Here Without You [Red Hook, Texas 4] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lee Rose

  “I put the pizza away. Is the pain going away with the pills Liam gave you?”

  She nodded. “I feel numb.”

  She scooted over and heard his boots hit the floor. He lay down with his clothes on and pulled her close to him. She laid her head over his heart and was comforted by the beating sound. “Thanks for staying with me Matt, especially since I haven’t been very nice to you.”

  He squeezed her lightly. “As my brother likes to remind me, I deserve it. I had a hard time with the knowledge that I hurt you.”

  “You talk to your brother about me?” She smiled at the thought. So he thought of her, too?

  “Mmm,” he said. “He is quite the conversationalist, too. He grunts and tells me I am an ass.”

  Holly giggled. “We played pool with him. He was kind of intimidating, but Alicia ignored all his moodiness and treated him like her best friend. I swear his lips moved upward like he wanted to smile.”

  “Muscle spasm,” Matt assured her. He caressed her hair and she yawned. “Go to sleep, Holly. I am here with you.”

  “Finally,” she whispered, and fell to sleep wrapped in the arms of the man she loved. Maybe someday he would feel the same.

  Chapter 9

  Holly had taken a week off of work until some of the swelling went down. Now she found herself restless and bored. She was not used to having so much free time.

  Jasmine and Alicia were busy with their jobs and Faith insisted on working part-time at her coffee shop, so Holly decided to hang out with her sister. There had been no sign of Gerald in any of his usual handout places. His mom claimed she no longer had anything to do with him or Pete. They found Gerald’s rented house, but he had not been in there in days. They did find a lot of drugs. It worried Holly, but she was doing her best to put on a brave front.

  She was in Faith’s office doing some of the paperwork. She had worked for her sister while she had been going to nursing school, and she had bartended on the weekends to make extra money for school. She loved her job as a nurse and missed it, and she couldn’t wait to go back. For now, this would keep her busy.

  Faith popped her head in the door. “There is a certain sexy deputy wanting to have a word with you.”

  Holly’s pulse sped up and she was sure she blushed. She hadn’t seen him since the morning they woke up together two days ago. She had been snuggled against him and had slept like a log. He had kissed her good morning, and not lightly, either, but a deep kiss that left her wanting more of him. That rat. Why couldn’t she learn to be as cool as a winter breeze instead of all excited, like some school girl?

  She stood up and smoothed down her blue sleeveless dress. Her hair was loose, but her face was swollen and bruised. Maybe she should say she was busy. She was sure she looked like a scary sight.

  “Sis, get your butt out there now and quit worrying about your bruises,” Faith said firmly.

  Holly smiled. “Yes, ma’am. You’re becoming bossier by the day, you know that, right?”

  Faith laughed. “It’s called mommy mode. Now, scoot.”

  Holly spotted Matt sitting at a table by the window. She poured two glasses of iced tea and got a moment to observe him. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, and he looked sexy and rugged. She hoped she didn’t drop the glasses and embarrass herself. She set one down in front of him, and he smiled at her as she sat across from him.

  He looked her over with a frown. The swelling had gone down, but the bruises were dark. “Are you in pain, doll?”

  She shook her head no. “Liam had Dr. Campbell prescribe pain pills. I just feel weird when people stare at me. I was hiding in Faith’s office, doing paperwork.”

  He reached across the table and held on to her hands. She felt that funny, giddy feeling she always felt when he touched her. “You are still a beautiful woman, Holly, bruises or no bruises.”

  Holly smiled at him. She felt so tongue-tied around him. “So, are you here to update me? Please tell me Gerald Ferguson is in a jail cell and I can resume my normal, boring life.”

  He shook his head with frustration. “I swear he has disappeared into thin air. We have combed every inch of this town and spread the word. Noah had Helen make wanted flyers and they are posted all over town. It’s all a waiting game right now. The judge went harsh on Pete, so he will not be getting out anytime soon.”

  “That is good news. You think Gerald skipped town like everyone says?” Holly whispered. Gossip was usually more reliable than any newspaper story.

  “My gut tells me no. I think he is camping out somewhere in the woods outside of town. There are a lot of acres out there,” Matt admitted. “Tony and I are going to take a look in about thirty minutes or so. I just wanted to see if you were doing okay. I missed you, but Noah has kept us busy searching. We are all determined to find Gerald and put him away.”

  “Be careful, Matt.” She didn’t want him or his brother getting hurt. She knew they were both strong men, but a bullet could hurt or kill them.

  He stood up and lifted her up from her seat. The look on his face heated her body up. She could see the desire in his eyes, and she knew he was allowing her to see it. He wanted her to know he wanted her that and he wasn’t giving up. It touched something inside of her. “Will you walk me out?”

  She nodded and walked with him to his truck, feeling a little giddy. Her hand felt warm in his. He leaned against his truck. “Will you go out on a date with me?”

  Her eyes widened with surprise. She wanted to shout yes, but caution made her hesitate. “Matt, my heart is already broken. I doubt I can take anymore.”

  “Holly, I can’t stop thinking about you. I miss you every second of the day,” he stated seriously. “I was a fool, and I wasted time. I hurt you, but I also hurt myself. I have been miserable without you for far too long. This time, I will fight for you. You can say no, but I will keep on asking.”

  Holly looked into his beautiful green eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and caressed him. She leaned intending to place a soft kiss on his lips, but when their lips touched, he ravished her mouth and she gave in. She wanted him to know how deep her feelings for him went. He still had a chance to run. She placed her hands on his shoulders and his went to her waist. They were so close that she could feel the bulge beneath his jeans, and she let the feelings wash over her. Desire. Tenderness. Love. Excitement.

  A loud honk broke them apart. “Hey buddy, you’re going hunting, not off to war.”

  They turned to see Drake sitting in his police car at a red light. He waved to Matt and took off when the light turned green. Matt muttered under his breath.

  “What did he mean by that?” Holly smiled, feeling like she couldn’t catch her breath. That was some kiss. She was trying to gather her senses.

  Matt shrugged. “He’s an idiot. I am hoping that was a yes.”

  Holly giggled. “Yes.”

  His smile widened. “I’ll pick you up around six-thirty. This time, I’ll get it right.”

  She nodded and spotted Tony walking down the street. He stopped by the truck and nodded politely to Holly. “Are we ready?”

  Matt nodded to his brother.

  “Both of you be careful out there. I mean it.” Holly kissed Matt’s cheek and walked away.

  She went back into the coffee shop, picked up the two glasses of tea and took them behind the counter. Her sister and Jenny, the manager, were grinning with amusement.

  “I think I need one of those glasses of cold tea, Holly. That was some kiss,” Faith teased her.

  Jenny fanned herself with her hand. “Damn, I need a boyfriend.”

  Holly blushed and sipped on her tea. “He is not my boyfriend—yet.”

  They all laughed and Holly went back to the office to finish her work. She couldn’t get that kiss out of her mind.

  * * * *

  This is really sweet of you, Matt.” Holly smiled at him. He looked so handsome in his navy-blue long-sleeved shirt and black pants.

  He had taken her to a small
Italian restaurant off the main strip, a small red-brick building on a corner. It was cozy and not fancy, and she loved it. “I love the sound of the water coming from that fountain on the wall.”

  He agreed. “Tony and I come here when we have a long day. Nothing hits the spot like a warm plate of pasta. I also like the laid-back feeling of the place.”

  Matt asked for a booth and scooted in next to her. They had ordered already, and he had linked their fingers together. She loved how he always seemed to touch her, like he needed the contact. It melted her heart and gave her hope. She loved him and always would. “I figured we both needed a quiet evening to relax and forget about the craziness of the last few weeks.”

  “I know. I will never complain that my life is too boring. I think I like it that way,” she told him. His skin was a golden, tanned color and not pale white like hers. “Do you have Italian in you?”

  “On my mother’s side,” he answered. “Her name was Lucy. She died when I was fourteen. She always dreamed of going to visit her mother’s land, but she got cancer and never made her trip.”

  Holly laid her head on his shoulder. “I am so sorry, Matt. That must have been hard on you and Tony.”

  “It was. My dad was a drunk and only came home when he felt like it. My mom did all she could to take care of us alone. He showed up drunk to the funeral. That was the last straw for both of us. We never spoke to him after that day. Tony threw his clothes out in the yard and threatened him if he ever saw his face. We didn’t,” Matt told her. She had the feeling he’d never spoke of the past before. Pain was clearly written on his face. “Tony took care of everything after that and joined the army as soon as he was eighteen. Two years later, I followed. We got the chance to visit Italy for my mom. That was a bittersweet moment.”

  “That is great.” She smiled. ‘No wonder he is always so serious. My sister took care of me, too. Only, it was my mother who had the drinking problem. My dad was long gone. She was always looking for something that didn’t exist.”

  “What?” he asked with curiosity.

  “A perfect man, a perfect love,” she said simply.

  “Can’t argue with you there, doll. We are all flawed human beings. Relationships take hard work. They are nothing like the fairytales,” he agreed. “But she is married and sober now, right?”

  “Yes.” Holly smiled. “When Faith was pregnant with Hope, we drove to see her. It had been some time since we’d even spoke with her. She was sober thanks to her husband, Ted. We get along with both of them now.”

  The food came and they dug in.

  “This is amazing.” Holly sighed when she took a bite of her pasta. They talked about work, and she really enjoyed his company. It was nice to forget what was happening for a few hours.

  When dinner was over, he took her for a walk. There was a huge shady tree with a bench underneath it a few blocks away, and they sat down. Holly looked up at the night sky filled with stars. It was a clear night, and a cool breeze flowed through her hair. She smiled.

  “The stars seem so close, like we can reach out and touch them but we can’t. I still find beauty in watching them. It makes me realize what a big world we live in. We are all different, but we see the same thing when we look up.”

  Matt looked up, he had his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close. “They are beautiful, but they can’t compare to what I feel when I see you smile at me.”

  Holly turned to look at him. “I am not beautiful, Matt. I am average-looking. Most of the time, I walk around in scrubs with my hair pinned up. I saw you with Linda Sanchez. I can’t compete with her type.”

  He caressed her cheek on the side that wasn’t bruised. “You don’t need to. Linda is spoiled and self -centered. You have real beauty that comes from inside. Your smile lights up my heart, and when I look into those blue eyes, I see endless patience and love, and I get lost. I forget my troubles, my doubts. That is why I got so scared last summer. I knew the moment we made love, I would never let you go. I thought you needed someone who could treat you like fine china. I was scared I’d mess up.”

  “Oh, Matt, that is silly. I am made of flesh and blood, not glass.” She blinked back tears. “I need a man who is strong, a man who will go to the ends of the earth to protect me, and a man who will love me just the way I am.”

  “I am that man, Holly,” he whispered against her lips. Her mouth opened to his, allowing him access. She relaxed against him and let him take the lead. Their tongues danced around, making her feel a heat building up in the pit of her belly. His hands stayed at her waist, but she wanted them on other parts of her. When he let her go, she rested her head on his shoulder until she caught her breath. The man could kiss.

  They walked back to his truck in a comfortable silence, and he opened the door and helped her up. He gave her a tender look and she couldn’t help but smile back at him. She wanted to make love with him tonight, but she wasn’t sure how to ask.

  The town was quiet and most of the businesses were closed. It felt a little eerie to her. Matt was driving quietly when all of a sudden, he started swerving and slammed on the breaks. She heard his tires squealing loudly. Holly held on tightly, surprised by the sudden jolt. “What is going on?”

  “My tire just blew out.” He controlled the truck without crashing and parked by the bank. He looked in his rearview mirror and she automatically looked around, too, although she had no idea why.

  “Why are we scoping the streets?” she whispered. “It was just a flat tire.”

  “I keep this truck in tip-top shape. My tires are less than a month old. Maybe I drove over something sharp,” he explained, his voice hard and cold. His face was no longer soft or warm. It was a mask of controlled emotions. In that moment she could see why people were afraid of him. His cell was already in his hand. He pushed a button and spoke into the phone. “I need you right now. I am by the bank. Come armed.”

  Holly’s heart sank as she undid her seatbelt and scooted closer to Matt. She made sure her door was still locked, and now she was looking out the window, too. The streets were totally empty. Instantly, she knew it was Gerald Ferguson. He wanted Matt’s tire to go out. Why? So he could attack them? She was pissed. It was one thing to target her, but to go after the people she loved like Jasmine, and now Matt, made anger push aside the fear.

  Matt pulled her close. He kissed her head. “Don’t worry. Tony is on his way. I had a more romantic end planned for us.”

  “There is always later.” She winked. No one was going to ruin her wonderful, romantic night with Matt. She had waited ten months for this night, and she was not going to wait another moment.

  Chapter 10

  Matt felt relieved when he saw Tony pull his truck next to his. He could handle Gerald alone, but he did not want to leave Holly unattended. It could be a trap to get her alone. That was not going to happen.

  Tony put his emergency lights on and left his truck in the middle of the street. Matt got out, making sure Holly locked the doors. Matt could see Tony was carrying a sidearm. His favorite rifle was probably on the front seat. Matt wished Gerald would just come out and confront him instead of playing cat-and-mouse. It showed him Gerald was a coward.

  Tony was kneeling on the street and shining his light on Matt’s flat tire. Matt kneeled next to him and looked.

  “We have a problem, bro. There’s a slug in your tire.” Tony informed his brother with a voice of steel.

  Matt felt furious. If he had crashed, Holly could have been injured. That pissed him off greatly. Tony stood up and calmly looked up at all the buildings. He pointed one out. “Whoever it was had to be up on a roof watching and waiting. What do you think? A scare tactic? I have a feeling they’re gone by now.”

  “My money is on Gerald or one of his drug buddies. Now I am super pissed off,” Matt muttered, feeling aggravated with these little games they were playing. “I’m sure it was a scare tactic. Whoever it was could have shot out a window and forced us to crash.”

  “L
eave your truck here. I’ll call it in.” Tony pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll take you to Holly’s house. I have Alicia at the pool hall waiting for me and I don’t want to leave her alone for long.”

  Matt arched his eyebrow, totally blown away by the news. He forgot all about his aggravation with Gerald. His brother never dated. “You and Alicia?”

  “We’re friends. That’s all,” Tony stated, daring Matt to argue.

  Matt patted his brother on the back. “That’s a start. Just don’t wait a year to make a move, or it’ll be my turn to tell you what an idiot you are.”

  Matt led Holly to Tony’s truck. She looked around nervously. Matt hated that their romantic vibe was destroyed. He could punch Gerald’s lights out just for that. Tony dropped them off at Holly’s house. He told Matt Noah was having the truck towed and the bullet taken out for evidence.

  Matt walked with her up her porch stairs. He had hoped to spend the night with her, but he didn’t want to presume. She had just agreed to give him a second chance and he wanted to do it right this time.

  Once inside, Holly looked at him as she set her purse down on the coffee table. He was so glad to see the pain absent from her eyes. He never wanted to see it there again.

  “Will you stay the night with me?”

  He swallowed hard and nodded, hoping he looked calm and collected and not like an eager young teenager. His cock hardened at the thought of finally making love to her. He had done it many times in his dreams. “Only if you’re sure.”

  “I am,” she said, her blue eyes shining with confidence. How could he argue with that?

  * * * *

  Holly went to her room to change while Matt checked the house. She didn’t really buy sexy lingerie like her sister and Alana liked to do, and now she regretted that, but she had never had a reason to join them. It would have only depressed her. She’d never envisioned making love with Matt and thought it would always remain a faraway dream. She looked in the mirror, and her cheeks were pink. Her body hummed with anticipation as she stripped her clothes. She was glad she had showered and shaved before the date. She had hoped it would end here and she wanted to be prepared.