Run to You (16 page)

“Dammit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that.” His voice sounded gruff.

“Then how did you mean to say it?” She paused, but he was silent. The air in the Jeep grew thick with the tension between them. “When we're together, it feels like more than just sex.”

He exhaled harshly. “Gabby—”

She spun in her seat. “What? Does it make you uncomfortable that I have actual feelings?”

He just stared at her, a tortured look in his eyes.

“You treat me like I'm special.” Her voice wobbled, and her face got all hot and prickly.

“You
are
special.” The earnestness in his voice made her stomach quiver with longing. That this could be real. That Ethan could still want her, even after Dixie was gone.

She shook her head. “But you'll still walk away.”

“I have to.” He paused. “It's what we agreed on. It's what you wanted, too.”

They stared at each other for a beat of heavy silence.

He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Isn't it?”

“Right. Hey, look at that? I guess we had our first fight after all.” And she climbed out of the Jeep, slamming the door behind her.

Ethan stayed late with the guys working on the obstacle course for the Adrenaline Rush. They'd spent the last three hours stringing tires from an overhead beam they'd installed between two trees. People would have to get from one end to the other using only the tires—no feet on the ground or they'd have to start over at the beginning.

By the time they'd finished, it was almost eight, and the last light was fading quickly in the Western sky. Ryan swung in one of the tires like a child, kicking his feet toward the treetops. Mark sat on the landing platform, tinkering with something. And Ethan…he felt the need to go punch something. Or swim some laps. Maybe both.

He'd been restless ever since his fight with Gabby at lunchtime. No doubt he'd handled it wrong, said all the wrong things. He was a guy after all. A guy who didn't do relationships. He should go to her tonight and try to smooth it over, but hell if he knew what to say. Everything about her twisted him up in knots, from the way his need for her grew each time they were together to the way she could turn his entire day around with just a smile.

“Yo, who wants beer?” Ryan asked.

“Yep,” Ethan said.

Mark nodded, and they started walking back to the house.

“I left a package of bratwurst in the freezer earlier this week,” Ryan said. “No grill at the condo, you know? You losers got plans tonight?”

“Nah, man, sounds good,” Mark said.

“No hot date with the lovely Gabby tonight?” Ryan elbowed Ethan in the gut.

“Not tonight.” Godammit, he was such an asshole.

“That settles it.” Ryan led the way into the house. “Bro night. No girls allowed.”

“What are we, fifteen?” Ethan shook his head as he walked over to the fridge. He pulled out three beers, popped the caps, and handed them out.

“We never would have done anything this lame when we were fifteen.” Mark cracked a smile, then tipped his beer up for a drink.

“True story,” Ryan said. “We'd have been out busting mailboxes or some such shit.”

Ethan took the package of sausages out of the freezer and led the way out back. It was true. He and Mark had been ten, Ryan eleven, when they were placed in the same group home in foster care. They'd quickly become thick as thieves, sneaking out together to wreak havoc or plot world domination from the roof of the neighbor's tree house.

Even though they'd lived together only a short time before Gram adopted Ethan, they'd attended the same middle and high schools, and the friendship had continued into adulthood.

“So what's the deal with your fake girlfriend?” Ryan said. “Because you've gone from frustrated and irritable to looking like a man who's getting laid.”

Ethan fired up the grill, then took a long pull from his beer.

“He's definitely getting laid,” Mark commented.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ethan took another drink.

“And suspiciously tight-lipped about it,” Ryan said to Mark. “Do you think that means the sex is awesome or terrible?”

“Have I ever discussed my sex life with you?” Ethan tossed three bratwurst onto the grill, then added a few more for good measure.

“And please don't start now,” Mark said.

“But seriously.” Ryan sobered. “I hope you know what you're doing. She's way too sweet for the likes of you.”

“Tell me about it,” Ethan muttered, then drained his beer. “She got upset with me earlier when we went to lunch. Something about how I wouldn't even be taking her to lunch if Gram had already passed.”

“She has feelings for you. Real feelings,” Ryan said. “And I don't think she's the only one.”

“What?” He didn't do feelings, not with women. Sure as hell not with Gabby, who'd just come out of a bad relationship. She deserved better. So much better.

But Mark was nodding, too. “You should see yourself when she walks into a room, man. You are totally whipped.”

“Like hell.” Ethan flipped the sausages with a little more force than was strictly necessary. “Speaking of women, apparently Jessica is still pissed at you.” He pointed the spatula toward Mark.

Mark's expression hardened, and his jaw clenched.

“Jessica Flynn?” Ryan asked. “As in, the Jessica you dumped back in high school?”

“Yeah,” Mark muttered. “That Jessica.”

“That's a long time to hold a grudge,” Ryan said.

Mark shrugged. “I had to end things between us when I enlisted. It was for the best.”

“Doesn't sound like she agrees,” Ryan said.

“When the hell has any of the three of us ever made a smart decision when it came to a woman?” Ethan threw his hands up in the air. “Smartest thing I ever did was decide not to ever let things get serious.”

“And yet it sounds like you may have even screwed
that
up.” Ryan clapped him on the back.

They drank a lot of beer, consumed their body weight in grilled sausage, and then, as the moon hung bright above them and the trees buzzed with the summer song of the cicadas, they trekked down to the ropes course for some old-fashioned fun.

Ryan went first, zipping across the pond with a loud whoop. Mark followed. But Ethan had a different idea. He stripped to his boxer briefs before he grabbed onto the hand trolley. “I'm goin' in.”

“What?” Ryan called from the other side of the pond.

Ethan whizzed halfway across, then let go and landed in the pond with a splash. The cool water closed over his head, and he kicked, his head breaking the surface as the moon grinned down at him from up high. “Fuck, yeah!” he yelled.

“Fall in, hot shot?” Ryan asked. Mark's laughter echoed in the darkness.

“Don't be a pussy. Come on. Try it,” he said.

“I'm game,” Mark said.

Ethan swam lazily toward the shore. He could just see his friend's outline as he kicked off and soared toward him, landing with a splash not far from where Ethan had gone in.

Mark surfaced silently and swam to the shore, all but invisible under the cover of night. Mr. Fancy Pants Special Ops. Someday Ethan needed to have Mark teach him a few tricks.

“Y'all are crazy,” Ryan called from the shore.

“You chicken? The water feels great.” Ethan's toes sank into the red clay at the bottom of the pond as he climbed ashore.

Ryan let out a good-natured groan, then with a splash, he followed them into the pond. And so went the rest of their evening, interrupted only to go get more beer from the house. It felt good having Ryan and Mark back home, the closest thing to brothers he'd ever had. And there was no way he was going to let those idiots on the Town Council shut down their dreams. He needed to keep his family together, now more than ever.

Ethan woke to a dull pounding in his skull and the sound of someone snoring. He opened his eyes to see Ryan sprawled across the other end of the couch, his face alarmingly close to Ethan's. After last night's debauchery, they'd all crashed here at Off-the-Grid, but the only face Ethan wanted to see at such close range first thing in the morning was Gabby's.

With a scowl, he rolled off the couch. He went into the bathroom to change into a pair of trunks then walked out back for his morning swim. The cool water closed over his head, welcoming him into his private realm, the place he still ruled and conquered every single day. An hour in the pool always set him straight.

Except this morning it didn't. The look on Gabby's face when she'd climbed out of the Jeep yesterday still gnawed at him. He'd been an ass not to go to her last night and smooth things over.

Damn it all.

Forty-five minutes later, he pulled into her driveway with a bag from the bakery and two coffees in his hands. His heart hammered against his ribs as he walked up the steps to her front door.

He knocked, then waited what felt like an eternity for her to come to the door. Finally, she opened it, looking all rumpled and sexy in a short pink robe, her hair a wild waterfall over her shoulders. She looked up at him with wide, questioning eyes.

“I'm sorry for being a jerk yesterday,” he said. “I can't make promises for the future, but I hope you know that you're special to me, and not just because of Gram.”

Her eyes got misty, and the air left his lungs in a whoosh. Hell, the last thing he wanted was to hurt Gabby. And yet he had the nasty suspicion that was exactly what was going to happen when it was time for him to walk away, no matter how much time he spent preparing them both for the inevitable.

She went up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. “Thank you. But really, I was the one who got out of line yesterday, not you.” She pulled back, a naughty look in her eyes. “Although technically, we
did
have our first fight, and I'm pretty sure that calls for makeup sex.”

And then she yanked him inside and slammed the door behind them.

G
abby surveyed the table in front of her one last time. It was the Fourth of July, and the Haven Summer Festival was starting in less than an hour. She'd insisted that Ethan, Mark, and Ryan man the Off-the-Grid Adventures table themselves, but she'd let them talk her into setting it up for them.

And unless she was mistaken, she'd done a pretty good job. They had a full-color poster display on the left, advertising their new business with eye-catching photos of zip-lining and rock climbing. She'd arranged a stack of brochures, another stack of flyers about the Adrenaline Rush challenge, and a pile of Off-the-Grid T-shirts to be given away throughout the day to people who won one of the mini-challenges they'd be having every half hour during the festival.

She had placed a sign-up sheet for their e-newsletter next to the pile of registration forms for the Adrenaline Rush. They hoped to recruit lots of new participants today. And then, of course, there was the bucket of Off-the-Grid logoed Frisbees. Ethan had given her a budget for the promotional stuff, and she'd spent every penny.

“Wow,” he said from behind her.

“What do you think?” She pressed her hands against the front of her shorts and watched for his reaction.

“It looks awesome. You've shown me this stuff before, but seeing it all together on the table, it looks really great. Thank you.” He leaned in to press a quick kiss on her lips.

“You're welcome. I'm glad I got to be a part of this with you guys.”

“Yo, this looks sweet,” Ryan said as he sauntered up. He wore an Off-the-Grid T-shirt, tattoos peeking from beneath each sleeve. He was sexy, in a badass kind of way. All three of them were gorgeous, strong, and handsome in their own way. She was banking on them bringing in a lot of business today. The girls would flock to them because of their looks, muscles, and tattoos. The guys would come because they wanted to be a part of their dare-deviling new adventure.

“You're staying for the fireworks, right?” Ethan tugged her in close, his arms warm and strong around her.

“Sure.” She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone to a fireworks show on the Fourth, but it sounded like fun, especially the part about lying on a blanket with Ethan. Things had been hot and heavy between them since they'd gotten home from the beach, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he'd started distancing himself somehow. Maybe she was being overly sensitive. Or maybe he was preparing her for what was to come after Dixie passed.

He was looking at her now, all casual and charming, but underneath it, something else lurked in his eyes: fear. If he was afraid she was falling for him, he had good reason. It was going to hurt like hell when she had to let him go, but she wouldn't be sorry about a single moment they'd spent together.

The commons were bursting with people, and even though the festival didn't officially start for another ten minutes, Ryan was already talking to a couple of women who'd approached their table.

“I'm going to walk around for a bit,” she said.

“You'll love it,” he said. “Tons of homemade, artsy-crafty stuff if you're into that. And so much good food.”

“Sounds fun.” Growing up in the suburbs of Charlotte, she'd never been to a small-town festival like this, and she was curious to poke around. “I'll take some Off-the-Grid flyers with me to pass out.”

There were indeed a lot of local goods, and by eleven o'clock, she'd bought two pairs of earrings, a new skirt, and a pound of fudge that was probably going to melt under the hot sun before she ever got home tonight.

“Gabby!”

She turned and found Emma waving from behind a table. With a smile, she walked over. “Hey, Emma.”

“Are you here by yourself?” Emma asked.

“Well, I helped the guys set up their booth for Off-the-Grid, but essentially yeah.”

“A couple of the girls I work with are coming at noon to help out. Want to get lunch together?”

“I'd love to.” Gabby looked around Emma's booth. It was full of bright, colorful flowers with a big banner advertising
ARTFUL BLOOMS LANDSCAPE DESIGN
. “How's it going so far?”

Emma's smile widened. “Great. I love events like this. I'm kind of a social butterfly, right? And the Summer Festival always brings new business for Artful Blooms.”

“That's awesome,” Gabby said.

“A couple of my friends and I are going to sign up for that obstacle course race together—Team Flower Power. Want to join us?”

Gabby threw her hands up in front of herself. “Nope. Thanks, but no. I don't really do adventure stuff.”

Emma laughed. “No? But you're dating Ethan.”

“And not even he can get me up on that ropes course, or the zip-line. Or any of it.” She grimaced with a laugh.

“Hmm. Fear of heights?”

“Among other things.”

“Well, let me know if you change your mind. I heard we need at least four people to make a team. I might ask Carly, but we could always use an extra person. I don't know how many all-girl teams there will be, but we're hoping to kick some butt.”

“And I'm sure you will.” Gabby stepped to the side as a couple of older ladies approached Emma's table. “I'll come back at noon, okay?”

Emma nodded.

Gabby moved on, browsing through a display of homemade wooden clocks and some kind of animal sculptures made out of metal scraps.

“Boo,” Ethan whispered in her ear.

She spun, her bag of goodies smacking him right in the chest. “Sorry.”

“No worries. Having fun?” He disentangled himself from her shopping bag to pull her into his arms.

“Yeah. And spending a lot of money. How are things going at the Off-the-Grid table?”

“Signed up a few people for the race. And the mini-challenges have been fun. People love competing for T-shirts. Want to get lunch?”

“Oh.” She frowned. “I just made plans with Emma.”

“It's okay. I'll grab a sandwich and walk around some before I head back to our table.”

“Okay.” But the longer she stood in his arms, the more she wanted to stay there.

“I'll see you later.” He gave her another quick kiss, and then he let her go.

“So you and Ethan, huh?” Gabby turned to find Jessica Flynn watching from the Haven Spa's table.

“Yeah.”

Jessica flashed her a friendly smile. “Well, good for you. If he's half as good in bed as he is to look at, you're a lucky girl.”

Gabby felt herself blush. “Definitely lucky.”

Jessica gave her a high five. “How was your treatment on Monday? I meant to stop in and check on you, but I got held up with another client.”

“Oh, it was great. Really great.” The best spa experience she'd ever had. “Those hot springs really are magical. I need to come again.”

Jessica handed her a card from her table. “Well, here's a coupon for ten dollars off your next visit. I know the legend of the hot springs sounds hokey, but I'm a believer. There's something in that water that calms the soul.”

Gabby remembered the way she'd felt as she soaked in a bubbling tub full of the natural spring water. “Count me in as a believer, too.” Although truly, everything about this town seemed to be good for her soul. So good that it was hard to imagine leaving at the end of the summer.

Ethan had never spent the whole day at the Haven Summer Festival. He'd always stopped by, usually with whatever girl he was seeing at the time. They'd get something to eat, he'd hang out while she shopped through all the crafts, and sometimes they'd stay for the fireworks.

But today had been nonstop. Every half hour, they'd done some kind of game or challenge, from arm wrestling to handing out clues and compasses to find prizes hidden around the commons. They'd given away a lot of flyers and Frisbees and signed up a modest number of people for the Adrenaline Rush.

He and the guys had taken turns schmoozing at the table and wandering around the festival, mingling and passing out information and goodies. People seemed excited about Off-the-Grid. Hopefully that would mean something when the Town Council made their decision.

All day, he'd been scanning the crowd for Gabby. She'd been here and there, chatting, making friends, buying crafty shit, and seemingly having an awesome time. She'd really come out of her shell here in Haven, and it stirred all kinds of weird, warm things in his chest.

Pride. Protectiveness. Desire.

“Hey there, hotties.” Emma Rush stood in front of their table, her blond hair tied back in a ponytail, a wide smile on her face.

“What's up, Em?” Ryan said. He and Emma had known each other since they were kids. He'd been tight with her older brother, Derek. Although right now, he was staring at her like he'd never seen her before, and Ethan couldn't quite figure what that was about.

“Can I take a registration form?” she asked. “I'm still looking for a fourth person for our team, but my girls and I are ready to rock it on Team Flower Power.”

Ethan shook his head. “Flower Power?”

“Don't knock it.” She pointed her finger at him. “We girls are going to kick your butt.”

“Not that he doesn't need a good ass-kicking, but we can't participate,” Ryan told her. “We're running the thing.”

“Oh,” Emma said. “Well, we're going to kick butt anyway. I tried to convince your girlfriend to join our team.” She looked at Ethan again.

“Bet that didn't go over well.”

“Nope. Well, I'll see you guys later.” With a wave, she walked off.

And Ryan was totally checking out her ass.

“I thought Emma was like the little sister you never had,” Ethan commented drily.

“What?” Ryan turned his attention to straightening what remained of the stack of flyers on their table.

“You just checked out her ass.”

Ryan didn't bother to deny it. “Yo, when did she get so…
hot
?”

Mark coughed into his hand.

“She's always been hot,” Ethan said, “to those of us not related to her.”

“I'm not related to her either, asshole.” Ryan tossed a Frisbee at him.

Ethan caught it. “You guys staying for the fireworks?”

“Nah. Mark and I are going to watch the game at his place,” Ryan said.

Mark was silent, his face a blank mask behind his mirrored lenses. But shit. The sound of fireworks was hard for him after Iraq, and Ethan had totally forgotten. He felt like a jackass.

A group of local teenagers descended on their table, curious about the zip-line course, and they got back to business. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. They ran more mini-challenges, gave out more T-shirts, and schmoozed a few more people into signing up for the Adrenaline Rush. Gram stopped by around three with her friend—and Town Council member—Marlene, both of them wearing oversized straw hats and eating funnel cake.

“Where's Gabby?” she asked.

“Around.” He managed to keep himself from asking why she wasn't carrying water with her in this heat, knowing it would only earn him a lecture.

“Well, tell her I'm looking for her if you see her.” Gram moved off into the crowd.

Ethan didn't see Gabby until she stopped by around five with a bag from Big Joe's BBQ on her arm, filling their booth with the tangy, smoky scent of barbeque. His stomach grumbled loudly.

“I brought brisket sandwiches,” Gabby said. “They smelled really good, and I figured you guys might be getting hungry.”

“I love you,” Ryan told her as she handed him the bag of sandwiches.

She laughed, her eyes darting to Ethan. He felt the stupid urge to punch Ryan right in his cocky mouth.

“What?” Ryan's eyes widened in mock surprise. “Did I say it before you? Oh shoot, I hope I didn't just make things awkward.”

“You're an asshole.” Ethan's hands balled into fists.

Ryan threw his head back and laughed. Gabby's face flushed an adorable shade of red.

“I'm going to go grab us some beer,” Mark said. He pointed at Ryan. “You're coming with me.” The two of them walked off toward Untapped Brewery's stand at the other end of the street. Ryan was still laughing, the jackass.

Ethan stared at Gabby for a moment in awkward silence.

Then she smiled. “He was just joking around, Ethan. You should see your face.”

He blew out a breath and motioned her to come behind the table with him. “I know. But he's still an asshole.”

She went up on her tiptoes to press a kiss on his lips. “I laid our blanket out on the field for the fireworks.”

“Great.” He wrapped his arms around her, and everything else just disappeared. There was nothing but Gabby. The sweet honeysuckle scent of her hair, the warmth of her body against his, the way his heart seemed to slow down and beat in rhythm with hers.

Then she tipped her face up and kissed him, and he was a goner.

“You taste like powdered sugar,” he whispered against her mouth.

“I ate funnel cake. And a lot of other really fattening stuff we won't talk about.”

“That's exactly what you're supposed to do at the summer festival. That, and make out with me later on our blanket while we wait for the fireworks.” He slid his hands down her back, lingering at her waist. He really,
really
wanted to feel her ass in those short pink shorts, but he'd have to wait until he got her somewhere more private.

“Get a room, you two.” That was Ryan, but thanks to Gabby, Ethan no longer felt like punching his lights out.

Ryan and Mark both carried a beer in each hand.

“That was quick,” Ethan commented. Usually the line for the beer was at least ten deep.

“I know the guy who runs the brewery,” Mark said.

“So we got to cut the line.” Ryan handed a beer to Ethan, while Mark handed one to Gabby. Then they all sat down to eat the brisket sandwiches she'd brought. Conversation was sparse while they stuffed their faces with beefy perfection.