by Barb Han
She needed to get out of there...now.
Chapter Fifteen
Austin shook his head and laughed. Good that he thought it was funny because it was taking all of Maria’s strength to walk out of that room and not...complicate matters further with a round of the most amazing sex she knew she’d ever have. Mainly because sex with Austin had been the best of her life and she had no doubt that his...skills...were sharp as ever. He might’ve had an uncharacteristic moment or two of soft emotions last night but he was all alpha and male and virile in bed. But there was so much more than physical appeal when it came to Austin. He was sharp and had the most penetrating eyes.
He was the only person she’d ever felt like she could truly let her guard down around and be herself, she thought as she poured water into the carafe and then transferred it into the machine. He’d believed her to be confident and never seemed to see her weaknesses. She had them. Plenty of them, she thought.
Maria knew the second he entered the room and not because Bailey’s nails clicked on the tile flooring in the kitchen. Her arms goose bumped the second she felt his presence.
He came up behind her, close enough that she could hear him breathing, and ran a finger along the base of her neck. She wanted to lean back against him and get lost in the feeling. And then his hand came up to her waist. She sucked in a burst of air the second he touched her, trying to absorb the electricity pinging through her.
“Are we okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said, and then almost lost it when he took a step closer and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck.
“Last night was hell,” he admitted, splaying his long fingers flat against her stomach.
A thousand butterflies released, fluttering wildly.
“I couldn’t sleep after being in her room together,” he added, and she could feel his lips move against her skin when he spoke.
Sensual shivers raced down her back and she was so very aware of Austin.
“How’s Denali?” she asked, needing to reframe the conversation or fall down that same rabbit hole of desire again. Now that many of her memories had returned she knew that Austin would never forgive her. And even if forgiveness was possible, he deserved more than she could give him. She would always be damaged, broken. And she would always leave a trail of destruction in her wake.
Austin’s finger trailed down the line of her neck, her shoulder, her arm, threatening to erase all her concerns. They’d all but disappeared for the moment, at least, as he stroked her collarbone. She turned to face him and accidently ushered in more of his scent, which wasn’t a good idea given how much her body reacted to his presence. His dark green eyes were even more striking, like they always became when he was intensely emotional. And she’d forgotten just how telling they could be. She wished there was something that she could say to take away at least some of his torment.
“He’ll be okay, won’t he?” she asked, not bothering to mask her fear.
“The vet can’t say for sure. I’d like to stop by again this morning,” he said, and his voice was husky.
“I’d like that, as well. If I can come, that is,” she said, figuring she shouldn’t take for granted that he’d want her there.
Austin nodded and she took that as a positive sign.
Capitalizing on his goodwill, she linked their fingers and pressed up to her tiptoes. His muscles corded and his face wore the expression he had when he was trying to figure out if something was a good idea.
Apparently, he decided this wasn’t because he took a step back and released her fingers. “I can’t, Maria. It’s easy to slip into old patterns when you’re here, standing in our kitchen, and I can’t deny that it feels a certain sense of right that’s been missing the past year. But it seemed pretty damn easy for you to start up a relationship with someone else.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she shot back. “Do you really think that I could let things get out of control with you if I’d been in a relationship with someone else?”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” He folded his arms across his chest.
“Why don’t you just spell it out for me, Austin?”
“You want a road map? Fine. How long did it take for you to run to him after you left me?” His words were full of venom now.
“Is that what you think?” she asked, and this time she let him know just how directly he’d scored.
“What am I supposed to believe? I find out from Tommy that you’re engaged to another man at the same time you have divorce papers sent to me,” he said.
“I was not...have not been planning a wedding,” she said, angry tears blurring her vision. “And especially not with someone I went out with a couple of times.”
“Then I’m confused,” he said.
“Damn right you are,” she shot back, storming out of the kitchen. By the time she’d stalked into the guest room she realized how badly she needed caffeine. If it didn’t mean facing down Austin while crying almost uncontrollably she’d march right back in there and get it. Maria had been holding in tears for the past year, hell, for most of her life. And suddenly she was a faucet. The problem was that she’d let her guard down. Was that the absolute smartest thing she could’ve done? Probably not. And especially not after going into Raina’s room. That brought all kinds of unexpected emotions bubbling to the surface.
And, you know what? Now that she really thought about it Austin didn’t get to stir up that pot and walk away.
No, sir. She was marching right back into the kitchen and giving him a piece of her mind. Right after she wiped all those tears off her face.
Maria took a minute to pull herself together before pushing off the bed. A deep breath later and she was ready. She stalked toward the door, opened it so hard that it smacked against the rubber doorstop and ran almost smack into Austin’s chest. Damn, he was tall standing this close.
“Don’t say it,” he said, holding up a hand to stop her from speaking.
Well, guess what? He didn’t have magic hands. Okay, she took that back. His hands could be pretty existential but that wasn’t the point she was trying to make here and thinking that only made her more flustered.
“You don’t get to shush me,” she fired at him.
His incredulous look made her crack a smile despite herself.
“By all means,” he said with a hint of a smirk curling the right corner of his mouth.
Trying to fight with him had never worked as planned. They’d dissolved into laughter at the most inappropriate moment and the fight could never gain any steam.
Maria held on to her anger this time, stuffing down the urge to crack a wider smile.
“First of all, I’m not and have never been engaged to Mitch DeCarlo,” she said, noticing how Austin cringed at the sound of his name.
“Noted.” There was no hint of amusement on his face now. “Again, I have to ask if he knows that.”
“Yeah, he does now,” she said, poking a finger in Austin’s chest. It was like stabbing at a brick wall. “We went on a couple of dates.” She added, “Recently,” when his lips thinned.
“How recently?”
“In the past month,” she clarified.
“Then why does the man think he’s marrying you?” Austin asked. “And why is he going around telling people that you’re engaged?”
She shrugged. “I seriously have no idea how he made the leap from me accepting a date after he’d been bugging me for months to us getting married after going out a handful of times.” Austin started to object but she cut him off. “A handful, as in four dates.”
His facade didn’t crack as he stood there, arms folded over his broad chest.
“The only reason I ever went out with him was because I thought it was time to try to get over my feelings for you,” she fir
ed. “But don’t get all crazy on me thinking that I can never be with another man because I most certainly can now that I see how much you hate me.”
“Hate you?” he parroted.
“That’s what I said.” She regretted oversharing the minute his granite expression changed. Anger was so much easier to deal with than pain.
“What makes you think that?” he asked, his gaze wide and his green eyes infuriatingly beautiful.
He’d laugh if he heard her describe him in that way, but beautiful really suited him, both inside and out. And especially out, her body cried, standing this close. A stubborn little voice in the back of her head added that he was intelligent, too. But this wasn’t the time for a laundry list of Austin O’Brien’s good qualities.
His back teeth clenched and she decided to gear up for the fight. Part of her panicked and wanted to run, to get out of there and get fresh air. But another part, a part she’d ignored in the past, forced her feet to stick to the carpet in the hallway.
It was so difficult to stand there and not reach out to touch him. Finding the right words to explain her actions was so damn hard.
But they needed to talk. And she was ready to have the conversation they’d needed to have for the past year.
* * *
“RING OF FIRE” belted out of Austin’s pocket, interrupting the moment happening between him and Maria. He cursed under his breath because he was about to show her how much he actually loved her. Loved?
Yeah, he reasoned, as he fished out his cell and answered the call from Dallas.
“What’s up?” Austin asked.
“Thought you should know that I’m on my way and I have a surprise for you,” his brother said. “You’re still home, right?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“And you’re planning to stick around?” Dallas continued.
“Sure.” Austin shoved his free hand in his pocket and took a few steps away from Maria. He needed to cool his jets anyway. This was as good a reason to take a break as any.
“I’m almost there and there’s something you need to see for yourself,” Dallas said and the excitement in his voice made Austin curious.
“I’m guessing that I don’t get to know what this is about?” he asked, trying to figure out how to handle his heightened emotions.
“Nope,” came the response.
“Then, I’ll wait here for you,” he said, figuring a few deep breaths would go a long way toward lowering his blood pressure.
“Ten minutes,” Dallas stated, and he sounded particularly pleased with himself, which was good for him because Austin was all kinds of confused.
Dallas disconnected the call before Austin had a chance to pump him for information. And by the time he whirled back around to talk to Maria she’d disappeared. He hadn’t heard her footsteps but he assumed she’d gone to her room. All Austin could think to do was turn on the coffee maker.
He was no good at waiting, he thought, as he scraped the heel of his shoe across the wood floor as time seemed to drip by. He was reminded of that old saying about a watched pot never boiling. His mom had said that a thousand times over the years when one of the boys had grown impatient. Little good it was doing him now.
After that intense conversation with Maria, he felt like he could break through the wall that had been impenetrable. Part of him wanted to stalk down the hall and tell her what was really on his mind. He needed to relax before having the conversation they both needed to have and finally seemed ready for. Besides, he didn’t want to get into it with her when Dallas could show up at any minute.
Hearing gravel crunch underneath Dallas’s pickup truck broke the tension. Austin set his mug down and shouted to let Maria know his brother was there. Austin had no idea what Dallas had up his sleeve but he could use good news for a change.
Austin made a beeline for the front door as he heard footsteps coming toward him from the hallway.
“I’m sorry I disappeared on you in the middle of our...”
“Fight.” He finished her sentence.
“Yeah. That.” Maria’s face twisted and he figured that she was about to apologize.
“We can’t work anything out if you keep on walking away. You know that, right?” he asked with more compassion than anger. She looked as miserable as he felt.
“I do.”
Those were two words he could work with. Austin offered a smile. “Good. Then we’ll finish our conversation when my brother leaves.”
She locked onto his gaze and pursed her lips. “Agreed.”
Hope took seed in Austin’s chest. Hearing that she wasn’t and hadn’t been in a relationship with another man sent relief rippling through him. He wondered how things got so confused between them. There’d been so many assumptions and miscommunications. If he and Maria could open the lines of communication they had a chance at repairing their relationship. His feelings for her hadn’t dimmed in the past year and that’s one of the many reasons he knew they were the real deal. Given a chance, they might be able to flourish again. But better this time. Because they both seemed ready to open up to the possibility of more.
“Let’s see what’s so important to Dallas,” he said, linking their fingers before leading her to the door.
Austin’s heart nearly exploded with happiness when he opened the screen door and stepped onto the porch. He immediately dropped to his knees as the hundred pound Lab ambled up the stairs.
The minute Denali made eye contact, his tail went crazy.
“He perked up last night not long after you left,” Dallas said. Austin could hear the smile in his brother’s voice. “Vet wants to know what kind of magic you’re carrying around because she could use it for her other patients.”
Wrapping his arms around the dog’s neck, Austin was overwhelmed with love.
“You did it,” he said quietly. “You stayed.”
Maria was by Austin’s side. Bailey was there, too. And the little dog was nuzzling his snout against the big Chocolate Lab as the two got acquainted.
“I thought he might cheer you up,” Dallas said with a broad smile.
“Seeing this guy up and around is more than I could’ve hoped for,” Austin said, holding to himself that being with Maria was right up there with the best moments of his life.
“Well, I can make your day even better. The calves are improving.”
Before Austin could respond his brother’s cell buzzed and he answered quickly after a cursory glance at the screen.
“Is that right?” Dallas said after a few seconds. After asking his caller to hold he said to Austin, “Gideon said Uncle Ezra and Aunt Bea are at the gate, demanding to speak to us.”
“Good. I’ll let Tommy know,” Austin said before pulling his cell out of his back pocket. He sent a text and received an immediate response that Tommy would head over.
“Okay,” Dallas said into the phone before ending the call.
“What’s got him riled up today?” Austin asked.
“Tommy got a warrant and searched his place this morning,” Dallas said.
“This should be interesting.” Austin glanced at Maria and then refocused on Denali, thinking that even through the craziness he had a lot to be grateful for.
Chapter Sixteen
Rapid knocks at the front door fired off like a police raid. Austin set down his coffee cup and moved toward the racket.
He’d barely opened the door when Uncle Ezra pushed past him.
“Morning, Aunt Bea,” Austin said as she nodded, head down, following closely behind her brother. Austin noted the odd behavior and moved on.
He cocked an eyebrow at Gideon, who trailed them both. Tommy was already barreling down the drive toward the house so Austin left the door open. The dogs were out back with Maria.
“Mor
ning,” he said to Tommy as he took the porch steps at a good clip. “Shouldn’t you be resting or still at the hospital?”
“Not enough excitement there. Besides, I’ve been on my back too long already.” Tommy’s skin was pale and he looked winded but he seemed to force a smile anyway. “I see they’re already here.”
“Just arrived.” Austin shot Tommy a look before leading him into the kitchen where voices were already at shouting levels. “All right. Everyone calm down.”
Uncle Ezra took that as his cue to raise his voice. His face was already red and he’d end up having a heart attack if he kept at it.
Austin picked up a metal spoon and banged it on a pot. “I said quiet.”
It worked. The room fell silent.
“One at a time,” Austin said before looking at Uncle Ezra. “What’s going on?”
Uncle Ezra’s face scrunched up like a pickled prune as he focused on Tommy. “He’s my problem. When is he going to leave this family alone and find the man who killed my brother and sister-in-law?”
Tommy blew out a sharp breath. “I’m sorry if my investigation inconveniences you, but I go where the evidence leads.”
Those words were a forest fire lit at Uncle Ezra’s feet that quickly consumed him in anger. “If that were true then you’d be following a different trail. So far, all you’ve done is question me and that’s why I brought Bea here. She’ll back me up and tell you for the hundredth time that I was with her.”
Aunt Bea’s hands were twisted together as she nodded. She seemed extra nervous and a little panicked as Maria entered the room with the dogs. Denali immediately whimpered as he tried to turn tail and run.
Didn’t that flare up all Austin’s warning bells? He instinctively stepped in between Aunt Bea and the dog.
“What’s going on?” Austin asked his aunt, watching her carefully.
“I just wish they’d find the horrible man who did this.” Her gaze fixed on a spot behind Austin. He turned in time to see Denali moving toward the door. The Lab whimpered, which was totally uncharacteristic of him.