by May Dawson
“Do you mean to be creepy or does it just kind of come naturally?” I asked.
“You always this sassy?” He leaned forward again, pointing to the darkness in the left. “You better brake. You’re going to miss it.”
I slammed on my brakes and made a hard left.
I looked behind me, one last time, at the dark, empty road I was leaving behind.
The car bounced over a rough, unpaved driveway, a long track that wound through the woods, as I headed off toward god-knows-where.
Chapter 6
I don’t know what I expected at the end of the long dirt path, but it wasn’t to emerge from the shadows of tangled trees to an open green lawn and an enormous stone house, almost a castle, flooded by moonlight.
I drove across the grass to park at the base of the porch steps. It was a sight, but I had no time to gawk.
Kai was already out of the car by the time I’d thrown open the driver’s side door. He moved impossibly fast and with such grace, it was hard not to admire his muscular form despite his gruff personality.
He leaned in to pick up the dog with gentle care. He straightened with the dog in his arms, his biceps straining with the weight, veins standing out on his corded muscles.
“Welcome home,” he said sardonically. “Get the front door.”
I ran up the steps ahead of him, crossing the front porch—catching a quick glimpse of a porch swing and a chess board flanked by rocking chairs—to the front door. A fancy security key pad glowed next to the door, and I hesitated.
“The door,” Kai said urgently. “Just get the door.”
I tried the knob and it turned in my hand, so I pushed the door open. The expansive entryway was a blur of hardwood floors and deep red paint, and Kai rushed past me, down the hall.
“Callum!” he shouted. “Callum, we need you!”
Then he thundered down a flight of stairs to the left, leaving me alone in the hall.
“Okay,” I said, taking a step back. Despite everything he’d said, he seemed frantic to get help for his dog. My instinct about Kai was he wasn’t as much of a jerk as he seemed to be on the surface. But maybe that was wishful thinking.
I was alone now, in this big entryway flooded with moonlight. Somewhere off in the distance, a dog howled. After a second, another dog joined in, the two of them baying together. The primal noise made my arms prickle, goosebumps rising, and I rubbed my hands over my arms to warm myself.
I didn’t belong here, and I should go back, get into my car, and drive away. A normal, smart girl would do that. I’d delivered the hurt dog to its people.
But it seemed safe here. I felt, deep in my bones, this was a place where I could get some rest, and I couldn’t make myself walk back through that door and into the night.
From behind me, Josh said, “Piper?”
I turned to meet his gaze, and suddenly the room felt hot and bright. He stood just inside the entryway, wearing jeans and a black Northface fleece that clung to his broad pecs and the narrow taper of his waist.
Did I have a crush on Josh? I’d never looked at a guy before and had it seem as if there was a glow around him, never had the room turn so warm that my cheeks flushed. I should tell him why I was in his house. But I couldn’t think of how to begin.
He swiped his hand through his hair, looking as lost as I felt. “What are you doing here?”
There was the crushing reminder that I shouldn’t be.
“I’m in trouble,” I said, which was true, too true, and inappropriate to blurt out. I tried to make myself smile into the divide between us as Josh’s eyes widened. “I, ah, hit your dog. Kai’s dog? Your dog? I’m so sorry.”
“Kai’s dog,” he repeated, his brow furrowing. “All right. Where are they?”
“Kai took him downstairs.”
“Come in the living room.” He rested a big hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to go check on them. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“He was looking for Callum,” I said. His touch on my shoulder felt warm, almost feverish, but his hand itself was a comforting weight. There was something protective about his grip as he guided me into a room off the entryway.
It was another massive room, but it felt comfortable, with a huge wrap-around tan leather sectional, a crackling fireplace, and built-in shelves full of books.
“Piper,” he said softly, frowning, as if he knew I was in real trouble. But he shook his head, as if he had something more pressing to take care of, then pushed gently down on my shoulder, encouraging me to take a seat on the couch. “One minute. That’s all. Don’t run off, okay?”
“I won’t,” I promised.
Just as Josh reached the doorway, a man burst in the front door. “You found him?”
“He’s downstairs,” Josh said quickly. The man who had just come in ran across the hallway, rushed down the stairs.
Josh glanced back at me, his eyes full of worry, then shut the door between us.
Alone again, I scooted across the buttery-soft leather to sit at the end of the sectional closest to the fire. I was starting to shiver now, as if the adrenaline of the night had worn off. The shivers made my muscles ache, bone-deep and intense as if my body was trying to shake itself apart from within.
Normally, on a night that had gone sideways like this, I’d be locked in my room. I’d crawl between the fitted sheet and the bare mattress for a little bit of warmth, because that was all he’d left me. I’d shiver alone in my fancy princess’ room that he’d stripped bare. The only thing worse than being a monster’s daughter is if that monster is king.
The door behind me opened. I knew it was Josh without looking back; I could feel the warm, commanding, confident nature of his presence. There was something magnetic about that boy.
“You’re shaking,” he said softly.
“It’s cold,” I said.
“Is that all it is?” He cocked his head to one side, studying me. Another shiver wracked through my body, my back aching faintly with the tightness of my cold muscles, and I leaned toward the fire.
He crossed the distance between us in a few quick strides, already pulling his fleece over his head. Each step revealed more of his body as he stripped off the fleece. One step, and he gripped the hem, raising it to reveal the defined squares of his chiseled abdominal muscles. Another step, and his elbows were even with his shoulders, revealing tattooed pecs. He had tattoos when he was just my age? Josh’s easy smile and flirtatiousness had made me think he was clean-cut and easygoing, but now I wasn’t sure. Another step, and his handsome square-jawed face disappeared into the fabric, his broad biceps defined in motion.
Then he held out his fleece to me. “Go on, take it.”
“You’re quite gallant.” I hesitated. Kai had been running around shirtless, and now Josh, too. These boys seemed allergic to clothing.
Not that I was complaining.
“I am, so I’d be put out if you didn’t humor me,” he said, shaking the fleece at me. His gaze caught on the side of my face, as if he was studying the bruises, and his voice went gravelly when he ordered, “Take it.”
I reached out to the fleece, and my fingers grazed his. Just touching him made me warmer, and I turned away, afraid my face would betray me, as I pulled his fleece over my head. It smelled like boy in the best kind of way, like pine and wood smoke and a faint, pleasant scent of fresh sweat, as well as crisp, clean aftershave. If he weren’t standing right in front of me, gazing at me with that look of concern on his face, I would probably bunch the fleece to my nose and inhale.
Instead, I put it on quickly and fixed a smile on my face as I drew my hair out of the collar. “Thank you.”
“Let’s get you warmed up,” he said, resting his hands on my upper arms. He rubbed them up and down briskly. “Are you going home tonight, Piper?”
The question surprised me. “Shouldn’t I?”
“It’s up to you,” he said softly. “Depends on what happened to you.”
“It’s nothing,” I sai
d.
“Yeah, I’ve run into that kind of nothing before too.” Something bleak flashed through his eyes before his characteristic smile came to his lips again.
I stumbled for something to say into the crackle of the air between us. “How’s the dog?”
“The dog is fine.” His lips twisted with the words, as if there was something funny. “Just a broken leg. No internal bleeding. He’ll be right as rain soon.”
“Where’s Nick?” I asked. “Were you all out searching for him?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Everyone should be heading back now. Are you hungry?”
He abruptly turned and headed for curtained French doors at the back of the living room.
My stomach growled faintly. “I guess so.”
“Come on, Piper.” He paused with his hand on the door, looking back at me. “I can’t fix what’s going on in your life. But if it won’t make things worse, I can give you one night away.”
“I don’t think anything can make things worse than they are now.” My father needed time to cool off. In the morning, there’d be hell to pay, but it would be survivable.
I didn’t know why I’d just admitted that to Josh, though, who looked at me with sympathy now. There was something about his gaze on my face that made it impossible to lie to him, as if he drew the words out of me.
“Then come on,” he said, pushing open the door.
I followed him, reluctantly leaving the warmth of the fire. The thick rugs over the polished hardwood floors were soft underfoot, and I glanced at the leather-bound books that filled the shelves, suddenly realizing how ancient and rich their library looked. I was curious, but I was more curious about Josh.
He was a cute guy, sure, but there was something strange about the instant magnetism he held for me. He drew me to him. I didn’t want to get back into my car and drive away from this house, but I also felt foolish, afraid that he’d notice I had a crush on a boy I met just today.
He led me into an enormous white-and-brass, eat-in kitchen with a table for six, and a row of dark wood stools at the long white granite island. He patted the island next to one of the stools, then continued around to stand at the gas stovetop. “What are you in the mood for?”
“What can you make?”
He grinned. “I can make almost anything. The fridge is fully stocked and I’m pretty amazing.”
“Really?” I asked skeptically.
“What, you don’t think I could be amazing?” His tone was teasing.
An image popped into my mind of Josh being amazing in an entirely different way—him standing behind me, his powerful arms caging me against the cool granite, as he rocked into me over and over. I bit my lip, as I imagined myself holding back a cry of bliss.
“I do think you could be amazing,” I said, “but I guess I didn’t expect culinary arts. I figured you’d be amazing at sports or something…”
“I do like to run.” He came around the island to me, putting his hands on my shoulders gently and steering me toward the fridge. He pulled it open, and behind him were rows of clear plastic shelves filled with produce and cheese and gallons of milk. He knelt to look through the meat drawer. “Do you want steak? Chicken? I can make you fajitas or a burger or…”
“Stop showing off, Mr. Mom.” Kai said from the doorway. He lingered there, and when I turned back, there was a hungry look in his eyes. I wasn’t sure it had anything to do with fajitas.
Josh rolled his eyes. “I’ll make burgers. Piper looks like the kind of girl who likes red meat.”
I slid onto a stool, resting my elbows on the granite as Josh pulled stuff out of the fridge and returned to the island with his muscular arms full.
“Mr. Mom, huh?” I asked as he took a long copper grill pan from underneath the island and set it across the burners.
“Without our parents, we all have to help out around here,” Josh said. “Don’t let Kai fool you. He’s the king of laundry.”
Kai pulled a rueful face. He settled on the stool next to me. His elbow brushed mine as he shifted, getting comfortable, and waves of heat radiated from his still half-naked body.
“You want to put a shirt on?” Josh asked him drily.
“You should put a shirt on,” Kai said cheerfully. “Grease splatters.”
“I’ll be fine,” Josh said. “I donated my fleece to Piper.”
“I can tell. I can smell you on her.” Kai’s nostrils flared.
“You think the fleece being four sizes too big is a clue too?” Josh’s tone was joking, but the look he flashed at Kai was warning.
“Did you ask Callum if it was okay for us to have company?” Kai asked.
“It’s our house too.” Josh’s jaw set.
“Well, he’s the…dad. Pretty much now.”
Josh finished forming a burger patty and laid it in the grill pan with a sizzle.
“How long ago did your parents pass away?” I asked.
“Going right for the big questions, huh, girl?” Kai said.
“Kai, be nice,” Josh chided. “You brought her here.”
“I needed a ride.”
“Thanks for your help,” Josh said to me. He melted butter into a frying pan and split buns in two, nestling them in the browning butter. The smell of beef and butter filled the air, making my stomach rumble.
“Which was only necessary because she was driving like a bat out of hell down the road.” Kai slid off the stool and headed to the fridge, returning with a jug of lemonade and three glasses. He poured a glass of lemonade and slid it in front of me. “What were you running from, Piper?”
I took a long sip of the cold, sweet lemonade, and then set it down on the island without answering.
“I don’t think she wants to talk about it,” Josh said. “And that’s all right.” He gave me an encouraging smile.
“Do you do all the smiling for both of you?” I asked, glancing from Josh to Kai. I hadn’t seen Kai crack a smile yet.
“Don’t mind Kai. He’s a little confused about what makes a man tough,” Josh said.
Kai’s eyes narrowed. I had a funny feeling they were returning to a fight they’d had before.
“And you’re a little confused about when to keep your mouth shut,” Kai said, but without rancor.
“Make yourself useful and get the lettuce out of the fridge.”
Kai rolled his eyes but returned to the fridge. I was a little bit surprised to see him listen to Josh. He leaned in, his back muscles rippling, and pulled out a head of iceberg lettuce. He washed it at the white ceramic farmhouse sink and then set it on the island with a thunk.
“Ketchup, mustard, mayo, all of the above?” Josh asked. When I nodded, he finished two burgers, set them side-by-side on a plate with a handful of potato chips, and slid them across the island to me.
“Two burgers? She’s human, Josh.” Kai said, his voice full of humor. “Girls don’t eat like that.”
I took a dainty bite of my burger, a bit too aware of the two of them looking at me. It made me think too much about chewing, suddenly worried I looked silly when I ate.
Josh put together four more burgers, and Kai took a seat beside me. When Josh pushed the plate across to him, he leaned over his food, stuffing into his mouth like he was starving. His shoulder brushed mine again, and as I breathed in his scent, the warm, pleasant odor of his heated body, I felt the faintest throb between my thighs. What the hell was wrong with me? He wasn’t even nice.
The burger was perfect, crunchy around the outside from the grill, tasting of char and rich beef, soft and tender on the inside. My stomach growled again, my mouth suddenly thick, and I went to town. Dainty bites be damned.
Josh’s eyes widened over the top of his own burger. He swallowed, then glanced at Kai, his lips widening as if he were self-satisfied. Kai glanced at me and then shook his head, returning to his own burger.
“Never mind,” Kai said, “you don’t eat like a girl.”
“He means it as a compliment,” Josh said, shootin
g Kai a look. Still, I set the second burger down, only half-eaten.
“Kai doesn’t seem like a big purveyor of compliments,” I said.
“Purveyor,” Josh repeated. “I bet you did well on the SATs.”
“I did okay, not that it matters.” My dad said I was too immature to go to college in the fall. The words stung like nothing else he’d said to me, and he’d said a mouthful. I wanted so badly to go off to college on my own and live in the dorms, to have the chance to knit together my own life.
But, maybe once I had a job and custody of Maddie, I’d be able to go back to school. It was a different life than anyone would have expected, given the privilege I came from. No one knew the man my father really was, though.
I could get out of there on my own. My father thought I needed his money and his blessing, and he wouldn’t realize he was wrong until I was gone.
“Why doesn’t it matter?” Kai asked.
I froze, then put a potato chip into my mouth, letting the salt melt on my tongue. I shrugged. “Not college material, I guess.”
Kai stared at me, his lips parting, his deep brown eyes troubled.
“We should start off getting to know each other with easier questions.” Josh rapped his knuckles on the kitchen island. “I know. We’ll play two truths and a lie.”
“I’m not playing a stupid game,” Kai said.
“Fine, you just sit there and be quiet then,” Josh said.
“I hope one of your truths explains why you all hate shirts so much,” I said.
Kai bobbed his head, and for the first time, I saw a small grin cross his narrow lips.
Josh shook his head. “She’s got jokes.”
But the teasing look he flashed me was warm, and I felt more content on this stool, with these two strangers, with my belly full and the sound of their warm, boyish voices, than I had in a long time.
Chapter 7
“You are such a bad liar!” Josh exclaimed.
When I tried to argue with him, making a case for the ‘lie’ I’d just told, I found myself giggling instead. I was actually a pretty good liar—my father had made sure of that with his brutal discipline—but for some reason, I couldn’t help smiling self-consciously whenever I tried to form a lie with Josh’s ocean-blue eyes regarding me skeptically.
