Forever Devoted

by Virginia Nelson

  Forever Devoted

  A Tempting Signs Novella

  By

  Virginia Nelson

  Forever Devoted

  A Tempting Signs Novella

  By: Virginia Nelson

  Published by Fated Desires Publishing, LLC.

  © 2015 Virginia Nelson

  ISBN: 978-1-62322-206-2

  Cover Art by Syneca

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  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

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  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  A Thank You from Fated Desires

  About the Author

  Also from This Author

  DEDICATION

  For Michelle

  Thanks for grabbing me by the ankle and dragging me back to life when all was lost.

  Forever Devoted

  Robbie Jacobs is content being just one of the guys. For years, she’s run with her ‘Pack,’ a group of rowdy boys she went to high school with, used to party with, and now leans on in times of trouble. She has a couple gal pals, sure, but none of them are as close as the Pack…

  Gray Smythe has been the unchallenged leader of their group of friends for years. Stoic, determined, he’s managed to be there for them all through some crazy shit. But when Robbie, the only girl in their group, gets into a car accident, the line between friendship and lover suddenly gets a hell of a lot thinner.

  One stubborn Taurus man who’s sure he knows what’s right and wrong and one woman fighting to win back her body and a chance at love… Will Robbie believe Gray is actually Forever Devoted?

  Prologue

  Gray met her in a ditch. It wasn’t a pretty or memorable setting, but, then again, even though he wasn’t quite twelve years old yet, he wasn’t used to life being pretty. Her hair was bright, sunshine yellow, almost white, and it stuck out in contrast to the mud that seemed to cover her from head to toe.

  “What are you doing?” He offered a hand to the girl and tugged her out of the muck.

  “Did you know African wild dogs live in packs like wolves?”

  Her muddy palm felt small and slimy in his.

  He shook his head at the nonsense she’d said. There was a kid in his class, something was wrong with him, and he was slow. He wondered if she might be a little slow, too.

  “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “Even if they’re not related, the pack hunts together, and it’s a social thing. They protect each other when they’re hurt. What happened to your face?” The girl went up on tiptoes to peer at his eye, and Gray clapped a hand over the bruise. The shiner was more than a week old, so he’d half forgotten it was even there.

  “None of your business,” he answered. Scraping his feet in the dirt, he began to walk away from her, but the girl followed.

  “I only asked on account of because, lookie….” Yanking up her T-shirt, the girl revealed her too-skinny abdomen, ribs sticking out of her like she was a stray and underfed dog. High on the side, there was a large bruise, still red and knotted toward the center. “My dad hits people. I thought maybe you had a dad like mine.”

  Stopping, Gray tilted his head back toward the sun. “My dad says you’re not supposed to talk about it.” Not sure why he’d said that much, Gray reached in his pocket and pulled out a roll of chewing gum. Breaking off a chunk, he offered it to the girl who took it and began to chew. He tore a piece off for himself, and they stood, chewing gum as he watched the mud drying on her cheeks. “Does your dad say that?”

  The girl nodded. “Yeah, but he’s an ass. Since yours is, too, I think we should make a pack of our own. You know, like the African wolves. We can play basketball and share gum and stuff. Nobody notices when I’m not home. You?”

  He blew a bubble before he answered her. “Nope.”

  “So what do you think?”

  He considered her, all wild-haired and big-eyed—covered in mud and smelling like his chewing gum.

  Holding his hand out, he wondered if he could find a way to make sure she didn’t get hit anymore. He never cared much when his dad swung because he was a boy and it didn’t matter.

  But she was a girl and tiny. And those ribs….

  She took his hand, her fingers twining with his in a trusting way, which firmed Gray’s decision to find a way to protect her. “I think we should make a pack. But I get to be the leader.”

  Snorting, the girl began to tug him toward the basketball courts at the back of the trailer park. “Why, because you’re a boy?”

  Smiling, he realized he hadn’t smiled for a long time, and it felt pretty good. “No, because I’m bigger.”

  A spark in her eye said she wasn’t going to let it go that easy. “If we’re a pack, we should have a secret vow or something.”

  “Like a spit promise?” When her nose crinkled, his smile burst into a laugh. “So, no spit promise?”

  “No, don’t be disgusting. How about something like, ‘I solemnly promise to be family, to protect and hunt with you, forever devoted’?”

  “Devoted?” Rolling his eyes, Gray scowled at her. “That’s a little gooey for a pack, don’t you think?”

  “Swear or not, your choice.” She tugged free of his hand and bounced into a jog. Racing after her, he snagged her hand again, spinning her back to face him. She was kind of pretty, under the mud…for a girl.

  “I solemnly promise to be family, to protect and hunt with you, forever devoted.”

  Her grin made it worth saying the silly phrase. “We’re family now. Forever. Let’s play basketball.”

  He let her tug him the rest of the way, hoping she’d be around the next day. It might be nice to have someone care whether or not he was around, even if she was only some skinny, muddy, weird girl.

  Chapter One

  Early November

  Eyeing the arrangement of balls on the table, Robbie cocked a brow at Gray. “I just don’t know how you’re going to sink that last ball, Mr. Smythe. With that lovely eight ball blocking your shot, you can either bank it or lose…to a girl.”

  “Let’s not either of us pretend you’re just a girl, Robbie. You’re a shark, and you’ve cheated. I’m not sure how, but no way are you winning. You’ll see. Take your shot, and let’s see if I’m still blocked when you’re done.” His dark brow arched, and his smile was fast, predatory.

  Something about that smile always made her feel safe, but tonight? Tonight Robbie had been shooting tequila and pool. Her broken-hearted night out with the guys to soothe her pain morphed at some point into some serious lusting for her best friend. Not that Gray would guess the sexual turn of her thoughts. He never did. It wasn’t her first night battling entirely inappropriate fantasies about a guy she would never—could ne
ver—date.

  “Sure, whatever makes you feel more like a man when I clear this table….” Cocking her hip at an angle intended to make him notice how much of a woman she’d become over the years, she slanted one last grin over her shoulder before focusing on her pool stick. Would be a shame to lose after talking so much smack. With a few shots—one of which was slightly off due to her booze-blurred vision—she’d managed to even the score. They each had one ball left to sink and the eight ball, of course. She managed to plant the cue ball right where it’d started—close enough to the eight that he couldn’t possibly get a decent shot.

  Leaning back, she chalked her stick and pretended to be casual while her body throbbed with a combination of lust and alcohol. “Your shot, hot stuff. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Once he’d positioned himself over the table, focusing on the balls, she allowed her gaze to roam over his familiar form. She’d known Gray Smythe since they were kids—partied with him, cried with him, laughed with him—and they’d gotten into a hell of a lot of shit over the years. Good times and bad, their group—the Pack, as they called themselves—had been just as likely to get in trouble as to be there for one another when it went swirly. Gray had led them until recently….

  It seemed everyone was getting married, moving on, having kids while she still wasn’t sure what she wanted to be when she grew up. Nearly thirty, she’d thought she’d figured it out a few times, but, for some reason, it always fell apart.

  Like the breakup she was currently trying to drink away. Troy had seemed as if he might be the one. Steady job, nice apartment, cute dog—all the things that should have sent her heart pitter-pattering and her feet itching to trot down the aisle hollering, “I do!” Instead, she’d done what she usually did—blew it. She’d practically shoved him away, using her friendship with Gray as the crack in their relationship. Troy wanted, no, demanded that she stop going out at all hours of the night to hang out with her buddy from high school.

  Robbie wasn’t willing to give up her friendship with the only man who’d ever made sense, who’d ever cared…who mattered. So, Troy was gone, and she stood watching Gray set up to try an impossible bank shot while she courted a hangover from hell by slinging back yet another shot of Jose’s finest. “You going to make that shot, pretty boy, or just stand there thinking about it?”

  “If you’d get your hip off the table, I’d shoot. As it is, your ass is blocking my shot.” He didn’t stand up or come out of his pose, waiting for her to comply.

  To satisfy herself, she stood and bent to lay her tits on the green felt. “Better?”

  “Look, Robs, either move it, or I’ll take my shot and bounce a ball off those big old titties. Your pick.” Gray shrugged, tapped his fingertips on the table, and waited.

  He wouldn’t do it, but still. Sighing, she stood and stomped over to the table, out of his way. “At least you’ve noticed I have boobs.”

  The balls clacked together as he managed to bank his shot, dropping his last one into the far left pocket. He lined up to make an attempt at the eight ball, and she gnawed her lip.

  One point at the center right pocket and then he slammed into the white ball, spinning it into the black and sinking it with a clack and rolling noise. He’d won the game. His smile as he strode to her side, backing her into the wall with his size, said triumph. “Robs, everyone notices your boobs. They’re enormous.” He snagged his beer and walked away from her, not even glancing back, and she shivered in reaction.

  She really had to get her hormones under control. He was her best friend, not available or interested in her in any way beyond the almost familial friendship they shared, so her shoving sexual connotations on his every move would only serve to drive them apart. Damn Troy for planting the idea of it in her head, anyway. Really, it was his fault—she wouldn’t be considering it if he’d not been so stupidly jealous of a platonic relationship.

  Annoyed with herself, she decided to dance and saw just the bowlegged cowboy to fit her mood. She’d seen him around a few times. He was single and generally drank too much, but he was in construction and built like a romance-novel hero. Jake? Jimmy?

  Whatever, he obligingly tugged her close, and they danced for a while. She forced herself to ignore Gray, who was leaning on the bar and chatting with various groups of people. Maybe if she went home with Jake/Jimmy/Whoever, she’d have a night of outrageous sex, a one-night stand—Everyone else had them, right?—and get the idea of Gray out of her head once and for all.

  Having made her decision, she cooperated when Jason—she’d been close enough with the name guesses—asked her if she wanted to go back to his place. She let him lead her toward the door, only stopping when Gray caught her wrist. “Where you going?”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow. Later.”

  “Robs, where are you going?”

  Annoyed, since he wasn’t usually so full of questions, she shook off his grip. “I’m a big girl, Gray. I’m not answering to you. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “He’s been drinking. You’re not going with him in a car, are you? Don’t be stupid because of too much tequila and that jackass Troy. Hang out, I’ll call us a cab.” Gray reached for her again, but she danced out of reach.

  “Quit with the big brother shtick, Gray. I’ll see ya when I see you.” Striding out into the night air, she reveled in the feeling of moon shoes the drink gave her. She was young, and she was free, the future spinning out in front of her full of possibilities. Climbing into the cab of Jason’s truck, she shot him a grin and buckled in. “Ready to go, cowboy?”

  “Hell yeah.” He spun out of the driveway, and Robbie grabbed the holy shit bar to steady herself.

  “No need to rush, sweetie.” Nerves made her pulse bounce—maybe Gray had a point?—but she cast off the worry. Nothing bad would happen. This was an adventure.

  She’d almost convinced herself she was worried for no reason when they spun off the road and the truck began to roll.

  Chapter Two

  Thanksgiving

  The room smelled like rubbing alcohol and, strangely, old feet. Tapping on the window, Gray forced himself to resist the urge to stare at her, as if he could will her back to herself with just his eyes. Gazing at her wasn’t going to wake her up, and, no matter how many of the doctors insisted she could hear him, he knew better. His Robbie wasn’t in there, not yet. He wasn’t going anywhere until she was back, though.

  The door swung open with a nearly silent swishing of air, and he snapped his attention that direction in time to see Rowdy and Twinkles shove their way into the room. “She up yet?” Twinkles demanded.

  “No.” Unable to continue resisting, he looked at her tiny form shrouded in a sheet and wired by tubes to various electronic devices keeping her alive. For such a huge part of his life, she took up a frighteningly small portion of the hospital bed. “Still not responding, but if one more doctor comes in here and tells me how to treat her, I’m going to scream.”

  “What do you mean, how to treat her?” Twinkles’ face crunched in annoyance.

  “What to say, what not to say, how to touch her…they’re driving me nuts. They don’t even know her.” Gray gritted his teeth together, suppressing a wave of an indescribable emotions. None of the nurses knew her, not like he did, so having them tell him how to behave grated on his already frayed nerves. If she’d just wake up….

  “She’s going to be okay, right, Gray?” Rowdy might be the biggest and loudest of the Pack, but he’d always been their gentle giant. As Rowdy stared down at Robbie’s prone form, Gray would swear the big guy was tearing up.

  “She’s going to be fine. Better than ever. You know our girl—she’s a hard-ass.”

  Gray wished he believed his own words.

  “Hey, Short Stuff, be great if you woke up and rejoined the land of the living. Promise to only harass you a little about your grand act of stupidity. Come on, gal, get back to us.” Twinkles squeezed her hand, and the machi
nes beeped on. The three of them stood there, in silent vigil to their fallen friend, before Rowdy broke the tense moment by clearing his throat.

  “You need anything, buddy? You look almost as bad as she does.”

  Twinkles abandoned the bedside to clap a hand down on Gray’s shoulder.

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” He’d not been sleeping, other than dozing in her chair. Her family wasn’t here—pretty normal for their group—and he refused to have her wake up alone and scared. “Get back to your wives and kids. I got this. I’ll call you the moment she wakes up.”

  “Take care of you, too, asshole.” Rowdy gave him a halfhearted playful shove before they both vanished back into the hallway. If Gray knew his boys, they’d stop at the nurses’ station before they left. Probably flirt a little…see if they could weasel out more nuggets of information about Robbie’s status.

  But they had families to get back to. Gray…didn’t. Back in school, he’d accepted the fact his alcoholic father didn’t have time for him and that nobody gave a fuck what happened to him. He’d accepted he was a worthless piece of shit from the wrong side of nowhere, bound for a great and glorious future either working in a factory or some other job he’d hate just to afford booze like his old man. But then he’d met Robbie.

  Her family wasn’t any better than his. Her father spoke with fists, not words, and her mother had been cowed into silence long before Robs was old enough to understand the way the world worked. She’d been a scrawny little thing, looking more like a stray kitten than a girl with her dandelion fluff of hair sticking out at odd angles because she’d cut it herself. And they’d adopted each other, become the family both needed so desperately. Eventually they’d picked up Rowdy and Twinkles, two other kids who needed someone who cared, and they’d all stuck together in a way only people bonded by real need would understand.