Come To Me (Dare With Me Series Book 3)

by J. H. Croix

  “Mostly. I sprained my elbow. If I have it right, you’re Quinn’s wife,” I said hesitantly.

  “You got it.” Lacey had a warm, tomboyish quality to her with chestnut hair and pretty green eyes. “I’m coming to your class with my sister next week. I’ve been meaning to come sooner, but you know how life is.”

  “I do. Life often gets in the way,” I replied. “It’s nice to meet you. By the way, I’m Gemma Marlon.”

  “So nice to meet you. I’m sorry about your elbow.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s a minor sprain, but hopefully it will heal quickly.”

  “You’re in good hands with Quinn. Will you still teach classes?”

  “Oh, yes. I don’t need my elbow to teach class,” I said with a soft laugh.

  “By the way, Diego should be back soon,” Lacey added.

  She must’ve seen the confusion on my face and clarified. “You’re seeing him, right?”

  Uncertain how to respond, I nodded if only because I wanted her to continue.

  “I run an expedition program, and we sent a group over to Katmai. The weather kept everybody behind, but I heard this morning that he was flying back.” There was a vibrating sound, and Lacey slipped her phone out of her pocket. Glancing at the screen, she added, “I need to take this. Great to meet you and I’ll see you soon.” She hurried off with a wave.

  I climbed into my car, my mind caught on another loop of Diego. I’d been trying not to think too much about him. Trying being the operative word. I was utterly failing.

  I wished I didn’t miss him. It seemed ridiculous to miss him. He’d only been gone for a few days now. I felt like I’d screwed up our last conversation, and I didn’t know how to fix it. Diego was the first man who made me wish I didn’t have the stain on my past. Because what man would want to be with a woman whose first kisses were with her coach?

  I knew, I knew, that thinking that way about it didn’t make sense. It wasn’t my fault. And yet, I had internalized the idea that it was. That’s what happened when you tried to get help and absolutely nothing happened.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Diego

  I was more than ready for a hot shower and a change of clothes. I told myself it didn’t make sense to try to see Gemma right away. She’d made it clear she didn’t want to see me. And she hadn’t responded to my message.

  Apparently, my hands had other ideas. As soon as my truck came close to the road that led to her place, I turned. Mentally, I asked myself why, but I kept going.

  When I pulled in, I didn’t have a plan. Then, I saw Gemma walking into the barn with her arm in a sling. What the hell?

  She didn’t look back, and I presumed she hadn’t heard me pulling in. I hustled out of my truck and jogged across the parking area, following her into the barn. I saw her just as she turned into the feed room at the back. In another second, I was standing in the doorway.

  “What happened?”

  Gemma spun around quickly, her eyes wide. “Diego, what are you doing here?”

  I crossed the dusty floor to her, glancing down to her arm, cradled against the front of her body with a royal blue sling.

  “What happened?” I repeated.

  She let out a soft sigh and rolled her eyes. “I fell. I knew better, but Charlie was doing great. It’s not a big deal. I just sprained my elbow. Quinn thinks I must’ve twisted it a little bit when I landed.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  “It’s sore, but with the sling, it’s pretty comfortable. Ibuprofen is enough to knock the edge off the pain.” She paused, her eyes searching mine. “How was your trip? I heard the weather held you up.”

  I was distracted and had to mentally jerk my attention to her question. “Did you get my message?”

  She looked puzzled. She slipped her phone out of her pocket and tapped the screen open. “Ah, I missed the call and didn’t even check to see if I had any messages. Should I play it?”

  “No need. I was wondering if you were okay. That’s all.”

  “How was your trip?” she prompted again.

  “It was fine. The weather was nice for two days, and then we woke up to heavy fog and drizzle the day we were supposed to leave.”

  We stared at each other quietly, and the space around us felt crowded with emotions. I didn’t want to push, but I did want her to know how I felt. I recalled Natalie’s advice. “Don’t forget to tell her how much she means to you. That’s pretty key.”

  “Look, I know the timing isn’t great, but I want you to know I’m falling for you—big-time. I get it if you’re not in the same place, but I wanted you to know how I felt.”

  Gemma’s mouth fell open and her breath hissed through her teeth when she drew it in sharply. When she blinked rapidly, I realized her eyes were filling with tears.

  “Oh, fuck. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  I moved to embrace her, and a sense of relief and rightness rolled through me as I folded her into my arms. I moved carefully, making sure not to jostle her arm. She was soft and warm, and she tucked her head into the curve of my neck. I breathed in her scent and savored the feel of having her back in my arms.

  She murmured something into my chest. “What was that, sugar?”

  She lifted her head, her eyes glittering as she peered up at me. “I’m falling for you too. Big time.”

  Vulnerability flickered in her gaze, while my heart kicked hard against my ribs and I found it hard to catch my breath. I slid my hand up her back, lightly cupping her nape as I dipped my head and brushed my lips across hers. Electricity sizzled where we connected, but I checked the urge to dive into a deep, hard kiss.

  “Well, that’s a relief,” I murmured when I lifted my head, my lips twitching with a smile.

  We stood there staring at each other in the quiet room. The sound of one of the horses neighing came from a distance, and a magpie chattered outside the barn. A shaft of sunlight fell through the window, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air.

  Gemma’s lips curled in a slow smile. “That was a long four days,” she whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  A lock of hair fell over her eyes as she nodded, and I lifted a hand to brush it away, tucking it behind her ear. Then, we were kissing, tumbling into one kiss after another. I lost sight of everything but the feel of her tongue gliding against mine, the soft give of her lips, and the little sounds that came from the back of her throat.

  Every sensation spun into the storm of need and emotion inside. The only thing that snapped me out of it was when I moved to bring her closer against me and felt her sling.

  I abruptly lifted my head. “Fuck. I forgot about your arm. Are you okay?”

  Gemma stared back at me, her eyes dark and her lips puffy from our kisses. “Yes. That’s what the sling is for. I can hardly move my arm in it.” She cocked her head to the side. “Don’t tell me this means you’re gonna stop this.”

  Feeling flustered, an emotion with which I was not particularly familiar, I stepped a little further back, needing the space between us to think clearly. “Gemma, you’re injured.”

  Her lips narrowed in a line. “It’s my elbow, and it’s just a sprain. We can make this work.”

  “Let’s finish taking care of the horses first,” I hedged.

  Gemma let out a long sigh. “Fine. That’s why I’m out here anyway.”

  Relieved, I followed her and quickly helped to get the hay and feed taken care of for the horses. She got annoyed with me when I insisted on handling all the hay.

  “I can get that, you know,” she protested.

  I gave her a long look. “I know you can. But when I have two arms to use, there’s no sense in making you go to the trouble to handle these bales with only one.”

  She rolled her eyes and went to let the horses in. A few minutes later, we were standing in her kitchen. Her eyes coasted over me. “Tell me more about your trip.”

  I shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. The view was great, and the fam
ily who booked the trip had a great time watching bears. It was fine until we got fogged in. I was impatient to get back.”

  Gemma’s eyes dropped, and she traced her finger around an empty glass sitting on the counter. When her lashes swept up, she looked pained. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “I kind of freaked out and pushed you away before you left.”

  “It’s okay. Really. You were dealing with some hard stuff.”

  We were standing only about a foot apart, and I reached for her again. I needed to feel her, to have the tactile experience of holding her.

  She came easily, tucking her chin into the curve of my neck. I trailed my fingers through her hair and breathed her in. Before I knew what was happening, we were kissing again, and my arousal was insistent. Once again, I broke free, leaning my head back and gulping in air.

  “I’m not so good at keeping my hands to myself when it comes to you,” I said with a wry laugh.

  Gemma pressed a hot kiss on the underside of my jaw. “Works for me,” she said, her tone sly.

  Before I knew it, she had unbuttoned my jeans and her palm was sliding around my cock. It was a testament to her persistence and my weakness for her. She moved so fast with only one hand that I couldn’t even think clearly enough to protest. Next thing I knew, her mouth closed around the crown of my cock and she was sucking me into the warm depths.

  It was a blur of heat and the slick suction of her mouth. My release slammed through me before I could scramble to take control of the moment. Gemma rose up with a satisfied smile as her tongue swiped across her lips. “See, you didn’t hurt me at all.”

  I mustered a glare, although it was weak. I persuaded her to shower with me, and there I teased her to her own climax with my fingers. Afterwards when we lounged on the couch, I called the resort to see who might be coming to town to bring me some clothes. Because I wasn’t leaving Gemma’s side, not tonight.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Gemma

  Four months later - Autumn

  “How did I do?” I asked, exhausted relief coursing through me, a balm on my rattled nerves.

  “Incredible,” the DA said firmly.

  His palms landed on my shoulders, his touch strong and reassuring. He guided me out of the courtroom, where my parents and my brother were waiting. My brother dipped his head. “You handled that really well. I know it wasn’t easy.”

  I stood still for a moment, feeling the wired stress unwind and ping through my body. I actually felt okay. Telling the truth had been much easier than I anticipated.

  “How do you think it’s going?” I asked my brother after hugs from both of my parents.

  “I think it’s going well. The DA told me they waited to file charges until they had a solid case. They definitely have a strong case. With as many witnesses that have come forward, I predict he might change course and accept a plea deal. The mistake he made was not doing that sooner because I don’t think the DA is going to do anything but play hardball with him at this point.”

  I still couldn’t believe the specter that had haunted me ever since high school was finally banished. The power of sunshine cast on dark secrets was strong stuff. It was also amazing to realize I’d never been alone. Some of the old wounds and friendships torn apart in the aftermath of what happened to my high school softball team had actually been healed. We couldn’t go back and do it all over, but we could share in the relief of the truth coming to light and actual consequences following.

  Epilogue

  Gemma

  Six months later - Spring

  Several months passed after the legal trial, and I felt like I’d fully closed the chapter on the part of my past I’d struggled to shake loose. My former coach had been convicted on multiple charges and was currently serving his sentence. The slice of my past was finally staying in the past, instead of the lingering after-effects chasing me into the future.

  Diamond Creek felt like home for me now, and I loved it. I was at the bank with Diego, a decidedly unromantic setting. The woman helping us had stepped out of her office, leaving us alone while we waited.

  I looked at Diego who was sitting beside me in a chair. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Absolutely,” he said without the slightest hesitation.

  We were in here about to finalize the paperwork to purchase the home and property I’d been renting. The horses were included. Internally, I was kind of panicking. It felt very official, and we weren’t even married yet.

  I was suddenly awash in insecurity. I swallowed, trying to quell the anxiety tightening like a vise around my chest. I didn’t realize my hands were cold and clammy until I felt his curl around one of mine where it rested on the sleek wooden armrest.

  His grip was warm, strong, and sure, like everything about him. “Look at me, Gemma.”

  Angling toward him, my eyes were caught in the beam of his gaze. “Don’t panic. Of course, I’m sure. I love you, and I plan to spend the rest my life with you. Buying a house together is just a detail. We’re only doing this now because there was a competing offer on the property, so we needed to make a move, or let it go.”

  “You plan to spend the rest of your life with me?” I squeaked.

  “I think we missed a step,” he said, his thumb brushing back and forth across the back of my palm. Turning to face me more directly, he lifted my hand, turning it over and dropping a kiss in the center. “Will you marry me? I’m realizing just now it’s been a given for me, but it seems I forgot to tell you that.”

  Then, I was laughing and crying, and he was asking me if that meant yes.

  “Yes, yes!”

  It was at that moment that the mortgage lady, as I’d come to call her in my mind, returned to her office. She stood stock still in the doorway, her hand resting on the doorknob. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes,” I said more calmly this time.

  Maybe it wasn’t your typical romantic moment, but to me, signing page after page of documents seemed the absolute perfect thing to do immediately after you decided to get married. It felt like each signature was yet another sign of our commitment to each other.

  Diego

  More than three years later

  I adjusted the angle of the plane in the air, taking a last glance out toward the mountains ahead, just before the wheels hit the runway below and the plane bounced slightly. I moved at record speed, getting the passengers off the plane and running through the after-flight checks before locking up the hangar and leaving for the evening.

  These days I still loved my job, but I was always impatient to get home once I was out of the air. Thank God I had a boss who was kind enough to limit my overnight trips these last few months. Gemma was pregnant, and our baby was due soon.

  I gunned it on the way home, smiling as I drove past the very place I’d picked up Gemma after Charlie threw her off a few years ago now. We still had Charlie, and he still occasionally threw her off. His streak of mischief ran wide and deep. I was profoundly relieved that Gemma’s doctor had pointed out that she couldn’t recommend riding a horse who was prone to throwing her off during her pregnancy. I thought I would’ve driven her insane with worry, if not for the saving grace of being busy with work.

  Just as I turned into our driveway, my phone rang. Seeing Gemma’s name on my dashboard, I tapped the button as fast as I physically could. “What’s up?”

  “I’m at the hospital. My water broke early.”

  In a hot second, I was zipping through town, determined to get to the hospital before she actually had the baby. We still didn’t know if it was a girl or a boy. We’d wanted the anticipation, but now all I could think about was whether or not Gemma would survive childbirth.

  I flew through the hospital, almost plowing over Violet Hamilton. She called to my back as I dashed past her, “I’m fine!” even though my apology was a rushed call over my shoulder. “She’s going to be fine!”

  When I hurried into the room, Gemma met my eyes.
“It’s going really fast,” she said between ragged breaths.

  “Why is it going so fast?” I demanded of the doctor, as if that was a problem.

  The doctor looked at me calmly. “Let’s consider it a blessing. Your job is to support her.”

  Four hours later, I was acutely aware of why many people claimed women were stronger than men. I had no doubts about Gemma’s strength, but my emotional fortitude was pushed to its limits. I truly had no clue how men got through this when labor lasted longer than that.

  When our little boy let out a wail, and the doctor called me over to help cut the umbilical cord, my knees almost gave out. The next thing I remembered was resting my chin on Gemma’s shoulder as she nursed our son for the first time. The hospital staff only managed to hold back my sisters for another hour.

  Much as my sisters could be nosy and interfering, they were a godsend after we returned home. In my spare time, I’d renovated the upstairs of the barn into a guest apartment. All four of my sisters stayed with us for weeks. They cooked meals for us and basically took care of all the logistics while Gemma and I settled into being new parents.

  “You’ve got this, Diego,” Harley said.

  I was holding our son with one hand and carefully heating up a bottle filled with Gemma’s breastmilk with the other. We’d named him Jacob after my father.

  “Do you think?”

  Just then, Gemma came out of the bedroom, her footsteps quiet on the floor as she crossed the kitchen to us.

  Harley winked at me and disappeared out the kitchen door, leaving me with my small family, my entire world.

  “Of course, you have this,” Gemma murmured, leaning up to dust a kiss across my lips.

  “I’m not so sure sometimes.” Having a child gave new meaning to uncertainty. It was both exhilarating and terrifying.