Chapter Five
Layne
Round two, here we go.
My mood was sour as I pulled up in front of the bank. The parking lot was tiny, and I nosed my car into a spot that was maybe a little too small. I didn’t plan to be there more than ten minutes anyway.
That was assuming Teddy was in as agreeable a mood as he’d been last time.
I got out of the car, careful not to bang my door into the one next to me, and stood on the sidewalk watching the road for Teddy. I stepped from foot to foot to keep warm. It was a clear day, blue sky overhead, but those were often the coldest.
As I glanced around, I couldn’t help but notice a Wild Timber truck parallel parked on the street half a block back.
Elias.
It had to be.
The thought brought a smile to my face.
I had never been one for old fairy tales where the princess was helpless and saved by the knight. But having him offer to help, then give me space to handle things myself, was working for me in a way I really didn’t need right now.
A few minutes later, Teddy’s car showed up. He circled the lot before finding a spot, then stalked his way over to me.
“What, no lumberjack protection today?”
I frowned. “Let’s just get this done.”
He made no move toward the building. “Layne, before I sign another thing, we need to talk about us.”
Fucking hell, not this again.
“No, we don’t.”
“Because you have a new boyfriend, right?” he sneered.
I huffed out a breath. It was visible in the cold air between us. “No, because I’m telling you I don’t want to be with you anymore. The fact that I’m with someone else is none of your business.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, his expensive coat pulled tight at the shoulders. “It does, actually. I figured this whole thing out.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Then enlighten me.”
“You were pissed that I didn’t sing your brother’s praises for setting up a few chairs at our wedding. So now you’re pretending to date someone like him to get my attention.”
Jace had done more than set up chairs. He had set up the entire reception, and made me a custom arbor. Teddy had dismissed the whole thing as brainless work, and that had been the moment I’d finally seen him clearly.
“I don’t want your attention,” I said. “I want your signature.”
“I notice you didn’t deny the fact that the boyfriend is fake.”
I rubbed my temples.
How can I even argue with something this arrogant?
Teddy stepped closer and put his hands on my shoulders. I tried to step back, but he held firm. “Come on, Layne. This has gone on long enough. It’s time to come home.”
I was debating if it was worth it to kick Teddy in the groin when I heard footsteps in heavy boots on the sidewalk, coming fast. I looked up to see Elias heading toward us. Teddy still had his hands on my shoulders, and I half expected Elias to punch him out, based on the intensity of his gaze.
That would only make things worse.
Teddy was exactly the type to press charges and make someone’s life miserable.
Elias had something else up his sleeve.
“Hey babe, how are you?” Elias asked with a smile as he approached.
He reached out, but instead of knocking Teddy on his ass, he stepped between us, forcing Teddy to let go. His eyes held mine as he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his solid chest.
Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling the short hair at the nape and sliding my fingers through it.
He pulled me against his chest and enveloped me in the familiar, comforting smell of pine. The cold that had been stinging my cheeks was a distant annoyance, all but forgotten as I focused on how good it felt to be wrapped in his arms.
“Everything okay?” he murmured, his breath skating over the skin of my neck.
I nodded. “Thank you for coming, anyway.”
I was a lot shorter than he was; my eyes usually level with his nipples, so I rose onto my toes to press myself closer, burying my cold nose in his neck.
His stubble scraped my cheek, something I’d never experienced with baby-faced Teddy.
I wouldn’t have guessed it, but the roughness sent a thrill down my spine, and I shivered in his arms. He pulled me closer, his hands sliding an inch or two lower on my waist. I mentally encouraged him to go lower, wondering what his firm grip would feel like on my ass.
There was a strange sense of safety in his arms. A permission to let go, or just be. Unfortunately, life butted its way back in.
“You’ve made your point, Layne.”
Teddy’s voice cut through my happy little bubble, and I reluctantly let my arms fall from Elias’s shoulders. Even then, I didn’t look away. I couldn’t. His eyes locked on mine, his cheeks flushed. His expression was a mix of concern, and arousal.
Fuck. I wish we were alone.
He mouthed, you okay, and I nodded again.
“How rude of me not to introduce myself. I’m Elias.” He held his hand out to Teddy, who wrinkled his nose as if he’d been offered a dead fish. A long beat passed before Elias shrugged and slipped his hand into his pocket.
“I’ll wait for you guys to be done. We can carpool to the office,” he said, one arm settling possessively around my waist.
“She brought her own car,” Teddy snarked.
Elias shrugged. “Well then, we can drive back together. Convoy style. Do what you have to do. I’ll wait for you here.”
Reluctantly, I let his arm fall from around my waist. Teddy and I started toward the bank.
Heat flushed my cheeks. I could still feel the ghost of Elias’s touch on my skin.
I knew I’d be thinking about his touch later, when I was alone and under the covers. For now, I had something I needed to do.
It was clear Teddy had more to say, but he wasn’t willing to try with Elias there. I wasn’t sure why he could be an ass to my brother but seemed intimidated by Elias, but I liked it.
I liked it a lot.