“Yeah.”
I took a drink, feeling the bite of carbonation on the back of my tongue. “Will you still hang out with your friends?”
He shrugged.
I didn’t want to make him clam up, but I felt like I had to try. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but do those kids pick on you a lot?”
He stared at the dirt, unmoving, his elbows resting on his knees. I waited again, leaving the ball in his court. I wanted to say something else—let him know he could tell me—but I also knew if I just stayed quiet, he might speak up.
“Yeah,” he said finally.
Fuck.
“Your mom and Jack know about that?”
“Not really.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not like they can do anything.”
“Sure they can.”
He looked up, his eyes fiery. “What? Anytime something happens at school, they just have a meeting. It doesn’t change anything.”
“What would happen if you just punched one of the little shits in the face?”
His eyebrows drew together, and I glanced away. I shouldn’t have said that.
But a thought took root in my mind. It was a bad idea. The last thing I should do with an eleven-year-old kid. There was a reason I wasn’t training anymore. Same reason I’d turned down Declan’s offer. I didn’t belong on the mat, or in the ring. So this idea that hit me? It was not good.
“Are you kidding?” he asked. “If I did that, they’d destroy me.”
That was it. Fuck this. “You want me to teach you how to make sure that doesn’t happen?”
His eyes widened.
“You don’t have to hit anybody. But I can show you how to neutralize an opponent.”
“What do you mean?”
“If someone comes at you, I can teach you how to take them down to the ground and make it so they can’t move. Control them. Trust me, you get some dipshit punk in an arm bar or a rear naked choke, they’ll think twice before they touch you again.”
He fidgeted with his Coke.
“If you’re not interested, no pressure. But it can help a lot if you know how to take control of a situation. It sucks to feel powerless.”
“I know. I hate it.”
“Me too.”
He met my eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
A warm feeling spread through my chest. “It’s getting dark, so maybe tomorrow? I don’t have a mat, but we can use the grass. Just don’t wear something that’ll get you in trouble if you get grass stains on it.”
He cracked a smile. Almost. “Yeah, okay.”
“Awesome.” I stood and he handed me his empty can. “Thanks for your help. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
He got up and brushed his hands on his pants. “Yeah.”
I nodded and turned to go back into the shop.
“Um, Asher?”
“Yeah?”
“My mom doesn’t let me have Coke.”
The corner of my mouth lifted, and I winked. “Don’t worry, kid. I just spent seven years in prison. I ain’t no snitch.”
And for the first time since I’d been back, I saw Elijah smile.
27
Grace
Six o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.
I’d been living in a state of tingly anticipation since yesterday afternoon at the gym. Grappling with Asher had riled up my hormones something fierce. It was the most physical contact we’d had since he’d been home. And when he’d gotten on top of me? God. He’d pressed his solid erection against me and I’d almost died.
For a brief moment, he’d let his guard down. I’d seen it in his eyes. I was just hoping I could convince him to do it again.
Preferably multiple times while we were both naked.
Cara lay stretched out on my bed, one hand behind her head while she flipped through something on her phone. “Stop touching your hair.”
I slowly lowered my hand. “I wasn’t.”
“You’ve been messing with it for the last ten minutes.”
“I can’t help it.”
Turning back to the mirror, I smoothed down my black dress. It skimmed my curves, giving me a nice silhouette without being too tight. I’d bought it on sale a couple of years ago when Cara and I had been out shopping, but I hadn’t had a reason to wear it yet.
“You should go commando,” she said.
“Why?” I turned and looked over my shoulder to see the back of the dress. “You can’t see a panty line at all.”
“No, but it’ll give him easier access.”
I sighed. “Don’t get my hopes up. It’s taken me this long just to get a date with him. And I had to put him in an arm bar to get it.”
“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
My phone buzzed and a jolt of worry hit me. Please don’t be Asher saying he has to cancel…
Mom: Are you going to see Brynn soon?
My half-sister had just had her first baby—a girl they’d named Lily—a few days ago.
Me: Definitely. Just waiting to hear when it’s a good time for them.
Mom: Can you take Elijah with you? I think it would be good for him to see them.
Me: Of course.
Mom: Thanks honey.
Cara lowered her phone and looked at me with raised eyebrows. “If he canceled, I don’t care what you say, I’m getting a taser.”
“No, it was my mom. She wants me to take Eli with me when I go visit my sister.”
“She had her baby, right?”
I nodded. “A girl.”
“You are so going to get baby fever. I reiterate my suggestion to go commando.”
“Cara, I’m not going to tempt him into sex so he can get me pregnant. Even if I do get baby fever—which I won’t—that’s a terrible thing to do to someone.”
“Do you really think I’d suggest you get knocked up on purpose? I’m an awful person, but I’m not that evil. Besides, if I thought that was a good idea, I’d have been pushing you to get his D inside you from the start. I just mean if your lack of panties tonight escalates the situation, it could get you to the fancy white dress faster. And then you can have all his babies. Since we’re on the subject, do you have condoms?”
My lips twitched. “No, but I went back on birth control already.”
“That’s my adorable warrior princess. So responsible.”
I shrugged. “It might not be necessary for a while, and I’m not kidding when I say I don’t expect anything to happen tonight. But when it does, I don’t want to have to worry about whether or not one of us has a condom handy.”
“Smart. As soon as that man cracks, you want that dick.”
“Amen, sister.”
She clutched her hands to her chest. “Aw. I really hope it’s tonight, though. You deserve it a million times over. Plus, one of us needs to be getting some.”
“That reminds me, you haven’t been out with anyone in a while. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she said on a sigh. “I’m in a rut. It’s so hard to find a guy with the right attributes. Fuckboys share my general skepticism toward commitment, but they always think they’re so much better in bed than they really are. And the ones who are amazing in bed are inexplicably looking for a long-term relationship.”
“You’re complaining because you’ve met men who are both amazing in bed and want commitment? You realize how insane that is, right?”
She shrugged. “I never said it was healthy. But that’s not even the real problem. They’re all so boring. Both fuckboys and bedroom stallions who want real girlfriends. I haven’t even bothered in forever. And believe me, my vagina isn’t pleased. Modern technology is great, but there’s just no substitute for the real thing. Which reminds me, when you do finally get that big Bailey of yours to take you to pound town, I want all the details. And I’m also going to be insanely jealous and probably not speak to you for about twenty-four hours. I apologize in advance.”
“Advance apology accepted.”
She smiled.
There was a knock on the front door and Cara and I gasped, looking at each other like a couple of kids who’d just heard a sound on the roof on Christmas Eve.
Cara put a hand on her chest. “Why am I so excited? The only date I have tonight is with Lady Delilah.”
“What’s that?”
“Lady porn. It’s classy but still super hot.”
“Classy porn?”
“It’s a thing. Now go. Have a fun date with your almost-fiancé. Don’t worry, I won’t be here when you get back.”
I leaned down and hugged her. “Thank you.”
She squeezed me back. “I really hope you get laid. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
My heart fluttered with excitement as I straightened my dress and went to answer the door.
The specimen of rugged sexy manliness that greeted me when I opened the door sent a jolt of arousal straight between my legs. My entire body reacted to the sight of him. His piercing dark eyes. The scruff on his square jaw. The width of his shoulders and powerful frame.
He was so different from the Asher I remembered, but if anything, I was more attracted to him now than I’d ever been. Scarcity might have played a small part—I wanted him so badly I could taste him—but it was deeper than that. I responded to his raw masculinity on a biological level.
My heart and mind adored this man, and my body desperately wanted him.
His eyes roved up and down and I caught the quick drag of his teeth across his lower lip. “Wow. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks. You look great too.”
He really did. He wore a dark jacket over a button-down shirt and slacks. His shirt hugged his muscular chest just enough that you could imagine exactly what he had underneath it, and his pants strained against his thick thighs.
“Ready?”
I grabbed the little clutch I’d bought a few years ago, thinking it would be fun for date nights, and slipped my phone inside. Asher gestured for me to walk ahead of him.
His hand touched the small of my back and I nibbled on the inside of my lip. This night was off to a great start already.
“Do you mind taking the old beast?” He gestured to Grandad’s truck.
“Not at all.”
Actually, I loved the old truck. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, and it was hard to drive. But it was home to a lot of good memories.
We got in and the engine roared to life. He backed out of my driveway and headed toward town.
“So what are we doing tonight?” I asked.
“Dinner. And then I have tickets to the theater over in Pinecrest.”
“Really? How did you get theater tickets on such short notice?”
The hint of a smile played on his lips. “I had a little help.”
Did he mean one of his brothers? Which one of them would have suggested the theater? I’d gone to a show with Cara last year—it wasn’t really her thing but she’d indulged me—and I’d been wanting to go back ever since. It was a small community theater, but their productions were fantastic. Even Cara had admitted it was fun.
But I didn’t think any of his brothers would have known about that. Had he talked to Cara? I glanced at him, but he just winked and his dimple puckered.
God, his dimples.
He’d chosen the Greek place in town for dinner. It was a newer restaurant—and happened to be one of my favorites. He had to have talked to Cara. How else would he have known?
Wherever he’d gotten the idea, dinner was amazing.
Not just the food—although that was good. The whole experience. Asher was more relaxed than he’d been since he’d come home. He did check the restaurant carefully when we went in, and his eyes darted around periodically, like he was being cautious about his surroundings. But we talked—even laughed—and it was so easy. The comfort I remembered feeling with him was returning.
This new Asher wasn’t the same man. I knew that. He’d probably never be as easygoing as he’d once been. Prison had stripped him of that. And I hoped—for his sake—that his hypervigilance would ease and the anger I could see simmering beneath the surface would fade.
But the more I got to know him again, the more I knew I truly loved him.
They hadn’t stolen his compassion. He hadn’t lost his desire to protect the people he loved. His once-easy smile had become harder to earn, but it wasn’t gone. And he still had his sense of humor. He would always be intelligent and hard-working, and his loyalty ran deep.
The question wasn’t whether I still loved Asher. I did, from the very bottom of my heart and soul. The question was whether he still loved me.
Physical attraction aside—it was clear we still had that—did he still want me? How much of his guardedness and reluctance to reestablish our relationship was because he didn’t feel the same way about me anymore?
That sobering thought hit me as he led me out to his truck. After all, I’d been the one chasing him since he’d come home. The only reason we were on this date was because I’d goaded him into it.
At some point, I was going to have to bring it up. He’d told me, more than once, how he felt about being with me—given me reasons for the distance he was keeping between us. But he hadn’t told me how he felt about me.
Specifically, whether he still loved me or not.
But tonight wasn’t the time. I wanted to enjoy this date for what it was—a pleasant evening with a sexy-as-hell man.
The drive out to Pinecrest was about thirty minutes along a curving highway through the mountains. Dusk fell and the clear sky was tinged with pink and orange. We only passed a handful of other cars—not surprising for a weeknight out here. It would be busier at the height of summer, when outdoorsy tourists flocked to the Cascades. For now, we rolled down the empty highway, idly chatting, no sense that there was any hurry.
When we got to the Starlight Community Theater, Asher found parking a couple of blocks up the street. Like the gentleman he’d always been, he opened my door and offered a hand to help me out. He once again walked beside me with his hand lightly brushing the small of my back. I wasn’t ashamed to admit I was so starved for his touch that this small gesture filled me with giddy warmth. It was almost disappointing to get inside.
Until we found our seats. Then I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The theater was housed in an old building that showed its age. There were cracks in the wallpaper and the thick velvet curtains hiding the stage from view were a faded shade of burgundy. It was small enough that there probably wasn’t a bad seat in the house. But the seats themselves were tiny and set very close together.
I lowered myself into the upholstered chair and Asher took his seat beside me. There was no way for us to sit without touching. Especially because Asher was not a small man.
An older couple made their way down our row and nodded to Asher. Their seats were right next to him, forcing him to lean in my direction so he wouldn’t crowd them. A few minutes later, the seats beside me filled. With a contented sigh, I shifted to my left. Squish beside Asher? Gladly.
His shoulders were so much wider than the seat, I had to tuck myself partially behind him. He put his arm on the arm rest, taking up his and mine, but I had a feeling he’d be more comfortable if he laid his arm over my thigh. If he didn’t do it on his own, I decided I’d give him a nudge once the play started.
With nowhere to put my arm, I slipped it around his. There was stiffness in his posture, like he was trying to create space between us where there was no space to be had. But I embraced the closeness, relaxing against him. Enjoying his warmth.
The lights dimmed and the curtains parted. Asher shifted in his seat and moved his arm, gently draping it over my leg. My lips twitched with a smile. This was even better.
It didn’t take long before I had no idea what was happening on stage.
The audience laughed. I rested my cheek against his arm. The audience sighed. I turned my face slightly so I could inhale his scent
. The audience gasped. It sounded like a good show, but I was lost in the feel of him pressed so close against me.
As the play went on, he relaxed. He splayed his palm over my thigh. Then his fingers idly shifted the hem of my dress and he traced circles over the skin just above my knee. Without really meaning to, I tipped my legs apart another inch and I felt his sharp intake of breath.
But he didn’t pull away.
Toward the end, he tilted his face toward me and inhaled deeply. God, he was smelling my hair. I nuzzled my cheek against him, reacting to his touch and attention. I smelled him again, not even trying to hide it. He was the human equivalent of a potent drug—deliciously intoxicating and completely addicting.
The play could have lasted hours longer as far as I was concerned, but eventually the cast gathered and took a bow while the audience applauded. Maybe it was a little bit sneaky, but I kept my arm wound around his while I clapped so he wouldn’t move too soon.
The house lights turned on. We stood and I wondered if my left cheek was more flushed than my right from leaning on him for so long. I felt dizzy, like I’d been jerked awake unexpectedly and was having trouble coming to. Two hours squished in too-small seats with Asher had shaken my equilibrium.
He led me out through the lobby and as soon as the cold night air hit my skin, I grabbed my bare arms. The temperature had dropped, and I’d spent the last two hours wrapped in Asher’s body heat.
“Cold?” he asked, already sliding his jacket from his shoulders. He put it around me, and I grabbed the lapels to keep it on.
“Thanks. Will you be warm enough?”
“I’ll be fine.”
He walked me up the street to where he’d parked the truck. I hoped he wouldn’t ask too many questions about the play. I couldn’t have guessed what it had been about. The audience had seemed to enjoy it, but I’d been engrossed in enjoying him.
We got in the truck and he glanced at me. “The play was… good.”
“Yeah, I really enjoyed it.” Or, more accurately, I enjoyed sitting so close to you.
“Me too.”
We headed for the highway beneath a sky blanketed with stars. It reminded me of summer nights when we were kids, spent lying in the bed of this very truck, pointing out the constellations and making up our own.
Fighting for Us: A Small Town Family Romance (The Bailey Brothers Book 2) Page 21