Keep Me (Shelter Me #3) (2 page)

He stops abruptly and searches my face to see my reaction. I’m fine, though. Markus brushes his hand slowly down my cheek.

“What I’m really trying to say is, you’re young. You’re so fucking beautiful, not just on the outside, but on the inside, too. If Antonio wants to get to know you better and it’s mutual for you, too, then don’t deprive yourself of the opportunity. You may regret it for the rest of your life. Just go with it, okay? That’s all I am saying.”

I agree with Markus just to get him to stop bringing up Antonio’s name.

“I promise you I am going to have fun, and I won’t shut him out. That is, if he even wants to speak to me.”

Markus gives my bottom a tight squeeze.

“Based on everything you have told me about him, I am sure he will speak with you. Now, move it. We have to leave in a few.”

I give him a big hug of my own.

“I love you, Markus Weatherly.”

“I love you right back. Now go.”

Standing up and making my way into the bathroom, for the first time in months, I let out a laugh.

“You really do have some nice jugs, though!” Markus calls out behind me.

Chapter Two

Shelby

“Enjoy your flight, Little Miss Hot Pants!” Markus states as he closes the trunk of his car and hands me the last of my bags.

“You know, the one thing I am going to miss the most is the shit that spews out of your mouth. Where in the hell do you come up with some of the stuff you say?”

I hoist my carryon bag onto my shoulder and turn to the attendant at curbside check-in.

“Gay bars!” He yells and several people walking by look at us strangely.

The expression on his face is so serious as he leans his hip on the counter and pops a piece of bubble gum in his mouth. I can’t help but convulse with an outburst of uncontrollable laughter so hard that I can’t seem to stop until the attendant clears his throat and asks for my identification. I am still busting a gut as I hand it to him while Markus stands there blowing bubbles and making faces at me.

“I am going to miss you so much.”

I bring myself down from my fit and turn toward my friend.

“I know you will. I’m going to miss you too, so much.”

He brings me in for a hug and places a kiss on my cheek.

“I missed hearing that sound,” he whispers against my ear.

I look up into his crystal blue eyes.

“What sound?”

“The sound of my girl’s laugh. You know, the sound that comes out of your mouth which is right underneath your nose,” he teases, removing his arms from around me and tapping lightly on the tip of my nose.

“You are the biggest dork in the whole world, I swear you are,” I smirk, turning my attention back to the attendant as he hands me my boarding ticket and places the tags on my luggage.

“Thank you.” I say politely as I place my ID and my ticket into my purse.

“Have a safe flight, ma’am,” he says as I move out of the way for the next person in line.

“Well, this is it, girl. Call me when you need me, because Lord knows, you’re gonna.”

Markus slaps my ass and then shrugs as I give him an evil glare.

“Now go and enjoy yourself. I mean it.”

He places one last kiss on my cheek and grips my hand.

“I will. Love you.”

He winks and walks away.

I heave a heavy sigh and enter the airport to board the five-hour flight to Michigan, where one thing is for certain. I am going to stay as far away from Antonio as I possibly can.

The minute the plane takes off I begin to get panicky. I’ve brought stuff to read and music to listen to, but not a single thing is helping me relax as I squirm around in my first class seat. Hell, yes, I splurged and bought myself a ticket in first class. I’ve never been much of a drinker, yet those drinks the flight attendants are making have my mouth watering.

Determined to try and calm myself down, I order a Vodka tonic and politely thank the flight attendant when she brings it to me. Bringing it to my lips, I take a hefty swig and just about gag as I sputter and reach for my napkin. No wonder I don’t drink. That tastes like absolute shit.

A chuckle comes out of a deep voice across the aisle from me and when I turn to see the source of the laugh, I about shit myself right there. I probably need to close my own damn mouth, which is dragging on the fucking floor. Holy shit balls! It’s Markus!

“What the hell?”

I let out a few more expletives loud enough that even the flight attendant warns me with her icy glare.

“Hi,” his deep voice says as our eyes meet. “Vodka tastes like shit. I would have done the same thing. Stick with this stuff instead,” he advises, lifting his beer and placing it to his lips. 

“You know I’m not much of a drinker, really. Just needed something to calm the nerves a little. You little shit head. I have been on this plane for like half an hour. How the hell did I not notice you sitting right next to me? What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I do believe I just killed my best friend ten times over with the death stare I am giving him. I. Am.
Pissed
.

“Settle down there, ice queen of the century. Do you really think I would let you come up here and face Mr. Vibrator man by yourself? Come on, Shelby, you know me better than that.”

My brow quirks as I lean in closer to him.

“What are you talking about?” I whisper.

“Antonio. Just so you know, that vibrator you packed is now in the trunk of my car because you will not be needing it.”

“Oh,” is all I can say right now as we now have an audience of people staring at us.

Markus must pick up on my little panic attack when he leans over to the lady sitting next to me and asks her if she minds switching seats with him. Her head goes back and forth between the two of us. She’s speechless as she stands up in the aisle. If I wasn’t so angry right now, I would burst out laughing from the shocked expression on her face.

He gives her a flirtatious smile as he buckles his seat belt after taking his seat next to mine.

“Thank you so much,” he winks.

“I am going to kill you,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Nah, you won’t. You’ll be thanking me instead, because believe it or not, I want my Shelby back.”He takes a healthy gulp of his beer. “Now, let’s talk about this wedding, shall we?”

And that’s it. Boom, bam, and wham. I guess my best friend is coming with me. One thing is for sure… if he thinks we’re done talking about this little stunt, he has another think coming. The way I feel right now, I could open up the damn airplane door and toss his ass right out about now.

************

I look around at all the people in this huge ass airport and wonder why my sister decided to move here. Oh, yeah, that’s right. She found the love of her life here. A strong and happy smile spreads across my face as I look up for the arrows to take me to baggage claim and car rentals. I’m happy for my sister and Adam. So damn happy.

“Aunt Shelby!”

I spin around as fast as I can at the sound of my name.

“Oh, my goodness! My little angel!” I squeal in delight as my niece Sierra runs in my direction followed by my sister, whose brows are furrowed with a look of concern on her face. I can deal with her in a minute, but right now this beautiful little girl running toward me with her long, blonde pigtails swinging in the air has my complete attention. Just when I am about to have her in my arms, she gets knocked to the floor by some jackass.

“Dude! What the hell, man?” I reach for Sierra, who is now on the ground whimpering and holding her arm.

“Hey, asshole! Watch where you’re going!”

He keeps on walking, not acknowledging us at all. If it wasn’t for Sierra I would walk up to him and slap him upside his damn head. I bet he would stop then! Fricking dickhead. I drop my bags onto the floor and assess Sierra’s injuries to make sure she is all right.

“You okay, honey?”

I scoop her up into my arms when she looks up at me, her big, toothless grin turning me into a puddle of mush at how adorable she is.

“I missed you, Aunt Shelby,” she says, bringing her arms around my neck and squeezing.

“I missed you, too, sweetheart. So much. Let me look at you.”

I pull her back away from me just a tinge.

“You are the prettiest little girl like ever. When did you lose your front teeth?”

“I don’t know, but Uncle Luke says I sound funny when I talk.” She grins again.

“Do you want me to kick Uncle Luke’s ass for you? You don’t sound funny at all.”

“Shelby Marie Morris! Language!”

Erin approaches and as always, I roll my eyes.

“What on earth are you doing here?”

Sierra places her tiny little hand in mine as I stand up and reach for my sister with my free arm.

“We’re excited to see you. And it’s only a half hour drive.”

She pulls away. God, look at her. I have never seen her look happier in all of my life. She’s glowing.

“I missed my two favorite girls, too. Let’s go get my car and get out of this place.”

“Are you forgetting about me, or what?” Markus pipes up from behind me.

“Would you like me to answer that question honestly?” I snarl at him.

“Hi, Erin. Hi, Sierra,” Markus says, ignoring my comment with an eye roll. He picks up Sierra as he hugs Erin with his free arm.

“Sierra! Look at you, girl. You’re getting so big and so pretty.”

“You’re getting big, too!” she exclaims happily as she feels the muscles in his arms.

“Congrats, Erin. I am so happy for you. No one deserves happiness as much as you, do except maybe this one here,” he adds, jerking his head my way.

I am going to smack him so hard the minute we are alone. I don’t want to hear anymore. I suddenly realize we are standing in the middle of the terminal causing people to have to go around us. I pick my bag up off the floor.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Markus places Sierra back down on the ground and I reach for her hand. She reaches up for her mom with the other hand. We make our way through the airport listening to Sierra tell me all about school, but I can’t help but feel Erin’s eyes on me all the way to baggage claim. She doesn’t know a thing about the past few months at all, and I need to keep it that way. The concerned look on her face tells me she is going to be full of questions the minute we are away from Sierra.

You have always been damned good at lying to your big sister about the real truth as to why you have never let yourself get close to a man,
I think to myself.
So while you’re driving in your car, you’d better come up with a good excuse for everything she is about to ask you. Put on your plastic face and pray like a bitch in heat that she believes you.

“All right, girl. Get your bark and your bite out now before we get to Erin’s house. I can take my ass chewing like a man, you know?” Markus says as I drive out of the airport.

My voice comes off a lot angrier than I really am.

“Markus, I’m not really sure how I feel at this point. A part of me is happy you’re here, and a part of me wants to dump your ass in the biggest snow bank I can find.”

“I am going to say this once, Swanky, and then the subject is closed. You’re hurting. The first month you were home, you ignored every phone call and text message Antonio sent you. Then all of a sudden when they stopped completely, you stuck that gorgeous head of yours into your work. You haven’t come up for air since, so here is how it is going to go.
Get. The. Fuck. Over. It.
End of subject. I am here, and you will deal with it.”

I go to speak and he tsks me.

“Not a word, Shelby Morris, and I fucking mean it. Now drive. I am dying to get my hands, I mean eyes, on Luke.”

Shit, shit, shit! How can I really stay mad at him when truthfully I know deep down inside his being here is going to be exactly what I need?

************

“Did I mention how much I hate the cold and snow?” I grumble, emphasizing the words ‘cold’ and ‘snow’ just a wee bit.

Erin opens the door to their house as I shake off the snow from my hair.

“You’ve been here all of five minutes and you’re complaining already.”

“Um. Yeah, I am. So glad you live here and not me,” I chuckle, knowing she is about to go off at any second.

Sierra went running for her room to go play with the new doll I bought her. I meant to save it for later, but it broke my heart into a million pieces when she started crying over being told she couldn’t ride in the car with me instead of her mom. I bent down and explained that I was nervous about driving on the snow-covered streets, but the new toy was the only thing that would pacify her. No way was I having my precious niece in the car with me.

Good thing I don’t know any of these people around here. I drove through the streets so slowly, I had a line up behind me. Markus kept bitching and asking me to pull over and let him drive. It pissed him off even more when the person behind me had his car so far up my ass that I slowed down even more in retaliation. Taught the driver a lesson, or at least I thought I did, until I turned on my blinker and the idiot flipped me off. Asshole. I hope I made him late for dinner and he’s getting his ass chewed out right now.

I escape from my thoughts when I am scooped up off of the floor and brought into a hug by my soon to be brother-in-law. Adam places a kiss on my cheek and sets me down.

“Damn, girl. You smell almost as good as your sister.”

“Hey, big guy! Looks like you’re taking good care of my sis, here. I’ve never seen her look happier in my life. She’s glowing. Whatever you got packed under those jeans of yours must be what’s got her standing there eye fucking the shit out of you.”

Erin stands there with her mouth gaping wide open as Adam and I double over in laughter.

“Oh, please, sister. Don’t stand there acting like you have never heard me say what’s on my mind before,” I tease, hitching my hand onto my hip.