Lusting After Layla

by Theresa Paolo

  Tears filled her eyes as she could finally see past the pain in his, down to the affection he held for her.

  “Oh, baby girl,” he said as he captured her lips, sucking the breath right out of her. Relief, love, and frantic desire battled it out as their mouths moved against each other. She thrust her hands into his hair, pulling him close and pressing tightly against him.

  He winced against her mouth.

  “What is it?”

  “You really need to go to a hospital,” O’Reilly said from behind him.

  “I’m fine,” Declan gritted through clenched teeth.

  Layla looked down to Declan’s hand against his side. Blood dripped between his fingers and expanded on his shirt.

  “Oh my God… You were shot.”

  “I was grazed. I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not!” Layla said. “Let me see.” The nurse in her took over, and Declan didn’t argue. He carefully peeled his shirt from his mutilated skin.

  Luckily, Declan was right. It was just a graze, but there was a lot of blood. Too much blood. “Give me your shirt,” she said to O’Reilly who didn’t hesitate to strip it off and show off his muscles.

  “Go ahead. Admire the view,” he said to Declan.

  “Go to hell,” Declan groaned.

  “What happened to Trigger? And how did you find us?” Layla asked as she pressed O’Reilly’s shirt around the wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

  “You got yourself a pretty smart guy here,” O’Reilly said. “Though he didn’t have to steal my car.”

  Declan swayed slightly. “Get over it.”

  “He called me from his cell and left it on.”

  “I’m just happy your dumb ass didn’t hang up on me.”

  “When you didn’t answer I had a feeling I knew what you were doing.”

  “So you heard everything?” Layla said. “All the things Trigger admitted.”

  O’Reilly nodded. “We’ll hold him for violating parole. And once we pull the phone records, we can book him for two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Mr. Cleans Up His Messes can’t clean this up. Game’s over for him. He’ll be going away for a very long time.”

  Relief settled in Layla’s entire body.

  “Still I much rather have killed him,” O’Reilly said.

  “It’s better not to have that on your conscious,” Declan said as he swayed again, but this time Layla couldn’t help him.

  His body crumbled, and he went down face first into the ground.

  Chapter 27

  Declan woke to the sound of beeping and the smell of antiseptic. He blinked against the stark white of the hospital walls. Apparently, his wound was worse than he thought.

  He turned his head, and his eyes settled on Layla curled up at his bedside. This woman really was his ride or die. He took her in for a moment—the soft curve of her face, the lush swell of her bottom lip, and the serene look in her relaxed features. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and she, for whatever reason, loved him.

  “Hey,” she said, her gorgeous eyes popping open. “I was wondering when you’d wake up.”

  “Sorry I left you in the woods,” he said, feeling guilty for not holding himself together.

  “Are you seriously apologizing for passing out? Knock it off. You lost a lot of blood. The doctor was surprised you stood for as long as you did before going down.”

  He held his hand up to her, an IV sticking out of his arm. She took his hand, and he brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Come here,” he said.

  She rose from the chair and crawled into the bed with him, curling her body into his chest. Too many times today he didn’t think he’d ever get to hold her like this again, and now that he was, he was never letting go. He kissed her head, each eyelid, and her nose before settling on her mouth.

  “I shouldn’t ask you to forgive me,” he said.

  She sighed. “I already told you this wasn’t your fault.”

  “But it was. Trigger was after me, and he knew hurting you would hurt me.” He looked at the raw skin of her wrists and wished he could kiss away the ugly markings.

  “If loving me is a crime, it’s a crime I can stand by. You did nothing wrong. You put criminals behind bars, and you did it again. You got justice for your dad.”

  Declan nodded. In the chaos of it all, he hadn’t thought about that. His dad could rest in peace.

  There was a light tap at the door and O’Reilly stuck his head in. “You’re alive.”

  “Much to your disappointment, yes.”

  O’Reilly shrugged. “Can’t win them all. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  Declan tightened his hold on Layla. “I will be.”

  “Good, now when you get out of here, I think this lady deserves a vacation.”

  Declan glanced up at Layla. “I think you’re right.” He looked back at O’Reilly. “Thank you for everything. You didn’t have to do what you did, and I’m grateful.”

  “You should be, and I’ll probably hold it over your head for the rest of your life. Just remember that if I ever need a favor.”

  Declan laughed. “I guess this is goodbye, then.”

  O’Reilly lifted a noncommittal shoulder. “I think I’m going to stay for a while. This small-town life is kind of starting to rub off on me.”

  “I think I’m okay with that,” Declan said. They had a sketchy past, but there was one thing Declan couldn’t deny. O’Reilly always had his back and at the end of the day that made him a true friend.

  Declan held his hand out and O’Reilly accepted, giving him a friendly shake. “I’ll see you around then.” They exchanged a smile that held more understanding than any words could convey and then O’Reilly slipped out of the room, leaving Declan and Layla alone.

  Layla nodded, a big beautiful smile filling her face. “I guess he’s not just someone from your past you want to forget anymore.”

  “It’s a love hate thing,” he said. “Kind of like brothers.”

  Layla linked her fingers through his. “I’m happy you have him.”

  “Me too,” Declan admitted. He’d gone so long without making any close bonds, keeping the world at a distance, and it was nice to know that after all this time, he wasn’t alone.

  There was another tap at the door, and Matt walked in. “Hope I’m not bothering you,” he said.

  “Not at all.” Matt really came through for him today and Declan owed him. “Thanks for everything.”

  “Just doing my job,” Matt said. “Want to see how you’re feeling and see if you’re up for visitors.”

  “Visitors?”

  “You have an entire waiting room of people wanting to know you’re okay. Including two very pushy older women from the nursing home.”

  Layla sat up. “Freida and Ethel? What are they doing here?”

  “Apparently they convinced Maxine to come here so they could see with their own eyes you and Declan were okay. Plus, Freida wanted everyone to know she was the real hero.”

  Layla’s eyebrow cocked, and Declan laughed. “Freida’s the one who saw you being taken.”

  A knowing smile appeared on Layla’s face. “Her crappy parking lot view came in handy after all.”

  “It sure did,” Matt said. “Now what about those visitors…”

  Declan shrugged. “I guess you should let them in.”

  Matt nodded. “I’ll have to get a statement from you. They said you should be out tonight. Stop by the station tomorrow if you’re up for it.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Matt disappeared into the hallway, and a few minutes later the door erupted with people. Freida and Ethel wheeled their way to the front, leading the crowd. Mason and Cassie were behind them with Terry and Betty and behind them Rina, Ashton, and Billy.

  Declan had thought he’d kept his distance and hadn’t made any real friends, but somewhere along the way he’d made connections that went beyond friends. He
made a family for himself here in Red Maple Falls.

  An hour later, the craziness died down. Maxine brought Freida and Ethel back to the nursing home before they missed bingo and Billy, Ashton, and Rina went to open Calhoun’s. Mason and Cassie waved goodbye, and Declan promised he’d finally stop down at the brewery. Terry and Betty left with them.

  It was back to just him and Layla, and he pulled her against him, kissing her head, and taking pleasure in her vanilla scent. “Where do you want to go on vacation?” he asked her.

  She peered up at him a happy spark in her eye. “As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.” She brought her lips to his and kissed him soft and sweet, just like her.

  He rested his forehead against hers, grateful for the day Layla Marshall walked into his bar and into his life. “We can start in your bedroom, then your shower, then your kitchen table…”

  “Then we can make a stop at Calhoun’s and revisit my barstool.”

  “Sounds perfect,” he said, capturing her lips in a sweeping kiss, thanking the universe for letting him beat death once again. This time though, he was going to live life to it’s fullest with Layla at his side.

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  ~Keep reading for an excerpt from Mad About Matt

  Book 1 in the Red Maple Falls series~

  Chapter 1

  Growing up the oldest of six, Matt Hayes knew a thing or two about all the places teens went in Red Maple Falls to break the law. It might have been seventeen years since he graduated high school, but other than the clothing and hairstyles, not much else had changed. So, when he slowed his patrol car to a stop on the outskirts of the old barn on Chestnut, he already knew the source of Ms. Wilkinson’s noise complaint.

  With a population of nine-hundred-and-twenty-two, there wasn’t much of a crime rate in Red Maple Falls. Every now and again there would be a domestic dispute up at the old Wheeler cabin or old man Simpson driving his tractor drunk down Main Street in no more than his underwear, but nothing ever life threatening or earth shattering. Nothing like the big city cops who dealt with armed robberies and gun-wielding criminals on a daily basis.

  It was small town life and Matt wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. He loved knowing the address of every person in town. Loved that his entire family was close by—with the exception of his baby sister, who was currently chasing her dreams in New York City and his younger brother, who was backpacking across Europe. He even loved that his best friend from childhood was the local fire chief. Matt was what the locals called a “lifer.” He was born in Red Maple Falls, and he would die there… and he would do so with not a single regret.

  He grabbed his flashlight and headed toward the abandoned barn. Music and chatter echoed through the night like a guiding path that brought him directly to the main doors. The padlock he placed on it a few weeks ago was lying broken on the ground.

  It’s not that he was too old to know there wasn’t much for a teen to do in Red Maple Falls on a Saturday night, but this barn wasn’t exactly the safest place to hang out in. The beams were rotted, the foundation cracked, and it was full of rusting farm equipment that would cause more than a scratch and a need for a tetanus shot.

  He stepped through the door and held up his flashlight, not expecting a frenzied panic to ensue. The word sheriff was whispered like a swear word from both directions as the sound of swift movements and clanking bottles joined the mix.

  “Freeze!” he called out to the shadows dodging into the darker corners of the barn.

  He mentally shook his head. Kids. Did they really think they’d be able to hide, and he would just leave? It was his job not only to protect the town of Red Maple Falls, but also its citizens.

  “If you come out right now, I won’t personally escort each one of you home to your parents,” he said, knowing that threat would work for most of the town’s young adults.

  Slowly, and not without a few heated whispers, the shadows materialized. Shelly Grist was first to step forward. Her usual fair skin was brightened red as she cast her eyes to the ground. She fidgeted with her hands and shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other.

  Carrie Fleming was next, followed by Greg Atman who both stood next to Shelly in the same awkward stance. Al Ruiz and Henry Lutz joined them shortly after. Jake Johns stepped out last, his shoulders set back with way too much attitude for a kid his age.

  Everyone in town knew Jake’s story, and Matt felt sorry for him even if he knew that would be the last thing Jake Johns would ever want from anyone. He was a tough kid, smart too, but he was slowly self-destructing, and there was little anyone could do to help.

  Once all the kids were lined up in front of him, Matt urged them to get out of the barn. The structure had stood for a hundred years, but he wasn’t taking any chances. There was a reason for the no trespassing signs.

  He flashed his light on those very signs. “Can you read that?” he asked the group.

  The girls and Al nodded, Greg gave a quick yep, and Henry shrugged.

  “Are you insinuating we can’t read?” Jake asked with his usual tough guy tone.

  “Jake, stop.” Carrie grabbed his hand and tried to pull him back with the rest of the kids. There was a sparkle in his eyes when he looked at her, but he quickly shook his hand free from her grip and stood on his own.

  Matt had seen that sparkle many times before in the eyes of his two brothers and also the poor saps who dated his sisters. Jake Johns, Red Maple Falls rising bad boy, had it bad for sweet Carrie Fleming. It was information Matt could use to his advantage.

  “I’d listen to the lady,” Matt said, locking his gaze with Jake’s. “You might not care about having the Sheriff escort you home, but I’d wager to say she does.” Matt glanced over to Carrie. “Am I right?”

  “Yes,” she said softly and Jake’s eyes dropped to the ground. His shoulders slumped forward as he let out a loud exhale as if the realization that he would let her down weighed heavily on him.

  Matt sympathized with the kid. Once upon a time, he knew what it was like to love a girl who was out of his league. If Jake was lucky, he’d make a run for it before he got in too deep and his heart was broken beyond repair.

  “We weren’t doing anything wrong,” Jake stated.

  “Never said you were, but this building is condemned for a reason. Trust me, I know there’s not a lot of places to go around here, but I don’t want to see any of you getting hurt. So please do me a favor, and stay out of the old barn.”

  He received a collective nod, even Jake who stepped back to stand next to Carrie. Matt scanned his flashlight across the property and toward his police cruiser. “I don’t see any cars so is it safe to say you walked here?”

  “Yes, sir,” Carrie answered. “We cut through the woods from my house.”

  “Then head on back.” He motioned his flashlight toward the large expanse of trees lining the property. The teens hesitated for a moment then began to move. “And another thing,” Matt called out. “If I catch any of you drinking and driving, I won’t be so nice. You got that?”

  The group nodded.

  “Good. You can go now.”

  They hurried off toward the trees. Born and raised in these parts, the woods were as much a part of you as your own family, so Matt wasn’t too concerned about them disappearing into the darkness.

  He waited a few minutes to make sure they didn’t double back before he got into his cruiser and pulled away, making a mental note to replace the lock. With no streetlights in the area, Matt depended on his headlights and own knowledge of the area. He was about to turn o
nto the dirt road that would bring him back to civilization when a call came over his radio.

  “What’s going on, Martha?” Martha, his secretary and dispatcher, had been doing this job for twenty plus years and liked to remind him of such every time he questioned her. She was set in her ways and refused to change what wasn’t broken. It was a topic of contempt between them when Sheriff Green retired and Matt took over. But as much of a pain in the ass as Martha was, she was efficient and loved her job as much as he did.

  “The alarm down at Sweet Dreams Bakery is going off.”

  Matt’s heart skipped a beat. Sweet Dreams Bakery was owned and operated by the only girl who ever gave him that sparkle Jake Johns was sporting earlier. Shay Michaels, a petite little thing with long brown hair—he wanted nothing more than to wrap his fingers in—and big hazel eyes that could burn right through to his soul was the star in many of his dreams.

  Ever since that day, twenty-one years ago, when he laid eyes on her as she stepped out of her grandparent’s car onto Main Street with those tiny jean shorts, he was a goner. She lived in New York, but visited her grandparents every summer. Matt looked forward to that first week in July every year until she stopped coming, and then he dreaded the memories that time of year churned up.

  Shay was a city girl at heart, and Matt knew that. He also knew that Red Maple Falls would never be enough for a girl like her who lived amongst sky scrapers and crowded sidewalks. It took him a while to realize Shay Michaels needed someone who could promise her the world and all he could promise was a simple life in a small town he would never leave.

  Seventeen years ago, he let her go, and nobody was more shocked than he after all those years of being MIA, Shay came back to Red Maple Falls to stay. Her return was a mystery and the town gossip for weeks. Though, just as the girl he remembered would, she took it in stride. Her smiles only grew when she suspected someone was talking about her.