[Lockhart Brothers 01.0] Deep Down

by Brenda Rothert

  Reed closed my door and I watched him walk around the front of the truck to the driver’s side. He wore jeans and a navy blue sweater with a white dress shirt beneath. It was the best of both his sides. I liked rugged Reed from the barn dance, in jeans, a flannel shirt and boots, the best. But I also appreciated the way he looked in the suits that fit the lines of his large frame just right.

  He got in the truck and had just started it when I blurted, “I haven’t been on a date in more than four years.”

  His lips parted for just a moment, like he was about to speak. Instead, I continued. “I just . . . wanted you to know. My last date was in high school, and it was probably a trip to the Shack O’ Shakes for some ice cream. I’ve never been on an adult date. I’m kinda nervous.”

  “The Shack O’ Shakes?” Reed arched his brows and smiled. “That sounds like a hometown favorite.”

  “Kind of a tie with the Double Dipper,” I admitted.

  “And what town was this in? Where’d you grow up?”

  I looked away from him. “It’s a town in Michigan. A place of bad memories that I’d like to forget.”

  “Consider it forgotten.” He put his hand on the back of my seat as he looked over his shoulder to back out.

  We made small talk about Noah and his parents as he drove. I kept my hands in my lap, where I hoped Reed couldn’t see me squeezing them together so hard my knuckles turned white.

  The gravel parking lot of Stumpy’s was so full when we arrived that Reed had to park in the grass. When we walked in to the dimly-lit restaurant, the savory smell of grilling steak made me remember how hungry I was.

  A greeter led us to a wooden booth in a corner and Reed hung our coats on an ornate hook that adorned a rustic wood post next to our table. A waitress approached and we both ordered water.

  “So,” Reed said when we were alone again. “You grew up in Michigan, and you like to dance. Tell me something else about you.”

  I considered. “Hmm . . . well, I once won a spelling bee by spelling the word ambidextrous.”

  “How old were you?”

  “I was in fifth grade.”

  “So you’re smart. I already knew that, though.”

  I gave him a skeptical glance. “How would you know that?”

  “You finally said yes to a date with me.” He grinned and I laughed at his sheepish expression. “Seriously, tell me about yourself.”

  I shrugged. “I grew up in Michigan, as you know. My mom was a stay at home mom and my dad was a sheriff’s deputy. I’m an only child. I was planning to go to Stanford and major in English, but then I had Noah, so . . . there was change of plans.”

  “Are you still in touch with his father?”

  I shook my head. “It’s just me and Noah.”

  “What about your parents? Do they ever visit?”

  “My mom died when I was eighteen. And I don’t have anything to do with my dad anymore.”

  “I’m sorry about that, Ivy.”

  I shrugged. “I have Noah. He’s enough.”

  The waitress returned with our water, a basket of bread and a big salad. I sipped from my glass and buttered a piece of bread, feeling self-conscious as I felt Reed’s intense gaze on me.

  “You’re looking at me,” I said. “It makes me feel like maybe I have food in my teeth or something.”

  “No,” he said, smiling. “There’s just nothing else here I’d rather look at.”

  My cheeks warmed and I cleared my throat. “So, will you tell me more about you? I know you’re an attorney from a family with a crazy good gene pool and that you were once engaged. What else?”

  “A good gene pool, huh?” Reed arched his brows with amusement.

  “Well, look at you. All five of you. I assume your other brother’s attractive even though I’ve never met him.”

  Reed shook his head. “He’s a troll.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “More about me . . .” he said, seeming to think about it. “You know I love basketball and boxing. I’ve got a black lab. I like to cook.” He shrugged as if to say, ‘That’s about it.’

  “Why’d you move back home?”

  “The short answer is to help out with my dad’s practice. He’s getting older and wants to slow down soon.”

  I’d never been drunk. But sitting across from Reed with no distractions, his brown eyes focused on me, made me feel intoxicated. I wasn’t sure how long I just looked at him before speaking again.

  “So, what’s the long answer?”

  “You want the long answer?” he asked, grinning.

  “Something tells me it’s the more interesting one.”

  “Okay.” He rubbed the dark stubble on his chin. “I did a paper in law school about the disproportionate number of minorities and poor people who are arrested in the US. It sparked my interest, so I started volunteering at a place that provides legal aid in St. Louis. Lovely is the county seat in one of the most poverty-stricken counties in the state. I came home because I want to start a non-profit here to provide legal aid.”

  “Wow.” I sat back in my seat, studying him. “That’s amazing.”

  “I haven’t been able to start anything yet because I’m so busy at my dad’s office and with my public defender cases. I’ll have to apply for grants and have some of them come through to get it off the ground.”

  A couple hours passed as we ate steak and baked potatoes and then talked until Stumpy’s started clearing out. Reed was careful to avoid questions about my parents. We talked about favorite books and movies, the places we dreamed of traveling and the music we both loved. It might have seemed like innocuous conversation, but it told me a lot about him. His love of Monty Python was proof of his good sense of humor. His dream vacation of pub-hopping in Ireland told me he wasn’t pretentious.

  I didn’t want the date to end but eventually we did have to leave. We slowly walked out to his truck, and when we got to the passenger door, we both stood there, neither of us making a move to open it. I let my back rest against the door, looking up at the shadows cast on his face in the darkness of the parking lot.

  He put his hands on my hips, his touch igniting me. The warmth radiating from him wasn’t just physical. His dark, coffee-colored eyes were full of longing and emotion.

  When he leaned down, a thrill of anticipation coursed through me. He was going to kiss me. I wanted it more than my next breath, but at the same time, the charge of electricity in the air was overwhelming.

  This wouldn’t be just a kiss. It would change everything. I’d no longer be a woman who could turn down a date with him. Instead, I’d be completely smitten with this tall, dark handsome man. He’d have me on a string. And the intensity I saw in his gaze told me I’d have him on one as well.

  I’d never felt wanted like this. It was exhilarating and terrifying. What would Reed say when he found out I was practically a virgin? And worse, what would be say if he found out my father was also Noah’s father?

  I couldn’t stomach the thought of Reed being disgusted with me. Though I’d done nothing wrong, the truth of what happened was still shocking and disturbing.

  My protective instinct kicked in.

  “I’m not . . . what you want, Reed,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I have my reasons, but it’s private. Just trust me. A woman like . . . whatever her name is . . . your ex—she’s better for you than I am.”

  “Are you in love with someone?”

  “No. Not even close. Unless Noah counts.”

  “I’m not interested in Meredith. It’s you I want.”

  “You say that, but—”

  “I said it because I mean it.”

  I balled my hands into fists, frustrated but not sure what to do about it.

  “You don’t even know what you’re saying,” I said. “When there’s a physical attraction for one person and something more for the other, that’s a recipe for disaster.”

  He furrowed
his brow, looking like he was trying not to smile. “Which person am I in this scenario? Are you saying you only want me for my body?”

  “No. The other way around.”

  Reed tightened his hold on my waist, closing the distance between us. My soft body molded against his powerful one in all the right places—my nipples tightening against his chest and his erection hard against my stomach.

  “So you’re not interested in my body?” he asked with a mock frown.

  His light tone caught me off guard and I laughed and laid a palm on his chest. “I didn’t say that.”

  “I hope you know I’d never ask out a single mom unless I had no choice.”

  I arched my brows, amused. “No choice?”

  “No choice. You cast a spell over me, Ivy. I was interested after we danced that night, but then I saw you with Noah at Jimmy’s, and . . . you had me. I felt like I could see into your heart, and what I saw was . . . everything I could ever want. So much goodness and beauty.”

  His words wrapped around my heart, drawing me in even further than a kiss may have.

  “But . . . does it bother you that I have a son?”

  “Not at all. But he’s part of this, too. I’m not gonna lie and say I’ve never wanted a woman for just sex. But I’d never do that to a woman with a child. I wouldn’t have asked you out if I didn’t have strong feelings for you.”

  “I feel like . . . if you kiss me, things will never be the same.”

  He leaned his forehead down against mine. “They won’t. But that’s a good thing, Ivy.”

  “So do it, then.” I wrapped my hands around his biceps, the hard lines of muscle beneath his shirt making my core tingle with a warm, pleasant ache. “Kiss me.”

  “I will.” He squeezed my waist, pulling me tightly against him. “But not yet.”

  I leaned back and glared at him. “Reed. You’re a tease.”

  He laughed deeply, looking up at the sky for a second. “Now there’s something I’ve never been called.”

  “It’s true.”

  “I’m enjoying this,” he said, taking my hand. “Seeing you so eager for a kiss. And there’s only one first one. So be patient and I’ll make it worth your wait.”

  He reached next to me and opened the door of the truck. I stepped in, surprised that I was once again disappointed he hadn’t kissed me.

  I studied his profile as he drove back to my apartment. His defined jaw line and large shoulder were easy to stare at.

  “Thank you for tonight,” I said. “I loved it.”

  He glanced over at me and grinned. “Me too. When can I take you out again?”

  “Depends on how that kiss goes.”

  His deep laugh made my stomach flip nervously. It was my first date in more than four years, and I was so glad I’d finally taken a chance. I’d convinced myself that I didn’t want to feel desired by a man ever again. But with Reed, it was a feeling I couldn’t get enough of.

  Butterflies were clamoring in my stomach when Reed parked in front of my apartment and walked me to the door.

  I unlocked it and looked up at him. “Do you want to come in for a bit?”

  “Yeah, I do. That’s why I’m not going to.”

  He smoothed a strand of hair back from my face and leaned down, his fingers grazing across my jaw line. When his lips met mine, my heart pounded so hard I wondered if he could feel it through my chest. His lips were soft and slow and gentle, seeming to savor mine. Then he slid his hand around to the back of my neck, his tongue brushing across mine in a way that made me moan against him.

  I held onto his jacket, feeling dizzy. When he pulled his mouth away from mine, I instinctively leaned up and kissed him. He groaned softly and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him.

  I felt his desire in the kiss and in his evident arousal, which was again pressed against my belly. This time when Reed moved his lips away, he trailed them down my jaw line to my neck. I gasped from the warmth of his mouth and the brush of his stubble on the sensitive skin of my neck.

  “I should go,” he whispered in my ear.

  I nodded, unable to think straight. This was good . . . more than good, actually. It was better than I’d ever thought a kiss could feel. Every inch of my body was on fire for Reed.

  “Next weekend,” I said, reaching up to touch his scruffy cheek.

  “Hmm?”

  “Another date. Do you want to go out next weekend?”

  His lips curved up in a smile. “Yeah. I want to go out with you any night you’ll have me.”

  “Next Friday night, then.”

  “I’m already looking forward to it.” He pulled my hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

  I went inside my apartment and closed the door, leaning my back against it and smiling. I was tired, but too excited to sleep. Being this happy was scary, but I also felt so incredibly good that I was sure the scary part was worth it.

  I WAS STILL IN high spirits from my date with Ivy when I went to my parents’ house for a family dinner Sunday night. Other than the date, I’d done nothing but work and play basketball this weekend.

  “Ribs?” I said, inhaling the smoky barbeque scent in the kitchen as soon as I walked in the back door.

  Mom was standing over the stove, and she nodded and reached for me with a one-armed hug, stirring something on the stove with her other hand.

  “It’ll be ready in two minutes,” she said.

  “You need some help?”

  “You can take that casserole into the dining room. But be careful, it’s hot.”

  I picked up the dish with two towels and carried it to the large oak dining table, where Austin and Mason were sitting with Dad.

  “Where’s Hannah?” I asked Austin. “And Alana?”

  “At a baby shower.”

  Mom walked in, carrying a huge platter of ribs. We all sat down and started passing dishes around. My stomach rumbled with anticipation. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

  “Kyle and Kim couldn’t be here?” Austin asked.

  “No,” Mom said. “Kyle’s working.”

  “What about Kim and the boys?”

  “I invited them.”

  After a few beats of awkward silence, Mason spoke. “And . . . ? What’s her excuse this time?”

  Mom gave him a sharp look. “She never responded to my message. And no negative comments about family members.”

  “Really?” Mason’s tone was aggravated.

  “Really.” Mom gave him another look and then passed me a basket of rolls.

  “Mom, I actually think this is something we need to talk about,” I said. “I’m concerned for Jordan and Eric, and I’m sure you guys are, too.”

  Dad cleared his throat and met my eyes across the table. “Of course we’re concerned. But your mother and I decided before Kyle got married that we wouldn’t interfere in our sons’ families.”

  “I respect that,” I said. “But this is . . . things have escalated recently. I heard Kim tried to pick up the boys from school when she was drunk. Is that true?”

  “We don’t know that,” Mom said. “The rumor mill in Lovely is quite active, Reed. You of all people know that.”

  I nodded and sighed, about to try a different approach when Mason cut in.

  “Just because people are saying it, doesn’t mean it’s made up. What if it is true?”

  “If it’s true, Kyle has a tough situation on his hands,” Dad said. “But he hasn’t come to us about it, so we’re staying out of it.”

  “Kyle’s got his head buried in the sand,” I said. “He works so much he can’t have much of an idea about what’s happening at home.”

  “We don’t disparage family members in this house,” Mom said in a tone I remembered from childhood.

  “It’s not disparaging if it’s true, Mom. He seems to have checked out of his relationship with Kim and, from what I’ve heard, someone should at least talk to him about it. He’d be more inclined to listen to you or Dad.”

&nb
sp; “You might understand better if you were married,” Mom said softly. “That’s the most important relationship in Kyle’s life now.”

  Mason’s exhale was full of aggravation, which matched the way I was feeling.

  “Look, I couldn’t give a shit about their marriage,” I said. “That’s not the point. It’s Jordan and Eric. What if she’s driven drunk with them before? Is she taking care of them?”

  “She seems to spend all her time, and all Kyle’s money, on jewelry and clothes and tanning,” Mason interjected. “I never see her do anything for the boys.”

  “That is enough,” Mom said, sliding her chair back from the table. “You boys are grown men now, capable of making your own decisions, even if some of them are mistakes.”

  “This is bullshit,” Mason muttered.

  “Watch your mouth,” Dad warned.

  “Austin, back us up on this,” Mason said.

  Austin shook his head. “I think Mom’s right about you guys understanding this better if you were married. If they get in between Kyle and Kim, they’d end up in a really awkward situation.”

  “Awkward is a hell of a lot better than the boys being in a dangerous situation, if you ask me.” I tossed my napkin on my plate, my appetite suddenly gone.

  “You’ll appreciate our approach when you’re on the receiving end,” Dad said to me. “You won’t hear anything negative in this house about your choices. If a waitress who’s a single mom is your choice, we’ll support that.”

  “Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?” I demanded angrily.

  “It means you make your choices, not us. We support you whatever you decide.”

  “Well, I don’t like your insinuation that Ivy being a waitress and a single mom is a bad thing. She works hard to support her son, which is more than I can say for Kim or Hannah.” I looked at Austin. “No offense, man. And Ivy’s a great mom. Noah’s a hell of a lot better off than Jordan and Eric.”

  “I think we all need to take a step back,” Mom said, putting her hands out in a gesture of peace.

  “I’ll step way back,” I said, getting up from my seat. “I’m leaving.”

  The room was silent as I walked out. It was unlike me to argue with anyone in my family, but Dad’s comment about Ivy had my defenses firing.