Love Me Always: A Romance Anthology

by Peyton Banks

  Austin squinted. No, that couldn’t be...

  "Cheryl?" Brian grinned and opened his arms wide.

  Austin shook his head and whispered, "No fucking way."

  "Brian?" she said as she stepped into his open arms.

  Something ugly churned in Austin's stomach.

  "Damn, woman. How are you? It's been... what? Ten years?" Brian released her from the embrace but held on to her biceps.

  "At least." Cheryl’s voice was lighter and happier than any moment on the plane, and Austin had paid attention. Those large brown eyes held the sheen of long held and happy memories.

  Austin had thought her lovely before, but fresh faced and glowing, Cheryl was stunning.

  "Sorry, where are my manners." Brian motioned to Austin, "Austin this is Cheryl Richardson, we went to law school together. I'm sure no introductions are needed, but this is—"

  "Fancy seeing you here." Austin grinned and hooked his thumbs in his belt loops.

  Brian stared back and forth between the two.

  "Looks like your witch of a seat partner strikes again." The smile on Cheryl’s full lips said she had not one regret.

  "Well, if the broom fits..." Austin shrugged, then retreated when she shook her tiny fist.

  They grinned and studied each other. This time Cheryl didn’t bother trying to be discreet. On the plane she was honey badger vicious yet still cute. But relaxed and happy, the woman was stunning.

  "Brian, Austin." A tall Hispanic man waved from the direction of the theater.

  "Brian, I need a minute." Austin couldn’t let her to disappear again.

  Not without shooting his shot.

  Brian and Cheryl exchanged business cards and promises to keep in touch.

  Hell, if Austin had his way, both he and Brian would see much more of the pint-sized terror.

  "What's up?" Cheryl's expression remained smooth and unaffected, but the thumb picking at the seam of her tote made her a little less frightening and fucking adorable. "Your friends are waiting for you."

  "Did you bring hiking boots?"

  "No." She pressed her lips together, which exposed a tiny dimple in her left cheek. "Maybe you should call your flight attendant friends."

  “It wasn’t like that.”

  “Not my business.”

  "Could be." He glanced down at her sparkly orange toes, painted with tiny white flowers. "Meet me down here in the lobby in..." He looked down at his watch. "Is an hour enough time?"

  "Was that an invitation?” She crossed her arms and that dimple made a reappearance.

  Obviously no was in her repertoire, but since she hadn't retrieved it to shred his ego, maybe he had a chance. "Cheryl, would you do me the honor of spending an afternoon together? I’d give you a day you’ll never forget."

  And hopefully a night too.

  “Austin,” Brian called.

  She narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Don't be late."

  "Cool. Wear jeans or long shorts. And a hat if you have one." Austin slipped his hands in his jean pockets and walked backward before she changed her mind. "I know your name. Don't make me have to track you down."

  "And don't you make me have to get a restraining order." Cheryl grinned, and flounced off in full on gunslinger mode.

  4

  Cheryl

  What in the seven hells was Cheryl doing?

  She stood in front of the large window of the tour office. The helicopter pilot, who looked like a young Harrison Ford, walked around the shiny black beast looking at the tires, propellers, and stuff.

  “Ready to go?” Austin now stood beside her, wearing the same well-loved loose fitting Levis and doc Martins from earlier, but he’d changed his grey button down for a vintage Adam and the Ants t-shirt.

  “Let me see your wallet.” She extended her hand. When Austin obediently placed the brown trifold on her palm she flipped it open. "If I disappear, I need my friends to know where to start looking."

  “You have friends?”

  The cute a Korean woman behind the counter giggled.

  “Yes, dangerous ones who owe me for keeping them out of the slammer.” Well, the white-collar criminals she kept out of prison would be more likely to ruin Austin’s credit or steal his identity.

  But he didn’t need to know that.

  She snapped a picture of Austin’s driver's license and looked at a couple of his credit cards, including a Black American Express, before handing it back. "Thanks," Cheryl said before sending the picture off in a group text to her sister and Thalia.

  Austin's tongue darted across his lower lip, and Cheryl barely choked back a whimper.

  "How about I do you one better?" He slid the phone from her sweaty fingers handing to a woman behind the counter who may have been old enough to be his mother. "Mika, would you mind taking a picture for us?"

  From that smile, it was clear Mika sure as hell didn't have a problem robbing Austin's cradle.

  Not that Cheryl could blame her. If she hadn’t sworn off beautiful men, Cheryl would say skip the appetizer of a date and go straight to dessert.

  "No problem." Mika’s smile was so warm Cheryl, almost felt guilty about being bitchy.

  Almost.

  Austin wrapped his muscular arm around Cheryl’s shoulder, and she found herself pressed against his side. Why did he have to smell so good? His cologne was faint but held notes of citrus. It was bright, clean, sexy, and almost made her forget about her vow of celibacy.

  Mika raised the phone. "You love birds ready?"

  Love birds?

  Cheryl snorted. While she knew she rocked the hell out of a pair of jeans, keeping her ass fitting in her favorite was a struggle. Cheryl could imagine Austin’s usual type—and it wasn’t her.

  She’d met men like Austin before. They loved the chase. Cheryl was the one who ignored him, the one who almost got away, and the one not falling head over ass in lust.

  Barely.

  The sleek black helicopter banked right, almost making Chery’s breakfast make a reappearance. She squeaked.

  “I guess that noise means you’re finally breathing?” Austin’s managed to say before laughing.

  Again.

  “No.” Cheryl released her death grip on the handle. Somewhere between the Hoover Dam and the middle of nowhere she decided to stare death in the face. She wanted to see the ground coming when they crashed.

  It didn’t help.

  “I’m not a fan of flying,” she admitted.

  “Did I not meet you on an airplane?”

  “Yes, you did. I wasn’t happy.”

  “I noticed.”

  She tore her gaze from the jagged graveyard below. “Are you making fun of me?”

  “Absolutely.” Austin smiled so sweetly she wanted to either punch him for being cute or throw her panties at him. "How did you manage all this in two hours?"

  "I know you’ll find it hard to believe, but some people actually like me."

  "Whatever." Cheryl slipped her phone from the side pocket of her cargo shorts and glanced at the screen. Nothing. After taking a few shots of the pilot and Austin, she returned it and checked out the view.

  They were headed south to the Grand Canyon. Judging by the shifting geography, they were close. Giant jagged slashes interrupted the reddening terrain.

  It was beautiful and desolate.

  It wasn't like she hadn't traveled, but she was more of a hop on a plane, take an Ambien, and wake up in another country kind of woman.

  Cheryl squeezed Austin's hand, grateful that they were miked, because it was hard to speak around the lump in her throat. "Thank you,” she said. Austin was handsome. Sure she’d seen and dated hotter, but he had that thing. That charisma that created movie stars and made men of average intelligence CEOs and criminal masterminds.

  "I would spend every dollar I have to watch you smile." Either he deserved an Academy Award, or Austin was just a nice guy. She didn't know which was the most terrifying.

  Frank, their pilot, spoke though the
headsets, interrupting the intimate moment. "We’ve reached the upper fork of the Colorado River, and below you is the Grand Canyon. The west rim is the only place legal to land, but there shouldn’t be another tour for a while, so you should have some privacy."

  Reluctantly, she tore her gaze from Austin. Her heart that had sped up from lust marched straight up to her throat. The terracotta chasm was no longer below them but beside them.

  Old boy, Frank was flying like he was in a videogame—and losing.

  She ripped her gaze from the view to find Frank grinning. What was wrong with him? Honestly, she had no idea what was most disturbing, the grin straight out of a horror movie, or the narrowing walls of the canyon waiting to devour them.

  Austin placed his hand on her knee, and she grabbed it like she was in the middle of a contraction.

  "Don't worry ma'am I got you," Frank said.

  You’d better.

  From the masculine chuckles, apparently, she’d used her outside voice.

  Cheryl released Austin’s hand and glared. "If we die, I'll make sure your afterlife is hell."

  5

  Austin

  Austin had been to the Grand Canyon a million times. There was nothing like the majesty of nature to clear your head. And flying in had never ceased to leave him breathless.

  Until today.

  Watching the emotions play across Cheryl's expressive face was worth every dollar he'd spent, and the favors Brian had called in to get the landing permit.

  Austin held Cheryl’s Camelback filled with ice and water, as well as a couple packets of salted nuts stuffed in the pockets. She turned around, slipped her arms through the shoulder straps, then tightened them as he adjusted his own much heavier backpack.

  Frank handed Cheryl an old-school satellite phone and a business card then looked an Austin. "I'll meet you guys here in three hours. Any questions?”

  After Frank’s impressive departure, Cheryl stared wide-eyed at the walls of the canyon. "Wow, this just makes me feel so unimportant. Puts things in perspective."

  "I know what you mean." He adjusted his backpack.

  Cheryl nodded at the bag. "Want me to take some of that?"

  Austin dipped his chin, scowling over the top of his glasses. The woman didn’t so much as flinch.

  They walked a few hundred yards in a comfortable silence. Cheryl watched the terrain, but all he could see was her. Did she really have cargo shorts in her suitcase, or did she stop in one of the hotel shops?

  Either way, they suited her.

  Cheryl reached a fallen half rotted tree. Austin almost called out a warning, but she’d already pivoted and walked around it. Most people would just step over the damned thing and risk disturbing wildlife that didn’t appreciate interruptions.

  "It’s a little warmer than usual today.” He pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped his forehead. “Maybe I should’ve set this up for tomorrow morning.”

  “It’s better than you didn’t, I would’ve talked myself out of coming.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Absolutely. So, count your blessings, boo.”

  “Are you sure it’s not too hot for you? If it is, we can—”

  "Stop.” She shook her head. “Baby I'm from Texas. This is nothing." She waved off his worry with a flick of a hand. "But if your load gets too heavy, I’m here."

  All of this, meeting Cheryl, her allegedly not knowing his identity, and the unexpected meeting with Brian suddenly seemed staged. Then again, the explanation could be much simpler. Airplane mode meant no answer. No answer meant he could just be Austin.

  But... If the Trojans had looked in that horse’s mouth, they could have prevented a whole lot of headache.

  Two laughing hikers with selfie sticks and safari hats were taking pictures a few hundred yards ahead. Above them, a group of eight kids and three adults traversed down the narrow trails, having taken the long route to the floor.

  And not a long lens camera in sight.

  “Hey.” Cheryl touched his arm. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” He nodded. “I am now.”

  “Who hurt you? If you want, I can go beat them up.”

  He grabbed the dangling strap of her camelback and gently tugged, inviting Cheryl closer.

  She accepted.

  “It’s been a while since anyone has offered to slay my beasts.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “No, really. That whole Black-women-are-strong-and-will-save-us-all narrative doesn’t leave room for vulnerability or to be soft. We don’t get that luxury.”

  “Well Wonder Woman, I’ll gladly slay anything and anyone for you,” he said.

  “You’ve known me all of ten minutes.”

  “True. But so far so good.”

  The next hour was filled with climbing over fallen boulders, examining empty snake skins, and enough laughter to substitute for an ab workout. Finally, they settled on a spot beside a smaller section of the Colorado River.

  Cheryl cleared the area of small rocks and a couple of dead scorpions, then spread the blanket, and watched as Austin placed his backpack then himself beside her. It was nice to watch the woman who had a reply for everything surprised as he withdrew sandwiches, kombucha, and fruit.

  "I noticed that you ate meat on the plane, but I brought a veggie sandwich with cheese, roasted turkey, and a roast beef. You pick." He also retrieved two small containers of hummus, and some carrot sticks.

  Cheryl accepted the veggie sandwich and nudged him with her shoulder. "Dude, who are you, Michael Poppins?"

  "If I were..." He wiggled a carrot stick like a cigar.

  Chery’s laugh was husky and guileless, making him feel like the world’s biggest asshole for suspecting her of being anything other than what she was—fucking incredible.

  They ate and made small talk until Austin blurted, "Why are you single?"

  Cheryl closed her eyes as if searching for some chill.

  "Let me see.” She counted off on her fingers. “I’m boring, practical, and too focused on making partner to put a man first." She shrugged, not bothering with a fake smile. “Or something along those lines.”

  “You shouldn’t have to choose.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled this time, but it was a bit wobbly. “How about you?”

  "No ex-wife and unfortunately, no children." They finished up their Oreo cookies and kombucha in silence.

  Cheryl looked youthful sitting with her legs folded. The tiniest of smiles, tugged at her lips as she seemed to enjoy the quiet. This was a woman who deserved the world and then some.

  Cheryl was the prize. And despite relationships gone wrong, it appeared she’d not lost sight of her truth.

  Damn, not only did he lust after her in the worst way, but he liked and respected this woman. One date would never be enough.

  "How long will you be in town?" he asked

  "Two days. I leave early Monday morning."

  "Stay. Spend the week with me. We can go camping for real, maybe go to Palm Springs. Or just hang out and do nothing. Whatever you want."

  "I wish I could, but I have a court Tuesday."

  If only she would ask, he'd even go to fucking Texas to with her.

  But she didn't.

  Austin extended his hand in invitation. As soon as her soft fingers touched his, he took another leap. "Give me twenty-four hours. Be mine. Let's make it twenty-four hours of yes."

  She didn’t say no or smash the satellite phone against his head. That was a good sign. Wasn’t it?

  "Nothing too crazy," he added.

  A slow wicked grin curled her lips. This time he was rewarded with two dimples. "What’s the point if it’s not over the top?”

  Austin’s mouth got as dry as the discarded rattlesnake skin three feet away. He licked his lips. "Is that yes?"

  6

  Cheryl

  "Why aren't you a comedian?" Cheryl's cheeks ached from laughing at another one of Austin's wit
ty observations.

  "Probably because you're the only person who finds me funny." Austin grinned as he turned off the private road into a circular driveway.

  “That is absolutely not true,” Cheryl said as she grabbed ahold of the oh shit handle above the Jeep’s half door.

  The morning, all of it: the helicopter ride, and the hiking and impromptu picnic in the Grand Canyon, had been amazing. To top it off, rather than immediately returning to the airport, the pilot flew south so they could see more of the canyon and terrain, followed by a sweet bird's eye view of the Las Vegas strip.

  Austin pulled through a set of iron gates, and past a sprawling modern one-story house. After the silent garage door rolled up, they entered a massive space which held two gleaming black Ducatis and surprisingly, a white Prius.

  After shutting off the ignition Austin unbuckled his seatbelt, then shifted until his torso faced her. "I'm glad you decided to spend the day with me."

  "Me too. Since kidnapping is a felony.”

  A trio of small lines appeared between his brows.

  Unable to help herself, she reached across the center console and traced the tip of her index finger across the wrinkles that made him look both less and more perfect. “If you wouldn’t have asked, I may have had to commit one to keep you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The house, from what she had seen, was a modern beauty, but she'd chosen to ignore it and the fancy motorcycles. Instead, Cheryl leaned her head against the headrest and studied the man beside her.

  When it came to work, she was fearless. Everyone saw her as this brash ballsy woman. And she was. But when it came to her personal life... caution would have served her better in the past.

  "What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" Austin traced her jawline with his index finger.