Falling for Owen

by Jennifer Ryan

  “You don’t need to stay. I’m fine.”

  “You nearly jumped out of your skin when I walked in.”

  She didn’t deny it. Her stomach remained tied in knots. “I’ll settle down. Nothing is going to happen to me here.”

  “I bet you thought the same thing when you went to see Owen. I’m staying. I’ll take you to pick up your car at Eli’s garage and follow you home.”

  “Then what? Are you going to stay with me tonight? Tomorrow?”

  “You should be safe at home with the alarm. The contractor installed your new door this morning. You’ll be with us tomorrow at the game. Then, we’ll see.”

  Right. How could they plan for something they couldn’t see coming. Dale remained elusive. Even the police couldn’t find him. At this rate, she may spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “Coffee. Apple cinnamon muffin.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Work,” he said, booting up his computer and pulling out several files from his leather messenger bag.

  “Okay.” A man of few words, she didn’t know what to think, so she went to get him his order. The bell over the door dinged and another customer came in. Brody glanced up, assessing the two women with one long sweep of his penetrating gaze before he turned back to his laptop screen. With his back to the wall, the room spread out before him, and with a clear view of the front door and the one leading to the back room and kitchen area, he’d picked a prime spot to watch over her. The muscles in her shoulders eased along with the knot in her stomach. She sighed and grabbed her cell phone. She hit the speed dial and waited. He answered on the first ring.

  “Are you okay?” Owen’s deep voice held a note of alarm.

  “Thank you.”

  He sighed and she felt his relief through the phone. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

  “Owen.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I . . .” She didn’t know quite what to say. The emotions welled up inside of her, but she couldn’t put them into words. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Count on it.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  * * *

  CLAIRE PACKED UP the basket and boxes for the girls’ softball game, feeling a sense of déjà vu. She’d packed up yesterday and look what happened.

  “Where did you go?” Gayle asked.

  She snapped out of her space-case haze and focused on the box of cupcakes in front of her.

  “Sorry. I’m tired.”

  “It’s understandable you didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “Every time I started to drift off, I thought I heard a noise, then I’d wait to see if the alarm went off. Of course, nothing happened.”

  “Did Owen stop by last night?”

  “Brody followed me home, went in the house and checked every nook and cranny, then kissed me on the head, went back to his car, made a phone call—I’m sure to Owen—and left. Owen stopped by around ten after his business dinner, kissed me in the doorway like the other night, asked me if I wanted him to stay, and left when I told him I didn’t need a babysitter. I heard his truck drive by early this morning, but he didn’t stop off.”

  “Um, why did Brody kiss you?”

  “Oh, I think it has to do with Owen kissing Rain all the time.”

  Gayle’s eyebrows practically disappeared under her gray, sprinkled-brown bangs.

  Claire laughed. “Owen and Rain are really good friends. They’re close. The night we went to dinner together, he kissed her on the head in greeting and again when he said goodbye. It seemed a familiar gesture, so I assume Brody has adopted the same with me.”

  “So, it’s so obvious that you and Owen are together and so close that his brother treats you like a sister. He even drops everything to sit sentry with you all afternoon.”

  The observation stunned Claire.

  “Don’t worry, honey. When it’s right, it’s right.”

  “I barely know him.”

  “You’ll get there. Neither one of you is going anywhere. Plenty of time to learn all the details. You already know the most important thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “He’s a man worth getting to know.”

  Claire smiled, unable to deny that simple truth. “He is a great guy.”

  “Go have fun, honey.”

  Claire put the last of the items into the cooler at her feet and took her end. Gayle grabbed the other side and helped her carry it out to her car.

  The drive over to the ballpark gave her a few minutes to collect her thoughts and settle the butterflies in her stomach. Nervous about seeing Owen again, and that Dale might do something else to her, she had a hard time feeling like herself.

  Parked next to Owen’s truck, she swung out of her own car and came face-to-face with Brody, who’d been waiting in the parking lot for her.

  “Guard duty resumes,” she guessed.

  “Anything happen at the shop today?”

  “Lots, but nothing bad.”

  “Good.” He kissed her on the forehead and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  “Will you help me with the cooler?”

  “Sure thing.” Brody lifted it out of her backseat like it weighed nothing. He stood and waited for her to lock the car, turn, and walk toward the baseball diamond.

  Owen squatted behind home plate while one of the girls threw the ball from the pitcher’s mound. He caught it easily and tossed it back.

  “Dawn sure is quite the pitcher,” she commented.

  “Takes after her mother. Rain used to play in high school.”

  “What about Autumn?”

  “She takes after me. The girl can ground balls like crazy. She’s got agility and speed.”

  “You’re really proud of them.”

  “They’re my girls. I love them.”

  The two little girls rushed Owen at home plate and jumped into his arms. He caught them up and kissed both of them on the cheeks.

  “Owen loves them, too,” she said, smiling at the way he laughed and played with the girls.

  “Yes, he does. He takes care of the people he loves.”

  She cocked her head to look up at Brody, who continued to stare at Owen with the girls, not giving anything away. He’d made his point.

  OWEN DROPPED THE girls on their feet. “Go find your mom and get ready to play. I’m going to see Claire.”

  “She’s really pretty,” Dawn said.

  “She makes really good brownies,” Autumn added.

  “Do you like her a lot?” Dawn asked.

  “As much as Dad likes Mom?” Autumn asked.

  “Yes, I like her a lot,” he answered, giving both their ball caps a tug to cover their eyes and get them to stop asking so many questions. Ones he wasn’t quite sure how to answer.

  Did he like her enough to spend the rest of his life with her, like Brody and Rain had committed to do?

  Well, he’d spent half the night convincing himself she was fine home alone, and the other half dreaming about making love to her. Even the cold shower this morning didn’t cool his heated thoughts and unruly body.

  “Is she coming to the family dinner next weekend?” Dawn asked, undeterred.

  “We’ll see.” First, he needed to make sure yesterday’s incident hadn’t made her want to take a step back. She did show up today. He’d had his doubts since yesterday, but God, he was happy to see her.

  He wanted to stop by her place this morning, but reined in his impulses and gave her some space. He’d given in last night and stopped to kiss her goodnight because he’d spent every meeting yesterday afternoon and dinner with his client last night trying desperately to focus on work and not her. He’d needed to see her like he needed his next breath. So he’d stopped by, barely said hello, and kissed her because he needed the closeness, and to know the bond they’d just begun to forge was still intact and not severed for good. The thought of the kiss they shared still rocke
d him. She’d given everything, letting him know despite everything she still responded to him on that level. Something to build on.

  “You’re staring at her,” Autumn pointed out. “Daddy does that to Mom all the time.”

  “Both of you, go to your mother.”

  He left the little nymphs and headed for Claire and Brody, grateful to his brother for waiting in the parking lot to make sure Claire not only made it, but didn’t run into any trouble. He’d been able to finish his work yesterday, barely, because he knew Brody was looking out for Claire for him.

  “Brody,” he said by way of greeting.

  “I found your girl. I’ll take this over to the benches.”

  Claire stopped in front of him and gave him a strange but appreciative appraisal from the top of his head down his body to his feet.

  “You know, I never truly appreciated baseball until now. You look really good.”

  He chuckled. “I was wearing a suit yesterday.” Which he thought she’d prefer to his backward baseball cap, T-shit, catcher’s pads, sweat pants, and tennis shoes.

  “Yes, and you were very handsome and professional. This . . . I don’t know, you seem more approachable and fun.”

  “Well, by all means, approach and have fun. I’m all yours,” he teased.

  She laughed and smiled and it did his heart good because when she left his office yesterday, she’d looked angry and disillusioned. Last night, he’d left her dazed.

  She walked right into his arms and wrapped her arms around his back, giving him a hug. Still laughing, she held tight and settled against him.

  “Hi, sweetheart.”

  “Hi. I’m sorry about how I left things with you yesterday.”

  “I quite enjoyed our kiss goodnight. If you didn’t, maybe I need to try harder.” He leaned down and took her mouth and let his need for her rule. He forgot they were in public and there were a dozen families behind them. The last thing he wanted was for her to think her being upset and angry yesterday had tarnished anything between them.

  She opened to him without any prompting from him. He dove in, slid his tongue along hers, drew her closer into his arms and held her tight. She matched his ferocity, driving his need higher and higher, until he wanted to drag her to the ground, strip her bare, and sink his aching cock into her wet heat and drive them both into oblivion.

  “Owen, let’s play ball,” Rain called, saving them from making an even bigger spectacle of themselves.

  Claire surprised him, breaking the kiss first and kissing his chin, his jaw, and down his neck until she went flat-footed again. She kept her hands on his chest and stared up at him with an open smile. He traced his finger over her forehead and down the side of her face, tucking a wayward strand of golden hair behind her ear. He touched the bruise on the back of her head under her hair. The swelling had subsided. The scrapes on her elbow looked better. He couldn’t see the bruise and scrapes on her shoulder, but imagined they were healing too. These reminders spoke of what she’d endured the last few days.

  “Don’t frown. Go play ball with the girls.”

  “Can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Whenever I’m around you, I’m not fit to be seen by others.” He gave her a cocky smile.

  “Ah. Well, at least this time you’ve got the proper gear to hide your condition.” She pointedly swept her gaze over the catcher’s padding covering his chest that conveniently curved and dipped to hide his hard dick.

  “One of these days, I’m not going to stop at kissing you and this won’t be a problem.”

  “Well, let’s hope we’re alone when that happens.” Her gaze shot past his shoulder to the many onlookers waiting for the game to start.

  “Is it going to happen with us?”

  Her gaze shot back to his. “Um, I don’t know how to answer that.”

  “A simple yes will do.” He smiled down at her, despite his serious tone.

  She let out a nervous giggle and looked away. A pretty blush colored her cheeks.

  “Claire, look at me.” When she did, he gave her the honest truth. “If it’s a yes, the when is, and will always be, up to you. No matter how much I want you, I’ll never push you to give more than you’re ready for.”

  “I think I knew the minute I met you it was just a matter of time.”

  “Then, take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Except to play ball. Go. They’re waiting for you.”

  “You’ll be waiting when I’m done with a treat, right?”

  “How do you know I brought you a treat?”

  “You always bring me a treat.”

  “Maybe I didn’t today.”

  “Sweetheart, just kissing you is a treat.” He gave her a quick kiss, took her hand, and lead her toward the field. He kept her hand in his until she had to veer off to join Brody on the bleachers. She sat with him, and Owen kept an eye on her throughout the game, loving every smile she cast his way.

  Chapter Twenty

  * * *

  CLAIRE CLAPPED FOR number twelve as she rounded third base and ran for home. So far, the Blue Jays were winning. This next run put them up by two. The girls cheered and Owen high-fived the little girl as she took off her batting helmet and made her way to her cheering friends in the dugout.

  Owen got ready to take his place behind home plate again. The outfielders ran for their positions. Claire wanted to stay and watch, but she needed to pee. Hot from the bright sun and so much cheering, she needed a soda from the concession stand. She grabbed her purse and stood. Owen rose from his position, his eyes locked on her in question. Brody grabbed her arm and tugged.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Restroom and to get a soda. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “I’ll be back in a minute. Stay and watch your girls. They’re doing really great.”

  “Like you said, it’ll only be a minute.”

  “He told you not to let me leave.”

  “Not alone.”

  She shot Owen a disgruntled look and spun on her heel to walk away, but Owen let out an ear piercing whistle. She turned back and he held both arms out wide in a questioning gesture. She rolled her eyes and pointed to the building across the tree belt. He gave her a nod, pulled his catcher’s mask down, and went back to the game.

  “A little overprotective, don’t you think?” she asked Brody, who walked two steps behind her.

  “No.”

  She laughed. Figured the two brothers were of like mind when it came to protecting the women in their lives. She stopped short and Brody grabbed her shoulders to avoid running over her.

  “You okay?”

  Was she? She’d seen the protective way Brody was around Rain. Before the game got started, he’d laid a protective hand over her still-flat belly and kissed her gently, giving her a look that told her to be careful, but he trusted her. When a ball flew past Rain on the third base line a little too closely, he’d risen to his feet and taken three long strides before he realized she didn’t get hit. Rain, of course, rolled her eyes and waved him away to go sit down. He did, but that didn’t stop him from watching her like a hawk.

  “Claire. Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Fine. Sorry. I, uh, zoned out.”

  Owen watched her with that same intensity. Even though he was involved in the game, he still noticed when she stood and tried to leave. He’d forgotten the game and parents watching and silently demanded to know where she was going.

  He really did care about her.

  She walked the rest of the way with a smile on her face and a warmth in her heart she’d been ignoring since she met Owen. Now, she couldn’t pretend it wasn’t real.

  Business complete in the bathroom, she walked out shaking her wet hands. Brody stood waiting for her.

  “Can I buy you a soda?” she asked.

  “I could use some water.”

  “Coming right up.” She stood in line behind a mother wit
h a three-year-old boy wrapped around her middle, his chin on her shoulder and his eyes drooping with sleep. Something inside her softened at the sight of the little blond boy. She thought of Owen and a golden-haired son who looked like his daddy, playing ball on a Saturday just like today. She tucked that picture in her heart and hoped someday it might come true. She wanted a family more than anything. Maybe this time she’d found the right man to make the dream come true.

  The mother and son moved away with their order, and she stepped up to the counter. Shannon looked up from her register, surprise widening her eyes.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Owen invited me to the game.”

  “Oh, he’s so nice.”

  Claire understood Shannon’s attachment to Owen. He’d saved her from a bad marriage. She got the whole Prince-Charming, saving-the-damsel-in-distress thing Shannon saw in him. The same thing appealed to her, too.

  “How are you, Shannon? You must have been very scared the other night when your ex-husband banged on your door.”

  “Not the first time. Won’t be the last. He’s like a dog with a bone.”

  “Yes, well, let’s hope he comes to his senses and finds something else to amuse him.”

  “He’s probably off drinking himself stupid.”

  “I don’t know if you heard, but I think he slashed my tires yesterday at Owen’s office.”

  “He probably followed me there and saw me with Owen. He can’t stand to see me with another man. Owen is nothing like Dale.”

  “Dale must have been good to you sometimes.”

  “He was wild when we met, and I wanted to be wild with him. But things change. He changed. Owen helped me see that I deserve something better. I’m so lucky to have him on my side.”

  “He certainly does take very good care of his clients,” she said diplomatically, reading between the lines. Shannon wanted to stake a claim, but Claire knew how he felt about her. She tamped down the immediate rush of jealousy and suspicion that something was going on between them.

  “Owen is a very good friend.”