On Steady Ground (The Walker Brother's Series) (8 page)

“Sit dear. Sit.” He motioned to the bar.

Coming back around and gazing upon me with that smile now even more so creased in wrinkles from the years. The same big friendly brown eyes staring at me.

“How are your parents Lizzy? I hope they are well?”

“They are. Last time I talked to them they were still blissfully happy.” I smiled back at him.

“So, what will it be?” Wiping down the bar with his cloth.

“Beer. I don’t really care what.” I said looking down into my purse.

“Coming right up.” He said placing it down in front of me.

Setting my purse and my phone back down on the bar, my phone lit up with an incoming call. Ian. Evidently Ben had made good on this threat of giving my phone number out. I didn’t know if he was so viscous as to give it out to Grant. He couldn’t’ stand him, but Ben wasn’t the sort to sit idle on a threat when given one. I backed out, it was my own fault. My phone turned over to voice mail and it soon lit up with a message. I didn’t want to hear his voice at the moment. My resolute waivers when he is around, just hearing his voice is enough to make me want to run to him. Sighing, I let my hair out of my pony tail and took off my sweatshirt leaving me in a tank top and jeans. Downing my first beer my body warmed up in no time. George happily replaced it with the second and I had it also gone in no time. With the third he started looking at me with concern in his eyes.

“Lizzy, do you need me to call a cab for you?” He asked as I was finishing off the third.

“No. I just live down the street now.” I said my mind growing fuzzy. I was sure the hell going to sleep tonight, even if I had to pass out to do so. I thought defiantly to myself. I wasn’t much of a drinker and it didn’t take long or many before I could feel my inhibitions slipping away from me. Before I knew what I was doing, I was crying into my beer telling George about my psycho ex-husband. Looking at me with sympathy in his eyes I didn’t know Craig sat down beside me until he placed an arm around my waist. Startled I looked up into those menacing brown eyes and I wanted to scream. The bruise was all but gone from my face and I didn’t need another.

“Craig. Leave me alone.” I said looking at George panicked. In my panic I didn’t realize it when he swiped my phone.

“Ian? Ian Walker? Yeah this is George from Downtown Pub. I need you to come down here right away.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Ian asked his cell phone to his ear as he was walking into his house from doing his night time checks.

“Well I didn’t know who else to call and you were the last person that had called Lizzy’s number.”

“Yeah?” He said as he stopped dead in his tracks.

“Well she is really intoxicated and I can’t be sure but I think her ex-husband just showed up by the look of panic on her face.”

“I’ll be right there. Don’t let her leave George.”

“I don’t think I could stop him Ian.” George said glancing in the direction Lizzy still sitting there.

“Call the cops if you have to, just don’t let them leave.”

“Alright.” George said eyeballing the bar, looking for his regular patrons if he so needed the help.

Rushing to his truck, he didn’t think he had ever had it going so fast before. His ego still slightly shattered from her completely ignoring him after the kiss they shared.

“Craig, please leave me alone. You need to go back home.” I said in a hushed voice, swaying on the bar stool now wishing I hadn’t drank so much. There was now two of him, and that freaked me out even worse.

“Not without my wife.” He said grabbing my wrist to tightly.

“You’re hurting me. Let go before I scream.”

Letting go of my hand and giving me a smirk, “So where is your new boyfriend Elizabeth?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” I spit out. “Leave me alone.” The argument went on from there and he tried to change tactics again.

“I love you. You are my heart.” He said giving his hand at pleading, failing miserably.

“You don’t love me. You love possessing me. I am not your property. Go find someone else to make miserable.”

Grabbing my arm again, “Elizabeth, you would do good to be nicer to me.”

“Yes I know what you’re capable of when your angry Craig. My face especially.” I said now my speech becoming more and more slurred. I was becoming incredibly tired and I just wanted him to leave so I could go home and go to sleep. In the state I was in, I knew I couldn’t even begin to fight him off.

“Come, you’re coming home.” He said sliding off the bar stool and grabbing me around the waist.

“You just leave the lady alone mister before I call the police.” George said pointing a stern finger at him while I was trying to elbow him in the gut.

“Oh shut it old man. She is my wife.” He said throwing me up over his shoulder and striding to the door. Lifting my head up and looking back I could see a few customers start to stand to intercede but could tell most of them didn’t know what to think or do. My mind foggy from the liquor I didn’t know what to do myself. I didn’t want to go with him that was for sure and started pummeling his back calling him names that I didn’t even know I was capable of saying.”

Just as we got to the end of the bar I could hear a familiar voice.

“Ah there is your boyfriend Elizabeth.” He said coming to a halt.

“Put her down.” I could hear Ian say to Craig.

“She is my wife.” Craig faltered in his resolve. You could tell he didn’t want to run into Ian and now he wasn’t quite so cocky.

“She won’t be for long. Put her down.”

I could imagine Ian standing there with his arms crossed, feet at a solid stance. Ian could make even the scariest of men tuck tail and run. Suddenly I could feel myself flip over his shoulder and land into Ian’s arms.

“Fine. Have the little slut. I was about done with her anyways.” He said walking past us and out the door.

The tears starting to roll down my face, “Ian, do you think I’m a slut?” I asked my mind growing more and more confused.

“No honey. I don’t.” He said staring down into my eyes as I laid in his arms. “Thanks George.” He said as George placed my purse and cell phone in my lap. Walking out of the bar with me into the chilly night air.

“I’m not a slut Ian.”

“I know you’re not honey.” He said as I could feel my stomach roll with nausea.

“I have only been with one person.” I swore I could feel him stumble but I couldn’t be sure. “Where are you taking me?” I asked confused.

“Back to my place.”

“No.” I shouted. I didn’t want to go to his place, where he kissed me. “I want to go home.”

“I don’t know where home is Lizzy. I haven’t talked to you since you left.” He said with a tone of annoyance in his voice.

“Go to the diner.” Pointing in the direction of home. The walk was short and we were standing at the front doors when I started fishing in my purse for the keys. “Why does it have to be so blasted dark?” I asked pissed that I couldn’t see a thing.

Smirking, “Because it’s night time sweetheart.”

Finally finding my set of keys, “Put me down. I can walk.” I said as he gently put my feet to the ground. Two steps to the door I tripped and was caught immediately. Taking the keys out of my hands, he opened up the door locking us inside and picked me up again.

“Where to now?” He asked looking around the dark diner.

“Through the kitchen and up the stairs.” I said closing my eyes, putting my cheek against his solid chest. Sighing, as he carried me up the stairs, “Is he ever going to leave me be?”

“I don’t know Lizzy.” Ian said as he opened my locked door and carefully carried me inside. “Where is your room?” He asked, his voice now calm.

Pointing in the general direction I could feel myself moving again. My mind all jumbled, “How did you know where I was?” I asked confused at the events of the night.

“George.” He replied setting me down softly onto the bed.

Looking around in the dark, “Where am I again?” I asked the confusion setting in.

“You are home.”

“No.” I screamed scrambling to get up. “I don’t want to be with him anymore.” Tears streaming down my cheeks.

Catching me by the waist as I tried to run past him, “Lizzy, honey no. We are at your apartment.” He said flipping on the over head light.

Covering my eyes from the glare, I then remembered. “Oh.” Flipping back off the lights. Trudging off to my bed I started to shed my clothes. My pants dropping and then my shirt flew over my head. “I think I’ll sleep now. I haven’t slept for days.” I said my bra dropping to the floor before Ian came around me with an afghan covering me back up. Turning around confused, the streetlights from below was illuminating through enough to make out the features of Ian’s face. “Ian. Your still here.” I said looking up into his brilliant blue eyes.

“Yeah honey. I’m still here.” He said with a look of pain on his face as the afghan was wrapped tightly around my chest. “You should probably lay down Lizzy.”

“I probably should.” I said starting to turn and walk towards my bed as the afghan started to slip from his hands. As it fell onto the floor I sat on the bed looking up at him, completely oblivious to my nudity. Slipping off his jacket, he took his t-shirt off giving me a glimpse of his toned, tanned body in the dark of night and immediately pushing the t-shirt over my head.

He was now even more angry at himself from stopping their kiss that they had shared. He didn’t want to look, he knew she would be mortified in the morning, but she was just to beautiful not to look at. Her semi-naked body now searing that image forever in his brain. He knew he was so done. Not only was she captivating his mind, now she was working on his heart and body. Was it not enough that her blue eyes and soft blond hair with a stunning face took over his every thought? Now he had her almost naked silhouette to contend with. She was six sheets to the wind and he wasn’t the sort to hit on a beautiful drunk woman, even if every hormone in his body was begging him to.

Looking down at the shirt, “Thanks.” I said smiling as I crawled up under the covers giving him a view of my rear. I would thank myself for small miracles in the morning that I still had my panties on.

“I should get going.” He said picking his jacket up off the floor, putting it on and covering up his drool worthy six pack.

“No. Don’t go. I don’t want to be alone tonight. I haven’t slept more than a couple of hours in days.” I complained looking at his over 6 foot stature towering above my bed.

“Okay. Well I’ll just be outside of the door.”

Sitting up in a panic, “No. Here. “ I said smiling and patting the bed beside me. Giving me a tortured look he peeled back off his jacket and kicked his boots off. Crawling into the bed beside me I cuddled up close to his side. His body was tense and I couldn’t understand why. Although at this stage of intoxication I could understand very little. Slinging my arm across his warm, solid wash board abs I relished the moment. I imagined not to many lucky women got to have the amazement of Ian in their bed. That lonely feeling started to wash over me again and I didn’t know what I was doing until my lips went to his neck kissing him softly.

His head tilted back and his eyes squeezed closed like he was in pain, “Lizzy you are drunk.” Trying desperately not to take advantage of this stunning woman laying beside him. Trying desperately to remember his resolve about not wanting to be the rebound guy. Or the second pick to his brother, or even a hazy drunken night of regret for her. He wanted the first time with her to be perfection. To leave her wanting more, to reach out to him again and again. He knew one taste of her would never be enough for him and he wanted her to feel the same way.

Pulling away and looking into his face, “I want you. Don’t you want me?” I asked with a pout on my face.

His hand coming up to my cheek, “Oh angel you have no idea.”

Crawling up onto his solid body, it was all I could do to keep my balance as I sprawled out on top of him pressing firmly against him. This wasn’t like me, I never initiated anything and at the moment I had no idea what was giving me such bravery. Pressing my lips down to his, they were stiff at first, not opening until I wound my fingers into his hair gripping him tightly. His restraint cracking his arms circled around me slowly, inching up under his t-shirt that I now wore onto my bare back. His tongue dipping into my mouth, I didn’t need much encouragement in the state I was in. Lifting his baggy t-shirt up over my head I smashed my lips back down on his as my chest came down onto his. Bare skin against bare skin. His whimper resounded into my mouth in which only succeeded in making me want more. His hands were hot on my skin and I didn’t know if it was the alcohol making me start to sweat or his body laying against mine. Drunk or not, I didn’t want this moment to end. I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to take it to the next level but I knew I didn’t want it to stop either.

His phone going off in his pants pocket he pulled himself away from my lips, “I should get this.” He said trying to calm himself down as he fished it out of his pocket. As soon as he pulled it out of his jeans I grabbed it out of his hands and threw it across the room, thumping against the wall and falling onto the carpet.

Looking at me with shock in his eyes, my mouth went hungry back down onto his and at that moment I felt his control snap. His arms winding around me tightly he rolled me over coming down on top of me. Forcing my eyes open, I wanted to see his stunning blue eyes as he looked down upon me. His hands working up to my chest he pulled away and looked down at me breathing heavily.

“Who am I Lizzy? I want to know that you’re not so drunk that you don’t know who you’re kissing.”

Smiling up at him, I couldn’t figure out in my clouded mind why he was being so ridiculous. Placing his hands back on me I reached up for him again trying to place a kiss on his neck.

“Lizzy. My name.” Flopping back down onto the bed in confusion.

“Ian.” I whispered softly looking into his blazing blue eyes. His lips crushing back down on mine I must have said the magic word. The passion was back in his kiss and his hands were all over my body in a frenzy. If it wasn’t for the air he was breathing back into me I was sure I would suffocate at that moment. His phone started to ring again and this time he didn’t falter as it continued to ring to his voice mail. I knew we were about to reach that next level, the one you could never come back from. My heart growing scared of getting hurt again, a moment of clarity worked it’s way through the drunken haze and I started shaking with fear. This man could hurt me so much more than Craig ever could. I knew at that moment I was falling deeply and hopelessly in love with him. Feeling my body start to shake he pulled away from me, his blue eyes hooded, trying to maintain control of himself.