The Way Home (Chasing #3) (19 page)

“Don’t you have a job to do?” She just smiled sweetly and walked away.

Women!

“Two of my cousins are looking for work, if you’re hiring,” Austin commented.

“Are they good workers?” Someone would have to replace Katrina, and as of right now, I wasn’t sure where I stood with Miley. It wouldn’t hurt to hire them both just to be on the safe side.

“Hell yeah, they’re good workers,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “They’re my family. We don’t know any other way to work besides hard.” He was so full of shit, but I let it pass. I liked the guy. Plus, he was trying to pay his way through college.

“Tell them to come in at nine in the morning and be ready to work.”

He fist pumped thin air then slid a beer down the bar to a regular who was waiting. The customer tipped his hat to Austin, who then immediately pulled his phone from his back pocket. “You won’t regret this,” he said to me, and placed the phone up to his ear.

It seemed here lately that regret was all I knew.

I gritted my teeth and headed for the kitchen, but not before snagging a beer for myself from behind the bar. There was still shit to be done… cooking, cleaning, and inventory. The list went on and on.

When it rains it pours, and it seemed I was the only dumbass left standing in the storm without an umbrella.

I DIDN’T KNOW
what to expect when I parked my truck in the driveway a little after midnight. The lights were on inside the house, but that didn’t necessarily mean that Miley was there. When I’d tried to call her, it went straight to voicemail so I didn’t have a clue as to her whereabouts. She might still be with Cecil. The thought of her spending the night with him made my blood boil. I stomped across the yard and up the front porch steps. I was fighting mad by the time I walked through the front door.

There was no sign of her, but Hank greeted me, his tail wagging. I just wasn’t in the mood for it. “Go on outside, buddy,” I said, and pushed open the screen door letting him out. He took off like a shot. I locked the door, and glanced around the room. Miley’s purse was sitting on the floor near the couch. She was still here. Taking a deep breath, I sat down in the recliner and tugged off my boots. I took my time, trying to get a hold on my emotions.

Don’t be such a hothead!

Those words whispered through my mind. Seriously, I was beginning to think I was losing my shit
.
I’d never had this problem until I returned home. Maybe, my gran was haunting me. I shuddered at the possibility. If she were here, it was very likely she would have already taken a switch to my backside. Feeling calmer, I replayed the events of the night over in mind before heading upstairs in search of Miley. From overhead, it sounded as if something were being dragged across the floor.
What was she doing up there? Hiding a body?
I paused at the staircase staring at the ceiling.
It was now or never.

The door to Miley’s room was open. A suitcase lay on the bed already half full.
Aww, hell no.
I barged into her room without even bothering to knock.
She was not staying with Cecil… over my dead body.
“What in the hell—” I began, only to have the rest of the words I’d been about to hurl her way instantly freeze in my throat.

Damn, she was breathtaking!

She stood in front of the closet wearing only a white lace bra and a matching pair of bikini panties. In her hand, she was holding a dress. She appeared as stunned as I was, and then her eyes flashed angrily. She made no move to cover herself, but instead marched straight toward me with swaying hips and bouncing breasts to poke a single fingertip hard into the middle of my chest.

“Get out of my room,” she demanded, her nostrils flaring. Her skin was smooth and creamy. I knew for a fact it felt like satin. Briefly, I wondered if she tasted like cream. My mouth grew dry as powder at the thought of kissing her intimately, driving her wild with my tongue… then she poked me again harder and this time, I snapped and grabbed a hold of her wrist.

That fucking hurt!

“Didn’t your momma ever tell you not to poke a damn bear?”

Even though I was angry, I well aware of the fragile bones beneath my grip. I would never hurt her, well not physically. Emotionally, I couldn’t promise her anything. She was delicate, but feisty as hell. It was such a turn on. Whatever it was about this woman, it was as addicting as sin.

“Don’t you know that it’s rude to enter a lady’s room without knocking first?”

Her heaving breasts held my attention.
What in the hell did she just say?
The tiny smattering of faint freckles dusting her chest and shoulders reminded me of flecks of gold. The lacey bra she wore provided little protection and allowed for a teasing glimpse of her nipples. They were the color of a ripe, juicy peach. I was hard from the moment I walked through her door. All I could smell was honeysuckle and woman. It was intoxicating, and I felt drunk just from her scent. The teasing pull of the power she held over me left me writhing like a fish on a line. My tongue felt thick. It became hard to swallow.
Hell, I forgot how to speak.

“Ugh!” She yanked her wrist free, then spun around granting me a delicious view of the graceful curve of her spine and that delectable ass of hers that resembled a perfectly shaped heart. She shook out the dress in front of her and raised her arms quickly slipping it over her head. The length ended right above her knees and shamelessly hugged her curves. It was black and seductive as hell.

“Where are you going?”

She whirled around wearing an expression close to one of disbelief. “You have some nerve,” she said, her voice trembling. “As if you care.” Then, she turned her back to me once again and began searching through her closet. I watched as she slipped on a pair of matching high heels.

“It’s after midnight, Miley,” I reminded her, feeling the weight of my words and my decisions pressing down heavily on me.

“So,” she muttered, and when she started to walk past me, I stepped in front of her blocking the way.

Her eyes flashed. Her lush mouth flattened into an angry thin line. “That’s real smooth,” she said, and then she started around me again. I blocked her a second time. “Nate,” she warned, her eyes narrowing in on me.

“I’ll ask you once more, where are you going?”

She wasn’t leaving this house until she told me. Instead of answering, she tried to step around me once more and failed. My lips curved into a half grin. I could do this all night. Plus, there was nothing I found more attractive than a pissed off Miley. “Fuck you,” she yelled, and crossed her arms over her chest glaring back at me as she tapped the toe of her high heel against the hardwood floor.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

“Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere,” I teased, only adding more fuel to the already raging fire. She turned an interesting shade of red, and my own anger was temporarily forgotten by the immense joy of teasing her.

“Cecil is coming to pick me up. We’re driving to Hurley,” she informed me with a too sweet smile. She was goading me, but at the mention of his name… my temper spiked. I couldn’t help it.

“Think again.” In the blink of an eye, a sharp elbow hit me square in the gut stealing my breath. She darted past me and even though I reached out trying to grab a hold of her… I missed.

“If you walk out that door, you’ll be sorry.”

She laughed out loud, clearly not taking me seriously. “Whatever.” She blew me off and disappeared down the hall.

I was on her before she made it to the stairs. She never even saw me coming. Hell, I was acting half crazed, but that didn’t stop me from scooping her up into my arms and carrying her squirming body to my room. The vile names that gushed from her mouth had me grinning from ear to ear. She again reminded me of an angry kitten spitting and hissing. I strolled over to my bed with the intentions of tossing her onto the mattress, but at the last second, her arms latched around my neck causing me to lose my balance. We both toppled over onto the bed, and I landed directly on top of her. For a moment, I was afraid to move, afraid I’d hurt her.

She started struggling against me. I grabbed her flailing arms pinning her wrists above her head. She’d almost socked me right in the eye.
Sometimes, you had to fight fire with fire.
If looks could kill, I’d be lying cold on the floor. She bucked against my body growling at me to let her go, but all she really managed to do was cement my position between her thighs. She grew still feeling my hardness pressed intimately against her.

Hell, I couldn’t help it.

Warm breath panted against my lips; only a scant inch separated our mouths. Her hair was spread all around her head. My dark blue sheet played the perfect backdrop for those long strawberry blonde strands of hers. It was then I noticed the sheen of tears shinning in her eyes.

“Are you ready to listen?” I asked.

A tear streaked from the corner of her eye disappearing into her hair. At that moment, I felt like a piece of shit, but this was the only way I could make her listen; otherwise, she’d already have been out of the door and long gone by now with Cecil. Outside, I could hear Hank barking his head off so I knew he’d already arrived. That fucker was out there waiting for Miley. If I had my way, he’d be waiting a hell of a long time.

“Let me go,” she demanded, but I shook my head no as I continued to stare down at her.

“I’m not hurting you. What you saw tonight at The Eight Ball with Katrina wasn’t what you think.”

She snorted. “You must think that I’m ten kinds of stupid to fall for that.”

“Miley, I don’t think you’re stupid. Please let me explain.”

She glared at me. “Well, it’s not like I have a say so in the matter. It’s not as if I can go anywhere. I detest a man who thinks he can manhandle a woman.”

My chest grew tight like a giant fist squeezing my heart. Those words hit home, and in less than a second later, I’d released her wrists and rolled over onto my back lying on the bed. She was free. From outside, I heard a horn honk.

“Nate,” Miley said, her voice soft, but instead of jumping at the chance to desert me, she rolled against my side and placed her hand on my chest covering my heart. She leaned over me, and I averted my eyes staring at the far wall so I wouldn’t have to look at her. “I didn’t mean you, Nate. I know you would never hurt me.”

For some unexplainable reason, moisture gathered in my own eyes. I was turning into such a pussy. I blinked it away just as quickly, refusing to look at her. Those words had caused me more pain than any blow she could have ever physically dealt me. She was making me weak.

“Please say what you wanted me to hear. I’m listening now.”

The horn honked once again.

“Your ride is waiting,” I reminded her, finally bringing my gaze to meet hers. The expression on her face was soft and a bit forlorn. She seemed sad. Wayward strands of strawberry blonde hair lay draped along her sleek neck and clung to my chest. I wanted to bury my hands in all of that softness and just forget, but instead I remained still. Blue eyes regarded me intently as I lay there as docile as a lamb beneath her.

“Nate?” she whispered, her voice softer, almost pleading.

“There’s nothing to explain. Go,” I said harshly. She moved away allowing me to sit up on the bed.

This is why I didn’t let anyone in or allow them to get too close.

She stood before me and smoothed down her dress. The whole time her gaze never left mine. She shoved her hair back and over her shoulders. At the moment, it was too hard to describe what I felt. She wasn’t mine and never could be. I wouldn’t allow myself to have her; not physically… not emotionally. Her forehead was wrinkled in thought as she studied me, then she turned and walked from the room.

It was just as well.

I tugged my shirt over my head slinging it onto the floor. Hank bounded into the room, skidding across the floor, and jumped up on the bed beside me. I loosened the snap on my jeans and unzipped them without bothering to take them off and grabbed a couple of pillows positioning them behind my head. I should have just talked to her instead of shutting down. I shouldn’t have let her walk away. Miley was good at pushing every single one of my damn buttons.

She’d left with him. I hated that fucking Cecil.
Did I really expect any different?

I closed my eyes shutting out the world. The house was quiet except for the sounds of Hank’s soft snores. Suddenly, the bed dipped, and a hand rested lightly against my chest.
Miley
. My heart stuttered. The tip of her nose touched my bicep. Disbelief had me lying still beneath her touch with my eyes shut tight.
This wasn’t happening. Miley had left with Cecil, didn’t she?
Warm breath teased my skin. The blood in my veins thickened with awareness, sliding sluggishly throughout my body.

Besides Natalie, I’d never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted Miley. That thought alone was terrifying. My heart pounded. Surely, she could feel its galloping rhythm beneath her palm. She made me want… want what I’d denied myself for far too long.