“I’m sorry, Josie. I just heard the news.” His heart skipped a beat.
The woman, in her early thirties and yet turning seventy quickly, sat down in the wicker chair, gazing out onto the street, but Seth doubted she saw anything. “He’d been sick for a while. You know that.”
Taking the chair next to her, Seth skimmed over the small glass table and saw his buddy’s glasses. His chest tightened. “He’d been struggling for some time.”
“He was, for so long. I should have seen this coming.” She reached inside of her front pocket and used a crumbled tissue to wipe her eyes. “I knew he wasn’t himself. Hadn’t been since he came back from the hospital. I wanted to believe that this was only a phase, but he couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Seth laid his hand on her shoulder, feeling her tremble under him as more tears found their way down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to wipe them. “I’m really sorry. I wish I had the right words. How are the kids?”
“Stunned. Shocked. Only the oldest understands. The other three keep asking when their daddy is coming home.” She sniffed loudly. “What do I say?”
“I don’t know. Johnson was a hero. Don’t let them forget that. Do you need anything? Can I help in anyway?”
A glimpse of a smile swept across her lips. “He liked you a lot, Seth. He was always talking about how you helped him whenever he needed it. You’ve paid our rent more times than I can count, and for that I’m grateful. The kids and I are leaving this evening to go to my sister’s in Texas. We need to be surrounded by family at a time like this. Barry didn’t want a funeral. I guess he knew we couldn’t afford the expense.” She stood, a little shaky, and sighed. “Thank you, Seth.” She patted his shoulder and disappeared inside of the house. The door closed slowly.
Standing and smashing his hat on his head, he headed down the sidewalk faster this time, filled with an array of emotions. Anger, disappointment, sadness, and confusion. Johnson had left behind a loving wife and kids. What demons lurked inside of him that he couldn’t fight?
Once he was settled back into the driver’s seat, it struck Seth that he had his demons too. Every time he thought he was moving forward, allowing someone to get close, he’d put up a steel wall. Talking to Reese had been the most conversation he’d had in a long time. He’d experienced enough loss to last a lifetime, and with each one came a new lock.
A man made his choices for himself and they weren’t always the right ones. Seth had definitely created his own bubble. He had a strong urge to speak to his sister. Angelina always knew the right words, always had the answers. And she too was gone.
He took out his cell and pulled up a number from his contacts. He started to hit ‘call’, but then hesitated. He hadn’t spoken with Quentin outside of email messages in several months. What would he say to his brother if he made the call? “Hey, bro, I’m having an emotional day. Can you help fix it?” No, that wasn’t in Seth’s nature. None of the Knight brothers had learned the art of communication and his own softer side was as narrow as a spaghetti noodle.
By the time he made it back to the drug store, Reese and Abby were waiting with a few plastic bags. He quickly helped her load them into the back, and whether he wanted to admit it or not, he felt a certain easing in his muscles. Maybe he wasn’t the loner he labeled himself as because he was starting to like her company. In fact, that was why he asked the question, “You hungry? The diner makes the best burgers and pancakes I’ve ever had, and I’ve been around the world a few times.”
Her stomach growled loudly and they laughed. “I guess that’s my answer. A cheeseburger sounds great.” The wind wafted in and picked up tendrils of hair from her flushed cheeks. She pushed them behind her ear and he admired how slender her hands were. Her nails were short and unpolished. She wore the same wide, silver band on her forefinger that he’d noticed a few times. It glinted in the sunlight. “The ring has sentimental value?”
With his question, she dropped her hand and rolled the band around her finger several times. “My dad gave this to me when I enlisted. Inside it’s inscribed, “God has your back.”
Satisfied, he drove them to the diner where a lunch crowd was starting to gather.
Lunch goers were already filling the booths and tables in the diner and he chose a spot in back where they could see out the large window, but still have privacy. He was greeted by several patrons and he gave them a quick dip of his hat in return as he passed. Although he’d never formed bonds with many of the townsfolk, he did have a few good friends he’d met over the years. He wasn’t sure if people were staring more at Reese or her dog. It wasn’t everyday people in these parts saw a stranger or a dog in a restaurant, but thankfully no one voiced any concerns about either. He guessed they knew better. He got along with everyone, but he figured a few were too scared to speak to him.
Once they were settled and had ordered garbage cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes for both, he played with the paper from his straw. She was watching him. “Did you get everything you needed?”
“I did. I guess I’m not like most women. I don’t need much to survive.”
The sun shone through the window and he was socked in the stomach at her appearance. Her dark hair, pale blue eyes, and flushed cheeks. She looked delicate and vulnerable. It was amazing to see another side to her, and yet it shocked him to the core that she was relaxed around him. “What were you like as a kid?”
“I loved dolls until I was introduced to toys that were meant for boys.” She chuckled and the lighthearted sound was like a pile-drive into his chest.
“Boy toys?” He relaxed back into the cracked cushion of the seat and crossed his arms.
“Trucks. Power tools. Guns. My poor mom. She came home from town one day with a new frilly doll, and I cried, demanding she go back and buy me the pretty, shiny car I had spotted on the shelf the day before. I realize now it was her attempt to make me girly. What she didn’t understand was that I could be feminine and still like boy toys.”
He smiled. “I bet you were a handful.”
“To say the least.”
“I have to say, those shorts and boots don’t conjure up ideas of a tomboy.” Did her cheeks turn redder?
She leaned her elbows on the table. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were offering me a compliment.”
He lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “A man is allowed to notice a woman, isn’t he?”
Working her bottom lip, the smile that crossed her lips made the hairs on his arms stand to attention, among other parts that were arousing very quickly. “Did you read a lot as a kid?”
“Books by the hundreds. That did please my mom. That’s why she’d stop at every yard sale and buy armfuls of used books. You’re a smart man, aren’t you, Seth?”
“All of the tests tell me so.” He had an urge to play with the paper again, but he resisted.
“I’ve heard of your tactical moves and capabilities. A man doesn’t keep so many of his troops alive without using logic and strategy.”
“It appears I slipped.” The words rolled out on their own and he wanted nothing more than to fish them back in. He wasn’t opening a door to talk about that day.
She sighed. “Seth, I know losing three of your men must have been hard, but it wasn’t your fault.”
He uncrossed his arms and scrubbed his jaw. “They were my responsibility. I sent them into an unsafe zone.”
“Looking back, was there another option?”
She was baiting him and he wasn’t about to stroll down memory lane, not here and not right now. “There’s always another option.”
He was grateful when they were served. Biting into his burger, he watched her over the onion roll, enjoying seeing her take a bite. A drop of ketchup dropped to her chin. He started to reach out to help her, but he caught his hand in mid-air. Instead, he tapped his own chin and she wiped the spot away.
“You are right. These are amazing.” She brought the shake to her mou
th and took a long slurp.
“Best ever.” He enjoyed his meal, but he believed he liked watching Reese more as she devoured the burger and fries, yet still managing to keep her face and clothes clean. She wasn’t worried about the calories or the need to nibble delicately. Just have a meal to nourish her body. He was a man that appreciated that.
“So, tomorrow we start on the cabins? Do you have a list?” She drank the last few drops of her shake.
“A list? No. But I know what each cabin needs. It’s all in here.” He tapped his temple.
“Whatever suits you.”
Seth was realizing rather quickly that he found her fascinating and wanted to get to know her better. He wondered if she felt the attraction too? He’d caught her watching him when she didn’t think he was aware, but that didn’t mean anything. It could be that she just found him an enigma. He’d been called that a few times. She hadn’t gone out of her way to be flirtatious or playing with her hair like women do when interested. In fact, he was quite shocked at the pull he felt for her. In his past, he’d gravitated toward women who were more polished. Those who never had a hair out of place, always had make up on, and enjoyed wearing clothes that showed off their attributes.
Reese had made out she was a tomboy, and although she was natural with no makeup and her hair pulled back away from her face, he wouldn’t use ‘tomboy’ to describe her. He’d call her approachable.
Maybe it wasn’t so wrong that he found her interesting and down to earth, but what could lead into a bigger issue was his wandering thoughts. Her messy, flushed appearance took his mind down a path where it had no business. He had a feeling she’d look the same after making love, or waking up in the morning after being held close.
Yes, these thoughts and feelings were definitely a mystery.
Seth shifted in the seat and it squeaked loudly. This was no place for his zipper to stretch. An attraction could make things messy, and he didn’t like messy. He didn’t need an upheaval in his calm life. And yet, he was glad she’d be sticking around for a while. It perplexed him.
There was nothing wrong with getting to know her better. Unlike most people, they understood the darkness in life. His instincts warned him he needed to tread carefully and keep his mind on track and his zipper zipped, but it was fine that they became friends. She’d be the perfect one to understand who he was and where he’d been, at least to a certain extent.
Satisfied that he could keep his attraction under cover, he popped the last bite of burger into his mouth and swallowed it down with his shake. “You ready?” He felt a little confined in the seat.
“Sure.”
*****
Reese swiped her hand through the condensation on the bathroom mirror and stared at her reflection. Once she’d gotten home from town, Seth headed to his cabin and she’d puttered around her’s, dusting, cleaning the fridge, and doing dishes. None of these chores needed done because she’d already done them every day since she’d arrived, but she had a restless oomph. She’d never felt this…aware. Never felt so energized.
Grabbing the brush from the sink, she pulled it through her damp locks while her thoughts turned to Seth. A lot of people struggled with why they put up walls and couldn’t have a relationship, but she knew the reasons why she tended to pull away from any attraction toward a man, even soldiers who would understand more than anyone about her deep-rooted feelings. Her nightmares, fortunately, had stabilized and she slept better now than she had in months, but there was always that chance they would reoccur. Then there were the seizures. Those too had gotten better, but the likelihood of having more in the future existed. It would be too easy to allow herself to rely on a man to take care of her, be her very own soldier who watched her in those times of need, but what happened when, or if, that relationship ended? How would she get back on her own feet after relying on another? Falling in love? And probably the most upsetting, what about children? Usually when two people loved one another, marriage and children were the next natural step. Although having children wasn’t off the table, she would have to be certain no harm would come of the baby if she had a seizure.
Whoa, she was getting ahead of herself. She’d never thought so far into the future and it was a little scary. This all sparked from how she responded to Seth when he was near. He made her think beyond the moment. He was aloof and withdrawn, but today he’d opened up more, showing her another side of him. He looked at her like he wanted to talk to her, maybe kiss her. She hadn’t felt this feminine in so long she couldn’t remember. It felt nice…real. Practicality when it came to clothes was always what she chose, never picking something revealing. While she was dating Brandon, she would get all dolled up on occasion if they were going out, but the second she stepped foot back into the apartment, she had her cami and jammies on. She wasn’t against looking seductive and sexy, just she didn’t concentrate on it.
For the last few years her attentiveness had been on managing her life, getting better and enjoying Abby.
Tonight, she would be accompanying Seth to the Mountain Mug. Of course, it wasn’t a ‘date’, but she couldn’t deny she wanted to look pretty. After all, he was a man who sent her libido into an uproar. He was not only built like a Greek God, but his mystery reminded her of a secret package, and she couldn’t wait to rip in to it. She laughed and it echoed off the wall. He was buff and toned, and his longish hair that touched his collar welcomed the tangling of curious, exploring fingers. He’d grown a thin beard again, and she wondered what it would feel like against her skin. Rasping her inner thighs.
Holy Moly, it had been so long since her mind had been so sexually active that it threw her for a loop, and yet, it felt nice. Having suffered in the past didn’t make her unwomanly. She craved touching, kissing, making love like the next person. Truly, it wasn’t a clever idea to have a strong desire for the man who controlled her future, her shelter, and could say goodbye to her without provocation—except for a contract that stated if things failed, he’d pay the compensation of a year of wages. Yet she couldn’t help but think that Seth wouldn’t send her packing unless she gave him reason.
Thoughts of him sent a warm, toasty sensation through her body, lodging between her inner thighs. Time had passed since she’d been with a man intimately. She’d always had a healthy sex drive. Indeed, making love was the best medicine for all issues. She drifted her hand down her chest, still moist from the shower, touching her hard nipples and tweaking the sensitive buds. Continuing the path down her stomach, once she reached her most sensitive spot, she closed her eyes, sighing. Picturing Seth’s hand exploring her body, she dipped her fingers through her damp core, the skin reminding her of silk, perplexed by how wet and ready she was with only her imagination at work. She couldn’t recall ever bringing her body to this point alone, ever having a strong need nestled in her center. Her pulse was dancing under her skin.
She envisioned herself stretching out on Seth’s bed, her breasts swollen and aching, her nipples hard and puckered while watching him undress in front of her. A private strip tease. Once he was naked, he’d surely take hold of his impressive cock, stroking himself, teasing her. The heat in her crux would draw her fingers to her most sensitive part and she would open her legs wide, stroking herself—following his rhythm.
Her folds dripped of dew now as she imagined that she could hear his ragged moan and raspy voice, whispering, “You’re so beautiful, baby.” He would whisper more sweet words, telling her how he couldn’t wait to take her, to stroke her creamy insides into orgasm. Once he joined her in bed, he would flick his wide finger across her clit, turning the flesh into a swollen bundle as their moans entwined.
She dropped her cheek to her shoulder, allowing the exotic fantasy to snowball. Welcoming her body to give in to the desire filling her muscles.
With her free hand, she clutched the cold sink, holding on for dear life as climax built into a storm within her, quickly and without mercy. Taking her prisoner. As she fondled and fingered herself, wor
king through the thickening juices, a delicious feeling rushed through her. Reese imagined Seth pumping her faster until his release flowed within her.
Overcome with a pulsing need, her muscles tightened while the orgasm ascended the invisible mountain, spasm after delicious spasm assaulting her body until her legs weakened and her heart beat so fast she thought it might blast from her chest.
Lost in the moment, it took her several breaths before she finally removed her hand from her slit and pushed herself away from the sink, gaining her equilibrium. A full sensation remained between her thighs as a reminder that she’d achieved release, but she hadn’t managed complete satisfaction. Only the touch of a man could ease that desire.
Heading into the outer room, she was a little wobbly until she dropped down onto the full-sized bed and stretched out, dragging the sheet over her bare hips. She’d become accustomed to treating herself to orgasms, as sad as that was now that she thought about it. However, she’d always used well-known figures to help her find release, like movie stars or a model in a magazine, but never someone she could reach out and touch—or make love to in real life. Again, she was going a hundred miles per hour in a twenty zone. Seth, although he’d noticed her, didn’t seem interested in making her fantasies come true...or did he? He looked at her today with warm eyes and smile.
Reese pushed thoughts of her sexy boss from her mind and pondered what she would wear tonight. While in town today, she’d come across a country boutique and stopped in. Instantly falling in love with the pretty, rustic look of the clothes. With tonight in mind, she’d bought herself a sky blue simple sundress that the salesperson told her would bring out her eyes.
What would Seth think of the dress?
She might never experience any of her fantasies with him, but she could daydream, and yet that was all it could ever be. One person with a flawed history was horrible, but two people together with issues would be a train wreck. And now that she was working as his employee only made things messier.
The Darkest Knight (The KNIGHT Brothers Book 3) Page 8
