FRACTURED HONOR

by Kaylea Cross

  Uh-huh. He wasn’t fooling her. I see you, Beckett Hollister, and your tender, squishy insides. Oh, man, this side of him made him even more dangerous to her. “No, I don’t think he will be.”

  “How old do you think he is, anyway?”

  “I’d say at least thirteen, maybe more. The good news is, he’s not going to be very active. In fact, I’d guess he’ll be sleeping most of his remaining days away. A walk up and down the lane once a day will be more than enough exercise for him.”

  Beckett nodded, looking around the room rather than at her.

  Sierra crossed her arms, overcome by curiosity. “So who’s Ella?”

  His deep brown eyes swung back to her. “She and her mom are in the rental house down the lane from me. Moved in about a month before I came home.”

  “Oh. And you…hang out with her often enough to feel obligated to adopt Walter for her?”

  He grimaced, rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s weird, right? I knew the two of us together looked weird.”

  “Well, not in a creepy way.” Only because she knew Beckett, and that he was a good guy beneath that rough exterior. But to others, yeah, it probably looked weird that he was hanging out with a young girl he wasn’t related to. She had known a child predator and Beckett was nothing like him. “Are you and her mom…?” She let the sentence dangle, got a frown in return.

  “No, nothing like that. She’s dating someone, I’ve seen him drive by and his car parked in their driveway the past few weeks. For some reason Ella’s taken to hanging out on my porch after school instead of going home. Maybe she’s lonely, I dunno, but most school days she’s there when I get home, and stays until her mom gets back from work.” He shrugged. “Tiana’s got her signed up for after-school care now.”

  “Ah.” It annoyed Sierra a little that she was so relieved he wasn’t involved with Ella’s mom. Jealousy didn’t become her. “Yeah, I guess you don’t have much time for dating these days, huh?” She couldn’t believe she’d said that. What the hell was she doing, fishing like this? That wasn’t exactly the hallmark of getting over him, was it?

  “No. You?”

  He was only asking to be polite. She turned away to shrug out of her lab coat, grabbed a disinfectant wipe to quickly clean the exam table. “I date here and there.” Like her upcoming second date on Friday night with a guy she’d been matched with through an online dating site. Though she’d already sent off an excuse by text this morning to cancel. He wasn’t her type and she was tired of trying to force something out of nothing. “Not anything serious since Jeff and I broke up last year.”

  It didn’t matter how many guys she went out with. None of them ever seemed to measure up to Beckett in her eyes anyhow, which sucked for her.

  “I heard about that.”

  “We weren’t meant to be.” In hindsight, she had walked away later than she should have in that instance too. At least she hadn’t let him move in to her cottage. All she’d had to pack up when she ended things were a few drawers in the bathroom and one box of clothes from her closet. “We’ve both moved on.”

  “I know how that goes.”

  Too bad I can’t seem to move on from the thought of you and me.

  She ignored the mental barb, straightened, and caught Beckett staring at her butt when she glanced back.

  He looked up so fast that for a moment she wondered whether she’d imagined it. His gaze snapped to hers for an instant then darted away, back to examining the posters about canine and feline dental and heart disease on the walls. Pretending nothing had happened.

  No, he had definitely been checking out her ass. What was that about? Had he finally realized she was a grown woman all of a sudden? Because sure as hell she’d never noticed him checking her out before.

  You’re making too much of it. He’s a guy. They check women out. Let it go.

  A subtle tension formed between them as he avoided her gaze for a moment longer. Finally, she cleared her throat. “I just have to sign Walter’s rabies and bordetella certificate. If you want to go out front, Macy will help you settle the bill and I’ll be right out.”

  “Sounds good.”

  The moment the door shut behind him she drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly as she thought about his eyes on her ass. “Stop it. You know it wouldn’t work out.”

  An irritated sound came from her throat. Simply putting Beckett out of her mind wasn’t working, especially now that she’d caught him checking her out and he’d saved Walter. Seriously, how was she supposed to resist a man like that, even though common sense told her to?

  When the paperwork was signed she took it out front, allowing herself to drink in every masculine detail about Beckett as he paid the bill. Her heart thumped when his gaze swung to her. “You didn’t charge me for the exam and nail clipping.”

  “Nope. One good deed deserves another, don’t you think?”

  “I didn’t bring him here hoping for a discount. I brought him here because you’re the best vet on the coast.”

  She grinned, flattered that he thought so. “Well not the whole coast. But thank you. And no, you’re still not paying for the exam or nail clipping.”

  He seemed annoyed by that, but then nodded and muttered a semi-gracious “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m finished here at just before six. When I’m done I’ll pop by with some dog supplies we’ve got laying around here. That sound okay?”

  “Only if you let me buy you dinner.”

  Her heart fluttered for an instant before her common sense squashed it. He’s not asking you out on a date, dummy. He’s trying to repay you.

  She’d take it, and maybe even attempt to put a few cracks in his formidable emotional armor while she was at it. It was high time she got to the bottom of why he’d been so distant with her. “Deal.”

  Chapter Nine

  Beckett glanced around the kitchen one last time to make sure everything was tidy, even though he’d just cleaned up ten minutes before. It was quarter after six. Sierra was coming soon and he wanted the place to be presentable. He’d even set the table and put the Chinese takeout into serving bowls rather than leaving it in the tinfoil containers.

  Look at you, getting all fancy.

  He scowled at the voice in his head. Shut up.

  She’d totally caught him staring at her ass earlier. Christ. His entire military career, he’d prided himself on his self-discipline. Had earned a reputation for it. What was it about her that reduced him to a damn horny teenager when she was around?

  He swung around to face the front screen door as light, quick footsteps sounded on the steps. Ella appeared at the top, Walter following slowly behind her. “We’re back,” she announced, pushing the decorative screen door open with a creak.

  His mom had thought the creak was charming, and had forbidden his father from oiling it. Beckett hadn’t touched it. Every time he heard that creak now, he thought of her. “How did it go?”

  “Slow, but I think he liked it. He sort of wagged his tail a couple of times. We saw a squirrel and all he did was growl at it.”

  “That’s because he’s lazy.” Not that Beckett blamed him. Old fella deserved the down time in his golden years.

  “Well, he’s retired.”

  Beckett huffed out a laugh and went over to grab a bottle of wine from the pantry.

  Ella eyed the table, then looked at him. “You set a place for me?”

  Tiana wouldn’t be home from work for a couple more hours, and with Ella here, he wouldn’t be tempted to do anything stupid with Sierra. “Mm-hmm. I texted to ask your mom if it’s okay, but you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

  A big smile broke over her face. “I want to. Thank you.”

  He had a serious soft spot for this kid. And ugly, unwanted dogs, apparently. As well as the gorgeous, successful town veterinarian. “Sure. What do you want to drink with supper? I’ve got water, milk, and some lemonade.”

  “Milk, please.” She sat herself
in one of the chairs while Walter waddled over and settled under the table with a loud groan.

  “Knock knock.”

  They both looked over as Sierra came up the front steps, a big box in her hands.

  Beckett rushed over to let her in. “Hey. What’s all this?” She was hot as hell in her violet fitted top that hugged her breasts and a pair of snug, dark jeans. Her chestnut-brown hair was loose around her shoulders, the setting sun glowing in it. She looked sexy and edible and…

  And maybe this was a really bad idea, even with Ella here to act as a buffer.

  “Just some things I thought Walter might use.” She breezed past him, her tantalizing scent trailing after her. She bent to set the box down on the floor, giving him another lust-fueling view of her ass, and pulled out a big folded-up dog bed. “I wasn’t sure if you had one for him already, but even if you do, you can never have too many dog beds. This one’s memory foam. Orthopedic grade.”

  Ella shot Beckett a smug look from over at the table. He cracked a grin. “That so?”

  “And here are some toys and chewies that will help clean his few remaining teeth a bit if he feels like chewing.” She got down on her knees beside the table and reached under it to give one to the dog. “Here, Walter. What do you think of this, huh?”

  Beckett gladly took the opportunity to stare at her ass some more. Her position made him imagine peeling her jeans and panties down her thighs, his mouth busy on the side of her neck.

  He envisioned grasping her hips while she stayed on her hands and knees, entering her from behind while he wound a fistful of her hair around his wrist, controlling every movement. Working her sweet spots with his hands and cock until she was frantic and begging for release.

  Christ. Now the crotch of his jeans was strangling him. And he was damn glad they weren’t alone together, because Sierra seriously tested his control.

  She backed out from under the table, and this time he managed to wrench his eyes off her rear end before she turned her head and caught him red-handed. “I think he likes it.”

  Oh, he likes it. Too goddamn much. “Good. You hungry?”

  “Starving.”

  Him, too. But what he wanted was forbidden, and he had to remember it.

  “Then let’s eat.” He pulled out a chair for her, and her little smile of thanks warmed him inside. He pushed her in, brought over a glass of wine for her.

  She blinked at him in surprise. “You remembered my favorite wine?”

  He remembered pretty much everything about her. “Yeah, of course, it’s from the vineyard down at Seaview Farms.” There were always a couple bottles of it out whenever he went to her or Noah’s place for a family dinner or get together with friends.

  “Well that’s very sweet of you, and I appreciate it.” She held it up in a toast. “I’ve earned this today. Cheers, Ella.” She tapped her glass to Ella’s milk glass. “Beckett.”

  He tapped his beer bottle to her glass.

  Sierra mostly chatted with Ella while they ate, asking her about school, the friends she had made since moving to Crimson Point.

  “How come it’s called that, anyway?” Ella asked.

  “What, Crimson Point?” Beckett said.

  “Yes.”

  “Because a long time ago, back in 1886, a big wooden passenger ship got caught in a storm just off the coast of the point out there.” He pointed toward the back porch, with the view of the sea beyond, and in the distance, the lighthouse perched atop the end of the cliff. “It happened at night, so it was really dark and there was no lighthouse here at the time yet.”

  Her eyes were wide, her little face serious as he continued.

  “The ship was wrecked on the rocks just offshore, and the sea was so rough that out of forty-one passengers, only three survived. Settlers here renamed the area Crimson Point because the legend says the water turned red because of…” He paused. Pretty gory stuff to tell an eight-year-old, especially over dinner that included a red sweet-and-sour sauce.

  “The dead people’s blood?” Ella asked, wide-eyed.

  “Uh, yes. I doubt it’s true, but that’s how it got the name. And a year later the lighthouse was put up so no other ships would wreck here.” Cheerful ending for the win.

  “Oh.” She turned in her chair to look toward the back porch and the view beyond it. “Some kids at school said the point is haunted.” She looked back at Beckett.

  “Do you think that’s true?”

  “What do you think?” she prompted.

  Yeah, no fooling this little one. “I think it’s possible.”

  “Did you ever see ghosts out there at night?”

  “A few times, yeah.” But he’d seen the ones trapped inside his head a lot more often than that.

  Ella got quiet.

  “They’re not mean ghosts, though,” Sierra put in, nudging his knee under the table and saving him from making up something ridiculous to put Ella’s mind at ease. “They’re just out on the beach trying to look for their lost friends and family, I think.”

  Ella’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Oh, that’s so sad…”

  “It is. But with the lighthouse, nothing like that has ever happened here again,” Beckett finished. “And it would be worse for the people who died if everyone forgot about them and their story.” Even as he said it, pain lanced his ribcage.

  Sierra darted a look at him, understanding clear in her eyes. He’d lost a lot of friends overseas. He’d lost his mom. At least if he remembered them, they weren’t completely gone.

  From under the table Walter gave a deep woof. He scrambled to his feet and plodded for the front door, floppy ears perked. A moment later, the sound of a car engine cut through the quiet.

  “My mom’s here,” Ella said, hopping down from her chair. She stopped, turned back to grab her plate and glass, shooting him a guilty glance. “Thank you for dinner. And for taking me with you and Walter to see Miss Sierra earlier.”

  “You’re welcome.” He got up and stopped at the front door while she rinsed her plate and cup and put them in the dishwasher. Man, she was such a little sweetheart. He’d never considered himself father material, but Ella made him reconsider that. Maybe someday, if he found the right woman.

  Like the one sitting at his kitchen table right now.

  At the door Ella slipped her shoes on. “Can I come back tomorrow and visit Walter again after school?”

  Like he was gonna say no to that face? “Aren’t you in after-school care?”

  She hesitated. “No. My mom’s boyfriend is coming over early to make us dinner.”

  “Okay. Then sure. As long as it’s okay with your mom.”

  Her expression filled with relief. “Thanks. Good night. Bye, Miss Sierra,” she said over her shoulder on the way out the door.

  “Bye, Ella.”

  Tiana was already out of the car. She waved and called out to Beckett. “Thanks for having her over. I hope she wasn’t a bother.”

  “No, not at all. She’s welcome here anytime.”

  “I appreciate that. She’s over the moon about Walter.” She greeted her daughter with a sunny smile and a big hug. “Brian’s coming over later, and he’s bringing dessert. Isn’t that nice?”

  Ella mumbled something and cast a look back at Beckett that he couldn’t decipher, then followed her mother to the car without further comment.

  Beckett shut the screen door and turned back to Sierra. And just like that, the atmosphere went from relaxed to a subtle tension permeating the room. They’d eaten dinner. Now what? He should be hoping she would leave, but instead found himself thinking up excuses to get her to stay. Not his smartest move.

  “Want to go sit out on the back porch for a bit?” he heard himself ask. “Sun’s about to set.”

  Surprise flashed in her gorgeous blue eyes, but she nodded. “I’d like that.”

  Him, too. The masochist in him wanted to spend more time with her.

  The wary, jaded part was tired of being alone.

/>   Ignoring that last thought, he took their drinks and pushed open the French door that led to the back porch. Four antique rocking chairs graced the deck planks that overlooked the ocean, each painted a different color. His mom’s was a soft pink, his dad’s a deep blue, and Beckett’s a dark teal green. He sat in that one while Sierra took the pale blue one beside his, and handed her the wineglass.

  She flashed him a smile that hit him straight in the heart, and stared out at the view. “This is just as incredible as I remember it,” she murmured. She was so damn gorgeous, didn’t even seem to realize it. And that only made her more beautiful to him. “It’s such a stunning, special place. I’m glad you decided to move back in.”

  “Didn’t have much choice,” he said with a wry grin. “I was going to rent somewhere but my dad wouldn’t hear of it. And the truth is, I’ve missed this place.” No matter where he went or how long he’d been gone, this would always be home. Even with the all the bittersweet memories and reminders here, he didn’t want to leave.

  “It’s a piece of you. Of all of you,” she said, motioning to his parents’ rockers.

  “Yes.” He glanced up at the hand-painted gingerbread trim around the porch ceiling, the manicured garden edging the emerald lawn that spilled down toward the cliff’s edge. Below them in the distance, the sun cast gold and peach rays across the sparkling ocean, rolling waves tipped with white foam echoing a muted roar as they crashed onto the shimmering beach.

  A sense of peace filled him as they sat looking out at the water. He liked having Sierra here, just the two of them. Enjoyed just being with her, because she seemed to be the only one who could make the ghosts disappear.

  She was watching him again. “Thank you for inviting me over. I was actually starting to get a complex where you’re concerned, but this gesture makes me feel a little better. Even though I’m pretty sure you asked me over as a thank you.”

  He angled his head toward her. “What do you mean, a complex?”

  She studied his eyes for a moment, the setting sun illuminating hers in a kaleidoscope of different shades of blue. He could fall into them until he drowned if he wasn’t careful. “Well, it sure seems like you’ve been going out of your way to avoid me since you got back home.”