by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne
Dressed in her workout gear of yoga pants and a sports top, Austen crossed the parking lot, headed for the sidewalk that would take her to Main Street. She stuffed her hands in her pockets to ward off the chill of the early morning air.
It was just after five, and chilly. After suffering a long night filled with sexual frustration that even her favorite battery-operated toy couldn’t completely alleviate, she was sorely in need of a serious caffeine jolt and had woken up with the worst craving for one of the Garden of Eatin’s vanilla lattes.
Nearly to the sidewalk, she did a double-take at the man asleep behind the wheel of a white pickup. Wyatt?
She started toward him, taking in the way his head lolled back against the headrest. When she drew nearer she saw that his mouth was partially open, his chest rising and falling in an even rhythm. What the hell was he doing here, asleep in a strange truck?
Standing directly beside his window, she lifted a hand and gently tapped on it. He jerked awake like she’d fired a gun, his frantic gaze calming only when he focused on her standing there.
“Hey,” he mumbled, reaching up to grimace and rub the back of his neck.
“What are you doing sleeping out here?” she asked.
He rolled down the window and Grits climbed over the top of him to stick his head through the window, trying to lick her. She patted him while she waited for Wyatt’s response.
“Long story,” he said, and frowned. “What time is it?”
“Ten after five. Wyatt.” His sleep-bleary eyes focused on her. “Why did you stay here in this truck last night?”
“I thought I saw someone watching me after you went inside. They were in a car at the back of the parking lot and took off when I saw them.” He shrugged, the motion tight, almost defensive. “After those texts, I didn’t want you to be here alone, just in case.”
She melted a little. “You could have just come up to my room.”
He snorted. “Not a good idea.”
She thought it would have been one hell of an idea.
His frown deepened. “What are you doing up and dressed already?”
“Couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d wander down to the café for the biggest latte they can make me.” Withdrawing her hand from Grits’s head, she folded her arms and gave Wyatt a stern look. “Whose truck is this?”
“My brother Easton’s. He came and traded vehicles with me.”
“And you stayed out here all night because of that car?” There had to be more to it.
He lifted a shoulder. “I learned in Afghanistan not to ignore my gut, so I couldn’t leave last night. Wanted to make sure you were safe.”
Her heart turned over. She couldn’t believe he’d spent the entire night like that, his huge frame squished into the front seat. He must be stiff and sore, sitting up like that for so long, and she doubted he’d slept even as well as she had when she’d managed to doze off. All because he’d wanted to guard her.
God, he was such a complex man. Hard in a lot of ways, and soft in so many others. She never knew what to expect from him.
She sighed. “You remember I was a firefighter, right? And I’m a pretty big girl, in case you haven’t noticed. I wouldn’t make for an easy target. I’m not helpless.”
“I know. I just…I felt like I needed to stand watch.”
Awww. She eyed him for a long moment. “Feel like an early morning walk? I owe you a coffee at the very least.”
“You don’t owe me anything. But I’ll go with you if you want the company.”
“I do.” She stepped back to let him get out, accepted Grits’s leash when Wyatt handed it to her. The little dog jumped down and scampered up to her feet, his tail going a hundred miles an hour. “You’re a morning person, huh?” she asked him, giving his head a scratch.
“You have no idea,” Wyatt muttered as he got out and stretched his arms over his head, bringing her attention to the way his muscles flexed. And when she saw what was written on the front of his T-shirt, she couldn’t help the shocked laugh that escaped her.
I had a blast in Afghanistan.
Another laugh burst out of her. Really? It seemed so unlike him. “Huh. So you do have a sense of humor after all,” she teased.
“Guess so,” he said with a grin that did funny things to her insides. “Easton gave it to me last night.”
“I like it.”
“Yeah, me too. Ready?”
For? She’d lost her train of thought completely because she’d been gazing into his eyes. “Yes.” She held Grits’s leash as they walked down Main Street toward the café. The dog trotted a little in front of her, pulling to the side whenever he smelled something interesting.
“Who’s walking who there?” Wyatt asked, amusement in his voice.
She looked over at him, surprised. “What?”
He shook his head, a grin playing around his mouth. “You gotta show him who’s boss.”
Fine. She shortened the leash and gave a sharp tug. “Grits. Heel.”
The dog glanced back at her, ears perked, then faced forward and carried on exactly as before. Austen shot him an annoyed look. Buddy, you’re making me look bad.
“So, get any sleep last night?” she asked Wyatt casually.
“Yeah, some.” He glanced at her. “You?”
“Same. Guess I was feeling…restless.”
At that his eyes heated, and the hunger there was ten times as powerful to her because he was always so contained. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit she’d wondered what he’d be like in bed, whether he’d be controlled or whether he’d let the leash slip on his need. She mentally bit her lip as something low in her abdomen fluttered.
“You know where to find me if you want to take care of that.” His voice was low, sexy as hell.
Oh, so it was going to be like that, was it? He was waiting for her to drop the hammer and make the next move?
It threw her. In the past, the men she’d dated—even John—had always been the pursuer. That was her comfort zone, to sit back and let them woo her. But she had to admit, the prospect of seducing Wyatt was surprisingly hot.
Various scenarios played in her mind as they walked to the café. Surprising him at the cabin while he was asleep seemed pretty damn sexy. She’d crawl under the sheets beside him and stop his question with a slow, deep kiss, then explore him from head to toe, learning what made him suck in his breath and what made him moan.
She’d bet he slept naked. Starkly, gloriously naked, those lucky sheets caressing his warm, bare skin.
She was prevented from making a witty comeback because her brain had suddenly ceased to function, and another couple was walking their dog toward them. Grits went all giddy, hopping on his hind legs and whimpering, tail a blur of motion.
Austen gave him more leash and let him go up to sniff the lab mix. They did the whole butt-sniffing thing and started moving in a circle, getting their leads tangled in the process.
“Aw, he’s so sweet,” the other woman said, bending to pet Grits. “How old is he?”
“Two,” Wyatt answered, standing there like a proud papa as he watched Grits interact with the other dog.
Austen couldn’t contain her snicker as they began walking away. “Nah, you’re not attached to him at all.”
He gave an easy shrug, a half-grin on his face. “What can I say, he’s growing on me.”
At the café they ordered a giant latte for her and a large black coffee for him, along with some pastries, then sat at a table out back on a pretty brick patio covered by a pergola. The wisteria growing on it was in full bloom, scenting the air with its sweet fragrance and dropping lavender petals on the rust-red bricks.
A few minutes into their breakfast he glanced up to find her watching him, and raised an eyebrow.
She shook her head once and wrapped her hands around her warm mug. “I didn’t see you coming, Wyatt. When I moved here, the last thing I expected was to become interested in someone.”
“Is that what you are
? Interested?”
“Extremely interested. I’m not the only one, right?”
The look he gave her over top of the rim of his mug made her toes curl in her trainers. “You couldn’t tell while I was kissing you last night?”
Oh, his voice while he said it, all low and gravelly. It made her insides melt. “Just wanted to confirm. And now you’ve had a night to sleep on it. Still haven’t changed your mind?”
His gaze heated, and his expression turned lazy as he stared back at her. She was dying to know what it would be like with him in bed. “Nope.”
A grin tugged at her mouth. “Good.”
A few other people trickled out to join them, so they kept the conversation neutral for the rest of their visit. But all the while, tingles of excitement fizzed in her stomach like the finest champagne.
Afterward they walked back to her motel. He was vigilant, but not on guard and being next to him made her feel safe. “Any word on who might have sent you those texts?” she asked.
“None. Whoever it is must be using burner phones. He or she was in the area, but I don’t have a name.”
She stopped in front of her door. It was adorable to see such a big man walking a toy breed. Piper was right about his big heart underneath that alpha exterior.
Without giving herself time to overthink it, she cupped the side of his face with one hand and leaned in to cover his lips with hers. He made a low sound in the back of his throat that made her core clench and slipped a hand into her hair, cradling her head in his palm as he kissed and teased and stroked until her legs began to feel weak.
When he lifted his head a minute later she was breathless, one hand braced on his solid chest. She could feel his heart thudding beneath her palm, sure and steady.
She rubbed her hand over the spot, smiled up at him. “See you at work in a little while?”
Hunger burned in his eyes. “You can count on it, sweetheart.”
The endearment sent a wave of heat through her body. She locked the motel room door behind her, hoping she could count on a whole lot more from him later on tonight. Maybe even the start of something wonderful.
* * *
Late that afternoon Austen was busy working on the kitchen cabinets she’d built. To match the existing woodwork scattered elsewhere throughout the room, she’d decided to add embellishments like scrollwork and fleurs-de-lis on some of the trim.
She paused when she spotted Wyatt in her peripheral vision. Shutting off the sander, she pushed her goggles to the top of her head and faced him. “Hey.”
“You’re making good progress,” he said, inspecting what she’d accomplished so far.
“Sort of. Not nearly as fast as I’d like though.” She checked her watch then glanced back at him. “You taking off?”
“Yeah, have to take my dad in for another appointment. You okay here without me? A couple of the guys are still working but Eddie and Scott just left.”
“Yeah, I’m good.” The way Wyatt was willing to step up and help his father made her admire him all the more. “See you in the morning then?”
He hesitated, and she could tell he didn’t want to leave. Was he worried about her safety? She was perfectly safe here. “Want to come out to the house for dinner tonight? My brother Easton will be there, and maybe my sister, if she can make it. If you’re not comfortable with it, though, I understand.”
The offer took her by surprise. Wyatt was a private person. “No, I’d love to come. Can I bring anything?”
He shook his head. “Nah, we’ll handle it. Around seven?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
As he turned and walked away she admired the way he moved. Solid, confident, a man who knew who he was and what he wanted. So sexy.
She finished sanding everything down and was getting ready to glue the embellishments onto one of the cabinets when movement to her right caught her eye.
Pausing, she was startled to find Piper standing there. A saw whined upstairs, the smell of sawdust thick in the air. “Hey, you finally came to check the place out.”
“I couldn’t resist,” Piper said, grinning at her before gazing around the gutted kitchen. “Wow, sure looks different in here.”
“Yeah. Right now we’re in that ugly in-between phase where everything looks a whole lot worse before it’ll start looking better.”
Piper held up a familiar pink bag. “Brought you something. Can you take a break?”
“Sure can.” She eyed the bag with interest. “What’d you bring?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” She angled her head toward the rear doors that led from the kitchen out onto the back deck. “Care to eat outside?”
Austen led the way out onto the deck where she’d placed the plastic folding chairs she’d bought at the hardware store. “Have a seat.”
Piper sank into one of them and stretched her legs out in front of her, the frayed cuffs of her jean shorts stopping halfway up her thighs. Her toenails were a bright, shocking pink and a delicate gold chain wrapped around her ankle. Birds chirped in the trees and a hummingbird dipped down to sip out of the feeder Austen had hung. “It’s nice back here.”
“Would almost be peaceful if not for all the hammering and sawing going on inside,” Austen joked as banging and whining filtered out from inside.
“It’ll totally be worth it when it’s finished.” Piper dug into the bag and handed over something brown wrapped in plastic.
Austen took it, her stomach growling. “A brownie?”
“Yep. I meant to make you some homemade ones but I ran out of time and had to squeeze in an extra showing this morning. I promise I’ll bring some over soon though.”
“It’s okay, this is awesome. I so needed a sugar fix.” Austen bit into it, savoring the rich, chewy treat, and moaned. “Yum.”
Biting into her own, Piper smiled. “Yep, the real deal, made with lots of butter and melted chocolate.”
They ate in silence for a minute, and Austen studied the other woman. “You look good. Things going better now?”
Piper sighed and finished her mouthful before answering. “I guess. I finally broke down and had Greg served with a restraining order. So far he’s abided by it, hasn’t called or showed up or ‘accidentally’ run into me in town. I hated doing it, but he didn’t leave me with many other options.”
“I’m sorry. But I’m glad you took steps to protect yourself.” Hard to understand how Piper had gotten mixed up with someone like Greg. She was so damn nice.
“He didn’t always used to be like this,” she said softly. “Whatever happened to him on his last tour changed him forever. He came home a completely different person, with a short fuse and no patience for anything. He got help for a while but then he just started drinking to numb everything. Eventually he lost his job as sheriff and that’s when he started using drugs. Abusing prescription meds at first, then harder stuff. I tried to help him, but…”
Austen reached over and wrapped her fingers around Piper’s hand. “Addiction sucks. And no one can help him except himself.”
“I know that. It’s why I finally got up the nerve to leave and file for separation. I woke up and realized things were only going to get worse. Part of me feels guilty, like I’ve abandoned him or something, but I refused to let him drag me down into the muck with him again.” She pushed her long bangs out of her face. “It was so damn embarrassing, being tied to him when he’d show up drunk somewhere, or high, or get charged with a DUI. People lost respect not only for him, but for me, too. That was almost as hard as watching him self-destruct right in front of me and not being able to stop it.”
Austen squeezed her hand then sat back. “Sorry. I’m glad you got out.”
“Me too. It’s just been hard to reinvent myself. His family is powerful and wealthy, they have a lot of clout in this state. I’d given up my teaching career to help out with all the charities they ran, always going to functions and fundraisers. It was exhausting, and now I can admit that I didn’t l
ove it. I got my real estate license just before we split, so I would have something to help shore up my finances and pay down the debt he put us into.”
“Are you gonna go back to teaching?”
“Yep. For now though, real estate sales have been steady and the money’s good. I’m paying off the debt slowly but surely and should be in the black by next year if all goes well. I make way more selling real estate than I would from a teacher’s salary, so for right now it’s working for me. But I’ve got big plans in the works. It’s time to shake things up and start over.” Piper waved a hand. “Anyway, enough about me.” She leaned forward, her eyes intent on Austen’s face. “Tell me about you and Wyatt.”
Austen laughed softly. “Wow, don’t beat around the bush, okay?”
Piper grinned. “Okay, I won’t. So? What’s the scoop?” She took a big bite of brownie, her hazel eyes wide and full of interest.
“The honest answer is, I don’t really know.”
Piper stopped chewing. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” she said around the mouthful of brownie, her expression disappointed.
“I don’t know where we’re at exactly. I think maybe we’re seeing each other.”
“You think?”
“He did just invite me over to dinner at his dad’s place, though. He said Easton and their sister might be there.”
“Oh, wow.” Piper lowered the brownie. “That’s huge.”
“It is?”
She gave a solemn nod. “Big time. He never asks people over for family dinners. I mean, I don’t count, because I’m kind of an honorary Colebrook, but you? Oh yeah.” A huge smile spread across her face. “This is so exciting.”
Piper’s enthusiasm was infectious, but Austen refused to get all worked up over something she wasn’t even sure meant anything. “It’s not…weird for you? I mean, given that you guys used to date and everything.”
Piper made a scoffing sound and waved the concern away. “Not even a little. He barely got to second base and it was a million years ago. Nothing going on with us since we were eighteen, trust me.”
Austen almost choked on her brownie at the second base comment.
Piper chuckled. “Did I overshare?”
