Flirting with Love (31 page)

She stepped out on the front porch and without a word, sat down on the top step. Robbie sat beside her, and she felt her heart squeeze.
That’s Ross’s seat
.

“I’m glad you called.” Robbie leaned his elbows on his knees in the familiar way he had and clasped his hands together. “I know it took you by surprise when I showed up.”

“Yes, it did.” He was so sure, effortlessly comfortable. It would be easy to fall into that friendship again, which, she realized again, was exactly what they’d had. A really great friendship that had found its way into the bedroom. They could have been called friends with benefits, although she hadn’t seen it that way at the time. Only since being with Ross did she understand how deeply her heart was capable of loving, how alive her body was capable of feeling.

Robbie reached for her hand, and she let him take it. There was no need to fight the friendly notion. She was ready to say her piece, and then, like the last time they’d ended things, he’d walk away, seemingly unperturbed. And unlike last time, she’d go back to Ross.

Passion
. That’s what was missing in Robbie. Passion for life, for others, for someone he loved. Robbie was a nice guy, a good man even, but not a passionate man. His passion was fleeting, based on what it would earn him in his career, or based on what was expected of him. Ross had passion for everything he did and for those he loved. Ross’s passion was as real and true as the air that he breathed.

Robbie looked into her eyes with another hopeful gaze. “Elisabeth, I want to be with you. Please give me another chance.”

“Robbie.” Her chest tightened and her throat swelled with emotion. This was more difficult than she’d imagined it would be. Not for what she had to say, but for hurting him. She forced herself to remember that he’d hurt her, and to harness that hurt and use it to move forward. But as she looked into his magnetic blue eyes, it wasn’t hurt she felt. It was gratitude. If he hadn’t set her free, she never would have met Ross, and Ross was her destiny. She couldn’t drum up anger or resentment toward Robbie. Their breakup, like everything else in Elisabeth’s life—even this uncomfortable night—was meant to be.

“Robbie, there will always be a part of me that loves you for the friendship we’ve shared, but that’s what it was. A very strong, deep, caring friendship. I never quite made it over the edge from comfortable to lose-myself-in-you love.” She paused, letting her admission sink in—for both of them. “I have that now. With Ross. I look at him and everything in my world is brighter, and somehow, it also falls away. There’s only the two of us. I know you don’t want to hear this, Robbie, but Ross is my forever love. He’s the man I want to spend my life with.”

He pressed his lips together, and she watched his Adam’s apple move up, then slide down as he swallowed that heavy pill of honesty. She set the framed photograph and shirt in his lap.

“These are good memories, but they’re your memories, Robbie. I cried them away long ago, and I have new memories to make. You’re a good man, and you’ll find the right woman for you. I know you will.” She rose to her feet, and he rose with her.

“Elisabeth, I came all this way. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? I’m moving in all the right directions. You can have anything you want, anything you need. You can have a house here and a house in LA.” His brows knitted together, and the pleading in his voice was so foreign that it sounded surreal.

As bad as she felt being the cause of his hurt, it also made her stronger. There wasn’t an iota of doubt in her mind or in her heart about the man she wanted to be with. The man she was meant to be with.

“I have everything I want right here, and he’s going to be here soon.”

Robbie nodded, defeat in his eyes. “You always said your heart was in Trusty. I just never imagined that I couldn’t find my way back into it. I took that for granted.”

Yeah, you did
. She still didn’t feel resentment, not even knowing that he’d taken her love for granted back then or now. The love she had for Ross was bubbling up inside of her, filling all the spaces that might have otherwise been reserved for those harsher feelings toward Robbie. It softened her heart and made it strong at the same time, and when she reached up to give Robbie a final goodbye hug, it was that love for Ross that brought a sigh.

ROSS SETTLED THE dogs into the cab of the truck and drove to Elisabeth’s. Knight must have recognized the slowing of the truck and the view of Elisabeth’s house from the road. He panted with anticipation. The truck’s headlights flashed on a BMW in the driveway. Ross slowed to nearly a stop instead of turning in. His eyes locked on Elisabeth encircled in Robbie’s arms, illuminated by the porch light. Jealousy and anger clawed at him, dragging deep and fast along every nerve in his body. He narrowed his eyes, following the line of Robbie’s thick arms around Elisabeth’s waist. Trout’s words came rushing back to him.
You gotta let go of what you love so you can move forward knowing that despite it all, you helped someone else live the life they were meant to live.

Fuck
. Was she meant to be with Robbie? Sarge barked out the window, startling Ross out of his stupor. He lead-footed the gas and took off, cursing under his breath.

At home, he slammed the truck into park and stalked across the yard. The dogs followed on his heels. What the fuck was going on? He thought he knew Elisabeth so well. He thought he’d heard the strength of their relationship in her voice when he’d called. Then why the hell was she draped all over that asshole?

His cell vibrated and he knew without looking that it was her, but if he took it from his pocket, he feared he’d hurl the damn thing across the yard. How could he have been so wrong? How could every emotion he felt coming from her have been a lie?

No. Fucking. Way
.

He stalked back toward his truck. Like hell if he was going to let this whole thing fall apart, regardless of what he’d told Wes about it being her decision. He stopped halfway to the car, realizing this
was
her decision.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

The dogs watched in limbo as he took a step forward, then back, then toward the truck again.

Aw, hell
. He loved her and that was that. Fuck what Trout said. Fuck what he told Wes. He opened the passenger door of the truck.

“In,” he commanded.

The dogs jumped inside. “Down.” Knight lay flat along the floor. Ranger and Sarge lay on the bench seat. He needed a goddamn bigger truck.

The truck roared to life, and he gunned the engine around the circular drive—then slammed on his brakes at the sight of approaching headlights.
Christ Almighty. What now?

Elisabeth’s car came into view. He cut the engine again as she screeched to a stop and raced toward the truck. Her long hair flowed behind her, and she looked goddamn beautiful, stealing the starch from his gut. He climbed from the truck. The dogs barreled toward Elisabeth, blocking her way as they lifted off their front legs, vying for her attention, noses high, whining loudly.

“Ross!”

He heard tears in her voice and he closed the distance between them and swept her into his arms. “Lissa. I can’t play games. Not with you. You’re either with me or you’re not.”

“I’m with you, Rossie. When I saw you leave, my heart fell to my feet. It fell, Ross, just like Aunt Cora said it would.” Her legs dangled above the ground; her damp eyes were full of so much emotion Ross’s eyes grew damp, too. “Now I can breathe again.”

Having no idea of what the hell she meant, he sealed his lips over hers, and the day’s confusion and the evening’s anger fell away. She was in his arms, and that’s all that mattered.

“Lissa,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll stand by you and support you in everything you do, but I can’t be expected to stand by while you’re in the arms of another man. I wanted to tear his head off.”

She kissed him again, then drew back and smiled. “Maybe I was wrong and you’re a killer after all.” She touched her forehead to his. “I was saying goodbye. For good. There’s only you and me, Ross.” She glanced down at the feel of Knight’s tongue on her leg. “And the boys. And the pigs. And Dolly, and the goats, but that’s it. Oh, and Rocky, but that’s it. I promise.”

“For now.” He pressed his lips to hers. “But I’m not taking any chances. One day soon I’m going to put a ring on your finger, and we’ll have babies to add to that list. As many as you want.”

His words brought her legs around his middle and fresh tears to her eyes. For the first time in his life, tears didn’t render him befuddled. They confirmed everything he’d known since their very first date.

With a tender kiss, he carried her inside.

SATURDAY MORNING FOUND Ross and Elisabeth on the back deck of Ross’s house, tangled together like spiders beneath a blanket. They’d been snuggled together on the lounge chair since five thirty, when Storm woke up to the sounds of their lovemaking. Storm had whined to go outside, and he’d woken the other dogs. Ross had bundled a blanket under his arm and suggested they watch the sunrise from the deck. Rocky called from the other side of the trees. The dogs lifted their heads in response. Swallows sang their morning melody as dawn rose over the pasture.

Elisabeth opened her eyes and breathed deeply. “Add the chickens to my list of animals that are part of our lives.”

He squeezed her tighter.

“We should really get going,” she said softly against his neck. “I want to make muffins before we leave for your mom’s and I have to feed the animals.”

“One more minute?” His voice was groggy, thick with the familiar sound of desire as his hand traveled down her bare hip.

She closed her eyes and settled in for another few minutes.

“Your heart is beating faster. Is that a signal that you’re getting anxious about being late and we should get up?” Ross opened his eyes and kissed her. “Or is it a signal that you can’t resist me for another second and I should take you right here and right now?”

“God, whatever you do, please don’t do
that
.” Jake came around the side of the house, wearing the same clothes he’d had on last night and looking like he hadn’t slept a wink.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ross drew the blanket up and tucked it beneath Elisabeth’s arms. She loved that he took care of her before sitting up and facing his brother with a frustrated sigh. “What time is it?”

“Half-past a monkey’s ass and time for you to get your scrawny ass up.” Jake flopped into a chair and sighed. “Elisabeth, right? Nice to meet you.”

“Hi.”
Oh. My. God. I’m naked
.

“I might get up if I had a stitch of clothing on.” Ross’s lips spread into a smile.

“Shit.” Jake went inside mumbling about coffee. Elisabeth heard him take the stairs two at a time, then bound back down and return with a pair of Ross’s shorts. He tossed them at him, and Ross caught them in one hand. “I guess this means the ex is out of the picture?”

Elisabeth felt her cheeks flush. “He was never in the picture.”

“There was good money being bet about the outcome of that,” Jake said. “Good thing I bet on the right side of the fence.”

“Christ.” Ross pulled Elisabeth against his side and kissed her temple. “Where have you been all night?”

Jake’s lips quirked up. “You want all the juicy details?”

“Oh, hell no.”

“Tate had somewhere to be today, so he asked me to help you with your…
thing
,” Jake said.

“My
thing
?” Ross wrinkled his forehead.

“Something he was supposed to bring to Mom’s this morning? I brought it here. I figured you guys would be asleep and it would be a nice surprise. It’s up by the road. I didn’t want to wake you, which is why I came creeping around your house.”

“What thing?” Elisabeth was totally confused.

Ross stepped into his shorts and reached for her hand. He held the blanket tight against her body and slid Jake a look that could only be read as,
Don’t even think about looking at my girlfriend’s naked body.
That look was new, and she loved it.

“I had a little something fixed up for you,” Ross explained.

“You did? Ross, you didn’t have to do that.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s barely a token of what you deserve for how hard you work.”

“All this lovey-dovey stuff is cool and all, but do you mind if I make coffee?” Jake asked.

“I should get dressed anyway.” Elisabeth gathered the blanket around her and hurried inside.

“Nice tat,” Jake said as his eyes rolled down Elisabeth’s back.

“Shut the fuck up.” Ross kissed Elisabeth and pulled the blanket up higher on her back.

“Probably a good idea since we switched breakfast to your house, and everyone will be here any minute.” Jake headed for the kitchen.

“What? Why? And how come nobody told me?” Ross brought the dogs in and closed the door, then followed Elisabeth and Jake into the kitchen.

“It wasn’t planned. I texted Em to see if I could crash at her place for a few hours so I didn’t wake Mom, and she said Mom’s up because she was baking for the fair. She asked me if I did…
the thing
…and when I said I was about to, she said she’d get everyone and meet here.” Jake shrugged.

“At six in the morning?”

“Well, I told them to come closer to six thirty in case you weren’t here and I had to, I don’t know, break into Elisabeth’s or something because you didn’t hear me knock at the door. I needed a little leeway.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Ross turned to Elisabeth. “I guess you should shower, babe. I’ll be up in a sec.”

On her way upstairs, she heard Jake’s voice. “Bro, go with her. I’m a big boy.”

She stood on the stairs listening to them for a minute. Maybe she should be bothered by Jake showing up unannounced at the crack of dawn, but Elisabeth grew up without brothers and sisters, and with a mother who was more interested in being pampered than taking part in family-oriented activities. She loved the way Ross and his brothers pitched in and took care of one another and helped out with those they loved. She even enjoyed their gruff brotherly banter. Jake’s showing up just proved how close they were.