“Look,” she said, pointing. “There’s the waterfall.”
He smiled. And a good reason to postpone what I have no idea what I’m going to say. “Nice.”
They walked to a spot that overlooked the falls, and Reese lifted her camera and began snapping pictures. Brody watched her, enjoying the passion with which she worked.
I’d like to see her passion displayed in other ways.
A smile curved his mouth at the thought, and he remembered the kiss they had shared only days before. Then he recalled how that kiss was the catalyst that had made her flee, and his smile morphed into a frown.
I don’t understand why me kissing her would make her run. She seemed to enjoy the kiss as much as I did. Then he thought about the man Reese had been with earlier. Maybe he’s an old flame and she’s trying to work things out with him and my kiss only complicated things.
Jealousy, hot and tight, compressed his chest. He didn’t want to do anything to make Reese’s life more difficult, but he also wasn’t about to let her go without a fight. If another man wanted her, Brody wouldn’t do anything to make it any easier for that man to get her.
“I want a picture with you in the foreground,” Reese said as she turned to him.
That’s a good sign, right? “Sure. Where do you want me?”
Reese smiled, enjoying the moment despite knowing she had to push Brody away eventually.
I can at least enjoy the hike with him. I’ll make my intentions clear before we get back to the parking lot.
“Right there,” she said, pointing to a rock. “Stand on that, then I’ll get a good shot of the falls behind you.”
Brody did as she told him, and she took several pictures.
At least I’ll have some good shots of him—ones without some other woman in them. “Great! Thank you.”
Brody climbed down, his gaze steady on hers. The blue-green of his eyes captured her attention, and she found she couldn’t look away.
“Reese,” he said as he stepped closer.
Her heart pounded at the look in his eyes. “Yes?”
Eleven
Brody knew this was his chance. The moment felt right. Reese stood less than three feet away, and as he kept his gaze on hers, it felt like they were all alone in the world. No one was around, and the setting was so serene, it seemed like the perfect time to confess his feelings. The waterfall poured over the rocks in the background, but it wasn’t so loud that they couldn’t speak comfortably.
“I’m so glad I found you,” he began, then he ran the tips of his fingers down her arm. She closed her eyes, and he knew his touch affected her. Even so, he held back from drawing her into his arms, though he desperately wanted to do. Having her encircled in his arms would feel so right, but he had already learned he had to move slowly with Reese.
She opened her eyes and he saw desire etched there. “I’m,” she said, then hesitated, and he was certain she was about to say she was glad he had found her too. “I’m not so sure.”
Brody’s heart stuttered at her unexpected words, and he withdrew his fingers from her arm. “What do you mean?”
Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip for a moment. “I . . . I left Malibu for a reason.”
He had already guessed that. Problem was, he didn’t know what that reason was. “Why did you leave?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t help with your dinner party.” Her forehead wrinkled. “How did it go?”
A short laugh burst from his mouth. “I cancelled it.”
Reese’s eyes widened briefly, like it had never occurred to her that her decision would have a ripple effect. “Oh.”
It hadn’t passed his notice that she had tried to steer him away from his question. “I think you owe me an explanation, Reese.”
She nodded, then looked at the ground for a moment before lifting her gaze to meet his. “You’re right. You deserve to know the truth.”
Brody nodded. Finally.
The look of earnestness on Brody’s face made Reese reconsider her approach. She didn’t want to hurt him, and she didn’t think he would believe her if she told him it was her, not him. He would absolutely believe there was something wrong with him—which was so far from the truth it was laughable. Then he would argue with her and try to convince her to give him another chance—as if she needed convincing that he was the perfect man.
No, she had to give him a reason he couldn’t argue with. She had to lie.
She shifted her gaze enough so that she wasn’t looking right into Brody’s eyes. Lying to him was bad enough, but lying while staring right into his eyes seemed even worse. “There’s someone else.”
I knew it. That man she was with earlier was no stranger. They must’ve had a fight, but he’s probably waiting for her back at her campsite right now, ready to make up with her.
Fresh jealousy flooded him. Then he thought of how sad Reese had seemed when they had been in Malibu, and he immediately placed full blame on this other man. His jealousy turned to anger.
How could he treat her so poorly? She deserves better. His mouth curled into an uncertain frown. She deserves me.
Reese could see her statement had upset Brody, and she felt wretched for not having the courage to tell him the truth.
It’s for the best. You know it is. A little pinch of pain now will save both of us—or at least me—from crushing heartache later.
“Is he here?” Brody asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “In Yellowstone?”
Reese hadn’t expected further questions. She had believed telling him there was someone else would put an end to any questions.
“Is that why you left Malibu?” Brody stared at her. “To meet him here?”
Since there was actually no one else, Reese was stumped. She had only thought of the “someone else” excuse on the fly. She hadn’t thought it through at all.
“Was that him earlier?” Brody pressed. “The man you started the hike with?”
Reese recoiled slightly. He saw me with Edward? Her eyes narrowed as she thought it through. Was he watching me? For how long?
Brody turned away. “No. I don’t want to know.”
Grateful she didn’t have to pile lie on top of lie, all Reese could do was let the sourness of her lie soak into her tongue. Trying to wash it away, she took a swig from her water bottle, but that didn’t do anything to help.
Desperate to banish the guilt that pierced her, as well as her own sadness that this would send Brody away for good, Reese opened her mouth to apologize. For what exactly, she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t apologize for lying, so she had to make something up. Another lie. Nice.
“Brody,” she began, her voice soft. He turned to face her, and when she saw the hurt in his eyes, she winced in answering pain. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”
“You mean in Malibu?” His eyes narrowed. “I seem to recall asking you specifically if you were single. And you said you were.”
Crap. She had forgotten about that.
Brody stared at her. “Did something change in the last week and a half?”
Trapped in her lie, Reese cringed. I’ve never been good at lying. Only at avoiding answering questions. I don’t want to dig my hole of deception any deeper. Not with Brody. He deserves better. “No. Nothing’s changed.”
Brody shook his head. “I don’t understand. Are you single or are you seeing someone?”
With a sigh, she decided to come clean. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
Confused as to why she had lied about that, Brody didn’t respond for a moment. “So you’re single.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes. I’m single.”
Then who was that man? “I’m not trying to be dense, but I’m baffled.” He shook his head. “Who were you with earlier, and why did you tell me you’re seeing someone?”
Reese gazed back. “I might ask you how you knew I was with someone earlier.”
She’s a master at avoiding answering my questions. Frustrated and upset, Brody m
issed the trap she was laying for him. “I saw you earlier. When you started the hike. You were with a man.”
Reese’s eyebrows rose. “You were watching me? Why?”
Crap. Brody decided to use her tactics and answer her question with a question of his own. “Who was it?”
“Just some guy I met this morning. Someone who said he would go hiking with me since I was nervous to go alone.”
“Why did he leave in the middle of your hike?”
She laughed, then lifted her camera. “He got tired of me stopping to take pictures.”
That seemed ridiculous to Brody. “But that’s what you do.”
Twelve
Reese’s smile grew. Brody gets me. Am I crazy to push him away? Then she pictured his perfect family and contrasted it with her own. No. I’d be crazy to let myself fall in love with him. A frown crowded out her smile. But I already have.
Her heart thudded in her chest as the truth asserted itself in her mind. What have I done? And now I’m making it worse for myself by telling Brody the truth. That I’m single.
Brody’s nostrils flared. “So he just left you? In the middle of a hike?”
Though Reese appreciated Brody’s anger on her behalf, it wasn’t necessary. “I told him I would be fine on my own.”
“When he came back without you,” Brody began, then a muscle moved in his jaw. “I panicked.”
His comment gave her pause. “Hold on. You were waiting for me?” She wasn’t sure if she should feel flattered or creeped out. “When were you planning on telling me you were here?”
Grimacing, Brody said, “I was waiting for the right moment. I thought maybe he was an ex-boyfriend or something.”
The only ex I have is an ex-husband. Reese hadn’t told Brody about Josh, and she wasn’t about to now. That would just bring up the reasons why her marriage had ended—because Josh found someone else, someone better. “No. I’d never seen him before today.”
Brody smiled, evidently happy about this news. “Why did you lie? Why did you say you were seeing someone?”
She turned toward the trail they would need to follow to return to the parking lot. “I think we should start back.” Without waiting for him to reply, she started walking. He fell into step beside her.
“You can’t keep avoiding my questions, Reese.”
I can try. But she knew he was right. They walked in silence as she formulated a response. Finally, she decided to just say it. No more phantom boyfriends or avoiding the question. “We’re not right for each other, Brody.”
He touched her arm and stopped walking. “Wait.”
Reese stopped and turned to him.
“Why do you say that?” he asked. “We don’t know each other well enough to know that.”
Sadness sunk into Reese’s soul. I know it. You just haven’t discovered it for yourself yet.
Dread gripped Brody. Why is she trying to end things before we’ve had a chance to get to know each other? Can she not stand me at all? Am I that undesirable? I’m not ready for her to be out of my life yet. I know it’s selfish, but I already lost Megan. I can’t lose Reese too.
He had to convince her to give it time. He believed in time he could change her mind, maybe even get her to like him.
“I just know,” she said.
Why does she seem so certain? Does she know something I don’t? Am I giving off a vibe that she hates? Do I reek of shallowness? Did she sense it back in Malibu and that was why she left?
“But I don’t know that,” he said, not about to give up that easily. “I care about you, Reese. A lot. Enough to travel all the way here without having a clue if I’d find you. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Doesn’t that prove I’m not as shallow or terrible or whatever it is that you seem to think I am?
It took all of Reese’s willpower to keep the tears at bay. Earnestness shone from Brody’s eyes, touching her deeply. “You’ll just have to trust me on this, Brody.” Proud of the way she kept her voice from shaking, she smiled tentatively.
He shook his head once, his gaze riveted to hers. “No. I won’t accept that.”
He won’t accept that? What does that mean? Why won’t he let me go quietly?
Nearly getting lost in the depths of his blue-green eyes, Reese wanted to give in to the desire she saw inscribed there, just forget her own inner turmoil and fall into his arms.
He’d make it all okay. Right?
But she knew she was fooling herself. All he knew about her was that she was a girl from the Midwest who lived in an RV, who loved photography, who had a brother in the military and a family she wasn’t close to. That didn’t tell him nearly enough to make a sound judgement on her suitability as a girlfriend.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said as he placed his hands on the bare skin of her upper arms.
His touch sent energy crackling through her, and she found it hard to concentrate on his words.
He smiled, confidence beaming from his face. “Let’s spend the next two days together.”
She opened her mouth to protest, and he quickly went on.
“Just the days, Reese. I’ll stay in my tent and you’ll stay in your RV, but during the day we’ll go on hikes together, explore Yellowstone together, whatever you want to do.”
His offer was tempting, oh so tempting. Don’t forget how many times you’ve thought you’d love to have Brody here with you.
“Then,” he said as his hands gently stroked her arms, sending powerful waves of desire through her. “On the morning of the third day, if you tell me to leave, I’ll leave.” Pain briefly flared in his eyes. “And you’ll never hear from me again.”
He straightened, removing his hands from her arms, and waited for her reply.
The absence of his touch—touch she so rarely had in her life—made her body cry out for more. And her mind wasn’t far behind. Maybe this is the answer. Enjoy a few days with him, then at the end tell him to go and he’ll go without arguing with me, without making me feel guilty.
It seemed like the perfect solution.
“What do you say, Reese? Will you agree?”
With a smile of confidence—because she already knew how this would end, even if Brody had no clue—Reese nodded. “Yes. I agree.”
Thirteen
Surprised she had agreed so easily, Brody smiled. There must be some interest there. Otherwise she would have refused. Now, how to convince her I’m worth her time.
“Okay,” he said with a nod. “Do you know what you want to do?”
“I haven’t really planned anything, but I’d like to go on some more hikes.” She looked at the surrounding area. “It’s so beautiful here.”
Brody watched her as her gaze swept the area, his feelings for her deepening. It wasn’t just physical attraction—although there was plenty of that. Reese was just so sweet and vulnerable, and so passionate about the things she cared about.
I’d like to be one of the things she’s passionate about.
His gaze slid over her body, and he wondered if she would let him kiss her again. He wanted to kiss her, and so much more. But he knew he had to wait until the moment was right—so right that she wouldn’t run away at the touch of his lips.
She turned back to face him. “Are you getting hungry?”
When Reese saw the smoldering desire in his eyes, longing surged through her. Needing to regain control of herself, she fumbled with her water bottle, breaking eye contact with Brody.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice low. “I could eat.”
With the conversation back on track—although Brody’s deep tone of voice suggested he had more than food on his mind—Reese looked at him with a smile. “I have food in my RV. When we get back to the parking lot I can make us sandwiches.”
“That sounds great.”
They set off, and twenty minutes later they reached her RV. Less embarrassed now about her humble home—she had told Brody it was her only home and it hadn’t seemed to bother him—she
unlocked the door and invited him in.
He sat on the couch as Reese went into the tiny kitchen to pull out sandwich makings.
“You know,” Brody said with a chuckle as he stretched his arms across the back of the couch, “there’s something to be said for having everything you need right here.”
Lifting her gaze to meet his, she smiled at his positive comment. “I completely agree.”
“I like how you keep things simple, Reese. I really do. None of the baggage of having a bunch of stuff that you have to worry about.”
She had never had a bunch of stuff, so she didn’t quite get what he was saying, although she thought she knew what he meant. Everything she owned in the world was right here in her RV, and she liked it that way. But if anything were to happen to it, it would be difficult to recover. Maybe that’s what he meant by stuff you have to worry about. Only he had a lot more stuff than she did.
“Yeah,” she said as she laid out the bread, lunch meat, and condiments. “I guess that’s true.” She looked at him again and liked the way he looked on her couch. He seemed quite comfortable there, and she wished with all her heart that she was a better fit for him.
Sadness that she would only have two days with him settled over her.
“Today’s not the first of the two days, is it?” She didn’t know why she asked—was she giving away the fact that she wanted to stretch things out?
Brody gazed at Reese. Was that a note of hope he heard in her voice? Or was it more like she wanted to get the next two days over with?
“You tell me,” he said, wanting her to make the decision.
“Okay. Well, since today’s halfway done, I guess tomorrow should be the first day.”
That can only mean she wants to spend more time with me.
Searching for Love: The Complete Story Page 15
