Yours to Hold: Ribbon Ridge Book Two (15 page)

He turned his head to look at her. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was.”

“Like, they have boyfriends and girlfriends and they’re still married?”

She almost laughed at the incredulity in his tone. “Apparently Mom has a boyfriend now. But yeah, they’re still married. She and Dad were making out last weekend like it was no big deal. They’re so
odd
. I don’t get it.”

“That’s . . . different. But I guess that’s their choice, and as long as it doesn’t hurt anything . . .”

“That’s a good theory, but when your parents are so wrapped up in their own lives that they barely have time to, you know,
parent
, you grow up wondering why they had you in the first place.”

“Ouch.” He massaged her shoulder and pressed a kiss against the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Maggie. My experience is the total opposite. My parents couldn’t have children, and they underwent a series of fertility treatments until an in vitro attempt was finally successful. When they had six viable fetuses, Mom wanted to keep them all. She went on bed rest at sixteen weeks and did everything possible to bring us into the world safe and healthy. And she only continued that commitment after we were born. Managing six kids at once, some with medical challenges, was no mean feat.”

Her heart swelled at the love he described—both his mother’s and his, which was evident in his voice as he spoke of her. “I can imagine. You’re incredibly lucky.”

“Yeah, I suppose I am.”

“So your brother Hayden, he really was a major oops?”

Kyle’s chest rumbled as he laughed. “Completely. They’d worked so hard to have us, and then four or five months later, boom, Mom’s pregnant again without even trying.” He glanced down at her, smiling. “Well, without medical intervention.”

“Amazing.”

“She had her tubes tied after that—seven was definitely enough.”

“Hence the name of your show.” She pushed up and leaned over him, looking down at his insanely handsome face. “And here I am sleeping with a celebrity.”

He barked out a laugh. “I haven’t noticed any sleeping going on.”

She reached down and brushed his hip on her way to his cock. “Nope. Probably not yet either. I’m suddenly feeling very awake.”

He curled his hand up her neck and brought her head down to kiss her. “Sleep is overrated.”

W
AKING UP IN
Maggie’s arms was about the best way Kyle had ever started a morning. He wished he could’ve made her a gourmet breakfast instead of the lukewarm room service they’d had. Next time.

Next time?

Hell yes, next time. In fact, they had a whole weekend staring at them.

She emerged from the bathroom dressed, unfortunately, her hair wound up on top of her head. “Ready?”

She looked and smelled so fresh, he was more than tempted to say no. He got up from the couch and strode toward her. “We don’t have to check out for another hour . . .”

“Yes, but we’re out of condoms, sadly.” She flashed him a smile.

“I can think of plenty of things to do that won’t require a condom.” He leaned down and kissed her. She tasted like minty toothpaste, which he’d never thought of as particularly tasty, but right now he wanted to devour her whole.

She pushed away from him with a contented sigh. “You’re insatiable.”

“When it comes to you, yes.”

She turned away and picked up her purse. “Compulsive, even.”

Compulsive. Like his gambling. He’d all but forgotten they were next to a casino and that he’d come here with the intent of playing poker, maybe booking some sports action, and pretty much losing himself in the game. It still called to him like a naughty siren, but the lure of Maggie was even stronger.

He snagged her hand and drew her to face him. “Hey, are you trying to therapize me again?”

The little pleats formed between her eyes, and he had to admit they were incredibly adorable. “Isn’t that why you called me out here last night?”

Yes, but about the gambling. Did she know that his track record with women wasn’t much better? “What did Alex tell you about my romantic life?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I shouldn’t talk to you about that.”

“Come on, it’s about me, not him.” He could tell from her reaction that she knew something. “He said I’m a lothario, right?”

“I believe he said something like ‘not going to settle down anytime soon.’ ”

That wasn’t so bad.

“But since you mentioned it,
are
you a lothario? You’re certainly good-looking enough to be.”

He laughed, but her question sparked an underlying discomfort, because yeah, he sort of was. Or had been. Or was in remission or something. “I haven’t found a reason to settle down.” He raked her with a seductive stare, imagining her full breasts filling his hands and her lush legs encircling his waist.

“Knock. It. Off.” She snatched her hand away. “I need to go home and water my plants.”

Reluctantly, he followed her to the door. “Any chance I can persuade you to come over tonight? After your tomatoes are good and hydrated.”

She turned as she reached the threshold. “Maybe.”

He trailed her into the hall and to the elevator. Once they were inside, she touched his arm. “I just had a thought. You got me thinking about something Alex said once. We talked about whether he wanted a girlfriend. And there
was
someone he liked, someone he maybe had a crush on. I think it might’ve been a coworker.”

“Really?” Emotion socked Kyle in the gut—the familiar pain of loss coupled with the frustration about what would never be. “Do you know if he was seeing her?”

“I don’t think so, but we only talked about it once or twice.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but maybe it will help with the drug investigation. If he was close to someone at work, maybe she could help?”

“Yeah, maybe.” He got caught up in his brother for a moment. “He wanted a girlfriend?”

“I think so, yes.”

“I never knew him to have one. A friend of ours went to prom with him in high school—we all went in a big group. And in college, I thought he might’ve been seeing someone, but he never talked about it.” It was just another way in which he’d felt inadequate, probably. Kyle wished he could go back, wished he would’ve done more to help Alex. Maybe then he wouldn’t have chosen death over life.

“Kyle?” Maggie’s soft voice startled him. She was standing in the door of the elevator, holding it open. He hadn’t even felt them stop or heard the chime.

“Yeah.” He walked out, and she took his hand.

“Don’t go there,” she said. “You are not responsible for Alex’s problems or the way he felt. Whether he had a girlfriend or didn’t.”

“I could’ve been a better brother. I never should’ve left.”

“I told you not to go there.” She stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Wait, you mentioned a totem the other night. What did you give him? Maybe I can find it and give it back to you.”

Her eyes lit for a moment and then darkened. “There isn’t really a totem. I made that up to explain your being at my house.”

He felt a surge of disappointment, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the fact that there wasn’t really a totem or that she’d had to come up with an excuse for them being together.

They got to the lobby and checked out, then he walked her to her car. The sun was already hot. It was going to be a scorcher.

She laid her hand over his chest. “What, no parking lot shenanigans? This is the first time we’ve been in one without groping each other.”

He knew she was trying to lighten his mood and appreciated the hell out of her for it. “If you promise to come over later, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

Her eyes sparkled as she laughed softly. “Okay. Text me your address. I’m curious to see where you live.”

“It’s Hayden’s address—his house, remember? I’m just occupying his life.” It sounded so impermanent—kind of sad, really. Christ, what the hell was wrong with him? He’d just spent an incredible night with an amazing woman. He cupped her face and kissed her long and deep.

When he let her go, she was breathless. He smiled. “See you later, Magnolia.”

She smacked him in the butt as he turned to go. “Don’t make me change my mind.”

He threw her a scalding look and held his arms out. “You won’t say no to this, baby.”

She grinned, shaking her head. Then she got in her car and drove away.

Feeling a bit better, Kyle worked to keep his mind from antagonizing thoughts like Alex and his own deficiency. His phone buzzed, and he turned on the Bluetooth as he glanced at the display.

“Hi, Dad.” The tension he’d just managed to stow away surged anew.

“Kyle, I wanted you to know that we found the money.”

He should’ve felt vindicated, but he only felt angry. “I knew you would.”

“Royce pocketed a hundred-dollar bill because he was nervous about leaving it in the till, and then he forgot about it until this morning.”

“Is that it?”

“No, it isn’t,” Dad said, exhaling. “I’m sorry about what happened. Derek is, too.”

“I doubt that.”

“You make it damned hard to apologize.”

And he wasn’t interested in making it easier. Why should he be when they’d been so quick to accuse him?

“Kyle?”

“Still here.”

Dad exhaled. “I really am sorry. Maybe if we could talk—really talk about what happened . . .”

“The way you talk about Alex?”

Dad’s intake of breath was sharp. “I don’t need to talk about him.”

“You need to do
something
.”

“Stop deflecting. You can’t keep doing that.”

Kyle was beginning to think he’d learned the art of deflection from a master. “Why not? What’s the point in rehashing history? You know what happened, I know what happened. I left, got my shit together,”
somewhat
, he thought, “and now I’m back. Why can’t you just accept me as I am?”

“I . . . I’m trying. I just still don’t understand how things got that bad.”

And he never would. Addiction wasn’t something that was easily understood by people who didn’t have one. “I gotta run, Dad.”

“Kyle, are you . . . are you okay?”

He hoped he meant about what had happened and wasn’t continuing to harp on whether he was gambling. The fact that he was currently driving away from a casino wasn’t something he planned to share. “I’m fine, Dad. Really. Talk to you later.”

He ended the call feeling frustrated. He summoned thoughts of Maggie and their night together to try to dispel the uneasiness pricking his insides. Gradually, his mood improved enough that he relaxed. Maggie was a balm for his soul, it seemed.

But what did that mean? He’d been fixated on plenty of women for a few weeks or a few months, but that was it. Maggie could be just another one in the parade. Or could she be more? He’d never confessed his gambling addiction to anyone the way he had to her. Did that mean she was different? That this could be something lasting?

Except, if he were honest with himself, he’d only scratched the surface with her about his gambling. She didn’t know how bad things had gotten before Dad had bailed him out or how he’d spiraled in Florida—that he had to be constantly vigilant so that he didn’t hit rock bottom again.

But maybe she knew. She was a therapist after all. It was her job to see beneath people’s exterior. Was that really what he wanted? A girlfriend who could somehow interpret his problems without him having to share them? A girlfriend who would be better able to understand and cope with his faults? Put like that, it didn’t sound too healthy.

For now, being with her felt good. For now, he wanted that to be enough. No, he needed it to be.

Chapter Ten

M
AGGIE LEANED HER
head back against the seat in Kyle’s SUV as they drove up the final hill to the monastery. She’d never been up here and was looking forward to what had to be an amazing view. She glanced over at Kyle, recalling their incredible night—the second in a row. He’d made her a delicious breakfast that morning that had included the best poached eggs she’d ever had.

And now he was showing her his family’s project—Alex’s project. She felt a little apprehensive knowing that he’d been planning this—and his suicide—for months. Maybe even the entire time he’d come to see her for treatment. She shoved the thought away. If she didn’t, it could consume her.

Kyle pulled into the dirt parking lot, and the monastery rose before them. The monks’ quarters, three stories tall, arced out to the left, while the church with its two-hundred-foot spire dominated the landscape. It was beautiful but overgrown, and she wished she could come back with a pair of pruners.

He parked the car and jumped out, coming around to meet her as she did the same. “This is The Alex,” he said. “Or it will be anyway.”

“This is a massive undertaking. I’m in awe.”

“It’s all Alex’s vision. Well, except the wedding cottage. That was entirely Sara’s doing. Come on, I’ll show you.” He took her hand, and they passed a trailer that likely served as the office on their way to a wide dirt and gravel path.

Like the main parking area, the path was overgrown. Shrubs and grasses crowded each other, and the scent of ripening blackberries overwhelmed her senses. “Someone needs to cut those berry bushes back,” she said, pointing at a particularly nasty tangle.

“We have a landscaper due to start later this week.”

“They’re going to be working overtime,” she said, thinking about Derek and Chloe’s wedding that would be happening in less than two weeks.

“Definitely getting a late start. Dylan’s pretty pissed about that, but he hasn’t been able to find anyone else, so we’re sticking it out.”

She flashed him a smile. “Maybe I’ll come up here with my pruners one night this week.”

“I could see you doing that—let me know if you do, and I’ll meet you.”

She slid him a provocative look. “Don’t tempt me.”

“It’s what I live for.” He brought her hand up and pressed a kiss to the back.

The cottage came into view, and she was instantly impressed. It was a gorgeous, two-story craftsman-style building with wide windows, stonework, and a massive arched entry. “This is spectacular.”

“You should’ve seen it before. It was a small, mid-twentieth-century ranch. I’ll show you some pictures.”

“Wow, and Dylan transformed it completely. You say this was all Sara’s idea?”

“Sara’s idea, Tori’s design, Dylan’s implementation. A team effort, really, but yeah, it’s technically Sara’s baby. She’ll be managing all the events here. She’s pretty excited about it.”

“I would be, too.”

“Let me show you inside.” He pulled his keys out and unlocked the door, then led her into a huge space.

A wall of windows showed an expansive view of the valley. “This is magnificent. I think
I
want to get married here.”

He laughed. “It’s pretty spectacular. This view is exactly what Sara wanted. That entire wall opens so that this space can flow out into the outdoor area.” Part of it was covered, providing shelter from sun or rain, but there was a large green space, too.

She envisioned the bride and groom standing before the panorama amid a setting of flowers and greenery, which it wasn’t at present. It was a lackluster patch of half-dead, clover-infested grass. “Will the ceremony be out there, overlooking the valley?”

He nodded.

“I have to tell you, there’s a ton of work to be done out there. I hope your landscaper comes through.”

“You and me both. I’ll follow up with Dylan again to make sure.” He turned and tugged her toward the back of the building. “Wait until you see the kitchen.”

“Spoken with the excitement of a chef,” she said, grinning. Whereas the outside needed a lot of work, the interior looked completely done. There were little pieces of blue tape here and there to indicate things that needed fixing, but overall it was beautiful. And the kitchen was no exception. It was commercial but attractive, with stainless appliances and granite counters. There were plenty of work spaces, and she could see Kyle working his magic in here. “Do you get to test this place out?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I don’t have anything to do with Derek’s wedding.”

She wanted to ask why they hadn’t made up but figured he would talk about it when he was ready. He’d revealed so much to her, and she believed he would continue to open up.

He ran his hand over the granite and tested the water faucet in the large sink.

So he wasn’t going to open up about that today. That was okay.

“What’s upstairs?” she asked.

His answering look held a bit of smolder. “A wedding suite complete with a hot tub that would put the one in our hotel room to shame.”

“Really?” Lust flared in her belly and spread lower, heating her core.

“Don’t look at me like that.” He came toward her with a growl and swept her into a kiss. His mouth was hot and demanding, his hands hard and fast against her as he lifted her onto the counter and situated himself between her legs.

When they came up for air a moment later, they were both breathing hard. She slid off the counter, her body gliding against his. “I suppose we should go before we do something we shouldn’t.”

“I wish the bed had been delivered.” His voice was dark and sexy, and it raked along her nerve endings like a rough caress she couldn’t get enough of.

She forced herself to walk away. “You’re a bad influence. Come on, I want to see where your restaurant will be.”

He held his hand out. “If I wasn’t so excited to show you, I’d toss you back on that counter.”

She shivered as she took his hand again, and he led her from the cottage. He locked the door behind them, and they retraced their steps to the parking lot.

“After the wedding, the construction will move to the other buildings?” she asked. Maybe if they kept the conversation focused on the project, she wouldn’t be so tempted to jump his bones.

“Yeah, the church will be my restaurant.” The pride and excitement in his voice when he said that was evident. “And the brewhouse will be added on—adapted from an outbuilding over on the other side of the church.”

“Sounds great. I can’t wait to see how it comes together.” Yikes, saying things like that implied she would be around when it did. And she had no idea what the future held.

They walked by the monks’ quarters, and he explained the plan for phase three—converting that into the hotel, which he’d earlier explained wouldn’t happen until sometime after the first of the year. “When do you expect the restaurant to open?” she asked as they neared the church.

He opened one of the heavy doors and held it for her as she went into the cool, dim interior. “I’m actually hoping we can do a soft open in December and then a gala New Year’s dinner.”

“That sounds great.”

He slid his hand around her waist and let his hand skim down to caress her backside through the thin cotton of her tank dress. “There’ll be plenty of champagne,” he whispered.

Again, heat flooded her core, and she wondered if she’d been too quick to scoot off the counter back at the cottage. Good lord, they weren’t college kids; they could keep their hands off each other for a little while. She drifted away and looked around the cavernous expanse. She could easily see how this had been a church, though the pews and altar were long gone. High, arched windows, some with stained glass, let light in and kept it from feeling like a gloomy, abandoned house of worship. “Tell me about your vision for the space.”

“We’re keeping the stained glass. I love the character it provides. We’ll draw that into the interior design and try to stick with a craftsman feel. Since this is an Archer property, we’ll have art that matches the pubs—Chloe’s taking care of that.”

“I’ve always loved the art in the Archer pubs. My dad’s an artist.”

Kyle glanced toward her. “Really? What kind of art?”

“Everything—paintings, sculptures, things you would never think were art.” She laughed. “Like the headdress he once made using repurposed sex toys.”

Kyle froze in his tracks and turned to face her. “What?”

“I told you my parents were strange.”

He burst out laughing, his blue-green eyes sparkling in the filtered light. “Oh my God, that’s hilarious. How do you respond to that?”

Relieved by his reaction—he could just as easily have been horrified, which is what she had been at seventeen—she smiled. “With a nod and a ‘very nice, Dad.’ It’s best not to engage too much, or he’ll talk endlessly about the symbolism and how if we all wore our sexuality out in the open, the world would be a more peaceful place.”

Kyle regained his composure and wiped a hand over his cheek. “That’s probably true, but man, I don’t think I’d want to wear a dildo on my head. Does he still have this thing?”

“I have no idea, and you can be sure I’m not asking.”

“I don’t blame you.” He shook his head. “So this will be the main dining area. Lots of tables and cozy booths. We’re putting a huge fireplace in over there.” He pointed to the rear wall, where the altar must have once been. “And if you follow me, you can see where the kitchen will go. There are some offices back here and a small kitchen.” He took her through an archway to a corridor that led to the offices and the kitchen at the back.

All the rooms were dingy and collectively contained a ramshackle assortment of furniture—odd chairs, a desk, a bookcase. The kitchen was very old—the counters had ribbed metal around the edges that held the Formica, or whatever it was, down.

She walked to the window and looked out at more overgrown bushes behind the building. “Not quite the extravagant chef’s dream like in the cottage.” She turned and found him staring at her, his gaze shadowed. “What?”

“I’m looking at a chef’s dream right now.”

Her butt was flush against the counter, a wide, discolored white sink to her right. Oh! It took her a moment to realize he meant her. But only a moment because he stalked toward her with purpose.

He thrust his hand into her hair and clasped her hip as his mouth came down hard on hers. He angled in deep, thrusting his tongue and claiming her with a fierce passion that stole her breath and her ability to think. His hand massaged her waist and hip as he pressed into her. Then he lifted her to the counter as he’d done in the cottage and spread her legs, shoving her dress up to the tops of her thighs. He splayed his hands over her flesh, his fingers kneading and stroking.

She pulled at his hair and returned his kisses, desire curling through her. Place and time fell away so that she was only aware of the scent of the body wash she’d scrubbed into him that morning, the feel of his hair against her fingertips, and the taste of his mouth—fire and need and Kyle.

He ran his hands up under the skirt of her dress and found the top of her underwear. She scooted closer to the edge as he worked the garment down over her ass. Using him as leverage, she came up off the counter so he could get the panties out from under her and strip them down her legs. He shoved them in one pocket while pulling a condom from the other.

She laughed softly. “You came prepared.”

His answering look gleamed with intensity. “Always with you.”

She flicked the button of his shorts open and pulled down his zipper, then slipped her hand inside his boxer briefs to stroke his eager cock. “So prepared,” she murmured, licking her lips as she relived the blowjob she’d given him that morning in the shower. She’d never gotten turned on by performing oral sex before, but with him, she’d practically orgasmed. She wanted to do it again to see if she could get there . . .

“You’re a naughty girl,” he breathed, accurately tracing her thoughts. “We should be quick.”

“I don’t think I can wait.”

“You are so fucking perfect.” He pulled his cock free, and she helped him roll the condom over his length.

Then he was kissing her again, ravaging her mouth while he parted her legs and put himself at her opening. His tongue thrust at the exact moment his cock surged forward, spearing into her, filling her. She groaned into his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist.

The kiss intensified as he slammed into her. There was nothing slow or sensuous about this—not like the marathon session they’d engaged in the night before at his house. This was fast and necessary, primitive. Like running for your life.

He wound his hand in her hair and pulled her head back, breaking the kiss with an almost violent tug. She gasped as his mouth latched onto her neck and sucked. Vaguely, she worried he might leave a mark, but she didn’t care. In fact, something about that excited her. This was rough and wonderful—so far from the unyielding control she’d been forced to endure before.

She reveled in the delicious feel of his body pounding into hers and let out a series of incredibly indelicate sounds as her pleasure mounted. Clasping her legs around him, she gripped his back and dug her nails into his T-shirt. “Kyle,” she moaned, so close.

He licked her neck and moved his hand down to cup her breast, squeezing her as he cried out his release. She came at the same time. Blackness veiled her brain as she lost herself to the moment. When she found her bearings again, he was heaving like he’d just run up the hill leading to the monastery—or was that her? Both of them, she realized.

He leaned his forehead against hers. “God, Maggie. That was . . . wow.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she stroked the back of his neck.

“Kyle?” The call came from the old sanctuary.

Kyle straightened, his eyes widening. “Dylan,” he mouthed. He ripped off the condom, careful to keep it from spilling, and looked around for a place to ditch it.

“Give me my underwear,” she hissed.

He pulled them from his pocket and thrust them into her hand while he disposed of the condom in a random drawer and then readjusted his shorts.