by Emma Wolfe
Her eyes widened again. “Oh my gosh, Grayson, I’m so sorry,” she said as she stepped forward to look at my shoulder.
I shifted away from her and gave her a grin. “It’s nothing. I just scratched it on a tree,” I said, hoping she’d buy my lie.
But she just continued to stare at my shoulder. Wondering what she was looking at, I glanced down. My shirt was soaked with blood. I shifted my weight and moved my shoulder back into the shadows. “I’m fine,” I growled. I didn’t want her to ask questions. I just wanted to get her out of the woods and somewhere safe.
“Grayson, you’re bleeding. What happened to you?” She stepped forward again, and I responded by moving further away.
“I’m fine. I just…tripped. Trust me, it looks worse than it is.” I shot her a smile. It would take a little time, but soon enough I would heal, and this fight would be a distant memory.
She furrowed her brow. I feared she would be persistent, but thankfully, she moved on after she cast one last look at my shoulder.
“Where did you go?” she asked as she glanced around the woods. “And why the heck did you run off like that? Were you trying to scare the crap out of me?” Her mind must have been running through thoughts as fast as her heart was racing.
I wanted to help calm her down—I hated seeing her in distress—but this wasn’t the time.
“Come on,” I said as I grabbed a hold of her elbow and began pulling her back toward the school.
Rose didn’t seem too inclined to follow my lead. She stood there, shaking her head. “Oh, no. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me why you left me alone. In the woods.” She lowered her voice so I could feel the weight of her anger.
I blew out my breath as I nodded. “I know, and I’m sorry. But we don’t have time to talk about it right now.” I rested my hand on her shoulder in the hope that she would understand I wasn’t trying to upset her.
Her gaze dropped to my hand. When she looked back up at me, I offered her a soft smile.
“If I go, do you promise to tell me what happened?” Her voice was breathy, and I could hear her heartbeat pick up speed.
I wondered for a moment if it was because of my touch, but then pushed that thought from my mind. Hoping that she felt something for me wouldn’t help either Rose or me.
Her expression was earnest, so I did something I hadn’t done in a long time. I told her the truth.
“Yes. I promise.”
She chewed her lip as she peered up at me. I hated that she doubted I would keep my promise. Like she didn’t trust me.
“All right,” she said as she turned and extended her hand. “You lead, I’ll follow.”
I pressed my hand to her lower back, gently pushing her in front of me. “I’ll stay in the back and guide you,” I said.
She furrowed her brow but didn’t fight me. She started walking, and I kept a few paces behind her as we made our way through the woods and back to the school.
I only had to correct her a few times. For the most part, we walked in silence. As soon as we made it to the practice field, I heard Rose sigh as she moved so that we were walking next to each other.
I hated that we weren’t speaking. I hated that she didn’t trust me. I wanted to tell her so many things, and yet, I was left with secrets and a broken heart.
Being sworn to secrecy was like being in Hell. Dark, fiery, and miserable.
We made our way into the parking lot and over to Rose’s car. She paused at the driver’s door before she turned and faced me. She parted her lips to say something but stopped as her gaze made its way down to my shoulder. I could see the wheels turning in her mind.
She wasn’t going to let it go.
I glanced down to see that it looked even worse than it had in the woods. More of my shirt was wet with blood. In an effort to dispel her worry, I tried to roll my shoulder. But I only managed to wince and hunch over.
“You’re really hurt,” she said as she leaned forward, her fingers hovering in front of my shirt.
I took in a deep breath between clenched teeth and shrugged—which only sent a new wave of pain shooting through me. I shot her a smile that probably came out more like a grimace and turned away, hoping she’d forget all of this and move on.
“Grayson, why didn’t you tell me it was this bad?” she asked as she tugged on my good arm.
“It’s not a big deal,” I said.
Rose furrowed her brow as she met my gaze. Then she sighed and moved to pull open the door. “Get in, I’m taking you to the diner,” she said, nodding toward the passenger side.
I stared at her and then slowly began to shake my head. I needed a break. A moment to get my head on straight.
“I really should be getting—”
She stopped and turned, meeting me head on. “Seriously, Grayson? Get in. I don’t bite.”
I almost laughed at her words. It was almost ironic that she would joke about biting me when my jaw could literally break her bones.
But the earnestness in her gaze melted my resolve, and before I could stop myself, I nodded and made my way around the car.
After we were both settled in, Rose started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
It was almost eleven o’clock, and I wondered how her grandmother would feel when Rose brought me in, bloody shirt and all. But I was taking my cues from her, and she didn’t seem worried, so neither was I.
The drive was short. Rose filled the silence with music. I wanted to laugh at her song choices but decided against it. My hurt shoulder was nearest her, and I didn’t want her to whack it.
We pulled into the diner’s crowded lot. On the weekends, it stayed open until one in the morning, and the residents of Smoky Hills made sure it stayed that way.
Rose pulled around back and killed the engine. She smiled over at me as she pulled the keys from the ignition and stepped out. The gravel under our shoes crunched as we walked across to the back door.
I opened the door for Rose, holding it for her to enter. I couldn’t help but smile when I heard her grunt of displeasure, but I didn’t waver.
“You’re the one that’s hurt,” she said as she walked past me. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”
I shrugged. Being injured wouldn’t stop me from taking care of her.
She made her way into the kitchen and over to the large, burly man behind the grill. She ordered two hamburger combos and told him she would be down in fifteen minutes to get them.
The man just grunted, but I could feel the affection he had for her.
Rose patted his shoulder and then made her way over to the stairs, nodding for me to follow. I didn’t hesitate.
She opened the door at the top of the stairs and exposed a small, modest apartment. It was cluttered like a grandparent’s house should be.
Rose dropped her keys into a nearby bowl and turned to give me a sheepish smile. “Sorry. My grandma has a bit of a hoarding problem.”
I laughed. I liked Mrs. Jordan. Even if she did always eye me when I came into the diner. “That’s okay. I think most grandparents do.”
Rose nodded as she glanced around. A sad expression fell over her features, and I heard her let out a soft sigh. She was hurting. I had no doubt that she was thinking about her family. Her parents and the answers that she still hadn’t found.
I wanted to reach out, to pull her into my arms and tell her that everything would be okay. And I almost did…until I pulled back. That would cause more damage to Rose and me than I was willing to deal with. Instead, I shoved my unharmed hand through my hair and glanced over at her.
“We should get this fixed up so I can get out of your hair,” I said, nodding toward my shoulder. Some time had passed since the fight, and I could feel the wound starting to heal. If she was going to help me, she needed to do it now. Otherwise there would be questions.
Rose nodded as she motioned toward the small hallway off the kitchen. “Bathroom’s through here,” she said.
I followed as
she led me into the bathroom. It was tiny and made me feel like a giant. It could barely hold the two of us. Her close proximity filled me with a raging fire as she nodded toward the short stool that sat next to the bathtub.
How was I going to sit calmly with her hovering over me? How was I going to keep my feelings in check when she was so near?
And how was I going to keep from falling for her harder than I already had?
11
Rose
Just breathe, I chanted in my mind as I attempted to calm my mind and my heart.
I was in the bathroom to do one thing, and that was to patch up Grayson. That was it. Just friends helping friends.
Except it didn’t feel that way at all.
Things had changed. Ever since Grayson had pinned me against that tree and leaned in as if to kiss me… My heart hammered in my chest, and I shook my head to focus my thoughts. That was not what I should be thinking about right now.
Not when he was so close.
I rummaged around in the medicine cabinet, looking for the stuff I’d need to treat whatever had generated that much blood.
Hydrogen peroxide. Bandages. Gauze.
I pulled them all out and set them on the thin rim of the sink. Focusing on the task helped me keep my thoughts in check.
I couldn’t have feelings for Grayson. It was ridiculous. I’d basically rejected him a few months ago. He probably didn’t think much about me anymore. I’d never seen him with a girlfriend, but I doubted he was lonely.
After all, he was exactly what every girl wanted. Attractive. Sweet. Protective.
Calm down, I scolded my body. It was warming just from my thoughts.
I was in trouble.
I took in a deep breath and turned to see that Grayson had a smug smile on his lips. His head was tipped toward me as if he were listening to something. I studied him. Could he read my mind?
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I cleared my throat and grabbed a clean washcloth.
“Ready?” I asked, holding up the bottle of hydrogen peroxide.
Grayson’s smile softened, and he nodded.
I waved to his shirt. “That’s going to have to come off,” I said. I leaned in and noticed there was no tear anywhere on the shirt. I furrowed my brow and blinked a few times. That was strange. Did he remove his shirt to go running through the woods?
Grayson’s smile turned more devious as he raised his eyebrows, pulling me from my thoughts. “Are you sure you can handle it?” he asked, the teasing in his voice as apparent as the heat that rushed to my cheeks.
“I—er—um.” No response formed in my mind. Great. Grayson was giving me a brain aneurysm. This was not going to end well.
Grayson shook his head as he moved to catch my gaze. “I’m kidding,” he said as he grabbed the neckline of his shirt and began to pull it up.
I scoffed. “I know,” I started to say, but then his shirt came off and all words left me.
I’d never really seen a lot of guys’ bare chests, but I was pretty sure that Grayson’s was what could be described as perfection. His chest was broad, and his muscles stretched across without an ounce of fat.
He had washboard abs. And the tattoo on his arm wasn’t the only one he had. A tattoo of a wolf paw print spread across one pec. And his skin was a warm tan—no doubt from the summer work he did.
I must have been staring, because Grayson cleared his throat as he leaned forward.
“You okay?” he asked. He seemed genuinely concerned, except for the half-smile he shot my direction. Like he knew exactly why my brain had stopped functioning.
I blinked a few times and turned my attention to pouring hydrogen peroxide onto the washcloth and preparing myself to touch him.
“Yes, I’m fine. Why?”
Grayson chuckled. “You looked a little shocked, that’s all.”
I scoffed as I glanced into the mirror only to see my flushed cheeks. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and forced a smile. “I guess it’s not fair, you being as built as you are.” Then I chewed on my inner cheeks. Why had I said that? I really needed to think before I spoke.
“You think I’m built?” he asked, the teasing tone returning to his voice.
I sighed and turned to face him. “You’re telling me that you don’t see that?” I asked, nodding toward his chest.
Grayson glanced down then flexed his biceps. “I guess so,” he said.
“You guess?” I snorted. “False modesty doesn’t look good on you.”
He glanced up at me. “You think I look good?”
Heat flushed my skin as I pinched my lips together. I wasn’t sure how I felt about all the flirting that was going on between us, but I knew I needed to stop it.
Instead of answering, I leaned forward and pressed the washcloth to his skin. He flinched but didn’t pull away. From the corner of my eye, I saw him shift his attention over to me. I could feel his gaze on my face as he stared at me.
My heart was hammering at this point. I was sure it sounded like a jack hammer in my chest.
“Grayson,” I whispered.
“Rose,” he replied. His voice was low and smooth. Like hot chocolate on a cool fall evening. It washed over my skin and caused my breath to hitch in my throat.
I tried to focus on his shoulder as I moved the washcloth along the cut, wiping dried blood from his skin. He began to take deeper breathes, his chest rising and falling.
Suddenly, his hand was up and tucking my hair behind my ear. My skin tingled from his touch. The sensation raced through my whole body, and my soul sang as his fingertips grazed the skin on my neck.
Not sure what to do, I allowed my gaze to shift over to meet his. He was staring at me with such openness, such unbridled passion that I didn’t know what to do.
I just stood there, drowning in the depths of his warm, brown eyes.
It took a few seconds for me to realize that his fingers were still lingering on my neck. I was shocked that he was still touching me. That, perhaps, I hadn’t read things wrong in the woods.
He wanted to touch me.
And I wanted him to.
“Grayson, what are you doing?” I asked, my voice soft. I needed to know that this wasn’t all in my head. I didn’t want to fall for him if there wasn’t a chance of him feeling the same for me.
I couldn’t let myself be hurt like that. Not when I was already so broken.
“This,” he said as he moved both hands to my cheeks and lifted his lips to meet mine.
At first, I felt frozen. Like I wasn’t sure how to process what was happening.
Grayson was kissing me.
Me.
His lips were warm as he crushed them against mine.
And then it stopped. He pulled back, and I couldn’t help the little gasp that escaped my lips.
I pinched them together as I studied him. His expression was pained, as if he’d done something wrong.
Not wanting him to regret our kiss—or to think that I regretted it—I focused on what I wanted and leapt.
Pressing my hands to his chest, I slipped one leg onto his lap and then the next one. His gaze raised to my face as I straddled him, slowly lowering myself until I was resting on his thighs.
His face remained tipped toward mine, and once I was comfortable—and pretty sure I wasn’t going to fall off into the tub—I slipped my hands around his neck and then up into his hair. His gaze grew hazy as my fingers played with the strands.
Then I dipped my gaze to his lips and back up to his eyes.
All I wanted to do was kiss him. To feel his lips pressed to mine.
And nothing was going to stop me.
I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to his, allowing the feeling of his skin against mine to wash over me. I shivered and deepened the kiss.
He parted his lips, and I did the same. We fell into a dance as our lips moved against each other. Like each of us had been searching for something that we’d finally found in each other.
I felt his hands move fro
m my hips to my lower back, then my upper back. Then he wrapped both arms around me and pulled my body against him. I felt small against his broad chest.
I slipped my hand from his hair and allowed my fingertips to graze his chest until they rested over his heart. I could feel it drumming in time with my own.
I could have kissed Grayson forever. It was like I’d found in him a place where I belonged.
It was scary, and I wasn’t sure what any of it meant, but I did know that I was falling for Grayson. Harder and faster than I ever thought possible.
When Grayson finally pulled away, he raised his hand to the back of my head and tipped my forehead toward his. Our breathing was heavy, and it made me feel better to see that Grayson’s cheeks seemed as flushed as mine.
“Rose, that was…”
I chewed my lip as I nodded. I didn’t need him to talk. I’d felt it, too.
Three sharp knocks on the door startled me. Panic coursed through me as I leapt across the bathroom. I tried to focus as I took a few deep breaths and glanced over at Grayson, who seemed to be doing the same.
“Rose? Are you in here?” Grandma Jordan’s voice called through the door.
“Yeah, I’m here,” I said as I moved to open the door.
Grandma’s eyes were wide as she swept her gaze from me to Grayson—and his shirtless chest.
“What’s going on in here?” she asked, stepping into the already crowded bathroom.
“Grayson was hurt, so I was helping him out,” I said as I waved toward his shoulder only to see that the cut I’d thought was deep, wasn’t. It looked as if it were already healing. But if it had been such a small cut, where had all that blood come from?
Grayson must have noticed my hesitation. He looked down at his chest and suddenly got very antsy. He pulled his shirt on and stood up. “Thanks,” he said as he moved past me.
Just before he left, I felt him grab my hand and squeeze it. My whole body warmed with pleasure as he allowed his fingers to linger on my palm before he walked out into the hallway. He nodded toward Grandma and then disappeared down the stairs.
I let out my breath as I turned to see Grandma standing a few inches away from me. I jumped back, startled.
