himself to continue. “Danny had one last tour to finish before heading home to be closer to his wife.”

  The tick in his jaw started to throb as he relived the scenario in his mind. Rage bubbled inside at the memory of Danny’s shattered face when his twin discovered the truth…

  Tara’s knee brushed against his as she shifted on the bench.

  “Danny’s wife, Marissa, wasn’t there when he returned stateside. She was too busy fucking someone else.” Despite the fact that he’d never have to lay eyes on that bitch again, Todd’s blood boiled at her name.

  Tara tensed with a small gasp, but he wouldn’t glance at her. No telling what kind of hell she’d have to witness in his eyes at the moment. He had to pull it together. Talking about this out loud might have seemed like a good and cathartic idea, but actually doing it was killing him.

  “A week later he volunteered to ship out again. Volunteered.” The words came out through gritted teeth. Stupid…impulsive Danny. His brother thought he could run away. “I tried talking sense into him. But he was…destroyed. Marissa couldn’t deal with him being married to the Corps. She hurled at me how I got hurt and left, and how Danny only stayed in just to please me, which was such bullshit.” Marissa always pushed the blame onto someone else’s shoulders.

  He cleared his constricted throat. Damn, if the words weren’t stuck. “Two weeks overseas, his platoon was ambushed.” His voice cracked in a whisper.

  Her soft, anguished moan forced him to focus on her. “Oh no,” she whispered.

  And here came the hardest part of all—the guilt chapter.

  “You see, I wanted to warn him so many times about her. I suspected she was cheating, but had no real proof so how could I hurt him like that? Hell, I’d introduced them. Stupid, huh?”

  Tara’s body tensed at his words and her brows creased. “Danny merely wanted to love her, and she stepped all over him. I can’t stand people like that.”

  He had the feeling Tara wasn’t talking about Danny with that statement.

  Then she surprised him by grabbing both his hands, with a strong grip for a slight person. “I know I shouldn’t be so mean…but what a bitch.”

  “You’re absolutely right, she is.”

  Her sexy lips flattened and there were unshed tears in her eyes. That Tara was angry loosened the vise in his chest a notch. Someone who shared the combination of grief and anger he grappled with whenever he thought about his ex-sister-in-law helped so much. Marissa had lost a husband, but she’d never deserved Danny in the first place.

  “I’m sorry you lost Danny. He was a great guy who deserved better,” she said, as if reading his thoughts.

  As he soaked in her breathtaking face, he silently berated himself for missing out on Tara Graham. Why hadn’t he given her a second glance in college? Was it because of Danny? She’d always been super friendly. But at the time he’d been a jock and she into music. Must’ve seemed like a good reason back then. But now? She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and she’d come alone. Nothing to stop him…

  His brother’s voice seeped into his head, which happened often lately. Go for it, idiot. She’s hot and she’s feeling you, bro.

  So Todd did the first thing that made sense in a long time.

  He kissed Tara.

  Todd gently grasped the back of her head and pulled her toward him in a very alpha-male, possessive, and freaking exciting way. She’d felt their connection as he spoke of Danny, but certainly didn’t expect this.

  He took charge and slanted his lips across hers. Strong, yet soft lips caressed hers. He tasted like whiskey, and at the first stroke of his tongue, she was jelly all over. He tugged away the clip in her hair and wound his fingers through her tangled curls. Girlie parts overload.

  She gripped his biceps and sucked in a breath at the sheer strength beneath her fingertips. He deepened the kiss and one of his hands slid down to her waist.

  It had been forever since she’d felt any man’s lips against hers, and his were delicious. She wanted to jump into the moment headfirst, no holds barred. But wait…this was nuts. He’d poured his heart out and the last thing she wanted to be accused of was taking advantage of his grief.

  Tara broke the kiss first—if not, she might do something impulsive like drag him to her room and strip him of his khakis in a heartbeat. Grammy winner shags distraught Marine. Is she at it again?

  Headlines be damned. She needed to stop worrying about it. If anyone thought the worst of her, so be it. As long as Janey stayed protected.

  But Todd deserved to know the crazy stuff going on—or not going on—in her screwed-up life if they were going to… Forget it, Tara. Laying low was the plan for this trip, not getting laid. Girlie parts disappointed.

  She flattened her hand on the warm wall of his chest and the staccato heartbeat under her palm matched her own rapid pulse. “Wow.”

  “Tell me about it.” He smiled—actually smiled—and Tara almost second-guessed her decision. Her clip had fallen somewhere on the grass in the throes of their kiss, and her wrap pooled around her waist. She tugged it up to her shoulders as he pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. The gentle gesture coming from such a hard man made her breath hitch. Bet he’d be gentle in other ways, too. Settle down, girlie parts…no is no.

  “Thank you for telling me about Danny. It couldn’t have been easy for you.” She stood and he did the same.

  His eyes searched her face and he leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. Nothing half as steamy as before but just as unsettling. Don’t think too much into this. In the heat of the moment, strange things happened. Better to think that than to try and decode the warmth inside of her chest.

  Then he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Thanks for listening. You’re easy to talk to.”

  “My pleasure.” He seemed more at ease, and she was happy to have helped him. “I’d better head in. It’s an early day tomorrow, according to the itinerary.” Time to exit stage left or succumb to the things she really wanted to do with him.

  * * *

  “…want to welcome you all to the nature hike,” said a voice from the front of the crowd.

  Finally, she’d located the group assembled at the edge of the woods behind the pool. Her takeaway coffee cup firmly in hand, she smile
d politely to the other guests and groaned inside.

  Was everyone around here the poster child for outdoorsman? Had she missed something on the itinerary about gear?

  Everyone had canteens around their necks and sported the Indiana Jones look.

  Her running shorts, tank, and old pair of running sneakers would have to do. The others had on hiking boots, backpacks, and hats. Damn…she’d forgotten to pack a ball cap to ward off the sun.

  A buzz whizzed past her ear and she nearly spilled the coffee down the front of her white tank. Great. Bugs. This was a far cry from Central Park.

  “For any latecomers needing a canteen and repellant, please come up.” She knew that voice—or her body did. Tingles started around her midsection, then dipped lower. Memories of that scorching kiss she tried to forget last night surfaced.

  “Don’t be shy. I’ve got plenty.”

  No one moved or seemed to need gear. How had Todd noticed her way in the back? Might as well do what he asked.

  Tara weaved through the crowd to where he was bent over, pulling stuff from a large canvas duffel stamped with the US Marine Corps logo.

  He rose and the tingles increased as his eyes traced up her legs, past her torso and then to her face. “Good morning, Ms. Graham.”

  “Morning,” she murmured, suddenly feeling shy. She was never on her game before caffeine kicked in.

  “Do you have hiking boots?” At her head shake, he sighed. “Be careful where you step. Those shoes have soft soles.” He handed her a full canteen, its strap dangling from his fingers, and before she had time to thank him a cold blast of bug spray hit her legs.

  Then he spun her around to administer the foul-smelling mist in a long spray to the backs of her arms.

  “Hey…what?” She jumped, keeping a death grip on her coffee.

  Todd leaned in close so no one else could hear. “You smell amazing to me, but the bugs will think you’re breakfast.” Then he winked and Tara thought she’d imagined it because his face went back to being all-serious.

  Smell amazing? She didn’t know what to make of this flirty Todd.

  Two hours later, and a few hundred thousand bug swats despite the repellent, Tara came to the conclusion nature wasn’t her thing. Todd, on the other hand, was an amazing guide, patiently answering questions. More than a few of the ladies stared at his back end as they marched through the brush. She couldn’t blame them—it was a work of art.

  She’d stuck to the back of the group, not asking questions, nor standing out. But luckily someone asked what else he taught. His school on the property taught survival skills. No surprise there. Todd handled the outdoors with ease. He explained various edible plants—not that she’d ever sample any—and types of animal tracks to be aware of.

  While the others snapped photos of plant life and took a water break, Tara sat on a thick log and gazed at Loon Lake.

  What a peaceful place—the opposite of the hustle and the bustle of the city, recording studios, and drama. She felt like a normal everyday person again without worry about contracts or drunken musicians. What would life be like to own an inn like Nikki and Nate? Certainly a lot simpler. A long sigh escaped. Who knew what she’d face back in the land of fame and opportunity. With no word about the movie, Ron’s last call wasn’t encouraging. Could she salvage her career?

  “I thought I was the only one who liked to brood,” said a deep voice near her ear, snapping her back to the present.

  The log shifted under his weight.

  “Did someone tell you I used to call you that in college?” Red heat rose to her face, and not just from the sunburn.

  He grunted. “You weren’t the only one. Danny always said he’d been born the happy twin…” His voice trailed off, like he was remembering. He was quiet as he looked over at the lake.

  “So, I hear you’re famous?” His question broke the moment.

  It was her turn to grunt. Famous for how long was the question. “Not really. I record and perform—mostly jazz venues. It’s a living.” She shrugged.

  He bumped her shoulder in a playful way that had her heart flipping. He’d snapped out of brood mode again. “You’re being modest. Gabe said you’ve won awards.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You and Gabe did a lot of talking, huh?”

  He cleared his throat. “A bit. What, no boyfriend in the jazz world?” he asked, sounding uncertain and perhaps fishing for information.

  “There’s no one special.” She tried to keep the answer casual and evasive. Was he interested or merely making conversation? Maybe that kiss meant more than she’d thought, and she’d thought a whole lot about it last night in bed. She sucked at deciphering guy signals. “What about you?”

  “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had someone else,” he stated, his brow furrowed.

  Well, that answers that. “Why…” She paused. “I mean, why don’t you, have someone?”

  His blue eyes grew intense. “No offense, Tara, but I’ve been shot, watched people get shot, and ran through machine gun fire to drag out a fellow Marine. Those events change a person, big-time. And it’s kinda hard to relate to any woman, or have any kind of relationship on a normal playing field after that.”

  Tara sucked in a ragged breath. Events in her life had changed her, shaped her, too. Motivation drove her. But was this why she avoided love like the plague? To avoid relating on a normal playing field, merely existing on the surface emotions fame brought? Only now her reasons for avoiding love seemed so plastic compared to his.

  “When I stood on that tarmac and watched as Danny’s coffin came off the plane, I thought, why in the hell wasn’t it me? Not much to offer someone else when you feel that way about yourself, I suspect.” He swallowed so hard that his Adam’s apple rose.

  Tara blew out a blustery breath and watched as his hands curled into fists. Her heart wept for him. This was real emotion. This was what she wrote and sang about, right here in front of her eyes. This was what her fans loved, why she did what she did—not necessarily for the fame it brought.

  Todd coughed roughly and swiped at his eyes with his rag—the one with the leaves and twigs hanging off the end that he’d offered her earlier. The one she’d grimaced at and he’d laughed at her squeamishness. He didn’t seem to notice, though. He was so at ease with nature. It calmed him, made him more personable. Just the way he interacted and joked with the group proved that. Nature somehow put him at peace.

  Like music did for her. When she sat at the piano, all her troubles faded away.

  He swiped at his face again and left behind a smudge on the side of his chiseled features. The group started to fuss around them, and there were grumblings of someone being hungry, but she ignored it.

  She wanted to be the one to wipe away Todd’s pain, not the filthy rag. Whoa, where had that come from?

  With purpose, Tara pulled the canteen strap over her head and unscrewed the cap. Cool water ran over her fingers and dripped onto her bare legs. She reached over and touched his cheek, lightly rubbing away the grime and hopefully some of his grief. His breath caught, then the hard set of his jaw relaxed and he closed his eyes to her touch.

  “I’m really glad it wasn’t you,” she whispered.

  His eyes registered surprise at first then his face took on that determined look; only a hint of vulnerability was left behind.

  “You might be the minority. Danny being the happy twin, remember?”

  “You couldn’t have known what would happen or stopped that bitch from hurting Danny. It wasn’t your fault.” As she relayed the words, she tried not to think about what might happen to Janey, too, if this thing with Ben imploded.

  “I should have protected him. If I’d never introduced them…” He shrugged. “Right after the stuff went down I made the vow to never waste another day doing something I didn’t love. And doing it my way. Danny didn’t get that chance, but I sure as shit can for him.” He patted her knee as if to say “conversation over.” She blinked at the sudden shift in his
manner as he whistled for the group, then walked away.

  But Todd’s words hit home.

  Had her professional life come at the sacrifice of her personal one?

  Here she was hiding out in Maine until the bullshit of the world she wanted to be part of cleared? She rose from the log and a jagged rock punched at the sole of her sneaker. She kicked at it hard and it flew into the brush. She felt like a coward. Like she’d let Janey down by not getting on Ben to commit and do the right thing. By keeping quiet so her career might be saved.

  Damn. This trip was more than she’d bargained for.

  The guests thanked him and filed back to the inn and Todd walked behind Tara, trying not to breathe in her incredible scent. The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to, which surprised the hell out of him. Once again it’d been so easy to open up with her. What was it about her? Even with the bug spray, the hint of berries lingered in her hair. “You have some time? I want to show you something.”

  “Sure.” She smiled slightly, but seemed troubled. Hell, he hoped his newly found flapping gums hadn’t scared her.

  He led her around the back of the inn along the path of concrete and limestone blocks to his two-story log structure. A short bark was followed by a soft whine and scratching on his front door.

  “Is this your place?” she asked, her brows lowered in confusion.

  He hopped up the two wide steps and nodded. “I plan to buy it once I finish the renovation.” No woman—other than Nikki when she helped him move in—had ever come here. Felt a little awkward, but he didn’t want his time with Tara to end yet.

  As he unlocked the door, his houseguest charged out, yapping excitedly. Tara laughed and held out her hand as the dog ran back and forth between them.

  “Lolita, settle down,” he commanded, petting the dog behind the ears.

  Her eyes widened. “Lolita? Interesting choice of names.”

  He grinned over his shoulder and motioned for her to enter into the open-layout living room. “Danny liked the book in college. It was all I could do to get through the CliffsNotes.”