"Fuck you!" Susan yelled, her
eyes avoiding Josiah. If he hadn’t had a grip on her now, Susan would have gone
another round, knocking Erin back where she belonged, on the soiled carpet
under their feet. Both were reactions to her embarrassment for allowing herself
to lose control and for the announcement of her jealousy sliding past Erin’s
twisted lips. Susan averted her eyes from Josiah’s direction, wanting to
scamper away like a frightened mouse about to be caught in the snares of a
trap. She searched her mind for some explanation to why she’d felt the
intensity of such anger toward Erin. Her initial thought had been because of
Erin’s history, she'd quietly tried to convince herself that she only wanted to
steer Erin away from the table so that Tessa and the rest of the group wouldn't
have to deal with her. She’d even tried to convince herself it was because of
the incident with her mother. Then Erin opened her mouth and started talking
about Josiah and an intense jealously coiled inside her belly and erupted like
a champagne bottle after being manhandled. She knew it had been a ridiculous
reaction. Even if she and Josiah went home together, she knew it would be
nothing more than a one night stand. That was her reality. Usually a one night
stand, although not as often as people perceived.
Chapter 6
Josiah turned to face Susan, the corners
of his mouth curving upward causing his eyes to sparkle even in the darkness of
the club. He reached out his hand to Susan and without thought she took it as
if it would give her an anchor as her emotions were tossed around on a
turbulent sea. She was uncertain what the gesture meant and uncaring at the
moment of its meaning, she needed something or someone to calm the raging war
she battled within herself. The urge to pummel Erin for all the hurt she’d
caused and somehow continued to cause along with the overwhelming need to run
as far from the situation as she could get, caused a jumbled mess that Susan
had no idea how to compartmentalize.
"Let’s go dance," Josiah said,
breaking through the rollercoaster of thoughts flying through Susan’s mind. “I
think now would be a good time for a swing lesson to help get rid of that
excess energy you have going on there.”
Susan shook her head although she knew
the distraction Josiah was offering her would do her some good. "I don’t
want to dance.” Her gaze slid past his shoulders to where Erin stood unmoving.
"You do now. Let Rowan take care of
her," he said as he motioned to Erin and the bouncer who stood next to
Rowan looking as if he were ready to throw the whole bunch of them out.
“Seriously, I think I just need some
fresh air. I’ll be back shortly,” she responded releasing his hand, heading for
the exit.
“Not on my watch,” Josiah told her as he
followed her out the door.
Susan spun around when they cleared the
door, stepping out into the night air. “Look, this whole not on your watch
thing is getting a little irritating. Now would be a great time to put that ego
away because honestly, darling, it’s not working for me.” She drew out the word
darling as if to mock him, but hearing it pass her lips, she realized how ridiculous
it sounded coming from her, which in turn only pissed her off more. “Besides, I
didn’t realize you were here to watch after me. Last I checked I was a big girl
able to take care of myself.”
Josiah threw up his hands. “It’s just an
expression. I had no intentions of offending you. Look, why don’t we go back
inside and have another drink? No dancing, just drinking.”
“I’d rather not. I’m just gonna head
home. I think I’ve punched too many holes in my excitement card for one night.”
“Come on. We were just getting along.”
Susan tried to pull her keys from her
pocket, her hands shaking from the adrenaline surging through her body. Yanking
just a little too hard, the keys flew from the pocket of her jeans, landing at
Josiah’s feet. She watched without a word as he tipped his hat back, bent at
the waist and scooped the keys from the pavement. Dangling them out in front of
her as if to tempt her with something forbidden, with a gleam in his eyes, he
flashed a crooked grin, daring her to pull the keys from his grip. When Susan
reached trembling fingers to take possession of the shiny objects, Josiah took
a long step away from her, shaking his head from side to side.
“We have two choices here. You can come
inside with me, or I can take you home.”
Susan stood motionless for only a split
second then began to shift her weight from one foot to the other. The buzz of
lights hanging from the building grew louder in Susan’s ear as time seemed to
stand still. The choices Josiah gave her were unacceptable. On any other night,
she would have been more than happy to find a cowboy in her car on the route to
her place, but tonight would not be one of those nights. The argument with
Erin, her own outburst, and the uncertainty of her actions put her in a rancid mood.
The sour taste of her emotions settled on her tongue and vibrated throughout
her body. Susan just wanted to be back in her apartment gorging herself for the
second night in a row on a gallon of ice cream and attending a church service
in honor of the porcelain god.
“Josiah, please hand over my keys. I
am
going home, but not with you riding shotgun.”
“Good because I had no plans on being
the passenger. I much rather like being the one driving,” he said with a wink. “Let
me go tell the gang we’ll be leaving.”
“No. I’m going home alone. I don’t need
a babysitter and I’m quite offended that you think I do.”
Josiah’s shoulders shook as Susan watched
him try to reign in his laughter unsuccessfully. He slipped her keys into his
pocket, held his arm out toward the entrance to The Launchpad, and waited until
she obliged him. His relaxed stance as he waited for her to make a move only
added to her already bad mood. She crossed her arms over her chest, let out a
heavy sigh, and reluctantly walked past Josiah without a word. The bastard was
cocky and although she would like him even less if he had a rubber backbone,
she was in no mood to deal with an egotistical son of a bitch tonight. The
nerve of him to just assume that she would allow him to come home with her. Was
she really that easy? Did she really come off as being a quick, easy lay for
him?
As Susan and Josiah made their way to
the back of the bar to inform the others they would be leaving, she felt
disappointed at the absence of his hand pressed against her skin. She didn’t
need to have him guide her through the crowd, but having experienced it
earlier, Susan wanted to feel it again. The strength of his hands replaced by
the gentleness of his touch was a drug she craved now that she’d gotten a taste
of it. Like your first cup of coffee in the morning, the first sip is heavenly,
but it’s only a prelude to something that fills you with warmth and satisfaction
to get you through the day or at least a few hours until you need another. Susan
briefly closed her eyes as they neared the table, thankful that the area had
been cleared from the earlier scene. She avoided looking at Rowan, but Tessa
released Cade’s hand and met her before she reached the table.
“Are you okay?”
Susan nodded. “I just kind of feel like
an ass now for the scene I caused.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You just did what
we all have wished we could for a long time now. Come on, let’s get you another
beer,” Tessa said as she pulled at Susan’s arm.
Susan pulled free from Tessa. “I’m gonna
head home, but Neanderthal Man here seems to think I need an escort. Maybe you
can reassure him I certainly do not.”
“Maybe it would be a good thing for him to
–”
“Not tonight. I just want to go home on
my own tonight.”
Tessa cocked her head to the side, but
didn’t say a word. Susan figured she knew it was for the best for all parties
involved that she be left alone for the night. With a nod of her head, Tessa
leaned into Josiah, whispering in his ear. After a quick word from him, Tessa shot
a glance at Susan with her brows arched. Josiah reached into his pocket,
withdrew Susan’s keys and placed them in Tessa hands. Susan could only image
what Josiah said to Tessa and what must be going through her mind. Susan dipped
her head, picking at her manicured nails until she saw Tessa’s black heels come
into her line of sight. She slowly raised her head and accepted the
outstretched keys. Susan had no desire to draw out her departure so with a
quick hug with Tessa she made a hasty exit.
Chapter 7
Josiah hadn’t been able to sleep through
the night. Not because he wasn’t tired as hell or because the accommodations
Rowan had him set up with weren’t almost better than the comforts of home. Hell,
the queen size bed he lay in was more comfortable than anything he’d slept on
in quite some time, so he should have been able to drift off to sleep as soon
as his head hit the plush pillows that encompassed his head. His lack of sleep
had little to do with his discomfort and everything to do with a blond haired
beauty with piercing green eyes that kept skipping through his mind every time
he let his eyelids close. The feel of Susan’s body pressed to his as they danced
lingered against his skin, the scent of strawberries that had filled his
nostrils as he leaned in close to her still teased the inner walls of his nose,
and the sight of her holding her own against the woman who’d broken Rowan’s
heart had his mind reeling and his body restless.
Josiah hadn’t understood what had gotten
Susan in such an uproar at The Launchpad a few nights ago until Rowan had
filled him in on everything after she’d left the bar. Having been given the
information had only made Susan more attractive to him. Anyone who put
themselves in harm’s way for their friends was more than all right with him. His
friendship with Rowan and Cade had taught him that nothing should come between
friends and there was no limit that a true friend wouldn’t go to in order to
protect that person. Her actions had spoken volumes about the person she was on
the inside, proving that the beauty that he be held with his eyes was only a
tiny morsel of what lay beneath. Josiah had wanted to chase after her once
Rowan had told him that the woman Susan knocked on her ass, indeed had been the
Erin who had almost ruined the friendship between Rowan and Cade, but Susan had
already been long gone and he was without a vehicle. Something he would be
remedying as soon as he could get Rowan out of the house to get him a rental
car.
As Josiah lay with his arms bent behind
his head, his eyes squeezed tight, he allowed himself the freedom of enjoying
the images of Susan floating around in his mind. The images started out with
their dance around the small dance floor, but always returned to their
interlude outside the bar. Susan had carried so much confidence when they’d
been in the club together that even her encounter with Erin had revealed a
woman who wouldn’t be shaken. Yet, as Josiah thought back on the events, he
realized she had been dazed and it had been evident when he stood outside with her.
Her eyes betrayed her, revealing the battle she waged within her mind. She’d
stood at the ready, almost daring him to make her run away. Josiah wasn’t sure
if it was because of everything that had happened or if it were his very
presence that caused her unease. He hoped like hell it was the first and not
the latter. Before Josiah could let another thought pass through his mind, a
gentle knock against the solid wood door had him bringing his body into a sitting
position on the edge of the bed.
“Come in,” he croaked out.
Rowan slowly opened the door, the hinges
creaking as he leaned his head in. “Hey, I wasn’t sure if you’d be awake.”
“Yeah, just barely,” he responded as he
stood, lifting his arms over his head and arching his back.
“Get dressed. Coffee is brewing and
there is a surfboard with your name on it.”
“Don’t you have to work today?”
“Not until this afternoon. And Madison isn’t
feeling well, so I thought maybe we could hit the waves before I have to go
in.”
“Sounds great. Give me a few minutes and
I’ll be ready to go.”
Josiah lowered himself to the bed as
Rowan pulled the door closed. He gave himself a few moments longer to enjoy the
lingering images of Susan then pushed himself from his sitting position. Grabbing
the green duffle bag from the corner of the room, he tossed it on the mattress
and began rummaging through it to find his board shorts buried at the bottom. Josiah
hadn’t expected to put them to use right away, but was more than ready to hit
the water after being away from it for so long. He’d spent most of the past year
in Afghanistan and other than the fact there was a war going on, the desert
wasn’t a place to catch some waves. Josiah smiled, calling up memories of when a
few guys had improvised with the tops of trash cans and tried to ride the sand only
to fall flat on their faces.
The last time Josiah had planted his
feet on a surfboard had been right after he graduated from medical school. It
had been the last time that he, Rowan, and Cade had been together. They’d taken
to the waves knowing it would be their last time on the water together before
Josiah left for the Marines. They’d acted as if they’d not had a care in the
world and all the time on their hands. The ocean was their playground and they
gladly used it for such from sun up to sun down. Josiah wondered if they had
known then that it would be years before they would be together again if they’d
spent that day any other way. He let out a laugh and acknowledged to himself
that certainly they wouldn’t have. It had been one of the best days of his
life, other than signing off on his discharge papers from the Marines just a
few weeks ago. And although it had been awhile since he’d been in the water, he
knew surfing was a little like sex. No matter how long you went without, you
never forgot how to ride. Maybe it was a bad analogy, but surfing was the next
best thing to sex as far as he was concerned. Most people went to church to
find the balance and peace they needed. Josiah found his serenity standing atop
a well waxed surfboard, miles from shore as the waves of the ocean beat at him
and his stick, trying with all its might to toss him into its angry arms. He
sure as hell missed being out on the water battling against mother-nature’s
fury and gloating in his victory over the old woman. Without wasting another
minute, Josiah slipped into his board shorts, and made his way to the kitchen.