Chapter 19 #2
It didn’t surprise me, although at the same time, I didn’t know what to think.
Without saying another word, I fled to the truck and climbed in, not wanting them to see me cry, because there was no way I could hold back the tears now. Lynx had done this. He’d gotten some people over here to help out already.
What was I going to do with that man? Why did he have to be so sweet?
Of course, then my thoughts drifted to Billy. I hadn’t even heard from the asshole, and I knew he was still in town. No way did he not know about the explosion, considering he’d been brought in for questioning. Nope, the man I'd spent ten years with hadn’t bothered to call and see if I was okay.
“Because he’s an asshole,” I muttered to myself.
The polar opposite of Lynx. Damn. I was in so much trouble here.
Taking a deep breath, I gripped the steering wheel and fought the tears back.
I couldn’t cry. It wasn’t going to do me any good.
Didn’t matter that they were from the relief I felt.
Truth was, I didn’t deserve Lynx’s kindness right now.
I felt guilty enough about the way I'd treated him.
More so about how I wanted nothing more than to hide in the shelter of his arms and let him take care of this mess.
He would do it, I had no doubt. That was the way he was. The man looked out for his friends.
But I didn’t want to be his friend, no matter what I told him.
I wanted so much more. However, my heart wasn’t strong enough for what Lynx would do to it.
He was the only man in the world who had the power to break it, and I would rather spend a lifetime alone than to feel that kind of pain again.
It’d happened once before. Back when I realized Lynx wasn’t within my grasp, that he was more interested in drifting from one woman to another than in giving us a chance.
That was the very reason I'd started dating Billy Watson. One day after school, I had spotted Lynx with Angie Chesney in town, watched him kiss her near the gas pumps over at the Pump ’n Go, and my heart had been shattered.
His desire to hop from one woman to another was also why I continued to take Billy back despite the fact that our relationship had been doomed from the start.
Ten years I'd fought my desire for Lynx Caine.
I realized the two men on the tractors were watching me, so I waved, then started the truck. I figured I might be able to catch Lynx at the diner, and if not, he would probably be at the shop.
It was time we had a little heart-to-heart.
After all, the man was now officially divorced, which meant I had no more excuses.
Just as I'd thought, I found Lynx at the shop a short time later. The door was open and I heard the whine of a saw spilling out into the parking lot. When I stepped inside the cool interior, my eyes took a moment to adjust. By the time they did, the saw had shut off and Wolfe was looking my way.
“Hey,” I greeted. “Is…?” My attention was pulled to movement at the far end of the warehouse.
My gaze landed on Lynx, who was armed with sandpaper and a worried expression on his face.
“Mind if I talk to him?” I asked Wolfe, waving my hand in Lynx’s direction.
“Not at all,” he grinned, glancing at his cousin. “I needed to talk to Amy anyway.”
I knew that was a lie, but I wasn’t about to say anything. A few minutes alone with Lynx was all I needed.
Okay, that was a lie.
I needed more than a few minutes. Not to mention, somewhere that offered more privacy than this. But right now, this would have to do.
“Thanks.”
By the time I reached Lynx, he was leaning against a table, arms crossed over his wide chest as though he was expecting an ass chewing.
“Imagine my surprise,” I began, “when I stopped over at the bar and found a couple of guys clearin’ things out.”
His dark eyebrow lifted slightly, but he didn’t speak.
I moved closer, the butterflies in my stomach taking flight.
I closed the distance between us until we were toe-to-toe. Then I put my hands on his waist as I stared up into those gorgeous green eyes. Touching him was a gamble, but my hands didn’t seem to hear the warning my heart was giving them.
“I’m not sure…” My heart squeezed in my chest and I started over. “I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with you.”
My voice was so soft I wasn’t sure he’d heard the words. The way his eyes traveled over my face had my body warming. It didn’t help that I was touching him, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.
“You don’t have to help me out, Lynx.” I shook my head, knowing that came out wrong. “I appreciate it, sure. But…”
He moved and the words caught in my throat when he cupped my face, then leaned down and kissed me. His lips were soft, warm, and so gentle my heart flipped over.
I wasn’t sure if the move was meant to shut me up or not, but it worked. Although he kept it soft and sweet, I couldn’t seem to maintain his leisurely pace. Within seconds of his lips touching mine, my body throbbed, my pulse sped up, and I once again found myself trying to climb his body.
The rough groan that rumbled in his chest only made my body heat more, my need for him intensifying.
I'd been fighting this for so long and I wanted to give in, to allow him to take my mind off all the crap that was going on right now.
Granted, I'd learned not to say as much because the man was quick to take the offer off the table whenever I mentioned that this thing between us could only be temporary. I wasn’t sure what he was after, but I knew he wanted my complete surrender.
Not that I was capable of giving that to him.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t pretend so we could both get what we wanted.
The only thing I had to do was make sure my heart understood this wasn’t a forever kind of deal and thinking that it was would only cause more pain in the end.
Yeah. That was going to be the hard part.