A Beautiful Purpose

by Alicia Rae

  “It could be less than that,” I tried to add reassuringly as I took her hand in mine. It was so small and soft, and for some reason, I loved running my thumb over her delicate fingers. “Let me make some phone calls and see if I can work out a better number.”

  “I hope it will be cheaper than that,” Audrey admitted. “That’s a big investment to put into her. Do you think she’s worth it?”

  “Other than the motor, the car is in exceptionally good condition,” I thought out loud, knowing the tires, brakes, and everything else looked solid. “Once we get it running again, I don’t foresee any other problems. Plus, the value will increase dramatically, too, if you ever decide to sell it.”

  “That’s a lot to ask of you though, Blake.” She frowned. “You don’t have to do this for me.”

  “I know.” My free hand found her cheek and automatically caressed the soft skin. “I want to help you, Audrey, so please don’t try to talk me out of it because it won’t work.”

  Audrey nodded thoughtfully. “Let me know what I can do to make it up to you or if there is anything you need.”

  At first, there was not a damn thing I wanted from her, except to help her, but then my devilish side reared its head, planning to use this to its advantage.

  “There is one thing you can do…” I trailed off, letting the words sink in.

  Audrey must have caught my drift because she suddenly appeared nervous. “Oh? What’s that?”

  “Let me take you out to dinner.”

  Her mouth opened, as if ready to debate my offer. Then, she seemed to change her mind, and she pinned me with her eyes. “You’re going to use this to your benefit, aren’t you?”

  “Yep.” I grinned boyishly.

  Her palms rose to my chest, and she gave me a gentle shove.

  “What? You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “Yes, I can.” She chortled along with me.

  Her hand was still on my chest as we both started to quiet down. The atmosphere between us shifted, and the look in those stunning green eyes told me she felt it, too.

  “Okay,” she breathed, “but just dinner.”

  “Just dinner,” I agreed, thinking that we both knew that wasn’t true.

  Something else was transpiring between us. I realized it and could admit to it, but Audrey was a whole other ball game. I had no idea how to reach this girl and unlock her reservations, but I would move heaven and earth to find a way.

  ~Audrey~

  It was girls’ day, and I was so excited to spend time and have a few drinks with Gail, Abbey, and Lily—minus the huge wedding planning factor. If it wasn’t for my three closest friends, I would have definitely bailed.

  To me, the fun part of the wedding was going to be coordinating all the events throughout the day, creating a perfect flow for Abbey’s and Gail’s special day.

  The four of us all sat together on the area rug in the living room of Abbey’s new house. Facing a huge rectangular whiteboard, we each had a glass filled with bubbly liquid and a marker in our hands, ready to put our heads together and work out the details.

  The trickiest part was blending each of the vows together while letting the second couple watch the first. We all agreed it had to be something unique and special, so that specific part took the longest.

  The two receptions would be combined, of course. It wouldn’t be a party unless everyone was together. As I listened to Abbey and Gail throw in their ideas, it was particularly sweet to see them share the spotlight, wanting it to be extraordinary for each of them.

  “So, how is the bridal party portion of it working?” Lily sipped her sparkling water. “Do we just hop from Gail and Damon on over to Abbey and Jason? Or are we standing still?” She laughed. “I’m so confused.”

  I glanced down at my stick people on the whiteboard. “The first couple to exchange their vows will be Abbey and Jason. Then, they will switch positions with Gail and Damon.” I pointed, giving the girls a visual from my drawing. “That way, everyone else will remain in the same spot.”

  “Since Abbey and I both pretty much have the same family and friends, the wedding party was easy to match up. Pearl and Caroline will be walking together as junior bridesmaids. Abbey, of course, will be in line with Jason, and Damon is with me.” Gail grinned. “Audrey, that leaves you walking with Blake.”

  I took in a long breath of air and slowly released it, knowing I shouldn’t even be surprised that Blake and I had been paired up. What bothered me was that I had already allowed myself to spend too much time with Blake.

  Last Saturday, I had spent the whole day with him, and we’d had dinner together. I had also seen him three times in the past week. A smile filled my cheeks at thinking how he had been creatively using my car for any extra opportunity to see me.

  I exhaled a troubled sigh, knowing I was getting in too deep. I needed to distance myself now before it was too late. And sharing something as intimate as our friends exchanging vows overwhelmed me. Actually, truth be told, it terrified me and sent my heart into a hazardous frenzy.

  “Don’t look so shocked, Audrey.” Abbey patted my hand, breaking my moment of surprise. Her expression was thoughtful. “You don’t have to hide it from us. The girls and I already know you have been spending time with Blake.”

  “It’s not what you—” I started to protest.

  Gail cut in, “We think you two make the perfect couple.” Gail’s eyes were full of happiness.

  I playfully reached forward to grab Gail’s drink from her hand. “And I think you’ve had a wee too much to drink.”

  Gail rolled her eyes at me and dodged my efforts. “Deny it all you want, girl, but we have all seen the way Blake is with you.”

  “Oh, yes,” Lily piped in, her bright blue eyes beaming. “He’s had that look in his eyes.”

  “The look?” I croaked, my heart thumping wickedly.

  “The look,” Lily agreed. “It was the exact same one Kyle gave me when we first started dating.”

  “Yep, Jason had it, too, on the night of Kyle and Lily’s wedding,” Abbey crooned, leaning back against her glass coffee table with dreamy eyes. “It was the look that said, You’re mine.”

  And my heart stopped beating as Lily, Gail, and Abbey fell into a fit of giggles around me.

  Gail was the first to reach forward and shake me. “Breathe, Audrey! Breathe!”

  “I don’t want to,” I gasped in shock.

  “Uh-oh.” Abbey shook her head. “She’s got it bad.”

  “Blake can’t have the look,” I responded, completely ignoring Abbey’s comment. This was getting out of control. I needed a way to remedy the situation, and I was clueless what to do.

  Lily scooted closer and set her hand on my back. “Honey, that’s what we all said. And here we all are—in love. Do yourself a favor, and give Blake a chance. I know my cousin has a rough exterior, especially since he’s a Marine. As a soldier, he’s strong and courageous. And on the inside?” Lily’s eyes filled with affection. “He’s a Johnson brother. His heart is pure and good. And when one of them loves someone, he gives his whole heart.”

  I nodded, but I was lost in my own thoughts, and the girls gave me some space by chattering about the upcoming weddings.

  Yes, I could see everything Lily had said about Blake was true.

  He was everything Lily had said and more, but I wasn’t. I could not give him the love he deserved in return. It was something I would never allow myself to give or receive.

  My phone beeped for the third time, and I reluctantly pulled myself out of my slumber, wishing I could close my eyes for just five more minutes. I army-crawled my way across to the opposite side of the bed and grabbed my phone off the nightstand. It was a text from Blake.

  Time for some fun today, gorgeous girl. Wake up! ;)

  I rubbed my palm over my sleepy eyes, yawning, and then texted him back, hoping to let him down easy.

  Sorry, no can do. It is Sunday. That means I get to sleep in, and I have lots o
f things to catch up on this afternoon. Night.

  His response was immediate.

  Sleeping is for the dead.

  I laughed as his second text came through.

  And you have twenty minutes to get ready, or I’m going to see what your bedroom looks like. That should have your eyes peeling open. ;)

  He was right on target. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets—not only was he telling me to get ready, but his bossy rear was also giving me an ultimatum. So, I teased him back.

  Aren’t you bossy today? *Cough, cough* I think I’m sick. Maybe another time.

  His reply had me gaping at my screen.

  Marines never give up. Eighteen minutes and dropping fast.

  I scrambled out of bed, leaped to my feet, and barreled for the bathroom. With lightning speed, I showered, dressed, and threw my long blonde hair into a ponytail, accepting I had no time to make it fancy.

  The doorbell rang just as I was brushing my teeth. I quickly finished and headed for the front door. On the other side, Blake stood there, looking all fresh and sexy without even trying. His handsome blue eyes brightened as he smiled down at me.

  I stepped across the threshold with the door mostly closed at my back, still holding the knob, so we had some sort of privacy, realizing I hadn’t even told my parents I was leaving today.

  “Damn, I thought I was going to get lucky and get to see your bedroom.” Blake grinned wolfishly, making my insides tingle at the idea.

  “Not a chance there, Devil.” I set my hand on my hip, trying my best to keep my face serious. “You’ll just have to settle on using your imagination.”

  Blake took a small step forward and leaned on the doorjamb beside me. Between sneaking a glance at his flexing bicep, his proximity, and the heat in his eyes, I was unsure which one had my blood pressure on the rise. My breathing hitched at the anticipation of his response.

  He leaned forward, and I could feel the warmth of his breath tickling my neck. “I have an excellent imagination…for now.”

  All the air whooshed out of my lungs, and my back fell into the door, opening it.

  He backed up a little, as if giving me some breathing room. “Are you ready to hit the road?” he asked with a boyish smile, swiftly changing the subject.

  “Yes, I just need to check on my mother, make sure she is comfortable, and let her know I’m going to be leaving for a while.”

  As I turned around and took a step forward to head back into the house, I saw my father standing a few feet away, watching me with questioning eyes. He came to stand at my side. It was from the corner of my eye that I noticed Blake had taken one, too, and was standing right behind me.

  “Where are you going?” my father asked, his eyes darting between Blake and me.

  “I’m going to head out for a while with Blake.” I gestured behind me, feeling slightly uncomfortable at introducing Blake to my father. I didn’t like anyone seeing this part of my life. “Blake, this is my father, Tim Hampton.”

  Blake moved directly to my side and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  My father looked at his hand and then at Blake. “Uh-huh.” He rotated his gaze to me. “Make sure your mother is settled before you leave. I don’t have time in my schedule for errors today.”

  My father walked away without so much as another word, leaving me feeling embarrassed that Blake had seen him at his best. It was the very reason I had always kept my friends away from my home life and why I felt so guilty for leaving my mother for a few hours even though I had spent nearly all week taking care of her.

  A warm hand found mine and squeezed. “Go help your mom, and make sure she’s all right.” Blake’s voice was soft, luring me to look at him. So, I did. “Then, I’m taking you out of here.”

  The diesel sound of Blake’s truck dulled as he shut off the ignition. My eyes were still stuck on the sign in front of me.

  WYLD STYLE PAINTBALLS

  He hopped down from his seat, came around to my side of the vehicle, and opened my door. “You ready for some fun?” he asked.

  I glanced up at him, seeing that boyish grin return on his face. It made him look utterly breathtaking.

  I wasn’t a fan of guns, but the glimmer in Blake’s eyes had me not wanting to let him down. I could give something new a try since it seemed to be a hobby he enjoyed.

  “I’ve never been before,” I admitted shyly, mirroring the look on his face with my own smile. I laughed out loud. “I’ll probably miss every target by a mile, but I’ll give it my best.”

  “I’ll take it easy on you.” He reached for my hand, and I exited the truck.

  Opening the backseat door, he pulled out two enormous paintball guns and a box of paintballs. He handed me one of the guns. My arm lowered from the weight of it.

  “Jeez, that’s heavy,” I said, giving the gun a once-over. I lifted it up to see the tip of the barrel, still keeping it out of range of my face. It looked huge, too, and I suddenly feared getting struck by one of the ginormous plastic paintballs.

  Blake tipped the head of the barrel downward. “Careful!”

  “I’ve never used one of these before.”

  “Don’t worry. You and I will be teammates. That way, I can show you the ins and outs of the game.”

  He slung the strap of this paintball gun over his shoulder, so I did the same. Then, he grabbed my hand and gave me a gentle tug.

  “Come on, let’s go get covered in paint, and I have a surprise waiting for you inside.”

  As we walked inside and to the front desk, my attention landed on Gail and Abbey, who were standing near Damon and Jason. I was bummed to see Lily and Kyle missing from the pack, but it was expected, considering the risks.

  I whipped my head to Blake, silently inquiring how all this came about.

  He must have understood what I was asking because he shrugged and said, “What better way to spend our day having a good time than with friends and family?”

  A large smile plastered itself across my face, and I had the sudden urge to throw myself in his arms and kiss him. I resisted since Abbey and Gail were patiently waiting for me. Plus, I didn’t need them asking any questions I didn’t have answers to or forcing me to face any feelings I didn’t understand yet myself.

  “Thank you,” I replied sincerely to Blake, grateful to get an opportunity to see my friends and him at the same time.

  Blake dipped his head and briefly kissed my forehead with a certain softness that had me holding my breath to savor the feeling.

  “You’re welcome.” He released my hand. “Why don’t you join the girls while I check us in?”

  “Okay.” I left his side to go stand in front of Abbey and Gail.

  “Hi, sweets. Look who finally made it out of the house again!” Gail beamed, wrapping me in a hug.

  Next, Abbey embraced me.

  “Hey, girls.” I smiled between them when Abbey and I drew apart and then over to Jason and Damon. “Hey, guys.”

  “Hey, Audrey,” Jason said with a welcoming smile. “Are you ready to get creamed by some paintballs?”

  Abbey went to stand by her man, and she gave him a playful, frisky shove with her elbow. “Don’t let him scare you off.” She snorted in good humor. “If anyone is creaming anyone today, it will be us girls kicking some ass.”

  “Kicking our men’s asses,” Gail clarified.

  I bit my lip to stifle my amusement as Blake stepped over to join us.

  Damon came up behind Gail, looping his arms around her waist as he kissed her temple. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll let you kick my ass but just this once.”

  “Yep,” Jason chimed in with a wide grin. “Round two is fair game though.”

  “Well then, I guess we already have our teams picked out.” Abbey’s face shimmered with a competitive streak. “Guys against girls?”

  “Hell yes,” Gail whooped, thrusting her fist in the air.

  Abbey and Gail congregated together, away from their men. I stood froz
en in my spot next to Blake, feeling doomed that we were about to go up against three guys, who were brothers and probably had many years of experience on us.

  There goes Blake showing me the ropes. I’ll just have to wing it.

  “Yo, Audrey.” Gail teasingly curled her finger at me, motioning me to come over to them. “You are on our team, lady, so you’re going to have to part from your stud for the time being.”

  Before I could respond, Blake leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Don’t worry. We’ll go easy on you.”

  I gulped in a breath of air. “Please do.”

  “Here.” Blake pivoted, sneaking his arms around me from behind. His height allowed him to look down over my shoulder.

  His firm chest pressed into my back, and I swore, I could feel each chiseled muscle beneath his shirt.

  He repositioned his hands over different sections of the gun, showing me each part, as he continued, “This is the chamber that’s full of paintballs. Make sure you check it. You don’t want to run out while playing in the field.”

  As he spoke, I tried to pay attention and not let his sinful body rubbing me with each of his movements distract me. It was easier said than done.

  His hand moved to a lever. “Here is the safety button to click on and off. The trigger is right here. I loosened the tension spring, so it will be easier for you to press.” He turned his head into me. “Do you think you can remember that?”

  I nodded my head rapidly, doing a quick run-through. “Keep paintballs loaded, keep the safety off on the field so that the gun will fire, and of course, keep my finger on the trigger. I can handle that.”

  “And hit them before they hit you.”

  “Don’t get socked with a hard plastic ball of paint. Got it.”

  Blake chuckled in a low tone. “Exactly.”

  As I spun around to face him, he bent forward to the left and grabbed a black vest at his feet that I hadn’t even realized was there until now. “Arms up,” he commanded.

  I did as he’d asked.

  He slipped the vest over my head and started to tighten the straps. “Use your surroundings to protect yourself and stay out of the open.”