by Aliyah Burke
A humourless chuckle escaped. “Didn’t think about that.”
“Come on, Tabby. Let’s get you to a hospital and patched up.”
He hesitated and looked around for Serefina. The sight which met him caused more pain than any gunshot ever could. She stood in Sean’s embrace and held him tightly. Like he meant the world to her. Like they meant the world to one another. And Taber realised he had his answer about whether or not she still loved him. Sean lifted his head and sent him a smile which chilled him through and through. It was full of ownership and arrogance, like he knew he’d won.
“Let’s go,” Taber forced out.
Cort’s silence told him he’d seen it too. Together, they walked out and got in a waiting SUV.
“Do you want to wait—?”
“No! Just go, Cort.”
He closed his eyes as they moved down the driveway. His heart was breaking but he swore he’d not cry. Somehow, he’d find the way to move on and get back to how things were before he even met Serefina LeBenoit.
Chapter Ten
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Six weeks later.
Serefina walked through Old Town with slow steps. She still hurt but she’d refused to stay away. It remained hard to swallow that one second Taber was there, then the next he was gone. Like he’d never been there at all. By the time she’d made it back to the hotel, her bags were waiting for her in the room, but he and all traces of him gone. So she’d taken a chance and headed here, remembering what Taber had said about gathering here for his brother’s birthday.
“Hello, Fina,” a deep voice said.
Looking up, she smiled slightly. Sean Forrest. Not quite the man she hoped for.
“Sean.” She didn’t even bother to ask what he was doing here. She knew. He had come for her. Problem was she didn’t want this man before her.
“Hungry?”
Yes. But not for you or food.
“Sure.”
They walked into Crave Ice Cream & Coffee and grabbed a vacant table.
Drinks placed before them, she stared across the table at him. “What do you want, Sean?”
“A lot of things. Most of which I’m sure I’ll never get. But I wanted to thank you for saving us.”
“You’re welcome.” She sighed and stared at her hands. Her fingers curved around the cup of mocha.
“I missed you, Fina.”
Lifting her head, she held his brown gaze. “Let me make this easy on you, Sean. Save it. We’re done.”
“You still have feelings for me. The night of the rescue, you came to me instead of going to him.”
“A mistake. I was still confused but I’m not anymore. I don’t love you.”
“And Kysenzki?” he growled the question.
Easy answer. “I love him.”
Sean stared at her in silence for a few moments. With a deep breath, he ran his hand over his head. “Okay. I get it, I stood you up.”
“You stood me up on our wedding day, Sean. You left me a note. But that’s not it. It doesn’t have anything to do with you or what happened between us. This is purely between me and Taber.”
“Does he make you happy?”
Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew some money and tossed it down. “He makes my life worth living. He’s a man like no other and no one else will do it for me. Goodbye, Sean.”
Without looking back, she strode out into the bright desert sun. She made her way to Old Town Emporium and sighed when the shade of the interior cooled her. Browsing, she debated just calling Taber and asking him for a face to face. Just to hear his voice again.
Then she heard it and shook her head. I’m starting to fantasise. This can’t be good.
She stepped around a corner and froze. There he stood. His blond hair tied back, he wore body hugging jeans and a tight white tee. She could see his cowboy boots peeking out. A flood of desire slammed her and she bit her lower lip to keep the whimper contained.
Sidled up close to him was a beautiful black woman. She laughed and had her hand resting on his arm. A red haze of anger settled over Serefina. The urge to rip that woman from him nearly took her to her knees.
Her breath caught when two more men appeared in view. One she recognised, his brother Cort. And the other, she assumed was the other sibling, Pete. She breathed a bit easier when the woman who’d been touching Taber kissed the blond she didn’t know. A few more people walked around and she was amazed by the good-looking men and women of the group.
One man had a young boy in tow and a younger girl in his arms. Serefina had just licked her lips when Cort looked up and spotted her. All he did was touch his brother on the shoulder and point in her direction.
She didn’t move. She couldn’t.
It felt like her heart resided in a vice when he stared at her, his hawk-like blue gaze burning her. No emotion showed but he left the group and moved towards her. She wanted to swoon when his masculine scent reenergised her senses.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in a low drawl. There existed no emotion in the question.
Beyond him, she could see Cort talking and figured he filled the others in on who she was. The one she assumed to be Pete snapped his head around to her and back to his brother a few times before the woman beside him socked him in the arm.
“Looking for you,” she replied in the same hushed tone.
“Why?”
“I wanted to talk to you but apparently I’m interrupting something.” She dug her nails into her palms to keep from grabbing at him. “I’m at Bottger Mansion Bed & Breakfast if you want to talk to me.”
She walked away, refusing to look back. A hand grabbed her when the sun hit her. Slow, she turned to face the one holding her. Taber stood there, his gaze swirled with anger.
“Don’t walk away from me.”
“I don’t have time to play games, Taber. I know you’re with family, so you know where I am if you want to talk.”
“Talking isn’t the top of my list of things to do,” he swore.
She grew wet. “That’s all I’m offering.”
“Why are you here instead of with Sean?” he demanded in a sharp tone.
I don’t want Sean, I want you. “I have nothing further to say to him.” She struggled to remain in control of her emotions. It was harder than she thought to see him again. “Meaning?”
His thumb skimmed along her skin, making it hard to follow the conversation.
“Meaning nothing. I haven’t anything more to say to him.”
“You went to him.”
“A mistake.”
“And me?”
“Like I told Sean, you make my life worth living.” There it was. Out there for all to hear. Her heart lay exposed on her sleeve and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She had to suck it up and take the chance if she were going to get him back.
Emotions blazed to life in his gaze. He glanced back and she saw they’d been followed out.
“I’ll meet y’all later,” Taber mumbled to his family and immediately put his eyes back on her.
“Good to see you again, Serefina,” Cort said with a grin and a wave.
She couldn’t respond for Taber’s mouth covered hers. He kissed her until there was no breath left within her. His eyes were stormy when he pulled away.
“Mine, angel. From now until the end of time.”
“Sounds like a good start to me,” she said, nibbling on his lips.
“Where’s your room?”
“Just up the street.”
He didn’t let her go until they got there. Then he shredded her clothes and sank deep into her, fully engorged, with the mahogany queen bed beneath them.
“Ahh yes,” she moaned as he moved.
“Mine.” He growled with each thrust.
“Yes,” she agreed immediately.
He positioned her feet flat on the bed and began powering deep and hard. “Fuck, I’ve missed you, angel.”
All she could do was moan. Eyes fluttering, she followed where h
e led. To the edge of bliss. Her internal muscles clamped down on his hardness and he groaned and increased his speed.
She came with a scream and he erupted shortly after.
“I love you, Serefina,” he whispered in her ear.
Tightening her hold on him, she smiled into the shoulder she’d just bitten. “I love you, too, Taber. I love you, too.”
He rose up and stared at her. “You know this means we’re getting married.”
A sly smile flitted across her face. “Guess it’s a good thing this is known as the Honeymoon suite then.”
“You’re a minx.”
“And I’m all yours.”
He hardened within her and began to stroke slowly. “I like the sound of that.”
So did she. Sinking her hands into his hair, she tugged him close for another kiss. This was what she wanted. This was what life was about. Taber Kysenzki was a man like no other. And he was all hers.
About the Author
Aliyah Burke loves to read and write.
She is married to a career military man, they have a Borzoi, German Shepherd, and a DSH cat. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training.
Email: [email protected]
Aliyah Burke loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.
Also by Aliyah Burke
The Lieutenant’s Ex-Wife
Seducing Damian
Through the Fire
Camouflaged Hearts: A Marriage of Convenience
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