Van’s fingers clenched, digging painfully into his back. He didn’t tell her or move her. He let the slight sting keep him grounded so that the memories wouldn’t completely engulf him.
“I ended up sprawled on the floor. My mom just cackled. She stood behind him, her eyes bright, and watched as the bastard sent his steel-toed boot into my side five or six times.”
“The broken ribs.”
“Yep. But somehow I managed to get up, away. God, it hurt so damn bad, Van. The pain was just a fire spreading through my whole body. I’d never felt anything like that—not before or since. I’ve been in hand-to-hand combat, gotten injuries, been thrown to the ground by explosions. Nothing hurt like that.”
“Of course not. You’re a man, Ty. A rather large, muscular, well-trained one at that. You were prepared for those events when they happened to you. But back then, you were a thirteen-year-old boy exposed to people who were supposed to be protecting you, not hurting you.”
Ty rolled his cheek, resting it on the crown of her head so he could stare out at the mountains spread before them. “Maybe, but I knew better. It wasn’t like I ever had the safety and comfort that you and Ryan had.”
She made a sound, low and deep in her throat. At first he thought it was a whimper, until he pulled back so that he could look into her eyes and saw the fierce anger shining there.
His warrior. How many times had she taken up for him when they were younger? Stood beside him and Ryan as they’d confronted some bully on the playground or single-handedly gave some witch a verbal tongue lashing for spreading rumors about him?
She was gorgeous all the time, but never more so than when she was on a crusade.
“God, I want to drive back to Watershed, knock on her door and send my fist right into her face,” she growled.
Ty chuckled. That was something he’d pay good money to see. “She isn’t worth it. I came to that conclusion long before I moved out of her house.”
“Maybe not, but you are.”
Shit. Her words, said in that fierce, no-nonsense tone, had his knees buckling. If it wasn’t for the post at his back he might have sunk straight to the floor. Nothing got to him that way. Nothing except for the fiery woman in front of him.
He had no idea what to say, so he just shook his head. “He caught me by the hair, yanked me back and pounded the shit out of me a little more. I’m not sure why he stopped. I’m not sure what I did. It’s possible I cried and screamed and begged for it to end.”
He could hear his own grim tone of voice. Could hear the echo of his cries for mercy and hated himself a little for them. Maybe if he’d stood strong and not shown any weakness then he could live with the experience. Knowing he hadn’t let them break him.
But they had. He’d broken that night. Not just because they’d hurt him physically, but because they’d played with him. Letting him think they were going to let him escape before his mom would pop up in front of him, blocking the exit.
“At one point she wrapped her arms around me. Started whispering in my ear. Apologizing. Telling me she loved me. I relaxed, thought she was going to make him leave me alone. Instead, she pinned my arms to my side and let him ram his fist into my belly. Then her words changed. She started screaming at me about getting Protective Services involved. She promised if they ever showed up again she wouldn’t just let her boyfriend beat on me, she’d let him kill me. And I believed her.”
Van gasped. She’d come to the same conclusion he had... Nick and Margaret were the only ones who might have known what was happening at home and called Protective Services, prompting the visit his mother had somehow managed to pass...and then punish him for.
But he’d never blamed Nick and Margaret. Quite the opposite—the fact that they’d tried to protect him meant more than they’d ever know.
He didn’t realize Van was crying until a warm, wet drop landed on the back of his hand. He stared at it for several seconds, his brain slow to process what he was seeing. When he realized what it was, his gaze jerked up to her, expecting to find her clear green gaze full of pain and sadness.
Instead, the fire that had been there moments before was blazing even brighter, the tears slowly rolling down her face doing nothing to quench the fierce anger she felt on his behalf.
“Seriously, if I ever see that woman I’m going to hurt her.”
“Good to know, princess. I’ll make sure you stay far away from her. Because she isn’t worth potential jail time. Your safety and happiness is a hundred times more important to me than she’ll ever be.”
Van stared at him for several seconds, her gaze narrow and full of fight. Finally, she gave him a jerky, reluctant nod. “Keep going.”
So she knew there was more. Ty debated; maybe he’d given her enough.
As if sensing his hesitation, she reiterated, “Finish the story.”
“Fine. They locked me in a closet and then had sex on the sofa. I could hear him, her, while I was sitting in the dark cradling my busted ribs and throbbing face. Sometime in the middle of the night, when the house was quiet, I managed to use a thin piece of cardboard I found on the floor to open the lock. I walked to the ER and asked them to call your parents. You know the rest.”
Van closed her eyes. Her skin was flushed and for the first time he realized that her hands were trembling.
“Hey,” he whispered, bracketing her face with his hands. “It’s over. Has been for a very long time. I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that, Ty, but I honestly don’t know how that’s true. I mean, I believe it is. You’re one of the most loyal, honest, strong and dedicated men I’ve ever met. How is that possible after what you’ve lived through?”
Her head tipped backward, she stared up at him, a whole host of emotions swirling in her gaze. She thought all of those things about him? He thought all of those things about her.
“That night, and others like it, are part of what made me who I am, Van. And I don’t think I’d change any of it. They brought me Ryan, the best friend a man could ever have. And your parents, who gave me a better example. A better family. They brought me you.”
Ty stooped to brush his lips across Van’s soft, sweet mouth. The kiss was gentle, with none of the repressed anger, frustration or overwhelming passion that tended to swirl between them. This moment was more. Deeper.
It wasn’t just about something physical. It was about a connection. Understanding. Sharing.
And then it was more. The moment morphed into a combination of it all, the passion crackling between them building on the tender moment, electrifying it with need.
Picking her up, Ty didn’t wait for her reaction or permission. He palmed her thigh and wrapped it tight around his waist. The bulge of his erection hit her straight where she needed it most, an explosion of desire rocketing through her.
They stumbled together into the cabin, slamming the door shut. Kaia lifted her head, but didn’t bother moving from the spot she’d found on a rug before the stone fireplace.
He wasn’t going to make it to the bedroom, not when the need to be inside her was overwhelming.
13
WAKING UP BESIDE Ty was...amazing. Van’s cheek rested against his hard shoulder. The warmth of his body and the drape of his arm across her waist made her feel protected and safe.
Something she hadn’t realized she needed until she had it.
The problem was, she couldn’t keep it. And she would have to remember that. No matter how perfect these moments might feel, they were fleeting. Nothing about what was happening between her and Ty was permanent.
So she couldn’t let herself get too used to him being there.
With those unpleasant thoughts spinning through her head, Van gingerly picked up Ty’s arm, shifted it off her body and rolled away.
She was almost at the edge of the be
d when a hard band snaked around her waist and snatched her right back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he grumbled, his face buried into the crook of her neck.
“To shower.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s morning and that’s what I always do when I wake up.”
“Not today.”
Van wasn’t sure whether to be irritated or amused. “Oh, yeah?”
His body shifted, dragging her along until she was draped over him. He was naked, the thin sheet the only barrier between them, and it was definitely not enough to hide his morning wood.
“Shower later. Sleep now.”
“I’m done sleeping.” Van rolled her hips, satisfied at the deep groan she dragged from Ty. “Time to get up.”
“When’s the last time you spent an entire day in bed, doc?”
Van opened her mouth and then had to shut it again. She honestly couldn’t remember. “High school. Maybe.”
Ty pulled away, gazing up at her with sleepy eyes. “That’s just sad.”
“I don’t like to be lazy.”
“I have no intention of being lazy, princess.” The knowing grin that melted across his face sent a warm burst of need tumbling through her veins. “I fully intend to work off plenty of calories with you, in between naps, snacks and binge-watching mindless television.”
Van huffed. That sounded like the best and worst day ever. The sex she wanted. Like right now. The rest of it... “This could be a disaster, Ty.”
“Trust me.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“The alternative is to call up a guy I know and schedule a rock-climbing excursion.”
Shifting backward, Van ran her gaze across Ty’s face, paying special attention to his eyes.
The first night after his accident, she’d woken him up every couple hours. Neither of them had been thrilled about that, but it was necessary. Yesterday, she’d refused to let him drive, which pissed him off. Too bad.
But so far he hadn’t exhibited any signs of complications from his concussion.
“Any headache this morning?”
“No, but there is another part of me that hurts.”
“What? Where?” In doctor mode, Van completely missed the twitch of his lips as she pushed at Ty’s hands resting on her waist. Trying to scramble off him, she wanted a better look. Maybe she’d missed something on the X-rays. It would be like Ty not to mention that he was in pain. Idiotic man.
“Is it from the accident or something else? Your scans didn’t show any internal injuries, but it’s possible we missed something.”
Van set her hands on his shoulders and started running them over his chest and belly, searching for signs of bruising beneath the colorful ink across his skin.
Her first indication that he was messing with her was the barely contained laughter in his voice. “A little lower, doc.”
Van’s eyebrows beetled. Her gaze moved to meet his, those gray-blue eyes filled with humor.
“Come on, princess. I ache,” he said, pushing his hips up so that the erection straining against the sheet was impossible to miss.
“Asshole,” she grumbled, smacking his shoulder. Flopping down onto the bed, Van settled onto her back...away from him.
“Aw, don’t be like that.” Ty rolled to his side, resting on a single elbow while he loomed over her. “I’ve never had a chance to play doctor with a real doctor before. Help me live out a teenage fantasy.”
The imploring, little-boy expression on his face was wholly fake and absolutely endearing. Van tried to stay stern and firm, but she couldn’t pull it off.
“God, you’re incorrigible, you know that?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
On anyone else, she’d think it was. But on Ty...it simply reminded her just how much he hadn’t been able to act like this when he was really a child. Who was she to deny him the opportunity to be silly now that he had the chance?
“Fine. Whatever. We’ll spend the day in bed.”
The smile he gifted her with was enough reward, although the orgasms he clearly had in mind wouldn’t go unappreciated.
“Rock climbing tomorrow.”
“A nice, easy hike in the mountains tomorrow. Maybe rock climbing the next day. Doctor’s orders.”
“Fine. Whatever,” he said, throwing her own words back at her.
He didn’t wait for her reaction, just took advantage of his position. Grasping her waist, he pulled her beneath him, pressing his mouth against her naked skin.
Whatever he wanted, he could have. That was the problem with Ty Colson. He knew exactly how to maneuver her...and make her like it.
* * *
“ROMANTIC COMEDY.”
“Spaghetti Western.” Ty watched Van for any sign of weakness. Any break in her expression to tell him he’d hit on a genre that gave him an advantage. Nope, not spaghetti Westerns.
She countered with “Historical drama.”
“God, kill me now. B-grade horror.”
Ah, there it was. A tiny flicker of interest in the back of her gaze. One she tried to bank, but one he saw anyway.
They’d spent most of the morning in bed, dozing off and on between bouts of amazing sex. At some point he’d gotten up, checked on Kaia and made sure she had plenty of food and water before bringing back sandwiches he’d thrown together.
“Every episode of Say Yes to the Dress.”
He groaned. “Are you trying to drive me back to the ER from self-inflicted wounds? No self-respecting man would agree to an entire day of watching a sappy show about women trying on wedding dresses.”
Van’s eyebrow quirked up. “Exactly how do you know what Say Yes to the Dress is about?”
“I plead the fifth. And my final offer is a marathon of B-grade horror films.”
He had her. He knew it when she gave a huge, overly dramatic sigh. “All right, but you owe me.”
“Uh-huh.” Ty browsed through his Netflix account until he found the perfect movie starring some big-chested, too-stupid-to-live scream queen. “The special effects in this one are going to be great.”
“Don’t you mean awful?”
“Yeah, that’s what I said. The worse the effects, the better the experience.”
Van rolled her eyes and let her body slip down the headboard of the bed. “You’re mental.”
Ty bounded back onto the bed, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his body. “Not according to my doctor.”
Van reached over and pinched him in the side. Ty jumped. “Ow, what was that for?”
“Taking the name of your doctor in vain.”
“Bloodthirsty little thing.”
“You’re the one making me watch hours of blood and guts.”
Ty found the perfect spot right beneath her ribs and dug his fingers in.
Van screamed, jerked away from him and let out a loud peal of laughter.
“Now who’s the one screaming? You know you’re going to enjoy the melodramatic acting and oozing blood. Admit it. You have a bit of a sadistic streak you keep well hidden.”
“No,” she wheezed, struggling to get away from his tickling fingers. “I’ll never admit to anything.”
This called for a double assault.
Ty brought his mouth down onto her parted lips and swept his tongue inside. The heat was immediate and overwhelming. It always was whenever he touched her. The need for her was never ending. Just when he thought he had it banked, she’d do or say something that would send the urge to touch her, taste her, consume her, spiking through him.
“Admit it,” he murmured against her lips. “I promise your secret will be safe with me.”
“Fine,” she huffed ou
t. “I’m a closet horror fan. There, are you happy?”
Ty pulled away, a grin twisting his lips. Laughter and joy bubbled up inside his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever felt like this...carefree.
Van stared up at him, her eyes wide and swimming with unshed tears of laughter.
God, he wanted this moment to last forever.
Suddenly, the atmosphere around them shifted. Or maybe it was something deep inside him.
He wanted her forever. The realization didn’t stun him, not like it should have. It was more like a quiet understanding and acceptance.
Of course he wanted her forever. Savannah Cantrell was an amazing woman—loving, dedicated, brilliant and a marshmallow beneath that strong exterior she liked to show the world.
The laughter slowly slipped from her gaze. Ty let his fingers play across her jawline.
“Yes, I am happy. Probably more happy in this moment than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”
She swallowed, the long column of her elegant throat drawing his attention.
“Ty, you can’t say things like that,” she whispered.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re leaving in a few days. And that’s not what this is.”
Placing her hands on his shoulders, Van pushed him away.
Ty rocked backward, letting his body hit the headboard with a loud thud.
Her words hurt. More than he wanted to admit.
He was used to rejection. Used to being unwanted.
Ty thought he’d become so numb to that experience that nothing would ever be able to touch him that way again.
Apparently, he was wrong.
But he refused to let Van see that she’d wounded him. Number one lesson that he’d learned early in life: showing weakness only revealed something to be exploited and used against you.
Dragging a steady voice from somewhere deep, Ty said, “Yeah, you’re right. That’s not what this is.”
Grabbing the remote, he turned up the volume, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. Pillows piled behind them, covers tangled around them, they snuggled down to watch the movie.
Handle Me Page 14
