by Anna Paige
I waved off his questioning look and continued. “She’s sweet to me, always has been, but I think it was mostly because she knew I loved him so much and she appreciated that. Now though, he’s gone, she’s a wreck, and I have her sister the geriatric asshat gunning for me. The diner is closed for the rest of the week which leaves me with nowhere to go to get away, so I just stay in my room all the time and try not to cause problems.” As I said that, images of my younger self flashed through my mind—hiding in my room, hoping to go unnoticed, stomach cramping from hunger but too afraid to ask for food because then they would remember I was there.
Brant’s voice cut through the unwelcome memories, dissolving them like smoke in the wind. “Is there somewhere else you can stay until the old bat leaves?”
I shook my head. “Not really. I mean, Ali and Clay offered earlier today—I guess they heard about Bonnie staying—but I turned them down. It was a nice gesture but they don’t want me cramping their style. Besides, all it would do is feed the gossip mill. I can only imagine what they would say about me living with the poor couple I tormented last year. Heads would explode all over town.”
“You never would have done those things under normal circumstances. Keith gave you no choice. And fuck what these people think. They have no bearing on your life, and their opinion of you is their problem, not yours.” He looked annoyed a moment longer, then the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. “That being said, you’re probably smart to turn them down. They tried to get me to stay there too, but I wasn’t about to deal with them while they are still in the honeymoon phase, if you get my meaning.” He raised one brow.
“Ah… yep, I made the right decision.” I nodded knowingly.
Just then there was an odd tapping sound. We turned to see Bonnie’s sour face at the kitchen window, scowling at me as she thumped the glass and motioned for me to come inside as if I were a damn child.
Brant turned back to me with an angry expression. It was kind of sexy, actually. His jaw was clenched and his brows pinched together. “I’ve never disliked someone this much so soon after meeting them.” His expression softened and he nodded toward the corner of the house, in the direction of the driveway. “Do you want to get out of here for a while? Maybe go for a drive?”
I looked between his dark blue eyes and the frowning face in the window, only hesitating for a moment. “Hell yes, I do.”
He let go of my hand and jumped down, reaching up and gripping my waist on both sides to help me to the ground. “Then let’s put my truck in the wind.” He chuckled, pulling me along behind him as he made his way around the side of the house.
I was surprised to hear the sound of my soft laughter in my ears as we raced toward freedom.
•••
Brant’s truck was freaking awesome. A huge F-150 that was sleek and loud and fast as hell. It was like sex on four wheels. Charcoal gray with black Shelby stripes, grayed out headlights, and black wheels… it looked stealthy and dangerous; a combination of smoke and shadow. Just seeing it had gotten my blood pumping. The exhaust system sounded amazing, a deep moan with just enough rumble to make my thighs clench together.
What could I say? I was a truck girl. Always had been.
Brant had noticed my obvious delight when we approached the truck and offered to let me drive, but I told him I’d rather ride. I wanted the windows down so I could lean back and let the wind chase away every thought in my head. I wanted to be able to breathe again. He just smiled and held out a hand to help me climb into the passenger seat. When he got in, he reached into the back seat and snagged a ball cap, offering it to me to keep my hair out of my face. I took it gratefully and threaded my thick locks through the opening in the back before pulling it low on my forehead. He smiled and told me it looked better on me than on him, backing us out of the driveway and onto the narrow country road.
We drove around for what seemed like hours. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, the fingers of my left hand absently tracing the cobra badge on the center console. It was the most relaxed I’d been in a long time. If I were a little less messed up, I might have dozed off, but even in my contented state, that was never going to happen. I’d never sleep in a moving vehicle or in an unlocked room. Anxiety was just another piece of my emotional baggage. Another way that I was broken.
Despite the lack of sleep these last few days, I felt rested as I melted into the soft leather seat.
“Hey, you want to stop somewhere for a bite to eat?” Brant called out over the noise.
I shook my head without opening my eyes. “I’m not hungry but I’ll keep you company while you eat, if you want to stop.”
“Nah, I’m good. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”
Something about the caring in his voice made my throat tighten. He really was a nice guy. “I’m fine. Thank you.” I cracked one eye open and tilted my head to see him better. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.” He dragged out the word like he was unsure he should agree so quickly.
“Are you this nice to everybody?” I opened the other eye and studied him, wondering what it was about him that I found so comforting.
He blinked over at me a few times and returned his eyes to the road. “Um… am I supposed to be being an asshole?”
That made me laugh, the confusion on his face was cute. “No. I mean, do you always go out of your way to be so great?”
“You think I’m great, huh?” He looked at me and winked, causing me to roll my eyes.
“Come on, be serious.”
He held up a hand, smiling. “Okay, okay.” He contemplated for a moment. “I’d have to say yes… and no. Yes, because I try not to be a jerk. There are enough of those walking around already, if you ask me. So yes, I try to be nice to people.” He turned to look at me, pinning me with his stare. “But no, I don’t go out of my way for just anyone. Something about you makes me want to go the extra mile. And before you ask… I don’t know what it is, I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest.”
He’d headed off my next question before I could ask it so I just sat there, taking him in. His hair was somewhere between chestnut and mahogany, not too dark but not too light. His eyes were blue like mine but so much darker, like cornflowers and the sky after a summer storm. His jaw was chiseled and strong, his lips full and incredibly inviting. He’d unbuttoned and removed his black dress shirt sometime while my eyes were closed. I noticed it on the back seat out of the corner of my eye, barely able to pull my attention from the long muscular arms that were revealed by his plain black tee.
Holy hell, he has great arms.
I was a truck girl and an arm girl. Not the huge overly-muscular piles of rocks some men had, those just looked painful. How could a girl be comfortable wrapped in arms like that? Brant’s arms were perfect; mouth-wateringly, heart-poundingly, panty-meltingly perfect.
I felt it the moment things shifted in my mind and war was waged inside me.
I liked Brant, actually felt safe around him and enjoyed his company.
If I treated him like any other guy, if I did the things that just popped into my head, I would lose his friendship. Either he would think less of me or he would want more than I could give him. It had only ever been one of those two outcomes. I couldn’t use him. I’d just have to wait until I could get away, find a bar somewhere for an anonymous hook-up and get it out of my system.
The fucked-up part of me wanted to just go for it with Brant. It wasn’t like we were lifelong friends or anything, and he’d probably turn his back on me eventually anyway, everyone else had. So why not enjoy myself?
I was like an addict in need of a fix… I hated myself for what I wanted and yet I still wanted it.
“Can you find us somewhere to pull over?” I asked, barely able to speak over the sound of the wind as it blew through the truck cab. “Somewhere secluded?” I tossed in for good measure.
He furrowed his brow, eyes still on the road. “We’re not too
far from Clay’s property. Is everything okay?”
“It will be. Clay’s place is fine. Just hurry.” Now that I’d gotten going, even the air whipping through the truck was turning me on. My nipples hardened in my thin lace bra and became visible through my sweater. I parted my legs slightly and was surprised to find that my panties were already wet.
Brant kept tossing curious glances my way but didn’t ask anything further as we sped toward our destination.
I should leave him alone. It’s not fair to do this to him. He’s just trying to help.
I imagined what it would be like to ride his face, that gorgeous chiseled jaw working as he fucked me with his tongue.
Oh, he’s going to help, all right. He’s not going to know what hit him.
•••
By the time we neared Clay’s property, I was ready to tear every stitch of clothing off him and lick him from head to toe. How was a seven-hundred-horsepower truck moving so damn slowly? It felt like we’d never get there. The sun had already set and left in its wake a slight chill that eventually required us roll up the windows, cutting off the pleasant white noise of the wind blowing through the truck cab.
I’d had my sweater, so it was no problem for me but Brant was in short sleeves. When I looked over and saw goosebumps on those glorious arms of his, I feigned like I was cold so he would roll up the windows. He’d left them down and dealt with the chill for me. It made me want him more while simultaneously making me feel like shit for what I was about to do.
The internal war raged on.
A freshly-cleared driveway appeared off to our right and I practically sighed with relief. Until Brant drove right by.
What the hell?
“Um, wasn’t that Clay’s property back there?” I asked impatiently.
“No, that’s the entrance to the build site for Milly’s Mountain. It’s still technically Clay’s land but not the section I was referring to. The driveway for that is right up here.” He pointed through the windshield.
“Oh. I forgot about the build. I remember Teach talking about it but I’m fuzzy on the particulars.” My voice caught at the mention of my uncle’s name.
Brant clearly heard it, turning to give me an understanding smile that was illuminated by the lighted instrument panel. “Yeah, we have big plans for that build. It’s going to be a ton of work, but in the end, it will all be worth it.” He slowed the truck and made the turn into Clay’s driveway. He pointed through the windshield, indicating the property at the end of the long tree-lined entrance. “Eventually, I guess, Clay and Ali will build a permanent home here, too. They don’t seem to be in a hurry though. For now, they’re focusing on building the children’s retreat. The rest will come later.”
They would have had a house here if Keith hadn’t burned it to the ground. Just thinking about him made me grit my teeth. Smarmy bastard.
We made our way out of the canopied driveway and Brant pulled the truck to a halt, cutting the engine. The headlights stayed on for a moment, illuminating the open expanse of land and revealing just how secluded the area really was. There was no one around for miles. Just the way I liked it.
Brant twisted the key back a click and rolled down the windows, then turned a questioning eye in my direction. “We’re here. What now?”
Instead of answering, I opened my door and climbed out. Gravel crunched beneath my feet as I made my way to the back of the truck, smiling at the sound of Brant’s door closing.
He met me at the rear of the truck and I motioned for him to drop the tailgate. He pulled the handle and we watched without comment as it slowly lowered to a horizontal position, the hydraulic arm hissing softly.
I let out a startled yelp when he suddenly gripped my waist from behind and hoisted me high enough to climb into the bed. His grip was firm but not painful, and I kind of wished I’d been facing him when he picked me up so I could wrap my legs around him. As it was, I shifted around and sat on the edge of the tailgate and watched him climb up to sit beside me, both of us swinging our feet and looking out into the moonlight.
Now that we were here, the rational side of my brain was winning the battle, meaning I was able to look over at him—at least for now—without wanting to mount his face. Time would tell whether or not good sense won the war.
The mountain air was crisp, cooler than it should be in mid-September. With the cool weather making an early appearance, the trees would be changing colors any time. That was my favorite—the bright yellows and deep reds turning the mountains into a beautiful tapestry of color. It was Teach’s favorite too. And this year he wouldn’t see it. The leaves would change and drop to the ground without him there to witness it.
A rustling off to my right caught my attention and I watched as a small furry form—a rabbit? I couldn’t be sure—peeked out of the tree line for a moment and then disappeared, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. The only sound that could be heard in the stillness was our breathing. It was quiet. Too quiet. With nothing else to focus on, the events of the last few days began forcing their way to the forefront of my mind, clogging my throat with grief.
No, no. Not happening.
“How about some music?” Brant asked, breaking the silence and practically reading my mind.
“Absolutely.” I looked back at the cab of the truck. “Guess we should have thought of that before we got out, huh?”
He shrugged it off, smiling. “Not at all.” He pulled his phone from his back pocket and fiddled with it a moment before handing it to me. “I can control the radio from here. I left the key turned to auxiliary, just in case. All you have to do is find something you want to hear and hit ‘play’.”
I took the phone and looked through his music library, impressed by the level of trust it takes to just hand someone your unlocked phone. I couldn’t remember anyone ever having done that before, trusting me with something that personal. As I scrolled through the song list, I was even more impressed. He listened to a lot of the same stuff as me.
“What?” he asked, amusement in his voice.
I looked up at him. “Huh?”
“You keep nodding and smiling as you go through my music. I take that to mean you approve?” His deep blue eyes glinted in the moonlight, nearly stealing my breath with their beauty. Their humor. Their fondness. That easy way he looked at me, like I was worth noticing, worth knowing.
I cleared my throat and shrugged. “I guess. I mean, if we didn’t have at least somewhat similar tastes, I might have to rethink our friendship. I can’t be friends with someone who likes shitty music. It’s a rule of mine.”
“So, I passed the test?”
I nodded, trying to avoid those deep blue pools of temptation. “I think so. Anyone who owns every Thrill of the Chase album can’t be all bad.”
That glimmer in his eyes was back, along with a wickedly beautiful grin. “You like TotC?”
“They’re my absolute favorite band. I was into them before most people had even heard of them.” I said it with an air of proprietorship, like they belonged to me or something just because I knew who they were before they hit it big. Shit. I was about to start gushing like a teenage fangirl. So not my style.
“Same here.” He chuckled at my exuberance, nodding to the phone in my hand. “Pick a song, any song.”
I chose a TotC album at random and hit play on the first song, and handed the phone back to Brant. Thankfully, it was a fast song rather than one of their ballads. I couldn’t take slow music tonight. Not even if it was played by my favorite band.
The song played on, pouring from the windows just loudly enough to be enjoyable but not so loud that we couldn’t have a conversation. Not that I’d know what to say at this point anyway. It wasn’t as if I could say ‘yeah, I brought you out here so I could use you to screw my way to forgetting my shitty life but now I’m not sure it’s a good idea’.
Yep, probably not a good idea.
The sex or the admission.
I leaned back on my elbows
and tipped my head back until all I saw were the stars. They always made me feel so small, so unimportant—not that I needed the reminder. Tonight, they made me sad. It was like everything I saw and everywhere I went there was a reminder of something Teach would never see again, somewhere he’d never again go. It was driving me crazy, keeping my grief growing exponentially until I felt like I would explode from the force of it swelling up inside me.
Brant brushed against my side, and then he was moving past me toward the cab of the truck. The entire truck shook as he walked in the bed. With my head tipped the way it was, he was upside down. He leaned across the black, diamond-plate toolbox and pressed his hands to the back glass, sliding the center panel to the side, reaching into the back seat, and pulling out the black dress shirt he’d discarded earlier.
The music was a bit louder now that the glass was open. It was nice, almost enough to chase away my pain. Almost.
Upside-down Brant turned toward me and smiled, balling up the shirt and crouching down next to me. “Here, why don’t you lay back on this? The bed liner is textured and I’m sure it’s not comfortable on your elbows.”
I watched his eyes as he slid the shirt beneath me and slowly lowered myself until I was flat on my back, head resting comfortably on the makeshift pillow that smelled of his cologne.
Before I had time to think about what I was doing, I reached up and grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulling his mouth down onto mine. He hissed in a shocked breath but responded immediately, moving his warm, soft lips over mine.
