Marriage: Impossible (Voretti Family Book 1) (8 page)

The incline increased, but Keri kept pace, impressing the hell out of him. He wasn’t running up the mountain like he might’ve on a training op, but he’d set a pace that would’ve left ninety-nine percent of the population in the dust, and she was right there at his side.

“Been hitting the gym?” he asked.

“No.” She surveyed the branches above them. “I spend enough time cooped up inside during school. I joined a hiking club when I started college, and we go out at least once a week. Sometimes we do urban hikes, but I like mountains. The steeper the better.”

His laugh came out like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I’ll bet you do. You always wanted to tag along with Ty and me when we climbed Cowles Mountain, and half the time you beat us. That’s why he never wanted to invite you.”

“No way. He just didn’t want to take me to Jungle Juice after the hike. And all because I happened to mention to the girls who worked there that he used to wet the bed.”

“That, too.”

A pause. Then, “You always let me tag along.”

“Maybe I wanted you to ruin Ty’s chances with the juice girls. Give me an open playing field.”

“You were never interested in those juice girls.”

“Honey, every male over twelve was interested in those juice girls. They were hot.”

“Yeah. But you wanted more than a kiss from a hot girl.”

His heart beat double-time.
How did she do that? How did she know his deepest secrets without him saying a word?

He waggled his brows, pretending it was all a big joke. “You’re right. I wanted a
lot
more.”

“You wanted a connection. Someone who understood you.”

He charged blindly ahead. His foot caught in a crevice between two rocks, but he yanked it free and kept going. “Tory would’ve understood me all night long.”

“Then why didn’t you hook up with her when you had the chance?”

It was like busting into a building that was supposed to be deserted and finding a dozen armed insurgents. All he could do was throw a flashbang grenade and hope for the best. “Keri MacKinnon. Were you spying on me?”

“What? No! I might have inadvertently seen something that scarred me for life while I was on my way to the bathroom, but that is
not
the same thing. I was too busy with my
own
relationships to watch over yours.”

Direct hit. Crisis averted.
“Your relationships? Are you talking about Jordan Pike or Chris Kingsman?” Sean should stop there, but this role—the teasing older brother—was familiar. Safe. His heart rate steadied even as the climb steepened. “Or…what was his name? Wait—don’t tell me—Jared Lauton.”

“You remember every single one of my pre-college boyfriends? Maybe
you
were the one who was spying.”

“I was the one who had to listen to Ty bitch about it. He didn’t want you dating anyone except the honor society geeks, but you had a thing for bad boys.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“What would you call them, then?”

“Jordan is an architect now. And Chris teaches tenth-grade English.”

“Jordan is an architect
now
. But when you started dating him, he was one fight away from expulsion.”

“Only because he didn’t understand how to communicate effectively. The second he felt threatened, he’d start cursing or throwing punches.”

“So you fixed him.”

“Excuse me?”

“You fixed him. You listened to him. Showed him that you understood him. That you cared.”

“For your information, that’s called having a relationship.”

“And then, once he’d gotten his shit together, you moved on to the next project.” What was supposed to be a simple statement came out as an accusation. Because he wasn’t only talking about Jordan.

He was a project to her, same as those ex-boyfriends. And even thought it was all part of his plan, the thought of her taking off as soon as she thought he was all better made him want to put his fist through a tree trunk.

“Our breakup was a mutual decision.”

“Mutual, my ass. He was just afraid he’d lose his man card if he begged you to stay.”

“For your information, he happens to be happily married.”

Sean took a deep breath of clean mountain air. Reminded himself that he and Keri would be divorced long before he had the chance to fall for her the way poor Jordan had. “I’m not saying you screwed him over, honey. You changed his life, and only for the better. Because that’s what you do. You’re a fixer.”

She gaped at him, like he’d called her a pole dancer or an explosive ordinance disposal specialist. “I haven’t even been on a date in almost a year.”

“Because you’ve been busy with med school. Where you’re learning how to fix people in a different way.”

“Or maybe I want to be able to wear a white coat and tell people what to do.”

Her disgruntled look—all wrinkled up nose and squinty eyes—was so damn cute he couldn’t help laughing. “And make them call you doctor?”

“Exactly. Plus, it’s a lot of work writing neatly all the time.”

They hiked in silence for a minute, but it was a comfortable silence once again.

“Sean?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not one of my projects. In case you were wondering.”

His chest expanded, filled with some emotion he was afraid to name, because it felt too much like happiness. And he shouldn’t be happy about this. If he was more than a project, it would be harder to sell Keri on the I’m-fine-now-so-let’s-get-a-divorce story.

But it was impossible to turn the happy off. Not when the sun was shining and the voice inside his head was silent. And Keri was next to him.

He focused on the trail in front of him, letting himself enjoy the peace that came with her presence. He couldn’t deny the connection between them. He needed her in his life. And, if he did this right—made sure their divorce was a mutual decision—he could still have her as a friend. A good friend.

Before long, they arrived at the springs. Large granite boulders provided a natural basin for the water, and the grove of pines surrounding it gave the illusion of privacy. Except, it wasn’t an illusion. No one else was there.

Apparently, there weren’t many people who wanted to climb a fifty-percent grade when they could soak in a Jacuzzi at sea level.

If he was smart, he’d turn around and go back down the trail. He’d had his one night with Keri. Now it was time to maneuver their relationship back toward friendship territory so they could get that amicable divorce.

But he’d worked up a sweat. In the second he hesitated, thinking about how good the water would feel, Keri stripped off her shirt.

One look at her, and his brain stalled. His fingers went to his waistband, but he couldn’t remember how to unbutton his jeans. All he could do was stare. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“I can’t with that tank top. The straps show.”

She stripped off her shorts. Then—
oh shit
—she took off her underwear.

He averted his gaze just in time. He couldn’t look at that dusky triangle between her legs or it was all over. “Aren’t you…. You’re not worried we might run into someone else?”

She laughed—a light tinkling sound that gave him a five-hundred-watt grin. “No one but us is stupid enough to take that trail. Besides, I’m not going to hike back to the truck in wet underwear.”

She lowered herself into the small pool, and her sigh of pleasure went straight to his dick.

“Well?” She gave him a siren’s smile. “What are you waiting for?”

His brain still wasn’t functioning, but muscle memory kicked in, and his fingers worked the buttons on his fly. He shucked off his boxers along with his jeans.

“Sure you don’t want to keep those on? I wouldn’t want you to feel self-conscious if someone did happen to make it up the trail.” Even the teasing lilt of her voice turned him on.

“I’ll risk it.” He slipped into the water next to her.

Perfect
. Warm, but not so hot that he was going to be uncomfortable after a little exertion. And there was going to be exertion.

“Hi.” She wound her arms around his neck, pressing her body to his and leaving him no doubt about what she wanted. What he wanted, too, with a ferocity that scared him. Because this couldn’t keep happening. When they got back to San Diego, he was going to have to cut off the sexual part of their relationship completely.

He must have pulled back, because her arms tightened around him. “Stop overthinking this. We’re alone and we’re naked and we’re in nature’s perfect Jacuzzi tub. Go with it.”

“You scare me sometimes. Maybe I am overthinking this, but you’re not thinking enough.”

“I’ve spent plenty of time thinking about this.” She slanted him a naughty grin. “Believe me.”

“Did you think about it before you said ‘I do’ in that cheesy wedding chapel?”

Her smile faded, but that didn’t take the heat from her gaze. “I know we have a lot to talk about in terms of our…marriage. But right now… When I’m with you like this, I can’t think about anything else.”

In the span of a second, he was harder than he’d been in his entire life.

He kissed her once, then again, but the soft press of her lips against his only made him more desperate.

“Only you,” she whispered.

His world narrowed to the tiny hot springs pool. To Keri’s arms around his neck. Her breasts against his chest.

He anchored her to the rock wall, bringing her hips against his. He was hard and aching, and he had to have her, even if this was the last time.

Especially
if this was the last time.

*

Keri adjusted the AC vent for the twenty-seventh time since she and Sean had returned from the hot springs. After the best sex of her life, not to mention a four-mile hike, she should’ve fallen asleep the second her butt hit the seat cushion. But she couldn’t get comfortable. She was either too cold or too hot. At first, the sun had been too bright, but now that it was nearing the horizon, she wanted more light. But the real problem was Sean.

On the way down the mountain she’d been too busy watching her footing to notice he’d gone silent. Then he’d been fully occupied, supervising the mechanic changing the flat. But now that they were alone again inside the small truck cab, it was obvious that he was ignoring her.

With every mile that passed, he grew more withdrawn. It was like Reno had been a fantasy world, and now they were speeding back toward reality. Well, if this was reality, she wasn’t ready for the fantasy to end.

A tall sign visible from the highway announced they were passing a motel. Fate in the guise of red neon.

“Maybe we should stop,” she said. “It’s dark, and you must be tired.”

Sean’s gaze didn’t stray a fraction of an inch from the road in front of him. “I’m okay.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Naw.”

“There’s a diner at this next exit. And if we wait too long, we might be out of luck. We’re officially approaching the middle of nowhere.”

“I’ve got some energy bars in the back.”

Of course he did
. “Well, I’m craving a burger.”

“I’ll stop at the next drive-through.”

“And I’m exhausted. That hike and…you know.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Go ahead and sleep. That seat reclines.”

He was
trying
to shut her out. To forget how good they were together.

A desperate boldness took hold of her. She wouldn’t let him.

“Actually, that’s not going to work for me.”
Now or never, Keri
. She reached over the gearshift.

Sean went suddenly, impossibly still. “What are you doing?”

She rested her hand on his button fly. At least one muscle in his body was still working, because he hardened under her palm.

Relief mixed with the desire spiraling through her core. He was fighting it, but he still wanted her.

“The problem is, I can’t sleep without you.” She tightened her grip, tracing his long, hard length.

Wetness pooled between her thighs. She pressed them together, but that faint hint of friction wasn’t enough. She needed the weight of another body. She needed
Sean
.

“I need you. Now.” She held her breath and prayed to any higher power who wanted to listen.

Sean twisted the wheel. They barreled down a winding road that exited the highway and pulled into the parking lot of the first motel they encountered.

One more night until they returned to reality. She was going to make it count.

T
HEY
WERE
LATE
for the rehearsal dinner. Sean gripped Keri’s hand, helping her balance on her spindly heels as they raced across the asphalt.

Of all the restaurants in San Diego, it figured Ty had chosen one with no parking lot, in the middle of tourist-infested Old Town. Of course, if Sean hadn’t lingered at the motel this morning because he wanted to give Keri one more orgasm—and then one more—they’d have arrived with plenty of time to find parking.

“It’s okay.” Keri slowed as they reached the entrance. She dropped his hand. “You know Ty Standard Time. Twenty minutes late is actually early. He’s probably not even here yet.”

Sean wanted to grab her hand back—to lace his fingers so tightly with hers that she’d never be able to let go—but it was better this way. Friends didn’t hold hands.

Even though he hadn’t yet brought up the subject of divorce, they’d agreed to take off their wedding bands for the duration of the rehearsal dinner. No one inside the restaurant needed to know about their temporary marriage. Especially not anyone with the last name MacKinnon.

Sean ducked so he wouldn’t hit his head on the piñatas strung across the entryway.

Jesus
. If he hadn’t already known Ty’s spur-of-the-moment engagement was a mistake, seeing this place would’ve been the final proof he needed. His buddy liked restaurants with real personality, not hot pink papier-mâché animals and velvet paintings.

Sean stopped Keri before she could get past the sombrero-topped hostess stand. She hadn’t wanted to talk about Ty’s big mistake during the drive, and Sean had been so worked up by their enforced proximity in the truck’s cab that he hadn’t pushed it. But this was his last chance to make things right for Ty, and he needed to know Keri had his back. “Hold up a sec. Let’s talk about the plan.”