it didn’t seem very logical anymore. In fact, the more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Why couldn’t she stand by someone’s side and still be Scarlet Montgomery? Still be strong? Still be herself ?
And if the others had a problem with it, if it changed the way they saw her, wasn’t that their problem?
Twenty-One
Rowen was still standing there when Kane appeared on the sidewalk carrying a cardboard tray bearing two paper coffee cups.
“Early morning?” The other man grinned at Rowen. “Or late night?”
Rowen sighed. “I think I’ll plead the fifth on that one.” He eyed the coffee cups. “Coffee machine broken?”
“They’re caramel macchiatos, Lily’s favorite.”
“Lily Montgomery?”
Rowen could have sworn the other warrior blushed. “She does a lot for us. You know, cooking and everything. It’s just a way to say thank you.”
Rowen chuckled. “Right.” He tipped his head at the cups. “Well, enjoy. The coffee and the company.”
He turned away, but Kane’s voice brought him back.
“Seems you have your eye on another Montgomery girl.”
Kane looked at him. “Don’t go there. No point.”
“For you or for her?”
“For either of us.”
Kane gave him a knowing nod. “Really?”
“Okay, probably more for her,” Rowen admitted. “She’s not into it.”
Kane seemed to consider his words before speaking. “I’d bet money that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“Scarlet’s had to fight for her position in the Guard. More than any of us. She doesn’t want to lose everything she’s worked for, that’s all.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Kane sighed. “You don’t know much about relationships, do you?”
Rowen thought about it. “Women, yes. Relationships … I guess not.”
“She just needs to know you’re going to stand next to her. Not in front of her. Get it?”
“What? That we’re equals?” Rowen asked, hope sparking like a live wire in his chest.
“Scarlet’s a warrior,” Kane said. “Like you. Like me. Would you let someone take that from you?”
Rowen shook his head.
“So, go after her, man. Fight for her. I’d say she’s a woman worth fighting for.”
Kane headed up the walkway to the house, leaving Rowen standing on the sidewalk, Kane’s words echoing through his mind.
Twenty-Two
Scarlet ducked outside, her father’s words reverberating through her mind.
If we are not working to preserve the beauty in life, the goodness, and yes, the love, what is our work for?
She sat at one of the iron tables on the back patio and dropped her head in her hands. The sound of boots crunching on gravel got her attention. Great. The last thing she needed was to make small talk with one of the guys. Or worse, to listen to one of Ivan’s tirades.
But when she lifted her eyes, Rowen stood solid and immoveable in front of her.
He reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet. They were inches apart, but the temptation, the heat was still there, the draw of his body like a magnet to hers.
“I thought about what you said.” His voice was gruff. “About not being able to deal with a relationship right now. About not needing the distraction.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “It’s what I told myself, too.”
She swallowed. “And?”
He pulled her hard against him. “It’s bullshit. We both know it.”
She shook her head, some distant part of her trained to fight for her independence even when it was the last thing she really wanted. “It’s not. It’s—”
He put a finger to her lips. “Do you think that I would tame you? Do you think I’d even try?” He shook his head. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Scarlet. So wild. Do you think I’d want you any other way?”
She was too breathless to answer. She could only look at him, the hope buried in her heart blossoming like a flower after a long, cold winter.
“Don’t you see, Scarlet? I want you. Not for one night or five, but for all of my nights and all
And if the others had a problem with it, if it changed the way they saw her, wasn’t that their problem?
Twenty-One
Rowen was still standing there when Kane appeared on the sidewalk carrying a cardboard tray bearing two paper coffee cups.
“Early morning?” The other man grinned at Rowen. “Or late night?”
Rowen sighed. “I think I’ll plead the fifth on that one.” He eyed the coffee cups. “Coffee machine broken?”
“They’re caramel macchiatos, Lily’s favorite.”
“Lily Montgomery?”
Rowen could have sworn the other warrior blushed. “She does a lot for us. You know, cooking and everything. It’s just a way to say thank you.”
Rowen chuckled. “Right.” He tipped his head at the cups. “Well, enjoy. The coffee and the company.”
He turned away, but Kane’s voice brought him back.
“Seems you have your eye on another Montgomery girl.”
Kane looked at him. “Don’t go there. No point.”
“For you or for her?”
“For either of us.”
Kane gave him a knowing nod. “Really?”
“Okay, probably more for her,” Rowen admitted. “She’s not into it.”
Kane seemed to consider his words before speaking. “I’d bet money that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“Scarlet’s had to fight for her position in the Guard. More than any of us. She doesn’t want to lose everything she’s worked for, that’s all.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Kane sighed. “You don’t know much about relationships, do you?”
Rowen thought about it. “Women, yes. Relationships … I guess not.”
“She just needs to know you’re going to stand next to her. Not in front of her. Get it?”
“What? That we’re equals?” Rowen asked, hope sparking like a live wire in his chest.
“Scarlet’s a warrior,” Kane said. “Like you. Like me. Would you let someone take that from you?”
Rowen shook his head.
“So, go after her, man. Fight for her. I’d say she’s a woman worth fighting for.”
Kane headed up the walkway to the house, leaving Rowen standing on the sidewalk, Kane’s words echoing through his mind.
Twenty-Two
Scarlet ducked outside, her father’s words reverberating through her mind.
If we are not working to preserve the beauty in life, the goodness, and yes, the love, what is our work for?
She sat at one of the iron tables on the back patio and dropped her head in her hands. The sound of boots crunching on gravel got her attention. Great. The last thing she needed was to make small talk with one of the guys. Or worse, to listen to one of Ivan’s tirades.
But when she lifted her eyes, Rowen stood solid and immoveable in front of her.
He reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet. They were inches apart, but the temptation, the heat was still there, the draw of his body like a magnet to hers.
“I thought about what you said.” His voice was gruff. “About not being able to deal with a relationship right now. About not needing the distraction.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “It’s what I told myself, too.”
She swallowed. “And?”
He pulled her hard against him. “It’s bullshit. We both know it.”
She shook her head, some distant part of her trained to fight for her independence even when it was the last thing she really wanted. “It’s not. It’s—”
He put a finger to her lips. “Do you think that I would tame you? Do you think I’d even try?” He shook his head. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Scarlet. So wild. Do you think I’d want you any other way?”
She was too breathless to answer. She could only look at him, the hope buried in her heart blossoming like a flower after a long, cold winter.
“Don’t you see, Scarlet? I want you. Not for one night or five, but for all of my nights and all
Similar Books
