by Rachel Clark
An Unexpected Love
Jay and Kat have been best friends their entire lives, yet rather than risk a fleeting romance and maybe lose each other forever, they've keep their relationship platonic. But when Kat is attacked and severely beaten by a man she was dating, Jay is left to deal with the fallout. Support comes from an unexpected source as the investigating police officer, Ryan, becomes emotionally involved.
Yet as Jay and Ryan's relationship develops into something more, Jay's need to protect Kat is still very strong. Together he and Ryan help her take those first tentative steps to reclaiming her life, helping her to move past her horrific experience.
When the truth of her attraction to her best friend comes to light, and Jay and Kat are suddenly free to pursue their true feelings, Ryan can only see one solution. But can he walk away from two people he has grown to love?
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 35,988 words
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE
Rachel Clark
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE
Copyright © 2013 by Rachel Clark
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-797-7
First E-book Publication: October 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
For A. Thanks.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
About the Author
AN UNEXPECTED LOVE
RACHEL CLARK
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
He watched her from across the yard. The highlights in her golden hair caught the sun as she tilted her head back and laughed at something the man in front of her said. Jay knew what that asshole would be seeing. Perfect, straight, white teeth, full red lips, her eyes sparkling with enjoyment, and the lucky jerk would be feeling like a million dollars just because the most beautiful woman in a thousand miles was smiling at him.
“So are you going to pound him or what?” The words were spoken close to his ear, and he turned a frown on the speaker.
“No, I’m not going to pound on her new boyfriend. She’d kill me.”
“So then leave it alone,” Caroline, one of Kat’s particularly annoying acquaintances, said with a roll of her eyes. “Fuck, there are times I reckon you take this best friend shit too far, Jay. If you want her, date the woman. Just stop mooning over her like a lovesick turtle.”
Jay tried not to wince at the rather apt description. Kat was his best friend and officially off limits. It didn’t stop him, however, from imagining what it might be like, even if he knew a romantic relationship between them would be a disaster.
For the past eleven years he’d watched her bounce from one horrendous relationship to another, and he had no wish to be just another ex-boyfriend. She was his closest friend and he had no intention of fucking that up.
“Who’s the guy?” Caroline asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”
“I’m not sure,” Jay said, watching the possessive way the man stood beside her as Kat spoke to someone else.
“Well it can’t be any worse than that asshole she finally divorced.”
Jay nodded in agreement. The day Kat had finally kicked that lazy, perpetually unemployed leech of a husband to the curb had been one of the best of Jay’s life. He’d grown more protective of her since her divorce, but instead of taking a break and reconsidering the course of her life, Kat had dived straight back into the dating scene.
For a long time Jay had wanted to confess his feelings for her, but he wouldn’t risk the closest relationship he had for a fleeting romantic connection, but the logic wouldn’t sink into his brain.
Fuck, even now his cock was stirring to life, but he had to get over this obsession.
She was his best friend, had been his entire life, and he would never, ever risk losing that.
End of story.
* * * *
Kat could feel his stare burning into the back of her skull. No matter where he went she was always aware of him. Even though he was younger, they were so close in ages—barely four months—that a part of her had always thought of him as older, more responsible. Even in middle school when the class bully had found her an easy target, Jay had been there to protect her, eventually teaching her how to defend herself.
Her date gave her a frustrated look and she finally realized she’d spent the last few minutes smiling and nodding with no clue to what the man in front of her was saying. She smiled harder and tried to tune in to his words, but it didn’t help that every conversation with Kent revolved around something he’d done, or he’d said, or
he’d achieved. Honestly, the man was completely self-absorbed and about as interesting as watching paint dry. They’d only been on three dates, but he’d already begun to show signs of possessiveness that were making Kat feel more and more uncomfortable. This was definitely their last outing as a couple.
Right now though, she attempted to focus on Kent as he droned on about some mountain he’d climbed or abseiled or jumped off of—by now she wasn’t quite sure—and tried not to compare his masculine features to those of the man who thought of her only as a friend. She knew it was probably masochistic and doomed to painful failure, but Jay was pretty much the yardstick she used whenever she considered a man as handsome.
Again Kent stopped talking and frowned at her. When she raised her eyebrows in question, he dragged her to a group of people he apparently knew, failed to introduce her, and then began a discussion that made it very clear that she was not included. Unfortunately, the night pretty much went downhill after that. She’d managed to drift away from her date and had been talking to one of Jay’s friends when Kent marched over, grabbed her elbow, and hustled her out of the party.
“Where are we going?” she asked angrily as he opened the car door and waited for her to get in.
“Home.” The single word seemed ominous, and a small part of her wanted to cringe in fear at the same time the independent, confident woman in her wanted to kick his ass.
“I’m not ready to go home,” she said, trying to hide her anger at being told what to do.
“Get in the car,” he said, enunciating each word carefully. “You’ve embarrassed me enough for one night.” The hand he had wrapped around her elbow squeezed tighter as he tried to maneuver her into the passenger seat. She resisted the move, trying to pull her arm from his bone-cracking grip. His words were an ominous growl forced through clenched teeth. “Get in…the…fucking…car.” Her heart started to pound much harder as adrenaline flooded her system and she wriggled in his painful grasp. He growled, grabbed her other arm, and shook her violently. “Get in the fucking car or so help me…”
“You’ll do what?”
She’d never been so happy to hear Jay’s voice in her entire life.
“Walk away, asshole. This is none of your goddamned business.”
Kent made the mistake of turning his back on Jay. A moment later he gasped in surprise as Jay grabbed him from behind and thrust him away from Kat. Jay pushed her behind him and turned to face her attacker.
“Are you okay, Kat?” he asked over his shoulder, his main focus on the man in front of them.
“I am now,” she said quietly, trying to hide just how shaken she felt. Even after all her self-defense classes she’d felt well out of her depth. Kent wasn’t just a boring asshole. He was proving to be a dangerous, narcissistic, boring asshole.
“What’s it to you?” Kent asked angrily, shaking his finger as if she were a child who’d disappointed him. “The fucking slut wouldn’t do as she’s told. You know how it is.” His tone was almost companionable. “Women need to know their place.”
He barely got the words out before Jay’s fist met his face. The blow was savage, the damage severe. “Don’t ever speak to Kat again. Don’t even dare come near her or you will find yourself in a world of hurt.” He glanced over at the small crowd that had gathered on the front lawn, seeming to notice them for the first time. “Someone call this fucker an ambulance,” he said angrily and then turned back to her. “Come on, Kat. I’ll take you home.”
A moment later, seated in the passenger seat of Jay’s car, Kat shook so badly she couldn’t get the seat belt into the catch. He leaned over from the driver’s seat, pushed it into place, and then sat back to look at her. She must’ve looked pretty bad because his expression softened and he touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers.
“It’ll be okay, Kat.”
She nodded her head, willing to believe anything he said, but she felt cold, the shivering getting worse the longer she sat there. She could hear a strange clacking noise and it took a moment to realize the sound was from her teeth. Even with her fingers twined together, her hands shook violently in her lap and though she tried to talk, she couldn’t seem to force the words past her numb lips.
“Kat, honey. Look at me. Come on, sweetheart. Look at me.”
When she finally managed to lift her strangely heavy eyelids, she looked straight into deep blue eyes filled with compassion. “Good girl, Kat. Stay with me, okay. I think you’re going into shock.” He shrugged out of his jacket and tucked it over her.
“I…’mmm o…kay,” she finally forced past her lips through sheer stubbornness. It was increasingly obvious, even to her, that she was far from okay, but she felt the need to reassure Jay. “H–He’s just an asshole.”
Jay laughed quietly and smoothed the hair away from her eyes. “That’s my girl,” he said on a quiet laugh. “You hold on to that anger while I get this car moving.”
* * * *
Hell, he’d never been quite so angry or ever remembered being so damn scared in his life. The thought of what that monster could’ve done to Kat pounded through his mind. Jay hadn’t raised a hand to anyone since his wild high school days, but feeling that asshole’s nose break under his fist had been truly satisfying. Unfortunately, he knew there was going to be a price to pay. Kent didn’t seem like the type to limp away to lick his wounds. Jay would bet good money that the man called the police before he sought any medical help.
Jay parked the car in the visitors’ spot at the front of Kat’s block of townhouses and cut the engine. Kat’s teeth had stopped clacking together but she still looked deathly pale. Her eyes were closed but he knew she wasn’t asleep.
“Kat, we’re home.” She moved stiffly but managed to open her eyes and smile at him.
“Did I ever tell you how amazing you are?”
“Of course, but I’m all for the ego boost, so feel free to tell me all the time.” She laughed as he hoped she would. “Come on. Let’s go inside so I can get the place warmed up.” It wasn’t exactly winter-cold, but the chill combined with the shock wouldn’t be good for her.
Once inside he guided her to the sofa, tucked a blanket around her and then headed to the kitchen to make hot chocolate. He rolled his eyes as she called to him that she’d prefer coffee. Probably the last thing she needed was a stimulant, but as always he was unable to deny her. He didn’t even bother searching for decaffeinated coffee. He knew his best friend well, and she hated anything but the real deal.
He rummaged through the various drawers until he found her secret stash of cake bars. They were the mass-produced, full of preservatives, almost-endless-shelf-life type, but they were perfect for tonight. Caffeine and pretend cake—Kat’s idea of comfort food.
She smiled when he entered the living room with two coffees and the box of cakes dangling from his fingers. God, she was beautiful. Every time he thought of what that asshole could’ve done to her, he wanted to head back to the party and pound on the man again.
By the time she’d finished her coffee and downed three mini cake bars she was looking tired but less drawn. He turned the television on, pleased to find one of their favorite sci-fi movies playing. She snuggled into the blanket to get more comfortable, but after a few minutes she shifted again and dropped her head onto his shoulder. She fell asleep soon after.
He moved carefully, trying to make her more comfortable without waking her. He briefly considered carrying her to her bed, but allowed himself to hold her just for a little while longer. He knew that his feelings were crossing that invisible line, but tonight he couldn’t seem to pull himself back. His entire adult life he’d compared every woman he’d met against Kat Johnson and none of them had come close.
He’d spent many a night wondering why he couldn’t simply love the woman as a best friend. Even when she’d been married he’d selfishly wanted more from Kat. Thank God he was a decent actor, because being her best friend while dealing with the asshole she’d married had been a strain
on his self-control. He’d lost count of the times he’d wanted to knock that guy on his ass, but he’d somehow managed to restrain the impulse and Kat had finally seen the man for what he’d truly been.
Jay probably shouldn’t feel so good about his best friend’s divorce but right now he’d hold her just a little longer than a best friend should simply because he needed to. They were both single, and even if he wasn’t stupid enough to ruin their friendship with romance, he could still hold her close tonight. If Kent had managed to really hurt her, Jay would never have forgiven himself.
It took longer than expected, and he’d almost begun to hope he’d been wrong, but the knock was loud and unmistakable. Kat stirred awake and sat up quickly, her eyes darting to him in panic.
“It’s okay, Kat,” he said, deliberately avoiding the use of an endearment to remind himself that they weren’t a couple. “It’s just the police.”
“The police?” she asked anxiously as she tried to untangle herself from the blanket. “Why would the police be here?” Her eyes widened as she likely answered her own question. “That asshole!” She looked like she would head to the door and give the officers a piece of her mind, but Jay grabbed her wrist and hauled her into his embrace. He held her close and rubbed her back soothingly.
“It’s okay. I was expecting this. It shouldn’t take too long.”
He set her aside before his cock could react inappropriately and then stepped to the front door just as the hard fist pounded on the door again. He took a deep breath and opened it to two official-looking police officers.