Read MONTANA HOMECOMING (Montana Book 2) Online
Authors: Soraya Lane
MONTANA HOMECOMING (Montana Book 2)
MONTANA HOMECOMING
SORAYA LANE
MONTANA
HOMECOMING
SORAYA
LANE
Copyright
©
Soraya
Lane 2013
Edited
by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency
Cover
by Mixing Ink Design
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review,
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Soraya
is represented by Bradford Literary Agency.
To contact
Soraya
, visit her website
www.sorayalane.com
, on twitter
@Soraya_Lane
or email her:
[email protected]
Also by
Soraya
Lane
Montana Christmas
Montana Reunion
The War Bride Club
The Navy SEAL’s Promise
Rescued by the Rancher
The Soldier’s Sweetheart
Patchwork Family in the Outback
Mission: Soldier to Daddy
The Navy SEAL’s Bride
Back in the Soldier’s Arms
Rodeo Daddy
The Army Ranger’s Return
Soldier on Her Doorstep
AMANDA Jones stared at the leather-clad motorcycle rider as
he pulled up at the curb outside the airport in Billings. It was a sleek black
machine, and it stopped way closer to her than she was comfortable with.
She looked at her wristwatch. Her plane had landed twenty
minutes ago and she'd expected her sister to be waiting for her.
The motorcycle rider caught her attention again even though
she'd moved a few steps away, and she watched as he stretched, legs slung
casually on either side of his ride. He wore sturdy black boots, his legs were
long and lean, and she was curious to see what his face looked like beneath the
helmet. She could just make out some dark hair brushing against his jacket,
tanned skin peeking out at her.
It wasn't often she was up close and personal with a guy
who…
Oh my god.
She glared at the dark eyes that had locked on hers.
Un-bloody-believable.
"Hey Amanda."
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered,
clutching the handle of her suitcase.
Scott Gregory propped up his bike, left the helmet on the
seat and crossed the distance between them. How the hell had she ended up
stranded at the airport and face to face with the one guy she did not need to
see right now? Last she’d heard he was still living in Australia.
"Is that any way to welcome an old friend?"
Amanda fought off a childish scowl. They were all grown up
now and it was stupid to hold a childhood grudge.
"From what I recall you were my
brother's
friend," she said, fixing a smile. "But it's
nice to see you."
Scott walked right up to her and wrapped her in a hug,
pulling her hard against his chest. He smelled of leather and aftershave, and
his jacket was warm from the sun. She limply hugged him back, hating that being
pressed up against the one guy who'd teased her mercilessly as a kid felt so
damn nice.
"How are you?" he asked.
Amanda tried to push away and found herself locked in
Scott's embrace still. His fingers were firm against her arms, catching her,
and she ended up staring up at him instead.
Tears sprang into her eyes as she looked at him, knowing
that no matter what had happened when they were kids, right now he actually gave
a crap about how she felt. Everyone else lately had tried to be nice, tried to
understand, but Scott? She knew that he actually got what she was going
through, and right now there was no teasing in his gaze, no arrogance, just
genuine concern.
"Like my heart has been ripped from my body," she
said, squeezing her fists into tight balls to push the emotion back. "I
wish I could see him again, even just for one more day." She would do
anything to even have the chance to say goodbye to her dad.
Amanda tried to blink away her tears, but not before Scott
noticed. He pulled her back against him, arms tight around her body, his chin
to the top of her head. Scott didn't say anything, and neither did she. Instead
she focused on holding on to him like she'd never let go, breathing deep and
refusing to let her tears spill down the front of his jacket.
Scott was the idiot boy who'd teased her, taunted her and
played pranks on her until she'd wanted to kill him, and yet here she was
wrapped in his arms like there was nowhere else in the world she wanted to be.
Amanda cleared her throat and stepped back, wiping at her
eyes. "What are you doing here, anyway? I don't think there are any more
flights arriving in."
Scott laughed and gave her a wink. Her heart had that sinking
feeling, the one she'd experienced constantly as a child when she'd known she'd
been fooled.
More often
that
not by
him.
"I'm here for you," he said, like it was the most
obvious thing in the world.
Amanda laughed.
Loudly.
And then
she glowered at him when she realized that the smug look on his face meant he
was serious.
"You're kidding, right?"
He had to be kidding.
"'
Fraid
not," he said,
shoving his hands into his pockets. "
Maddison
is
still with your mom finalizing the funeral arrangements, and Charlotte is stuck
at the ranch."
"So you're proposing to do
what
exactly with my things?" She had two suitcases and a bag,
and from the look of his motorcycle there wasn't even room for her purse. Not
to mention the fact that she'd never ridden a deathtrap before in her life and
wasn't intending on changing that fact any time soon.
"
Maddie's
going to pick up
your things as soon as they're done. I’m going to get a locker for you, and
then I can either take you home or to meet with them at the funeral home."
Screw this.
"Could you not have at least brought your truck?"
Scott flashed
her his
way too
handsome smile again. "And what kind of fun would that have been?"
She took a deep breath. "You do realize that my dad's
just died, right? I'm not in the mood for playing games."
So much for
him being
genuinely concerned about her.
Scott reached for her, ran his fingers down her bare arm
and stared into her eyes. "That's exactly why I'm going to take you for a
ride," he said, voice low. "When you're on the back of a Harley, you
can forget everything. It's only for a little while, but it sure as hell helps
with the pain. Trust me, I know."
Amanda swallowed, hard. "I don't want to forget
him," she whispered.
"But you want to forget the pain, right?"
When she nodded he unzipped his leather
jacked
and slung it around her shoulders, before reaching for her bags and lugging
them back into the terminal.
Amanda
watched him go before turning around to eye his beast of a motorcycle. She
shrugged her way into his jacket, knowing how ridiculous she must look but
deciding that she didn't care. If Scott thought this would help her pain, then
she wasn't going to say no. Because the fact she hadn't made it home to see her
dad before he died would haunt her forever, and even a moment's reprieve from
that sounded like exactly what she needed. Even if she was going to be pressed
against the back of a man she'd sworn never to waste time thinking about or
crying over ever again.
Scott gripped the handlebars of his Harley and leaned into
the bend, trying to remember all the reasons why his childhood best friend had
warned him off Amanda. He hadn't seen Blake in a long while, but he was
guessing he'd still receive a black eye if he so much as looked at his sister
the wrong way. His brother had managed to marry
Maddison
,
but little sister Amanda had always been strictly forbidden.
Which was precisely why Scott had always
found her so damn hard to stay away from.
He tried to ignore the hands wrapped tight around his
waist, or the fact that her body was shoved hard up against his. This Amanda
was nothing like the sweet, pretty girl who’d made his teenage self desperate
to get her in his bed. Grown up Amanda was sophisticated, polished and damn
fine to look at. Her hair was long, at least half way down her back, and it was
blonder than it had been back then. She was taller now, though still a good few
inches shorter than him, and she'd filled out in all the kind of places he
appreciated.
He accelerated as they hit a straight stretch of highway
and grinned as she held on
to him tighter. If he had it his way, he'd have driven all day with her hanging
on like that.
Scott reluctantly slowed when they turned onto the street
where the funeral home was located, stopping just outside. He propped the
motorcycle with his foot before pushing down the stand and waiting for Amanda
to step off. When she didn't move, or even let go of his waist, he turned
around to see what the problem was.
"You change your mind about wanting me to take you
home instead?"
Amanda slowly shook her head. "That was…"
He laughed at the frozen expression on her face.
"Amazing? Exhilarating?"
"Terrifying but freaking incredible
at the same time."
Scott got off and held his hand out to help her. She didn't
take his hand, just passed him the helmet, like she was still frozen in place.
"Thanks for the lift."
"Anytime," he said, propping the helmet under his
arm and watching her. She was flustered, but she also looked more alive than
she had back at the airport. "Do you want me to hang around until you're
finished?"
She laughed. "I think I'll decline,” she said. “No
offense, but I think I just used up one of my nine lives riding with you on
that thing.”
Amanda touched her palm to his shoulder as she stepped past
him, before running her fingers through her hair, clearly trying to smooth out
the knots from wearing his helmet, and then shrugging out of his jacket.
"Thanks, Scott."
He didn't take his eyes from her, stared straight at her.
"I was right, wasn't I?"
She smiled. "About forgetting the pain?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, but being here's going to kill that buzz pretty
damn fast."
She was right. There was nothing he could do or say to
change how she was going to feel when she walked through those doors and saw
her mom and sister, but at least he'd put a smile on her face for part of the
day.
"See you around, Mandy."
She
glared at him and he winked in reply. She'd always hated that nickname, which
was exactly why he couldn't resist using it.
Amanda took a deep breath and pushed open the door. She
didn't look over her shoulder when she heard Scott's motorcycle fire to life,
looking around for her family instead. Nothing could have prepared her for the
gut-deep pain she'd felt ever since her sister had called, since she'd known
that she'd never see her dad again. But right now she needed to be strong for
her mom, and that meant putting on
a brave face and dealing with the funeral arrangements.
Once it was all over she could cry until her body couldn't produce another
tear.
"Amanda?"
She turned, sucking in a big breath to remind herself of
just how strong she needed to be.
"Hey mom."
Amanda put her arms around her mother eyes squeezed tight
shut as she held her, trying to ignore how small the most important woman in
her life suddenly felt.
"Mom, I'm so sorry I didn't come home sooner. I…"
Her mom stood back, arms extended, eyes filled with tears
but a smile on her face. "Do you remember the look on your father's face
when we came to your exhibition? Did you see how proud he was of you?"
Amanda nodded because she didn't trust her voice.
"He spent every day of his life knowing how loved he
was, so the fact that you didn't come
home
to see him? That's not something he would ever hold against you, not for a
moment."
So
much for not crying
.
Amanda was powerless to stop the tears from falling down
her cheeks.
"I did love him, mom," she said, trying not to
sob. "I loved him so much
it hurts
."
Amanda let her mom hold her, and she held a hand out to her
sister, too.
"Hey
Maddison
," she
murmured.
Her sister squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek.
"It's so good to have you home."
Amanda blinked her tears away and stood up straight, eyes
on
Maddison's
stomach. The sight put a smile on her
face.
"That's a big belly you have there, sis."
Maddison
laughed and pulled her in for a hug, squishing her against
her bump.
"This baby is killing me. He kicks
all
night and then sleeps during the
day."
She didn't say what they were both thinking.
That their dad would never
meet his grandson
.
"I take it Scott dropped you off."
Amanda linked one arm through
Maddison's
and the other through her mom's as they walked along. "Whoever decided it
was okay to let
him
collect me on his
motorcycle is in big trouble."
Maddie
burst out laughing. "He didn't! Please tell me he
didn't."
"Oh, he did," she said, loving that she was back
with her family, that she could just relax and be herself. "And don't tell
him I said this, but
I
kind of liked riding on that
sleek black machine of his."
