by Taylor Hart
“I can tell.” Texas grunted, glaring at him. He would deal with Sloane later.
“It’s not his fault. I asked him.” Liberty said.
Texas turned his angry eyes back to her. “Oh no, it’s his fault too. He knows I don’t let anyone ride my bike.” His heart raced, and he could all too easily imagine her brain splattered all over Montana’s driveway. “What were you thinking?” He turned to Sloane.
He was already retreating. “Look, man, I’m sorry. She said she was going to take it out if I didn’t help her.” Sloane turned to her. “Sorry, I gotta go.”
Texas watched him move past him down the driveway.
Texas reached out and pushed his shoulder. Sloane was a big guy, but he didn’t push him back. He stopped. “I’m sorry, man. I’m glad you showed up because she is hell-bent on doing something crazy tonight.” Lowering his voice, he moved closer to Texas. “She had some kind of freak-out. The papers are all ripped in there.”
He took off down the driveway calling out, “Sorry, Liberty.”
Liberty glared at Sloane, then her eyes swerved back to Texas. “What do you want?”
“I’ll repeat my question. What were you thinking?” he asked Liberty.
“I …” She turned away and blinked, and he saw what might be a tear.
Women crying was his kryptonite. He never liked it. If his mama had taught him anything, it was to treat girls with respect. She had drilled into him like any lesson on toughness his daddy had taught him.
He waited, paralyzed, not knowing what to say that would make it better, not wanting to make it worse, which felt like what he did with her sometimes.
She didn’t talk. As if needing proof of her breakdown, he walked past her in the garage, and into the house, and saw the mess. Sucking in a breath, he nodded then went back out. “Alright, let’s teach you to ride my bike.”
The menacing, sad expression on her face turned hopeful. “You’re serious?”
After Texas made a decision, he considered it final. He would follow through. “Let’s run you through the basics.” For the next fifteen minutes, he went over the parts of the bike and how they worked together. “But you’re not going to operate this bike on the roads right now.”
“I’m not?” She’d fallen quiet and introspective as he taught her. He could see the gears winding up in her pretty head.
“No.” He climbed on and started her up. “Get on, we're going somewhere safe.”
She got on, and he hated himself for how much he relished the feel of her arms around his waist.
They went off the driveway, and he drove down the road a bit until he circled back onto Montana’s back property by the horses. There were some fields here that weren’t planted this year. This is where they would start her lesson. He got off and gestured for her to get in front.
She did it.
He got on behind her, holding onto her waist. “Okay, turn it on and let out the clutch just like I showed you."
She started it up, and when she let out the clutch, she pushed the gas too hard. They jolted, and Texas flew right off.
He found himself on his butt. The jerking motion kicked the laughter out of him.
She cringed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Well, guess we need to go over it again.” He got back on and put his arms in front of her, covering her hands. He let her get a feel of using the gas while he worked the clutch. She quickly took over. It was jerky, but she was getting the hang of it.
Before long, he was holding onto her, and she was driving. When she slowed, he jumped off.
She immediately stopped.
“Wait. What are you doing?”
“You got it.” He grinned at her tentative, excited face.
Dang, this woman was beautiful.
Taking off slowly at first, she got faster and threw back her head and laughed.
Something squeezed inside of him. This woman, who was usually so controlled, looked out of control.
Dang if he couldn’t take the smile off of his face. He pointed to the field. “Go.” He gestured and yelled out.
She took off, getting faster and more sure of herself. A reckless abandon filled him. Periodically, she turned to look at him and let out a whoop.
He fist pumped the air and whooped back at her.
He didn’t know how long she drove the motorcycle, getting more and more comfortable.
When she pulled up, she looked mischievous. “Get on, Waters.”
A nervous, excited, attracted feeling pushed through him. He got on, and she took off pretty smoothly. Then she was going faster, and he was holding on to her.
Her scent about killed him. Paralyzed him. He thought of almost kissing her the other night. He couldn’t lie to himself. It was pretty much all he could think about. Throughout the day, his mind would come back to that moment.
He wanted to kiss her. But, he wanted more. For the first time in a long time, something more than just a physical thing with a woman. He couldn’t figure her out. Obviously, she was going through something personal.
After a couple of minutes, she had taken them back to the road.
“No!” he yelled out.
She just laughed and pressed on the gas harder.
"Oh, yeah!" she called out.
Momentum, excitement, everything new in the world raced through him as he held on to this woman and hoped like crazy that she didn’t kill both of them.
“Whooo!” she called out. “Is this flying, Texas? Is it?”
Laughing, he yelled back, “Yeah, baby! Yeah, it is!”
And he wondered if he could fly with her forever.
Chapter 15
Later that night, she found herself sitting in the hot tub with a slice of pizza in her hand and Texas at her side.
A very shirtless, well-defined Texas at her side.
“What are you thinking right now?” he asked.
No. No. No. But she'd been caught. “No way."
“I’m calling the boss card."
“What?” She was confused.
“I’m your boss, so tell me what you were thinking.”
“No."
He sighed, and his face fell. “C’mon. My Country Tis of Thee.” He began singing.
“What are you doing?"
He sang a couple more bars. “I’m singing until you tell me.”
She stared at him dumbfounded then started to laugh. “I don't get how your mind works.”
He grinned at her and, again, part of her melted. He seemed more relaxed tonight. Less broody. He stopped singing. “C'mon, what were you thinking?”
Relentless.
“What?”
“Fine! I was noticing you shirtless.”
He looked amused. “Checking me out.” He scoffed, flexing for her, looking down at his chest muscles then back up at her. “That’s okay, get a good look.”
Knowing she was blushing she looked away. “You wish.” She splashed him. “An ego the size of Texas.”
He laughed and gave her a little splash back. “Hey, you know you’re pretty easy on the eyes yourself.” He grinned. “What else is going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
She sighed and knew she had to tell him the truth. “I haven’t been completely honest with you about Hale.”
Texas pulled himself out of the hot tub, but stayed on the edge. He patted the space next to him. “We’ve been in there a long time. C’mon, sit by me, and let’s sort this out.”
Knowing he was right because she felt a bit light headed, she pulled herself out and sat next to him.
“Go on.” He leaned back into his hands and gave her his full attention. “Be truthful.”
Butterflies assaulted her. “Fine. I’m supposed to be getting engaged to him in”—She pushed her head side to side, figuring out the dates—“right after I get back from Nigeria.”
“Oh?” He went completely still. “I thought it was ‘on again, off again,’” he said making air quotes.
“It is.
” She sighed. “It has been over the years. When he asked at Christmas, I told him I couldn’t marry him. I don’t feel that way about him. Ya know, attracted to him like that.” Suddenly, she was staring at Texas’ abs, and she jerked her head away, looking to the side.
Texas let out a low rumble of a laugh.
Embarrassed, she stared at her hands. “I wondered if there was something wrong with me because I do love him as a friend. Hale has always been there for me.”
For a few moments Texas didn’t respond, then let out a sigh. “In my experience, friendship doesn’t hurt to have in a relationship, but … I’d be lying if I told you I believed people shouldn’t have passion. I mean, heck, that’s what I sell songs about. Passion. The kind men go to war for. The kind that just … gets people through hard things in life. Knowing they can come back to each other and hold each other.” He sighed.
She turned to him, smiling. “You are a romantic, aren’t you.”
His eyes held hers. “Gotta have passion in life, Liberty. Gotta have … some magic.” For a second he stopped, then got a blank look on his face.
“What was that?”
“What was what?” He frowned. “I need more detail then that.”
“That look on your face.” She did a circle in the air in front of his face. “You had something occur to you, didn’t you?”
Giving her a incredulous look, he shook his head quickly. “You’re smoking crack, I think.”
She let out a light laugh. “What are you embarrassed of? What were you thinking?”
Finally, he shook his head and mumbled, “It’s nothing, something Montana said.” He scoffed.
“Would you just tell me already?” She demanded.
Texas wouldn’t look at her for a second, then he shrugged and she saw red warming his face. “Montana said I could be the next groom.” He let out a light laugh. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”
She had no idea where he was going with this. She waited.
“What?” He asked, lifting his hands into the air like he’d been busted by a cop.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, you are embarrassed.”
“No, I’m not.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked away from her.
Liking the fact he was nervous, she couldn’t stop herself from going back to being a reporter. “What do you want in a woman?”
Turning back to her, his eyes got intense. “I know I want a woman who knows her mind, that’s for sure. A woman who wants me. Who is sure she wants to marry me when I ask the question.”
Tearing her eyes away from him, she let out a breath. “Never mind.”
He let out a long breath.
There was silence between them for a few moments.
Not understanding why, she confessed. “My mother wants me to marry him because his parents own a controlling interest of the paper.”
“Forget that,” Texas said angrily, taking her off guard.
She turned to him.
“It’s your life. You don’t have to bow to mommy.”
Reduced to a child was precisely how she felt at the moment. She shook her head. “There’s more to it then that.” She hesitated. “You don’t get it. I just … my father.” She broke eye contact and sucked in a breath. “Was a famous reporter who died.”
“I know,” he said quickly.
She felt blindsided. “You know?”
He shrugged. “You think you’re the only one who can do research?”
It put her on edge to know he’d been researching her. Hesitating, she didn’t know why she was telling him all this, but she couldn’t stop. “Okay, well, after he died, I was fourteen, about to start my freshman year in high school, and she just sent me away. To boarding school.” Liberty hadn’t ever told anyone this. “I was devastated. I had just lost my father, and we were close. So close. Then my mother discarded me like I was trash.”
Texas reached out and put his hand over hers.
She nodded and felt a round of tears on her cheeks. “Anyway, so I just dove into school. Hale and I emailed and Skyped. He was my only connection to someone like family.” More tears washed down her face. “That first year, my mother emailed me and told me she would be overseas during Christmas, and I would have to spend it at the school. I was devastated, but Hale convinced his parents to let me spend Christmas with them. By some miracle, my mother agreed. Well, she agreed because it was the Langreens. Because Hale’s parents put pressure on her to let me stay. And, she didn’t want to look bad to them because she needed their political clout on the board.” She pulled her hand back feeling like she was betraying Hale. Hating herself for it.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
She shook her head. “No, don’t you give me the pity card either.” But she couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Hale has always been a safe place. He’s never pushed me to have anything physical with him. He’s been like a brother to me. He’s …” she broke off feeling stupid and weak.
Texas didn’t say anything.
For some reason she wanted to tell Texas all of this. “We were close, then in college I got into reporting. I worked for the school paper and found I had a knack for it.”
He scoffed. “I can tell, you’re naturally nosy.”
This made her smile, and she relaxed more. “Yeah, well, I just, my father … I just felt connected to him through this.” She shrugged and gave Texas a smile. “I can imagine what it’s like to have a song inside and need to write it … that’s how I feel when I’m writing about something that could change people. Help people.” She shrugged. “The first song you sang to me … when you said we were like a mirror of each other. I knew that was true.”
“Yes, the song we were supposed to talk about.” He tsked his tongue.
“Your words felt too close to home for me.” She admitted it quietly. “Like you could see me even though you barely knew me.” She glanced at him.
He sat forward, his blond hair falling into his eyes. He slicked it back with his hand. “That’s because we do have something in common. Not just wanting to matter but wanting to reach people with words.” He sighed. “You’re different, Wright. You’re special.”
She felt like a little kid getting mentored by her famous hero. “Thank you, Captain America.”
He laughed. “Hey, I’m not just saying that.”
“You sound just a little patronizing.”
He sighed again.
They were silent, and her mind just kept spinning with what she would do now.
“Penny for your thoughts, Wright.”
She hesitated, but knew it was futile to resist him. “I don’t want to just be Hale’s wife, plan parties, and have children. Not that anything’s wrong with that. I mean, I can report local stories, but I came from that world, that place where ‘ladies, keep your legs crossed beneath your chairs.’” She mimicked her old schoolteacher’s voice.
Texas broke out laughing. “So you’re running away to Nigeria.” He gave her a little splash.
She grinned. “No, I’m not.”
“You see your only option as being controlled by your mother or be safe with Hale, and you don’t know which to pick.” He swore. “Maybe getting killed in Nigeria or some other God-forsaken place is better then dealing with real life for you.”
She threw up her hands. “You haven’t heard anything I’ve said.”
“I’ve heard it. I just think you’re better then that.”
“What?” She had no idea what he was talking about.
“You don’t have to live your life for someone else. You don’t have to write at the paper for your mother. You don’t have to marry Hale because he makes you feel safe. You … can do whatever the heck you want.” He shook his head, then rolled his eyes. “Like go to freaking Nigeria.” He said it like he had a bad taste in his mouth.
Now she was the one laughing. “Yeah. Go to freaking Nigeria.” She mimicked him.
Staring at her for a moment, he suddenly shoo
k his head, then turned away, rubbing his temple. “Rich, entitled people. They just don’t make any sense.”
“What?” Her heart raced.
“Seriously, I went to freaking Afghanistan and Iraq because I had to go there.”
She pointed at him. “You joined the military, and my money has strings attached to it until I turn forty.”
“Ah. That changes things,” Texas said slowly.
She nodded. “Don’t give me a line about the poor little rich girl, okay?”
He laughed. “My other song.”
“I hate your title by the way.”
He laughed harder, then frowned.
She shrugged. “I guess I could go it alone. Get on with a different paper, see what happens to me.” She wasn’t stupid, social media had changed the face of news forever and created a whole different landscape. “Trying to make a name for yourself is hard now. Everyone thinks they’re a reporter. Blogging, vlogging, making news out of nothing.”
“Stupid country singers.” He offered with a grin.
She sighed. “The point really is my mother, if I can convince her, gives me the greatest chance to write for the greatest amount of people. If I’m given an opportunity, The New York Times has a wide readership. I can make a difference.”
He sighed. “Sometimes making a difference isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
She thought of his service in the Army. The thing he’d skirted around talking to her about. Taking a different angle, she told him her concerns about Nigeria. “Did you know in 2014 there were two-hundred and seventy-six Nigerian girls abducted out of their school?”
This seemed to take him aback. “What?”
“Exactly.” She nodded. “The Nigerian Taliban went and took those girls in what they called a ‘retaliation’ against girls getting an education.”
He shook his head. “Yep. Doesn’t surprise me. It’s awful, but it doesn’t surprise me.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she exhaled. “There are real issues that have to be delt with and the U.N. is the only institution trying to figure it out.” Her eyes opened and she swallowed. “I just want a chance to give coverage to serious things.”
