Wildflower Wedding (22 page)

When his hand hesitated on the doorknob her heart thudded, but he turned and walked away. She stood there for a long, lonely moment and then inhaled a bracing breath. She needed to pay a long-overdue visit to the field of flowers where her mother's soul smiled upon her, bringing Gabby strength and serenity.

The Eye of the Storm

T
RISH LOOKED UP FROM HER LAPTOP WHEN SHE HEARD
the rumble of thunder. Cloud cover meant cooler temperatures so she could sit on her patio to write instead of being cooped up in the air-conditioning. There'd been a threat of storms all afternoon, but so far it had remained rumbling in the distance. “I don't know how much longer our luck is going to hold out, Digger. I might have to take you inside soon.”

Digger looked up from where he lay chewing on a rawhide stick. Trish thought he looked funny with the stick held between his paws and so she picked up her phone and took a quick picture. But he too seemed increasingly leery of the darkening skies and rolling thunder. If lightning cracked across the horizon, she would hightail it inside. Trish had been terrified of thunderstorms ever since she was a little kid. A tornado had touched down in her neighborhood, uprooting a tree that crashed onto her house above her bedroom window just moments after she'd run into her parents' bedroom to climb into bed with them. High winds and strong storms brought back that fear.

Trish typed another paragraph of her review of the local high school's adaptation of
The Music Man
. She smiled, thinking that although the play hadn't been stellar, the students were earnest in their effort and she'd enjoyed every minute. Just when she started humming “Seventy-Six Trombones,” lightning flashed across the sky followed by a loud clap of thunder that had her just about jump out of her skin. When Trish shrieked, Digger hurried over to her side.

“It's just a thunderstorm,” said a deep voice, making Trish jump again, nearly knocking her computer off her lap.

“Doggone it, Tony, do you have to sneak up on me? For an awkward moment I thought it was Digger talking like that dog in the baked beans commercial.”

He jammed his thumb over his head. “I pulled into the driveway and even locked my door. Didn't you hear the horn beep?”

“I was too busy being concerned by the thunder and lightning.”

“So you're scared of storms too?”

Her chin came up. “A little.”

“Well, this is likely to be a doozy. Make sure you have a flashlight and candles ready. I closed up early. No one is likely to come out in the storm, and I didn't want kids delivering in dangerous weather.”

“Good call,” Trish said, trying not to feel disappointed that he didn't offer to have her stay at his place during the storm. But then again she'd seen very little of Tony over the past couple of days. Of course Trish knew about Mike Parker returning to Cricket Creek. News like that travels fast in a small town.

Although Tony hadn't volunteered any information, Trish didn't want to pry, but she felt him distancing himself from her and she suddenly felt as gloomy as the weather. But Trish understood. Emotions had to be running high, reminding her that relationships could cause such pain and sorrow.

She felt that pain right now. And she didn't like it.

“Well, I'm going to head inside. Like I said, I don't enjoy storms.” She raised her eyes skyward. “And this is getting too close for comfort.”

Tony glanced at the sky and then back at her. “Thanks for watching after Digger.”

“No problem. We're buds. I enjoy his company,” Trish responded in a breezy tone that she didn't feel.

Tony nodded. “Well, again, thanks. I've been really tied up with work and . . . family stuff. It's been a rough few days.” He rolled his head to his shoulders as if trying to get rid of tension.

“I can only imagine.”

“Yeah.” Tony's eyes met hers and held briefly as if he were making a decision, but then his gaze flicked away.

Trish felt his need but also his reluctance and she totally got it. This family matter was deeply personal, and letting her in, confiding in her, meant taking their relationship to a level that went beyond physical or even emotional because the foundation would become complete trust. Trish understood his turmoil. Once you were on the receiving end of betrayal, it was pretty difficult to learn to trust again.

“Well, I'm going to head inside and grab a cold beer followed by a hot shower.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Trish said lightly, wishing she had the nerve to tell him something sexy like that she'd wash his back. She tried to channel the sex kitten that had spent the night with him not long ago, but the wary look in Tony's eyes gave her pause. Trish closed her laptop, deciding that she would stand up and at least give him a hug. Perhaps physical contact would remind Tony what they already shared and could build on. But as soon as she stood up, a loud clap of thunder had her flinching. She glanced upward in time to see lightning slash across the sky. The wind kicked up, blowing her hair across her face. She could smell the rain in the air and felt a little flash of fear.

“You'd better get inside,” Tony said. “You don't want your laptop to get wet.”

“Good point,” she agreed, and with a pat on Digger's head she turned toward her door. She could feel his gaze on her and had to fight the urge to turn around.

But Tony Marino didn't own getting hurt. Trish had done everything in her power to make her marriage work and had been rewarded with being cheated on with a young woman who had his baby. With Tony she'd stepped outside her comfort zone, taking a leap of faith they'd talked about in an effort to please him.

Well, damn it, she was done doing all of the giving, the pleasing.

Trish stepped inside her kitchen and closed the door without looking back. If Tony wanted her, then he would have to come and get her. “If not . . . well, it was his damned loss,” she muttered.

Trish stomped her foot, but her eyes rounded when she heard the wind whistling through the trees. She hurried over to the television and turned on the weather channel. With her hand to her mouth she looked at the radar map knowing that the deep red color heading her way wasn't a good sign. She read the message scrolling at the bottom of the screen and sure enough, there was a tornado watch in effect until midnight. “Okay, at least it's not a warning,” she assured herself, hoping the storm would simply blow over.

With a heavy sigh Trish hurried to the kitchen and opened the pantry door. A moment later she located the box with her storm emergency kit. Hugging it to her chest, she suddenly wished that her house had a basement rather than being built on a slab. A lot of people she knew shrugged off the threat of a tornado. After being on the receiving end of one, Trish knew to take violent weather seriously and decided to charge her laptop and cell phone just in case they lost power. Then she uncorked a bottle of wine, grabbed a paperback novel, and kept the weather channel on in the background. She wasn't about to take any chances.

•   •   •

“Stop looking at me like that,” Tony said to Digger. “Trish will be fine. It's just a damned thunderstorm.” He tried to ignore the guilt that he hadn't invited her over at least until the weather passed. The frightened look on her face had him sighing. He ran his fingers through his wet hair and flipped on the television to watch the Cincinnati Reds play but decided to check the weather channel just to see the radar map. “See . . . only a tornado
watch
, not a warning. It looks worse than it is,” he added when Digger gave him that sad doggie look before flopping down onto the hardwood floor, resting his head on his paws.

“I've got too much shit going on to get seriously involved with her,” he said. “Why would I want to put even more on my already full plate? Huh?” Tony closed his eyes and shook his head. These past few days had been killer. He hated to see Tessa and Reese going through such an emotional upheaval. He didn't even begin to know how to handle the situation. Did Mike deserve a second chance with his wife and son? Tony sure as hell didn't think so. He wanted to punch the jackass in the face. But in the end it wasn't his place to decide or even give advice. All he could do was be there for both of them. But after witnessing Tessa going through hell, Tony knew he didn't want to put himself in that position ever again. For, like, a hot minute he thought he did with Trish, but this past week had knocked some sense back into him. The risk just wasn't worth it. He needed to keep his ass on his side of the two-family house.

And then he heard sirens.

Tony rushed over to the window to see tree branches bending in the stiff wind. Fear for Trish slammed him in the gut. “Come on, Digger!” he yelled, opened the door, and ran in the rain over to Trish's place. He banged on the door, cringing when thunder boomed and lightning cracked way too close for comfort. He banged harder, nearly blinded by the sudden pouring rain. Digger barked in protest. Thankfully, a moment later, Trish opened the door.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” she asked when they all but tumbled into the kitchen.

“The answer to that would be hell yeah.”

“What were you doing out in this mess? There's a tornado warning!”

“Coming to your rescue.” He slicked his hair back, soaked to the skin, dripping water everywhere. Digger did the dog shake, making his wet fur stand on end and water fly everywhere.

“I don't want you to come to my rescue,” Trish shouted, and pointed to the door, but the storm picked up the pace.

“Well, too bad, because here I am!” Tony patted his wet chest hard, sending a spray of water droplets her way. “But if you want me to go I will,” he said, knowing full well she wouldn't send him back out there.

“Fine, but Digger stays. I don't want him to get struck by lightning.” She turned on her heel.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“To the bathroom, the safest place in the house if a tornado strikes,” she said, and stomped down the hallway.

“Are you serious?” he asked, and sloshed after her.

Trish stopped in her tracks, making him nearly run into her. “My neighborhood was hit by a tornado when I was a little kid. The Cincinnati area had had some pretty nasty run-ins with tornados. A huge tree came crashing into my bedroom. Had I not just run to my parents' room, I would have been injured or maybe even died. Yeah, I'm not just scared. I take tornado warnings seriously,” she explained tightly, and then went into the bathroom and shut the door.

Tony stared at the door for a full ten seconds, but when the lights flickered and went out he opened the door and joined her. She sat huddled in the bathtub. A small Coleman lamp sat on the toilet lid. She looked up at him and glared.

“I'm sorry. I should have offered to stay with you earlier.”

“I told you I don't need you to come to my rescue.”

“What if I want to?” he tried with a slight shrug.

“Apparently, you don't. Digger most likely guilted you into coming over here.” She looked around Tony to where Digger lounged on the floor as far away from the shouting as possible. “Look, it doesn't matter.” She shrugged, but Tony could see the pain in her eyes.

But it did matter. Tony didn't have a clue how much until that very moment. “It does matter.” Seeing Trish huddled in the bathtub with a hurt expression on her pretty face hit Tony hard. “You matter.”

Trish remained silent.

“Can I join you?”

“No, you're sopping wet,” she said, but the bite in her tone had lessened. It was a step in the right direction.

“I can remedy that.” Tony started peeling off his wet clothes.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“What you asked me to do.”

“I didn't ask you to strip!”

Tony shrugged and when he was naked took a step toward the tub.

“Don't you dare!” she sputtered.

“Isn't it safest in there?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then here I come.”

“No! At least grab a towel.” When she scrambled to her feet he pushed her up against the tile wall, and with his hands on either side of her head he kissed her. She pushed at his chest and Tony did the right thing and took a step back. Forcing anything, even a kiss, wasn't something he would ever do.

“Trish, I—” he began, but the words died in his throat when she started taking off her clothes.

“Don't get the wrong idea.”

“Oh, I think I'm getting the right idea.”

“I just need to take my mind off the storm.”

He tilted his head. “Ah, so I'm just a distraction.”

“Correct. So don't get the impression that this means I like you or anything.” She tossed her clothes to the side.

“I don't like you either,” he shot back, but reached over to cup her breasts.

“Good. It's mutual.”

“Yeah,” he growled, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples. “It's mutual.

“I more than like you,” he continued in the same tone. “I'm falling in love with you. So get used to it.”

“It's mutual,” she snapped back, and then pulled his head down for a hot, demanding kiss.

God, she tasted like wine and woman and he couldn't get enough. He trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck, licking, tasting, and then feasted on her gorgeous breasts. She sucked in a breath, bracing her hands on his shoulders when he slid his hand between her thighs, loving how hot, how wet she was for him. He caressed her core, and when he eased two fingers inside her, she gasped. Sliding down to his knees, Tony lifted one leg over his shoulder and replaced his fingers with his mouth.

With a moan she held on to him, moving sensually, while he licked faster and faster until she dug her fingers into his shoulders and cried out. He felt her tremble and, coming to his feet, he held her tightly.

Tony kissed her while she came down from her orgasm. “Baby, I don't have protection . . . is it okay?”

“Yes.” When Trish nodded he thrust upward. She clung to him, wrapped her legs around him. He could hear the rain pounding on the roof, the wind whipping through the trees, and branches tapping against the window. But Trish was the eye of his storm, the calm, the strength he needed . . . wanted.