read his face. It’s shut off to me, except for the tightness in his jaw. I don’t know whether the fact he had to lie to his brother pisses him off, or if it’s the idea of me sleeping in Tom’s bed.
Not that it matters. Because what just happened, it can’t happen again. Not as long as Mace Hadley is planning on staying in Reverence. Playing with him is like playing with fire and there is no way I’ll get away unscathed. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, but fool me a third time… I don’t want to know what that feels like. “No. I’m heading home as soon as I can get off of here.”
“Fair enough.” Yawning, he stretches his arms above his head and disappears into the living room.
“How about I make it real easy for you to leave?” Mace mutters under his breath, then he’s picking me up and carrying me across the kitchen to put me down away from the mess. “Wouldn’t want you to have to lie to anyone else.”
“They can’t know,” I say to his back as he walks away from me. “Besides, what good would it do? It’s not like it’s going to happen again.”
“Exactly. So go home, Chelsea. I’ll clean up your mess.”
Chapter Five
Mace
“I can’t believe we got married last night.” I grin as I roll onto my side. Six years since the last time I saw her, and time hasn’t made a dint in the way I feel about her. Knowing she went after Rush back then, struggling to keep my feelings in check around her doesn’t matter anymore, because she fucking married me. She’s mine, and whatever was between her and Rush is gone.
The wrinkled sheets are cool under my palm from where the covers are thrown almost to the end of the bed. The smile slides right off my face as I sit up and glance around the empty hotel room. My bag’s on the bureau, my shirt and pants a pile on the floor beside the bed. She’s not in the room, or the bathroom. In fact there’s nothing to suggest she was ever fucking here. A hot pocket of something bubbles up in my chest as I shower and dress.
Un-fucking-believable. I thought we’d finally gotten it right. Well, as close to right as a quickie wedding in Vegas can be. But it was only because I have to deploy soon. We talked about doing it properly when I’m back on home soil.
My cell buzzes, and I pick it up, answer it, find out the rest of my leave’s been cancelled.
I have to go back, and I have a missing wife to track down. Finding her doesn’t end up being difficult. She’s in her hotel room. From where I’m standing in the hall outside her door, I can hear her moving around, talking. Then a male voice, my brother’s voice.
The pattern doesn’t change. Not even with a ring and a bit of paper that says she wants to be with me. Shifting my duffel on my shoulder, I raise my hand to knock.
“It’s so good to see you again, Chels. You’re as stunning as ever. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let you go.”
“Stop it, Rush. You don’t need to put the charm on me. You know that isn’t why I asked you to come to my room. I want to…” Her laughter has me bristling, my jaw clenching so tight my teeth clack together. The hot pocket of annoyance rapidly becomes volcanic.
My brother and my wife. That’s something I never thought I would have to deal with. But why should this time be any different? Just because she’s mine now instead of his. We were never good at keeping those boundaries. Besides both of us were drunk last night. No doubt it was all the heat of the moment, the alcohol, the insane lust that clouds my judgement each and every time with her.
My cell buzzes. Spinning on my heel, I yank it from my pocket. I’m out of time.
For the past couple days this memory has played over and over in my head while I ran. And I’ve been running a hell of a lot. Between Tom’s overcrowded house and my inability to sleep it’s the one thing that’s keeping me sane. Except now, not so much, because it gives me time to
Not that it matters. Because what just happened, it can’t happen again. Not as long as Mace Hadley is planning on staying in Reverence. Playing with him is like playing with fire and there is no way I’ll get away unscathed. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, but fool me a third time… I don’t want to know what that feels like. “No. I’m heading home as soon as I can get off of here.”
“Fair enough.” Yawning, he stretches his arms above his head and disappears into the living room.
“How about I make it real easy for you to leave?” Mace mutters under his breath, then he’s picking me up and carrying me across the kitchen to put me down away from the mess. “Wouldn’t want you to have to lie to anyone else.”
“They can’t know,” I say to his back as he walks away from me. “Besides, what good would it do? It’s not like it’s going to happen again.”
“Exactly. So go home, Chelsea. I’ll clean up your mess.”
Chapter Five
Mace
“I can’t believe we got married last night.” I grin as I roll onto my side. Six years since the last time I saw her, and time hasn’t made a dint in the way I feel about her. Knowing she went after Rush back then, struggling to keep my feelings in check around her doesn’t matter anymore, because she fucking married me. She’s mine, and whatever was between her and Rush is gone.
The wrinkled sheets are cool under my palm from where the covers are thrown almost to the end of the bed. The smile slides right off my face as I sit up and glance around the empty hotel room. My bag’s on the bureau, my shirt and pants a pile on the floor beside the bed. She’s not in the room, or the bathroom. In fact there’s nothing to suggest she was ever fucking here. A hot pocket of something bubbles up in my chest as I shower and dress.
Un-fucking-believable. I thought we’d finally gotten it right. Well, as close to right as a quickie wedding in Vegas can be. But it was only because I have to deploy soon. We talked about doing it properly when I’m back on home soil.
My cell buzzes, and I pick it up, answer it, find out the rest of my leave’s been cancelled.
I have to go back, and I have a missing wife to track down. Finding her doesn’t end up being difficult. She’s in her hotel room. From where I’m standing in the hall outside her door, I can hear her moving around, talking. Then a male voice, my brother’s voice.
The pattern doesn’t change. Not even with a ring and a bit of paper that says she wants to be with me. Shifting my duffel on my shoulder, I raise my hand to knock.
“It’s so good to see you again, Chels. You’re as stunning as ever. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let you go.”
“Stop it, Rush. You don’t need to put the charm on me. You know that isn’t why I asked you to come to my room. I want to…” Her laughter has me bristling, my jaw clenching so tight my teeth clack together. The hot pocket of annoyance rapidly becomes volcanic.
My brother and my wife. That’s something I never thought I would have to deal with. But why should this time be any different? Just because she’s mine now instead of his. We were never good at keeping those boundaries. Besides both of us were drunk last night. No doubt it was all the heat of the moment, the alcohol, the insane lust that clouds my judgement each and every time with her.
My cell buzzes. Spinning on my heel, I yank it from my pocket. I’m out of time.
For the past couple days this memory has played over and over in my head while I ran. And I’ve been running a hell of a lot. Between Tom’s overcrowded house and my inability to sleep it’s the one thing that’s keeping me sane. Except now, not so much, because it gives me time to
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