Authors: Connie Lafortune
Kennedy
I’ve been sitting here for the last hour listening to every word that spews from her mouth. I call bullshit on ninety-five percent of it. It sounds rehearsed. Staged. Like someone trained her to tell it like it is. What the fuck! I’m her best friend. Why is she not being honest with me? She might have been able to fool Gage, but I’m not buying it. And unlike him, I will call her out on her shit.
Once she’s finished her clever tale, I stand up and applaud. Instantly, her mouth gapes. “Bravo, Lyra. You did a wonderful job of retelling their version of the story. Whoever they are. Now, I want you to tell me what really happened.”
“What the hell! I just cut myself wide open and all you can do is clap.” Lyra pushes off the couch so fast, she stumbles and I quickly steady her before she falls flat on her face.
“Dammit, Lyra. It’s me. Kennedy. You can lie to everyone who loves you because they wear blinders where you’re concerned. But I don’t.” When she storms off into the kitchen, I follow. I’m not backing down this time because I know if I do, she’ll be lost to me forever. The friend I know and love will cease to exist. And I will never let that happen. “Lyra, please…” she spins around when I reach out to touch her arm and she screams. Startling me. Cody rushes into the room and bares her teeth. Immediately, she places herself between Lyra and me. Holy shit! She thinks I’m hurting her.
Lyra drops to her knees and embraces the dog. “Shh. I’m fine, Cody. She won’t hurt me. Not physically, anyway.” Ouch. I watch her stroke and scratch the dog’s thick fur, until Cody’s no longer panting and agitated. Then with a flick of her wrist she commands, “Go,” and the dog disappears. Wow. I’m sure she’d like to be able to dismiss me that easily right about now.
Several awkward minutes tick by while I try to find the right words. And when her eyes finally meet mine, they’re glistening with tears. “Lyra, I…” She shakes her head as the tears begin falling. “I loved him, Kennedy. I was in love with my abductor. How fucked up is that?” I watch her eyes suddenly widen in horror as her attention shifts to something behind me. His spicy cologne gives him away. Gage.
Shit, shit, shit!
Before I have a chance to turn around, the door slams. And Lyra’s nothing but a blur as she runs by me. I, on the other hand, fall into the closest chair I can find. I should have stayed in London where I belonged and let the two of them work out their own problems. But when Gage had called, he sounded so distraught I thought I could fix it. Fix her. What a joke. I’m a joke. Hence the reason I’ve never been in a real relationship. All I seem to be good at are one-night stands. Hook-ups. And a lot of lonely nights.
I have no idea what’s going on out there, but I’m making myself invisible. I think I’ve done more than enough already. Grabbing a bottle of wine, I opt out of using a glass. By the sound of it, I could be in here for a very, very long time. In fact, I just might have to sleep here. Hmm, now that’s a scary thought.
Two hours and a bottle of wine later, Lyra strolls through the door. Her red-rimmed eyes are a telltale sign that things didn’t go quite as I had hoped. Dammit! This is all my fault. When she plops down in the chair across from me, I grab her hands. “Hey, how about we change into our PJ’s and watch
Orange is the New Black?
We’ll order a pizza, open a bottle of wine—since I finished this one—and we’ll have some girl time. What say you, sound good?”
“He left me, Kennedy. I tried so hard to make him understand what he overheard. But he can’t wrap his head around the fact that I love them both. Hell, neither can I. Now all I want to do is crawl into my bed, pull the covers over my head and forget.”
“Lyra, Gage loves you. Once he’s sorted it all out, he’ll come home. Come on, you need some girl time and I’m just the one to give it to you.”
Chapter Twenty-One
May
Lyra
Lately, I find myself breaking down the calendar into little increments. Instead of years, months, and days, I break it into days, hours, and minutes. For example, it’s been thirty-six days since Ryker set me free. Two weeks since Gage left. Forty-two hours since I drove Kennedy to the airport. And seventy-seven minutes since I found a new job. Crazy right? Well, it seems to be the only way I can process everything that’s transpired so far. Especially since it feels like I’ve lived a lifetime in just a few short months. So much has happened, yet nothing has been resolved. Ryker’s still alive but nowhere to be found. Gage hasn’t bothered to move back home. And Kennedy—my BFF—is now back in London, wreaking havoc on all the Brits.
God, Save the Queen.
The minute I step inside my apartment and kick off my shoes, I grab my phone. I think about texting my mom to let her know about my new job, but sometimes a girl just needs to hear the sound of her mother’s voice. It’s comforting.
I flop down in the closest chair and listen to the call going through. My heart sinks when it goes directly to voicemail. Shit! I desperately wanted to talk to her. I don’t waste my time leaving a message, I just toss my phone on the couch.
After tucking my legs underneath me, I close my eyes. Resting my head against the back of the chair. It’s so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Immediately, my eyes pop wide open and my heart quickens. Cody! She’s normally here to greet me the second I open the door. Bolting out of the chair, I race from room to room. “Cody. Cody! Where are you?” Silence. Goose bumps break out along my skin once I’ve checked each and every room. This is so stupid! She’s smart, but I know she can’t open doors. Panic suddenly washes over me. Did I leave the back door open this morning? I’m frozen in place, the minute I look out the back deck. Gage is sitting on the beach, while Cody chases the waves. His dark, wavy hair is tousled from the salty ocean breeze, causing my heart to skip a beat. Is he home to stay?
Taking a deep breath, I slide open the door and step outside. Cody sees me instantly and races towards me. She’s cold, wet, and loaded with sand when I squat down to give her some loving. You might think I was gone for a week instead of hours. Now that’s unconditional love. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if people could love without expecting anything in return? Unfortunately, we’re a selfish bunch and we always want what we can’t have. Sad but true. Fortunately, our pets are the only ones who can forgive us despite our flaws.
I glance up just in time to see Gage moving towards me with intent. Leaving dread to roll around in the pit of my stomach. His unwavering gaze is locked on mine as he ambles his way through the damp sand. When I stand up, Cody’s attention suddenly focuses on a flock of seagulls. I’m all but forgotten as she chases them down the beach. Leaving me all alone with nothing but Gage’s intense stare. I shield my eyes against the bright sun until he is standing directly in front of me. Then his height and broad shoulders swallow the sun, allowing me to admire his handsome face. I have missed him. With a fierceness that I never knew existed. As soon as his palm brushes my cheek, I melt into his touch.
“God I miss you so much, babe... ”
“Gage, I—” he lightly presses his fingertips to my lips.
“I need to ask you one question, Lyra. And then I promise I’ll never mention him again. Did you love him because he saved your life?”
I didn’t think my heart could possibly break any more than it already has, but seeing the pain reflected in his eyes just tears me apart. “Not one day went by that I didn’t think of you. I missed you with every fiber of my being. But you weren’t there and I never thought I’d ever see you again. I’m so sorry, Gage. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have been so weak…”
“Stop. You’re not weak, Lyra. Far from it. In fact, you’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. Especially after everything he put you through.” I want to close my eyes and melt against him when Cody decides to get in on the action.
“Cody! Argh, you’re all wet and sandy. Get down!” I’m trying desperately to brush myself off when Gage throws his head back, laughing. “It’s not funny. Now I have to give her a bath.”
I’m caught off guard when Gage wraps his arms around me and whispers, “Who’s going to give you a bath, Lyra?”
What? Oh, good lord! One minute we’re discussing ‘Ryker’ and the next, Gage wants to give me a bath? Seriously? My mind’s screaming at me to say no but my body remembers all too well what it was like to be loved by this man. He’s such a gentle and caring lover and has always been sensitive to my needs. Always. I desperately want to be intimate with him again. But I’m afraid it will conjure up all sorts of memories of Ryker and me.
Gage quickly eases the sexual tension. “Why don’t you bring Cody around to the outdoor shower and I’ll go get her shampoo. Then I’ll help you wash her since I’m the one who let her chase the waves. Sound good?”
Yeah, it sounds great. But I don’t want to get my hopes up in case he leaves at the end of the day. Which reminds me. “I didn’t see your truck when I pulled in. How’d you get here?”
“I just needed to think, so I decided to go for a walk. An hour later I found myself here. I didn’t know where you were or when you’d be back, so I decided to let her out. Big mistake, huh?”
My chest feels like it’s about to explode. I want to ask him. What’s a mistake, Gage? Letting her out or walking here to see me? No, no, no. I don’t want to know. The important thing is he’s here. We’ll leave it at that. Instead of answering him, I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his cheek. “I’ll get her ready, while you get the shampoo.”
Gage
What the fuck am I doing? I’m such an idiot! I came here today to talk to her, not seduce her. Fuck! I still love her.
I love Lyra Rose Harper. There, I’ve said it and I mean every damn word. So, the quicker I say what I came here to say, the better it will be. For the both of us.
I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of her since she started walking away. But before she disappears around the corner, she turns to say, “It wasn’t a mistake, Gage. I’m glad you came.” My heart slams against my chest when a beautiful smile sweeps across her face. Yeah, now I’m wearing a shit-eating grin too. I’m so screwed.
Once I’ve grabbed the shampoo, I meet her around back. Cody’s secured to the post and Lyra’s getting her wet. To no avail. Cody loves the ocean, but apparently not the shower. “Here, let me help you.” Lyra starts talking to her as I wet her down and begin washing her thick coat. I’d never admit this to Lyra but she is a good watch dog. I’m glad she’s here for her. We’re both on our knees, scrubbing and shampooing, and I’m beginning to think we’re just as wet as Cody. If not more.
Once we’ve finished, the last thing I want is for her to go traipsing through the sand. “I’ll bring her into the sunroom to dry off.”
“I can take her, Gage, if you’d like to change into some dry clothes.” I can’t help wondering if the blush along her cheeks is from exertion or from something else. Because I know the sight of her in a wet T-shirt is turning me the hell on. I need to get out of here before she sees how she’s affected me.
“I’m fine, Lyra. You go change while I bring her in the house.” The minute I grab Cody’s collar, she begins to shake, splattering water everywhere. Apparently, she didn’t think I was wet enough because she waited until Lyra had left. “Thanks a lot, Cody.” But I can’t help chuckling as I lead her through the kitchen since it’s the shortest route.
Once I’ve locked her in the sunroom, I linger. I look through the mail, grab a drink and check on her one more time before heading upstairs to change. But as soon as I walk into our bedroom, I know I’ve made a huge mistake. Lyra’s just walking out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel. And when her eyes lock on mine, she freezes. That fucking sucks!
“I needed to take a shower because I had sand in my…”
In a few long strides, I have her in my arms and my mouth’s crashing down on hers. I seek the shelter of her warm mouth by parting her lips with my tongue. She tastes like heaven and since I’ve been living in hell for so long, it feels like she’s breathing life into me again.
When a moan escapes the back of her throat, I don’t hesitate. I tug on that damn towel until it hits the floor. Now the only clothes that stand in the way of me and my girl are mine. “If you don’t want this, Lyra, stop me now. Otherwise, I’ll be too far gone.” I rest my head against hers, trying to push down my emotions before I can continue. “I want to swap out every memory you’ve ever made with
him
, with memories of us. Please. Let me show you how much I love you.” I should leave right now before she rejects me, but I can’t. I want to be the last one inside of her. Not
him
. Then I’ll be able to walk away and do what needs to be done. No matter the outcome.
I’m holding my breath, waiting for her answer, when her trembling hands dip below the hem of my shirt. Searing my skin with every brush and every touch of her fingertips. Before she pulls my shirt over my head and throws it on the floor. My breath catches as she tugs on my wet jeans and has them pooling around my ankles. Now my hard-on is straining against my boxers, begging for her touch. “Gage, you’re wet. Do you want to take a hot shower?”
I might be cold and damp, but I have a cure for that standing right in front of me. “I might be wet, babe, but as you can see, I’m already hot.” In one swift motion, I lift her up as she clings to me for dear life. But when her legs lock around my waist, I lose my breath. Fuck! The heat emanating from her core is pressed tightly against my cock. It’s been so long that I’m afraid I’ll blow my load before I have a chance to make it good for her.
I don’t stop walking until my knees come in contact with the edge of the bed. And then I gently lay her down. Lyra’s still wrapped around me when I place my hands on either side of her head. Now, I’m staring into the eyes of the only girl I’ve ever loved, when she pulls me a breath away from her mouth. “Make love to me, Gage. Please... ”
My cock twitches in anticipation when my mouth covers hers. Hard and hungry. And when I hear those little whimpers that I love so fucking much, I lose all self-control.