“Really?” She hadn’t intended to blurt it out, but the remark dumped out of her mouth before she could stop it. Ember turned her head taking in his strong profile. Her voice softened witnessing the pain lacing through his features. “Honestly, Nash, I can’t imagine you running from anything or anyone.”
He remained still and quiet for a moment as if sifting through old, difficult memories. Turning his head to face her, Nash rested his cheek in the crook of his arm.
“When I was nine years old, my mother brought me to Harris Ranch. I’d never met my father. I didn’t even know who he was when she dropped me on his doorstep with a suitcase and my pillow.”
Ember didn’t need the daylight to see the affliction hidden in his eyes. Moving to her side, she inched closer to him, raking her fingers through the trimmed curls covering his chest. “I had no idea, Nash. What happened?”
“My father had an affair with my mother. He was married at the time and she had a boyfriend. They spent a weekend together in Dallas. When she found out she was pregnant, her boyfriend, Jerry, married her thinking I was his son. He raised me, if you want to call it that, for six years until my mother got caught having another affair. When things got ugly, and things were ugly most of the time, she got drunk and outed herself and his false paternity. Jerry was gone the next day. Three years later, she dropped me off here, at the Harris Ranch.”
A dull ache settled heavy in her chest.
Being cognitive of her facial reaction, she asked in a hushed voice, “She just…dropped you off?”
“Apparently, I was a handful or at least that was her excuse. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact she was a barfly and a shitty parent.” Years of sadness cut through the fringes of his words. “It was tough. My father didn’t know I existed, so he was in shock. And my arrival sure as hell didn’t sit well with my father’s wife or Sam and Susie.”
Though Ember grew up without a father, her mother went above and beyond, showering her with enough love for two parents. “Nash, I’m…I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
“It was a mess. Everyone was fighting and crying all the time. It didn’t take long for Sandy, my father’s ex-wife, to divorce him. Though we’ve never discussed it, I think she had one foot out the door before I even arrived. I was an embarrassment to the—”
Ember popped upright, defensiveness stoking her reaction. “You were a child. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Sweetheart, I know that. Believe me, I was forced to go through enough therapy to figure shit out.” Nash rummaged through the duffle, retrieving a fleece-lined flannel shirt. Sitting up, he draped the shirt over her shoulders. “No matter how you want to spin it, my father’s indiscretion left a trail of damage. Sam was in high school, but Susie and I are only a year apart, so we attended the same school. Imagine explaining that shit to all your friends after summer break. Or in my case, I had to try to make new friends…in a small school full of rumors about the new kid.”
“Oh.” Ember drew out the syllable, her brain catching up with reality. “I take it that’s why your sister is so…friendly.”
Privately, she speculated that this was part of the problem between Nash and Travis, but now was not the time to ask.
“I’m sure she’d like to blame all her issues on me, but that’s not why Susie is so fucking rude. I’m fairly certain it’s hereditary because her mother is…quite something.” Nash flicked his index finger, gesturing a checkmark. “My father was just another steppingstone for her. Don’t get me wrong, he cheated so the blame sits on his shoulders, but she was no saint. Susie’s reputation proceeds her. She’s known for two things, being hateful and screwing anyone that will piss off my father.”
For the first time, Nash allowed her to truly see beyond his sophisticated rough and tumbled exterior. There was nothing more dangerous than a man with charm, especially when he unleashed it from a place of real emotions. They’d shared stories and talked candidly, but tonight he was sharing a piece of his soul. A beautiful gem hidden deep within the thick, impenetrable walls of his heart scarred by years of guilt and anger. One thing was certain, Ember wanted to protect it. Cherish it.
“What about Sam?” Her small hand poked out from the cuff of the flannel. Reaching out, she took his hand, kneading the palm with her thumbs. “The two of you seem close.”
“It took a few years, but we have a solid relationship as brothers and in business. We’ve worked on a few projects together and had success. Susie is just as hateful to him. Hell, even my Dad can barely tolerate her at times.”
“But when it comes down to it, you’re still family?”
“Sometimes I think family is overrated. What determines a family? Is it blood? Love? Trust? Some sort of instant bond that’s made with another person regardless of their biological relationship? Or is it an absolute feeling of sheer loathing? Because if it’s the latter…my sister has it mastered.”
Her hushed laughter carried through the air. “Maybe family is a combination of all feelings and accepting a person for who they are.”
“I guess that could be.”
“Did your father accept you? Is that why you made such a big change in your career?”
“Growing up I felt like I had a lot to prove. For a long time, I followed in my father’s shoes, and Sam’s. I would’ve done anything to make him proud. I set lofty goals and pursued them doggedly, shattering them one by one, but my success in construction didn’t make me happy. While Sam was content to follow my father’s path, it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more.”
The strength in his voice sharpened her perception. “How did you get into the oil business?”
“I forged my own way, leaping from project to project, determined not to fail. If I’m being honest, I was determined to do better than them, to be more successful than my father or Sam. Back then, I was insanely driven.”
“You still seem pretty driven.”
He snickered, raking his long fingers through his dark, wavy layers.
“Reed said you’re known for being a maverick.”
Nash showered her with a relaxed, haughty grin, acknowledging, “I don’t mind taking on the giants in the industry.”
“Why oil? I mean, obviously we’re in Texas and it’s a lucrative business so that’s a given, but what made you want to drill for oil?”
Nash stood. Offering his hand he assisted Ember to her feet. Grabbing hold of the fleece blanket, he wrapped it around them escorting her to the far edge of the fort.
“Do you see those rigs out there?” He pulled her in close and pointed between two large limbs of the ancient oak. “Past the river’s bend.”
Ember looped an arm around his waist. Peering out beyond the far reaches of Harris Ranch she picked out the silhouette of dozens of pump jacks bobbing in the distant fields like monstrous praying mantises. “Are those yours?”
He shook his head. “No, but when I was a kid, I used to lay here and watch the drills pumping up and down and pretend I was a rough neck. I’d even ride all the way over there, tie my horse to a tree, and get as close as I could to the fence, so I could listen to them talk while they were working.”
Nash encircled her in his arms and rested his chin on top of her head. They stayed that way for minutes, swaying like the branches of the old tree, watching the naked glow of the moon fall over the valley.
“I’m not sure why, but I’m surprised they don’t bear the name NBH Exploration yet.”
His subdued laughter coiled through the air. “I tried.”
Peeling her front from the comfort of his chest, she gazed up at him in the darkness. “Do you see your mother?”
“No. Not since the day she left.” His lip ticked and the air thickened with unspoken emotions. Nash’s eyes wandered off to a faraway place beyond the reaches of the environment, giving a shake of his head. “She got a hold of me a few years ago…asking for money.”
The stillness of the atmosphere soaked up her silence.
&
nbsp; Pain and heaviness rolled off him in waves. Locking her fingers together at the small of his back, she pressed a trail of sweet kisses along his collarbone before resting her cheek to his beating heart.
“That had to be hurtful.”
“It was,” he acknowledged sincerely.
“Did you help her?”
“I owed her that much. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if she would’ve decided to stick it out.” Nash’s head bobbed up and down methodically. “And then I told her never to contact me again.”
Pangs of anguish and heartache sifted through her brain and body. Ember keyed her fingers up the muscles flanking his spine and curled the tips over his shoulders, snuggling closer. Words of consolation bubbled up inside, things she wanted to say, questions she wanted to ask, but that’s not what Nash needed or wanted.
“Anyway, that’s the quick version of how I got into the oil business. It’s a tough, gritty environment, but I love the risk.”
“Is this your way of telling me that we’re done talking about your family?”
“Maybe we should take baby steps. Feelings are somewhat new to me, and my family is a lot to take in.”
Each encounter with this man was like peering through a looking glass of life, exposing his vulnerable heart one little emotion at a time. She knew he preferred keeping his feelings tucked away for no one to see, so she wouldn’t push.
“Baby steps it is then.”
Color burnished the bridge of his nose and an amused twitch lifted the corner of his mouth. His eyes needled with humorous speculation, seemingly impressed by her ability to comprehend, and recognize his needs.
“Gypsy woman, you just keep surprising me. You’re turning my world upside down.”
Chin resting on his chest, she beamed up at him. “Maybe it’s been upside down all along and I’m just the lucky one who gets to help turn it right side up.”
Chapter 20
Nash
The scent of dew and earth held thick in the air as light creeped into the edges of morning. He woke to find an empty spot beside him in the sleeping bag. Conversations, intimate declarations made the night before, wove through his thoughts. What he expected to be a long, uncomfortable discussion, professing issues from his past, came as a welcomed relief. It’s not as if he’d been wallowing in self-pity for twenty-five years, but he couldn’t hold onto the internal ache anymore.
Nash wouldn’t pretend the situation with Ember hadn’t escalated. It had. And it was changing every trajectory of his life.
Previously, he’d been a task-focused machine, driven beyond measure to be better than his rivals, better than his father, but Ember Thompson was no adversary. The woman was beautiful, smart, sexy, brave, and more than a little perceptive. She was unlike any other woman he’d ever known. There were no games or motives or vanity, simply purity, decency, and an inner beauty that set his blood on fire.
Moving to his feet, he stepped into his jeans and tugged a shirt over his head, before making his way down the ladder. Nash spotted Ember sitting cross legged on the riverbank atop his flannel shirt. Reddish hues kissed the long, dark waves tumbling down the center of her back.
Concentration swamped her profile and sunshine inched over her petite features as she sat tall drawing a deep breath. The mere sound of her controlled breathing made his dick throb.
Fuck.
I’m obsessed with each breath spilling from those lush raspberry lips.
Not wanting to disturb her focus, he stood barefoot, watching in awe, but didn’t move a muscle. Powerful yearnings ranging from sweet to filthy tore through him, pummeling his heart with emotions he wasn’t prepared for.
He wasn’t prepared for any of it.
Yet there he was, fully absorbed in every second of Ember Thompson’s existence, just like every other moment he’d spent in her presence. This woman, this beautiful woman, had pockets full of sweet innocence, telling wisdom, and a wild spirit. The perfect concoction packaged in untamed beauty.
His perfect blend.
Twisting her head, she peeked through one eye. “Morning.”
“Morning, sweetheart.”
The greeting earned him the distinct privilege of watching her lips pull into a full-blown sexy grin. Rays of sunshine pushed through the trees shadowing the adorable dimples bracketing her mouth, deepening the indention and cuteness. Nash trekked through the sand to the water’s edge. Bending at the waist, he rinsed his mouth and splashed cold water on his face.
A dreamy sigh of appreciation filtered through the morning air. “I hope you don’t find this too offensive, Mr. Harris, but you have the nicest ass.”
Laughter rumbled deep in his chest. He could feel the rush of blood dusting his cheeks red. She constantly surprised him. Nash turned to face her, and she hit him with a sultry smile that nearly knocked him to his knees.
From the first time he drove her home, Nash wanted to take things slow. Hell, he was so blind and ignorant, he wasn’t even certain he’d see her again. Other than Walker Ranch, he had no interest in Ember other than complete annihilation, yet there she was working her way into his cold heart. And he was holding on for dear life.
“I find it very offensive, Miss Thompson.” He strolled toward her, leveling her with the same lustful intensity lighting up her honey-colored eyes. “And the way you’re staring at my fly should be a crime. I feel objectified.”
“What?” she gasped impishly. “I’m not staring at your fly. I’m…examining…your zipper. You can’t seriously walk past a woman with all that yumminess protruding out of your jeans and expect me not to notice.”
Her soft, husky laugh charmed him.
“I might start stalking you, knock you to the ground, roll you around on the hot pavement.” She tossed him an exaggerated wink. “And if I get real desperate, I might turn some cattle free, start a stampede or something.”
Nash barked out a laugh. Her playful banter and adorable grin set off a luscious cadence of fireworks, red-hot spangles of light, searing the insides of his veins bringing him to life.
Stepping closer, he slumped to his knees in the sand, placing a kiss to her full lips. The taste of her, silky and warm, filled him with hunger. Circling his arms around her tiny waist, Nash squeezed tightly, lifting her to her knees until their fronts melded together. His hand traveled down the curve of her back to her bottom, locking her hips tight to his.
A rush of air escaped her lungs, feeling the length of him, hard and rearing.
“Did you just ask me to roll around on the ground with you?”
Scarlet painted her already pink cheeks. She swiped her tongue across her bottom lip, catching it between her teeth. Nash’s blue eyes turned lazy tracking the movement.
Jutting her chin forward as if searching for courage, she reached down into his open zipper. “Only if I get to tangle with the bull.”
Sunshine pulled the crispness from the early morning air as they made their way back to Walker Ranch. Nash’s heart was in full bloom watching Ember snap her fingers and groove in her seat while belting out “Good Times Roll” by Jimmy Allen.
Spotting a blue Mazda parked in the drive, Ember’s brows knit together. Her mouth pushed into a tight line.
“Umm, maybe you should just drop me off.”
Nash scowled rubbing his hand over his stomach in a circular motion. “I was looking forward to a few slices of that award-winning blueberry French toast you’ve been bragging about the last hour.”
Eyes strained wide, she shot him a look full of tension mixed with a tad bit of excitement. “I know what I said, but you’re going to have to take a rain check.”
Nash hadn’t seen her this nervous since the board room meeting. Scowl dipping into a grimace, he questioned, “Whose car is that?”
“It’s my mom’s. I had no idea she was coming to visit,” Ember groaned. Tipping her head back against the leather headrest, she stared at the roof of the truck for a full sixty seconds before turning to face him. “Fine, I’ll
make you breakfast, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Warn me?” he snickered. “You always talk so nicely about your mom.”
“That’s because she is nice. She’s also very…unique.” An imploring smile bore through her nerves. “All right, but you need to know that she’s going to…interrogate you. Not so much with words, but my mom is, well…Nash my mother is very intuitive.”
Her warning made the dark hairs stand up on his arms. “You mean she’s a psychic?”
“No…well sort of. Psychic can be interpreted multiple ways. She can’t read your mind, but she has visions. Her intuition is kind of like an invisible bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind. My mom comprehends body language and tone of voice at a higher level than most, so she’s very in tune with her surrounding environment.”
Curiosity too much to bear, he cut the motor and unbuckled. Nash may have been more than a little skeptical, but he desperately wanted to know what made Ember tick.
“I understand your detachment regarding feelings and that you…prefer discretion, so I try to be mindful of that. I consciously try to avoid digging into your energy, but my mom doesn’t really understand boundaries. Not in a rude way. More like…she just can’t help herself.”
Nash appreciated Ember’s conscious effort to stay out of his head, but her capability of understanding him on such an intimate level only drew him closer. No woman had ever been able to give him the mental space he needed, and he respected her ability to mold around his emotional limits.
“Is she going to drill me with a thousand questions? Break out a set of tarot cards?” He opened the truck door and started for the house.
“No.” Hot on his heels, she followed right behind. “Well, I’m sure she would if you asked for a reading, but that’s not what I’m trying to tell you.”
Nash skid to a halt. “What can be so intimidating about your mom that you have to warn me about her…gift?”
Catching Ember (Buckle Up Series Book 1) Page 22