Rod drops his gaze to mine and rage fills his eyes. “This guy a friend of yours?”
“You heard me, buddy. Fuck off.”
Rod keeps his gaze trained on mine.
“No, he’s not a friend of mine at all.” Then I recount the story for him, right up until I ran into him during my escape.
Rod nods, then turns his attention to the drunk man and his friends. Without saying a word, he gently pushes me behind him and uses his body to shield me. “She’s already told you no several times, in obvious ways. You don’t seem to take a hint, so I’ll be blunt. You’re not fucking touching her. Walk the fuck away before the EMTs have to carry your sorry ass out of here on a stretcher.”
“Who the fuck are you? Do you actually believe you’re the super soldier himself?”
“Nope. But I am the man who will beat you within a fucking inch of your life if you so much as look at her wrong again. I dare you to try to touch her. You’ll be missing all your fucking teeth in about two seconds.”
The other guy stands stock-still for a few seconds. With a quick move, he accepts Rod’s dare and tries to reach around him to grab me. Rod wastes no time grabbing his shirt with one hand and repeatedly punching him square in the mouth with the other. Blood instantly spurts from his busted lips, a tooth falls to the floor, and the other guy still hasn’t figured out where the hit-and-run sledgehammer slamming into his face came from. His knees buckle and he goes to the floor, so Rod releases his shirt and lets him fall the rest of the way down.
The guy’s friends surround him, looking down at the floor then back up at Rod in disbelief. Rod pushes his chest out, curls his hands into fists, and steps toward them. Two of them quickly grab their friend off the floor and stand him up.
“We don’t want any more trouble, man.”
“Then I suggest you stop your friend next time he lays his hands on a woman without her permission. Fucker’s lucky he’s still breathing.”
Security personnel descend on us from all directions, and I realize the entire nightclub has stopped what they were doing to watch us. I bury my face against Rod’s back and hold on to him tightly. After Rod explains what happened, and several other guests corroborate the events, the security guards let us go as they walk away with the other guy under their watchful eyes. I don’t know what’ll happen to him, taken to the local jail, escorted off the property, or released with a stern warning.
He glares in my direction as they walk past me. “Fucking cunt tease. Sensitive bitch.”
Rod lunges at him again, but several of us keep them separated. “Let him go. He’ll get what he deserves. Besides, you already knocked out one of his teeth.”
“I had thirty-one more to go. I planned on claiming every fucking one of them.” The way he assesses my thoughts and feelings with a glance is uncanny. “You’re not okay. Come on, I’ll get you out of here.”
He extends his arm to the side and I duck underneath it without question, sticking to his side like a tattoo. When we reach the fresh air outside, he finds a private cove where we can be alone. He stretches out on the lounge chair and motions for me to sit between his legs. Then he wraps his arms around me and holds me while my entire body shivers uncontrollably.
“Do you want to talk about it?” His voice is soft and reassuring in my ear.
“Not right now. Do you mind just holding me until this mental breakdown passes?”
“Not at all. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thank you, Rod.” I turn to my side and curl up against his chest. His arms and legs shield me. His lips press against the top of my head, and I feel safer than I have in a very long time.
When my mini meltdown is finally over, I push up from my curled fetal position in his lap and give him a sheepish grin.
“Someone hurt you.”
I nod. “Someone hurt me.”
He inhales a deep calming breath. “For what it’s worth, you’re safe now.”
“I know. You don’t make me nervous the way some other men do. I’ve learned how to listen to my intuition better. I’m not perfect with it, but better than I used to be.”
“Ah, yes, that brings up one other thing. You called me Rod a few minutes ago. So you knew?”
“Did I know it was you behind the mask the entire time at the last costume party? Yes, I certainly did. You thought you had me fooled?”
“Yeah, I guess I did. Then I realized that by fooling you, I’d screwed myself, because you liked Captain America better than you liked Rod Stone.”
“Stone, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s okay for us to exchange last names now. I mean, you seem like a cool lady and all. You’re not secretly a crazy stalker or anything, are you?”
“Never convicted.” I feel a little like smiling again at last.
His chuckle is low and rumbles across his chest. “What’s yours?”
“Nash. It’s nice to meet you, Rod Stone.” I lift my hand to shake his and he takes it.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Daisy Nash.” He turns my wrist and places a kiss on the back of my hand.
He gently tugs on my hand, pulling me back to my spot against his chest, and simply holds me in his embrace. We talk, point out constellations in the sky, and open up more about our personal lives. I think we’re moving into another unfamiliar territory here, and I’m not sure what to do with it. This feels all too real, and it feels so good.
All signs I should be running.
“Tell me about your life, Mr. Stone. Distract me.” I absently trace lines on his hand, skating over his knuckles and tracking along his fingers.
“I’m afraid my life story won’t distract you. It’ll only depress you more and encourage you to fling yourself off your balcony later.”
“Misery loves company. Don’t you know that?”
“Maybe we should stick to one tragedy at a time and see how it goes. I don’t want to break your streak of not leaving a friend behind.”
“I can promise you this one thing, Rod. I’ll stand beside you regardless of what terrible memory you share with me. I’d never judge you or leave you to deal with it alone. That’s the worst feeling in the world, thinking you’re on your own when you’re desperate for someone to understand. A single event can shape and define so much of our lives.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rod
There’s so much misery in my history, I’m not sure where to start, or if I even want to share this part of my life with her. She knows I have a sister, but no details about my life or my past other than that tidbit. I’m inclined to keep it that way for two reasons. First, that shit is too sad to dump on her at a time like this. She needs to be distracted from her own demons, not tricked into carrying mine along with her own. Second, I find I have to keep reminding myself this is only a short-term fling and will be over when we check out of the hotel.
“You’re not alone either, Daisy. If we allow the hard times to define us, we’re no better than the people who put us in that position. The memories never really go away, but I push them away because I’d rather focus on the here and now. The way I see it, I can either let those ghosts haunt me for life, making me afraid of everything, or I can get out there and live my life despite them. The events from our past may shape us in the short run, but how we continue to react to them is what separates us in the end.”
“I admire your bravery. I’m not sure I’m strong enough or bold enough to rush at my fears headfirst like that.”
“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?”
“Maybe. It certainly brings on panic attacks and late-night anxiety. I admire you for not allowing yours to rule your present. I’m not prying, just making an observation when I say this.” She pauses for a moment. “Your story must be a hard one if it made you as strong as I think you are.”
“Yeah, well, we all have our crosses to bear, right? Mine is no better and no worse than anyone else’s story. The details may differ, but the tale is still the same. We live, w
e die, and we repeatedly mutter ‘what the fuck is this shit’ in between.”
She lightly chuckles, but my feeble attempt to bring a little humor into the discussion is clumsy and obvious. “Your story is what makes you different from everyone else, Rod. The details of the past, how you view the tale, and the way you respond to adversity shape your personality. Under that detached playboy exterior beats the heart of a caring man.”
“Playboy? Who said I’m a playboy?” I pretend to be offended, but I can’t keep the smile off my face or out of my voice.
“You did the first day we met. No one else had to say a word.”
“That was someone else, not me. Someone who looked exactly like me.”
“You have an evil twin running around the island? That’s a scary thought.”
“Isn’t it? What if you’d mistaken him for me? I’d have to kick his ass. You wouldn’t know which one of us to root for, causing even more chaos. That would not end well at all. Knowing there’s someone out there pretending to be me, I think it’s best you just stay with me all the time. You know, just to be on the safe side so he doesn’t trick you again.”
“Hmm, I suppose that applies to sleeping in your bed all night too, huh?”
“We wouldn’t want to risk him showing up at your door and confusing you. I should probably keep an eye on you all night.”
“Maybe you’re right. It would be a shame if he stole me away from you after all the time we’ve spent together this week. By the way, that was a very subtle way to change the subject. If you don’t want to talk about your personal life, I’m not one to force you into it. But thank you for changing my focus, anyway. It’s too easy to get drawn into the awful memories and let them overshadow the amazing ones.”
“Like I said, I’m more concerned you’ll leap over your balcony railing to get away from me. It’s not that I’m trying to hide any of it from you. But I don’t enjoy remembering the past, much less talking about it. The bright spots of my life are my sister and my niece. What about your family? Tell me about them.” I hope I didn’t just open an old wound in my attempt to distract her from my own.
“My parents are still happily married, sickeningly in love, and live in Florida. Daddy is in real estate and Mom is a pediatrician. I have one sister, Marlee, and she’s three years older than me. And you already know Tracy. She isn’t my sister by blood, but she might as well be considering how close we are.”
“Are you close to Marlee too?”
“Yes, she and I are very close. We don’t spend as much time together as I’d like, but that’s for no other reason than life gets hectic and she lives in a different city. We keep in touch and see each other when we can.”
“No brothers?” Focusing on her family keeps mine off the topic menu.
“No, but I always wanted a little brother. My mom said having two girls was more than enough for any mother to handle.” She chuckles, but the affection in her voice is plain. “I suppose she was right. Marlee and I kept her busy enough.”
“I’ll bet you were both Daddy’s girls too, weren’t you?”
She nods. “Most little girls are, aren’t they? We definitely were—still are, actually. Daddy has the best heart of any man I know, and my mom is the love of his life. He doesn’t hide how much he loves her from anyone anywhere. They have the perfect relationship. If I ever get married, that’s exactly what I’d want. They’re best friends first, and they do everything together.”
“Then you’re looking for marriage, kids, the whole little neat package?” Insert cold feet here. That’s just not in my cards.
“Not necessarily. If it happens, it happens. If not, I don’t need a man for my life to be happy and complete. I came on this trip with Tracy as a favor, not to find my future husband. You can stop sweating bullets now. I promise not to hunt you down after our brief vacation is over.”
“That’s exactly what a stalker would say.”
“You caught me. I only said that to hide my real plans. Thwarted again, damn it.”
“Don’t even try to pull the wool over these eyes.” Not that I’d admit this to her, but I enjoy how easily our conversations flow and the way we banter and laugh with each other. Maybe a little too much. “Any other family to speak of?”
“We actually have an extensive family. My grandparents are still going strong. They had nine kids, so I have plenty of aunts, uncles, and cousins to go around. Do you need to borrow some? I’ll send a few your way and let them pry into your business for a change.”
“That’s a hard pass from me, beautiful. Few people are privy to my personal business and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’m afraid you’re stuck with the nosy interlopers.”
“Who said chivalry is dead? They clearly have no idea what they’re talking about.”
“Right? I don’t know why anyone would think something like that. It’s obvious you have found the ultimate prize of a man right here. You’ll be the envy of the entire resort by morning. Guaranteed.”
“After that display in the club tonight, I’d say I already am the envy of the resort. You were my real superhero, and every other woman who saw you fight for me wished you’d do the same for her.”
“So that’s all it takes? Knock a few teeth out, bust a few noses, make a fool out of a few deserving shitheads? I can do that.”
“You did do that. I can’t thank you enough for stopping them, and for sitting out here with me until I calmed down.”
“Daisy, I assure you, no thanks are necessary for any of that. My sister says I’m an overprotective big brother, but she hasn’t seen my protective side until some guy tries that shit with her. If I can’t sit back and allow that to happen to her, then I can’t allow it to happen to any other woman either. No man has that right, and no man will get away with that shit if I’m around.”
“I haven’t met anyone like you before, Rod. I know we joked about it before, but you really are one of a kind.”
“Don’t make me out to be more than I am, Daisy. Maybe I have stricter codes in some areas than other men do, but that doesn’t make me a saint. If you had to spend more than ten days with me in the real world, you’d be ready to kick me to the curb.”
“You think you’re so slick, hiding behind that mask. I never said you were perfect, and no woman would expect you to be. But there are attributes that set you apart from other men, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of, Rod. In fact, you should be proud of it.”
Regardless of how much I’d like to believe her, I just can’t. “You’re seeing me through sea-colored glasses, beautiful. When I take this Captain America mask off, I’ll be the same Hot Rod once again. But if that’s how you want to see me for tonight, I can’t stop you.”
She turns in my arms toward me, chest-to-chest and face-to-face. Nowhere to hide. Her bright smile is back, and I realize I enjoy seeing it a little too much. She gently shakes her head. “I wasn’t talking about your Captain America mask, Rod. I mean the other mask you hide behind every day. But now I know you’re secretly one of the good guys.”
Am I?
No, I’m not, and despite how much I’d like to believe her perception of me is on target, I know she couldn’t be further from the mark.
“That line of thinking will only get you hurt, sweetheart. You have a pure heart, I can tell. You want to believe the best in people. I hate to burst your bubble, but people suck and will always let you down. Believe the worst, don’t hope for the best, and be pleasantly surprised once in a while.”
“Actually, I don’t believe the best in people at all. My past won’t allow me to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. When I trust someone, it’s because they have earned it and proven their loyalty. You’ve earned it, Rod. Over the past few days, with all the small and large acts of kindness, you’ve earned my trust and respect.”
All I can do is consciously breathe at this point. Part of me wants to grasp on to her words and never let them go, to believe them as she does. But I know I can’t, not
for any longer than the time she’s nestled in my arms. We lock our eyes in a heated stare, each waiting for the other to make a move. I won’t be the one to initiate a kiss, not after she was just assaulted in the club, and whatever memory ghosts haunting her are still stirring in her mind. It’s not fair to either of us. I don’t want any of those memories connected to her time with me.
Then she closes the gap between us, and her soft lips are on mine. When her tongue sweeps across the part of my lips, reason flies away in the breeze and I’m instantly aware of my fingers curling in her hair, scraping against her scalp. Controlling the tilt of her head, I deepen the kiss. I’m devouring everything about her as slowly as our overheated bodies will allow me to go. My heart is racing, my breath has seized in my lungs, and my thoughts have slowed to a singular purpose.
Worshipping her body all fucking night long.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Daisy
Why do women feel the need to rationalize and justify every decision and every move they make? That little voice in the back of my head warns me that others may think badly of me if I follow through with my plans to spend the night with Rod. It asks how I’ll deal with the fallout if I have to explain my actions to anyone.
What will they say?
What will they think?
Who else will they tell?
All right, little voice. I have a question for you in return. If you can give me a valid answer, maybe I’ll listen to you this time. If not, I’m moving full steam ahead.
I’m listening.
What if the worst thing that happens to me turns out to be the best thing I’ve ever had?
Give me a second.
Time’s up, little voice.
Rod just bared part of his soul to me, showing me his sensitive and loving side, even if he didn’t realize it. It’s definitely there buried under a world of hurt from his past. He didn’t share much about his family except how much his sister and his niece mean to him. What he didn’t say tells me just as much as what he shared. But I can’t judge him for hiding his heart away when I’ve done the same for years. I’ve allowed previous injuries and insults to color my current view of the world. Though I meant every word when I said I don’t believe in love anymore, I believe the decisions I make affect my happiness.
All I Want: Rod & Daisy (All Of Me Duet Book 1) Page 11