Sal (The Ride Series)

by Megan O'Brien

  Her expression perked up a bit and I knew I had her. Scarlet was a girly girl through and through; she just needed some encouragement. “I already tagged some of the pages of stuff I thought looked like you,” I told her, sitting down next to her and handing her a magazine. “And some maid of honor dresses that look like me,” I said with a wink.

  “Thanks,” she said softly.

  I nudged her arm. “Anytime.”

  “Thank you,” Cole mouthed to me as he left the room.

  I gave him a small nod and turned back to my magazine, folding down an edge to mark a dress that looked like Scarlet’s style.

  By the time I left, she seemed to be in much higher spirits, and I’d fulfilled my job as a best friend.

  I headed for Sal’s place with thoughts of tulle and taffeta floating in my mind. I had the night off from the bar and was looking forward to a lounging session on the couch with my man.

  “Babe?” I called when I walked into the house, the forced air a welcome escape from the heat outside. I set my purse down on the couch and wandered back to the bedrooms, finding Sal sitting in his office staring off into space, a forgotten security panel in his hands.

  I’d never seen him look this way. He looked…vulnerable.

  “Sal?” I asked, immediately concerned.

  He looked up at me as though I’d surprised him, even though I’d made plenty of noise when I’d walked in.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He shrugged and gave me a weak smile. “I gotta head out of town for a few days. The guys will watch the house and make sure you get to work and back,” he said matter-of-factly, running a hand through his hair.

  Now this, this was the old Sal, the one who didn’t answer direct questions. The one who brushed off concern without explanation. The man who kept me locked out with a firm hand and a false smile. And I wasn’t having any of it.

  “What’s wrong?” I tried again, my tone still soft but more forceful as I came to kneel in front of him.

  He shrugged. “My grandfather died. I gotta go back to New York for the funeral,” he said simply as though it was no big thing. His demeanor said otherwise.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said softly, my hand on his jean-clad knee.

  He shrugged again, put the panel down, and stood up, forcing my hand to drop back to my lap. “No big deal. I haven’t seen him in years.”

  I bit my tongue from saying if it weren’t a big deal, he wouldn’t be traveling thousands of miles to pay his respects.

  “When do you leave?” I asked, rising from my position on the floor and following him out to the kitchen. He cracked a beer and leaned his hip against the counter, regarding me with a guarded expression.

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Ah,” I nodded, my heart sinking. If I’d ever wanted some divine intervention in the form of a relationship expert, now was the time. I didn’t know how hard to push him, but I did know the distance he was putting between us wouldn’t work, not for the new improved version of us. “You know I’d come with you in a heartbeat. I’d be glad to,” I offered. He needed to know where I stood and how I was firmly behind him.

  “Thanks, but it’s a quick trip. You’d have to miss work and no one wants to spend any time with my mother, trust me,” he snorted, taking a sip of his beer.

  “I can relate to that sentiment, babe, but I wouldn’t be going to spend time with her. I’d be going to support you,” I said, hoping I wasn’t pushing too hard. The thought of him going back home alone to face his estranged family was the last thing I wanted for him. I didn’t know how much easier I could really make it, but I sure as hell wanted to try.

  He gave me his little false grin again. I hated that grin. Hated it. “Appreciate the offer, but I’ll handle this solo. I gotta go take care of some shit. I’ll probably be back late. If you need to go anywhere, call Wes, okay?”

  My heart sank at his tone and his demeanor. “Don’t do this, Sal,” I said quietly.

  “Do what?” he asked casually, throwing on his cut, his dark eyes avoiding mine.

  “Shut me out,” I answered him, crossing my arms to block out the chill I suddenly felt.

  “Don’t read into this, babe.” He sighed as though exasperated. “Like I said, I fly out tomorrow, but tonight Cole needs me to take care of some shit. I’ll be back soon as I can.”

  He came over and delivered a quick kiss on the side of my head.

  Damn, I didn’t want to get pissed off. I took a deep breath and swallowed my emotion. It wouldn’t do any good to blow up at him. He was obviously hurting, and making this about me and my feelings would just push him farther away.

  “All right, Sal. You go do your thing,” I told him, pleased I’d kept the frustration out of my tone. Well, mostly anyway. I turned on my heel and headed back to the bedroom. I heard the door shut and moments later the sound of his bike roar off.

  I told myself this was just one setback; it didn’t mean we were back to where we’d been. We’d come so far in such a short time; it wasn’t going to be perfect, but, damn, his cool attitude had burned like nothing else. I swallowed the lump in my throat and flopped on the bed. It was early, barely dinnertime. I’d been looking forward to a night in with Sal. Now I needed a way to blow off some steam.

  An hour later, I was kicking the shit out of a punching bag at the gym after running full out on the treadmill for thirty minutes. It was helping, a little.

  Wes called as I was wrapping up. “Yeah?” I asked, still slightly out of breath.

  “Where are you at? Sal asked me to roll by and check on things,” he demanded gruffly.

  Wes was always so gruff, but really he was a total softie at heart.

  “I’m at the gym,” I answered impatiently.

  He sighed loudly. “Kat, you were supposed to call me if you went anywhere. Sal is gonna be pissed.”

  “Well, Sal isn’t here, is he?” I demanded haughtily. “If he’s going to go roaring off into the night, then I can go punch the shit out of something at the gym!” I cried.

  “Fair enough,” his deep voice rumbled, and I could tell he was biting back a laugh.

  “I’m not being funny!” I exclaimed.

  Funny, no. Shrill, perhaps a tad.

  “I’ll roll by and follow you home. Give me ten,” he said and disconnected before I could protest.

  That was Wes for you.

  True to his word, he met me out front and followed me back to Sal’s. I wished like hell I could go back to my place. My instinct was to retreat at the same speed as Sal, but that hadn’t worked out so well in the past.

  Wes saw me safely inside before taking off, leaving me to my date for the evening a pint of Ben with a side of Jerry.

  I must have fallen asleep watching TV on the couch. The next thing I knew, I felt the couch depress and I opened my eyes groggily. Sal was sitting on the end of the couch, my legs moved into his lap.

  “Hey,” I murmured, my voice raspy with sleep.

  “Hey,” his deep voice returned. He looked over at me, his gorgeous eyes thoughtful in the dim light.

  “What’s up?” I asked, feeling confused and half-asleep.

  He gave me a warm smile, a genuine one and squeezed my leg. “You’re so cute when you’re half-asleep,” he chuckled.

  I smiled back and waited for him to share whatever was on his mind.

  “You think Pete will give you a few days off?” he asked quietly.

  I wasn’t really a fist pump kind of girl, but in that moment, I had to seriously fight off the urge to do just that.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, trying desperately to sound casual.

  He nodded thoughtfully. “Good. I’ll book you a ticket. We’re on the red-eye,” he informed me. I knew a last minute flight would probably be outrageously expensive. It was also my first time flying and I was a bit nervous about it, but I didn’t say a word. I didn’t want to do anything to deter him.

  “Okay,” I agreed, and I couldn’t stop the giant grin that spr
ead across my face. This was a huge breakthrough for Sal and we both knew it. I sat up and moved to straddle his lap, kissing him soundly. “Thank you,” I murmured against his lips.

  “We’ll see if you’re still sayin’ that when we get there,” he grumbled.

  I didn’t answer him. I knew there wasn’t anything I could say in the moment to soothe his concerns. Instead, I grabbed him in a passionate kiss and let my body do the talking.

  Chapter 14

  I could be really freaking stupid sometimes.

  How had I thought I’d hide my anxiety about flying for the first time from Sal?

  The airport was so much louder and brighter than I’d imagined. Sal took care of checking us in and I followed his lead with going through security. My heart was hammering in my chest as the businessman behind me shoved his tray onto the belt impatiently as I hurriedly took off my boots. Had I known I was going to have to basically take all my clothes off, I would have worn sneakers and forgone the belt.

  Sal turned to glare at the guy practically breathing down my neck and guided me in front of him protectively. “You go first, babe,” he said in my ear.

  “Thanks,” I muttered, eyeing the metal detector skeptically. Oh, shit, please don’t let me set it off! I walked forward in my socked feet toward the impatient looking TSA agent who waved me through. No alarms sounded, and I took a much needed deep breath.

  I snatched up my bag, shoes, and belt and moved away from the chaos of bodies to a nearby seat. Sal was doing the same and came to sit by my side, pulling his boots on easily. My hands were shaking and I tried desperately to hide it.

  Of course, he didn’t miss it.

  He reached over and took my clenched hands in his much larger ones. “You nervous, Birdie?” he asked quietly.

  I laughed nervously. “I’ve never flown before,” I admitted.

  His eyes widened in surprise. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  I shrugged. “I didn’t want you to worry about it.”

  His eyes warmed at my admission as he leaned over and kissed me softly on the mouth, a rare display of public affection.

  Everything felt much easier after that. Sal held my hand the entire way through the terminal to our surprisingly crowded gate. Apparently, a lot of people took the red-eye to New York.

  When we taxied on the runway, I was surprised to feel more excited than nervous. I watched in wonder from the window seat, which Sal had made sure I could have as we left the ground and ascended to the sky.

  “It’s so beautiful,” I murmured, looking down at the light below.

  He leaned over me, resting his chin on my shoulder to look out the window.

  “Do you think we can see your house?” I asked.

  “We’re already way past home, babe,” he chuckled. “Do you think you can sleep? The funeral is first thing tomorrow. I don’t want you to be too tired,” he said while eyeing me with concern.

  I shrugged, seriously doubting I could actually sleep. “I’ll be fine. I’ve never been to New York before. I can sleep when we get home,” I smiled. “Don’t worry about me. Get some sleep,” I instructed.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he drawled with a lazy smile, putting his seat back and shutting his eyes. What could I say? The man was gorgeous. I never got tired of looking at him. “I can feel you staring at me,” he muttered before cracking a smile.

  I laughed. “Sorry, you’re just so pretty,” I teased.

  He cracked one eye open. “Pretty?” he demanded in mock outrage.

  “In an extremely macho, badass kind of way,” I assured him.

  “Well, okay then,” he huffed, shutting his eye.

  I smiled and turned to gaze out the window.

  “Baby, we’re landing,” Sal’s voice murmured in my ear. I’d fallen asleep on his shoulder and sat up to stretch and rub my eyes. “Glad you had a chance to sleep a bit.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed, letting out a small squeal when we landed with a jolt. I was still half-asleep and hadn’t realized we were that close to the ground.

  Sal squeezed my hand reassuringly as we taxied the runway and arrived at our gate.

  The walk through JFK was a blur of people and noise. I was so glad Sal knew what he was doing. The crowds seemed to part for him, allowing him to stride through at a quick pace while he pulled me gently along behind him. Sal always had an air of authority, but I noticed it was heightened now as we navigated the crowded airport. This was no longer his turf, none of his brothers were a phone call away to back him if needed, and I sensed he was more vigilant than usual. When we reached the curb and hailed a cab, it was just as chaotic.

  I wasn’t used to so many people and so much chaos. Sure, Reno was a large city, but I’d always lived on the outskirts. I was captivated by the huge buildings and sheer activity as the cab navigated its way through the city to our hotel. Sal had arranged for early check-in so we could change and freshen up before his grandfather’s funeral at 10 AM.

  We hadn’t talked much about the funeral or his family. He didn’t seem willing to share, and I didn’t press him. It was enough that I was here; it was huge.

  His mood had become a bit more removed since we’d checked into the hotel. He laid down on the bed without a word and threw his hands beneath his head, staring up at the ceiling in thought. I wanted to curl up with him and reassure him everything would be okay, but I knew he didn’t want that. Hell, I’d be distracted and removed too if I was about to see my estranged family, including my ice queen of a mother. At least, that’s how I thought of her after the little he’d told me about her.

  I let him have his space, showering and getting ready in the en-suite bathroom. I’d brought a black dress with a boat neck and capped sleeves. The skirt flared out to just above my knee. It was simple and understated yet still classy. Or that’s what I was hoping for anyway. I paired it with my black Via Spiga pumps, found on clearance thank-you-very-much. I went light on the makeup, simple black eyeliner to make my blue eyes pop and nude lip-gloss. I didn’t want to look overdone. My hair was now long enough to put up in a chignon, which after several tries, I was able to do somewhat successfully. I’d had short hair the majority of my life; I was still getting used to this past the shoulder business.

  “You look gorgeous, babe,” Sal’s deep voice rumbled as his eyes tracked my progress while I moved into the room.

  “Thanks, you gonna get ready?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

  He looked at the clock on the bedside table. “We have a bit of time. Get that sweet ass over here,” he commanded.

  “Oh, no you don’t.” I shook my head. “It took me three tries to get my hair done, and besides, I have no desire to meet your family for the first time looking like I’ve just been banged within an inch of my life,” I said, backing away as he stood up and advanced on me, his eyes predatory.

  “Within an inch of your life, huh?” he growled, advancing until my back hit the wall. “That sounds fun.” His hands skated up my bare thighs to my panties underneath, tracing their outline with his index finger.

  My breath hitched, and I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

  He kissed me then, his tongue seeking entrance in a way that couldn’t be ignored. I groaned into his mouth as his finger traced over the thin material of my underwear.

  “I think you want me,” he said against my mouth. “You’re already soaked and waiting for me to take you, aren’t you, baby?”

  Oh, screw it, I’d just wear my hair down.

  “Yes,” I whimpered.

  His fingers slipped inside my panties circling faster as my breath whipped through my lips with tiny gasps. I clutched his shoulders to steady myself, my legs shaking so badly I was afraid I was going to topple over in my high heels. When he shoved two fingers inside of me, curving them slightly, my orgasm washed over me so intensely that he had to hold me up so I wouldn’t fall.

  He didn’t give me a chance to recover or spare a second to undress. He unzipped and, in an instant,
had my legs wrapped around his waist and was sinking inside me.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, the sound of his pleasure heightening mine.

  “Harder,” I commanded, biting his earlobe.

  He complied willingly, pulling out and thrusting back in so hard I was sure we’d knock the paintings off the wall. He held me up, the muscles in his arms flexing with every movement.

  He was the hottest thing on two legs and he was all mine.

  “I’m close. Get there, babe,” he grunted, shifting slightly so he was even deeper than before. I groaned and felt my skin grow hot as the wave started to build. “There it is,” he growled, biting my neck as I cried out in utter astonishment at the power of my orgasm.

  “Christ,” he groaned, moving to rapid-fire thrusts before quickly finding his own release.

  We stood like that for a few minutes, locked around each other, panting and trying to catch our breath. His forehead was buried in my neck and I wrapped my arms and legs more firmly around him, pulling him close. There had never been an issue with physical intimacy for Sal and me. It was when we put our clothes back on that we ran into issues.

  He pulled back slightly and looked into my eyes before bending his head for a soft, chaste kiss. “I gotta shower,” he murmured, gently dropping me back to my feet. I immediately felt the loss of him, and he smiled knowing what I was thinking.

  I followed him into the bathroom as he showered, looking in dismay at my now disheveled hairdo.

  “I like it better down anyway,” Sal said as he winked from behind the shower door.

  “Good thing,” I muttered before cracking my own smile.

  His mood seemed improved when he got dressed. I’d never seen Sal in anything other than jeans and a tee. When he appeared in black slacks and a white button-down, I was momentarily speechless.

  “What?” he asked with a creased brow when apparently I’d been staring too long.

  “You look good. I never thought I’d see you in anything other than jeans.”