Meant For Her (20 page)

Chapter 38

They spent another night together doing nothing but bringing each other pleasure, knowing it was the last chance they’d have to do so for quite some time. Sierra didn’t even think about sleep until after three in the morning. By then, they were both worn out enough to pass out.

It was after ten when she woke up. Evan was already out of bed. She smelled something suspiciously like cooking bacon. Getting up, she pulled on one of the robes offered with the rental and headed downstairs. She found him standing over the stove.

“Good morning, Evan,” she said.

She walked up behind him and kissed his muscular back. He had another black ink tattoo stretching across his shoulder blades. Where his chest read,
Play as if you’ll live forever
, his back read,
Live as if you’ll die today
. Although she understood the sentiment behind the tattoos, it made her heart hurt to know why he felt that way. She wondered if he could possibly know how much his confessions the previous night meant to her.

“Good morning, Sierra,” he said, glancing at her over his shoulder. “I thought I’d bring you breakfast in bed, but you beat me to the punch.”

“How about eating on the balcony instead?”

“Sounds good.”

That’s what they did, sitting out with their plates and enjoying the lulling sound of the ocean. Evan had stopped at the small convenience store after his morning run and bought bacon, eggs, and English muffins, so Sierra combined hers into a breakfast sandwich. After finishing that and a cup of orange juice, she patted her stomach contentedly.

“That was delicious,” she said. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The weather that had plagued Atlanta over the past few days had finally drifted far enough east to reach them. Sierra supposed that was serendipitous enough, considering this special time together was coming to an end.

“You leave tomorrow for your next road trip, right?” she asked.

“Yeah. Chicago, then New York.”

She nodded. She’d started checking their schedule online. It was going to be a long week without him, but she didn’t want to make him feel bad by saying so.

“I’ll miss you while I’m gone,” he said, making her smile.

“I’ll miss you, too.”

They went inside to wash their dishes. The rain started as they finished drying the dishes and putting them away.

“So much for a walk on the beach before we go,” Evan said as he put the last plate away.

“Oh?”

Sierra looked out the windows. She hadn’t heard any recent thunder or seen any lightning. She took his hand.

“Come on,” she said.

He didn’t argue. They made their way down the ramp to the beach. The rain fell, steady and cool, drenching them both. Sierra led him to the water, laughing as they reached the foaming surf. She turned and put her arms around him. It took her a few blinks to clear her eyes so she could look up at him, but her smile was wide when she did.

“My parents have always said that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,” she told him. “It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

She wasn’t sure whether what she’d said truly got through to him, but he swayed with her when she started shifting in a basic form of dance. After a moment, he positioned her left hand on his shoulder, took her right hand, and started moving.

A laugh escaped her. “Where did you learn to waltz?”

“Americans learn to square dance in school,” he said. “I learned to waltz.”

Happiness sang through her as they spun, moving between the shallow surf and the rain-dampened sand. Her feet barely touched the ground. Although he did most of the work, she was soon giddy and breathless.

Eventually, they stopped and just hung onto each other. Laughter bubbled out of her. He looked down at her for a long moment, rain dripping from his hair into his gorgeous eyes.

He leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was hot, heavy. If they hadn’t just spent hours making love the night before, she would have thought he was desperate for her.

Maybe he was.

Putting her arms around him, she sank into the kiss, meeting the thrusts of his tongue with hers. A moan built in the back of her throat, escaping when his mouth moved to her neck. When his hands parted the folds of her robe, she leaned into his touch.

That was as much as he allowed himself while they were still outside and in potential public view. He lifted her, walking with her back into the house. She kissed him again, doing her best to reach the skin under his soaked T-shirt. She wasn’t sure what he was seeking, but she hoped she could give it to him.

They made it as far as the living room rug. His kiss increased in urgency as he lowered her to the floor. The belt to her robe couldn’t get untied fast enough to suit him, resulting in a knot around her waist. She ended up with her arms pinned to her sides by the damp sleeves of the robe where he’d pulled it down so he could reach her bare skin. His leg moved between her thighs, exposing her to his touch. When he gave her a few testing strokes with his skilled fingers, he produced another moan from her. He issued a growl of approval.

She was so focused on his kiss that she gasped when he entered her. Her eyes flew open, meeting his burning gaze. They both knew he hadn’t put on any protection.

“Sierra, I…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence. Understanding, she met his lips for another kiss, lifting her lower body to accept more of him. She took birth control, so she wasn’t worried in that respect.

He wanted—needed—this level of intimacy with her.

She wanted to give it to him.

They moved together in what was now a well-practiced rhythm. Without anything to reduce the sensitivity, he was soon quickening the pace. Just knowing how hot he was getting because of their connection sent her desire spiraling, and soon, she crested, feeling as though she was drawing him into her very core.

“God,
yes
,” he shouted, stiffening against her, the muscles in his chest and neck going taut.

She held him, feeling his shudders of pleasure blend with her own. For that moment, they were truly one.

Eventually, he lifted himself up on his elbows. She watched his expression clear as though he’d just been freed of a spell. His eyes met hers.

“I’m sorry,” he began. “I’ve never done that before. I don’t know what—”

“It’s okay,” she said, placing a hand over his lips. “I use my own protection, too. I wanted this as much as you did.”

What she didn’t ask was what had driven him to that point. She suspected she wouldn’t like what he’d have to say, even though she knew it in her heart.

In his mind, this was the last time he’d allow himself to be so free with her in every way that mattered.

*     *     *

They stopped by Regina and Deanne’s house on the way home. Evan didn’t say much on the drive, lost in his thoughts. Sierra didn’t seem to mind, though. Much like she had on the drive to Savannah, she listened to the radio and left him alone.

The dogs were ecstatic to see them. Sierra’s moms were just as thrilled about the gifts Evan gave them. They didn’t treat him any differently, despite knowing how he’d just spent the last few days with their daughter. If anything, he felt something more maternal in their hugs than he’d expected. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

It contributed to his continued silence as they neared home. The dogs hung their heads out the window and filled the car with their panting. To anyone else, they might have looked like one big, happy family.

His mindset darkened further.

By the time they got upstairs, he knew he needed some time alone. Sierra seemed to sense it, too. She gave him a kiss when they reached her apartment.

“Will I see you before you leave?” she asked, referencing his upcoming road trip.

“Maybe,” he said.

“Okay.” She smiled. “Thanks for letting me kidnap you these past few days.”

“Thanks for holding me hostage.”

Glancing down at Miller and Beck, whose tails wagged the moment she caught their eyes, she said, “You know, I really don’t mind watching the dogs while you’re gone. It’s not like you live far away, and—”

“That’s okay,” he interrupted. “It’s probably best that they don’t get too attached to anyone, with the move at the end of the season and all.”

He saw the flash of hurt in her eyes and wished he could offer her something less painful than the truth. But he couldn’t.

He wouldn’t.

“I understand.” She hesitated before adding, “But I really think you should check Geoff’s references with the agency you’re using.”

Irritation swept through him. Didn’t she think he knew how to take care of his own dogs?

He forced his temper down and nodded. “Okay, I will. Good night, Sierra.”

She seemed as though she wanted to say something more, but smiled instead. “Good night, Evan. I hope you do well on the road trip.”

As she stepped into her apartment and closed the door, he realized that she already knew he wasn’t intending to tell her goodbye before he left. She’d just done it for him.

Chapter 39

“So, how’s everything going with your super-hot Australian guy?” Hannah asked.

Sierra looked up from her omelet and saw that both she and Zoe were watching her expectantly. The three of them had met downtown for breakfast before the Sunday church crowd gathered. Looking back down at her plate, she shrugged.

“It’s going fine.”

How could she explain that in the two-and-a-half weeks since their return from Savannah, everything with Evan seemed good on the surface, but he was keeping a barrier between them? How could she tell them that she and Evan had yet to spend an entire night together in either of their apartments, even when neither of them had any obligations the next day? What would they think if she confessed that he never contacted her when he was away on road trips?

Her friends wouldn’t understand.

Hell, she didn’t understand.

“Fine?” Zoe asked, dipping her head. “
Fine?
”

“I’m seriously crushed right now,” Hannah huffed, leaning back in her chair. “I’ve been fantasizing about this guy for almost two months!”

Despite herself, Sierra laughed. “Well, if it helps, he’s masterful in bed.”

Hannah perked up. “Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Then what has you looking like someone pissed in your orange juice?” Zoe asked, never one to beat around the bush.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” Sierra said, buttering a slice of toast.

“So, spill it,” Zoe said, waving her fork. “That’s why we’re here, right? Well, outside of my kissing your feet for getting me connected with your aunt and moms.”

Sierra smiled. Just after Zoe expressed the interest in applying for the interior design assistant position, Sierra had contacted her relatives about allowing her friend to take on a few pro bono design projects among their many rental properties. She figured it would help Zoe build up a portfolio and save her family some money over hiring an established professional. Over the past five weeks, Zoe had developed designs for rooms in four different properties. Her relatives intended to hire her to see each of them through to completion.

“I might not have gotten that job I mentioned the last time we were together,” Zoe said around a bite of waffle, “but your family is giving me the start I need to go into business for myself. Your aunt even said she knows a few of the players on the team who are always looking to change things up in their homes.”

“Just stay away from the Jensens,” Sierra warned.

Zoe shook her head. “No shit.”

Hannah made a sound of agreement as she sipped her coffee. “So what else is on your mind, Sierra?” she asked. “Is it that Camille chick?”

Sierra swallowed another bite of omelet. “Well, she’s definitely one of the issues I’ve got to deal with.”

“Did you say that Bastian kept her on, even with all of the evidence you provided?” Zoe asked.

“Yes. She denied it, and he’s too busy to try and get someone new right now.”

“That’s bullshit,” Hannah said. “Why haven’t you gone in there and cleaned up shop?”

Zoe snorted. “Did you seriously just ask Sierra that question?”

Hannah made a face that showed she saw Zoe’s point. “All right, fine. Sierra’s not going to do anything about it. Maybe we should stage an intervention.”

Frowning, Sierra looked between her friends. “What do you mean, I’m not going to do anything about it?”

“Wow,” Zoe said with a laugh. “We actually got a frown out of you. If we’re not careful, we might get a harsh word.”

Hurt rolled through her. Just like Evan had once told her, they were telling her she was too nice. That she was a pushover.

Why did being nice to people have to be an egregious fault? Wasn’t it possible that the world could use a little more niceness? Wasn’t there a saying about winning more flies with honey than with vinegar?

But who wants flies?
whispered the voice in her mind.

Hannah reached over and rubbed Sierra’s arm. “We’re sorry, hon. That came out harsher than we meant.”

“No, it didn’t,” Zoe argued. “I want her to kick Camille’s ass.”

Sighing, Sierra pushed her plate away, no longer interested in eating. “I’ve got a shoot coming up with Bastian. Just so you both know, I already plan on confronting Camille. That’s one of the things weighing on me right now.”

“Well, good for you,” Zoe said with an approving nod. “If you want reinforcements, I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and bring my brass knuckles along.”

Sierra knew she meant it. “Thanks.”

“What else is bothering you?” Hannah asked.

“Well…I don’t like Evan’s dogsitter.”

Hannah looked puzzled. “Why not?”

“I just, well…I honestly don’t know.”

Sierra fiddled with her napkin as her friends exchanged looks. She felt silly now, saying anything. Evan had called the agency for Geoff’s references like she’d asked. He’d talked directly with the owner and everything had come back glowing. But she still felt uncomfortable around Geoff, despite the fact that they saw so much of each other.

“Are you concerned for your safety?” Zoe asked, her brow furrowed.

Considering that, Sierra shook her head. Geoff had had plenty of opportunities to harm her if that had been his goal. She’d never felt in danger.

“No,” she admitted. “But I do worry about Miller and Beck.”

Hannah reached over and placed a hand over hers. “Maybe it’s just your anxiety over Evan’s absence during his road trips,” she suggested. “Those are the times you see the dogsitter, right?”

Could that be it?

Sierra thought about how disappointed she’d been over the last road trip when she didn’t hear from Evan at all. So far on this road trip, he hadn’t reached out to her, either. In all the time they’d known each other, he’d never taken the time to call or text her while he was away. She was planning on mentioning it to him the next time he was home. Maybe he just didn’t know that she would like to hear from him. Besides, it wasn’t as though she tried to contact him, either. She honestly didn’t know whether it would be welcome, which was a whole other concern.

And then there was the fact that he refused to let her take care of the boys, even though she really wanted to. She knew that to him, giving the care of his dogs over to her was a form of commitment. Of course it bothered her that he refused.

Was that why she felt this heightened level of discomfort around Geoff? Did she just resent him? She decided that could quite possibly be true.

Nodding, she said, “Thanks, Hannah. That does help put it into perspective.”

Even if it doesn’t make me feel much better about things with Evan
, she silently added.

“Excellent,” Zoe said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “So you’re all good for now?”

She smiled. “Sure. Now, Hannah…tell us about the sports journalism class you’re thinking about taking.”

The rest of the meal focused on her friends, which was fine with Sierra. She ran their conversation though her mind as she drove home. They’d essentially called her spineless and paranoid in the kindest way possible.

Sadly, she was beginning to believe they were right.

Her mood was low as she ascended the elevator, so when she got off of it and heard a loud yelp from Evan’s apartment, she closed her eyes and wondered what the universe was up to. Why did it continue to taunt her?

Resigned, she hurried down the hall to Evan’s apartment and knocked on the door. She wasn’t surprised when Geoff opened it.

“Hi, Sierra,” he said with a smile. “Nice to see you.”

“You, too,” she said, forcing a smile in return. “I thought I heard one of the dogs. Is everything okay?”

He stepped back, opening the door so Miller and Beck could reach her. Miller ran up and greeted her with his usual energy, but Beck limped and whimpered.

“I think he hurt that front forepaw again,” Geoff said. “I let him out of his cage, and he and Miller started wrestling. The next thing I know, he’s yelping.”

Kneeling down, she rubbed Beck’s ears. “Poor baby. You were just starting to feel better, too.”

“I know.” Geoff shook his head. “Unlucky little guy. He should probably stay off that forepaw for a while, don’t you think?”

She nodded.

“Hey, do you think you could get that wagon from your neighbor friend again?” he asked.

Was she infusing the eagerness into his tone? She wasn’t sure.

“I can ask,” she said. “I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Thanks. Since you’re just returning home, maybe we could walk the dogs together. It’d be great to have your help with Beck again.”

“Um, okay. Let me drop my things off and call about the wagon.”

He smiled. “Great, thanks.”

She headed back to her apartment, feeling his gaze on her as she walked. As she inserted the key in her door, she gave a surreptitious glance his way. Evan’s door was closed far enough that the dogs couldn’t get out. All she saw was a couple of inches of shadow where Geoff stood.

Fighting her unease, she went into her apartment and reached into her bag for her cell phone. Scrolling through her contacts, she paused with her thumb over Evan’s name and glanced at the clock. Since they had a night game in Philly, he was probably still at his hotel and not at the stadium. She’d likely reach him.

She thought about what Hannah had said. Was she overreacting? Geoff had been so nonchalant about Beck’s injury, not acting guilty of anything sinister. The dogs hadn’t shied away from him. What would she tell Evan if she called him? That Geoff happened to be over and Beck had gotten hurt again? Geoff would tell him that exact same thing when he called with his daily update.

Going against her instincts, she swallowed hard and passed over Evan’s name. Instead, she dialed a number further along the list.

“Hi, Becca,” she said. “I wanted to ask about borrowing Kenny’s wagon again…”