Blue Moon (2 page)

“Give her time.”

Kyle snapped out of his wanderings. “Time,” he huffed, half laughing. “Time has been all the both of us have had and nothing is resolved.”

After she moved to Phoenix they had spoken once over the telephone. After reaming him a new asshole and him not having anything new to say, she had cut off all communications. Unanswered telephone calls, letters, she had even barred him from her apartment complex when he attempted several times to visit. Her earlier rejection wasn’t really a surprise, just disappointing. He had hoped for more.

“Do you have anything different to say than you did two years ago?” Leave it to Brad to point out the obvious.

“No.” Other than he had been so lonely without her. If it wasn’t for Brad and their business, Kyle wouldn’t have any reason to remain in Seattle. His parents and brother lived in Idaho. Over the years he had struggled with the idea of moving home, giving everything up. But Idaho wasn’t home—Sam was.

Two more cars were heading up the drive. Brad waved them toward the front of the house. “Then what makes now different?” his friend asked, always the philosopher.

Nothing. That was the problem.

Brad narrowed his sights on Kyle. “She won’t listen until the status quo changes. You have to make her see that the situation has changed. You’ve changed.” Before Kyle could respond, Brad’s features twisted in a look of disgust. “Now that’s nasty.”

Kyle followed the path of Brad’s gaze which happened to be to Kyle’s shoulder. There, dripping down his chest, was a splatter of white with a large greenish-black drop of—yes—bird shit. That warm, wet feeling started to bleed through his T-shirt. He jerked the material away from his skin and stared in disbelief.

“Well fuck.”

“At least the damn thing missed your head,” Brad chuckled. Slapping Kyle playfully on the back, he added, “Go get yourself cleaned up.”

As Kyle stepped into the living room filled with large brown leather furniture and tasteful art that Mary had purchased after her husband’s death, he scanned the occupants for Sam. She wasn’t anywhere about. Before anyone could stop him, he made his way to the stairs, climbing them two at a time.

At the bedroom he had been assigned, he stopped and opened the door, turning when someone called his name.

“Cathy.” Her name came out a little strained. Staring into her eyes so like Sam’s, he felt nothing but dismay. He stepped into the room and was shocked when she followed.

“Kyle, I need to…” She glanced at his shirt and stifled a laugh behind her palm. “Not going too well since you arrived, huh?”

His gaze trailed hers to the blob of bird shit. “Not exactly.”

When their gazes met, both began to laugh, until a gasp from the hallway jerked their attention. To Kyle’s disheartenment, Sam stood in the doorway, Jennifer slightly behind her. A hurt expression sparked on Sam’s face, but was quickly replaced with a stony coldness. Without a word she turned and walked away, leaving Jennifer staring at them as if they were descendents from hell. And maybe they were.

Disappointment tightened Jennifer’s mouth. “Why?” was the only word she spoke, before turning and running down the hall. “Sam,” Kyle heard her cry out as her footsteps disappeared.

Anger rose swiftly. He glared at Cathy.

“Kyle, I didn’t mean to—”

“Just go.” He didn’t have to ask twice. Cathy spun on her toes, leaving him alone.

Kyle pinched his nose, fighting back his own sorrow, regret. There was no way Sam would listen to him now.

It was hopeless.

Chapter Two

Out of breath, Sam paused at the bottom stair. From the echoing footsteps behind her, Jennifer was hot on her heels. A sudden sense of panic overwhelmed Sam. For a moment, she couldn’t make her lungs work. There was no escape. Then trembling arms embraced her.

“I’m so sorry.” Jennifer’s grip tightened. “Sammy. I-I just don’t know what to say.” Short, gasping breaths revealed she was crying, softly, but crying nonetheless.

Damn. If her sister continued weeping then Sam would start weeping, and then it would become a big bawl-feast. A wall of emotion pushed against her eyelids, making her nose sting and her throat tighten. The only thing that kept her tears at bay was the people watching them, mainly their mother.

“There’s nothing to say.” Sam was holding on by a thread, her voice a mere whisper. “But I have to get out of here. Leave.” Get as far away from Seattle—from Cathy and Kyle—as possible.

“No! You can’t,” Jennifer sobbed, hanging on to Sam with a death grip. “Please.”

Their mother cast Sam a disapproving glare that set her further on edge. Her teeth ground together in frustration. What did all of them expect from her? Instant anger heated her cheeks, but thankfully brought her back to why she was home in the first place.

Jennifer. Her wedding. Her happiness.

Her sister had never asked Sam for anything, except to be a part of her wedding and to see that her special day was all it could be.

To hell with Cathy and Kyle
rang in Sam’s head. If only she could get her heart to feel the same way. The line between love and hate was thin—real thin and growing thinner by the minute.

“Okay, honey.” Her brittle voice held no conviction. All she had to do was ignore her nemesis. Right? She could do this. She had to. Resolve weakly in place, she lightly patted her sister’s back, changing to rub her hand in small circles. “Shhh… Jenny, you have to stop crying. I’ll stay. But you just have to let me go. I need some fresh air.”

Slowly, Jennifer removed the hold she had on Sam. “Really? You’ll stay?”

Sam nodded and tried for a smile she was sure made her look more constipated than happy. It would take a suit of emotional armor to get through the next two days, but for Jennifer she would try.

Her sister reached out, fingers closing around Sam’s wrist. “You won’t disappear like you did last time?”

No. It was time for Sam to stop running away. Life must go on.

Yeah. Right.

“Just give me a moment to compose myself. I’ll be back. I promise.” Stepping out of Jennifer’s embrace, Sam shot a quelling frown toward her mother who had moved to intercept her. “Not one word, Mom. Not one.” Her outstretched hand shook as she walked past and straight out the door.

“Hey, stranger,” Brad yelled from across the front yard.

Sam waved, but continued trudging around the house. Was it too much to ask for a little privacy? Time to repair the walls she thought were impenetrable?

“Sammy,
stop
.”

Privacy and rebuilding her defenses was obviously out of the picture. Her footsteps slowed then came to halt. The moment for solitude was lost as Brad joined her. When their gazes met, his grin faded.

“Sammy, you okay?” He resettled his glasses on his nose, a nervous habit.

“Great!” She folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself. Blinking hard didn’t stop one tear from sliding down her cheek. No use in wiping it away. The damage was already done.

“What happened?” Brad reached out and drew her into his arms.

The smell of soap and cologne assaulted Sam, but his embrace warmed her. She needed to be held and he felt so safe and strong, even if his tall, slender frame was built more for a library than a gym. He was handsome in a sort of studious way, so like her sister.

“Does Jenny know you’re upset?”

A river of silent tears broke free. She couldn’t help it.

“You know the Dawsons,” she chuckled against his chest, but there was no humor in her broken cries. “We’re all just…one.”
Hiccup
. “Big.”
Hiccup
. “Dysfunctional family.” Her shoulders sagged as she leaned into him and wept.

“Damn Kyle.”

Sam didn’t disagree with him. Instead she took his comfort, listening to the beating of his heart as she attempted to rein in her control. When the last tear was spent she inhaled and shakily released the air trapped in her lungs.

“Jenny’s all right. I promised her I’d stay.”

“You know he loves you.”

A heavy sigh rushed from her lungs. “I don’t want to talk about this.” She attempted to pull away, but Brad held on firmly.

“Dammit, Sammy, you have to listen to someone.”

Red-hot fury threatened to consume her. Her pulse a living thing, pounded in her head. “Not you too.”

“No. Not me too. But you and Kyle are my dearest friends. I’ve watched him torture himself over that night for two years. He really has no idea how Cathy ended up in his bed.”

Once again Sam attempted to break his hold and failed.

“Hell, Sammy, I put him to bed myself. Kyle couldn’t walk, much less get it up. I swear he was alone when I left.” He held her at arm’s length. “Can’t you accept that it was an accident—a horrible accident—but an accident nonetheless?”

“No,” she muttered, refusing to believe. It couldn’t have been an accident. Cathy knew the house from top to bottom. There was no way she would have stumbled into Kyle’s room at the other end of the hall from hers by mishap. As for Kyle, well, her sister’s larger breasts should have been a telltale sign that she wasn’t Sam.

“Do you really think Kyle would do that to you? Or Cathy, for that matter? Sammy, she’s your sister, for God’s sake.”

Could Brad be right?

For the briefest of moments, Sam teetered on her long-held beliefs. Then she looked Brad straight in the eyes. “They were naked. Together.”
In each other’s arms
, but she left those words unspoken. “Did you undress him before you left?”

“Uhhh…no.” He quickly added, “But it was late. I was drunk. I guess I could have stripped him to his shorts.”

If Brad was sober enough to get Kyle and him to their own rooms, then he was coherent enough to know whether he helped Kyle undress. Brad released her abruptly, causing her to sway.

“Dammit, woman. Can’t you see this is wrong?
Wrong
on so many levels. You two belong together. It’s tearing both of you apart. Not to mention those of us who love you.”

Sam didn’t know what to say, but he was right. That night had destroyed her family, Brad’s and her friendship, and that didn’t even skim the surface on what it had done to her. She didn’t date because she couldn’t trust. No. Even that was a lie. She didn’t date because no one measured up to Kyle, and she couldn’t forget his touch, his kiss—or his betrayal. Choking back a cry, she muffled it with her palm.

Dammit.
She wouldn’t live the life her mother had.

Another pregnant pause followed, until she once again was able to control herself.

“Just promise me you’ll stay until after the wedding. I want Jenny to be happy. I love her, Sammy.”

She looked into his coffee-brown eyes and brushed back a blond lock of hair from his forehead. “I know you do, Brad. I’ll do whatever it takes to make these next two days pleasant for her. And you.” She only hoped it was a promise she could keep.

Brad glanced over his shoulder. “I guess I’d better get back. What about you?”

“I think I’ll take a walk. Find my land legs,” she jested.

“Sammy?”

“Huh?”

“It’s good to have you home.” A heartbeat of a second ticked on, before he turned and headed for the house.

At last, Sam was alone.

The party was in full swing by the time Kyle saw Sam descend the stairs. Each step she took made his heart beat faster. The short black dress she wore flowed and caressed each curve. A waiter with a tray of champagne walked in front of him. He grasped a flute, his fingers curling tight around the glass, when what he wanted was to touch her, just once more. He took a drink, his hungry gaze focused on four-inch stilettos that made Sam’s legs look long and slender. Smooth legs that had tightened around his waist as he slowly made love to her. His cock twitched, coming alive.

Unconsciously, he moved forward, meeting her at the bottom of the stairs. Her cautious gaze met his, but his heart wouldn’t tell his mind what to say. Strained silence hung between them then she glanced away—the precious moment lost.

Eyelids drifting down, he inhaled the sweet scent of wildflowers that followed her as she walked past him. And he fell in love all over again. With renewed determination he opened his eyes, searching the room.

Like a predator stalking his prey, he watched her weave in and out amongst the crowd. Occasionally, she stopped and spoke to an old acquaintance. More than once her musical laughter filled the air and he swore he’d go mad with need. No one existed, but her—him—together. When she drifted out of his sight, he quickly moved until he could look upon her beauty.

The sudden clench of fingers digging into his arm jerked his attention around. Frowning, Brad leveled his glare on him. “Let it go.”

Kyle shook loose of his friend’s unfriendly grasp. “Can’t.” Brad didn’t know what he was asking of him.

“Man, you’ve got to.” He adjusted his glasses. “I won’t have you ruining this night for Jennifer or hurting Sammy. This shit’s got to stop. Maybe it would be best if you let her go.”

Disbelief widened Kyle’s eyes. “Let her go? Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”

“Can’t you see you’ve lost her—”

“Is something wrong?” Jennifer glanced from Brad to him. She slipped beneath Brad’s arm as it folded around her shoulders. He pulled her closer into his shelter, before planting a kiss atop her head.

“No. We were just discussing Italy. Kyle thinks he’s going to join us.”

“Kyle!” Jennifer’s giggle had an innocent air to it, sweet, just like the woman. As her cheeks reddened, Kyle couldn’t dispute she was the perfect woman for Brad. Releasing an exasperated breath, Kyle knew he couldn’t let his infatuation with Sam ruin this occasion for his friends.

Forcing a smile, he tweaked Jennifer’s nose. “I was pulling your fiancé’s leg. I just wanted to make sure you two lovebirds didn’t lose sight of the business end while you were over there.”

“We won’t,” she promised. “Dance with me, Brad?” The dreamy expression in her eyes as she stared up at her soon-to-be husband made Kyle’s breath catch. Sam had once looked at him like that.

Over her head, Brad shot Kyle a warning glare. “Of course, sweetheart.” Hand in hand, they walked away.