Defended & Desired
Page 40
He swept her into his arms. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey, handsome.”
In front of everyone, he planted a firm kiss on her lips. Their first full on public display of affection He left her breathless and wanting more, enjoying the claim he laid to her with his warm mouth.
Then he took her hand and led her out to his car. After he shut her door and climbed into the driver’s side, she stared down at the turquoise medallions bejeweling her sandals. She really needed to tell him the truth about her intentions to take a new.
Only, he looked so happy. He radiated confidence and vitality, and his unstoppable grin made her giddy. She hated ruining the night so soon with the reality that threatened their blissful fantasy.
So she brought up a topic that might eventually lead to the truth—when the time was right. “I’ve decided to go back home.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You sure?”
Nodding, she explained, “I think I’ll be okay. Logan’s company confirmed my system was accessed remotely. They set up an alert in the system to warn the company, which will warn me if anything like that happens again. Besides, you’ve been beyond generous with the hotel room this week. And I need to take my life back.”
Sliding his fingers under her palm, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “I get where you’re coming from, but it’s not an issue. Stay at the hotel as long as you want.”
“I appreciate the gesture—”
“It’s not a gesture, Dev,” he insisted. The affectionate nickname caused a ribbon of pleasure to curl in her chest. Only her closest family had called her Dev. “I want you to feel safe.” He squeezed her hand. “Whatever I can do to accomplish that, I will.”
“I know. Thank you.”
Sometimes, he seemed too good to be true. Trusting men had always proven an exercise of failed expectations. Usually hers. Going through life with her heart on her sleeve wasn’t in her nature. She couldn’t change overnight, or even over a week, no matter how much she wanted to believe in this man. She’d been burned too many times in the past.
Although she couldn’t forget the past, the hurt, the betrayal, she also couldn’t help wanting to dive into whatever the future held, as long as Trey was a part of it. He was nothing like her ex. Yet, as much as she’d come to trust and care for Trey, she still wasn’t sure if she trusted herself.
Tension gathered at the top of her spine. “I appreciate all you’ve done over the past week for me, but I need to live life on my terms, no one else’s. Definitely not some hacker’s.”
His smile dimmed. “I get it. I respect that.”
He released her hand and played with the radio dials until the station landed on a Journey song. “Don’t Stop Believing” wailed through the speakers, the same song she’d danced to the night they went to Jake’s Bar. She would never listen to Rush or Journey again without thinking of him. Her ribs squeezed with restrained emotion.
She glanced over at Trey and saw a smirk playing on his lips. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“You. On the dance floor at that dive bar. How all those sleazebag guys were staring at your ass.” He squeezed her hand. “And how territorial I got, even though I knew you were leaving with me.”
“You mean you were jealous?” Her abdomen fluttered at his Neanderthal response.
He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”
“Interesting.”
“Interesting good or interesting bad?”
“Good, I think.”
“Thanks.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Way to boost my ego.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, like your ego needs padding. Please. Spend another hour in your yoga class, and you’ll be cured of all doubts about your attractiveness.”
He arched a provocative eyebrow. “Jealous?”
“Maybe.”
“Uh-huh.” His face split with a grin.
“So where are we heading?”
He turned his right blinker on when they stopped at a red light. “There’s a concert in the park tonight. The weather’s perfect, the sun is shining, and you look amazing. I want to show you off.”
An inner smile perched on her heart. “What kind of music?”
“Eight-piece band, early jazz from around the nineteen-thirties.”
“Nice.” She smiled. “I haven’t listened to a jazz group in ages.”
“When I came to your place and saw pictures of flapper girls hanging on your walls, I figured you’d like it.”
“Good observation.” How did he keep doing that? Continuously intuiting what she liked and why? Few guys bothered taking the time to understand a woman the way Trey invested himself in discovering her.
Suddenly, her pulse stuttered. Her heart tripped and fell into a swirling pool of emotion. She grabbed her seat as if she’d hopped a rollercoaster at the top of a hill, and the ride began to plunge at breathtaking speeds. She grew dizzy, disoriented. Her heart beat so fast her lungs could barely take in enough air.
She blinked. The scenery around her came back into focus.
What just happened? She’d never experienced anything like it, freefalling into an abyss of stomach-flipping, toe-curling, raw and terrifying exhilaration. She couldn’t stop smiling, like she was…
Falling in love. With Trey.
Oh, no. Paralyzing doubt crept in, but it couldn’t dim this sense of freedom in flight. This desire to let go, let the momentum carry her to a destination where she belonged, but hadn’t believed truly existed. Until now.
“I can turn the air conditioning on,” Trey offered, “if you’re too warm.”
Lifting a hand to her heated cheeks, she shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m good.”
I think.
Even as reason and ration returned to her brain cells, the giddiness remained. “I’m happy,” she said with a trace of wonder.
Trey smiled. “Glad to hear that.”
They pulled into a parking lot. He cut the engine, stepped out of the car and grabbed a basket from the narrow backseat. Then he moved to the passenger side and opened the door for her.
Standing on the pavement, she lifted her sunglasses to rest on top of her head. Her senses were amplified. The scent of freshly mowed lawn filled her nose. Cheerful birds sang in the air. The green leaves of the trees looked almost fluorescent against the bright blue sky. Pink and purple petals of clustered posies filled half-barrel pots and the blooms flitted in the breeze.
“Hey, handsome.”
In front of everyone, he planted a firm kiss on her lips. Their first full on public display of affection He left her breathless and wanting more, enjoying the claim he laid to her with his warm mouth.
Then he took her hand and led her out to his car. After he shut her door and climbed into the driver’s side, she stared down at the turquoise medallions bejeweling her sandals. She really needed to tell him the truth about her intentions to take a new.
Only, he looked so happy. He radiated confidence and vitality, and his unstoppable grin made her giddy. She hated ruining the night so soon with the reality that threatened their blissful fantasy.
So she brought up a topic that might eventually lead to the truth—when the time was right. “I’ve decided to go back home.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You sure?”
Nodding, she explained, “I think I’ll be okay. Logan’s company confirmed my system was accessed remotely. They set up an alert in the system to warn the company, which will warn me if anything like that happens again. Besides, you’ve been beyond generous with the hotel room this week. And I need to take my life back.”
Sliding his fingers under her palm, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “I get where you’re coming from, but it’s not an issue. Stay at the hotel as long as you want.”
“I appreciate the gesture—”
“It’s not a gesture, Dev,” he insisted. The affectionate nickname caused a ribbon of pleasure to curl in her chest. Only her closest family had called her Dev. “I want you to feel safe.” He squeezed her hand. “Whatever I can do to accomplish that, I will.”
“I know. Thank you.”
Sometimes, he seemed too good to be true. Trusting men had always proven an exercise of failed expectations. Usually hers. Going through life with her heart on her sleeve wasn’t in her nature. She couldn’t change overnight, or even over a week, no matter how much she wanted to believe in this man. She’d been burned too many times in the past.
Although she couldn’t forget the past, the hurt, the betrayal, she also couldn’t help wanting to dive into whatever the future held, as long as Trey was a part of it. He was nothing like her ex. Yet, as much as she’d come to trust and care for Trey, she still wasn’t sure if she trusted herself.
Tension gathered at the top of her spine. “I appreciate all you’ve done over the past week for me, but I need to live life on my terms, no one else’s. Definitely not some hacker’s.”
His smile dimmed. “I get it. I respect that.”
He released her hand and played with the radio dials until the station landed on a Journey song. “Don’t Stop Believing” wailed through the speakers, the same song she’d danced to the night they went to Jake’s Bar. She would never listen to Rush or Journey again without thinking of him. Her ribs squeezed with restrained emotion.
She glanced over at Trey and saw a smirk playing on his lips. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“You. On the dance floor at that dive bar. How all those sleazebag guys were staring at your ass.” He squeezed her hand. “And how territorial I got, even though I knew you were leaving with me.”
“You mean you were jealous?” Her abdomen fluttered at his Neanderthal response.
He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”
“Interesting.”
“Interesting good or interesting bad?”
“Good, I think.”
“Thanks.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Way to boost my ego.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, like your ego needs padding. Please. Spend another hour in your yoga class, and you’ll be cured of all doubts about your attractiveness.”
He arched a provocative eyebrow. “Jealous?”
“Maybe.”
“Uh-huh.” His face split with a grin.
“So where are we heading?”
He turned his right blinker on when they stopped at a red light. “There’s a concert in the park tonight. The weather’s perfect, the sun is shining, and you look amazing. I want to show you off.”
An inner smile perched on her heart. “What kind of music?”
“Eight-piece band, early jazz from around the nineteen-thirties.”
“Nice.” She smiled. “I haven’t listened to a jazz group in ages.”
“When I came to your place and saw pictures of flapper girls hanging on your walls, I figured you’d like it.”
“Good observation.” How did he keep doing that? Continuously intuiting what she liked and why? Few guys bothered taking the time to understand a woman the way Trey invested himself in discovering her.
Suddenly, her pulse stuttered. Her heart tripped and fell into a swirling pool of emotion. She grabbed her seat as if she’d hopped a rollercoaster at the top of a hill, and the ride began to plunge at breathtaking speeds. She grew dizzy, disoriented. Her heart beat so fast her lungs could barely take in enough air.
She blinked. The scenery around her came back into focus.
What just happened? She’d never experienced anything like it, freefalling into an abyss of stomach-flipping, toe-curling, raw and terrifying exhilaration. She couldn’t stop smiling, like she was…
Falling in love. With Trey.
Oh, no. Paralyzing doubt crept in, but it couldn’t dim this sense of freedom in flight. This desire to let go, let the momentum carry her to a destination where she belonged, but hadn’t believed truly existed. Until now.
“I can turn the air conditioning on,” Trey offered, “if you’re too warm.”
Lifting a hand to her heated cheeks, she shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m good.”
I think.
Even as reason and ration returned to her brain cells, the giddiness remained. “I’m happy,” she said with a trace of wonder.
Trey smiled. “Glad to hear that.”
They pulled into a parking lot. He cut the engine, stepped out of the car and grabbed a basket from the narrow backseat. Then he moved to the passenger side and opened the door for her.
Standing on the pavement, she lifted her sunglasses to rest on top of her head. Her senses were amplified. The scent of freshly mowed lawn filled her nose. Cheerful birds sang in the air. The green leaves of the trees looked almost fluorescent against the bright blue sky. Pink and purple petals of clustered posies filled half-barrel pots and the blooms flitted in the breeze.
