Chapter Fourteen
Remy
After Dex goes to his room, I remain in the family room, thinking more about what Dex said about me and my past, the women I’ve dated, and especially the one I married.
Was I drawn to Sadie’s vulnerability? Yes.
I like women with a soft inside but I quickly realized I prefer them with a hard-core outside, too.
And Raven? She’s as strong as they come or else she’d have picked up and run as far from Lance as she could.
Though Dex’s words and concern come from a good place, I’m certain. My feelings for Raven are deeper and more meaningful than for anyone in my past. And she’s not just my usual, damsel-in-distress M.O.
As I come to that conclusion, she joins me, walking into the large den. It has to be massive to accommodate my big family.
“Hey, did you like the house?” I ask.
She nods, eyes glittering. “It’s incredible. Did your parents own it when you were a kid?”
“Sure did. This was the best place for four rambunctious boys and their sister to play.”
Her smile seems wistful and I decide to break whatever thoughts have her frowning. Probably ones about her childhood that center on her asshole brother.
“So, Dex went to bed. He plans to be out of here early tomorrow morning. But he said to say goodbye.”
“That’s nice.” She glances away, then raises her arms over her head and stretches, the hem of her shirt lifting up and revealing an enticing strip of bare skin. “Despite sleeping most of the ride here, I’m tired.”
Walking over to her, I tug on the bottom of her shirt. “Let’s go upstairs. You can take a warm bath and relax, then get some sleep.”
And while she’s doing that, maybe I’ll take care of my dick, which is hard from watching her stretch and push her breasts against the long-sleeve T-shirt. With all that’s going on in her life, I don’t want to push for sex and my cock isn’t happy with me.
“That sounds perfect,” she says.
We walk out to the foyer. I grab the larger suitcase and let her take the smaller carry-on.
She follows me up the stairs and to the bedroom that has always been mine.
When we were kids, Dex and I had twin beds on opposite sides of the room.
As we grew into adults, Dex took his own room and our father, with Lizzie’s help, redid mine with a king-size bed.
“You can unpack now or later,” I say to Raven after putting the larger suitcase on the mattress.
“Will we be here long enough to bother?” she asks, walking around the bedroom, taking in the light wood furniture, modern abstract photograph on the wall, and yes, the large bed.
“I wish I knew.” Up until now, I haven’t been informing her of my daily calls to Garrett, preferring to let her live in peace. Or as much peace as she can find with Lance out of prison.
I sigh. “I’ve been speaking to Garrett. My last call to him was while you were packing up your toiletries.”
She pauses in the midst of unzipping the luggage. “What did he say? Is he going to question Lance again?” Her voice lifts with hope.
“No,” I say, hating to disappoint her. “He got nowhere regarding him breaking your window. There were no prints. Lance denied being anywhere near the apartment and as you know, your mother provided an alibi.” As a result, the case was labeled an ordinary break-in, one foiled by the alarm system scaring off the would-be intruder.
Raven lowers herself onto the light gray comforter. “What about Lance showing up tonight where I just happened to be?”
“Unfortunately, he’s done nothing illegal. Not unless you have a restraining order and without solid proof of harassment, no judge will sign off on one.”
She clenches her hands in frustration, her knuckles turning white. “It’s so unfair.”
I step closer and put my hands on her shoulders. “Lance will slip up. Even the smartest criminal always does.” What neither of us ask is just how long it might take. I know we can’t hide out here forever.
Our trip here is supposed to give her some time to relax and breathe. “Why don’t you go take a nice, luxurious bath? There are soaps and other… girly things in Fallon’s room. I’ll go grab some.”
My words break the tension and Raven smiles. “Girly things?”
I lift my shoulder. “I don’t know. I think they’re called, what? Bath bombs?”
“Oooh, I love those but I haven’t indulged in a while.”
I step back, giving her breathing room. “Then go ahead and do it now. I can unpack for us if you don’t mind me going through your things.”
She lets out a light, tinkling laugh. “Suit yourself. It’s not like you’re going to find sexy, frilly underwear or teddies.” She pushes to her feet and I leave the room, walking to my sister’s bedroom and returning with a handful of girly things and placing them on the bed.
Raven is digging through the suitcase and as I walk in, she pulls out a pair of plain, white silk panties and one of my T-shirts.
Mine, I think, and raise my eyebrow.
She bunches it up, puts the material to her nose for a few seconds and sniffs. “What can I say? It’s super soft and smells like you.”
And on that note, she gathers all her things and strides across the room, disappearing into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
* * *
Raven
During my bath, I push Lance and the unknown future aside.
Instead, I close my eyes and think about Remy.
Although he doesn’t know it, I heard him and Dex talking.
My name had stopped me from joining them and though I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…
I did, while waiting for a good time to walk in and intrude.
When Dex said goodbye, I rushed around the corner and let him go to his room without seeing me. I have every intention of telling Remy what happened, but I need time to think and now I have it.
Married. Remington Sterling was married. How did I not know that and why has he never mentioned it? An even bigger question floats around my brain. Am I just his woman of the moment as Dex insinuated?
It shouldn’t matter because I can’t commit to anything without risking not just Remy—because I know he can handle himself—but the people he loves.
His sister and brothers. Lance will use anyone to get to me.
It shouldn’t matter, I think again. But it does.
Despite the obstacle keeping me from a happy future, I want to know I’m special to him.
Yes, he said as much to Dex but I want to hear him tell me himself.
I found a new loofah sponge in the linen closet in the bathroom and now I use it to coat my skin with the bubbles around me.
The bathwater smells like lavender and when I stop thinking so hard, it relaxes me.
Soon I lean back against the tub, a plastic pillow behind my head, closing my eyes and just letting myself be.
I’m not sure how much time has passed when a knock intrudes and I startle, realizing I’ve fallen asleep in the tub.
“I’m coming in!” Remy calls and opens the door. “Oh good. You’re alive in here. I was beginning to worry.”
Feeling my cheeks flush, I say, “I fell asleep.” The bubbles have all but disappeared and the water is cool.
He steps into the bathroom and my gaze travels over his sexy body. He’s naked but for a pair of black boxer briefs and his substantial erection tents the soft material. Immediately, my body softens and I become aware of the heaviness between my thighs.
He lets out a groan. “Stop looking at me like that or you’ll find yourself soaking wet on the bed and my cock deep inside you before you can even blink.”
My cheeks warm at his words. “You promise?”
With an eye roll, he picks up the large, fluffy bath towel I laid out and holds it open. Rising, I let the water sluice over my skin, doing my best not to give in to the impulse to shake it off like a wet dog.
I take his extended hand and let him aid me, stepping out of the tub carefully so as not to slip on the flooring. Once he wraps me in the bath sheet, he begins to pat me with his hands, letting the towel absorb the water as he rubs it against my skin.
I close my eyes and enjoy being pampered but my thoughts from earlier come back to me. “Remy?”
“What is it?” he asks in a gruff voice.
The tone lets me know he’s as aroused as me, but I have more important things to concentrate on. “I heard you and Dex talking in the family room.”
His hands stop moving and I open my eyes to meet his gaze. “How much did you hear?”
“Why didn’t you ever mention you’d been married?” I ask. I met Remy a little over two years ago and have only known him as a fun man who enjoys dating. I’ve also never seen him in a serious relationship. And in all that time, his past with other women has never come up.
“Why don’t you come to bed and we’ll talk?” he suggests, and I nod.
He walks out of the bathroom, leaving me to finish drying off. I pull on his T-shirt. The one I never plan on giving back.
A few minutes later, I join him in bed and sit cross-legged, facing him. I wait for him to speak.
“I’m not sure where to start,” he says. “So much of my past is tied up in my mother’s murder.
” A muscle ticks in his jaw and he doesn’t meet my gaze, proof this conversation isn’t easy for him.
“I’d planned on going to business school and follow in my dad’s footsteps but once Mom was killed, becoming a cop was the only way I could channel the helpless feelings I had. ”
“I understand,” I murmur, my heart aching for his pain.
He eyes me warily. “If you heard Dex and I talk about my ex, you must also have heard us discuss my penchant for ending up with women who needed me.” His frown and the light red stain on his cheekbones tells me the admission embarrasses him.
I incline my head. “I did overhear that, too. I didn’t listen on purpose, at least not at first, but when I realized you two should finish your conversation, I… couldn’t walk away.”