by Skye Turner
Shit!
Why did I do that?
I acted jealous and possessive. I’m not that guy.
Not that I’ve ever had anyone to be possessive over.
What game is she playing here?
I look into her bright blue eyes and she stares back into my sage ones. Neither of us says anything. Finally, the band starts and she looks at the stage. I take a minute to gather my confounding thoughts.
She looks back as the beat picks up and smiles at me. Then, she reaches up and wraps her arms around my neck. I’m frozen for a bit.
She starts to move.
I love to dance and I’m good at it. I’ve got moves like Jagger when I need to. Not stopping to overthink it, I wrap my arms around her waist and drag her slight frame into my larger, muscular one. She melts against me. We start to dance.
We dance for a few songs and we’re in perfect sync. I’ve lost track of time as I just relish the feel of AnnaBeth in my arms, forgetting everything but the way she feels against me.
The band takes a break and the spell is broken. I glance around quickly and see Bently and Remy at our table. They have unreadable expressions on their faces. Bently gives me an imperceptible nod. Looking down, I see AnnaBeth watching my face. She looks nervous.
I suddenly remember. She’s not mine. She’s engaged to someone else. I’m cradling someone else’s fiancée.
My arms drop and I step back so rapidly she stumbles. Instinctively, I reach out and catch her arm to steady her.
She rubs her bare shoulders and mutters, “Thank you,” before looking at me timidly and saying, “Can we go outside and talk for a minute? It’s too loud and crowded in here.”
Huh?
She wants to talk? To me?
What does she want to talk about?!
*
AnnaBeth
Ty is just staring at me. Why is he staring at me? Did he hear me?
He was holding me so tightly… I felt like I was where I belonged and then… he just let me go.
Why?
I asked him to talk and he’s not responding. Is he going to?
What if he tells me to screw off?
He stares at me for another second and then he quickly looks to the right of the stage. Bently and another really good looking man are standing at a table. They’re just watching us.
Ty looks back at me and sighs. “Sure. Come on.”
He starts walking back toward the front doors and I just follow along behind him. I’m wearing wedges and struggling to keep up with his long strides.
He gets to the door and turns back. When he sees I’m not there yet, he stops and waits for me. Once I reach him, we head outside into the humid night air. There’s a line at the door and it’s loud from the music spilling onto the sidewalk. Ty looks into the parking lot and says, “Come on. My truck is back here. We can talk in there.”
In his truck? Like enclosed in the truck with him?
Me and Ty? In the close space of the truck… Oh, Sweet Jesus.
I nod. He leads me to the back corner of the lot where it’s a lot quieter and there’s only the glow from a streetlight. He unlocks the passenger door and gestures for me to get in.
I do and he rounds the hood and climbs in. As he sits, he starts the engine. The air conditioning kicks on and Brantley Gilbert flows through the door speakers. Ty turns it down low and turns to face me. “Ok. What do we have to talk about, AB?”
Shit. Nothing like jumping right in.
Time to put on your big girl panties, AnnaBeth.
I stutter. “U—uh… Well… Um…”
He looks at me and shakes his head. “Why are you stuttering?”
I clench my hands tightly. He notices and his brow arches. “What is it, AnnaBeth?”
I sigh and look out the window at the stars.
I can do this. Maybe if I don’t look at him, I can do this.
I’m GOING to do this.
He brought me to his truck. He wants to talk to me.
I need to do this.
I owe it to myself… and to him.
Deciding I’m not taking the coward’s way out, I look back at him. I grimace. “Well, I wanted you to know… I needed to tell you… I’m not engaged anymore.”
There, I said it.
I said it and now he knows.
Why is he just staring at me? He’s not saying anything. He hasn’t moved.
Is he going to say anything?
Finally, he blinks at me and says roughly, “WHAT?”
I jump on the seat at his outburst. But I continue to look at him. “You heard me. I’m not engaged. I ended things with Stanton. Today.” I hold up my empty hand. He looks at the space where my ring once was. “I gave him his ring back and told him I wasn’t marrying him.”
He looks incredulous. “You broke your engagement? Today?” He laughs.
Why is he laughing? What the hell?
I just told him I ended my engagement and he’s laughing.
Well, I never.
This was stupid.
He doesn’t care. Coming here… looking for him… This was a mistake.
I was right. He doesn’t care. He hates me.
Turning, I reach for the door handle. My hand is clammy and I can’t grasp it. I need to get out of this truck. Right now.
Finally, my fingers close around the handle and I jerk. Just as it starts to open, I hear the unmistakable latch of the lock engaging.
Ty laughs again, though he sounds unsure. “Where are you going, AnnaBeth? You drop a bomb on me that you’re no longer engaged after dropping me to get engaged and then you just try to leave?”
I turn back to him. He’s watching me, but he looks unsettled. I sigh. “You didn’t react and then you laughed.”
Leaning his head back against the headrest, he closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Shit, AnnaBeth. You have to give me a minute.
“I didn’t react? How am I supposed to react to that? What exactly are you expecting me to do? What reaction do you fucking want?” He squeezes the steering wheel and his knuckles turn white. “You don’t want me. You do want me. You don’t. I’m not good enough. Then, we fight and you act like I hurt you. And now, all of a sudden you’re not engaged and you’re in my truck.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do?” He throws his hands in the air as he looks at me. “How would you like me to react?”
Something comes over me and before I can even comprehend it, I’m sliding over the seat and straddling him in the cab of his truck. He’s stunned.
Leaning down, I create a cocoon with my hair and breathe against his mouth. “Like this would be good.”
I slant my lips over his and kiss him with everything I have in me. All the frustration, want, and despair from the day I left his house three months ago is poured into my kiss.
His mouth ravages mine and his hands grasp my hips and hold me prisoner as we get lost in each other.
Not that I have any plans to go anyplace.
Chapter Eleven
Ty
I’m making out with AnnaBeth. In my truck.
This is like deja vu. I’ve been here before. We already did this and it ended really badly for me.
Why is she all over me? She’s kissing me like she’s missed me. Has she missed me?
I can’t think when she’s straddling me, with her hair fanning over my face and shoulders. Her curves are hugging every crevice of my hard body and her tongue is promising my deepest desires will come true.
Man, I need to figure out what’s happening.
Ok, so she’s not engaged anymore. So what? Am I suddenly good enough?! Does she want to go back to the way things were?
I can’t do that. I won’t do that.
I need to stop this. I need to think and I need some answers.
Breaking the kiss, I pull back from her. Her eyes open slightly as she looks at me in confusion… and desire.
She bites her lip and asks uncertainly, “What?”
I lean my head back and create more distance between us. She frowns and scuttles off my lap. My hands fall listlessly to the seat. I slightly turn my head and watch her pull her dress down over her thighs with shaking hands. She stares straight ahead as she smoothes her long blonde hair in an attempt to create some semblance of order.
She bites her lip and stares out the windshield. She says nothing.
I sigh and turn to look at her. She continues to stare straight ahead with her hands clenched in her lap.
Sighing, I ask, “What was that, AnnaBeth? I don’t know what you’re doing here.”
She gasps and turns her head to face me. Her eyes flash and I see irritation in them. “I would think that was self-explanatory, Ty. I kissed you.”
I laugh. “You did. Very well.” I stare at her as she stares at me. “But why?”
She shrugs her delicate shoulders. “I wanted to.”
She wanted to? That’s her reasoning?
No, I’m not buying it.
“You wanted to? I get that. Ok, but why did you want to?” I gesture to myself. “I’m still Ty Boudreaux. I’m still only a paramedic. I don’t have millions in the bank or a fancy title. I’m still the same guy you threw away because you didn’t want me.
“I’m still me, AnnaBeth. You’re still you. So, you’ll have to excuse me if I’m a little confused.”
She glares at me. “I know who you are. Do you think I’d be here if you weren’t you?!” I shrug. She screams in frustration. “Ugh! I came here tonight looking for you, Ty!”
I kind of figured that already. But the real question is why? What does she want? What’s her game?
I nod. “Yeah, I already figured that out, AB. Why did you come looking for me? What do you want?”
She purses her glossy lips and rolls her eyes. “Why do people normally come looking for people, Ty?”
She’s so fucking exasperating! Why can’t she just answer the fucking question? Why is everything a riddle with her?
I point at her. “Look, princess. I have no idea why you came looking for me. You’re not engaged anymore. Ok. Why?
“Do you need some sex to make you feel better about ending your engagement? Do you want to come home with me tonight so I can help you forget? Do you just need a good pounding and you know you’ll get it from me?
“Or is there another reason?”
Her eyes are wide in her face at my frank words. “Well, I never.” She grits her teeth and her nose wrinkles in distaste. “I’m not engaged because I don’t want to be. I never should have accepted his proposal.
“As far as the rest of your disgusting comments… No, I actually don’t need you for sex. If I only wanted sex, I wouldn’t have to search you out!”
Bullshit! She better not be searching anyone out for fucking sex.
What the hell?
Wait… she ignored my last question. Why?!
I look into her irate face. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are sparkling. Her chest is heaving under the bodice of that ridiculously tight dress.
Is it from anger? Or from fear?
Why didn’t she answer the last part?!
Reaching out, I trail my finger down her arm, from shoulder to wrist. Goosebumps appear in my wake. I smile. “You didn’t answer my last question, princess.”
She glances at me from under her lashes as she sucks on her lip and a shiver wracks her body. She whispers, “What question?”
I chuckle and scoot closer to her on the seat. She just watches me. “What’s the reason that you came looking for me tonight, AnnaBeth?”
Taking a deep breath, she whispers, “I missed you.”
I’m not letting her off that easy. I’m seriously not going back to the way that things were. I’m no longer comfortable being the dirty little secret.
Tipping her chin up with my finger, I ask her, “What is it you want, AB? What are you hoping is going to happen here?”
She swallows. “I’m—I’m not sure.” My hand drops along with my stomach.
She doesn’t want me. Not me. She wants to sleep with me again. She wants the sex… Not me.
Her small hand grabs ahold of my large one. Her eyes plead with me.
I can’t. I can’t be hurt by her again.
She sighs. “I don’t know what I want exactly, Ty. But I want you to help me… figure it out. I want to be happy and… well, I’m happy with you.”
What did she say? She wants this to be real? She wants US to be real?!
*
AnnaBeth
I just told Ty I wanted him and I wanted him to help me figure out what we have. What we can have.
I do. I realize that it doesn’t matter that we’re different. Our differences don’t have to separate us. They can bring us together.
I need Ty. I need him in my life.
I might be rich and he might not be, but the fact is that when I’m with Ty, I can be me. I can be exactly who I want to be. And he likes that person just fine.
Ty accepted me before. He wanted to DATE me… to have a relationship. I wanted it, too. I can admit it now. But, I was scared.
I’m still scared, but now I know what I want and I know that I want to be happy.
Ty is what makes me happy.
The only question is… is it too late?
I look at Ty. I take him in. He’s everything a man should be. Strong, hardworking, sexy as hell… His shoulders are so broad. The freckles across the toned muscles when he’s shirtless make my knees weak. I would have never imagined I’d be attracted to a ginger.
But I am. I’m so incredibly attracted. The dark auburn hair along with his sage green eyes and the body that drives me wild, I’m completely defenseless.
The streetlight is shining through the window straight onto his hair. It looks like liquid flames.
Why won’t he say anything?
Finally, he shakes his head and says, “You’re happy with me? What does that mean?
“If you were so happy with me, why did you leave, AB? You left my bed after shooting me down and you accepted another man’s proposal. The same day! The same morning.
“Do you have any idea what that was like?” He laughs and it’s harsh, but he lets me continue to hold his hand. I run my fingers over the calluses on his palm. He looks down at where our hands are joined. “I wanted to date you. I cared for you. I was willing to throw myself to the wolves for a real chance with you and you threw all of that in my face. Like it was nothing. Like I was nothing.
“I don’t know if an ‘I don’t know what I want,’ from you works for me.”
I gasp as his words shoot arrows straight into my heart, but he’s right. If I want him to trust me, I have to give him a reason to.
Time to put my money where my mouth is.
Lacing my fingers with his, I squeeze. He looks down at our hands again. “Ty.” He meets my gaze. “I know. I hurt you. I know that and I’m so very sorry. I never wanted to do that. I have no excuse other than the fact that I was selfish and I thought that to be a good daughter, I had to do what my family wanted me to… I—I thought that meant Stanton.”
I sigh as he just watches me. Is he listening? I mean, is he really listening? “I was wrong. I was miserable and I hated everything about it. I realized that I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do that to myself.
“Maybe if I hadn’t been with you… hadn’t known what it was like to live for me… I could have gone through with it.
“I can’t. I won’t settle. Not ever again. I want a second chance. I want a real chance.
“I want to go out… together. To breakfast, to lunch, to dinner. I want movie dates and nights in at home. I want to stay the night and not have to hide it. I want it all and I want you to still want that, too.”
“Do you? Is there a chance or did I kill it with my stupid actions?”
He’s looking at me and I can’t read what he’s thinking. His eyes are hooded as he regards me. Then, he squeezes my hand with his where our fingers are joined. H
e looks down and traces the slight indentation from where Stanton’s gaudy ring used to sit with his finger. As he looks up, my breath catches in my throat at what I can read on his face.
Vulnerability… slight fear… and hope.
His voice is low and sends shivers across my spine as he says, “I can’t say no to you, AnnaBeth. But I need all or nothing. If we do this… if I agree to this… I want it all. I want to be able to be seen with you in public. I want your family to know.”
Tears escape my eyes as I nod. “I know. I want that, too.”
He groans and leans over. His hand cradles my cheek as he takes my mouth in a gentle kiss. My heart soars as I melt into it… into him.
A tap on the window releases us from the spell in the truck. We break apart and turn to the window, where Bently and Coralee are standing. Ty leans over and rolls the window down.
Coralee smiles mischievously and says, “Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to make sure you two weren’t killing each other out here. I wasn’t sure if you’d still be here.”
I giggle in pure unadulterated relief. I answer her with a smile. “I think we’re ok. Sorry if I worried you.”
She laughs and it’s musical sounding. “It’s ok. So, you work it all out?”
Ty laughs. “I think we did. New beginnings and all.”
Bently grins. “Good to know. So asshole Ty is taking a hike, right?” I don’t miss how Coralee watches him longingly.
Ty laughs and fist bumps him. “I think so.”
Bently laughs. “Good.” He leans in and looks at me. “Don’t go breaking his heart again, princess.”
I shake my head. “I’ll try my best not to.” He nods and I smile at him. “Thank you for being a good friend.”
He grunts and says, “He’s my boy. Even when he sucks.”
We all laugh. Coralee smiles at us and with one quick look at Bently, she says, “Well, if you can take her home Ty, I’ll just take off.”
Ty says he will and Bently just stares at her as she walks away. When she reaches her car and gets in, Bently frowns before he turns and punches Ty on the shoulder through the still open window. He smiles as he says, “You kids have fun. I’m heading back in. Still early and I need another drink.” Ty nods and I call out a goodbye as he turns on his heel and heads back into the bar.