Enticing Interlude (Tempest #2) (13 page)

“War still won’t talk to him?”

She shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Lace.” I patted her leg.

“I really wish…” She trailed off and then shook her head as if that was all it took to dispel the regret. “We’re all just going to have to move forward the best we can.” She went silent, her eyes turning reflective. I knew she carried more than a little guilt about the rift between War and Bryan.

We both took a sip at the same time. I cradled the warm mug between my hands, inhaling the aromatic fragrance, and tried to make myself relax as I processed all that had happened today.

“What’s going on with you and JJ?” Lace asked without preamble.

“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly and blew over the top of the tea before taking another careful sip. If only I could make myself be that cautious around Justin. How could I put into words how he made me feel? It would sound silly to describe out loud the way he made my stomach get all fluttery just by looking at me, or how my nerve endings seemed to burn whenever he touched me.

“You like him,” she concluded while peering at me over the rim of her cup.

“Yeah.” That was probably obvious. What I decided to do about it was still up in the air. “He’s an easy guy to like, Lace, but at the same time he scares the hell out of me.”

“Why?” Her brow furrowed. “Because of what happened with Carter’s father?”

“Partly.” I blew out a breath. “Ok more like mostly. There are enough similarities between them to raise red flags. Both are extremely handsome, confident men.”

“Would you still be attracted to Justin if he weren’t those things?”

I stared at my lap considering that. When I looked up, I shook my head. “Honestly, probably not, but that’s beside the point.” She gave me a blank look and I tried to explain. “Guys with looks like his are used to getting their way without much effort. I’m afraid I’m just a temporary distraction to him, a challenge.” There I said it, and just like before, I was scared that once he got what he wanted, what I was already tempted to give away, he’d be gone.

“Hmm.” She stared into her cup and then eyed me. “I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t have a very good track record with men. I mean things are ok with Bry now. I have the man I’ve always wanted, but I think the path would’ve been a lot smoother if I’d just followed my heart from the beginning.” She set her mug down on the coffee table and then settled back, her expression serious as she swiveled her head in my direction. “I don’t want to be responsible for steering you one way or the other. In the end you have to do what you feel is best. I will say that I think JJ’s one of the good guys. Sure he’s gorgeous and has a history of being a narcissistic bad boy on the prowl in the past, but I think he would leave all that behind for the right woman. You just need to be cautious, right? It’s not like you have to rush into anything. You’re just starting to get to know each other.”

The happy little tummy butterflies were gone, vaporized the minute my suspicions about him being a player were confirmed. I felt a little nauseated. I didn’t have Lace’s confidence or faith to believe that guys like Richard or Justin ever changed. Certainly not for someone like me. I’d be twice a fool to believe that they did.

“Thanks for the talk, Lace.” The remaining tea in my mug sloshed as I stood and held it in my shaking hand. “I appreciate it so much. And you, and our friendship. I hope things iron out sooner than later with Bry and War. And I have to thank you again for taking Carter and me in without any questions.” I was starting to blabber. Time to shut it down. I pulled in a breath. “You said exactly what I needed to hear tonight.”

She looked baffled by my rant. She stared up at me with her head cocked to the side. “Bridget, what’s going on? What did I say to upset you like this?”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” I managed to whisper despite the constricting vise around my chest. “Good night.”

“Ok.” Lace’s mouth was tight. “But I’m here if you change your mind. Sleep well, Gigi.”

Unlikely.
It was going to be a replay of the previous sleepless night only worse because I had the additional stress of knowing what I needed to do the next morning.

Bridget opened the door on my first knock. My eyes widened when I saw her. She looked like hell, the dark smudges under her eyes even more pronounced today. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes powers of observation to notice that her guard was up again.

I felt my jaw clench. I thought we were making progress. We had gotten along so well the day before. She’d even agreed to let me take her and Carter to the aquarium today. I assumed her text request asking me to come over earlier meant that we might be sharing breakfast together. But I could tell by the way she was looking at me that something was wrong.

“What’s going on? Is Carter ok?”

“I can’t do this,” she blurted out, eyes bright with emotion.

“Do what?” My brows came together as I watched her step out into the hall and pull the door almost all the way closed.

“This friendship thing,” she said with her gaze dropping to the floor and her hands tightening on the belt of her robe. “It’s not working. Carter’s getting the wrong kind of ideas. I shouldn’t have agreed. I’m sorry.” She turned away, reaching out for the door but I grabbed her arms and turned her back around. She looked wary and I could feel the tension in the bunched muscles under my hands.

“It
is
working.” I threw back at her. “This isn’t about Carter, and you know it. This is about you being afraid.” It took a great deal of effort to ignore how fantastic it felt to have her in my arms.

“I talked with Lace.” She tilted her head back and rapidly blinked her eyes as if she had something in them. “She thinks you’re a good guy. So do I. That’s why I’ve been trying to ignore that little voice inside my head that keeps telling me it isn’t smart to get involved with you. But I’ve got a son, Justin. I can’t afford to play around. I need someone steady. Someone I can trust to be in it with us for the long haul. And we both know that’s not your kind of scene.”

“Bullshit.” My fingers curled into her upper arms and I yanked her to me. My body didn’t get the message that I was angry and responded instantly to the feel of her soft curves. I should have been upset, but all I really wanted to do was kiss her… badly. My eyes dropped to her mouth. I felt a tremor flow through her body.

Yeah, she wanted that too.

There was more than one way to convince her we were right for each other.

“You’re saying one thing, babe, but your body’s saying another.” I tunneled my fingers into the hair on either side of her head, and touched my lips to hers. They were even softer and sexier than I’d imagined. She parted them on a sigh. I didn’t need any further encouragement. I swept my tongue inside and tasted her.
Finally.
She was
minty and spicy all at the same time. My head buzzed the way it’d used to after a couple of beers. Then she nearly brought me to my knees when I felt her tentatively touch her tongue to mine. Instantaneous hot desire crushed me like an avalanche.

I rocked my hips into hers, pushing her backward into the wall. I slanted my head at the same time that I cradled her face to position her mouth for better access. I thrust my tongue in deep, coming to the immediate realization that she was an addiction that I wouldn’t ever get enough of, though I tried. Again and again.

I registered her fingers digging into my forearms as if she were holding onto me to stay upright. She made a needy whimpering sound which I thought was a good thing until the whimpering turned into a single word.

“No.”

I released her and eased back, finding myself looking into wounded aquamarine eyes. The accusation in them shredded me to ribbons. “I’m sorry Bridget. I got carried away.”

“Don’t.” She turned her back to me, shoulders shaking. “You don’t have to apologize. I gave you mixed signals. Thank you for stopping when I asked. But I want you to go now, and I don’t want you to touch me like that ever again.”

“Bridget,” I protested.

“Please just go.” She shook her head. “Don’t make this anymore awkward.”

I collapsed against the door as soon as I had it shut, same position as yesterday evening only this time touching my fingertips to my mouth, wanting to somehow hold onto the way it’d felt when his lips had been there. I’d never been kissed like that.

So thoroughly.

It’s only desire,
I told myself clenching my fingers into fists, refusing to cry.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Carter asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes when I shuffled back into the bedroom and dropped down onto the bed beside him.

“Nothing, Carter. Everything’s fine now. Go back to sleep.”

He sat up. “But we gotta get dressed. We’re going to see the whales at the aquarium with Justin today.”

“No.” Disappointment burned bitterly inside my chest.

His face fell. “But you said we would.”

“No. I’m sorry.” I reached out to stroke his soft hair. “There’s been a change of plans.”

Carter stared at me for several long moments, his features turning hard. “Why?” he asked. “I like him. He’s nice. He makes you smile.”

I squeezed his hand. “I know that, honey. I’m sorry, but the answer’s still no.”

He tugged his hand out from under mine. “You’re always saying no,” he muttered harshly, glaring at me. He jumped out of bed, and then slammed into the bathroom. I covered my mouth with my hands, feeling sick to my stomach. Carter and I were a team. We always had been. He’d never rejected my affection before. Sure he had times when he pushed the boundaries, like every kid does, but he’d never completely shut me out. On top of everything else, it was just too much. A heavy suffocating darkness fell on top of me. I suddenly felt trapped and panicked.

“Bridget?”

“Huh?” I looked up, tears blurring my vision.

“What’s going on?” Lace stood in the doorway glancing back and forth between me and the bathroom. “I heard a door slam. Is everything ok?”

A strangled gurgle escaped from my mouth. I knew it. We were being too much trouble. I was about to be kicked to the curb again. This time I had nowhere else to go. Fear started to pull me under. I found it difficult to breathe.