by Maree Green
Inhaling deeply, I slumped back against the foot of Amber’s bed and bit my lip in thought. What she said made perfect sense to me. Without the worry or questions that usually came when getting to know a perfect stranger, we’d both been able to just relax and let our feelings do what they wanted. And it seemed they wanted to grow fast.
I smiled. I liked the fact that what Daniel and I shared was obvious to others. It seriously helped knowing it wasn’t just in my own head.
Chapter 14
Daniel
Turning the music down, I pulled into Amber’s drive and stopped behind a black Camaro. Frowning, I cut the ignition and climbed from the car, eyeing the shiny black machine with unease.
It had been just over two weeks since Amy had left her parents’ home, something that still didn’t sit well with me. She’d insisted she was good with it. That it was something she needed to do—not just because of me, but because of her—and I definitely agreed her parents needed a big wake-up call when it came to Amy’s love, but I still felt solely responsible for her now sudden homelessness.
Moving around the circular drive, I slowed my steps when I saw Amy on the porch with a tall, blond guy. The dark expression he was wearing made my blood pump harder.
They both turned to look my way when I reached the bottom of the stairs, and the guy dropped his head to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Daniel—” Amy said, instantly moving to meet me at the top of the stairs.
The guy’s head snapped up, and his gaze narrowed on me curiously.
“Seth,” Amy said softly. “This is Daniel. My boyfriend. Daniel, this is my brother, Seth.”
I forced myself to relax a bit now that I knew the guy was her brother, but the fact her parents weren’t such nice people made me keep my guard up.
“Seth,” I said, a hint of warning in my voice as I stepped forward to offer my hand.
Seth inhaled deeply before huffing out a breath and taking my hand to shake. “No offense, Daniel, but I really need to talk to my sister privately.”
Amy’s hand tightened in mine. “It’s okay, Seth. Whatever you want to say, you can say in front of Daniel. He knows everything.”
Seth raised his eyebrow, but his shoulders seemed to relax a bit.
“Just tell me what’s going on, Amy. I come home for a quick visit to find you’ve moved out and Mom and Dad talking like you don’t exist. And what the hell happened to Ryan?” he said, throwing his hands up in the air.
Amy tensed a little, but she seemed calm enough. “Look, long story, short, Ryan didn’t treat me very well—we’ve more or less dealt with that now, but he hurt me a lot. Mom and Dad didn’t see it that way. They only cared about their reputation and demanded I do whatever it took to get him back. I met Daniel and fell in love, but, apparently, a marine isn’t good enough for Mom and Dad, so they told me to choose. Him or them. I made my choice, and I don’t regret it for a second.”
I stood, frozen. My mind was still stuck back in the middle of her speech. ‘ . . . and fell in love . . . ’. Those words were doing something strange to me. I couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but I thought it might’ve been an overload of happiness.
Seth looked between the two of us before holding his gaze on Amy. He looked suddenly unimpressed. The expression made my senses quickly sharpen. I knew he was her brother and that so far, she had only spoken good things about him, but if he was going to say anything to make her upset, he would regret it.
“Are you serious?” he said, anger seeping into his tone. “What did Ryan do?”
Amy glanced my way before she softly shook her head. “It doesn’t matter . . . ”
I growled. I didn’t want her to sugarcoat it because Ryan was my brother. “He broke up with her because she wouldn’t sleep with him,” I said, leveling my gaze right on Seth’s.
I watched him process it before he turned his gaze on Amy. “There are two scenarios running through my head right now, and neither of them are sitting well with me. Either Mom and Dad knew what he’d done and they still demanded you go make amends with him, or they didn’t bother to even ask why you were so upset and just demanded you go make amends with him. I’m hoping you’re going to tell me there’s a third scenario I’m missing.”
Amy’s shoulders slumped a little. “No. And it was the second.”
Seth nodded, but his jaw was clenched so hard I thought I could hear teeth cracking under the pressure. “Right,” he said. “Are David and Kathryn okay with you staying here? I’ve got some money put aside. I can probably get you a place to stay until college starts again, and then—”
He paused when he saw Amy suddenly glance away. I looked away too, unable to hide my disappointment on Amy’s behalf. I mean, I knew she didn’t want to continue on the path to study law like her parents wanted, but she deserved to continue to go and find out what made her happy.
“Fuck.”
We both looked back at Seth’s suddenly pissed off face.
“They’re cutting off your college fund?” At Amy’s sad expression, Seth spun and ran his hands through his hair. “Motherfuckers!”
Letting go of my hand, Amy stepped forward and touched Seth’s arm. “It’s okay, Seth. You know I didn’t really want to be a lawyer anyway. They’ve put a stop to almost everything I ever liked, so I honestly don’t know what I want to do anymore.”
“Jesus, Amy. That’s ninety percent of all college freshmen. That’s the point. You go. You check shit out. You decide on a major. That should be you! You should be excited as all fuck to be getting out of that fucking house and living your own life. I mean, I know people do it on their own all the time, but they’ve usually known it will be that way for a while and can plan it. Those people we call parents have just taken that away from you just because they couldn’t control you!”
“Seth, I’ve had time to think about this. I’ve had every minute of my life planned for me since before I can even remember. I’m still going to finish college. I’ll just do it later. I’m going to take some time to figure out who I am and what I actually like. I’ll get a job and save for it. It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.”
He stared at her for a long time, just taking her in, before he pulled her into a hard embrace. “I’m sorry, kiddo. They just make me so fucking mad I can’t think straight sometimes. Of course you’ll be all right. And I’ll be working by then, so I’ll be able to help you out with it.”
Amy shook her head, but she didn’t say anything. She just gave him a warm smile.
After a while, Seth draped his arm over Amy’s shoulder and turned his full attention on me. “So, what’s up with your brother, man? I have to say, I’m not very fucking happy.”
I grunted. “I can’t say I’m happy either. He acted like a self-righteous asshole.”
He studied me for a while longer before narrowing his eyes slightly. “You’re a marine?”
I lifted my chin with a hint of defiance. “Yep.”
The corners of his lips twitched. “Good. You make sure that sense of loyalty and honor extends to my baby sister and we’ll be good. Got it?”
I glanced at Amy and felt my expression warm. I didn’t think it’d ever be possible, but I was pretty sure when it came to my loyalty, she now came before the marine corp. It was a sobering thought, but one I felt completely okay with. “I can guarantee it.”
Chapter 15
Amy
Music drifted in the air, the sound of lapping water accompanying it like it was a part of the background melody. Eyes closed, I sighed, letting my hearing branch out, picking up more obvious noises, like Jess’s tinkling laughter and the low timbre of Corey’s voice as he softly sang along to the song.
The pool float I was drifting on rocked a little more, alerting me to the fact that someone was approaching. I smiled, knowing it would be Daniel, but kept my eyes closed just the same.
“What’s that smile for?” he asked, his voice soft against my ear before he pressed his lips to my neck, just below
my ear.
I shivered, my body automatically awakening with his touch. Reaching up to cup the side of his neck, keeping his lips to my skin, I sighed contentedly. “Just for you . . . ”
He hummed, the vibrations sending aftershocks through my body. “I’m a very lucky man . . . ”
Adding my other hand to the back of his neck, I tightened my grip and pulled myself toward him. The pool float tipped with my movement, sending me slipping into the pool in front of him, my body sliding along his wet one. He groaned and pulled me into his hard body.
“Do you have any idea how unbelievably hot you are?” he murmured.
The rough tone of his voice indicated he was getting aroused, but it was the slight movement against my stomach that confirmed it. My breath grew heavier. I didn’t know how such a small thing could turn me on, but I guessed that was just what happened when you found someone you were so connected to.
Daniel’s hands tightened on my body, and I was suddenly wondering what sex in the pool would be like.
A high squeal slapped me out of my trance, making us both look Amber’s way.
“Hurry, guys!” she said, pointing the remote at the big flat-screen mounted on the outside wall. “Entertainment Now is running a segment on the band.”
Daniel gave me a questioning look, which I knew was asking if I wanted to go see. Smiling, I took his hand and started towing him toward the pool’s steps. As soon as I was out, I broke free and hurried over to join Amber, Jess, and Kaeli.
Cassie Muldoon, Entertainment Now’s host, was already on screen with a picture of The Dark Hybrid in the top corner.
“What did she say?” I whispered.
Amber shook her head. “The ad said something about The Hybrid’s opening band taking the audience by storm.”
I squealed a little under my breath. “That’s so cool.”
A warm towel suddenly found its way around my shoulders, followed by firm arms holding it in place. Daniel’s lips brushed over my cheek before he focused on the TV.
‘The Dark Hybrid have been a raging success since their debut album stormed up the charts in 2008, but it’s a different band altogether that has their fans talking during this year’s tour . . . and sources say The Hybrid couldn’t be happier. Fighting Fate, the band The Dark Hybrid chose as their opening act on their latest tour, has The Hybrid’s fans in a spin, with some even stating it’s the best value for money show they’ve ever seen, classing the up-and-coming band as equals when it comes to quality of shows and performance.’
Amber jumped up and down with excitement beside me, while I grinned widely and squealed a little more.
‘Fighting Fate, a garage band from Sacramento, became an overnight success when their song, “To The End,” went viral on YouTube earlier this year, creating a war between recording studios across the country . . . ’
“So, they’re pretty good, huh?” Daniel whisper-laughed in my ear.
“They’re amazing,” I murmured, turning in his arms and wrapping mine around his neck, while Cassie continued on with Fighting Fate’s praises.
“I wish I could meet them while I was here,” he said, his voice showing just how sad he was.
My body automatically stilled. Over the last couple of months, I’d tried not to think about Daniel’s time limit with me. I knew it was getting closer and closer, and with each new day that came, my chest ached a little more.
I startled when Daniel gently cupped my chin in his hand and tilted my head back to look in my eyes. Frowning, he picked me up and carried me over to the other side of the pool.
When he put me down, he took my face in his hands and gazed at me. He looked worried, even a little panicked.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “What were you thinking back there?”
I blinked, more concerned with what had him worried than me. “I just don’t like thinking of you not being here . . . ”
His shoulders loosened a little, but his gaze was still troubled. His thumbs gently stroked over my cheeks. “Amy . . .” he said, closing his eyes in a slow blink. I watched his throat move as he swallowed. “I know I’m leaving, but you know that doesn’t change anything, right? I mean . . .” His gaze intensified as he stared into my eyes. “I know neither of us has said it yet, but I know we both feel it. I love you, Amy. More than anything. Joining the Marines used to be about what I wanted to do—what felt right, but it’s so much more now. It’s my way of stepping up and being what I need to be—what I want to be—for you. I feel like I have so much more direction now. I know it’s still a little way off until we can be together properly, but whatever you need, I want to be able to give to you. Anything, Amy. Whether you need me to provide for you or just give you an encouraging word, I want to be the one to give it to you.”
I blinked away the blurriness that was creeping into my eyes and swallowed against the lump that had grown in my throat. The pictures that had been painted in my mind with his words were more than I could handle. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized just how much I’d actually longed for a normal family life. Picturing that with Daniel made my chest ache like nothing before.
Something that sounded like a cross between a sob and a laugh escaped me. I leaned into him, letting his lips brush over my forehead. “I love you,” I whispered. “I will always be here waiting for you. Always . . . ”
He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly, clutching my head to his chest. “And I will always come back for you, baby. Always . . . ”
“All right, lovers!” Amber called. “Break it up, and get your asses over here. We’re playing a game!”
I heard the low rumble of Daniel’s laugh through his chest. I giggled and pressed my face into his shirt.
“Don’t make me come over there!” Amber threatened.
I pulled away, but Daniel didn’t let me go far, pulling me into a lingering kiss. Melting, I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the feel of him. I was a little wobbly on my feet when he finally released me, but I quickly focused and made my way over to help Amber set up whatever games she’d suddenly made up.
“Someone’s looking a little giddy,” Kaeli said as I sashayed up to them.
Amber and Jess laughed.
“God, I would be too,” Jess said, eyeing Daniel, who’d joined the guys by the pool. “I mean, seriously,” she added, narrowing her eyes as she took them all in. “Look at him and Noah. Those two make our guys look like high school freshmen.”
I looked over at Corey and Cain, scrutinizing their bodies with a clinical kind of interest. They weren’t too bad, really. They were fit and muscular, but they did kind of look like ‘boys’ compared to Daniel and Noah. I didn’t really think it was their physiques, though. I thought it was more of a maturity than anything else. A deeper understanding of life and the problems that come with it.
Kaeli nudged me with her shoulder as Amber and Jess continued discussing what they thought made a guy hot. “Things looked pretty intense over there before,” she said, giving me a soft smile.
I glanced over at Daniel and when he caught me looking, he gave me a tiny wink. “Yeah,” I said to Kaeli. “Every time I think about him leaving, I just get so sad. I know we’ll get through it, but I just hate that it has to be that way.”
She frowned a little as she thought about what I’d said. “You don’t want him to go?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. I love that he’s a marine. I love that he knows that’s what he wants to be. I just don’t want to be away from him. And then there’s my shitty life at the moment. I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”
Kaeli touched my arm softly. “I think that’s probably a good thing, though, don’t you? I mean, you’ve had people telling you who you needed to be for so long. This time without Daniel will let you start trying to figure that out.” She smiled. “And hopefully, by the time he comes back, you’ll know, and you’ll have stronger foundations for you to build something on together.”
I let the
corner of my mouth curl up with amusement. “And just how did you get so smart, Miss Williams?”
She nudged me again and gave me a shy smile. “I have a really smart and beautiful mom.”
I returned her smile, but the pain her words gave me was like a knife. Yeah, I had a lot of work to do on myself. My parents had really messed me up like that. But if there was one thing it had given me, it was the determination to make a home. A real home. With love and laughter and forgiveness.