Love Me Reckless (Love Me Dangerous #2)

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

SAWYER

Watching her grapple with this decision is precious. Under normal circumstances, I’m not good at waiting, but for Kirilee, I somehow have all the patience in the world.

Finally, she slips her palm in mine. I grab her robe and my towel and lead her to the back gate.

“Um, dinner is this way,” Ava says with a curious twitch of her lips.

“We’ll catch up,” Kirilee says over her shoulder.

I’m secretly content it’s just us. Not that I’m trying to keep her from her friends… but I like this dare being ours and only ours.

Selfish, yeah.

I may not be able to give her fancy hotel stays or a giant diamond ring, but I can stand by her.

We exit the pool gate and follow a short, sandy path to the long dock extending into the darkness.

The boards squeak under our footsteps and the lake’s fresh scent fills the air. The boat slips lining both sides are empty. Kirilee is still holding my hand, warming me just from her touch .

“It’s really dark,” she says, her voice tight.

“It’s the same water as in the daytime. It’s even the same temperature as the summer, give a few degrees.”

“Right.”

We get to the end of the dock. I watch her face as she peers over the edge and takes a slow inhale.

“Will you get in with me?”

“You think I’d let you have all the fun? Of course I’m getting in with you.” I squeeze her hand. “You want me to go first?”

“Yes, please.”

She spins around and shuts her eyes.

I whip off my trunks. The cold air makes my skin jolt. “Okay, here goes.”

I try to think warm thoughts as I leap from the dock. The cold water slaps the soles of my feet and swallows me. When I come up, I hold in my gasp. It’s actually not as frigid as I’d expected, but my nuts might not thaw out until spring.

Treading water, I spin away to give her privacy. “Okay, your turn.”

“Brr!” she says.

Over the swish of water and my quick breaths, I hear her slip off her wet suit. “Okay,” she says. Gone is the fear from her tone. She sounds excited. Eager.

With a whoop, she splashes into the water.

I spin around as she comes up spluttering. Blinking her eyes open, she wipes the hair from her face with one hand while treading water.

“Wow.” Her teeth chatter but she smiles.

I laugh. “How does it feel?”

“Amazing.” Her limbs are a pale blur beneath the water as she works to stay afloat. “But weird too. Like the water is… more slippery. How can that be?”

“Maybe it’s just a new feeling. ”

She leans back to float, her eyes on the sky. The new position brings the swell of her breasts and her dainty kneecaps above the surface. I tear my gaze away before she notices.

“What do you see up there?” I ask.

“The North Star,” she replies, breathing fast from the exertion. “The Big Dipper. Cassiopeia.”

Scissoring my legs to keep afloat, I glance up. “Which one’s Cassiopeia?”

She points to the north. “She looks like a W. That’s her throne. It’s across from the Big Dipper.”

“Is she royalty?”

“A queen. She got banished to the sky for her bad behavior.”

“Poor queenie.”

“She deserved it, trust me.”

“I guess if you’re gonna be exiled, it’s not a bad place to hang out.”

“True.” Kirilee sighs, but it catches, like she’s getting cold. “Thank you for the encouragement.”

“Hot tub wish list all the way, right?”

She laughs, and her teeth give a little chatter. “Should we… get out?”

My chest feels frozen, and my fingers are throbbing. If she’s as cold as I am, she’s tougher than she looks. “Why don’t you go first? Wrap up in that robe. I’ll be right behind you.”

Water splashes and her breaths echo as she strokes over to the ladder on the side of the dock. When she climbs up, her silhouette becomes backlit by the distant resort lights.

I look away, but not before I catch the golden beads of water on her milky skin and the outline of her gorgeous curves.

It was only a glimpse, and a stolen one at that, but I’m not going to forget it anytime soon.

While she slips into her robe, I climb the ladder and wrap my towel around my waist .

“What about… my suit?” she asks, her face tense.

“What, you wanna put it back on?”

“No.”

“Nobody will know you’re naked under there.” I point at the fluffy white hotel robe wrapped around her.

“You will.”

I smile. “Your secret’s safe with me. Come on. You need a hot shower and some food.”

We walk down the dock, retracing our earlier footprints. The cool night air on my wet skin gives me goosebumps but being in the water like that gave me a rush, and I’m still feeling it. Like I’m somehow more alive right now than I was ten minutes ago.

“That story about the dress,” she says. “I’ve never told anyone.”

That she’s bringing this up sits heavy on my chest. Especially in this moment. So I risk sharing what’s on my mind. “Just for the record, I think it’s shitty, what he did.”

We pass through the empty pool deck, pausing for our shoes.

“At first, I was confused,” she says. “Why did he think this was okay? It made me feel like something was wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you.” I give her a sideways glance. “What’s wrong is the guy you’re supposed to marry wanting to change your body to serve some purpose.”

Her eyes turn troubled. “At least it was only temporary.”

“And that makes it okay?” I open the door to the lodge for her. Our eyes lock in the soft light.

“No,” she says in a quiet voice.

We walk side by side to the elevator, our shoes squeaking. From down the long hallway in the lobby, a fire crackles in the giant hearth.

Inside the elevator, Kirilee leans back against the mirrored wall and sighs.

“The pictures of me that night are awful. I’m pale, and I look like I’m about to cry.”

“Compared to tonight, how do you feel? ”

She gives me a curious glance, so I put my hands on her shoulders and gently spin her around. Her eyes find mine in the reflection.

“Do you look pale and unhappy?” I ask.

She glances at herself, her face going still, like she’s taking this seriously. “No.”

I raise an eyebrow, and she laughs.

The elevator doors open, and we step into the hallway. I walk her to her suite. Her friends yank the door open, filling the hallway with a burst of music and their laughter, and drag Kirilee inside. She looks back, flashing me a thoughtful glance before the door closes behind her.

While the girls get ready, Zach and I kill time in the game room.

“This place is first class,” I say while we rack up a game of pool.

“It’s really generous of Kirilee to pick up the tab,” Zach says, dusting the tip of his stick.

“We’re still buying tonight though, right?” I tuck away the frame and grab a cue.

“Yep, Sofie and Ava are making sure she doesn’t bring her wallet. Just her ID.” He lines up and breaks. The nine drops into a side pocket.

“Does Kirilee’s wealth ever come between them?”

Zach moves around the table and lines up another shot. “Not that I’ve seen.”

“That’s kind of amazing. It could easily get weird.” He misses, so I move in, aiming for a corner shot.

“It’s another reason her parents are so wary of outsiders.”

I drop the four, then tap the six in a side pocket. “Have you crossed paths with them?”

“Yeah. After the investigation and everything, they asked to meet me.”

“What are they like?” I move to the other side of the table and set up for another corner shot.

“Reserved. Serious. I get the feeling her dad’s crazy smart. Her mom kind of has that regal air about her, but she seemed, I don’t know… cold?”

I drop another ball, then stand up to survey the table. “Where does Kirilee get all that warmth from?”

“She’s really close with her grandmother. I guess she’s kind of a character.”

Thinking about this blows my concentration, and I miss my next shot, paving the way for Zach to sink three in a row.

“Does her grandmother approve of this stupid marriage?”

He shoots me a warning look. “Who knows? The workings of the super-rich are beyond our comprehension.”

“It’s not hard to see she’s going to be miserable.”

“We don’t exactly have a say, though, do we?” He tilts his head.

I rub the back of my neck. “Right. I’m not going to pretend I like it, though.”

Zach and I are waiting at the hostess stand when we hear the girls coming down the hallway.

Kirilee rounds the corner, her cheeks rosy and her lips a soft shade of pink. Her long hair falls in loose curls about her gorgeous face, and her green Western shirt with pearl buttons is a perfect match for her eyes. The faded jeans that hug her curves tucked into cowboy boots is enough to make my breath hitch in my throat.

Zach gives a groan as Sofie comes into view dressed in a similar getup.

“You wanna stay behind tonight, I’ll take good care of Ava and Kirilee at the bar.”

“Shit, don’t tempt me.” His face tenses with emotion. “I love Sofie so much. I cannot get enough of her.”

At that moment, Sofie’s eyes lock with Zach’s, and a look of pure heat fires between them.

“Looks like you’re not alone.” I slap him on the back, and he laughs.

After a quick dinner in the dining room, Zach and I drive the girls into town. Darby is more urban than Finn River but still has that Western feel. There’s a rodeo grounds, a bronze elk sculpture in the city’s main square, wooden boardwalks lining both sides of main street, and a lot of cowboy hats for sale in the shops.

After we park Kirilee’s BMW, Ava and Sofie whip out a pair of pink light-up cowgirl hats for her and Ava, and a white one, veil included, for Kirilee.

“You guys are too much!” Kirilee says through her laughter.

Ava sets the hat on her head and claps. “It looks so good on you!”

“Come on, bride-to-be, time to kick up some dust,” Sofie says, and slings her arm through Kirilee’s.

Zach and I fall in behind them. “You ready for this?” he asks with a smirk.

“Born ready.”

He laughs.

Inside the Sweetwater Saloon, it’s loud and busy. The booths along the left side and the long bar on the right are packed with people. A country rock band plays in the back, in front of a small dance floor crowded with people dancing. Patrons stare at the girls in their light-up hats as we squeeze into a spot at the bar. I scan the room for anyone looking a little too long. I want it known from the start that our girls are off-limits.

One of the bartenders heads our way. While the girls order, I use the mirror to finish my sweep, but I don’t find any lingering gazes.

“Okay, before the night is over, you have to accomplish at least five of these,” Ava says over the din, whipping out her phone. I peer over her shoulder as she reads the list.

“Kiss a bald guy’s head. Do a shot. Dance on the bar. Make a song request. Photo bomb a random group shot. Selfie in the men’s bathroom. Get an article of clothing from a stranger. Flash someone. Selfie with a guy with a mullet. Make a speech in a foreign language. Do a Charlie’s Angels pose. Get a guy to give you a condom.”

Kirilee puts her face in her hands. “Can I change my mind and we can go back to the hotel for a quiet night instead? ”

Sofie puts her arm around Kirilee. “If that’s what you want, say the word.”

The bartender arrives with three shots of tequila.

Kirilee bites her lip as she glances at each of us, as if drawing courage from her posse. “Promise you won’t let me get too crazy?”

Sofie lifts her shot glass. “We promise.”

Ava raises hers. “To Kirilee, the sweetest bride-to-be.”

They clink glasses, and like the lightweights they are, each of them takes a dainty sip.

Kirilee coughs. She reaches for a lime and sucks on it. “Woo. That’s really strong.”

Sofie downs the rest of hers and fans herself. “Whoa.” She grabs a lime as Ava eyes Kirilee.

“Ready?”

The two down the last of their shot and set the empty glass down. While they race off to the dance floor, I flag the waiter down and slip him my credit card.

When I turn away, something in the mirror above the bar catches my eye. My pulse throbs in my ears as I slowly spin, bracing myself.

But the guy turning to face me, like he’s sensed me staring, isn’t Sheldon.

I look away, relief sinking through me. There’s no way Shel is here, but for that brief moment, I relived the last time we said goodbye, the things we said to each other. And didn’t say.

On the dance floor, Zach is spinning Sofie around while Kirilee and Ava dance close together, their light-up hats making them easy to spot. I move to the side wall so I can keep a careful watch.

When the song ends, Ava and Kirilee weave to the front of the stage, and Ava beckons to the lead singer, an older guy in a cowboy hat and black Western shirt and jeans. I love the gentle way he smiles at them, like he knows he’s in on the party, and how he nods and steps back to consult his band.

To my surprise, when the song starts, it’s one I remember from the radio station that was always on in the train yard garage .

Kirilee spots me and hurries over. “Dance with us!”

I let her take my hand and tug me to the center of the floor, the music a pleasant throb in my ears. Kirilee’s hand is so small in mine, and practically hot to the touch. A shiver rolls through my belly.

The three of us jump around in our little circle, singing along. I twirl Kirilee then Ava, both of them laughing, their cheeks rosy from dancing and smiling so much.

When my mom was alive, she used to dance with me. Her favorite song would come on and she’d drop whatever she was doing and pull me to my feet. The trailer wasn’t spacious but that didn’t matter. I remember how her face would flush and her eyes would light up. “Girls love a boy who can dance,” she would say with a smile. In those moments, it was easy to forget that we were always broke or that Shel was in trouble at school or that mom’s boss was harassing her again.

The girls must know the next song because they both squeal and clutch each other tight. It’s a sappy love song but it’s catchy, and the lyrics hit home in a way that makes my chest feel tight. Do I make you feel like dancin’ real slow… Baby I need to know.

Kirilee sings along, her wavy curls all around her face as she sways her hips and spins like she doesn’t have a care in the world. It’s devastating to think that her future looks nothing like this. Her husband will never take her to a bar for a night of dancing and carefree fun. He’ll never beg to know what’s on her mind, and he’ll never put her needs above his own.

The crushing weight of it lands heavy inside my heart, making me wince.

Like Zach said, we can’t change the course of her life.

But I can stand by her, make sure she never dampens that light of hers.

Not for anyone.

She grabs my hands and swings them side to side as she belts out the lyrics. I spin her around, her hair fanning out, framing her gorgeous face. The song ends, and I pull her to me. Both of us are breathing hard, our bodies warm from the dancing and the heat of so many bodies in such a small space.

“Thanks for being a part of this,” Kirilee says softly in my ear.

“Thanks for including me.” The rise and fall of her panting breaths brings her body into contact with mine. Desire for more flickers to life inside me. It feels so good to have her close. It makes me want things—things I can’t have.

I groan inwardly as the desire grows heavy and thick in my veins.

Because this night will end the way it should—with Kirilee safely tucked away with her friends, and me in my room, alone.

By the time we close down the bar, Zach and I have managed to get the girls to drink several glasses of water. I settle the tab and the bartender gives me a grin. “You take care now,” he says, nodding at the rest of my party tucked into a booth. “What a sweetheart.”

I glance in the mirror. Kirilee’s face is animated as she argues with Ava about something, then she erupts in a fit of laughter, leaning against Sofie.

“She is,” I say.

Back at the booth, I rap my knuckles on the table. “Okay, gang, time to mosey.”

“Nooo,” Kirilee groans while Zach pulls Sofie to her feet. “We’re still having fun.”

Ava puts her arm across Kirilee’s shoulders and hums a soft sigh.

“Okay, okay,” Kirilee moans.

I reach for Kirilee’s hand and help her out of the booth, making sure she’s steady on her feet before I let her go.

Kirilee turns to the bartender. “Bye! Thank you!” Her legs wobble but Ava wraps her arm around her waist to steady her.

We make our way to Kirilee’s car and I help Ava get Kirilee settled in the back. During the drive, the girls talk in quiet tones, interrupted by giggles, but by the time we pull up to the hotel, Kirilee is asleep on Ava’s shoulder.

“I got her.” I reach in and lift Kirilee. She curls into me, her face relaxed, her long legs dangling over my arm. We crowd into the elevator and Zach pushes the button for our floor, then wraps Sofie in his arms, cradling her against him.

In the quiet hallway, I carry Kirilee to the girls’ door. Ava lets us in, and I follow her to Kirilee’s room. It’s dark, but the light from outside the windows gives me enough detail to make out the big bed. Ava opens the covers and I set Kirilee gently in the middle.

“Night, princess,” I say, and kiss her on the forehead.