Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ty clenched his jaw as he walked toward the men’s locker room in the posh, private country club, finding his mood growing shittier by the second. He’d been in Will’s company for the last four and a half hours and had nothing to show for it.
Will had spent most of his time on the golf course talking with his client, doing his job, which meant Ty hadn’t been able to do his.
Instead, he’d been stuck on a golf cart in between holes with Asher the Asshole, not even bothering to try to make small talk with the prick after they rolled away from the fourth tee box.
His next “shot” at Will had been a colossal flop, which was even more maddening because he’d traumatized Lydia in the process—and for no good reason.
He flared his nostrils now as he thought about how she’d thumbs-upped his text when he told her that he’d arrived safely and hadn’t heard anything from her since. In all the weeks that he and Lydia had been hanging out together, never once had she sent him a fucking thumbs-up emoji.
He shoved his way into the locker room with far more force than was necessary but stopped when he heard the tense conversation in the room beyond.
“Are you fucking serious right now?” Asher said in a voice that was unmistakably pissed, even as he clearly tried not to raise it. “Goddamn you, Will.”
“I’ve got it under control,” Will said just as testily.
Asher huffed out a humorless laugh. “You’re so far past out of control, I don’t know what to do for you anymore.”
“Fuck you, man.”
“No, fuck you. I helped you out because you’re supposed to be my best friend. Look where that’s gotten me.”
“I’m going to get it back to you.”
“I wish I could say that I believe you.” Then Asher headed Ty’s way with murder in his eyes as he brushed past him and back down the hall.
Will followed seconds later, looking just as angry. “Let’s get out of here. I want to get home and put the kids to bed with Mac.”
Ty nodded, taking a moment to digest the conversation he’d just overheard, because something big had just happened. Now, he needed to figure out what. Because Will was having big problems with a couple of the important people in his life.
Ty hurried back down the hall and outside, sidling up next to Asher as Asher continued to walk at a fast pace toward the grassy area where they’d landed. “Is everything okay, man?”
Asher tossed him a nasty look—one of many that he’d received throughout the afternoon. “It’s fine.”
“It doesn’t seem fine.”
“That was my polite way of telling you to mind your own business.”
“So, what’s your deal?” he finally asked. “I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but I seem to be on your perpetual shit list.”
Asher shrugged. “I’m just looking out for Lydia.”
“Okay, fine. You’ve got a protective streak, so let me put your mind at ease. I’m crazy about Lyd. She and I are happy.”
Asher looked at him again. “She didn’t look happy to me when she was begging you not to get on the helicopter.”
He clenched his jaw and fisted his hand at his side when the fucker hit the mark.
It was tempting to strike out and give Lydia’s knight in shining armor a black eye, but Asher was a potential new lead in the case.
There was still a slim chance in hell that he could make nice with the bastard and develop information.
“Look, I made a mess with Lydia today, which I plan to fix—”
“Good. You focus on that and don’t worry about Will.”
And that snapped it. “Get fucked, Asher.”
“She deserves better than you.”
Ty shrugged. “She probably does, but she chose me, so get over it.” He got in the helicopter and took his seat, buckling up as everyone sat in the stony, pissed-off silence.
Thirty-five minutes later, Ty punched in the code to the pool house door, eager to get inside to Lydia. He owed Nick an update, but Nick would have to wait because fixing things with Lydia was the only thing that mattered right now.
He stepped into the entryway, toeing off his shoes as she rushed up from her seat on the couch, wrapped in her silky green short robe. Her hair was damp, and her skin was a little darker after an afternoon in the sun.
She tossed him a look, then headed for the stairs.
“Lyd.”
She shook her head as she moved quickly up the steps.
“Lyd,” he said again, hurrying after her, snagging her by the arm as they stepped into the bedroom.
“Don’t.” She pulled away as emotion choked her voice.
He grabbed her again, turning her to face him. “I had to go.”
She shook her head again as she blinked back tears. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did, Lyd.”
She crossed her arms—more in a defensive gesture than in anger. “A helicopter, Ty. Anything but a helicopter.”
He clenched his jaw, feeling like an absolute dick. “I know. I had an opportunity to spend some time with Will. I had to take it.”
She shrugged as a tear spilled down her cheek. “I guess you did what you had to do.”
Damn, she was his biggest weakness—those big hazel eyes and her tears. “I’m so sorry that I scared you—that I brought up a bunch of stuff for you.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Lyd.”
She hesitated before she wrapped her arms around him as she sniffled.
He held her tighter, breathing in her familiar scent as he pressed his cheek against her hair. “I hate that I hurt you. I hate that you’re crying.”
Her shoulders jerked again. “Everly let me listen to her Toniebox while you were gone, so that was nice.”
He huffed out a small laugh as he eased himself back far enough to hold her gaze but also keep her close. “What Tonie did you pick?”
“Winnie the Pooh.”
He nodded. “Good choice.”
“I thought so.”
He sighed as he wiped away another tear with his thumb, stroking her cheek as he stared into her gorgeous eyes. “I’m sorry, Lyd. I truly am.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He slid his knuckles along her jaw, always eager to touch, needing to soothe. “I never want to hurt you.”
“I know.”
“You’re important to me, Lyd.”
She nodded again as her breathing changed—as she swallowed when he made no move to let her go.
And then he kissed her—a gentle brush of his lips against hers. Because he had to. Because he wanted nothing else but Lydia.
“Ty,” she whispered as he came back again—as he watched her eyes close.
And then he groaned, taking the kiss deeper as she opened for him, meeting his tongue for each slippery slide.
She hummed in her throat as her fingers trailed along the back of his neck and into his hair, as each kiss grew hungrier and more urgent.
“Lyd,” he whispered as he walked her backward to the bed. “Do you want this?”
She swallowed. “I thought—I thought you didn’t.”
He shook his head. “You’re all I want.”
“I want you, too.”
Mouths collided again before he let his lips wander along her jaw as he pulled on the tie of her robe. “I want to see you,” he said, opening the dark-green fabric, letting it fall to the floor, staring at her gorgeous and naked in the sunlight. “You’re so beautiful, Lyd.”
Her breathing came faster. “Take off your shirt. I want you to take off your shirt.”
He pulled it over his head, tossing it to the rug, clenching his jaw as she traced her fingers along his pecs and stomach while she held his gaze.
Wanting so much more, he captured her mouth, falling with her to the mattress. “Is this okay?”
She nodded as she stroked her hands up and down his back.
He kissed her again, giving his attention to her body, starting with her neck and shoulders—a kiss here, a slide of his tongue there—then her beautiful breasts, teasing her nipples with slow swirls and gentle pulls as she moaned.
“That feels good.”
“Good,” he said, eager to give her more, greedy for everything that he’d craved for weeks, as he moved lower, stroking her waist with barely there touches, kissing her stomach as it shuddered beneath his lips, then nipping at her hips with his teeth before he eased her thighs farther apart, studying Lydia wide open.
“You’re so pretty, Lyd,” he said, tracing her with slippery fingers, listening to her whimper.
And then he used his mouth, groaning as he finally tasted—as she arched and moaned.
Her breathing came faster as their eyes met—as he came back for more, sliding his tongue up her silky folds, stopping to tease her bud.
“Ty,” she shuddered out as she tipped her head back.
Not nearly finished, he pulled her gently into his mouth, stroking her with his tongue, watching her body shiver as her hips began to move, knowing that she was about to come.
“Yes, Ty,” she whispered, rocking faster as he suckled some more, adding two fingers, pushing them into her sexy fire.
And then she tensed as she lost her breath, pulsing around him as she cried out.
He kept her going, loving her sounds—the way she gasped and jerked, the way her hands went wild in his hair, bringing her down slowly before he started his way back up her body, staring at rosy cheeks and eyes glazed with passion. Starving for another kiss, his mouth collided with hers again.
She went after the button on his shorts. “Let’s take these off.”
He made fast work of ridding himself of his shorts and boxer briefs before he settled between her legs.
She snagged her lip with her teeth as she wrapped her hand around him, sliding her palm up and down. “You’re big, Ty.”
“We can go slow.”
She nodded as she continued to work him.
He closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers, exhaling a long breath, loving that her hands were on him. “That feels great.”
“Good.”
He kissed her again as he held her gaze. “I want to be with you, Lyd.”
“I want to be with you, too.”
His mouth met hers again as he let his tip push against her slick opening—something that he never did without protection.
Her breathing grew unsteady as she rocked her hips.
He pushed a little deeper. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want you to stop.”
“I have a condom in my wallet.”
“I don’t want you to stop, Ty.”
He stared into her eyes as he pushed himself deep, moaning as she did, never feeling anything better than Lydia tight and wet against him. “Oh my God, Lyd.”