by RC Boldt
“I have some things here,” she gestured to the bag beside her on the bench, “that I’m hoping will help my cause.”
Sliding his sunglasses up to rest upon his head, his eyes focused on her. “And your cause is?”
“You.” She forced herself not to fidget beneath the weight of his gaze.
For the first time, she was unable to read him, unable to tell what he was thinking. With a short nod, he sat on the other end of the bench, eyeing her with caution. “Let’s see what’s in the bag, then.”
After inhaling a fortifying breath, she swiveled on the bench to face Lawson, curling one leg beneath her other. Reaching into the bag, pulling out the first item, she handed the small box to him.
“Kinesio tape for when you get a pulled or strained muscle. But only the black-colored tape because you always say that it doesn’t look ‘douchey’ or like you’re showing off like the neon colors do.”
He said nothing, merely watching her with an odd expression. Glancing down at the package of kinesio tape in his hand, the crease between his brows popped up, showing his confusion.
Shit. She could almost hear the Mayday! Mayday! She had to hurry up and make him understand her gesture.
Next, she pulled out a bag of the organic cheese puffs Raine had gotten him hooked on, handing them over to him with a simple, “They’re your favorite.”
The assortment of organic chocolate bars he liked, a mini soccer ball keychain, and a tie followed. The latter two brought even more confusion to his face as he now had the variety of items sitting between them on the bench.
“A soccer ball keychain and a tie?”
“A soccer ball because you used to play when you were in college. And when I asked you why you played a sport that required so much running—something you hate doing—you told me that it was because you liked kicking around someone else’s—”
“—balls,” they finished together, his lips quirking up slightly.
“And the tie because you like to tie me up,” she answered softly. “I was lucky enough to find this.” She pulled the final item from the bag—a Star Wars themed T-shirt with an image of Yoda and the words, Learn it, you will and below it, Teach it, I shall.
They sat in silence for a moment, with the now empty bag between them.
“What’s all this stuff supposed to mean, exactly?” He studied her with an unnerving intensity.
“It was the only way—and on such short notice—I could think of to show you that I love you. That I care about you and love everything about you. The way you give me the pickles off your burger because you know I love them. The way you always make people laugh, cheer them up when they need it, even if it’s at your own expense.”
Inhaling deeply, she let it out in a whoosh before starting up again. “You’re the man I love, the one I want to be with. But even more, I want to be the reason you laugh, to make you laugh, I want to be the reason you’re happy. I want to be the reason you feel loved.
“I want you to know that I love you and pay attention to you. And since I not only learned all of these things about you and learned to open my heart again, I know that I can learn to lean on you, Laws.”
His eyes were intense, watchful. “You love me?”
She nodded. “I really do.” Swallowing hard, she continued. “I realized that I never truly loved Brent. I know that now. Because the way I feel for you, it’s so much more. You’re my entire world. You’re the person who taught me to live again, how to laugh, how to smile.” She felt her throat grow tight, voice growing faint. “You taught me how to love, what real love feels like.”
He continued to watch her, his expression giving nothing away until finally …
“Oh, Lee …” he said on an exhale before falling silent. Turning his attention toward the ocean waves crashing upon the shore a few yards away from where they sat, his gaze rested upon the scene before them.
And she knew. It was too late.
She’d already lost him—had already pushed him away.
Jumping to her feet, she felt something begin to trickle down her cheeks. Something wet.
Tears. She was crying. She, Langley Ford, was crying. Something she’d never done, not even through all the hell Regina had put her through, not with all the awful shit with Brent, not when she’d been mistreated by her former teammates, not when she’d left the Air Force.
But right then, it was as if the floodgates had opened, heart feeling as though it were literally breaking in two. Crumbling, actually. And she only had herself to blame. She’d done this; she’d pushed him away.
Attempting to try and blink back the tears, not wanting to be a blubbering mess in front of him, she avoided looking at him. Her head down, she quickly and carelessly tossed the items back into the bag to leave.
“Lee.” His voice was deep, husky, and she heard him rise to his feet. But she couldn’t bear to raise her head, couldn’t force herself to see the expression on his face.
She didn’t want to hear him say it. Her heart was already splintered into shards as it was. She didn’t need to hear him say that it was too late—that she was too late.
“Look at me, Lee.”
“No.” God, she sounded like a sullen child. Way to go, Ford, she thought to herself derisively.
“Lee.”
Chin to her chest, she cringed inwardly as she watched one teardrop after the next, in rapid succession, fall down to splash upon the sandy boardwalk at their feet. She knew she had to get out of there. Abruptly turning to run back to her car, which was parked nearby, she thought she was home free.
When his hand snaked out to wrap around her wrist, effectively stopping her, her shoulders drooped in defeat. Tugging the bag, which was now refilled with the items she’d bought, from her grasp, he set it back on the bench. He didn’t release his hold on her wrist as they stood there beside the bench, nearly a foot of space between them.
“Please look at me, Lee.”
Fine. The hell with it, she thought. Raising her face, eyes tentatively finding his own, she inhaled a deep, fortifying breath.
“Why are you crying?” His touch was tentative as he swiped his thumbs across her cheeks, sliding the wetness away, before dropping his hands to study her.
Her voice was thick with emotion. “Because I’m too late. I already ruined it.” She swallowed hard, attempting to dislodge the lump in her throat. “You turned away. And sighed.”
“You didn’t ruin it, Lee.” His tone was gentle, tender. “You were going to run because I sighed and looked out at the ocean to try and gather my own thoughts?”
Lowering her gaze to his shoulder, she mutely nodded.
“Lee, you just stumbled a little, that’s all.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “You really think a little stumble would make me stop loving you?”
Still not meeting his eyes, she mumbled, “Maybe.” Yes.
“Hey.” Her eyes flickered up to his. “I love you. Just because you hit a little snag doesn’t stop that. As long as you love me back, that’s all I need.”
Holding his blue gaze, relief sweeping over her, she whispered, “You still love me?”
His lips twisted. “Of course. As if I could ever sto— Ooof!”
She launched herself at him, catching him off guard as he worked quickly to steady them. Wrapping her arms around him, she murmured against his neck, “I love you back. So much.”
His hands rubbed up and down her back and she felt him turn his head, pressing his lips to her temple. Softly, he stated, “You know, you’ve got it all wrong. You’re the one who taught me what love was about.”
Leaning away slightly, a sweet smile on his face, his eyes shone with love as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “If you let yourself lean on me, I promise you won’t regret it.”
“I’m going to do my best, Laws.”
He pressed another sweet kiss to her lips. “By the way, thank you.”
She gave a tiny laugh. “For letting you press your hot, sweaty body again
st mine?”
“Nope.”
“For what, then?”
“Because you saved me a shit ton of work.” The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement.
“How so?”
“In trying to woo you and get you on board with the whole leaning on me thing, of course. Which means, I get extra points now.” Linking her fingers with his own, he snagged the bag filled with items in his other hand before they began walking to her vehicle parked nearby.
“Um, that’s a negative. It just means I get to tie you up tonight.”
In his best—or worst—John Wayne voice, he eyed her and said, “I’d like to see you just try, little lady.”
“You’re such a dork.”
“Well, this dork loves you.”
Her eyes were bright with laughter and love. “I know, Laws. I love you, too.” They approached her car and she pressed the key fob to unlock the doors.
“I get to tell the guys you begged. Like on your knees with whining, throwing rose petals at my feet while you spouted off love sonnets and all that, though, right?” He cocked his head to the side with a hopeful expression.
She narrowed her eyes. “Laws.”
“Yes?”
“Get in the car before I change my mind.” She had to work hard to hold back a smile.
He winked. “Gotta love my woman’s spunkiness.” Opening the car door for her, he got her situated in the driver’s seat before jogging around the front of the vehicle to get in on the passenger side.
“Love me, you do.”
She started the ignition, unable to restrain a grin. “Tempting me to wring your neck is what you are.”
“As if,” he scoffed. “You adore me far too much.”
“Pretty full of yourself, buddy.”
“Better watch your step, Langley Briggs.”
She shot him a look of confusion. “What?”
He flashed her a confident grin. “Just testing it out. Trying it on for size, if you will. Have to admit, it does have a nice ring to it.”
“Why does it have to be Briggs?”
He stared at her. “What the hell else would it be?”
“Ford-Briggs?” she suggested.
He made a face. “That sounds like a brand of lawn tractors. No can do.”
She snorted a laugh. “That’s Briggs and Stratton.” Shaking her head, she was still snickering when it finally dawned on her what he had said.
Eyes darting to his, she found him watching her with amusement. “Wait a minute. Are you …” She faltered with the words.
“You need to ease into it.” He smiled at her tenderly. “I know, Lee. I know.” With a nonchalant shrug, he said, “Still, you can’t blame a guy for wanting to lock that shit down.”
“You have such a way with words,” she remarked drily, a grin on her face.
“I’ve been told I’m pretty magnificent.” He pretended to polish his nails against his dry-fit shirt. “Plus, you’re the one who jumped on this crazy train. Not my fault there weren’t any stops in between ‘Oh shit, he’s amazing in bed’ and ‘Oh shit, he loves me’.”
“Laws?”
“Lee?”
“Two things.”
“One?”
“You’re a dork.” She grinned over at him.
“Two?” He grinned back.
Her expression sobered. “I really love you.”
“I love you back. Now get this car headed home so I can shower and be far better smelling before you take advantage of me.”
Putting the car in reverse, she backed out of the parking spot of the beach access, murmuring, “You’re something else.”
He was silent for a long moment, causing her to briefly glance over at him as she drove to his house.
“Two things.” His tone was unusually subdued.
“One?” She turned onto his street.
“I’m in this for the long haul.”
Pressing her foot on the brake when they approached the stop sign, she ensured that no one was behind them as she turned to look at him. His gaze was intense but filled with affection, love.
“I know,” she replied softly. “Me, too. I promise.” She took a deep breath, and turning her eyes back to road, she pressed the accelerator as a car approached them from behind.
Pulling into his driveway, he didn’t speak until she’d put the car in park. After turning off the ignition and unbuckling her seatbelt, she faced him.
“Two?”
His eyes took her in, glossing over her features, as he reached out a hand to cradle her cheek, the pad of his thumb brushing against her lower lip before his eyes met hers again.
“I want … I plan on forever with you.”
And just when she was about to melt from the way he spoke, looking at her with utter tenderness, he had to go and be … Lawson.
“What do you say we go inside and play wounded patient, sexy PJ to the rescue? I might have an injury in my groin area.”
“Laws.”
“Lovebug?”
“You’re lucky I love you.” She was barely restraining a grin. But when he leaned forward to whisper against her lips, if she hadn’t been head over heels in love with Lawson Briggs by then, his next words would’ve sealed the deal.
“Trust me, I know I’m lucky as hell that you love me, Lee.” He pressed a sweet, soft kiss to her lips. Pausing for a moment, he gazed down at her before his eyes began sparkling again.
With mischief. Which only meant that something was going to soon follow …
“But you’re luckier that you’ve got such a fine specimen of manliness loving you.”
Yep. This was the man she’d fallen in love with. He was a hot mess.
But he was all hers. And she’d cherish him.
Forever.
E
PILOGUE
New Year’s Eve
“WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?”
She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight that greeted her as she stepped into the living room. She’d just finished getting ready to meet up with everyone else over at Mac and Raine’s home to ring in the New Year.
“What? You no like?” he asked innocently in a poor version of a Spanish accent.
“You look really … put together.” Eying him suspiciously, she took in his appearance. Lawson was wearing a pair of black pinstriped dress pants and a dark gray, long-sleeved button-down shirt that she swore were brand new. His shirtsleeves were rolled up, cuffed just below his elbow.
“You look,” he paused, cocking his head to the side as he took in her attire, “a little, um …” He trailed off, eyeing her with the same amount of suspicion she’d just centered on him moments before.
And she knew why.
Because their friends normally used this time of year to get dressed up a bit fancier than usual. But, in order to follow through with things, she had to be a little … creative with her attire. Which meant that she’d paired the knee-length, black chiffon skirt with a flowy, slightly loose-fitting blue top in the same material.
“You look gorgeous, as always.” His words were sincere but she could still see the wheels turning in his head. “Wait.” He peered closer at her torso with an odd look. “Are you wearing an undershirt beneath that?”
“I almost forgot to get my cardigan!” Spinning around, she rushed back into the bedroom to grab the button-down cardigan to throw over herself. Luckily, the Florida temperature had hovered around the lower seventies lately and a light cardigan sweater wouldn’t completely stand out.
When she emerged once again, she closed the distance between them to press her lips to his. “I love you,” she whispered.
His lips curved into a grin. “I love you back.” He kissed her again. “But I still get the feeling you’re trying hide something from me.”
“Who?” She widened her eyes in exaggerated innocence. “Moi?”
He rolled his eyes, grabbing his keys and wallet from the counter, muttering good-naturedly, “Love the woman, start living with he
r and then she starts stealing all your witty lines.”
As they walked to the door, she slid on her new pair of black beaded flip flops Raine had talked her into buying while Laws slid on his favorite leather ones.
“Ready?”
“Ready,” she answered.
And it was true.
In more ways than one.
* * *
New Year’s Eve was special for him. As cheesy as it was, he loved this time of the year. Loved the exciting prospect of what was to come the following year, the expectation of new experiences.
As he and Lee drove the short distance to Mac and Raine’s home, he reached for her hand, saw her glance toward him as they linked fingers, noticed the instant softening at his touch.
His Lee had come a long way, that was certain. She wasn’t the same closed off woman with so many barriers in place preventing her from getting attached or opening up to others. Hell, neither of them were the same. But he liked to think they were both better. They were like new, improved models.
They were better because of each other, because of what they’d learned from one another.
After they parked, they entered their friends’ home, and he felt the anticipation begin to prick at him.
“You okay?” he heard Lee ask him, concern in her voice.
Flashing her a cocky grin, he winked. “I’ve got the hottest woman by my side, don’t I? Of course, I’m fine.”
Laughing, she shook her head at him. Her lips parted to speak but she was interrupted by Tate who had just approached them.
“You made it!” He watched as the tiny blonde hugged Lee, smiling wide as he saw his woman return the hug with the same affection. Releasing Lee, Tate tugged her hand to lead her toward the sliding glass door leading out to the deck where everyone was gathered. He followed behind, because, well …
“I know what you’re doing.” His head shot up at Lee’s words. “Quit checking out my ass.” He saw her eyes watching him in the reflection of the sliding glass door just before Tate slid it opened.
“But I love it,” he whispered in her ear just as they all stepped out onto the deck.