Taking Chances: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (16 page)

“Don’t bother.” I retorted, before I disappeared into the tree line in my hurry to escape the man who owned my heart - and he didn’t even realize it.

***

I’d been at the Ranch for nine weeks. It was currently Sunday, the twentieth of July. I’d been at the Ranch since the eighteenth of May, and I hadn’t talked to my parents once. I’d of course emailed them a few times. But I hadn’t grown the courage to ever pick up my phone and call them. I couldn’t seem to answer their calls, either. Actually, for the most part, if I didn’t recognize the number calling me as someone from the Ranch, I didn’t answer at all. In nine weeks, I hadn’t spoken to a soul from my old life.

Michael had been gone for ten weeks and two days. It didn’t seem like he’d been gone long, and I wasn’t at all over his death, but I hadn’t cried for him in a couple weeks.

Since my drunken night with Reese and Kami, I’d hung out with the both of them a few times. Today was the first day I’d spent my entire day without Collin. Since my drunken night when he’d spent the night and then bought me breakfast and coffee, we’d been nearly inseparable - throughout our days.

Despite the tense exchange we’d had at the lake, Collin had shown up the next morning with coffee, and like always, I’d turned to mush at the sight of him. He’d still been shamelessly flirting with me even though I had made it clear it confused me, but he had made a conscious effort not to flirt with any other woman - at all. In the past weeks, the only female I’d heard of Collin flirting with had been me.

I didn’t know what to think about that - so I didn’t allow myself to think anything at all. Reading things into Collin’s actions was pointless. The man was, and would, remain a mystery to me.

Since my drunken night, we hadn’t shared a bed despite the fact that I had wanted to - desperately. Every night had been restless now that I knew what a night felt like when it was spent in Collin Donnelley’s arms.

I’d gotten back to my little abode an hour ago from a day of straining exertion on my muscles with Kyle and Kami. Collin had been booked for a class four tour on the river that he refused to allow me to join. He wasn’t comfortable with me riding the dangerous parts of the river until I had more experience, which made sense, but I also hadn’t quite known what to do with my time away from him. Thankfully, Kami had texted me, and asked if I was up to joining her and her husband, Kyle, on a hike. I’d jumped at the opportunity.

Now, my muscles were burning and I was feeling the need to cool them off. I knew just the place to do that. With Collin’s guide, I’d discovered a beautiful, crystalline lake, only a ten minute walk from my cabin. It was still early in the day and I knew I had a few hours before my stomach began growling in hunger for dinner, so I exchanged my hiking gear for an airy mint sundress Reese had practically forced me to buy on our last shopping trip and a pink bikini. Personally, I think she wanted me to buy the dress because she couldn’t fit her now larger belly into it. It really was beautiful, but mint green was Reese’s color, not mine.

Knowing Collin would come searching for me after his tour, I taped a note to the door of my cabin to let him know where I’d be. Then, I set out with a beach bag filled with a towel, bottled water, and a beach blanket to lie on.

Buster, the black and white dog that tended to hang with Collin met me on the path and walked alongside me to the lake. I set up my blanket and huffed as Buster settled his behind on the corner, before sprawling half on the blanket and half in the sand, to bask in the sun. I stripped from my dress and wandered to the lake. The water was chilly, but it wasn’t so bad that I wanted to walk back out. Taking a deep breath for courage, I dropped my body into the water all at once, and instantly sighed in relief, as the cool kiss of the water loosened the stiff muscles in my body.

After a little swim, I walked back to the blanket and joined Buster in slumber beneath the hot July sun.

***

“Hadley.” I felt a hand push against my shoulder. “Shit, baby, you fell asleep.”

I moaned. “What?”

“Fuck.” Collin growled. “You’re burnt, baby.”

Oh crap. I’d fallen asleep. But, for how long?

“What time is it?” I shifted to move up onto my knees and the skin on my back felt tight and a little painful. I winced.

“It’s just past six.” His reply was clipped. “How long have you been out here?”

I grimaced. “About three hours.”

“Hadley.” Collin shook his head. “You’re back is really burnt.”

He sounded angry - and that angered me. I defended myself on a sharp tone. “I was tired.”

“Obviously.” He rose to his feet. “Let’s go.”

I sat, tilted to my side, because quite honestly the skin on my rear stung. “Why?”

“The sooner we get Aloe Vera onto your skin, the better.” He held his hand out to help me up and I took it. Once I was on my feet, Collin shook his head again. “I can’t believe you fell asleep under this sun.”

“Will you please stop.” I snapped. The longer I was awake, the more I was feeling the stretching pain of the skin on my back. “I’m kicking myself for falling asleep. I don’t need you doing it too.”

He scowled down at me before packing up my beach blanket and towel. Then he handed me my dress. “Think you can put this on?”

“Yeah.” I gritted my teeth. “It’s not a scratchy material.”

I lifted the material, trying to get it over my head, but the stretching of sunburned skin encouraged me to drop my arms on a strained moan of pain.

“Here.” Collin swiped the dress from my fingertips. “I’ll do it.”

I didn’t reply as Collin moved to dress me in my clothes with a gentleness that would have warmed my heart if I weren’t so filled with humiliation. I mean, seriously? How stupid did one have to be to fall asleep for hours, beneath a high July sun? What had I been thinking? Oh yes, I hadn’t been thinking.

As the material rested against my tingling skin, Collin breathed a sigh of relief that I hadn’t winced once while he’d been settling my dress into place over my body. Stepping back, his eyes scanned my face and I looked down to my toes, feeling silly.

Placing his finger beneath my chin, he lifted my face, forcing my eyes to connect with his emerald orbs. “I’m sorry, beautiful.” I felt my face heat at the endearment. He’d called me beautiful since we met nine weeks ago, and it still, to this very day, affected me. “I shouldn’t have been an ass about it. But I worry about you and now I’m worried about your skin.”

I forced a smile. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

His eyes darkened a shade and before he spoke, I felt the pad of his thumb move over the line of my jaw. Suddenly, I forgot the sting on my back as the fluttering in my belly triumphed.

“Do you have Aloe Vera at home?”

Stunned by the sound of his question infiltrating my mind, I took a moment before replying. “Um, no.”

He sighed again. “We’re going back to my place.” His hand dropped from my face, and to my surprise, he gripped my hand in his.

Pulling me alongside him through the trees, he led me to his house rather than to my cabin. I didn’t protest to him carrying my bag, and I definitely didn’t protest to him holding my hand, but I would be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that I was afraid of going to his house. In all the weeks that we’d been hanging out, we’d pretty much spent all our time outside, or at the Ranch cafeteria, or in the presence of other people. Since the night we’d spent together, Collin had done nearly everything he could to not be alone with me anywhere near a bed.

So, I’d definitely be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous about spending time with him now - at his house - alone. Where there was a bed.

Suddenly, without warning, I stopped as the backside of his house came into view. Stuttering, I asked. “Are you sure I should be coming over?”

He turned slowly to look at me and I was certain he saw the fear in my eyes, because his own softened. “You need something on your back, Hadley.”

“I know.” I grappled for words. “But, I’ve never...” I paused again. “Been in your house.”

“Don’t typically bring women here.”

“Huh.” The sound was nervous.

“Hadley, we’ve been hanging out for a while now. I think it’s time you saw my place.”

“Kay.” I nodded as though trying to convince myself more than him. “Um, sure.”

Collin tipped his head to the side and a slow smile claimed his beautiful face. “Are you nervous, beautiful?”

“What?” I squeaked. “No!”

“I think you’re nervous.” He stepped toward me and I realized then that he was still holding onto my hand. “Why would you be nervous?”

“I’m not!” I tugged on my hand but he held it tight, refusing to release me. “I just don’t want you to feel like I have to come over just because I fell asleep in the sun.”

Again, he shook his head and his features tightened. “I still can’t believe you did that.”

I frowned. “Me either.”

“We’ll go inside, I’ll get something on your back, and we’ll make something to eat, okay?” His deep voice rattled me - or maybe it was the steady control I heard - or maybe it was the meaning of his words. Who the hell knew? Who the hell cared? I was rattled.

“Sure.”

Collin tugged me toward his house once again and this time, I followed him.

***

The house was stunning. It wasn’t anything close to the size of my house at home in Toronto, but it was perfect. It was quaint and nothing like the bachelor pad image I saw in my minds eye. The downstairs was very open concept with the living room and kitchen practically connected. There was a large fireplace off to the left of the living room and the most bachelor pad part of his house was the large seventy-inch flat screen that had been mounted on the wall adjacent to the fireplace. There was a large black leather sectional and two chairs placed rather artfully in the living space. The cabinetry in the kitchen had all been stained a warm reddish brown color and the kitchen table, also wood, matched the cabinetry perfectly.

“Wow.” I breathed. “It’s really nice in here.”

“You thought it wouldn’t be?” He asked, leaning against the dark granite of the island counter.

I shook my head. “Not exactly.” I shrugged. “I thought you’d live more like a bachelor.”

“How does a bachelor live?”

“Uh, chip bags and beer cans covering every surface.” I laughed nervously. “Socks and dirty underwear on the floor. I don’t know?”

Collin laughed, pushing himself from the counter. “Do you like it?”

“I actually do.” I found my eyes gazing at the table once again before landing on the living room coffee table. “Where did you get your furniture?”

“Made it.” He replied gruffly and I spun to face him. He was close. I hadn’t been expecting him to be so close.

“Seriously?” I felt my mouth dropping. “You made it?”

“Yep.” He nodded. “Bathroom’s this way, beautiful.”

“Oh.” I whispered before moving behind him across the space to a bathroom. When Collin disappeared into the room, I felt my heart begin an unsteady pattering in my chest. Was I just supposed to follow him into the little room?

Figuring that was exactly what he wanted me to do, I crept into the bathroom. Collin was standing with a bottle of Aloe Vera in his hand when I rounded the corner.

After a minute of standing awkwardly in front of him, he spoke. “Well, are you going to take off your dress? Or just stand there and stare at me?”

“I can do it - um, myself.” I reached for the bottle, suddenly feeling way more than only a little nervous.

Collin shook his head. “I don’t think you can.”

“Why is that?”

“Can you even get yourself out of that dress?” His question was pointed and I did nothing but stand there, glaring at him. “That’s what I thought.” I watched him place the bottle onto the sink before closing the distance between us with an irritating saunter. “Lift your arms, baby, and I’ll help you.”

“No.” I folded my arms over my chest. “I can manage on my own.”

He sighed, sounding irritated but at this point in his teasing, I really didn’t care. Hell, I’d rather have no Aloe Vera on my warm skin rather than allow this man to undress me. There was only so much one girl could handle before she cracked - and I was beginning to think I was at my breaking point.

“Hadley.” Tension filled his voice. “I promise you, that if you don’t cooperate, I’ll rip that dress in two, tie you down to my bed, and cover you in Aloe Vera from head to fucking toe. It’s your choice.”

I gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

He pinned me with matter of fact eyes. “Test me, beautiful.”

My skin pebbled with goosebumps. “Um...” I took a small step backward to the door. I was going to run - and Collin must have known - because one moment I was moving to the door and the next I felt my dress snag, and then the sound of ripping tore through the silence.

The thin fabric of my mint green dress was hanging open down the front of my body - and Collin was standing in front of me.

“What the hell are you doing?” I shrieked.

“Exactly what I said I’d do, beautiful. Are you ready to cooperate, or will I have to enact my next threat?”

I promise you that if you don’t cooperate, I’ll rip that dress in two, tie you down to my bed, and cover you in Aloe Vera from head to fucking toe. It’s your choice.
His words replayed in my mind and I shivered.

“No.” I whispered.

“No what?” Collin growled.

What the hell had happened to the man I had been hanging out with the last nine weeks? I’d never met this side of Collin - the serious side. He was usually so teasing and rarely ever serious. But right now, in this moment, he was serious. He was the flipping definition of serious.

“No. You don’t have to tie me - to anything.”

“To my bed?” He grinned and I felt a smidgen of relief that the man I knew was back. I was more comfortable with the teasing side of Collin. I knew how to handle the teasing side of Collin. I didn’t, however, know how to handle the growly, demanding, serious side of the man standing before me.

“Right.” I breathed. “I’ll cooperate.” And then I snapped in addition. “And you’re lucky I’m wearing a bathing suit under this!”