“Mom loves to garden.” Jace suddenly appears.
He moves closer and offers me one of the beers in his hand, which I accept. “Thanks.”
“I like you.”
“You don’t sound too happy about that.”
He chuckles. “Spunky . . . I’m liking you all the more.”
I take a large gulp of the cool beer and start to feel less nervous. But the more Jace stares at me, the more my nerves start to make themselves known.
“He loves you.”
I know this, but I can’t hide my surprise at hearing Jace tell me.
He continues, “He wouldn’t be going to so much trouble to sort his life out if he didn’t. It’s about time he started living again.”
“He loves you as well,” I blurt out. I need to sensor my mouth sometimes. Oh well, I might as well continue, “He worries about you.”
Jace looks away, with a frown marring his brow as he drains his beer.
“He doesn’t need to worry about me.”
“You’re his brother and been through a lot, of course he’s going to worry. Isn’t that what people do when they love someone—worry?”
He sighs and drops his ass down onto the wall, patting the space beside him.
Knowing he’s daring me, I join him and hope Ryder doesn’t get pissed when he comes back outside.
“Did he tell you how I lost my lower leg?”
“No.”
He nods as though he’s deciding something.
“Five years later, I still see the shooting in slow motion when I close my eyes. They say it’ll get better, but it doesn’t. I used to want everything Ryder does. A wife, a family,” he pauses, “but that’s not in the cards for me now.”
Why can’t he have that?
“Jace, you have everything to offer a woman. Don’t sell yourself short.”
He’s going too deep for me. What he really needs is to talk to a counselor or someone who knows how to help him.
“No woman wants to be lumped with my sorry ass. As soon as they discover my . . . disability, they’re gone.”
All I want to do is wrap my arms around him and tell him everything will be all right. But I’m not sure that’s what he’d want.
“I don’t know what to say to that, other than, you obviously haven’t met the right woman yet?”
“Hmm.”
“Or have you?”
He smiles, softly, looking off into the distance. “There is someone, but I’m not sure.” He shrugs. “She has the most amazing red hair that I’ve ever seen.” He coughs. “The rest of her is easy on the eyes as well.”
I smile. “She isn’t by any chance a teacher, is she?”
He quickly turns and stares at me before laughing. “Ryder saw her when he called down the other week.”
I nod.
“Yeah, that’s her . . . Oh boy, I can’t believe I’ve just told you all that shit. I never talk to anyone, especially someone I’ve only just met.” He shakes his head. “Unbelievable.”
“Perhaps it’s because you don’t know me that you were able to talk.” I shrug, and offer, “I’m a good listener if you ever want to talk, but someone who really does know how to help you might be a better bet.”
We sit silently for a few minutes before the door opens behind us and Ryder’s voice can be heard.
Standing, I start to head toward Ryder when Jace shouts, “Dahlia.”
I turn back.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” I smile.
Reaching Ryder, he pulls me into his arms while keeping his eyes on his brother. “What was that all about?”
“He just needed to talk.”
“I don’t like it.”
I make him look at me. “Don’t. He’s your brother and a great guy, who is still suffering. He didn’t flirt with me if that’s what’s bothering you.”
“He didn’t?” He caresses up and down my arms.
“No he didn’t, and if you behave, I’ll tell you later what we talked about.” I glance toward Jace, not a hundred percent sure what I can tell Ryder.
Ryder goes still in my arms and I look up into his eyes, which are staring deeply into mine. Obviously, he comes to the right conclusion, and lets it drop . . . for now.
I’ve no intention of repeating what Jace said to me, as it was said in confidence, but I will tell him I think Jace needs his brother around him more, and maybe someone to talk to who isn’t a shrink.
Chapter Seventeen
Ryder
Until I started playing ball again with Jace—shortly after I’d taken Dahlia around to meet him and the parents, three weeks ago—I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it, and how out of practice I really am.
Growing up, everything had been a competition between us, and I smile as I realize nothing has changed.
Jace may have lost his lower leg but he can still run circles around me on the field. He’s always been the stronger player, which is probably why he kept it up when I went in other directions.
Not only am I enjoying spending time with him again, but it’s fun to watch his distraction with Savannah. She really is a sweet, little thing and has my brother’s tongue hanging out most days. I’m not sure she realizes just how badly Jace has it for her, and considering he’s thirty-five, it’s more amusing than when we were kids.
In all the years I can remember, she’s the only person ever to distract Jace while he’s on the field. Even when he first discovered girls, he never let them distract him, until now.
Which is why I’ve just had to shout, “Heads up,” before the ball slammed into him.
I shake my head and call a time out. The last thing he needs is a softball slamming into him. He meets me halfway. I shake my head and smirk, knowing Savannah has just arrived with her class.
“You are so caught, bro,” I grin and wave at Savannah as she watches from the sidelines with her class filling up the entrance to the field.
“No way . . . she’s spoken for.” He ignores me and walks in the opposite direction.
I jog to catch up. “Hey, slow down.” I grab his arm and turn him back to me. “What?”
He sighs. “After you left Tuesday, I finally got the balls to ask her out. She looked . . . excited. Then her face fell and she admitted she’d been seeing someone for a couple of months. So yeah, that’s not going to work.”
Frowning, I comment, “She doesn’t look at you as though she’s seeing someone else. She looks at you as though she wants . . . well . . . more, you know?” I wave my arms around.
Jace grunts, but doesn’t take me on.
As I look across the field, I catch Savannah passing quick glances toward Jace.
“Are you sure she’s seeing someone and that you don’t just make her nervous? I mean, she seems shy. Perhaps she’s sweet and innocent.”
“You’ve been spending too much time with your woman, because you’re pussy whipped giving me advice like a fuckin’ girl.”
I roar with laughter. “Well, someone has to and you’re not exactly talking to anyone else . . . and you’re not talking to my girl about this shit.”
“Dahlia is great to talk to,” he says with a cocky grin, trying to piss me off.
“I’m not going to let you pick a fight over my woman because the one you want isn’t available.”
Knowing he’ll follow because he won’t let his little brother have the last word, I make my way to our trucks bypassing Savannah, who gives us a strange look. I notice her blush when she briefly clashes eyes with Jace.
Opening my truck door, I sit on the rim and grin up at my brother when he stands in front of me, hands on hips. “I meant what I said about Dahlia. I know I said it to piss you off, but she’s a great listener and I’m glad you have her.”
I stay silent, wishing I knew how to help him with the demons he fights daily.
“We good?” he asks with a frown.
“We’re good.” I stand and pull him to me for a one-armed hug. “We
’re both here for you. Anytime, bro. Remember.”
He nods and turns to look at the field, but not before I notice the emotion behind his eyes.
“Going back to your earlier question, yes, I think Savannah is being honest. I saw her at the sports bar on game day and a guy had an arm around her waist. She didn’t see me. I left.”
I watch him, and can see he isn’t happy about it, which sucks but it means that he hasn’t given up on life. I’m going to leave it alone for now. She may be with someone else, but you don’t look at someone else the way she does Jace, if you’re in love with the guy you’re currently with.
“I better get the kids sorted out.” He turns to me. “We still on for dinner at your place, Sunday?”
“Dahlia has been trawling the net for the perfect pot roast recipe so you better be there.”
Smiling, he rubs his stomach. “How well does she cook?”
“Good.” I’ll keep to myself about the meals that have been slightly over done. She certainly gets points for enthusiasm.
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
I watch him walk off, and lean against my truck while he gets the kids organized and split into two teams. I smile to myself when Savannah walks up to him and they start acting strange—hesitant. They’re both pussyfooting around the other. So damn funny.
Jace notices me, so I wave and climb into my truck before he catches the amusement I’m sure is all over my face.
As I pull away from the field, I decide to head home to Dahlia. She lights up my life and I’m about to light her up from the inside out and make one of her sexual dreams a reality.
Dahlia
Wrapped in a towel, I dash to my vibrating cell on top of the dresser and picking it up, realize it’s a voicemail from Ryder.
I hope he’s okay.
Retrieving the message, I listen, “Be naked and ready, baby. I’m five minutes out.”
Just hearing his voice say those words has goose bumps breaking out all over my body, and my nipples pucker, rubbing against the towel.
Turning, I grab a pair of high heels from the floor of the closet to bring me eye level with him before I grab my brush. Once the tangles are out of my hair, I put it up in a sexy twist. Looking in the mirror, I move my head from side-to-side. It will have to do considering it’s still wet from my shower.
Hearing his feet on the stairs, and the key in the lock, I drop the towel and quickly dash to lean against the wall in the living room, with nothing on except my shoes.
“Fuck!” he curses.
The door slams, the keys hit the floor followed by his tee shirt, shoes and then he’s on me as he’s struggling with his shorts. His lips capture mine. His taste slams into me like a punch as our tongues slip and slide, and our teeth bump together while trying to get closer.
His hands are everywhere; my bottom, my torso and finally his fingers start to roll and pinch my nipples.
My hands shove his shorts down his legs, finally giving me access to his naked ass, which I scrape with my nails and feel his cock jerk against me.
When he starts kissing and licking along my collarbone, I ask, “What brought this on? Not that I’m complaining.” I moan and slip my hands up to the hard buds of his nipples.
“I need you.”
I trail one hand down his torso and palm his hard dick, right down to his balls.
“Oh, babe. That feels good.”
His mouth clamps around a nipple, as he suckles, he slips a finger between my legs.
I’m like a limp noodle and, if he lets go of me, I’ll drop straight to the floor. The things this guy does to me cause a weakness throughout my body.
Rubbing my hand against him, I feel the wetness leaking from the flared head of his dick.
He inhales sharply as my fingers wrap around him in a tight grip and I constantly run my thumb over the sensitive bundle of nerves around the tip.
“Inside me, Ryder . . . please,” I beg, delirious with pleasure.
“Yes.”
He knocks my hand from him, and spins me around. My hands go to the wall in front of me for support as he pulls my hips toward him. He aligns our bodies seconds before thrusting inside my wet core.
His forehead drops to my back as he holds me still, but he can’t control the rippling of pleasure going on inside me. I can feel it along his pulsing cock, which causes a curse to leave his lips with a loud groan.
Unable to stay still anymore, I start to wiggle and get a slap on the bottom for my trouble. He catches his breath when I contract around him.
“Fuck, you like that?”
“No.”
“Oh, babe. Your body says otherwise.” He slowly slides out before going deep and holding still.
He slaps me lightly again and my body betrays me, contracting around him, again.
“God, that’s hot.”
I close my eyes, shivering and waiting for his hand to fall . . . but he doesn’t slap me again. Instead, he rubs my bottom in long, slow, sexy caresses as he slides back and forth inside me.
I’m so aroused and wet for him that I start moving with him. His hands go up the front of me, and cupping my breasts, he rolls my nipples between his finger and thumb.
The pace quickens and the feel of his thick shaft loving me is driving me crazy . . . but . . . “I need you deeper,” I say, moaning.
“Hold on,” he orders.
His arms go around my waist as he turns us and puts me over the back of the sofa.
I moan when he slides so far inside me, I can’t think. “So good. Please don’t stop,” I beg.
“I can’t stop.” He gasps. “Watching my dick come out of you full of your arousal before disappearing back inside your body is driving me crazy . . . Ahh . . . God, I wish you could see what I see.”
He lightly slaps both of my ass cheeks before smoothing the slight sting with his fingers. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t like what he’s doing because it’s arousing the hell out of me when he does that. I don’t think I’ve been as wet for him as I am now.
“Oh, babe.”
“Faster,” I moan into a cushion.
“Yes.”
With a hand on my lower back to hold me down, his thrusts increase in speed, depth and hardness. He pulls out of me only to slam back into my core. My whole body is awash in pleasure and as I feel his fingers spread my ass cheeks wide and massage, I fly apart.
I moan through the most intense orgasm to date, and feel Ryder swell and release.
He grinds against me as small after tremors ripple through me along his still hard dick.
“Fuck, baby.” He collapses on top of me. “Oh God . . . I can’t move.”
He took the words right out of my mouth.
I can’t catch my breath as the blood running through me starts to settle.
Slowly withdrawing, he sinks to the floor and takes me with him, and right into his lap.
He wraps his arms around my waist and holds me close.
“You blow my mind.” Tilting my face up to his, he whispers against my lips, “I love you.”
Smiling, I reply, “Not as much as I love you,” smugly.
“We’ll see. Let’s go and shower.”
He pushes me up to my feet, and turns me so my back is facing him. His knuckles caress down my spine and lightly tickle over my buttocks. “It was a big turn-on having you gripping my dick when I smacked your ass.”
I roll my eyes. “You enjoyed that, huh?”
“Didn’t you?” He pulls me against his chest.
“I loved it.” I wiggle against his swelling dick.
“Stop that.”
Taking hold of his hands that are resting against my stomach, I bring them up and place them against my breasts. Leaving his hands covering me, I slide mine down my side and reach back to touch him, gripping his hips to keep him close as I grind my bottom against him.
My arousal comes racing back with the feel of him hardening.
Leaning forward, he nibbles and suck
s my earlobe into his mouth.
“Oh baby, you’re asking for trouble.”
“The dirty kind . . . yes, please.”
Chapter Eighteen
Ryder
Dahlia has me by the balls.
I thought she was sexy with her teasing before I made love to her, but now she blows my mind with how inventive she is.
If I live to be one hundred, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express how much just being with her fills me with so much hope. She’s my present, my future and, as soon as the divorce from Brittany is final, my forever.
I hold too much respect for her to expect her to wear my ring while playing the waiting game. But she will one day soon. I don’t even need to worry about her decision because I know without a doubt what her answer will be. Perhaps I’m too confident, but I see the love she has for me in her eyes, which reflects right back at her from mine.
I’m hoping this whole thing with Brittany is over with soon. I haven’t heard from Ryan over the past few weeks so I guess a call to him is in my future. Evan hasn’t let me know how she’s doing either, so I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or bad thing.
But I’m sure as hell not going to tempt fate by asking. I can’t lie and say that Brittany hasn’t been on my mind. I worry about her, which is only natural after seeing the state she was in when I visited. I don’t have feelings for her, I’ve never lied about that, but I guess my conscience keeps getting in the way. Part of me felt, and feels, like a bastard for asking her for a divorce when she is getting sick.
She doesn’t deserve any consideration after the lies she told in the beginning, but I can’t get her pallor out of my head. I’d have been good if she’d have been her usual self but she looked frail . . . defeated.
I’m going to drive myself crazy with these thoughts, and I can’t see Dahlia being impressed if I told her what I was thinking. She’d probably think I was regretting being with her, which is so far from the truth.
“What’s got you so distracted,” Reece sniggers, “or should I ask who?” He drops his ass into a seat at the bar.
I pass him a longneck. “She isn’t far from my thoughts.”
“I’m glad she’s found someone to look out for her.” He takes a gulp of his beer. “I’m still surprised at how quickly she let you close. It’s never happened before.”
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