Stepping behind her, he wrapped her naked body in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered at the nape of her neck. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you. It makes me—”
“I know.” Those golden jewels he loved so much gazed over her shoulder. “But living in constant fear is allowing your dad to have control. We won’t let him control us.”
She was right. He knew that. Didn’t mean he wanted her to leave without him. Even though he knew her wants mattered more. That promise would never go unbroken.
Gliding her hand up his arm, silk caressed his skin. “I need to dress. Hope will be here soon.”
He released her from his embrace, though he didn’t want to. But the sight of her getting dressed made up for the loss The way she shimmed into her panties. And the way her waist moved as she slipped on her bra. God, he couldn’t get enough of her.
While the cashmere dress glided up her thighs, he fought the urge to touch her. But when she reached up to tie the neckline, the urge won out. He grabbed her hips, pulling her closer. Hearing her laugh lightened his heart. It was the sweetest music he’d ever heard. Better than anything he could play on guitar.
“You’re not playing fair,” she complained, leaning her back to his chest. “I would love to spend the day with you in here. You know that I—”
He fought against a laugh when she gasped. Worked every time. His lips on that little section between her neck and shoulder. She would do anything he asked of her at this moment. Her rapid breaths proved that. But he knew time was running out.
His fingers fumbled with the zipper until he grasped the metal slider, pushing it upward. Each click of the teeth making him second-guess his decision. The warmth of her neck met his lips again as he kissed her nape. He inhaled, soaking up her strawberry-scented curls.
Resisting the pull of their bond came with a cost. An ache that wouldn’t ease until they gave into their need. It would be a long day, in more ways than one.
“Can I at least text you?”
One twist of her hips and they came nose to nose. So much passion flickered on her face. It made the ache grow worse. But not as much as her wrapping her arms around his neck.
“You can call if you like. I won’t refuse a chance to hear your voice.” That answer alone made his heart jump. Then she was pressing her lips to his. “But if you think I’m going to let you tease me then leave me with this ache all day, you are so wrong.”
Holy hell. Did she just say…?
The zipper growled to life behind her back. Then the dress lowered until it slid past her hips. He couldn’t speak. Would only stutter if he tried. But when she jumped into his arms he didn’t care about anything else. Only about feeding the ache pounding in their connection.
* * *
Heaven stepped backward as she pulled the door open. A burst of heat grazed her arm as Layne swept past, leaving a trail of water behind him. Stupid rain. It would be so much fun trekking through puddles with Hope. If she’d ever show up.
Pushing the door closed, she eyed the floor, hoping she’d have enough time to clean up the mess. Except no water lay on the floor. Only something that looked like steam.
“Don’t worry about the water. I know where the mop is,” Layne grumbled as he turned around. She gazed at him in time to see the stunned look on his face. So she hadn’t lost her mind. He’d expected to see the same thing she had.
He cleared his throat before meeting her eyes. Maybe he’d shed some light on the strange occurrence.
But he didn’t.
“Guess I’m not as wet as I thought.”
God, she didn’t have time for this today. This game of deciphering Layne’s weird behavior. Or the steady beat of his energy. Energy that wrapped around her the minute he stepped through the door.
“Dylan will be down in a minute.” She said nothing else before moving past him on the way toward the kitchen.
The heat of his hand curled around her arm before she made it far. “Hey,” he said in a low voice. “You okay?”
That same question remained on her mind. Had since yesterday. But she didn’t have an answer. The more she fought to stay sane, the more craziness unfolded around her.
Including him.
“I’m fine. Just not looking forward to traipsing around in this weather.”
He released her arm, taking a small step back until his bottom leaned against the hallway table. Not that she was looking at his bottom.
The heat in her cheeks spread to her ears.
“That’s not what I meant. Are you okay after yesterday? I didn’t get a chance to check on you before I left.”
She admired his sincerity toward their friendship. He’d been great when Nate arrived at the party. Had even kept Dylan’s father from touching her. But she didn’t need his concern. He had his own issues to resolve. Why waste time on her?
“You don’t have to worry about me, Layne. I’ve survived worse than Nate. Besides, you have your own problems. Did Faith go home with you last night?”
His eyes darted away. When they fell to the floor, she noticed his chest deflate. “I haven’t spoken to Faith since our last conversation. The one right before Nate came. Jerry mentioned she didn’t go back with them, either. Is she with Hope?”
“No. I spoke with Hope this morning. She didn’t mention Faith being there. Where in the world could she be?”
As if she didn’t have enough problems. Now Faith was missing.
A rush of panic knotted her belly. “You don’t think Nate would hurt her, do you? To get back at me?”
All this time she’d been focused on protecting her and Dylan from Nate’s insanity. She’d never thought about him using someone else she loved. What better way to hurt her than through her heart?
Warm hands wrapped around hers as Layne stepped closer. “Relax,” he whispered. “Faith is the last thing on Nate’s mind. And you know just as much as I do that she’d scratch his eyes out if he touched her.”
Yeah. Faith could damage any man she didn’t want near her. But then again, Nate McBride wasn’t any man. Not with the punch his energy packed.
Layne’s vibrations thumped around her, pulling at the negativity. “You’re safe, Heaven. Leave Nate to Dylan and me.”
What did he mean by that? She parted her lips to ask, but movement upstairs had Layne pulling away. Dylan’s steps. They grew louder by the second. When Layne made it to the bottom step, Dylan came around the corner. But he didn’t look at Layne. Dark eyes landed on her.
Had he sensed her concerns for Faith? Or the fire Layne’s presence ignited in her soul? The way his lips curled up at her said no. Neither did the hum of his energy. Good. She didn’t need him to fret over her today.
He finished making his way down the steps, stopping just a foot from Layne. Giving him a lookover, he snorted, “Think it will rain.”
“Hmph. Just wait ‘til we get outside. I’m going to leave your door locked. Make you beg me to open it.”
“Not if I beat you to it.”
Dylan popped the keys from Layne’s hand. They shot in the air as Layne watched their journey. So did Dylan…while he ran to get them. Clutching them in his hands, he took off for the door.
As fast as Layne shot across the floor, she couldn’t say if Dylan’s five-second lead would help him. Or which one would be left standing in the rain.
* * *
The living room light flashed on as Heaven flipped the switch. She made her way through the room, passing the couch on her way to the window. Her cell phone buzzed against her palm.
A quick flip of her wrist and the screen stared at her. As did the text window. Seriously? I’ll be there soon. We’re what, ten minutes from each other? Chill!
Something had Hope in a mood. Maybe she’d from Faith?
Tapping the reply button, her fingers hovered over the keyboard before moving away. If Hope hadn’t heard from Faith, the was no sense in worrying her now. Better to save that conversation for when she arrived.
&
nbsp; But she would put her sister in check.
Okay, Oscar. This won’t be any fun if you’re a grouch all day!
The cushion vibrated when the phone bounced across it. But Heaven continued counting. Five seconds. That’s all it would take.
Right on cue, the phone buzzed once more. She didn’t bother looking at the message. Not that she didn’t care about the apology Hope just texted. But the knock resonating from the door had her full attention.
Must be Dylan. Maybe he forgot his keys. That’s why he didn’t come in. And why he’d come back. At least she hoped.
The door came into view within a matter of seconds. The muscular frame she’d hope to see didn’t silhouette the glass. But a smaller one did. One similar to her own frame.
When the door flung open, a mixture of relief and anger swirled in her stomach. Faith stood there with curls so drenched, they’d lost their spiral shape to stringy strands. Smeared mascara only added to her weary appearance. But her energy concerned Heaven more than anything. And the fact that Layne’s car just peeled out of her driveway. Hard to believe he and Dylan hadn’t already left. Unless they met Faith at the gate. Which would explain how she got inside.
“Do I have to ask to come in?”
At least her personality was as charming as ever.
Heaven stepped away as Faith barreled into the foyer. The door had barely clicked shut when shoes bounced across the floor. By the time she turned to Faith, her sister began shedding her outer shirt.
“You have something for me to wear, right? I can’t go with you looking like this.”
Faith’s skirt fell from her thighs before Heaven could speak again. “Where in the world have you been?”
“I’m not in the mood for a lecture. I just spent the last five minutes convincing Layne that I didn’t want to talk to him. Would probably still be arguing if Dylan hadn’t pulled him back inside the car. If you want me to go on this stupid outing with you and Hope, don’t badger me.”
When had Hope invited her along? And why did Faith avoid her question? “First off, I didn’t know you were coming, today. Second, it’s not badgering. It’s called concern. You didn’t spend the night with Layne or Brooke. Now you’re on my doorstep, soaking wet.”
“Heaven—”
“No!” Her fingers clenched around Faith’s arms as she backed her against the wall. “It’s time to stop thinking about yourself. If you’re pregnant, you have to start putting your child first.”
Anger pounded in Faith’s energy. To the point her entire body shook. Then tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t care if I am pregnant. I don’t want to be. I don’t want any kids! Especially his.”
Why did she hate Layne so much? What happened between them? Granted, she didn’t think their relationship would last, but she didn’t think it would end this soon either. Faith normally kept a guy around for six months before she moved on.
“Why can’t you talk to Layne about this? Even if you don’t stay together, he can help you.”
“Because he isn’t in love with me!” The heat of Faith’s hands met Heaven’s shoulders when she knocked her back. “And I’m not even sure if this is his child!”
Crushing. That was the only word to describe the feeling freezing Heaven in place. Faith’s words lingered in her mind like a haunting melody. She’d hit the floor next if she didn’t get her heartbeat back to normal. Even Dylan’s vibration couldn’t settle her breaths.
“I don’t understand? For the love of God, Faith, what in the hell did you do?”
Faith’s head moved side to side as she left her spot near the wall. A sniffle echoed through the foyer when she dropped onto a step. Heaven couldn’t remember the last time her sister cried. Not a true, heartfelt, cry. She could pour on fake tears if need be. But nothing about these tears were fake.
The anger throbbing her energy dissolved into remorse. Heaven wouldn’t have approached the staircase if it hadn’t. And when she joined her on the stairs, Faith leaned her head on Heaven’s shoulder.
“What happened, Faith? Talk to me,”
“Please, don’t ask me who. I can’t tell you. All I can say is, if I’m not at least eight weeks along, this baby isn’t…”
Heaven gripped the step behind her. “You haven’t slept with Layne in two months?”
“Of course I have. But only once with out a…you know, rain jacket.” Faith wiped the tears from her face as she righted herself. She curled her fingers around a wooden spindle, taking in a deep breath. “I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life, Heaven. I don’t know what to do. Except end this pregnancy.”
“But I didn’t think you knew for sure.”
“Yeah, well…” Faith pushed off the steps. Her undershirt barely covered her bottom as she stood with her back to Heaven. “My doctor called this morning and said his nurse mixed up the charts. They didn’t know until they called the other patient with my results. Turns out she may have cancer. But I’m definitely pregnant.”
Perfect. Just what Faith needed. A baby. “So what are you going to do?”
Faith’s shoulders hung as she dropped her head. “I’ll find out more Monday. But regardless of what they tell me, I can’t keep it. Even if the baby belonged to Layne, I wouldn’t want it. He doesn’t love me. I don’t think I love him either.”
“He feels something for you, Faith. When you two argued yesterday, I saw the pain in his eyes. He cares about you more than you think.”
“Yeah. Right.” Faith’s snort echoed through the foyer. She bent over to pick up her clothes. “Layne has issues, Heaven. I knew that going in. Hell, it was part of the attraction. But something changed a few months ago. After our weekend in Malibu. He’s barely touched me since then, and when he has, his mind is elsewhere.”
“So what about this other guy? Is he interested in you?”
Faith’s body went rigid. Even her fingers turned white when she clenched her clothes tighter. “He was a mistake. A drunken mistake.”
“Relationships have started over stranger circumstances. I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason.” Heaven pushed off the steps, slowing her stride as she came closer to Faith. “Do you like him?”
“He’s a great guy. Really great. But…”
“But what?” Heaven concentrated on Faith’s vibrations, noting the way her energy fluttered when she thought about this guy. “Will he want the baby?”
The fluttering stopped. Guilt sprung from Faith’s energy as she met Heaven’s eyes. “Not with me,” she grumbled, the pleasant look on her face growing cold. “Unless he wants to lose his girlfriend.”
CHAPTER 10
Thunder cracked above the bridal shop, vibrating everything from the dress racks to the windows. Heaven didn’t like the sound of it. Didn’t like the way the wind whipped the rain against the building. Each drop sounding more like pebbles.
Her belly fluttered as a chill crept over her skin. She loved a good thunderstorm. Enjoyed listening to the thunder rolling across the sky. But this storm. It didn’t feel right. The tension in the bridal shop didn’t feel right, either. So much energy thumped from the other patrons. If it were just her sisters and Delia, she could handle it. But not all these strange vibrations. The more the storm raged on, the louder those pulses grew.
Warmth wrapped around her arm as Delia stepped closer. She eyed Dylan’s mother, who gazed up at the skylight above the pedestal where Heaven stood.
“I haven’t seen a storm like this in a long time. It’s crazy. Makes my bones ache.”
Was that some type of metaphor for her powers? Probably so, considering the knot forming in the older woman’s stomach. Still, it didn’t makes sense why a storm would upset her this much.
“What’s so unusual about a thunderstorm?”
A smile kinked the corner of Delia’s mouth. She met Heaven’s gaze, giving her a gentle squeeze before stepping back. “We don’t see a lot of rain out here. I’d say the rain from this storm would be equivalent to the last four or
five months.”
Good answer, though Heaven sensed something else troubling her future mother-in-law. Her energy betrayed the secrets she wanted to keep. Something about this storm had everything to do with Nate. But she didn’t want to alarm Heaven.
Too late for that.
“So do you like this dress?”
Heaven gazed down at the form fitting mermaid gown. She couldn’t deny how beautiful it made her feel. But it wasn’t what she wanted. “It’s pretty. I feel pretty in it. But…”
“It’s okay, “Delia whispered as she offered her hand, helping Heaven step off the pedestal. “You’ll know the one when you see it. We always do.”
As much as Heaven wanted that to be true, she couldn’t concentrate on anything involving tulle or lace. Not with the bomb Faith dropped on her earlier. Add the fact that Nate wanted to squeeze the life out of her and wedding dresses became obsolete.
A gentle tug at her soul had her taking a deep breath. Dylan. He’d text her in a moment. She could almost feel his fingers tapping the—”
The cell phone chimed from her purse. Moving toward the changing room, she grabbed the device from her handbag, clutching it to her chest like a prized possession. Maybe having Dylan here hadn’t been a bad idea. She could sure use the comfort of his arms right about now.
Swiping her finger across the screen, she stared at the phone, eager to read his message.
Relax. This is your day to have fun. A moment you won’t get back. Don’t let ANYTHING take that from you. I love you
He was right. She wouldn’t get another day like this. A day that she’d hopefully find her one and only wedding gown. God, she wished her mother could be here. They’d talked about sharing this special moment together so many times. Enough that she should be here, shedding a few tears when Heaven came out wearing the perfect dress.
Clutching the phone, she debated on calling home. She owed her mom that much, seeing how she hadn’t returned her call. That little slip would cost her a lecture, but getting the chance to hear her mother’s voice would be worth it.
With the changing room in sight, she continued forward. But before she reached the door, her consultant stepped out. “There you are, Miss Lewis. I brought you another dress. One, I think is more your style. I can go pick out a few more if you’d like.”