Greeley's Spyce (29 page)

He saw her body tremble at the thought. ―I guess so. That is going to

be one hellacious bike ride,‖ she teased.

His pale gaze burned with passion. ―You‘ll be ridin‘, all right.‖

Licking her lips, Kacy swallowed. Her eyes grew hooded as she

watched him. With a careless shrug, she crossed her arms and tried to look

bored.

Ernst laughed. It was like he could read her every emotion. ―Let‘s

take a walk.‖ He stood and offered his hand to her as he walked around to

stand beside her.

―Okay.‖ Kacy took to her feet and together they cleaned up her

kitchen.

Slipping on their boots, the sound of rain on the roof reached their

ears. Ernst glanced at Kacy who knelt near him lacing up her boots. ―Still

want to go?‖ he queried.

Her eyes traveled up the lean length of his body. ―A little rain isn‘t

going to hurt me.‖ A loud clap of thunder shook her house. ―On the other

hand, I don‘t want to get soaked, either.‖

Pale brows furrowed in thought as he watched her stand. ―Well,

since we‘re ready to go out, we could grab some ice cream.‖ Ernst smiled as

her eyes lit up at the prospect.

Her response was lightning fast. ―Okay!‖

Grabbing his keys, he waited for her to slip on her coat. ―Ready?‖

―Always,‖ Kacy responded, pocketing her house keys. As they

stepped out on the porch, the driving force of the rain momentarily stopped

them. ―Wow,‖ she breathed in awe. ―This is getting bad.‖

―Maybe we should stay in,‖ Ernst said as he looked at the water

rushing down the street.

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―I think you might be right.‖ Casting a glance at him she grinned.

―Guess you are staying the night.‖

He sent her a heated look. ―It appears so.‖ He winked. ―And since

I‘m scared of thunder, will you let me sleep with you? I want you to protect

me.‖

Unlocking her door, Kacy went back inside and chuckled. ―I‘m sure

we will think of something that we both like.‖

―I know I will,‖ he whispered in her ear as his hands cupped the

firm, denim-clad ass in front of him.

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - S I X

Kacy and Ernst sat on the floor in her living room. Empty ice cream

bowls were beside them as they played bezique. Ernst had taught it to her

and she was holding her own as they competed. It was a game where players

took as many tricks as they could from a sixty-four card deck consisting of

Ace through seven of each suit twice, trying to reach a thousand points

before the other player.

―Where the hell did you learn this game?‖ Kacy asked as she took the

trick.

―My mother.‖ Ernst shook his head. Kacy was a bleedin‘ card shark.

She was kicking his ass.

―I must say, I don‘t think I‘ve spent a more enjoyable night in a long

time.‖ With a quick raise of her eyebrows she added, ―One with my clothes

on, anyway.‖

Ernst smiled at her. Kacy was sitting tailor style and her hair was ga-

thered in a haphazard way out of her face. The joy on her face was real and

he loved that it was there because of him. ―The same for me. Growing up, we

played cards all the time at night instead of watching television. Especially on

nights like this. Or board games.‖

Kacy smiled as she took another trick. ―I envy that. There are times

when I really wish I had a ‗family‘ childhood. Not that the orphanage was

bad, but…‖ she trailed off for a moment. ―I guess I had my fantasies like

every other child.‖

―Will you tell me what it was like growing up there? And why you

were there?‖ Ernst questioned as he finally got a trick.

―I don‘t know why I was there. The same reason as everyone else, I

reckon—my parents ditched me or died. The nuns never offered told me and

I didn‘t want to know. They are all the family I can remember, so I never saw

the reason to pry into it.‖ Kacy put the cards down and began pulling on the

fuzz on her slipper.

―Of course,‖ she continued, ―there are times that I think it would be

nice to have a medical history and find out if I have any siblings out there.‖

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169

Her brown hand picked up the cards again. ―Growing up was not bad. Beds

weren‘t soft, but we had food and a roof over our heads. The nuns did the

best they could with what they had to work with.‖

Ernst hated the emotionless tone she used to talk about her past. He

loved every bit of spice that she brought into his life, and listening to this

bland manner didn‘t sit right at all. Aligning his cards, he laid them face

down and focused all his attention on her. ―When did you leave?‖

Keeping her metallic gaze on her cards, Kacy said, ―I left at seven-

teen. After high school.‖ She flashed him a brief glance. ―I went into college

right away and became an electrician.‖

―Well, how did you find out you were born in Hawaii?‖

―Sister Teresa told me one day. We were looking at pictures of there

and I said something about how I wanted to go, and she told me I had been

born there.‖ Kacy was talking softer and softer.

Reaching across their playing area, Ernst took one of her hands in his

and pulled her to him. As her weight sank into his, he leaned back into the

couch. ―I‘m sorry; I didn‘t mean to pry,‖ he whispered.

Her head shook slightly. ―It‘s fine. I guess I wasn‘t as okay with it as I

told myself I was. I‘m glad I told someone. I‘m glad I told you.‖

―Me, too, Kacy, me too.‖ He readjusted her so they were both able to

see the calming view of the fish tank.

The faint chimes of a cell phone broke into their cuddling time. With

a frown, Ernst took his phone and answered it.

Untangling herself from the man who held her, Kacy took the empty

bowls into the kitchen and rinsed them out. With a groan, she looked at the

weather out her window.
I hope it clears up by morning.
Lifting a shoulder in a

helpless gesture, she opened the dishwasher and put the bowls and spoons in

their appropriate places. Closing the door, she glanced at the clock and that

ten-thirty.

When she turned around, Ernst was standing in the doorway watch-

ing her with those eyes of his. On his face was an expression she couldn‘t

quite make out. ―Bad news?‖ she inquired, drying her hands on a blue-green

seahorse hand towel.

He prowled closer to her. ―Just a call from a neighbor in the building.

They are having issues with all the rain and wanted some help.‖

Her words were soft as she walked her fingers up his arms. ―Guess

you should be going, then.‖
I am not jealous.

His fingers looped into her belt loops, drawing her closer yet. ―I don‘t

know how long it will take to fix.‖

―Even longer the more time you spend here with me.‖ Tossing her

hair back, she met his gaze squarely. ―You should go help them out.‖

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Aliyah Burke

―I suppose,‖ he complained. ―I was really looking forward to spend-

ing the night with you.‖ Ernst backed her up until the small of her back

pressed against the edge of the counter.

Inhaling deeply, Kacy allowed his stimulating scent to immerse itself

in her pores. She felt inundated by pure, raw, masculine power. ―I‘d be lying

if I disagreed with that, but you were asked to help. So you need to.‖

His lips teased the side of her neck. ―I‘ll be back in the morning.‖

Morning. ―I won‘t be home tomorrow,‖ she barely managed to get

out as her knees trembled.

Drawing back, he looked into her eyes. ―Where are you going?‖

Kacy swallowed. ―I‘ll be in North Carolina.‖

Determined to believe the best, he nodded. ―Oh. That sounds like

fun. Going with some girlfriends?‖ Dead silence. Arching a brow, he boxed

her in as he asked again, ―Kacy?‖

Her tongue snuck out to wet her dry lips before she answered him.

―I‘m going with Jake.‖

Muscles twitched in that hardened body of his as he stepped back

and crossed his arms over his chest. ―Jake? As in the cop, Jacob Trask?‖ Fury

lined his words.

―Yes. That‘s the one.‖ Kacy watched the array of emotions that tra-

versed his face.

―No!‖ he blurted out.

Dark eyebrows rose. ―No? What do you mean ‗no‘?‖ Kacy de-

manded.

―I mean you aren‘t going with him! I won‘t let you go!‖ Ernst spoke

without heed to the words coming from his mouth.

―Excuse me?‖ Total disbelief filled her tone. ―I wasn‘t asking for your

permission to go. I was telling you I‘m going and with whom.‖

―You are not going to spend the day with a man in love with you,

Kacy,‖ Ernst ordered.

To many years of having Kirby tell her what she could and could not

do pushed her right over the edge. Harsh laughter exploded from her. ―You

know what? I don‘t care that you don‘t like it. There is nothing you can say

that will make me change my mind.‖

Blue eyes narrowed. ―I thought you said you just met him that night

in the bar?‖

―I did. What are you implying?‖ Flames of anger began to build in

her eyes.

―What would possess you to go with him anywhere? What about

us?‖ Ernst ground out.

―There was no ‗us‘ when I agreed to go.‖ One hand slashed the air

heatedly. ―Jesus, Ernst, you were out on a damn date, and I hadn‘t seen you

in four months since you walked out my door.‖

―Because
you
told me it was over!‖ he thundered at her.

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―Well, I‘m
sorry
for wanting to keep you alive and not have Kirby

hurt you!‖ Kacy yelled back right in his face. ―Not that it matters; you were

on a date yourself. I have every right to agree to go out with a man.‖

―Not as long as we are together!‖

―We. Weren‘t. Together,‖ she growled at him, ―and I‘m going.‖

Ernst glared at her with a very pronounced tick in his jaw. ―Would

you have accepted his proposition if you hadn‘t seen me with another

woman?‖

―Yes,‖ Kacy responded immediately. ―Yes, I would have.‖

Ernst moved farther away from her. ―So what is this talk of you lov-

ing me?‖

―Ernst, I didn‘t lie. I do love you. But I have a right to go out with

friends who are male. Regardless or not of whether we are a couple.‖ Kacy

saw a gap forming between them again.

He shook his head. ―I don‘t like it.‖

Kacy made an effort to soften her words. ―I‘m sorry. I‘m going.‖

Ernst had moved into the living room and gathered his coat. As his

arms slid through the sleeves, he walked back towards her. ―So you are

giving up on us to go out with this other man?‖

―We aren‘t going on a romantic date, Ernst. Jake and I are just

friends. That‘s all.‖ Kacy tried to get him to understand.

―Who‘s driving?‖

―Jake is picking me up at five in his car.‖

Devastation filled his gaze. ―This man is coming here to pick you up

at five in the morning to go to another state and you want me to believe there

is nothing romantic in it?‖

―I would hope you would. I would hope you would trust me.‖ She

shrugged. ―I guess you don‘t.‖ Turning away from his handsome face so he

couldn‘t see the tears she mumbled, ―You know the way out.‖

―If I go out that door this time Kacy, I‘m not coming back.‖

―We all do what we must.‖ Her words were shaky as if trying not to

cry.

Kacy stayed in the kitchen long after her front door opened and shut

with Ernst‘s exit. ―How did it come to this?‖ She wailed to the emptiness of

her home.

Ingesting a few deep breaths, Kacy wiped away the remnants of her

tears and set her shoulders. She had managed to regain and lose her man in a

matter of hours. Determined not to give Ernst Zimmermann the benefit of

any more of her thoughts, she walked down the hall and got ready for bed.

Unfortunately when she closed her eyes, all she could see was a tall

man with flaxen hair and the palest blue eyes God had ever created.

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Aliyah Burke

Sobered by the thought of having lost Ernst, Kacy cried again as she

stood under the shower‘s spray at four in the morning to get ready. Her

mood had improved greatly as she opened the door to admit Jake.

―I have some coffee on so bring your mug and we will refill it before

we go.‖ Kacy said as she smiled at him.

―Great,‖ Jake responded as he followed her into the kitchen. ―Love

the outfit.‖

Kacy winked at him over her shoulder. ―Well, I love my team. I can‘t

thank you enough for taking me with you!‖ She looked back at the mug she

was filling for herself, taking care not to spill anything on her Carolina

Panthers jersey. Her hair was pulled away from her face into a ponytail. The

holder matched the team‘s colors as well as the colored ribbons that fell

beside the wavy strands of her dark hair.

―I can‘t wait to get there,‖ Jake said enthusiastically.

―Me, neither. I love the tailgating parties almost as much as the game

itself!‖ Kacy reached for his cup and refilled it.

―Well, let‘s get going, then. I know it is going to get crazy down

there. And there is a group of friends really looking forward to meeting you.‖

Jake took his mug from her and walked with her to the door. He waited as