One Step Away (Hazel Green Book 2)

by Cindy Kirk

  “You didn’t mean to tell me.”

  “It just slipped out,” she admitted.

  “You could have lied and told me the Dixon I know isn’t your brother.”

  “I don’t want to lie to you.”

  The tears began to fall in earnest now. For years, she’d kept her emotions locked down, refusing to feel too much. Despite having still so much to say, so much to tell him, she let the floodgates open.

  After several long moments, Nell sniffled and lifted her head. She would get through this. He needed all the facts.

  “When I was growing up”—more moisture filled Nell’s eyes, but she determinedly blinked it away—“I wasn’t a good person. If you’d known me then, you wouldn’t have liked who I was. I don’t like who I was.”

  “I would have liked you, even then,” he murmured, stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort.

  He was honest and good and sincere. She was a cheat and a liar. She was a con artist who’d viewed stealing as a game. Thoughts of all she’d done had the self-loathing she normally kept at bay surging. “Let me tell you—”

  “Shhh.” He pulled her against him, pressing her head to his chest. “You’ve told me enough for now. We can talk more another time. I’m always ready to listen. But I don’t need to know who you were then, because I know who you are now. And who you are now is incredible.”

  She, who had never clung to anyone in her life, clung to him, wanting desperately to believe that, despite her past, they could make what was building between them work.

  When he felt her steady, he stepped back, his gaze traveling slowly over her. “Better?”

  Nell flushed. “I’m sorry. I lost control for a minute.”

  His gaze was steady on hers. “You don’t ever have to apologize to me for showing your emotions. I feel honored that you trusted me enough to let down your shield.”

  She gave a watery laugh and swiped at her eyes. “My shield?”

  “I understand more and more why it’s been so hard for you to let me get close.” Sympathy shimmered in his blue eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through that abuse as a child. And I’m sorry those memories still have the power to hurt you.”

  “I’ve moved past it.” When she spoke this time, there wasn’t the slightest quiver in her voice.

  “You’re a strong, remarkable woman, but you don’t have to hide your scars—or your pain—from me.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Nell. Proud of what you’ve accomplished and of the warm, caring person you’ve become.”

  Had anyone ever said those words to her before? Nell felt the depths of his regard all the way to the tips of her toes. He truly cared about her. And in that moment, she realized something else.

  She loved Leo Pomeroy. With every fiber of her being, she loved this wonderful man.

  Her gaze locked with his, and desire surged. She suddenly had trouble catching her breath.

  “I told my parents it might be a while before we returned.” His glittering blue eyes never left her face.

  “Which means there is no reason to rush.”

  The despair and pain that had consumed her only minutes ago disappeared. Her lips curved. “It seems, Mr. Pomeroy, that for the next hour, you’re all mine.”

  Needing the reassurance that things were okay between them, Nell wound her arms around his neck and lifted her face.

  His mouth closed over hers. It felt amazingly good to hold him. To taste him. To touch him. She stroked the back of his neck, twining her fingers in his hair.

  How, she wondered, could such a simple gesture feel so intimate and erotic?

  “Let me take you to bed.” Need had his voice sounding raspy. “Let me make love to you.”

  She nodded, planting a kiss at the hollow of his throat to seal the decision.

  They walked hand-in-hand to her bedroom. When he turned toward her, Nell stepped into his arms. Despite the raw need she saw in his eyes, Leo appeared determined to take this slow.

  Tonight, there would be nothing—and no one—between them. Despite being together for months and making love more times than she could count, this felt like the first time.

  “I understand there might be things in your past you prefer to keep to yourself.” Leo’s gaze searched her face. “I want you to know there isn’t anything you can’t tell me. Nothing you can say will change the way I feel about you.”

  She stroked his hair, her heart a warm, sweet mass.

  His fingers weren’t quite steady as they touched the curve of her cheek, trailed along the line of her jaw. “I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.”

  Then, as if deciding the time for talking was over, Leo pressed his mouth to hers.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Searching fingers found their way under her shirt, and Leo made a sound of pleasure when he discovered she wasn’t wearing a bra. When his hands closed over her breasts and his thumbs brushed against her sensitive tips, Nell moaned.

  She wanted him. Wanted to show him how much he meant to her. In a single fluid movement, her shirt was off. Her drawstring pants quickly followed.

  Not to be outdone, his clothes hit the floor beside hers.

  After six months, she knew his body as well as she knew her own. The broad shoulders and the dusting of dark hair across the chest. The flat abdomen, slender hips and muscular legs. The clever hands that could make her alternately sigh or moan with pleasure. And that incredible mouth.

  Nell gave in to the erotic sensations, letting hands and lips that knew all her sensitive spots stroke, caress and arouse.

  He wasn’t the only one who knew little secrets. She knew what Leo Pomeroy liked. She knew what he liked, and she gave it to him, warmly, willingly, without reservation.

  There had been times when sex had been quick and fast, sometimes even rough, when the need had been great. But not tonight.

  The edge, the brink, was kept just out of reach as they showed the depths of their feelings for each other. When he backed off slightly, she begged for more, even though she didn’t want this to ever end.

  He gave her what she asked for, edging her higher and higher with words and kisses. Long, lingering kisses that had her drunk on the taste of him.

  Her heart swelled with emotion. She could kiss him for hours, and it would never be enough.

  “I love…kissing you.” The words came out on a breath.

  “I love kissing you, too.” Leo scattered little love bites up her neck.

  Craving his touch, she moaned and leaned back, giving him greater access to the sensitive area he knew so well behind her ear.

  The gentleness of his caresses, the sweet but intoxicating kisses he continued to bestow on every part of her body touched the part of her heart she’d once kept closed off.

  As those clever hands and mouth pushed her closer and closer to the edge, Nell fought to hold on to control. Remaining in control was a habit, a lesson learned early on and ruthlessly enforced.

  But Leo wouldn’t let her hold back and wouldn’t take his own pleasure without first seeing her satisfied. Even as she fought to not feel too much, to not love too much, he continued to stroke and caress and kiss, while rhythmically pumping deep inside her.

  She could hold on no longer. The orgasm hit suddenly, and love for him exploded inside her. She cried out his name, her nails clawing his back as sensation after sensation pummeled her.

  Leo held tight to her, kissing and murmuring sweet words until he was satisfied he’d wrung the last ounce of pleasure from her body. Only when the tremors settled, did he take his own release, plunging deep and shuddering.

  He lay there for the longest time on top of her, their bodies still joined. Nell wrapped her arms around him, gently sliding the pads of her fingers up and down his back.

  “I’m crushing you,” he murmured, but didn’t appear to have the strength—or the desire—to move off of her.

  “You’re fine where you are.” Nell kissed him lightly on the lips.
/>   His mouth curved when the kiss ended.

  “What’s that smile about?”

  “I was just thinking I could lie here forever and be happy.” Leo pushed himself to his forearms and gazed down at her. “As long as I’m with you.”

  What could she do but smile back?

  When he rolled off of her, he pulled her to him.

  Relaxing in the afterglow, Nell smiled.

  Her mother was in jail.

  Dixon had covered their tracks.

  She was with the man she loved.

  Life was good.

  The streetlights flickered on as she and Leo strolled down the sidewalk toward the cottage. The bed had been so comfortable and he’d been so warm that when Leo offered to text his parents that they couldn’t make it, Nell had been seriously tempted.

  Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she knew it would take all her makeup skills to conceal the ravages of the tears. Although sex with Leo had given her a boost, she still felt drained.

  But his family wouldn’t be in town long, and she knew they wanted to spend time with him.

  “You intrigued me from the first moment I met you,” Leo murmured, stroking her palm with his thumb where their hands were joined as they passed a butterfly bush in full bloom.

  “Really? I don’t recall you falling at my feet to impress me.” She fought to keep her voice steady, even as her pulse throttled up at his touch. “In fact, quite the opposite.”

  “I remember quite well our first meeting at Lily Belle’s.”

  “You spilled your ice cream cone down the front of my dress.”

  “Someone bumped me from behind,” he protested, but she heard the laughter in his voice.

  “You grabbed a bunch of napkins and were ready to help me wipe off before I stopped you.”

  “Yeah, putting my hands on your chest might have been a bit much for a first meeting.”

  Nell chuckled. From the start, there had been a spark that had drawn her in, even when it would have been safer to keep her distance. “Did you know I campaigned for you?”

  “You’re joking.”

  “I didn’t do flyers or go door to door, but I did tell everyone I knew that I thought you were the best choice for mayor.”

  “You never mentioned that to me before.”

  “It was before we met.” She shrugged. “I checked out your stance on issues and did some searching into your background. There was some stuff about Heather, but not much.”

  “The breakup occurred so close to the accident that my broken engagement was barely a blip on anyone’s radar.” His expression sobered, and he heaved a heavy breath. “I still miss Kit and Dani.”

  “I wish I could have known them.”

  “You’d have liked them.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “And they’d have liked you. Especially Kit. I think you’d have been good friends.”

  Knowing how he felt about his sister, that was high praise.

  “Promise me something, Nell.”

  The serious edge to his tone had her stopping on the sidewalk to face him. “What?”

  “Don’t shut me out. I can’t support you if I don’t know what’s going on in your head.” His gaze searched her face. “I’ll always be here for you. Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help. We all need someone in our corner.”

  Nell tilted her head back and stared into his eyes. “You’re a good man, Leo Pomeroy. You deserve only the best.”

  He shot her a wink. “That’s why I have you.”

  “Good. I’m not the last one.”

  Nell turned to see Matt striding up the sidewalk toward them.

  “We’re not late,” Leo told his brother.

  “Mom told me she wanted everyone at the cottage by seven.”

  Nell exchanged a glance with Leo. He appeared as puzzled as she was.

  “She didn’t give us any set time.” Leo glanced at the cottage as if he’d somehow find the answer on the deserted front porch.

  “What she told me was she’d invited Lilian and was planning to bring out the food at seven.” Suspicion filled Matt’s eyes. “I bet the party really starts at eight. She probably told me seven because she thinks I’m always late.”

  “You are always late.” Leo glanced at his watch. “Eight o’clock on the nose. It appears the ploy worked.”

  “You go first.” Nell smiled. “That way, we can be the last to arrive, not you.”

  Matt made a sweeping gesture toward the porch. “You go ahead. I don’t want to spoil my record.”

  Although Nell didn’t know Mathis well, she liked Leo’s brother’s irreverence and sarcastic wit. He reminded her of her own brother.

  The door opened before they reached it.

  Marty stepped out onto the porch. She gave Leo a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then wrapped her arms around Nell. “I’m so happy you could join us for dinner.”

  “Thank you for inviting me.” Nell found herself touched by the warm welcome.

  “Hey, what about me?” Matt pointed a hand to himself. “Middle son? Your favorite?”

  A laugh bubbled out of Marty’s throat.

  “I get it,” Matt continued. “You decided to save the best for last.”

  Her middle son’s teasing tone had Marty flinging her arms around him in a dramatic gesture. “Oh, my dear, sweet Mathis. I’ve missed you so.”

  Nell stepped into the living room and realized the Pomeroy family had been in the middle of a board game. A card table had been set up.

  “We can put the game away.” Tim rose to his feet to greet Nell and Leo.

  Wells did the same.

  “I want to finish,” Sophie whined. “We’re almost done.”

  “Go ahead.” Leo waved a hand. “Nell and I will check out the food.”

  His mother hesitated, obviously torn between her granddaughter’s wishes and her desire to be a good hostess.

  “Seriously,” Nell said. “We’re fine.”

  “Sit by me, Uncle Matt,” Sophie called out. “I’m winning.”

  Matt grinned and pulled a chair up next to his niece. “You’re the luckiest kid I know.”

  Leo took Nell’s arm. “Let’s see what’s for dinner.”

  Leaving shrieks of laughter behind, they ambled into the dining area where mountains of food covered the large rectangular table.

  So much food for so few people, Nell thought.

  There were several jumbo pizzas, a large pan of lasagna—still covered in foil—as well as breadsticks and a heaping bowl of salad.

  “Dixon and I could have eaten for several weeks on this spread.”

  Nell didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until Leo touched her arm and she saw the question in his eyes.

  “I was ten the first time Gloria left me and Dixon alone.” Nell touched the box containing one of the pizzas, her fingers traveling nervously over the top. “She’d jetted off for a week in Vegas with her latest boyfriend.”

  “She left you without any adult supervision?” Leo frowned. “You were younger than Sophie.”

  “I was ten, and Dixon was six.” Her lips quirked up in a humorless smile. “The refrigerator was empty, and we could only find a few dollars in change.”

  “Did you go to neighbors for help?”

  “I knew better. Gloria threatened us with bodily harm if we spoke to anyone outside the house.” Nell opened the box and stared at the large pie topped with pepperoni. She shut the box. “Everyone in the neighborhood hated Gloria. I didn’t blame them. My mother made enemies wherever she went.”

  “Surely your neighbors wouldn’t have held the actions of your mother against her children.”

  Nell lifted a shoulder, let it drop.

  “How did you survive?”.” Leo kept his voice even, but she heard the concern.

  “I stole food from the grocery store.” She lifted the top of the other pizza box. Hamburger topped this one. And, if she wasn’t mistaken, extra cheese. “I couldn’t let my brother starve. But I didn’t take
him with me. I could have used him to distract nosy clerks, but I didn’t want the responsibility of starting him on a life of crime.”

  Gloria would see to that part of his education. There was nothing Nell could have done to stop her.

  “You were ten years old.”

  “I was proud I didn’t get caught. I thought my mother would praise my efforts when she got home.”

  “Did she?”

  Nell lifted a breadstick and absently took a bite. “No. In her mind, I’d simply done what was necessary.”

  “She shouldn’t have ever had children.”

  “No argument here.” The breadstick felt like a leaden weight in the pit of her stomach.

  “Nell?”

  She looked up and found Leo staring at her with a curious expression. Before he could speak, Tim appeared in the archway.

  “Is the game over already?” Leo asked.

  “Sophie won.” Tim chuckled. “That girl is a fierce competitor.”

  “When we were little,” Leo told Nell, “Kit always won.”

  A shadow of sadness stole over Tim’s face, but he quickly rallied. “Soph is following in her aunt’s footsteps.”

  Marty began unboxing the pizzas, and Nell automatically moved to help her.

  “I’m glad you joined us this evening.” Tim took the foil off the lasagna, his gaze on Nell. “It’ll give us an opportunity to get better acquainted.”

  Leo, who’d started toward the other room as if to help his siblings put away the card table and chairs, paused. “We’re not playing twenty questions tonight, Dad. That never goes well.”

  “Sometimes better than other times,” Marty admitted with a smile.

  Nell cocked her head. “This sounds intriguing.”

  “The first time it happened, I was a sophomore in high school. I’d spent weeks trying to impress Tenley Phillips and had finally convinced her to give me a chance. Things were going well.” Leo shot a piercing gaze at his father. “Then I made the mistake of bringing her home.”

  “I was simply attempting to get to know the girl,” Tim protested.

  “Tim means well, but he can be a bit overzealous.” Marty cast a fond look in her husband’s direction.