Sweet, Sexy Heart – the Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

by Melissa Foster

  “They’re nice, but they’re not you. You’re different, Amber, and I don’t mean because you have epilepsy. I mean it in a broader sense, in the very best way. When I saw you across the barn at the jam session, you outshined everyone.”

  She let out a sound of disbelief. “I’ve never outshined anyone in my life, and that’s okay. I don’t need to stand out to be happy. I had a lot of fun tonight, and I’m sorry, but it’s best if we just leave things like they are.”

  Every part of him wanted to push, to spout the reasons why she was wrong and change her mind. But he respected her need to be in control, which wasn’t to say that he was giving up.

  “Okay. Friends it is. But you’re wrong about not standing out. You’re more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever met, and it’s not only physical beauty that makes you shine, which is why your beauty is so rare. It’s what’s inside that makes you glow. The things that can’t be faked or made better with makeup or fancy clothes. You possess them in droves.”

  Surprise and disbelief brimmed in her eyes.

  He opened her car door and waited for her to settle in before leaning down and kissing her cheek. “I’m not giving up on you, my secret sexy reader.”

  He closed her door and felt the heat of her stare blazing into him as he headed for his car.

  Chapter Five

  THE BELL ABOVE the bookstore door chimed, and Sable strutted into the store, drawing Amber’s attention from the display of Dash’s books she was restocking on Tuesday afternoon. Or rather, that she had been restocking before she’d gotten lost in thoughts of last night while ogling his picture.

  “I had a feeling that literary baller who’s got all the women around here following him like he’s the world’s most talented gigolo giving out freebie coupons was the reason you were so quiet at breakfast this morning.” With her cowgirl hat and boots, Sable looked more like a rancher than an auto mechanic or musician. She planted a hand on her hip, the knowing look in her eyes telling Amber not to even bother trying to deny it. “I know you get bummed when Axsel leaves town, and now Grace and Reed are gone, too, and that trips you up a little. But not like this.”

  Their family had gotten together for a farewell breakfast at their parents’ house this morning to say goodbye to Grace, Reed, and Axsel. Even though Amber was glad her siblings were living full, happy lives, she hated goodbyes. Last night’s goodbye to Dash had been even worse. She’d tried to cheer herself up by wearing her favorite caramel-colored sweaterdress with the black and tan scarf and all of the other accessories Morgyn had made for her. She’d even worn the thigh-high boots Brindle had given her last Christmas. She felt cute in the outfit, and it usually made her feel good all over, but it hadn’t helped. She’d still spent all day wondering if she’d made a mistake telling Dash she couldn’t go out with him.

  Sable crossed her arms. “What’d he do?”

  “Nothing.” Amber set down the book she was holding, her eyes darting to the flowers. Everything.

  “Uh-huh. And I’m a virgin.”

  “Why is everything about sex all the time?” Amber hadn’t meant to snap, but she’d kept her frustrations buried all day around customers, and she was sick of it. “Even when it’s not about sex, it’s about sex.”

  Sable’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? Did he try something with you?”

  “No. He gave me flowers with acorns in the vase and spent hours helping me get books ready to mail out.” She couldn’t control her angry tone and began nervously straightening the books on the table. “He told me all about his family. He practically raised his brothers and sisters after his crappy father abandoned them.”

  Sable put her hand over Amber’s, stopping her from shuffling the books around, and glanced at the flowers by the register. “Those the flowers?”

  Amber nodded.

  “Your favorites.”

  “He bribed Twyla.” Twyla ran the flower shop.

  “Son of a bitch,” Sable said under her breath. “He’s savvy. Gotta give him that. But you love flowers, and you sound mad. What did he really do?”

  “I’m not angry at him. I’m angry at life. Everything he said last night about his family and who he is spoke to me here.” She put her hand over her heart. “I never feel that. And we laughed, Sable. A lot. You should see how he looks at me, like I’m a goddess or like he’s seeing the sun after years spent in the dark, and he makes me want…you know.”

  “Wow, he’s really got you fooled.”

  Amber glowered at her. “Just for one minute, can you take off your armor? Please? Last night when we were talking, for the first time ever, I forgot that I wasn’t just like everyone else.” It was only for a little while, and when she realized it, it had scared her as much as it had intrigued her. But it was so freeing, she couldn’t stop thinking about how good it had felt. “I finally meet a guy who piques my interest enough for me to want to get to know him better, and not only is he God’s gift to women, but he’s only here for a couple of weeks.” She huffed out a breath. “It doesn’t matter. I told him I wasn’t interested.”

  “You probably did the right thing.”

  She said it so casually, it pissed Amber off. “How would you know? You’ve never opened your heart to any man. You don’t know what it feels like to hear things that make you want to know more about someone. Like who was taking care of him when he was taking care of his siblings? And why didn’t he go to Boyer if he grew up in Port Hudson? Which he did, by the way. His mom worked at the library when I was there. I had no idea she was struggling. She was so confident and happy. It’s no wonder he’s the same way. But I can’t help wondering if it was hard for him to go away to college and leave them all behind. Or if he welcomed the break after having so much responsibility.”

  “You really like him,” Sable said softly.

  “No kidding. But I can’t like him, Sable.”

  “Why? Just because he’s prancing around like the Pied Piper with a magical skin flute and you’re pure as winter snow?”

  Her sisters thought she was pure and naive, but she’d been with men. She just didn’t flaunt it the way some of them did. “That’s part of it. You know I don’t do well with stress or competition.”

  “No, I don’t. I know you avoid it like the plague, but owning this place is stressful and you’ve never let that get in your way. You worked your ass off to make ends meet the first few years, and you still do. You blow away your competition. The Oak Falls bookstore closed because of your success.”

  “That’s different.”

  Sable studied her face for so long, Amber finally groaned and threw her hands up.

  “I need to get my things. I’m going to see Phoenix play tonight. Want to come with me?” She headed for her office, and Reno got up from his bed beside the register, ambling after them.

  “I can’t. I’ve got band practice.” She followed Amber into her office, and her expression turned to one of surprise. “I’m such an idiot. This is about sex, isn’t it? That whole rant about sex? It has to be.”

  Amber grabbed her jacket from the rack in the corner. “I don’t know anymore. I just know it feels like I made a mistake telling him I wasn’t interested, but I also think I did the right thing.”

  Sable picked up the jar of acorns from the shelf behind her desk. “How did he know about the acorns?”

  “He didn’t. His grandmother filled her vases with them and said they were nature’s magic.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Sable scoffed and put the jar back on the shelf. “The guy’s as soft as you are.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s very alpha, trust me. He’s just got a big heart beneath all that bravado.”

  “Well, if anyone could see that in a person, it’s you.” She took Amber’s jacket from her hands and held it up, helping her put it on. Then she took Amber by the shoulders, and with a serious expression said, “Listen to me, because I’m only going to say this once, and I might rescind it in five minutes.”

&n
bsp; Amber leaned in to her sister. “Do you know how much I love you?”

  “How could you not? I’ve always got your back. Listen, if Morgyn were here, she’d tell you that those acorns meant something more than a coincidence.”

  “And you want to tell me they don’t. I know how you feel about him, Sable.”

  “But what you don’t realize is that how I feel doesn’t matter. Lord help me for saying this, but this is your life, Amber. You’re allowed to have fun with it, break rules, and have wild sex with ex-football players if you want to.”

  Amber felt her cheeks burn.

  “I don’t want you to get hurt, but if you want this guy that badly, go for it. Fuck him six ways to Sunday.”

  “Sable!” Amber whispered harshly.

  She rolled her eyes. “I mean have your way with him six ways to Sunday, okay? Just do it with your eyes open. Not literally. You know what I mean.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that without getting hurt, even if I go in with my eyes open. And I mean that literally, because can you imagine how hot he must look while he’s…?” She giggled, unable to believe she’d said it. “My heart is different from yours, Sabe. I can’t do those things without my feelings coming into play.”

  “I know. But some heartbreaks are worth it, which is why if you choose to go that route, I’ll be here when he leaves town to pick up your pieces and put you back together.”

  Tears welled in Amber’s eyes.

  “Oh God. Here we go.” Sable pulled her into a tight hug. “No waterworks, okay?”

  “Sorry.” Amber stepped out of her embrace and wiped her eyes.

  “Just do what feels right to you, because at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that matters.”

  If only that were true.

  It didn’t matter anyway, because this time she was sure he wouldn’t be back.

  WISHING CREEK WAS about half an hour outside of Oak Falls, and Lyrics and Lattes was located off the beaten path in an artistic hub. Brick shops were separated by concrete alleyways with clear plastic arches overhead to protect them from the elements. The sides of the buildings were decorated by local artists with murals, ceramic and clay planters, framed pictures, photographs, stone and metal sculptures, and more. Just being in the area made Amber feel like she’d traveled far away from her safe little town, but not far enough to cause her to worry.

  She pulled open the door to the coffeehouse and stepped inside with Reno, who was wearing his service vest. They were greeted by the din of the crowd and the welcoming scents of fresh-brewed coffee and food presented as creatively as the art on the walls, most of which was for sale. Tall, thin windows overlooked the alleyways, and a high shelf decorated with colored bottles ran around the perimeter of the room. All the stools at the coffee bar were occupied, along with most of the mismatched, colorful chairs surrounding mosaic tables scattered around the room.

  “Hey, Amber.” Jolene, the energetic fortysomething artist who owned the coffeehouse hurried over, her dark ringlets flouncing around her face. She knew better than to try to engage Reno when he wore his service vest. “You look ready for a hot date. Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “Unless you’ve got one tucked away somewhere, it’s just me tonight.”

  “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a decaf French vanilla latte.” Jolene winked. She’d once asked Amber what kind of guys she liked to go out with, and Amber had said, Men who are like decaf French vanilla lattes—sweet, smooth, and always satisfying, and decaf French vanilla latte had been code for Amber’s type of guy ever since. “Come on. I saved your favorite table. Can you believe this crowd? Phoenix is really reeling them in.”

  “I’m happy for her. She practices all the time.” Amber followed her to the table. One of Morgyn’s repurposed pieces hung on the wall beside it. Morgyn had cut along the length of an old rusted handsaw blade, meticulously creating silhouettes of trees and birds out of the metal. It had taken her weeks to get it right, and it was one of Amber’s favorite pieces. When Morgyn brought it to the coffeehouse for Jolene to sell on consignment, Jolene had purchased it on the spot, keeping it for herself.

  “Are you eating tonight?” Jolene asked.

  “Yeah, but I need a minute.”

  Jolene put a menu on the table. “Take as much time as you’d like. I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Go under,” she said to Reno, and he lay down under the table as Amber hung her jacket on the back of her chair and sat down. It had been busy at the store, and with her mind wreaking havoc with her about Dash, she felt like she hadn’t had a minute to relax.

  This was just what she needed. She opened the menu and scanned the dinner options.

  “Amber?”

  The familiar deep voice sent a shiver of heat down her spine. She glanced up at Dash’s handsome face and couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips.

  “Are you stalking me?” he asked coyly.

  That took her off guard. “No. I came to hear Phoenix play. She works for me. What are you doing here?”

  “Having dinner with a friend.”

  A pang of hurt washed over her, and she looked around to find his friend. Her eyes caught on a pretty blonde watching them. Amber tore her eyes away, disappointment burrowing deep inside her chest. “Shouldn’t you sit with her? It’s a little rude to leave her alone.”

  “I agree.” He pulled out the chair beside Amber.

  Her eyes darted to the blonde, then back to Dash. “What are you doing?”

  “Having dinner with a friend.” He cocked a brow. “You said you wanted to be friends, right?”

  “But your date?” She glanced at the blonde again.

  He followed her gaze. “You mean that blonde? I have no idea who she is.” He draped his arm across the back of Amber’s chair, leaning closer, his piercing eyes making her stomach flip-flop. “I came here to see you. I had a great time last night, and I wanted to see you again. But don’t worry, there’s no pressure to be more than friends. I’ll take whatever time you’re willing to share.”

  Her chest fluttered, and she reached down to pet Reno, but he was too far away. She patted her leg. “Reno, come.” Her trusty companion sidled up to her other side. “Lie down.”

  As Reno obeyed, a spark shimmered in Dash’s eyes. “You can command me like that anytime.”

  Thankfully, Jolene appeared with a glass of ice water and set it down in front of Amber. As she guzzled it, Jolene looked curiously at Dash. “If you tell me what your friend looks like, I can send her over when she arrives and bring your dinner over, too.”

  Amber gasped. “You are meeting someone.” She tried to pull away, but his hand curled around her shoulder, keeping her close.

  He looked at Jolene, his smile never faltering. “Amber is the friend I was hoping to meet, and yes, you can bring our dinner here.”

  Our dinner?

  Jolene raised her brows at Amber. “I guess there is a lucky guy tonight after all. What can I get you to drink?”

  “More ice water, please. A pitcher would be nice.”

  Dash chuckled. “I’ll have a dirty chai latte.” He turned a darker look to Amber. “I like my drinks like I like my women, sweet and spicy.”

  His gaze slid slowly down her body to the slice of bare thigh between the hem of her sweaterdress and the top of her boots. If he kept this up, her cheeks and her panties were going to burst into flames.

  “Amber, you are a lucky girl.” Jolene took the menu. “I’ll be back with your drinks.”

  “You ordered us dinner?” Amber asked the second she walked away. “How did you know I was going to be here?”

  “A gentleman doesn’t reveal his sources, and yes, I ordered us dinner. I figured you might actually stick around if you knew I had dropped a few bucks.”

  “That wouldn’t make me stick around.”

  “Then what would?”

  She shrugged one shoulder, gathering the courage to be honest instead of pushing him away. “You. The fact that you f
igured out where I was tonight and thought to order dinner, even if it was a ploy that kind of sounds like a bribe.”

  “What if I didn’t have to figure it out? What if someone told me? Would you still stick around?”

  She tried to read his expression to see if that was the case, but he just looked relaxed and happy to be there with her. “Did someone tell you?”

  “No. I was sneaky all on my own. I’m just trying to figure out the rules of dating a secret sexy reader.”

  Knowing he’d tried to find out where she’d be tonight made her feel all kinds of good. She’d been pursued by a few guys throughout the years, but not like this. “I don’t date often, so I’m making up the rules as I go along.”

  “Then I look forward to making them up with you,” he said as Jolene arrived with their drinks.

  “One dirty chai latte, a pitcher of ice water with an extra glass in case you need cooling off.” She set the glass in front of Dash. “And I brought you a decaf French vanilla latte on the house.” She placed the latte in front of Amber, giving her an approving look before walking away.

  Dash eyed Amber curiously. “Is that your favorite drink?”

  The butterflies were back, fluttering madly as she threw caution to the wind and said, “Sweet, smooth, and satisfying. What’s not to like?”

  DASH WOULD GIVE her satisfying if she’d give him the chance, and around her, he didn’t have to work at being sweet or smooth. Amber wasn’t like other women, swept up in the glamour and glitz of the spotlight his celebrity often earned. She brought out the regular guy in him, a side of him very few people ever saw. The side that didn’t feel the need to live up to the superstar hype. As they ate dinner and listened to Phoenix play, he admired the artwork on the walls, which had Amber raving about Morgyn having made the piece behind her. She told him about Morgyn and Graham’s whirlwind relationship and Grace and Reed’s history together. She was so happy for her sisters and passionate about family, it brought out that side of him, too. He liked who he was with Amber, and if her gorgeous smile and easy laughter of the last two hours were any indication, she liked that guy, too.