by Rachel Lacey
Jessica looked up, her eyes wide. “Emma? Are you okay?”
“Oh my God, Jess…I’m so glad you’re here! I, um…” She swayed to the side, righting herself just before she fell flat on her face.
Jessica glanced over at her date, who was staring at Emma like she was some sort of freak show attraction. “Can you excuse me for a moment, Ruben?”
“Uh, sure,” he said.
Jessica stood, hooked her arm through Emma’s, and practically dragged her into the ladies’ room. “Are you really drunk?”
Emma shook her head with a giggle. “Not even tipsy. But you can tell Ruben that I’ve had a few too many after my boyfriend ditched me, and I need a ride home.”
Jessica grinned. “You really do rock.”
“So what went wrong with Ruben?”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “The man’s been talking about his ex-wife ever since we sat down. He’s clearly still hung up on her. I thought he was going to burst into tears when he was telling me about their storybook wedding in Hawaii.”
“Ew.”
“Yeah. And he will not take no for an answer about us driving out to this place he knows about after we leave here to look at the stars. I am not going anywhere with this dude to look at the stars…or anything else.”
“Definitely not.”
“Okay then, let’s do this.”
Arm in arm, they headed back toward Jessica’s table.
* * *
Ryan spent Saturday morning teaching back-to-back rock climbing lessons to a group of tourists. All novices, but athletic and eager to learn. They’d all done well, and one of them had even made it to the top.
Not bad for their first climb.
Afterward, he headed to the main building for a quick lunch before he spent the afternoon out on the zip-line course with Ethan and Mark. Emma and Gabby had volunteered to stop by with sandwiches from the deli, something they often did on the weekend when things were busy, but now it felt different somehow. Because Gabby was Ethan’s fiancée and Emma was…well, he wasn’t sure what she was anymore. They’d tossed around the terms “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” a couple of times to get out of otherwise sticky situations, but he wasn’t quite comfortable with it.
He’d honestly never had a girlfriend. He had dates. Hookups. Already this thing with Emma was so much more than that. If he screwed this up and ruined their friendship, he’d never forgive himself.
When the house came into view, he saw Emma’s SUV parked out front, but Trent was standing in the side yard with his parents, pointing and talking. They were here to see the place, and this was Ryan’s chance to make a better impression than he had yesterday.
“Mr. and Mrs. Lamar,” he said as he walked toward them, “I’m so glad you guys made it. Has Trent already given you a tour?”
Kate shook her head. “We just got here. Trent was telling us about the rock climbing you do. I used to climb when I was in college.”
“No kidding?” He cracked a smile. Finally, a sliver of common ground to share. “Climbing is kind of my specialty out here. You ever want to go up, you just let me know.”
She returned his smile with a dismissive shake of her head. “Oh, goodness no. I haven’t climbed in almost twenty years.”
“You might be a little rusty, but I bet you haven’t forgotten,” he said. “They say it’s like riding a bike.”
“Looks pretty busy out here today,” Gary said, glancing around. Ethan and Mark had just led a group onto the zip-line course and were going over safety information before they climbed to the first platform.
“Our weekends are booked solid now that warmer weather’s arrived. I’m not needed on the course until one, though, and I’d love to show you guys around in the meantime.”
“We’d like that, too,” Kate said.
Ryan’s stomach grumbled in protest, but it was worth missing lunch for the chance to try to smooth things out with the Lamars. Trent was his brother, and like it or not, these were his parents. It benefited everyone if they could all get along.
“So the business is profitable?” Gary asked, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his slacks as he watched Ethan get the group of tourists ready for their zip-line ride.
“Yes, sir. Right now, we’re slightly exceeding projected earnings. I’m very pleased with how things are going so far, considering we’ve only been in business about eight months.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize Off-the-Grid was such a new venture,” Kate said. “How did you decide to open a place like this?”
“It was my buddy Ethan’s idea, to tell the truth, but it’s pretty much a dream come true for all of us.”
“Statistically, you know the majority of start-ups fail,” Gary said.
Ryan nodded. “That’s true, sir. I believe wholeheartedly that Off-the-Grid will be in the minority that succeeds, but if I’m wrong, we’ll dust ourselves off and try something new.”
“Well, we certainly hope you succeed,” Kate said with a slightly pinched smile.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“The zip-line is totally sick,” Trent said, brushing a lock of hair out of his eyes. The kid insisted on wearing his hair in this ridiculous style with long bangs in the front that were always hanging in his eyes. It was probably cool by club standards but totally unsuited for outdoor work like he did here at Off-the-Grid.
“Trent helps us take clients up on the course now,” Ryan told them. “In fact, he’ll be going out with me with the group at one o’clock.”
“Oh?” Kate looked surprised. “I didn’t realize Trent was helping with the customers.”
Trent rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it’s like they treat me like an actual adult or something.”
Gary gave him a sharp look. “Watch your tone when you’re speaking to your mother.”
“Sorry,” Trent mumbled, kicking at a stone on their path. “I didn’t know you used to go climbing, Mom.”
She nodded, saying nothing.
The Lamars seemed like decent people. Surely Ryan could convince them the same about himself before this trip was over. “Climbing’s always been my escape,” he said. “There’s no room for anything else in your mind while you’re out there. Just you and the rock.”
“It’s true,” Kate murmured.
Ryan offered her his most persuasive smile. “You’ve got to try it out before you leave town, Mrs. Lamar. Maybe once he’s seen you reach the top, I can even convince your son to give it a try.”
“Hey,” Trent complained with a grin.
“Kate,” she said. “Please call me Kate.”
Ryan kept his smile firmly in place. “I’d love to take you for a climb while you’re in town, Kate. What do you say?”
* * *
It was almost nine by the time Ryan got home from Off-the-Grid, and his belly grumbled painfully. He’d missed lunch to take the Lamars on a tour of the property, and the candy bar he’d shoved in his mouth midafternoon wasn’t cutting it. It had been a worthwhile sacrifice, but he needed some real grub pronto.
He stowed the helmet on his bike and strode toward his front door, pondering whether to call Emma and see if she wanted to grab a bite. No doubt she’d eaten already, but…he missed her. He hadn’t gotten to see her when she’d stopped by Off-the-Grid today, hadn’t seen her since she’d rushed out of The Drunken Bear with Jessica last night.
“Ryan, could we have a word?”
He turned at the unexpected female voice to find the Lamars walking toward him down the sidewalk.
“Sorry to ambush you, but we saw you on your bike,” Kate said, “and we had been hoping for a chance to speak to you privately.”
“Yes, of course. Come in.” He flicked on the light in the entrance hall then motioned them into his condo ahead of him. “How are you enjoying Haven so far?”
“It’s a lovely town,” Kate said, “and Off-the-Grid Adventures seems to be doing well. You should be proud.”
“Thank you. I am.” Something clenched deep i
n his chest at this unexpected praise from the people who’d hurt him so badly when he was a child.
“But we don’t want Trent to stay here,” Gary said, his expression sour and unfriendly, as usual.
Ryan kept his face impassive. “I understand that. His home is in Missouri with you.”
“But you’ve given him a job and an apartment here,” Kate said.
Ryan shrugged. “He wanted to stay awhile. He wanted to get to know me, and you may not realize this, but there is nothing I’ve wanted more in my life than to get to know my brother.”
“You’re not good for him. You weren’t then, and you still aren’t.” Gary somehow managed to look down at him even though Ryan had several inches on the man.
Ryan met his gaze dead-on. “Maybe I wasn’t much of a role model back then, but you never gave me a chance. I was only eleven.” Maybe you could have opened your home to me, too, or at least mentored me, instead of turning your back on me when I was just a troubled kid.
“It was easy to see you were one of those boys who…” Kate drifted off, studying the hardwood floor beneath her loafers.
Ryan clenched his fists at his side. “Was a lost cause?”
“It was too late to save you, Ryan, but it wasn’t too late for Trent.” She had the good grace to look apologetic. “It was best for everyone that we gave Trent a fresh start.”
“That’s bullshit.” The words burst from his throat before he could contain them. “Maybe it was easier for you to pretend that I didn’t exist, but it sure as hell wasn’t best for me. Trent was all I had left in the world, and you took him from me.”
His words hung in the air, harsh and bitter.
Gary and Kate both took a step backward, eyeing the door.
Fuck. He’d wanted to mend his relationship with the Lamars, but this…this he couldn’t take. He was so goddamn tired of not being good enough for them.
Kate lifted her chin. “What’s done is done. We did the best we could for our son, and now we want him to return to Missouri with us.”
“He’s eighteen. He can stay here if he damn well wants to.” Ryan heard the anger in his voice. This wasn’t what he’d wanted, not at all.
“We know that,” Gary said, “but we need you to stop filling his head full of whatever rubbish you’ve been feeding him since he got here. We want him to re-enroll in Missouri College for the fall semester. He belongs back home with us, not clubbing and riding zip-lines here with you.”
“I can’t make him re-enroll any more than you can.” Ryan drew a deep breath, trying to rein in his temper. “Trent’s an adult, and as you well know, he is working for me at Off-the-Grid, not playing around on the zip-lines. It took some doing, but I got him off his cell phone and putting in some good, hard work out there, and I won’t apologize for it.”
Kate’s chin lifted. “Trent’s held jobs in the past. He’s not an irresponsible kid.”
“Frankly, he’d still be in college if he hadn’t been so set on coming out here to find you,” Gary said.
Ryan’s pulse roared in his ears as his control snapped. “He dropped out of college because he wants to become a DJ. And it is fucking insulting—pardon my French—that you two continue to judge me by the way I acted when I was eleven. I was a kid! I’d just lost my mother. Yeah, she was a junkie, but she was all I had, besides the baby brother you were so hell-bent on keeping me away from. And you know what? Despite all that, I think I turned out pretty damn well. So you can take your sanctimonious act and shove it because I’m done listening.”
“How dare you speak to us that way!” Gary roared, his face as red as a lobster fresh from the pot.
Ryan turned away, disgusted. “You expect me to keep being polite when you’ve done nothing but insult me in return? I’ve had enough. You want Trent to come home with you, you’re going to have to convince him yourselves.”
Chapter Sixteen
Emma heard the motorcycle coming long before it reached her apartment. Hoping it might be Ryan, she climbed out of bed and tiptoed toward the front door. His familiar form came riding out of the darkness and pulled into the driveway. He parked, killed the engine, and then just sat there in the dark, head down, shoulders hunched.
She opened the door and went to him. The cool nighttime mountain air slithered across her bare skin, raising goosebumps over her flesh. She walked toward him, the cold pavement stinging against her bare feet.
“I don’t know why I’m here¸” he said, his voice low. “It’s late. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I was awake. I’m glad you’re here.” She touched the sleeve of his jacket. “You okay?”
His silence spoke for him.
“Want to take me for a ride?” she asked, since he didn’t seem eager to talk.
His hungry gaze settled on her pink nightgown, making her sizzle beneath it.
“I’ll be right back.” She dashed inside, yanked her gown over her head, and pulled on a blue top and her skinny jeans. She zipped up her boots and her jacket and went back outside.
Ryan hadn’t moved. Something was definitely up with him.
She put on her helmet and climbed onto the bike behind him, sliding her arms firmly into place around his waist.
He revved the engine and guided the bike back onto the road, roaring over the deserted mountain roads outside Haven with the moon as their guide, the night as their witness. It was just as magical as that first night when he’d given her a ride home after work.
Beneath her palms, Ryan vibrated with tension, his body wound as tight as the machine below them. She’d seen him with Trent’s parents at Off-the-Grid this afternoon, and she hoped like hell they weren’t the source of his current mood.
He turned off the road onto a paved path, and she realized they were at the bluffs. The spot where they’d shared their first kiss, right here on his motorcycle. He cut the engine, and the night fell heavy and silent around them. They were hidden from sight from the road, stars winking overhead as the forest rustled around them.
Emma took off her helmet and slid off the bike, turned, and swung around in front of him, facing him, her fingers fisted into his jacket.
“Emma.” His voice rumbled through her fingers.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
He groaned, yanking her into his lap as his lips crashed into hers. His kiss was explosive, lighting her up like a stick of dynamite. Her knees hooked over his thighs, bringing her hips against his. His hands gripped her ass, pressing her closer, rocking her against his erection.
They kissed, touching and teasing, until she was about to combust. Beneath her fingers, Ryan’s muscles were so taut she could have bounced a penny off him. She reached between them and unbuttoned his jeans, pushing down the zipper. His cock pressed into her fingers, thick and hot. Her body throbbed as she stroked him, feeling him grow even harder beneath her touch.
Ryan swore roughly, thrusting his hips into her hand.
He fumbled with the button on her jeans, shoving them down her hips. She sucked in a breath as the night air met her overheated skin. Ryan reached into his back pocket, and then he was rolling on a condom.
Sex on a motorcycle. It sounded so exciting that her whole body was humming with anticipation. The reality? Slightly less glamorous. No matter how she positioned herself above him, her jeans were in the way. She laughed as they fumbled in the moonlight, struggling frantically to bring their bodies into alignment.
“Emma,” he breathed against her neck, his arms tightening around her. She felt him smile against her skin. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” she asked.
“You make me laugh,” he said. “I’m so hard for you right now I might just explode, and there’s a hole in the wall of my living room where I punched my fist through it. And…you take it all away.”
She absorbed that information, grateful to the night for hiding the love that had to be stamped all over her face. “I’m glad.”
“I can take anything with you in m
y arms.” He pressed his lips to hers with another kiss that stole her breath.
“Did you really punch a hole in your wall?” she asked when they’d come up for air.
“Yeah.”
“You want to tell me why?”
“Not while we’re in this position.” His hands came down to palm her bare ass. His cock strained against her belly, and her skinny jeans were still bunched around her hips like a damned chastity belt.
“I hate these jeans,” she whispered.
“I fuckin’ love them. They’re sexy as hell, but right now, they are not my favorite thing.” He smiled against her lips.
“I have an idea.” She reached down and rolled the condom off him.
Ryan let out a groan of defeat.
“Hold that thought,” she said, pressing her palm against his cock. She hitched her jeans back into place, then slid off the bike and knelt beside him.
“Emma—” he growled.
“Stay right where you are,” she whispered. She leaned in, licking the bead of moisture that had gathered at the tip of his cock. He swore, and his cock jerked against her tongue. She took his head into her mouth, licking and sucking. His hands fisted in her hair.
She tilted her head and took him all in. Her position was awkward, with one shoulder wedged against the side of his bike, her knee braced against the pavement, but as she looked up and saw him looking so sexy and badass on his bike, his head thrown back, eyes closed, it was so worth it. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever seen.
She slid him in and out of her mouth, finding the tempo he needed. He swore, the sounds coming from this throat growing increasingly desperate as she worked, until he stilled with a hoarse, “I’m going to come.”
She increased the suction with her mouth, and boy, did he ever. His whole body tensed as he came in a series of hot spurts that she swallowed, reveling in his guttural cry as he lost control.
He slumped forward, his arms shaking as he cradled her. “Fuck.”
She slid to her feet and climbed back onto the bike in front of him. “Better?”
He hauled her up against his chest and kissed her senseless. “Baby, that was so much better than you could ever know.”