Cutting Loose

by Charity Hillis

  Slowly, she headed across the barn to give Sharlene and Jeremiah a hug, and when she was done, she glanced back at Sean once. His blue eyes held a question, and Amy gave him a quick nod before she could stop herself. His lips curled up into a knowing smile, and he tipped his head in the direction of the hotel. Amy nodded again, her heart pounding with anticipation, before she slipped out into the balmy night.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Sean’s eyes trailed after Amy as she left the barn, but he knew better than to follow her immediately. It didn’t take long for him to pack up his guitar, though, leaving it in its case at the rear of the stage, and he slipped out the back door without anyone noticing.

  There were still people milling around in front of the inn, and Sean waved to a couple of his friends, but he figured they wouldn’t think anything of it to see him there so late; he sometimes helped Roxy out, and everybody probably expected him to stick around for the post-wedding cleanup.

  He walked into the lobby of the inn and glanced around quickly. Although his sister had owned the place for almost ten years, Sean still thought of it as belonging to their grandparents, and the fact that Roxy had insisted on keeping the old décor exactly as it was heightened the illusion. Sean was always half expecting to see his granddad’s ghost rocking in one of the old chairs, smoking his pipe and talking about fishing. A wave of nostalgia passed over him, but the lobby was empty of both the living and the dead, and Sean gave himself a mental shake. Not the time to think about family, he reminded himself as he crossed to the front desk.

  Roxy kept meticulous notes, and Sean easily found the hand-written register under the counter. He pulled it out and skimmed until he spotted Amy’s name and room number. With another glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody had come in or noticed him, Sean hurried up the stairs, his muscles taught with need.

  As he climbed, he thought about the different ways he wanted to explore Amy’s body, and his heart rate increased with each step. When he reached her room, he paused outside the door for a moment, his breath already coming fast at the thought of what waited for him behind the door. He wanted to savor the excitement and the fantasy of flesh and heat that was building in his mind, but something told him the reality was going to be even better than he hoped. Running a hand through his hair, he squared his shoulders and knocked.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Amy had made it back to her room and kicked off her shoes before she realized that she’d never given Sean her room number, and she froze for a moment, trying to figure out if it would be better to just let it go, or if she should go back to the barn and try to catch him. Caught in her indecision, she jumped when someone knocked on the door.

  “Who is it?” She called, trying to slow her pulse.

  “Who else? Hurry up and open it, would you?” Sean’s voice was soft, and Amy hurried to the door. When he stepped into her room, he closed the door behind him and turned the key in the lock with one swift movement.

  Amy couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. “You think we aren’t safe here?” She teased.

  In answer, Sean’s eyes traveled over her, skimming the length of her body with appreciation. “I know I’m not safe with you,” he intoned as he took a step toward her.

  Amy chuckled. “Do those kind of lines really work?” She tried to sound sure of herself, but Sean’s determined presence in her room had robbed her of her earlier certainty. Suddenly nervous, she brought her hand up to tuck a stray piece of golden hair behind her ear. Sean reached for her hand, catching her in mid-movement, and they stood like that with their eyes locked for a breathless moment.

  “You tell me,” he said softly, letting go of her hand and reaching for the stray hair. Instead of tucking it behind her ear like Amy had been about to do, however, Sean’s fingers skimmed the hair, slipping toward the clip at the back of her skull. Deftly, he snapped it open, and Amy’s long hair cascaded down her shoulders.

  Sean’s other hand reached up, tangling itself in her hair, and Amy gasped in pleasure at the sensation of his fingers against her scalp. Tightening his grip, Sean pulled her face toward his. Amy kept her eyes open, the rational part of her mind hesitating even as he claimed her mouth with a kiss, but when Sean slid his arms underneath her hair, searching for the zipper to her dress, Amy pressed her body against him and tipped her head back, urging him to go faster as the last of her resistance melted away. Sean smiled against her lips, and instead of speeding up, he slowed down, igniting his skin as he trailed his mouth over her neck and collarbone. Delicately, he flicked his tongue against her throat, and Amy shuddered. Sean chuckled, and his fingers began tracing tortuous circles along her spine.

  Amy tilted her head forward and nipped his ear. “Two can play that game,” she murmured, slipping her hands around his neck and then slowly dancing her fingers down his back until she reached his belt. Stroking the leather, Amy reached one hand around to the front, pressing herself away from Sean as her fingertips reached toward his zipper, light and teasing.

  Sean let out a guttural sound, arching toward Amy’s hand, but she pulled her fingers away and took a step back with a wicked smile. Sean surprised her by dropping to his knees in front of her and reaching for her hips, pulling her toward him again, and heat built between her legs as Amy felt his lips through the thin fabric of her dress. A soft moan escaped her, and she tangled her hands in his hair, pressing him closer to her secret darkness.

  Sean slid his hands up her legs and underneath her skirt, his fingers taunting her the same way she had teased him. She felt the callused tips of his fingers stroking her inner thighs as his lips teased her through the front of her dress, and Amy finally surrendered the need to be in control. She felt like she would break if Sean didn’t cover her body with his that moment, and a shudder raced through her as she melted into his touch. Sean must have felt the subtle change in her, because he lifted his eyes and got to his feet, his hands trailing gently up her arms while he watched her face. They were both panting, but before Amy had a chance to catch her breath, Sean’s mouth had claimed hers again, and she surrendered to his kiss.

  Some tony, desperately type-A part of her mind was still in control enough that alarm bells started going off in her head as Sean pressed her against the wall, nearly toppling a small table in the process, but she didn’t care; it had been too long since anything had felt as good as Sean’s lips and hands felt, and Amy shut her eyes, relishing the sensations he stirred in her.

  The alarms didn’t stop, and Amy opened her eyes hazily just as Sean jerked his head away from her. “Shit,” he said, grabbing his shirt, which Amy hadn’t remembered being discarded, before reaching for her hand. Before she could gather her wits, he tugged her toward the door, flipping the lock and opening the door in one fluid movement before he thrust her into the hall.

  “What—” She started to demand, but Sean just held onto her hand and pulled her down the hall.

  “That was the fire alarm. We’ve got to get out!”

  Suddenly, Amy realized that the warning bells were still ringing, and she turned back toward her room. “I have to get my computer!”

  Sean didn’t let go of her. “This place is like a tinderbox just waiting for a spark. Leave it!”

  Reluctantly, Amy did, running after him down the stairs and out into the yard in her bare feet. Pine needles pricked her mercilessly, but she followed Sean a good ten yards away from the inn despite the pain before turning back to look at the building. Instead of leaping flames and choking smoke, however, Amy saw a small clump of people standing on the porch, staring at her.

  Roxy turned to Carol and Joanne with a broad smile. “All right, pay up.”

  Carol groaned. “Not fair! He’s your brother; you probably have ESP where he’s concerned.”

  Roxy cocked an eyebrow. “I lost last time, didn’t I?”

  Joanne nodded. “True. You thought they’d hook up yesterday.”

  Carol grumbled good naturedly as she opened her purse and
pulled out a five. “Fine. Can’t win them all.”

  Confused, Amy took in the whole exchange, still expecting to see flames shooting out of the inn. After a moment, she realized what was happening, and her jaw dropped. “You were betting on me?”

  Joanne had the grace to look sheepish. “Well, you and Sean,” she said.

  Amy spun around to glare at him. “Did you know about this?”

  Sean raised his hands defensively. “No, but it shouldn’t surprise me. That’s just my sister’s sick sense of humor showing through.”

  Roxy grinned from the porch. “But I was right! I knew you’d hook up with her, Sean.”

  Amy’s skin heated up, and she realized she must look like a mess, standing there flushed and rumpled in her bare feet, her hair loose around her face. Ignoring Sean, she marched back inside, past the chuckling group on the porch. “Then you pulled the damn fire alarm too soon!” She said over her shoulder. “We hadn’t hooked up…hopefully that ruins the bet.”

  Roxy tried to say something to her, but Amy stalked upstairs, ignoring her. When she got back to her room, she slammed the door. What the hell was wrong with Sharlene’s friends? Pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes, Amy took a slow, deliberate breath and tried to calm down. Am I wound up because of the stupid bet, or because we didn’t get to finish what we’d started?

  Frustrated, she flopped across the bed, which let out an angry squeak. Her blood was still pounding in her veins, and adrenaline was coursing through her. Between the false alarm and the way Sean’s kisses seemed to linger on her skin, Amy was pretty sure she wouldn’t get any more sleep at the Pine Tree Inn. Deciding it wasn’t worth hanging around and facing Roxy and her friends in the morning, Amy hurriedly threw her things into her suitcase and slipped her shoes back on. She was still dressed for the wedding, but she didn’t care; suddenly, she just had to get out of Vermont.

  No one was manning the front desk when she came into the lobby, and Amy dropped her key on the counter and headed out into the dark night. She’d given her credit card information when she checked in, so she knew that Roxy could bill her for the room without her needing to stick around for a humiliating chat. Dragging her luggage behind her, she headed to the two-door BMW parked off to one side of the gravel driveway. The crowd had already dispersed, and Amy sank into the driver’s seat of her car with a relieved sigh. She probably would have gotten herself in trouble with the locals if anyone had encountered her, and no matter how upset she was, she was clear-headed enough to think of Sharlene; she didn’t want to spoil her friend’s wedding by getting into a fight with any of the woman’s pals, but Amy decided that she couldn’t be held responsible for what she’d say the next time she saw any of the Vermonters.

  “Not that there’s going to be a next time,” she grumbled, turning her car onto the freeway and pressing down on the gas. Sure, she wanted to keep up with Sharlene now that they’d gotten in touch, but there was no reason Amy would have to go back to the backwoods; Sharlene would just have to come into New York if she wanted to hang out with Amy.

  As the miles slipped away behind her, Amy gradually calmed down, but there was a tiny knot of desire in her stomach that wouldn’t go away, no matter how fast she drove. She was over an hour away when she remembered to be nervous about being behind the wheel, and she slowed down with a shiver. No point being reckless, regardless of what did or didn’t happen. Despite the way the evening had ended, she’d really wanted to spend some more time with Sean, and as she scanned the dark horizon and struggled to keep her thoughts away from her parents, she found herself wondering if there was any chance they’d be able to finish what they’d started that weekend before she shook her head ruefully. Lightning doesn’t strike twice, she reminded herself as she clenched the steering wheel and entered the city.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Damn it, Sean thought, watching Amy stomp off. His sister had certainly screwed that up. Part of him wanted to go after Amy, but he figured she was too mad to talk to anybody just then, so he shoved his hands into his pockets and tried his best to look bored.

  Roxy called out to him from the porch. “Thanks for the extra cash, big brother!”

  He shook his head. “You’re a bitch, you know that, right?” His words were harsh, but he kept his tone light and teasing. No reason to get into it with her right now, he reminded himself.

  She chuckled. “Nope. I just know you too well.”

  Sean ignored her and headed down to the barn to grab his guitar. He’d left it after the wedding, not wanting to carry it around the inn or risk forgetting it in Amy’s room. As he slid open the old barn door, he thought about turning on the lights, but he decided against it. His eyes adjusted to the dark after a moment, and moving slowly, Sean headed toward the stage tucked into one corner, trying to pull his thoughts away from Amy.

  He’d built the platform himself the previous summer, when Roxy told him she wanted to start hosting events at the inn. His kid sister pissed him off sometimes, and she pulled some ridiculous stunts, but no matter how much he wanted to strangle her, Sean would have done anything for her. She’s all I’ve got left, he thought, looking around the dark barn that felt even more deserted now that the wedding was over.

  He sat down on the stage, staring at nothing in the darkness. Their grandparents had practically raised him and Roxy; with a mom in and out of rehab and a dad they’d never met, Popop and Grammy had been the only stable people in his childhood. When he hit adolescence, they’d been too rigid, too stable for his tastes, and he’d started writing songs and dreaming about making his escape. When he formed Bad Kitten, the band he’d let Roxy name, he’d really believed he was about to get out of their small town once and for all.

  Sean got to his feet and crossed to the front of the stage, where the microphone stand was still set up. Gripping it with both hands, he leaned in close. “Hello, Madison Square Gardens.” The mic was still on, and the words echoed in the empty barn. Sean looked down at the concrete floor, picturing a packed stadium of screaming fans. He hadn’t wasted time on those kind of fantasies in years, and he idly wondered why he was thinking about it that night, but instead of stopping and going home, like he’d planned, he closed his eyes and hummed a few notes.

  He hadn’t written music since Joy broke his heart and the band broke up, but he still remembered every chord of every song he’d written back then, before he gave up. In his mind, he could hear the drummer behind him, and he moved his head in time with the imaginary music.

  The lights overhead flickered on, and Sean whirled around, releasing his fantasy, but he relaxed when he saw Jeremiah beside the barn door.

  “Shouldn’t you be off doing your husbandly duties?” He asked, jumping down from the stage with a practiced smirk.

  Miah smiled. “You know I’m not allowed to talk about that now. Code of married men and all that.”

  Sean chuckled. “Not like you’ve ever been one to kiss and tell. But seriously, what gives?”

  “Sharlene thought she left her purse. I told her to forget it, but she wanted to send a couple of the wedding pics to her great-aunt down in Florida.” He shrugged. “So I said I’d go and find it.”

  Sean shook his head and picked up his guitar case. “She’s already got you beat, man.”

  “Someday, you’re going to be begging for a woman to boss you around.”

  For a moment, Sean remembered the feeling of Amy’s lips against his, of her slender fingers dancing across his waistband, and he shifted uncomfortably. “No, thanks,” he quipped, dragging his mind away from what had almost happened. “Footloose and fancy free and all that.”

  Miah shook his head. “Someday, you’ll find someone worth dropping that act for.” He hesitated. “Sharlene keeps telling me that she thinks you and Amy would make a good couple.”

  Sean forced a laugh. “New Yorkers aren’t really my type.” He headed toward the door. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to the wife?”

  Miah grinned broadly. �
��Yeah. Is it pathetic that I really love the way that sounds?”

  “What, wife?”

  Miah nodded. “She’s mine, and I’m not going anywhere. It’s a pretty intense feeling, man.”

  Sean shook his head. “I’m going to take your word for it.” He tried to sound light, but an unfamiliar feeling that might have been loneliness tugged at his gut as he followed Miah out into the night air.

  He was halfway home before he realized his shirt was on inside out, and his stomach clenched with longing as he remembered Amy’s frantic, demanding embrace.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Amy had been back to her old life for a couple of weeks before Sharlene tried to call, and the first two times, Amy let it go to voicemail. But the third time, guilt propelled her and she picked up the phone.

  “Where’ve you been? I didn’t get to say goodbye after the wedding.”

  Amy let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I wanted to get an early start,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “Couldn’t stay away from work any longer.” And I needed to get away from Sean before I did something I’d regret.

  Sharlene chuckled, and Amy relaxed even more. She doesn’t know. “Well, I understand, but next time, at least say bye, okay?”

  Amy switched the phone to her other ear and reached into the fridge. She’d forgotten to eat lunch at work, but she wasn’t thrilled with any of the options she found at home. Sighing, Amy pulled a takeout container out of the fridge and started to eat, not even bothering to heat it up. “Okay. How was the honeymoon?”

  “Magical! We went on a cruise, can you believe it?”