Broken Dreams (Broken Series) (8 page)

I grinned like an idiot as I thought about his lovemaking skills and got into the driver’s seat of my mother’s mini-van. Maybe I would go over to his place tonight and surprise him with a good romp. And then promise him that I would tell him. I just needed a bit more time to work up the courage.

When I pulled into the driveway, I was surprised to see all the lights off in his apartment. But the outside light was on, a beacon of invitation to me; no matter how unsure he was about us, he always made sure I felt like I mattered. I sat there in the driveway for several minutes, thinking about how lucky I was to have a guy like Baker. He was pleasant and good-natured with an amazing sense of humor. He could always make me laugh.

I got out and walked up the steps, opening the front door like I belonged there and
walking
straight into his bedroom. He was laying on his bed, propped up with an extra pillow and doing something with his phone. He looked up when he saw me and his face lit up, even more than it already was from the glow of the screen. I smiled in reaction and paused at the threshold, taking the time to just stare at him. He was naked
,
but partially covered by the sheet pulled across his legs. His arms were thick with muscle, his chest broad and
tan. His waist was trim and narrow, his hips almost non-existent beneath the cover of the sheet.

He tilted his head at me. “See something you like?” He pulled the sheet down just a bit more and I could feel my body tingle at the idea of getting my hands on him.

“Not yet, I don’t,” I said as I walked over to the bed. “But I will
.
”  I yanked the sheet off the end of the bed, revealing his beautiful naked body
,
and had to step back from the impact. I had seen him naked plenty of times, but each time was like the first, taking my breath away.

Unfortunately for me, I stepped on the edge of the sheet that was hanging from my hand. My body jerked unnaturally and my foot twisted in the thin fabric. Even as my brain told my hand to let go of the sheet, I clutched it tighter. The force of my grip on the sheet caused both my feet to come out from under me. I fell backwards, my ass slamming into the hardwood floor and then my head making a resounding crack against the wood. I closed my eyes in utter humiliation.

When I opened them,
Baker was standing near me, leaned over so his head was close to mine. There was an unmistakably glitter in his eyes as he tried to hide his smile.

“Do you have a problem staying on your feet?” he asked.

“You know, most guys would like a woman who constantly found herself on her back,” I retorted.

He snorted in laughter. “
Touché. I prefer to be the one on my back, though,” he said as he offered me a hand up.

I couldn’t even grip his hand, I was laughing so hard. I managed to sit up and he sat next to me.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come by tonight,” he whispered once the laughter died down.

“I wasn’t sure I would, either. But I wanted you to know something,” I started. Baker sucked in a breath in anticipation, obviously expecting the worst. “I’m going to tell you what’s up with me. I know that sounds lame, but I
will
tell you. I just need a couple more days, okay?”

“Take all the time you need, Rainey. I don’t expect you to share everything with me. But the fact that you want to, even if you don’t know how, makes all the difference. I would wait a thousand years to listen to something you had to tell me.”

My heart clenched and I drew his face closer to mine, anxious to kiss him and end this conversation that was precariously close to turning even more serious. I set my lips on his and when he gathered me in his arms, I knew he agreed with me about the conversation. He tasted like beer and I moaned into his mouth, loving every taste of him. His hands went to my hair, grip
p
ing my head and pulling me closer.

When I put my arms around his waist, I realized belatedly that he was naked and I was completely dressed. I started to giggle.

“Something funny?” he asked, nibbling the fullness of my lower lip.

“Well, I’m still fully clothed and you’re…not,” I giggled again.

Baker laughed against me, his shoulders shaking my body. “Let’s remedy that, then,” he suggested, rising up off the floor and helping me stand.

When I was upright, he undid the button and zipper of my jeans, pushing the material off my hips and down my legs. I stepped out of them and he made his way back to me, his hands trailing softly across my body. Goosebumps formed on my skin and I shivered with excitement. He slowly unbuttoned my shirt, paying extra attention to the chest area. My nipples strained against the fabric as he rubbed them through it. He grinned at me, enjoying watching me squirm in his arms.

He finally finished and pushed my shirt off my shoulders, letting it hit the floor. I stood there before him, almost completely naked
,
and felt a little self-conscious. My body had never been perfect, and I still wasn’t used to having a smaller figure now, even though it had been a while since I lost the weight.

As if picking up on my reservations, Baker called my attention. “Rainey, look at me. You are so exquisite, so beautiful I can barely keep my hands off you whenever I’m near you. But your beauty has little to do with your looks and the most to do with this,” he said, putting his palm over my heart.

My throat closed. How had I been lucky enough to attract this man? He was absolutely perfect, my exact match in nearly every way. Baker would walk through the fires of
H
ell for me, if I asked him to. Tears welled up in my eyes and everything went blurry.

“Don’t cry, baby,” he said, wiping a tear from my cheek. “You are truly beautiful.” Baker slipped his arm beneath my legs and lifted me up in his arms. My hands went around his neck and I smiled at him. He walked around the bed, careful to avoid the killer sheet
,
and set me on the mattress. He jumped over me onto the bed, making us
both bounce.

I laughed and more tears escaped my eyes.

Chapter Eight

Baker

I wiped more tears from her cheeks and smiled at her. Rainey was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I’d ever encountered. She returned my smile and I leaned down to kiss her gently. Even though I was primed and ready for a romp in the sack, I wanted her to know that what was between us was more than just sex for me.

So I rolled onto my back and dragged her over to me so that her head was cradle
d
in the crook of my neck. Her left hand trailed down my chest toward my erection
,
but I grabbed her hand and brought it back up to my chest.

I kissed her forehead. “Let’s just enjoy each other’s company,” I suggested. I heard her sigh and smiled with satisfaction.

Whether she liked it or not, I would make her fall in love with me before the summer ended. And I’d make her mine forever. If that meant moving to LA with her in the fall, I was okay with that, too. The bar was stressful and I was positive I could find a job in LA without any problems. I shook my head at my thoughts. I hadn’t even told her I loved her yet and I was planning our future together. But I did love her.

I loved her so much my heart ached every time I looked at her pretty green eyes, every time I heard her infectious laughter – she was perfect. If she needed time, I was okay with it, but there was no way I was letting her go again. When she moved to LA, I wished I had the courage to tell her about the way I felt about her then, but it wasn’t meant to be…yet. Once she told me her news, I would tell her how much I loved her, how she was the sun in my life, shining her brightness into the dark recesses of my body and soul.

Rainey curled into me, rubbing her face across my
chest.

“How do you always know the right thing to say?” she whispered with a sigh. Her eyes were closed and my grin widened as I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t. But it’s good that you think so,” I
replied
. Her body rumbled next to mine as she stifled a laugh.
We fell asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

The next morning, I woke to fins her staring at me.

“Tell me something,” she demanded.

“Anything.”

“When I tell you, do you promise not to freak out?”

I didn’t answer her right away. The seriousness of her tone suggested she was completely serious, and although I had never
freaked out
about anything in my life, I wasn’t so sure I could make that promise.

“Define
freak out.
”

She laughed nervously. “You know, like tell me I’m an idiot or yell at me, or even… Leave me
.
”
S
he looked somber and I wanted to smother her fears.

“Well I sure as hell won’t
leave
you, Rainey. We have a pretty good thing going, don’t you think?”

“I do. Which is why I’m worried that you’ll leave once you know,” she trailed off, her eyes closing again.

“If you’re dreading it so much, just tell me,” I demanded, angry with myself for already pushing the subject when I told her I wouldn’t. I just couldn’t help myself.

“I
can’t
.” Her voice broke and she pulled away from me, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her knees. She shivered.

“Rainey, you do realize that this isn’t just some damn summer fling for me, right?” I asked, as close as I would get to admitting that I loved her. “I want us to be together for more than just a few weeks in the sunshine.”

She turned to glare at me. “No, Baker. That’s not how this works. We only agreed to a summer fling and I am not about to get caught up in the idea that we could be together for any amount of time, because it’s just not possible!” She got up off the bed and threw on one of my
T
-shirts. It reached the tops of her thighs, effectively covering her body. When she turned back to me, her eyes were pools of emerald fire.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Chris Baker – I am in control of this relationship. I say when it ends, not you!” she spat. I knew I must look like an idiot, staring at her, slack-jawed and silent, but I had a hard time wrapping my head around her words.

Here I was, deep in love with this woman and she was pushing me away
again
, and there was nothing I could say to derail this tragic train wreck. So I let my anger get the best of me.

“Of course it is, Rainey. You’re wrong on one aspect, though – this isn’t a relationship
.
” I stalked toward her and she covered her naked body protectively. I put my face close to hers and enunciated every word. “A real relationship doesn’t involve massive amounts of control by one person and forcing the other person to do whatever she wants him to do. I’m not some brainless oaf who you can just push around. You don’t get to just make me fall in love with you and then stomp all over m
e like a heartless bitch!” I stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door so hard the mirror shook.

I turned on the sink and splashed cold water over my burning face. My pulse raced and I stared at myself in the mirror, noting my left eyelid twitching uncontrollably. My breaths were ragged, my fists clenched at my sides so tight my fingernails bit into my palms. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten into her space. The worst part was, I didn’t have any excuse.

Anger was hardly a new sensation to me, but this fierce possessiveness I felt toward Rainey was novel to me. I was a self-proclaimed perpetual bachelor – when did I turn into some lovesick pup? I might not like it, but I could hardly do anything to control my feelings for her. She was an amazing woman and I was an ass for treating her that way.

With a deep breath, I shut off the running water and opened up the bathroom door, ready to apologize for my behavior.

My bedroom was empty. Even though my gut told me Rainey wasn’t somewhere else in the apartment, I searched the living room and kitchen anyway. She was gone.

Smooth move, Baker. Real smooth.

Chapter Nine

Rainey

I ran out of Baker’s apartment and had no idea where to go. My first reaction was to go to Mallory or Gabby, but they wanted me to be with Baker and they would probably side with him. Hell, they pretty much already had. And so had Luke. They all thought I should tell Baker and they pushed and pushed until I had broken.

I wasn’t in a place to make undying vows of love to Baker, even though he clearly had feelings for me. My shock at his announcement of falling in love with me had gone unnoticed as he continued his tirade. When he went into the bathroom, I booked it out of there as fast as I could, afraid of him. Not physically, of course. Baker would never lay a hand on me, but his love was fierce and demanding, two things I just couldn’t handle right now.