Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(28)

He looked at his dad, revealing nothing of his emotions. Something passed between the two of them that I couldn’t decipher. Next, he looked at me. He must have seen the worry because it was here that his countenance melted. He slightly grinned in victory and brought his hand to my check to move away the wisps of hair.

I nearly cried. I doubted that Denise was with me, but it seemed she wouldn't openly be against me. Until I did something stupid.

I’d take it. For now, if it kept William in my life, I was happy with the outcome. Ecstatic, actually. It was one more hurdle out of the way. Not permanently, maybe, but we were progressing forward. I was so supremely happy I felt like I was floating.

Then, when Tom finally spun me around the dance floor I was floating. Pair the lessons with years of experience and apparently a first place trophy in couples swing, and you had someone I fought to keep up with.

Later he chalked this up to: When we Davies men learn something, we take it to its end!

Chapter Seven

On the way back to the car, William put his arm around my shoulders. He leaned down and kissed me. “The secret’s out. I guess we don’t need to hide anything now.”

“We still need to hide it from work.”

“Ah yes. I forgot about that little snag.”

He handed me into the car, giving me a soft kiss as he did so. As he was making his way around, I thought about how he looked when he was dancing earlier. His skin was glowing from the exertion. His muscles rippled through his snug shirt. He had an exuberant smile and a livelihood in his gait. He was absolutely irresistible. I felt like I was the luckiest woman in the world to be going home with him. Luckier than a princess because I didn’t have a country to run.

As he started the car, he looked over at me quickly to make sure I was ready. When he saw my dreamy expression he did a double take and looked closer. I had every belief that the hunger and desire were showing plainly on my face. I was also aware that I wasn’t doing anything to hide the deeper feeling and was now infusing my whole body. I wanted to open up to him, explore the feeling in body and soul, and see if he felt the same. What’s more, I wanted to do it right now.

He took me to the ledge that he first professed his feelings for me. I knew deep in my bones that this was the place he had chosen to profess his love as well, he was just waiting for me to be ready to hear it. Ready to say it back.

He got two blankets from the trunk. A thick one to spread out on the harsh dirt and a lighter one that I assumed was to cover us when we were no longer completely clothed. He got out a bottle of wine and two glasses. All of this he set up while I looked out over the horizon, giving him a minute to get everything arranged just so.

“Jessica,” he said as he moved up behind me and slipped his arms around my waist. We heard a car in the background somewhere. It stopped up the hill a ways.

William chuckled. “Someone else must have the same idea.”

He hugged me closely and bowed his head to mine as we looked out over the valley. The stars were large and bright, no city lights to distract their brilliance. Below them, a sea of blackness.

“Do you want to sit down?” he asked.

I nodded and let him lead me to the blanket. He looked at me intently, opening his mouth to speak, but courage failed him and he leaned in to kiss me instead. I kissed him back eagerly, ready for whatever was next. Ready to admit how I felt.

I let my hands roam. I got to the edge of his shirt and slid palms onto bare skin. He let his hands roam and feel me, as well, one staying on my right breast, then moving to my back to hug me closer.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!” It was a gruff voice behind us.

I jumped and gasped. William hugged me fiercely and turned his body to see who it was.

“Oh no,” I whimpered.

Leaned against the car was a ghost from my not-so-distant past. He was scruffy and unkempt. His hair was unwashed and oily. His once good looks were tattered. What’s worse, he held a gun in his left hand that he was currently pointing at us.

“Oh yes, darlin’.” Dusty seethed. “You thought I were locked up fer good, didn’ya? My old man posted bail.” He started to slowly walk toward us. “See, he thought I was innocent. He thought that slut everyone thought was so danged purty played me for a fool. Done got me thrown in jail. Just so happens, I agree wit’him. But you did look ‘amess. Ain’t no one believed you wanted it. That you like it rough. So I reckon they’re gonna throw me in jail jus’ a’soon as there’s a trial.”

He was about ten feet away from us at this point. It was too close for William, who quickly stood up. He dragged me up as well, placing me behind him to shield me.

His body was completely rigid, every muscle taught. He looked like a crouching lion waiting for the right moment to spring.

Dusty stopped where he was, jerking the gun at William. “Whoa there big fella’. You don’t want no trouble, now.”

“What do you want Dusty?” William said in a low, deep growl.

“Well now. I was jus’ gettin’ to it. I was thinkin’, since I’m headin’ to the pen ‘n all, I might just get what’s owed to me. Sum’in sweet as honey.” His eyes sparkled with a creepy light, as if I was a raunchy whore playing hard to get.

“Ain’t gonna happen Dusty,” William seethed.

“Well, now this gun here says it is.” Dusty started to circle, trying to get a peek at me behind William’s large frame.