Worth the Risk (4 page)

“God, you taste good.”

She couldn’t resist. “You work in the restaurant business, and the only word you can come up with to describe taste is
good
? Not very impressive.”

He laughed and laid a hand on each of her thighs, pushing them apart, settling into a more comfortable position between them. “How about divine, heavenly, or, my personal favorite, fucking fabulous.” Placing his mouth over her sex, he began to lap in earnest. A growl of contentment rumbled through his chest, vibrating through her body, adding to her pleasure.

She clenched her fists in the blanket on either side of her. Her hips rose of their own accord to meet his mouth. Gasping for air, her body quaked with excitement. He returned to her clit, first pressing his tongue flat against it, and then pulling it into his mouth, as he applied gentle suction. She stiffened. A delicious quiver skimmed across her skin. Stars exploded behind her eyelids as her orgasm rolled over her fast and hard. When the fireworks ended, she pried them open to see him poised over her.

“Are you OK?”

She nodded. Better than. “I can’t decide if I want to return the favor or move straight to the main act.” Her words came out a throaty croak. “But, I think I’d prefer to have you inside me, tonight, right now.”

A groan rumbled through his chest, and he dropped down over her, until the head of his cock butted against her slick opening. Tanner pushed into her, one slow inch at a time, his arms shaking.

Anxious, Molly closed her eyes and grasped his forearms. She tilted and lifted her lower half, forcing him to plunge deep, and gasped at the fullness, at the ecstasy of feeling stretched around his hard, thick cock.

“Molly.”

Releasing her breath, she opened her eyes.

He peered down at her, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open. “What?”

Under normal circumstances, she didn’t play an aggressive role, but tonight, for some reason, she didn’t want slow and easy. “Please, don’t stop now. I really need you.”

He blinked. Then he started to move and soon found a rhythm that left her panting and desperate. Each deep thrust sent shards of arousal spinning through her body. She explored his face, fascinated by the grimace of sublime male lust reflected there. His eyes closed, his skin flushed, and his lips turned in on each other.

As his hips started pumping faster, his face changed, became harder, his skin tightening across his cheeks. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he bared his teeth.

She moaned, surprised when another climax began spiraling from within. Tanner grunted and pushed deep. His cock pulsed inside her. She gripped his arms and cried out when the power of his release pushed her over the top to ride the wave with him. A sensation of warmth flowed through her, spilled from her.

Clouds had passed in front of the moon, blocking the light. Tanner collapsed on top of her, breathing heavy. After catching his breath, he stood and stepped a few feet away to dispose of the condom. He returned to their bed and drew the sleeping bag snug over them. Molly lay cuddled against his side. Secure in his arms, she fell asleep under the stars.

* * *

Present

“Molly?”

She jumped. “Excuse me?”

“I said, what about you?” Tanner raised his voice above the others around the table. She had drifted off, a dreamy expression on her face. From the other end of the table, she lifted her head and turned, her gaze swinging to catch his. Her eyes were wide, and he caught an unguarded glimpse of yearning on her face before she managed to mask it. Her faced flushed a deep red. What had put that color in her cheeks? What was going on inside that pretty head? “What have you being doing with your life?” And more important, he needed to know what her plans were after this weekend.

While Tanner had been fielding questions about his time out west and his plans for the restaurant, his small circle of friends brought him up to date on the happenings within their own lives as well as those of other people he’d grown up with. As they spoke, more guilt piled on top of what already sat like a stone in his belly as he realized how much he’d missed. Friends married and having kids, some getting divorced, others gone from this earth. Maybe fate had intervened, bringing him back before it was too late.

His joy over her initial reaction to his news lost its brightness when her air of excitement turned to something that resembled fear and then worry. After that, she seemed to lose interest in the conversation around her. Other than that brief greeting, they’d had no time to speak in private. He needed to get her alone. And, then he intended to find out, once and for all, what changed ten years ago, and why she appeared so panicked now.

“Oh, me?” Her voice squeaked, and she cleared her throat. “I…um…stayed in Ottawa. Initially I worked for the paper, but now I write and edit for a national magazine.”

“What about your family?”

For a moment, the light died in her eyes. She gave herself a little shake and focused on him again. When she did, shadows replaced the dreamlike trance. He became aware of the quiet. So focused on Molly, he’d forgotten they weren’t alone. Now he realized how loud silence could be. He glanced around the table to confirm that everyone had stopped talking. A few looked toward Molly; the others concentrated on the drink in their hands.

“My brother is married and lives out in Vancouver. They have a daughter, Alyssa—she’s two.” She shuddered through a deep breath, but gathered her strength. “My parents were killed in a head-on collision about three years ago on their way to the summer camp.”

Her quiet statement and the lackluster gaze in her eyes conveyed the lingering pain. With her parents gone, and her brother out west, she had no other family in the area. He hurt for her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Matt leaned over to nudge her with his shoulder, a gentle show of compassion.

She shrugged. “It’s been three years.” Her gaze darted to his; her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

A few tears slipped over to run unnoticed down her cheeks. She lifted her eyes and caught him staring. She flinched. A mysterious expression flitted across her face before she dropped her head and wiped at her cheeks.

“OK, folks.” Colleen clapped her hands and stood. “It’s starting to get dark. Brad, Tanner, you guys gather wood and start a fire while there’s still enough light to see, and the rest of us will clean up. Then we’ll grab fresh drinks and move over to the fire.” A round of nods and murmurs of agreement followed. Molly jumped up, grabbed some empty plates, and headed for the kitchen tent—the other women not far behind.

Tanner let her scramble away before he pushed away from the table. More was going on than the grief of losing her parents. Something seemed off. He’d expected her to avoid him, maybe treat him like a stranger, but her actions went beyond that. She looked like a frightened doe.

Did she regret their breakup? Maybe there was hope for him yet. But until he knew where he stood, all of his plans could wait.

Chapter Four

Having donned sweaters or light coats to ward off the evening’s chill, Molly and her friends gathered around the fire. She let the comfort of tradition and the benefits of lifelong friendships engulf her. The sounds of crackling campfires interspersed with bursts of voices and laughter, drifting to them from the darkness. Within the boundaries of their own site, music played loud enough to hear, but low enough so as not to disrupt their neighbors. The smell of roasting marshmallows wafted through the air from another site. A startled yelp followed by a round of giggles made Molly smile. Oh, to be young again—the thrill of telling secrets and ghost stories in the dark confines of a tent.

Brad stoked the flames while arguing with Matt over the quality movies they’d seen in recent weeks, and Violet passed around drinks. Molly stayed on the sidelines, sipping her vodka cooler, staring into the flames, trying to ignore Tanner. He strolled over and sat beside her, but didn’t say a word.

She ached to shift closer, to bask in the warmth emanating from his body. It would be so easy to lean against him and absorb the comfort and strength she knew she’d find in his embrace. But she no longer had that right. What if there were a girlfriend or a Mrs. Tanner Daivies out there, waiting for him? The notion made her cringe.

Jealousy? She had no right to be jealous. She’d had a few boyfriends over the years. Nothing serious though. Work became her excuse to keep men at a distance.

“Do you still enjoy living in Ottawa, Molly?” His voice surprised her out of her musings.

She licked her lips. “Yes, I do. It’s a pretty city and close to home. Or at least, what I consider home.”

“Do you still live in the same apartment?”

“No.”

He picked at the label on his beer bottle. “Do you get a chance to visit your brother often?”

She sighed. “Not as often as I’d like. We talk on the phone every other week. I went out to visit when Alyssa was born.” She paused for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. She had been within miles of Tanner, unaware. How was that possible? She gave herself a mental shake. “Todd had a hard time after Mom and Dad’s accident. He couldn’t stick around here—said there were too many memories.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t seem to leave.”

“My parents never said anything.”

“I’m sure they figured you wouldn’t care.” She swiveled her head to meet his eyes for the first time since he sat down.

* * *

The reflection of the flames shimmered in her eyes.

“Molly.” Glancing at his friends around the campfire, Tanner lowered his voice. “We need to talk.” He didn’t know what, if anything, the others knew about their breakup, but this conversation should be in private. “Let’s go for a walk.” He stood and held out his hand. She hesitated. “Please.”

After a painfully long moment, she placed her small hand within his. He helped her to her feet and, keeping a firm hold on her, tugged, urging her to follow as he led her out to the road and away from their campsite.

Once they were a safe distance from the others, he released her, sticking his fingers inside the pockets of his hoodie. She inched to the edge of the roadway to put distance between them.

“It’s been a long time, and I want you to know that I’m over it, but I do need to understand. Why did you break up with me? I thought we had a good thing.” He focused on her face. Without the aid of the campfire, he tried to search her eyes in the darkness, hoping he might somehow read her mind. “I never forgot you.”

Raw, undiluted pain filled her eyes. It was a brief flash, and his gut clenched at the token glimpse.

“I don’t know what to say to you.”

He stepped in front of her and stopped, swiveling around to face her. She stumbled a bit to avoid crashing into him. His hands clenched into fists in his pockets—the need to take her in his arms overwhelming. “Look at me.”

She lifted her chin, her head slowly tilting back until the features of her face were revealed. Even in the darkness, he saw uncertainty and panic struggling to stay buried behind those wide eyes. Regret sucker-punched him, but he couldn’t let it go that easily. After ten long years, he deserved answers.

Tanner grabbed her hand again, spun on his heel, and dragged her toward a path leading into the trees. She balked, pulling backward. He stopped again. “We should talk somewhere we won’t be interrupted.” Unrelenting, he leveled her with a look.

She lifted her shoulders and let them fall in a slow, fake shrug of indifference.

It had been a long time since he’d been into the park, but he remembered this footpath well. It wound around and would eventually come out behind where they were camped. She followed him until they came to a secluded spot a few feet off the main path. He walked over to a large tree, propped his back against it, shoved his hands in his pockets, and braced one foot against the tree, hoping to appear casual.

Taking slow, cautious steps, she crept closer, stopping when she stood a few feet before him. “So you’re moving to Ottawa.”

“Actually, the deal’s not done yet.”

“But you said—”

“I know what I said. I want to move back. But it depends on you.”

“On me? What does it have to do with me?”

“Are you seeing anybody?” The iridescent glow from the full moon filtered down through the branches, providing enough light for him to see her, but with her head ducked, her features were in shadow. He couldn’t see enough of her face or her eyes. He was desperate to see her eyes.

“No.”

“I’m not either.”

“Why aren’t you? You’re handsome and, from what I gather, successful. Why aren’t you married or committed to some lucky girl?”

He reached out and grabbed her hand, yanking her closer to him. Gasping, she fell into his chest. He gathered her close, spinning around to place her against the tree while he leaned in close to ensure she stayed put. She stiffened, surprise in her eyes.

“I’ve never forgotten you or what we had. You meant everything to me.” Pain laced his words.

Molly dropped her gaze. “I never meant to hurt you.” Shifting to the left, she made a move to step away from the tree, away from him, but he edged in close, stalling her.

He placed his finger under her chin, tipping her face toward the moonlight. He gazed down into her eyes. “Why then? Why did you end it the way you did?”

“I had to… I… Never mind, I just had to.” She trembled as she choked out the last.

“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong? Did somebody else do or say something?” Unexpected rage ripped through him. Good God, had somebody hurt her?

“No. It wasn’t anything you or anybody else did.”

She tried to pull out of his grasp. He held steadfast, closing the distance until his chest grazed hers. He pinned her to the tree.

“Please. Let me go.”

“I want answers.”

“I can’t—”

Standing this close to her, for the first time in years, her heart beating a rapid flutter against his chest did wild things to his body. His heartbeat sped up, sweat popped out on his forehead, and his cock hardened to steel. He dropped his gaze to her mouth. Her lush lips parted, warm breaths blew out in little spurts, fluttering against his neckline. He knew he shouldn’t rush this, but no way could he stop.