A Perfect Mistake (29 page)

“Thank you.
That’s very kind.”

My daddy got pulled
away by a parishioner. With another look my momma went, too.

Minnie turned to me.
“Oh, Verity, why didn’t you tell me they didn’t
know you were in New York City? What was this mission?’

I explained
everything to her and she looked very upset. “Well, now we’ve
stepped in it. You will have to tell them who I am.”

“I’ve
told my momma. I’m just waiting for a good time to tell my
daddy, Minnie. I can’t lie to him about this anymore. It was my
intent to tell them all along, as soon as I got the courage.”

“But not about
the baby?”

“No. Not
that.”

“Oh, dear.
Well, you know best. I just wanted to offer you a partnership.”

“But, Minnie,
I haven’t even shown my collection yet.”

“It’s
going to be a hit. I have no doubt, Verity. I want you to work with
me. You could go to school if you chose to, or we can just keep
putting out great stuff. That’s up to you.”

“I’ve
always wanted to go to school.”

My line of vision
slammed into Boone. He was talking to Brax, Booker, Aubree, and that
blond kid, Deke. The three Outlaws, even dressed appropriately for
church, looked just as tough and disreputable as they had in high
school. My heart literally twisted with the feelings I had for Boone.

I looked away,
wondering why I had thought coming back here was a good idea. Minnie
could see my distress and she slipped her arm around me.

“What am I
going to do?” I said softly, still looking at Boone.

“Are you
involved with one of those very attractive men?”

“Yes. The one
dressed in that blue button-down. His name is Boone.”

“And the blond
bloke? What is his name?” Her eyes roamed over him.

“Deacon West.”

“He could
easily be a male model. He has that very unique look. Exactly how old
is he?”

“Minnie!?”

“Well, how
old?”

“He’s
eighteen.”

“Oh, dear.
Four years’ difference.”

“He’s
going to Columbia in the fall, studying engineering. He’s going
to be in New York City as a freshman.”

“Oh, dear,”
she said, “He’s smart, too? Oh, my.” Just then Deke
looked over and took in Minnie’s riotous red curly hair and her
tall, willowy body. Those ocean eyes of his held interest and his
mouth curved up in a very male half smile.

“Oh, dear. Oh,
dear.” Minnie said again. “Why don’t you show me
your spare room before that boy gets me into trouble?”

I groaned and headed
for the house.

#

Boone

As I got out of my
truck outside of Outlaws to bartend the Monday after we sang in
service, I was disgruntled. I’d only caught a glimpse of Verity
today, and she’d told me she couldn’t make it to see me
tonight because her friend was in town and she obviously couldn’t
leave her alone. I’d gotten used to having her in my arms when
I slept, and I didn’t like the idea of going home to an empty
house.

I also got a bad
feeling from her, like something had shifted. Like she was distant
and pulling away from me. Maybe she thought it would be easier this
way. But it only drove me fucking crazy. I was trying not to read
anything into her actions. But after spending so much time with her,
I was lonesome.

I’d only taken
three steps when something hit me hard in the head from behind. I
went down, but was so used to scrambling in high school, it was
second nature for me to roll. Normally when a guy attacks, he’s
going for the kick after the first blow. My head was reeling, but I
made myself move.

As I came up to face
whoever hit me, I got slugged in the jaw and knocked into the
dumpster, hard. Through my ringing head and my blurry vision I
realized there was more than one attacker.

Several blows hit
me, to the face and to my ribs, and this time I went to my knees.
Someone grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. “He has a
dominion known as the dominion of darkness.” The guy said, then
I heard a shout and he let go of my hair and they disappeared into
the night.

I collapsed to my
hands, spitting blood.

“Geezus,”
Brax said. “Fucking bastards. Are you all right?”

“I don’t
know.” Trying to clear my head, I staggered as he slipped his
arm under me and helped me up. He walked me straight to his car and
helped me into the passenger side.

I leaned my head
back. “What the hell was that about?” Brax said.

“I have no
idea.”

“Who the hell
did you piss off?”

“Just Billy
Joe Freeman, but it could have been friends of Marcy’s, I
guess.”

“Right. Marcy.
I bet she wasn’t happy about getting fired.”

“No, I’m
sure she wasn’t. But she deserved it. She’s lucky Verity
didn’t press charges against her for assault.”

“Fuck, Boone.”

“Where are you
taking me?”

“To the
hospital.”

“No, no
hospital. I’m just a little banged up.”

“Boone.”

“Fucking take
me home.”

We argued, but he
finally turned the car around and drove me home. When I got there
Booker was waiting for me, and I told him I wasn’t a fucking
baby and to go home. Aubree just looked upset, and I softly told her
I was okay.

I disappeared into
the bedroom, just plain angry about getting my ass kicked. Really,
would anything ever change? Verity’s distance since Sunday was
weighing on me. My mouth hurt like a sunuvabitch and my ribs were
starting to throb.

I dragged myself
into the bathroom and yanked open the medicine cabinet a little too
hard, so everything came spilling out. I heard someone behind me and
wasn’t in the mood for any more of my brothers’ coddling.

I spun around.
“Booker, dammit. I’m fine! I can take care of this.”

Verity was standing
there. Her eyes were tortured, and tears welled and slipped down her
cheeks when she looked at my face.

“Oh, God,
Boone. Oh, sugar. Aubree called me.”

We met halfway and
her arms went around me and I closed my eyes. “Don’t cry,
darlin’. I can handle anything but that. Your tears turn me
inside out.”

She clutched me to
her. “Who did this to you?”

“I don’t
know. The guy said something right before Brax chased them off.”

“What did he
say?”

“He has a
dominion known as the dominion of darkness.”

She stiffened and
then pulled away from me. “That’s from scripture. It’s
a-a reference to the devil.” She backed up. “Oh, my God.
Billy Joe did this to you. He’s so not the man my daddy thinks
he is. You have to go to the sheriff.”

“I can’t.
I have no proof and it’s Freeman’s word against mine. I
wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“This is my
fault. This is all my fault.”

She backed up.

She ran out of the
bathroom.

“Verity!”

I went after her and
caught her before she got to the door. “Don’t let him do
this to us. Don’t let him come between us.”

She stood there
rigid and wiping at her tears. Then she turned to me and wrapped her
arms around my neck. She took my hand and led me back to the
bathroom. She cleaned me up and we laid down together on the bed. I
tried to stay awake, but with the feel of her stroking my hair and
kissing me softly wherever it didn’t hurt, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, she
was gone.

I had a terrible,
ugly feeling she wasn’t coming back.

Boone

Verity wouldn’t
answer my calls. She wouldn’t come to the door when I knocked
at her house. She refused to talk to me or see me. By the second day,
I was getting frantic. She was going to leave.

In spite of all
that, while Deke and I finished up the rectory gazebo and hauled in
the picnic tables and installed the barbeque, I worked methodically.
Deke knew there was something wrong, but he didn’t ask.

When I started to
install the plants, I felt exhausted. I wasn’t sleeping well. I
heard her voice just outside the rectory. She didn’t see me, so
she probably wasn’t aware that I was here.

I stood and walked
around the corner, and when she saw me, her eyes went soft and
painful.

“Boone,”
she said, her voice raw with emotion.

I drew an uneven
breath at the sound of it. In my name she said everything I wanted to
hear. I didn’t think. I didn’t form any thoughts. I just
walked up to her and pulled her against me and kissed her. She made a
soft sound in her throat and after a moment, she pulled me to her
tightly.

Her mouth connected
with mine in a kiss that was filled with a passion that drove every
conscious thought out of my head. Rising on tiptoe, she molded
herself against me as I shifted my hold, bringing her against me from
shoulder to thigh. Nothing was held back in that kiss—nothing.
And I felt the fire in her, the wonderful, hot, all-consuming fire
that seemed to come from her very soul. Fuck, it was the most
overpowering feeling I’d ever felt. And that’s when I
knew.

I knew how I felt
about Verity.

I knew what I had to
tell her.

She looked up at me,
her eyes smoky. I didn’t give her any time to talk. I picked
her up in my arms and walked to my truck. She held onto me. I set her
in and shut the door and walked around to the other side and got in.
We didn’t say anything, but she reached out and curled her hand
over mine. I held onto her like a lifeline. I called Deke and told
him to call Savannah and have her finish the installations and for
him to help her. I wasn’t going to be available.

Once I got to my
house, I went around and pulled her out and carried her inside.

I stopped inside the
door and set her down, then crowded her against the wall. Pressed my
body and my mouth to hers. My heart was bursting and pounding so hard
I didn’t think I could catch my breath.

I cupped her face.
“Talk to me, Verity. Please, just talk to me.”

“Oh, Boone.
Everything is so awful. I feel so awful.”

“This isn’t
your fault. You didn’t hire three guys to work me over, as if
that’s going to change my mind about you. It was Freeman, and I
won’t be intimidated by him or anyone. Don’t pull back
from me.”

“You sweet
fool. I can’t bear it that you got hurt because of me.”

“Verity, I
just got my ass kicked. I’ll heal, but I don’t think my
heart will heal if you leave.”

“Boone, don’t.
This is painful enough.”

“I can’t
help it, Verity. I’m in love with you. I know it hasn’t
been long, but sometimes shit like that happens. I need you. Please,
don’t go.”

“What did you
just say?”

“Don’t
go.”

“No, not that
part.”

“That I love
you. An out-of-control, can’t-live-without-you, consuming,
joyous, think-about-you-all-the-time love.”

She breathed out a
small, soft sob. “Oh, I love you, too, Boone. More than I
thought I could ever love anyone. I love being with you, love
everything about you. Your sweetness. Your kindness, your body, your
smile and the way you make me laugh. The way you make love to me.”

I felt shattered and
put back together again—just like that—and everything I
had ever thought about myself, all my bullshit just dissolved into
nothing.

I closed my eyes,
and finally it seemed like for the first time in two days I could
breathe. “You’re not leaving. Tell me you’re not
leaving.”

“I’m
not. I couldn’t leave you now. I just couldn’t.”

The instant my mouth
touched hers, I fought against the wild surge of emotion that made me
shiver. With a low moan, she turned blindly into my arms, sliding her
hands up my back in a desperate hold. Emitting a ragged groan, I took
her mouth with a kiss that she returned, devastating my senses. My
hand supported the back of her head and I locked my other arm around
her hips, hauling her up against me. My mouth opened hungrily against
hers, feeding a need that raged in me, and Verity sagged in my arms,
the frenzy in my chest making it impossible to see, hear, feel,
taste, or smell anything else.

I wrapped her hair
around my hand, gently pulling her head back, asking for more,
desperate for more, and she yielded, giving me access, drawing me as
I probed the moist recesses of her delectable mouth, because I was
famished for the taste of her. Another guttural sound was torn from
me as she moved against me, and I widened my stance, pulling her hard
against my groin, thrusting against her with a thick, heavy need. She
cried out, and I drank in the sound of her response, the feel of my
dick against her making my heart pound and clamor as a rush of hot,
pulsating desire slammed through me. Caught in her own delirium of
need, she brushed and slid against me, and the passion in me
exploded, my hunger turning desperate, my need raging out of control.

She took care of my
jeans, and I took care of hers, hauled her up against me and shoved
inside. I pumped into her as she wrapped her arms around my neck and
held onto me. There was no finesse, no gentleness, just a raw, greedy
need that tore at my gut. She met my thrusts with her slim hips
driving me higher, her mouth open on my neck, then we fused together,
mouth to mouth, skin to skin, hip to hip. I thrust deep and my
release was close, and when I came, she cried out with me, against my
mouth.

I took her cry
inside me, and, when I could move, I walked to my bedroom with Verity
holding onto me like she was never going to let me go. We shucked the
rest of our clothes and I folded down into bed with her and held her
against me, both of us thoroughly exhausted from our thoughts and
emotions over the last few days.

Even though it was
early afternoon, we fell asleep.

I jerked awake, but
then rested back as I felt Verity still wrapped around me. I knew
what it was to have it bad, to be strung out. I knew how Booker felt
and what he must have gone through with Aubree. I was determined that
Verity and I were going to work this out. I would do what it took to
keep her. Now that I knew she loved me, there were, as far as I was
concerned, no more obstacles that really mattered.