He made me feel strong.
Showed me a revelation.
Of who I am.
Leah Morganna Wright.
I am strong.
I may not be perfect, but I am perfect for who I am.
And the biggest realization of all—Love.
The subtle and the not so subtle things Chad had done for me all made it so simple to fall for him. The warmness in his eyes. The magical way he made me feel. Maybe…maybe he felt something too.
He shifted and let out a soft sigh snapping me out of the cyclone of thoughts.
Carefully, I eased my limbs out of our entanglement and slid out of the bed. Chad softly moaned, rolling to his side. I kept still until his chest rose and fell in a relaxed state.
A morning walk on the beach sounded perfect. I looked inside the closet expecting to find my unpacked suitcase, but instead I scoured the large selection of women’s outfits with tags still attached hanging in an organized fashion. Shaking my head in awe, I wondered when in the hell he managed to do all of this.
Slipping into the black tee he’d left on the dresser, I added pink pajama shorts and flip flops. Taking one last look at his incredible handsomeness brought a smile to my face.
Outside, the dishes from last night were still on the table. I hesitated, pondering to stop and clean them up because I hated messy, but the low flying flock of seagulls seemed to call my name. A lone jogger trekked by and only a handful of people were out and about as far as I could see.
The waves majestically rippled and I gasped in splendor when a couple of dolphins began swimming not far from shore.
On auto pilot, I took off on a brisk stroll to the water’s edge. As the salty froth brushed over my toes, I smiled ear to ear and picked up a white scalloped seashell left in its path.
Sinking down onto the sand, I stretched my legs in front of me and splayed my hands behind me for support. Tilting my head back, I soaked up the morning sunrise and basked in its beauty.
“You should have woken me up,” Chad said.
I glanced over my shoulder. “You were sleeping soundly.”
He eased behind me and stretched his legs on either side of my me and wrapped his arms around me nuzzling my neck.
“Good morning,” he whispered against my ear.
It was so easy to love him.
“Good morning.”
“What are you doing up so early?”
“I’ve never been on the beach at sunrise. I actually saw dolphins.”
“It never gets old.”
“Thank you, Chad… for bringing me here.”
He kissed my neck and then we sat in silence watching the waves wash ashore. I wasn’t sure how much time passed but the sun had made its debut and a few more people strolled along the surf combing for shells.
“It’s so peaceful,” I whispered.
“I wouldn’t know. You wearing my shirt is all I can think about.”
I peered over my shoulder. “You’re crazy.”
All I can think about is how you look without a shirt.
He stood and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
He laced his fingers with mine and we journeyed on a nice stroll underneath a brilliant blue sky. In the distance a bright multi-colored kite in the shape of a fish flapped in the wind. Thoughts of my father crept their way into my mind and I couldn’t help but wonder if he were doing okay. Staring across the horizon, I still tried to comprehend how easily and unexpected my life had changed.
“I would say a penny for your thoughts, but that’s the lamest line ever.”
“I would expect you to say something more like…” I laughed and deepened my voice to mock him, “Tell me what the fuck you’re thinking about.”
He let out a chuckle, “That sounds a lot like something I’d say… to my brothers. Not to you.”
We took a few more steps when he suddenly stopped and pointed. “There’s some dolphins.”
“Oh my gosh, they’re closer than earlier this morning.”
“Probably having a snack on a school of fish. Which reminds me, we didn’t eat much last night. Are you hungry?”
“I’d rather keep walking.”
He nodded and laced our fingers again before we continued to make our way down the coast. He didn’t push me to talk and that spoke volumes because I knew if I needed to scream to the top of my lungs he’d listen. And because when I was falling apart, he caught me and shared a very intimate place that was private to both him and his family.
“Tell me about your summers here.”
“We’ve been coming since I was born. My grandparents met on this beach, married, and they built a weekend bungalow. My grandfather passed away several years ago, but Gammy’s heart belongs in Bolivar.”
“The house next door to yours, right?”
“Yes, though it’s not the original. Gammy rebuilt after Hurricane Ike destroyed it. My father tried to talk her out of it. We were all devastated over the loss. A lot of memories were made here over the years.”
“You’re so lucky to have that.”
His hand tightened around mine. “I’m sorry. Let’s change the subject. We can go over to Galveston or hang out around the house.”
“Are you kidding? I want to hear more about you, Garrett, and Stone. I bet you did a fair amount of partying.”
“We… might have had one or two,” he chuckled.
“Summer romance?”
“Hell no. I’ve never been the romantic type.”
“Glad you’ve changed.”
He abruptly stopped in his tracks, shaking his head. “I haven’t changed, Leah. I don’t do romance. I don’t have time for it, nor am I interested in all that it implies.”
I almost asked what he defined as being romantic because walking hand in hand on the beach and watching the sunrise pretty much summed up romance to me. But I didn’t.
When we returned to the house, I glanced over my shoulder at him, “You, Chad, are a pretty nice guy.”
He braced the sides of my face with his large hands and held my gaze. “And you’re pretty fucking hot.”
I laughed and put a little sway in my hips as we climbed the stairs. “And in case you were wondering, I’m going to be okay.”
“I know that, but I also know you’re hurting and if I could take it all away, I would.”
If he could take it all away?
If he only knew…
He had already taken so much away.
The scar marring my abdomen didn’t mean shit. It was as if it didn’t exist.
My heart was no longer locked in a cage.
And he made my blood feel warm in place of frigid cold.
He had no idea…
“I think we should go back to Dallas. There’s a game tonight and you need to be sitting in the box where you belong. I can only imagine what the guys are thinking, not to mention the sportscasters reporting God only knows what.”
“A believable story will be spun. I have people on the payroll for unforeseen issues. We’re not leaving unless you are ready to see your dad because with you is where I want to be.”
“But why? Why would you rather be here with me than at your game?”
“Because I want to give you something to be happy about. I want you to let me in—let me be there for you. Let me make you laugh. Let me be the reason you smile. And last, I protect what’s mine.”
The air whooshed from my lungs and our eyes were locked. His fingers reached up and tenderly caressed my cheeks. Slowly he leaned closer and closer until our lips met.
“You scare me shitless,” I whispered softly.
He pulled back leaving his hands cupping the sides of my face, the pads of his thumbs stroking my cheeks. “Good. Then you know how I feel.”
I scare The Chad Mitchell?
What. In. The. Hell?
Not possible.
The air crackled with an intense
chemistry churning between us. Blood rushed through my veins filling me with things I wanted to say, but kept it all to myself.
“Kiss me,” I whispered.
Our mouths connected and our tongues danced together in perfect cadence. Perfect and happy cadence.
“If I could make everything that made you sad go away, I would,” he breathed against my mouth and then brushed a tendril of hair behind my ear.
His gentle words made my stomach flutter, but his touch heated every cell in my body. Too many times, he’d reminded me he didn’t do romance, wasn’t interested in having a relationship in the least.
But his gestures, his tenderness, and the way he looked at me all made him a liar.
“You have.” I bit back a smile.
Chapter 22
“As much as I love the way my shirt looks on you, get ready. We’re going to go somewhere I think you’ll love.” We crossed the living room hand in hand.
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“What am I supposed to wear? Swimsuit? Casual? Dress?”
“Casual. Pack a couple of outfits including your swimsuit.”
“I like it here.” I frowned not wanting to leave this slice of heaven.
“Trust me.”
It was hard not to trust him when his face lit up.
“How soon do you want to leave?”
“Can you be ready in one hour?” He flashed the sexiest freakin’ grin at me. It was obvious he was excited for whatever he had up his sleeve and a rush of adrenaline ran through me.
Oh, how, is it possible to have all that temptation in front of me and not act on it.
“I hate surprises.” I worked hard to bite back the silly grin teasing my lips. I hadn’t told a lie. The old me did in fact hate surprises but that was before the sexiest man alive waltzed into the cantina and knocked me off my feet.
“You won’t hate this one,” he teased playfully.
“Tell me.” My heart felt like it was going to pound its way up my throat. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been so giddy in all of my life. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see soon enough.” He winked.
As promised less than an hour later, we hopped in the topless Jeep and headed down the two-laned highway.
“I never did ask, who picked out the clothes for me?”
“Garrett had Brooke take care of it.”
“She has great taste.” I ran my hands over the white shorts and red top.
“I’ll let her know you approve.”
“How long until we get there?”
“Two hours.”
“What?” I crinkled my nose.
He let out a soft chuckle. “Less than fifteen minutes.”
Butterflies fluttered all around my stomach and every cell in my body was alive. I took in several souvenir shops, boutiques, restaurants, and homes as we sped down the highway. It was a perfect late spring day and the temperature was exactly right.
Finally, he made a right-hand turn and the bay came into view. A couple of sailboats graced the waters and a few other boats leisurely made their way around.
“See the lighthouse over on the left? It’s an iconic piece of history that’s survived many hurricanes and is a famous tourist attraction.”
“It’s beautiful! Pull over and let me take a picture.” I paused as he pulled to the side of the road. “Well hell, I left my phone at the house.”
“You can use mine to take a few shots, or do you want to go get your phone...in case you need to make a call?”
“No one to call.”
“You might want to call Harry or Anita before we get back to the house.”
Chewing on my bottom lip, I mulled over how to answer. I’d told myself hundreds of times I didn’t want to see him—or Anita. Maybe it was true or maybe it was like a good enough lie to believe.
“Deep down, part of me wants to, but I can’t. Maybe soon, but not today.”
He reached over and covered my hand resting on my thigh. “It’s okay if you need time, but don’t wait too long. If something were to happen, you would never get over it. Harry’s going to give you all the space you need.”
I whipped my head toward him. “How do you know? Have you talked to him?”
“Of course, I’ve spoken with him. He’s my head coach and the guys have a job to do to get us to World Series. I thought it would make him feel better if he at least knows what’s going on since he’s not calling the shots on the field.”
“Did y’all talk about me?” I swallowed hard.
“He asked about you and he knows where you are. I’ve assured him, you’re okay and he’s been ordered not to attempt to make any contact with you. Likewise, with Anita.”
I blew out a long steady breath. “I still can’t believe it. She... was right there. My mom was right there, and they kept that from me.”
“According to Harry, she’s having a... rather difficult time with all of this.” His hand tightened around mine.
“Welcome to the Let’s All Feel Like Shit Club.”
“You’re officially on vacation from that fucking club.”
“If it were only that easy.”
“It is, starting right now.”
He turned onto an oyster shell parking lot. Rows of mostly trucks parked in front of a busy marina with empty boat trailers. To the left, a dock filled with several shrimping boats and a few other various sized vessels filled the boat slips.
A motor revving up drew my attention to where a shrimping boat made its way to the open water leaving a wake with seagulls diving down for a tasty treat. Chad parked the jeep next to the marina and flashed a mischievous grin.
“What are we doing, Chad?” I scrunched my eyebrows. “Because on top of everything else you do, I know you’re not a shrimper.”
“You’ll see. Come on.” He let out a chuckle and hopped out.
I met him in the front of the vehicle, and he placed his hand on the small of my back as we headed toward the door of the marina. A small tattered sign hanging on the door advertised fresh seafood for sale by the pound.
“Ah-hah, we’re having shrimp for dinner.”
“Not even close.”
A burly man with leathery tan skin and wrinkles around his features flashed a toothy welcoming grin. He closed the drawer of an antique cash register and made his way around the counter.
“Well, well, well, my boy. It’s been a hell of a long time.” He gripped Chad’s shoulder and then gave him a full-on hug.
“It’s only been two months, Otis.” Chad wore a boyish smile.
“Who’s the pretty lady?”
“Leah, this is Otis, an old friend. This is my… new friend, Leah.”
“Pleased to meet you, Missy.” He extended his calloused shaky hand. “Mags is going to have a fit she didn’t make it back before you arrived.”
“I’ll call her before we leave.”
He nodded his head. “You do that. She’d love to see you.” Tipping his head toward the large window behind him, “You’re all set and good to go.”
I looked in the same direction but didn’t catch his meaning. Otis opened the door and led us along the pier. He walked with a limp but that didn’t slow him down in the least.
“We’re going out on one of the boats?”
“You’ll like it.”
“When I told Mags you were coming, she fixed you up with a pot of steamed crabs, corn and potatoes. It’s in the galley and there’s a gallon of sweet tea in the fridge. Have no idea what she sent in the plastic pie tray she carries to church every Wednesday night, but it’s on the counter.”
“Please tell her thank you.”
“You better tell her yourself or she’s gonna have your tail.”
“Tell her not to call Gammy and get a bunch of gossip started.”
“Too late for that.” I caught the twinkle in his eyes when he cut them over to us. “As soon a
s I tell her I met the beauty, she and Dovie will be back on the phone and your ears will be burning, boy.”
Chad laughed, “Tell her it’s some girl I met in Vegas.”
“Not happening. I’m too damned old to sleep on the couch for a week.”
This time all three of us laughed and I knew I could sit and talk with Otis for hours. He and Mags sounded like perfect company.
We strolled past several filled boat slips while I focused on the back or sides of the vessels at the names. Ms. Nancy Lee, Grace Ann, The Blue Pearl, Fanta-Sea, Anjelica Wave and then we came to stop at the side of a beautiful sailboat. It was larger than any other in the marina, but not over the top elaborate in size—but it was very regal.
“This? Are you kidding?” I asked, looking between Chad and Otis. “You own this?
“She’s my girl.”
Chad stepped onto the teak decking, reached up for my hand and helped me step over from the pier.
“All sunshine in the forecast.” Otis reached down unfastening the ropes holding the magnificent beauty in place.
“Thanks, Otis. I owe you. Give Maggie a kiss for the food.”
He cast a wave over his shoulder as he limped toward the marina. Chad planted a kiss on my cheek and brushed his thumb softly across my face. “Take a look around. It won’t take me but a few minutes to get everything ready.”
Down below, the cabin was amazing. I brushed the pads of my fingertips across the top of the soft blue leather L-shaped sofa. The impressive galley kitchen with stainless appliances and tiled counterspace surprised me. I’d never been on a boat, hell I wasn’t even sure if I would get seasick. There was a small room with a queen bed and enough room to walk around each side. A few articles of men and women clothing hung on the rack in the closet.
And my size.
Joining Chad on the deck, I looked across the bay. The sun rippled sparkles across the water for as far as I could see. It was as if millions of diamonds had been sprinkled for miles and miles.
“It’s a gorgeous day.”
“Wait until there’s no land in sight. It’s a rush of peace that I can’t even begin to describe.”
“You amaze me more every day.” Our eyes met. “Oh, and clothes? There happens to be some hanging in the closet with tags that happen to be my size.”
Keeping Wicked (The Mitchell Brothers Book 3) Page 16
