Every Breath (22 page)

We go back inside just when they’re hooking Darcy up to an I.V., and Dr. Luciano finishes reviewing her tests. She is still waiting on her blood tests to come back, but she said her x-rays looked great, which is a huge relief. Her main concern is just what she said earlier: dehydration. So, she wants to keep her overnight, for sure, if not a little longer.

Darcy is certainly not enjoying the tubes and wires stuck all over her, so the doctor gives her something to make her sleepy. After I peek outside to make sure that Drew’s truck is gone from the coffee shop, Sawyer decides to go ahead and go because he has to meet an electrician at my house, but I stay at her side for a bit, rubbing her tummy and scratching her favorite spot behind her ears, until she’s sleeping soundly. Dr. Luciano promises to give me a call when all of the tests come back, so I reluctantly leave Darcy in her capable hands for the night. As much as I don’t want to leave her, I know they’ll take excellent care of her, and she’ll be getting pumped full of medicine to make her feel better.

After I make sure Kate has my cell phone number, I walk out to my car and find Drew leaning against the driver’s side door. He must’ve been watching all along and knew that Sawyer had already left.

“You know,” he says as I approach him cautiously, “I find it pretty interesting that, for months, anytime I came near you, you’d practically hyperventilate. And now this guy comes along, and a couple days later, I catch you sucking face with him in an alley. After that show you put on out there in front of everybody, I’d be willing to bet that’s not all you’re sucking. Actually, I’d love to talk to him and find out how good that sweet ass is since I’m the one that worked for it for so long. He should thank me. I did all the work, and he’s getting all the benefits.”

I stop on the other side of my car, wanting to have some kind of barricade from him. “Drew, this has nothing to do with you. I said all I needed to say to you the other night, and I’m not going to discuss it any further. You need to just stay away from me.”

“Oooh, and you didn’t
deny
the fact that you’re screwing him either, so I guess I’m right about that. If I had to guess, I’d say you probably gave it up that night you left me. You sure didn’t waste any time going to his house.”

“How do you know I was there? Are you following me now?”

He cackles like a hyena. “Seriously? He lives on the same highway as I do. Do you really think I wouldn’t notice your car there?”

“He lives miles outside of town. You shouldn’t have any reason to go by there.”

“Well,” he drawls out. “I did that night. I was upset and wanted to go for a drive.”

I don’t believe a word that’s coming out of his mouth. “Let me give you some advice. Stay away from me, Drew. I mean it. Don’t call, don’t follow me, and if you see me at school or on the street, you better act like you don’t even know me. We’re over. End of story.”

A sly grin spreads his lips, and he starts walking around the car toward me. “Oh? Well, what are you going to do about it if I don’t take your advice?”

With every step he takes, I take another one in retreat. Backing away from him slowly, I try to calculate how quickly I can get back inside the vet’s office if he comes at me. “I’ll file a restraining order. Think of what that will do to your new coaching job, or even your job here.”

“So,” he shrugs. “I didn’t have that job anyway. I put in for it, but I didn’t get it. I just wanted to get you away from here, so I’d have you all to myself. I knew that I could get a job with the team eventually. And after a meeting with the school board and superintendent earlier this week, I was asked to resign. Effective immediately. They accused me of abusing prescription pain killers, and the damn drug test they did was rigged, I know it. Don’t you see how everything is falling apart without you in my life?”

An opiate addiction would explain a lot of his behaviors lately, actually. But it doesn’t explain everything. “The weekend you flew to Indianapolis for the interview?” I’m afraid I’m not ever going to get out of here without an intervention, so I slip my hand into my pocket and hit the call button twice, knowing it will redial the most recent call. Sawyer. My house is not far from here, so it shouldn’t take him long to get to me.

“It was a necessary lie. I went up there, but they shot me down. I ended up meeting up with some old friends and getting so drunk that I missed my flight back. I had to wait until the next day.”

I’m not sure why I didn’t see it before. He’s completely freaking insane. I hear Sawyer’s muffled answer, so I try to let him know what’s going on without Drew knowing. “Just stay away from me, Drew.” I raise my voice a little higher than normal, hoping he can hear me. “I’ve been here at the vet’s office all morning, so I’d really like to go home.”

“Oh, but don’t you mean soldier boy’s house? Or are you calling that ‘home’ now?”

He’s really pissing me off. I just thought the reason that I couldn’t have a relationship with him was all me, but clearly, it’s him. “That’s not any of your business. You need to let it go.”

“Not a chance. I let go once before . . . with Amy. That’s not going to happen this time. I told you that you’d come back to me, and I still believe that. I’m not giving up on us. That guy is like a new toy. You’re gonna get sick of playing with him eventually, and then maybe you’ll realize how good you had it with me. I’m
not
just a toy. You can’t drop me that easily.”

I hear tires squealing nearby right before the punch of a powerful engine. Sawyer pulls up behind my car, slamming on his brakes and jumping out of the car almost simultaneously. Drew looks over at me, his smug appearance is dripping with vile humor.

“Makenna, get in my car, darlin’.” Sawyer says sweetly as he approaches me. His body says something completely different, though. His fists are clenched tightly at his sides, and I can see tight cords of muscle bulging from his neck. He’s eyeing Drew with almost inhuman intensity.

“Okay.” I shuffle backwards to his car, so I can watch Drew to make sure he’s not following me. As soon as I bump into it, I yank the door open and fling myself inside, locking the door. Cracking the window slightly, I strain to listen to what they are saying to each other.

“Good. I was hoping to get to meet you face-to-face,” Drew confesses, now sounding completely normal. He can turn it off like a disturbing little switch.

Sawyer stands tall and clasps his hands behind his back, looking very much like a soldier. “Well, here I am. Looks like your wish came true.”

“It did. So tell me, is she good? I got her all warmed up for you, so I’m just curious if it was worth my efforts.”

Sawyer doesn’t flinch. He’s not at all affected by Drew’s inappropriate prodding. “Well, I guess that’s something you’ll never have the privilege of finding out.”

He snorts. “Privilege? That’s hilarious. She’s nothing but a tease, pretending to be a weak, broken woman just so she can get what she wants from a man. Looks like she’s fooled you, but I figured her out a long time ago.”

“Well, she can take all she wants from me, but since you figured her out, I guess that means you won’t have any trouble leaving her alone from now on.”

“I’m not going to have to leave her alone. She’s going to wise up before long and come running back to me. But until then, I’m calling a truce, okay?” Drew walks around my car, offering his hand to Sawyer, but I’m a little more than suspicious of his actions.

I haven’t ever seen them standing near each other before, so this is the first time I’ve been able to compare the size difference between them. Sawyer told me once that he’s 6’3”, and Drew is easily four inches taller, and also a little broader. But after seeing his dad, I think Drew is just naturally a big guy, not necessarily all that strong, because I never really saw him doing much to stay fit. Sawyer, though, is very athletic and takes good care of himself, running and lifting every day. I’m not all that worried about him being able to handle himself.

Sawyer takes one hand from behind his back to shake Drew’s hand, but like me, he’s braced for a fight. Their right hands meet in a firm handshake, and as expected, Drew swings his left fist right at Sawyer’s face. Sawyer ducks away just in time and is able to catch his wrist. In one fluid motion, he twists Drew’s arm behind his back until it looks like it could snap any second. Drew is in agony.

“Tell me you’re going to leave her alone, and I’ll let you go.”

“Yes! Fine! I’ll stay away from her!” Drew’s face is contorted in pain.

Sawyer releases him and steps back, ready in case he attacks again. Which he does.

Just as Drew lunges for him, Sawyer pops him right in the jaw, causing him to slump to the ground, stunned. “Are you done? I can do this all day if you’re up to it.”

Drew rubs his jaw and shakes his head. “I’m done. I’m done.”

“Good. I highly suggest you stay that way because if you so much as look in her direction again, I promise you
I
won’t be done for a
long
time.”

Sawyer stalks away, leaving him on the ground, and immediately looks me over when he gets in the car. “Did he touch you?”

“No. I’m okay. I was just scared that he would.”

He pulls me close, and his mouth claims mine, devouring me in a way that I forgot was even possible. It’s sweet and scorching hot, and since Drew’s still watching, maybe even a tad territorial.

But I love it.

“So you’re not seeing that coach anymore, and you already have another boyfriend that you like enough to bring to Christmas? My, my . . . I’m proud of you, Scout. It’s nice to hear you’re playing the field again.” I hear my dad’s muffled chuckling through the phone. Since today is Christmas Eve, I thought it was probably about time I mentioned Sawyer to them.

“You won’t mind if he comes tomorrow?”

“Are you kidding? Your momma is jumping up and down and clapping like a seal as we speak. We’d love to have him.” He mumbles something unrecognizable to my mom. “Hey, talk to your mom.”

She snatches the phone from him before I can respond. “Hi, honey. What’s his name? What does he do? How long have you known him? I’ll bet he’s smokin’ hot.”

“Whoa, wait . . . did you just say ‘smokin’ hot?’”

“Yeah, why? Isn’t that what you kids say these days?”

“Uh, I guess.” My mom . . . there are no boundaries with her.

“Well . . . is he? Hot?”

I sigh. Oh, jeez. “Very much so.”

“You’ve always had good taste like me. Tell me all about him.”

I end up talking on the phone with my mom for over an hour, which is nice since I haven’t talked to her much lately. I don’t tell her any details about Sawyer’s past, but I do tell her that he had a rough childhood and she shouldn’t mention anything about his family. I tell her how we met and all about the last few days we’ve spent together, failing to mention, of course, that I’m practically living with him right now. And also leaving out all the bits about Drew.

By the time I hang up the phone, she’s masterminded these grand plans for tomorrow, and I almost feel sorry for Sawyer, knowing she’s going to be doting on him every second. I know they’re going to love him, though, and I’m pretty sure he’ll like them. That is, if they don’t scare him off.

I peek at the clock on the microwave and decide it’s time to get showered and changed. Sawyer is planning a big reveal of my house tonight, and he’s been all giddy about it. This morning, we dropped by to check on Darcy, who was just really dehydrated, and afterward, he took me shopping to replace most of what was destroyed. He’s having all of it delivered this afternoon and setting it up.

There was something so domestic about shopping for couches with him, and it kind of felt like we were playing ‘house’ like I did when I was a little girl. Except when I was a little girl, I didn’t imagine being pulled onto a couch in the back of a furniture store and being thoroughly kissed until my toes curled. And, yeah, that’s the couch I bought.

He said he’d pick me up here at six o’clock, so that gives me just over an hour to get ready. Normally I don’t need anywhere near that long, but he told me to dress up, so I don’t know what he has up his sleeve. He even went as far as picking up several dresses and pairs of shoes from my house and bringing them over. I’m almost scared to see which ones he brought. I know a lady would understand when I say this, but I know a man’s idea of fashion and mine are two incredibly different things. I’m not going to be surprised at all if there is a crotch-length spandex dress and hooker heels in there.

After I exfoliate every inch of my body, wash and condition my hair, and practically shave my entire body, I put on some light makeup, paying more attention to my eyes than anything, and I style my soft dark chocolate hair into long, loose curls. Once I’ve decided there’s nothing more that can be done, I walk into Sawyer’s closet. I love the smell in here. It smells like fabric softener, leather, and . . . just . . . man. And it’s doing some crazy things to my body right now. I swear my hormones are on Ecstasy.

Sliding each hanger across the pole, I survey each dress that Sawyer brought, and I’m shocked that he didn’t do half bad. He even managed to get a few of my favorites. After I move the next to the last one over, I realize the last one is in a garment bag. I can’t remember anything in my closet being in a bag. Oh, unless you count the hideous dress I wore to prom in the tenth grade, but that bag is white. This one is black.

I pull the zipper down halfway to find a little note pinned inside.

Once I slip the bag all the way off, a stunning, slinky black dress is revealed. In the front, it looks like your average little black dress, a form-fitting, knee-length, sleeveless number. But when I turn it around, I notice that the back dips way down, draping beautifully about halfway down the back. It’s a simple style, but also so incredibly sexy, it’s almost intimidating. I’m not so sure I can live up to the sexiness that is this dress.

I slip it on and step in front of the little mirror on the back of the closet door, and I smile. Dear God, I’m a knockout. I never really dress up and put makeup on like this, so I would’ve never expected I’d look this damn good. The fact that I even think so makes me laugh out loud, which turns into a fit of giggles, which turns into my mascara running, which then makes me realize I’m insanely nervous. He hasn’t actually called it that, but I think I’m going on a date.

“Makenna, are you dressed?” Sawyer calls out from the hallway. I was so busy laughing at myself that I didn’t hear him come in.

Oh, shit. “Umm, I’ll be out in just a sec.”

“Okay, darlin’, take your time. I’ll just wait in the living room.”

I jog back into the closet and slip my feet into some black pumps, and I sprint back over to the mirror to fluff my hair and dab on some perfume and lip gloss, which is not an easy thing to do when your hands won’t be still.

As soon as I finally force myself to step out of his room, I spot him standing by the front door, looking all kinds of delicious in black slacks and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the middle of his forearms.

“Wow. Just . . . wow.” Sawyer comes up to me and slips his arms around my waist. “There’s not a single word in my vocabulary that could do you justice.”

“I could say the same about you. I think I have a newfound respect for white dress shirts. As my mom would say, you’re smokin’ hot.”

He rolls his eyes, but his mouth curls up in the lopsided grin that I adore before he kisses my cheek. “You have no idea.”

“Huh? I have no idea what?”

He winks. “Nothin’, darlin’. Let’s go eat before we miss our reservation.”

He takes me to a little place just outside of town called Giano’s. The older man that greets us at the door practically drags Sawyer inside and bear hugs him, saying something in Italian and patting his cheek.

He turns to me and takes my hand, kissing the top of it gently. “Ah, molto bella. I have the best table for you two. Follow me.”

“What did he just say to me?” I whisper as we walk to the back of the restaurant.

“The truest words I’ve heard spoken all day. He said that you’re very beautiful.”

Our table is situated in a private corner of the room. The only light comes from some twinkling strands of lights wrapped around the greenery in the corners and the soft glow of candlelight on the table. It’s perfectly romantic and unexpected.

Once he pulls my chair out for me, Sawyer takes the seat across from me, reaching across the table to take both of my hands in his. “Merry Christmas, Makenna.” He looks up from our hands, and my response catches in my throat. The way the candlelight glimmers in his eyes reminds me of the first time I dreamed about him and the way his luminous, golden eyes smoldered as I pulled him down to kiss me. That dream will haunt me forever. I won’t ever forget it.

We chat for a while before the food comes out, and I find myself completely lost in him, an instant addiction that I can’t seem to satisfy. I can’t get enough of his sweet baritone voice or the feel of his rough fingers on my skin. I could drown myself in his eyes, his scent. Even though I’m sitting right here with him, it’s just not enough. I want more.

But what that entails, I’m not entirely sure.

After I nearly stuff myself with the most amazing spinach ravioli I’ve ever eaten, in addition to bruschetta and far too much wine, Giano comes back to our table to ask how I liked the food. Before he walks away, he leans down to Sawyer’s ear and speaks in Italian again. A thoughtful smile curls up the corners of Sawyer’s mouth for a moment, and he finally nods.

“You know Italian?” I ask when Giano shuffles away, clapping his hands.

“I’ve picked a lot of it up, yes. I’ve always been fascinated with the language.”

He never ceases to surprise me. “Well, what did he just say to you that was such a big secret?”

“I’ll tell you soon enough. I promise.”

By the time we make it to my house, I’m nervous and excited, but at the same time, I’m a little sad. I’ve loved waking up in Sawyer’s house the last few days, so I’m not exactly looking forward to being home again.

Sawyer leads me up to the house with one hand at the small of my back, and when we reach the porch, he slips a set of keys out of his pocket and drops them into my hands. “These are the keys to all of the new locks. I thought it would be a good idea in case the person that broke in happened to snag a spare while they were here.”

“Oh. Yeah, I didn’t think of that. Thank you.” I don’t know what to expect when I swing the door open, but I do know that I didn’t expect to see Darcy pacing in the entryway.

“I called Dr. Luciano before we went over there this morning, and she told me that she could come home today if she takes it easy and comes back for a checkup next week. I asked her not to mention it to you, so I could make it all part of the surprise.”

As soon as I pick Darcy up, she nudges her nose against my chin, and I throw my free arm around Sawyer, kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you.” And that’s when the little traitor jumps from my arms and into Sawyer’s and does the same to him.

With Darcy at our heels, Sawyer shows me everything he’s done in the house, including the new alarm system he had installed. And he didn’t just repair what was broken. He cleaned everything up and made it look like my home again. Of course, nothing is where I normally keep it, but it’s still perfect. I think it actually looks better than it did before. The strong smell of fresh paint and all the new furniture is a nice reminder that even something so broken can be renewed with a little work, time, and care. Just like me.

When we make it back to the living room, he shows me my new laptop sitting on the little desk he built to replace the one that was damaged. Something different about the fireplace mantle catches my eye, so I study it closely. All of the picture frames that were broken were replaced, so all of my pictures of Shane and me are back where they belong. But joining them, right in the center, is the picture Sawyer took of us in his car. For some reason, having that picture in my house makes him truly seem like a part of me now.

“Thank you for fixing the pictures, too. I know that must have been strange for you.”

He shrugs. “No. Not really. If you love him, he deserves to be remembered. He’s a part of who you are now.”

“He certainly is.” I nod, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Not because I’m sad, but because it’s a relief that he understands. And I’m sure my parents and Callie would, too, if I gave them the chance.

Sawyer takes my hand, leading me to the couch that now faces the bay window. I hadn’t ever considered doing that before, but it’s nice to be able to sit back and look at the stars reflecting off the little pond and the moon peeking through the clouds. Sawyer has helped me to see so many things differently.

I curl up into his side and kick off my heels, bringing my feet up underneath me. “You’re an amazing person, you know that?”

“That’s debatable,” he says, kissing the top of my head. “But your opinion is the only one that matters to me.”

“Good answer.”

We sit there in silence that becomes increasingly more uncomfortable as each second passes. I peek up at him and catch him looking at me, so I flash a polite smile and look back down. I feel him flinch, and I realize I’m unconsciously grazing my fingers up and down his side, which is only fair since he’s rubbing slow, torturous circles on my bare shoulder. Then, I notice his foot that has been tapping the entire time has picked up its rhythm significantly, effectively shaking the whole couch. With every moment that passes, with every single breath we take, the air in the room gets thicker and thicker.