Chapter 11 Cru
CRU
Amere hair’s breadth separated my lips from Daphne’s when my brother returned to the room and cleared his throat.
“Sorry, but, um, Ma’s looking for you.” He held up his phone.
I stepped out from between Daphne’s legs, pulled my cell from my pocket, and saw I’d missed calls and messages from her.
“Hey, Ma,” I said when she picked up.
“Enzo, where are you?”
“In the old winery building. What’s up?”
“There’s been an accident at Demetria. Maddox is being airlifted to the hospital.”
Fuck. This wasn’t good. “Do you know his condition?”
“I do not.”
“Where’s Alex?”
“With him.”
“Okay, Ma. I’ve got this.”
Looking at my brother’s face, I knew our mother hadn’t shared why she was trying to reach me. Rather than ask, he left the room.
“I’ve got to talk to Bit, then I need to get to the hospital,” I said to Daphne. “Maddox is being airlifted as we speak.”
“I can take care of the horses.”
“It’ll be faster if we ride them to the stables. One of the guys will get them cooled down.”
“I can do that if it will help.”
I squeezed Daphne’s hand. “The biggest help I need from you right now is to go to the hospital with me. I’m sure Alex will appreciate it too.”
“Of course.”
I rushed off in search of my brother.
“Hey, Bit,” I said when I found him in the rear storage area.
He turned away from me.
“There was an accident at Demetria. Maddox has been injured, and Alex is with him. They’re headed to the hospital. We’ll meet them there.”
He faced me. “You don’t need me.”
“Maybe I don’t, but Alex certainly does. Daphne and I are taking the horses to the stables, then we’ll leave. Do you want to meet us at the house, or should I pick you up at the cottage?”
Trevino’s eyes bored into mine. He had to know I wouldn’t back down on wanting him to go with us.
“I’ll meet you.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
When I returned to the main room, I didn’t see Daphne, but found her outside, already mounted up. She’d also untied my ride.
“Bit’s going along,” I said, throwing a leg over after she nodded.
On the way back, I thought about how I’d address my mother not telling Trevino about Maddox’s accident. If I were him, I’d be just as hurt as he looked.
Truthfully, there was no reason for either Daphne or Bit to go with me to the hospital other than I wanted her with me, and my brother needed validation that he was an integral part of our family.
The other thing I’d need to address was the kiss she and I had almost shared.
I’d spent most of my adult life fantasizing about Daphne.
Of course I’d imagined what sex would be like, but my yearning was for things as simple as holding her hand, her head resting on my shoulder, and how it would feel when our mouths, lips, and tongues finally touched.
The times when she and Beau were “on again” were the worst. My best friend wasn’t opposed to PDA, and there were only so many excuses I could come up with to walk away or find someone else to talk to so I didn’t have to watch them together.
Still, I hadn’t been able to keep myself from sneaking glances at them. It didn’t matter that, each and every time, I felt like I was being ripped in two.
We rode up to the stables, and when I dismounted, I realized Daphne was studying me.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around here?” she asked.
“I want you with me, Daph.”
We’d increased security on the ranch after what had happened with Trevino and my mother, but the scariest thing was how fail-safe we’d believed it already was then.
I wanted Daphne to feel safe here, comfortable, so how could I explain that I had to be with her and keep her close enough that if she faced any kind of harm I could keep it from happening?
As we led the horses into the barn, I felt the weight of her unasked questions—things I knew we’d have to discuss soon. First, though, we needed to get to the hospital and find out what was happening with Maddox.
We were on our way out, headed to the house, when Trev pulled up. “I can drive,” he offered. I opened the front passenger door for Daphne, unable to stop myself from leaning closer when she got in and taking in her scent. If only my ma had waited a few more seconds, I’d know her taste too.
Alex rushed over when we met her in the emergency room waiting area. “He broke three ribs and has a collapsed lung. They’re removing the air from the pleural space now,” she said.
“Have you spoken to Cristobal?” I asked. Our brother was a medical doctor but had chosen to go into genetic research rather than a traditional practice.
“Yes,” she snapped.
I raised a brow. “And?”
“You know how he is. Cris said it isn’t a big deal and they’ll probably let him go tonight or tomorrow.”
I pulled my sister into a hug. “What did the doctor say?”
“Same thing.” Alex wiped her tears on my shirt—something she’d done since she was a kid.
“There isn’t anything they can do for broken ribs,” said Trevino. I hadn’t realized he’d come in after insisting on letting Daphne and me out while he parked the car. “Not a lot for a collapsed lung either. The lung will repair itself once the extra air is out of the pleural area.”
I released Alex, hoping she’d rush to our brother like she had with me.
“Trev, thank God you’re here,” she said, doing exactly as I’d prayed.
He embraced her tentatively at first, but when she tightened her hold, he did too.
I glanced around for Daphne and retreated in her direction when I saw her waiting a few feet behind him.
“Did you hear?” I asked.
“Collapsed lung and broken ribs,” she murmured. “Your brother was right when he said Maddox would likely be released tonight or in the morning.”
“Mrs. Butler?” I heard someone say from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Alex had approached the nurse who’d said it.
“We’re going to keep your husband here for a couple of hours to monitor his breathing,” she said.
“When can I see him?”
“Right now,” the woman responded.
Alex turned and looked between Trevino and me.
“Go ahead.”
She held her index finger up to the nurse, then walked over to us.
“I appreciate you coming so much, but you don’t have to stick around.”
“You guys take my SUV. I’ll stay here with Alex,” said my brother.
My eyes met my sister’s, and she nodded. “I’ll be okay.” She turned to Trevino. “They said one person can come back with me.”
He handed me his key fob and followed my sister and the nurse.
“Ready?” I asked Daphne.
When she said she was, I led her out to the parking lot. Thankfully, Trevino’s fob had a long range, and when I pressed the unlock button, it was easy to find where he’d left his vehicle.
“You’re quiet,” I said once we were in the car and on our way.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I didn’t want to be in the way.”
I reached over and squeezed her hand. “You never could be.”
“Cru, about…”
I knew the question was coming. “I’m sorry. I never should’ve done what I did.”
“What did you do?” she asked.
“The kiss.”
She nodded once. “You’re sorry.”
Her words were so monotone I couldn’t get a read on how she was feeling beyond her being upset. “I’m giving you mixed signals. On one hand, I say there’s too much for us to lose if we become more than friends, and on the other—you know what happened.”
“Almost happened.”
“You’re right. So, uh, thoughts about dinner?”
“I’d hate for all the fish to go to waste,” she said without looking at me.
“Have you spoken to your parents?” I asked.
“I told them I’d give them an update after I knew more about Maddox’s condition.” Her hand was limp in mine, so I released it.
“Do you want to call them now?”
She shook her head. “I’ll wait until we’re at Los Cab.” She raised her head. “Unless you want to drop me off at Norman. We’re not that far.”
“I doubt you’d trust me to finish making dinner without your assistance.” I smiled and nudged her with my elbow.
She smiled too. “You’d manage.”
“I doubt I could manage much without you by my side.” The words were out there, and I couldn’t take them back. It didn’t matter that I’d just admitted I was giving her mixed signals.
“I think we need to talk, Cru.”
“Okay.”
“Not tonight.”
“Daphne—”
“I said not tonight.”
She’d rarely snapped at me, so when she did, I was stunned but also happy. The ability to be real with each other was something I also craved.
We’d just walked into the house when my cell rang with a call from Alex. “They’re letting Mad out now. Bit mentioned something about dinner.”
“Yeah, um, we’d planned to have Ma, him, and Daphne’s parents over.”
“Got room for two more?” she asked.
“Sure, if Maddox feels up to it.”
“He’s a bear, one who’s feeling no pain, by the way, other than hunger pangs.”
I hit mute on the call. “Okay if Alex and Maddox join us tonight?” I asked Daphne, who was pulling food out of the fridge. Her eyes widened. “Not at all if he feels well enough.”
I told Alex they were more than welcome, then hung up.
The same overwhelming feelings I’d had in the old tasting room returned full throttle.
I had to clench my fists to stop myself from approaching Daphne, lifting her so she sat on the kitchen counter, and ravishing her mouth with mine.
The need I felt was almost too powerful to ignore.
Was it really necessary to fight my attraction to her as hard as I was?
I sensed her approach from behind me and tensed.
If she got too close, I wouldn’t have the willpower to keep my hands to myself.
When she rested her palm on the center of my back, so many emotions flooded my system.
I couldn’t process all of them. Want, desire, relief, and connection, but most importantly, love.
“Cru?”
“Daph, if I turned around right now, I won’t be able to resist—”
“Turn around, Enzo.”