A Man of Honor (14 page)

“Hey, you two,” a voice from behind them said, breaking the spell. Preston lifted his hand off hers and sat up on his elbows.

Brady walked up to them dressed in navy swim trunks and no shirt, flashing a grin that made Preston want to squeeze all his whitening toothpaste clear out of its tube.

“Oh, hi, Brady,” Cat said, sitting up.

“How long have you been out here?” he asked, his gaze traveling over every inch of Cat in a predatory way he didn’t bother to hide.

Not long enough
, Preston thought, already missing the feel of her. Every instinct he possessed went on guard, prepared to claim her as his own. He wondered if Brady suspected something was going on between them, maybe had even purposefully interrupted them.

“Not long,” Cat said. “We were enjoying the beautiful day.”

“It is at that,” Brady said, still not taking his eyes off her. To Preston’s dismay, he spread his towel on the other side of Cat and stretched out, putting his hands behind his head and looking out over the lake. Preston noted how rock-hard his abs were, how he seemed to be intentionally positioning himself, flexing his muscles so Cat could admire them. Preston half expected Brady to get up and start doing bodybuilding poses.

“So, Cat, how’s the maid of honor? All your duties fulfilled? Because if they are, maybe you’d like to go for a walk with me?” Then he turned to Preston “Pres, you wouldn’t mind if we went for a little walk together, would you? A few of us are going to have a little race later. We can walk down and see my canoe.”

Right. He was going to show her his canoe. Now he’d heard everything.

Over his dead body.

“You could come, too, Preston,” Brady said, then released an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, sorry. I forgot. I wouldn’t want to do anything to aggravate your injury.” His gaze lingered on Preston’s bum leg.

“I assure you, Brady, there’s nothing wrong with my upper body strength.” Preston couldn’t resist flexing his pecs a little. “I’d be happy to take part in a little friendly athletic competition.”

“You mean like chess, Trivial Pursuit? Those might be safer options.”

Preston grinned widely. “Funny. Where do you race to?”

“From the dock on this side across the lake and back. There’re a couple canoes down there we can use.”

“I’m up for it. Unless you’re a little frightened of some real competition. I mean, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”

Brady grinned. “You’re on.”

Cat shot Preston a you-must-be-crazy look, but he gave her a wink. “I’ll meet you down there,” Preston said to Brady, who immediately stood up from the sand and started jogging toward the dock. Preston hoisted himself up as gracefully as he could in front of Cat, gave her another wink, and followed Brady across the sand and down the grassy hill.

Suddenly, he felt the waistband of his bathing suit snap. He turned to see Cat behind him, standing planted with her arms on her hips, looking pissed. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked.

“Just a friendly competition among men,” he said a little sheepishly.

“What do you think you’re trying to prove?” She was all big green eyes and concern, and his heart swelled from seeing it.

“Why, sweetheart, are you worried about me? Don’t be, because I’ll be fine.” He flexed his biceps. “Nothing’s wrong with the guns.” What
was
he trying to prove? All he knew was as soon as Brady started moving in on Cat, he’d clicked into warrior mode, and it was strangely exhilarating.

“You don’t have to prove anything. To him or to me. Plus, it’s not worth it to jeopardize your leg.”

Common sense told him she was right. But his testosterone had flared, and all he wanted to do was beat the crap out of this guy—figuratively speaking, of course. Mostly.

“I know that.” But he had to prove something to himself. No force on earth was going to allow this guy to move in on his woman.

His woman
. Before he could figure out what the hell that meant, he’d stepped forward and kissed her. Right on those soft sun-warmed lips, pleased when she made a soft gasp at the contact. Then he turned and headed down to the lake.

…

Cat touched her fingers to her lips, which still tingled from where Preston had just kissed her. She watched the two men head down to the lake, Brady’s confident gait alongside Preston’s ungainly one. Something had shifted between him and her. She felt it, and she knew he did, too. So why had he egged Brady on like this? It couldn’t end well.

“What’s going on?” Cat looked up to see Maddie walking down the hill toward her, accompanied by Jenna and Liz. She joined them in walking the rest of the way to the lake.

“Preston and Brady are racing like two little kids,” Cat said.

“Why?” Jenna asked.

“Uh-oh,” Liz said. “It’s a testosterone contest, isn’t it? One that began at our house over dinner the other night.”

“Preston’s showing off for you, Cat,” Maddie said. “He’s being territorial. That’s really sweet.”

Cat rolled her eyes. She had no idea what was going through Preston’s mind, only that it was foolish and unnecessary, and as soon as he made it back to dry land, she was going to tell him so, again. Nick and Derrick had gathered near the dock to be closer to the action and were laughing and shouting about rules and directions. Someone whistled loudly, and the boats took off.

“I think Preston actually has a chance to beat that guy,” Liz said, squinting into the sun as the two men paddled furiously up the lake. “He’s strong.”

And an incredible chest, Cat noted, which was on display for everyone to see and admire in all its muscular glory. Yep, there was nothing wrong with that glistening set of pectorals, no sirree.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the old Preston back,” Derrick said.

“What’s gotten into him?” Nick asked. “He’s rowing like there’s a lot more at stake than a beer.”

Maybe there was. Cat knew about the relentless chin-ups, bench presses, weights, and other exercises Preston had been doing double-time to work out his upper body since the injury. Then she remembered something else. “It also doesn’t hurt that he crewed at West Point.”

Watching him in the boat was like watching a warrior in action. Brady gave a gallant try, but it was nothing like the no-holds-barred, 250 percent effort that Preston put into every stroke as if his life depended on it.

Things got crazy on the home stretch. Brady flung water from his oar into Preston’s boat. Preston laughed and used his oar to flick some water right back. Preston won by two boat lengths. Both men got out of their boats dripping wet and laughing. Nick handed them each a beer, Derrick patted them on the back, and they walked up the hill laughing and trash-talking each other.

Preston stopped when they neared Cat. “I won,” he said grinning like a five-year-old.

“Nice race,” Brady said. “You got lucky. I want a rematch tomorrow.”

“Not a chance, I won fair and square. You’ll just have to go cry into your beer.”

“Yeah, the round you buy,” Brady said. “See you at dinner.” The two men parted with a shake.

Cat waited for Preston to walk the short way to meet her while the others went ahead to change for dinner.

He was dripping wet. She opened her mouth to tell him how silly or unnecessary all this was, but she stopped in her tracks. Pure masculine power radiated from him, from the dragon that spread itself across his broad chest to his powerful build, not at all diminished by his limp. He was smiling like he’d just won a state championship. Triumphant. So she shook her head and grinned back. He glanced at the incline before them before turning his gaze on Cat. “Mind if I lean on you a little up the hill?” he asked.

She stopped for a minute and stared at him. His eyes were that same piercing color as always, matching the glorious blue sky. But the shadows had lifted, and what she saw there took her breath away. “Could you possibly be asking me for—help?”

“Just a little,” he said, his face flushing a little as he squinted into the distance.

She flew into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his lean waist. Rested her cheek against the clean-smelling T-shirt he’d just shrugged on. His arm came to rest on the small of her back, at first tentative, then stronger. For a moment she stood like that, touching him, the rest of the world fading away in the hot afternoon sunshine.

“Hey, you two, not to interrupt your moment, but we’ll meet you at the lodge for dinner,” Nick called.

Preston looked up and gave a wave, then gently held Cat at arm’s length. “If I would have known I’d get that reaction, I would have asked for help a long time ago.”

“I can’t help it if you’re a slow learner, Guthrie,” Cat said, pulling his arm around her shoulder so he could lean on her as they headed up the hill.

Chapter Thirteen

“Why are you not nervous?” Preston asked Nick the next afternoon in the side room off the front of the church as he helped him straighten his tie. They were alone for a few rare moments before the other groomsmen would join them before the wedding. “You’re making my job as best man too easy.”

Nick laughed. “When it’s right, it’s right.”

“Seriously?” Preston asked. “You can’t do better than that?”

“Look, remember those days when we used to hang out and chase women?”

“Very well, thanks.”

“Well, those were fun times, but they are nothing compared to the experience of really loving the right person.” He grinned widely. “One day, buddy, you’re going to experience it, too.”

Preston snorted to be manly, but a piece of him did have a tiny inkling of what he was talking about. His heart knew what his brain couldn’t quite put together. And that scared the shit out of him.

“I know about your fake dating arrangement with Cat.” Preston started to respond, but Nick cut him off. “Maddie told me. But I also know how much you care about her. I never thought it would happen to me, Pres, but it did. All I can say is, when it hits you, it hits you hard, and there’s no stopping it. You may as well give up the fight, because it’s gonna get you no matter what you do. Whether you think you deserve it or not. Whether you’re afraid of it or not. My advice is don’t fight it.”

Preston smiled at his friend. Derrick may have been the friend he shared his youth with, but Nick was his partner and his confidante. “I never thought I’d see the day,” Preston said, shaking his head in mock sadness. “But it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. Or a better friend.”

“Life surprises you,” Nick said, putting his hand on Preston’s shoulder. “Wait and see.”

Preston never attended a single wedding as a kid. His family had been too dysfunctional. But the entire ceremony, all its pomp and tradition, fascinated him and made him unexpectedly emotional. Nick could not take his eyes off Maddie as she came up the aisle looking radiant on her father’s and mother’s arms. The couple’s love for each other was palpable. The love of their families was, too.

He thought that was intense, but nothing prepared him for seeing Cat dressed in a pale pink gown, carrying a bouquet of some bright pink and white flowers and wearing a few of them in her hair. He kept sneaking glimpses of her, and she kept catching him like they were teenagers with a crush on each other. When it was all over and he walked her down the aisle, he wanted to kiss her just from the sheer joy he felt at being with her and being a part of this special day for their friends. He walked a little slowly, but she didn’t seem to mind.

Just for today he thought he’d take Nick’s advice. Stop fighting and simply be with Cat and allow himself to be swept away by her beauty, her sense of fun, and her goodness. Let it wash all over him like rain to a man whose body and soul were parched. Just for today, he’d allow himself to take all she had to offer. Whether he deserved it or not.

…

Payback was a bitch. Preston was sitting at the table in the lodge restaurant during the reception drumming his fingers and watching that ass Brady dance with the women. Actually, the fact that he was dancing with Jenna and Maddie and Cat didn’t bother him in the slightest. They were all out there having fun, and he had no problem with that. It was when the tempo slowed and the lights dimmed and he drew nearer to Cat that Preston’s blood pressure cranked up to boiling.

“You do realize that what you’re about to do impacts me, don’t you?” Liz took a sip of wine, then leveled her gaze at him.

“Beg your pardon?” he asked. He and Liz were the only ones sitting, and he was in no mood for small talk. He had a mission to complete, and he had to act fast.

“Once you break them up, that guy is going to come over here and ask me to dance.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Look, I can be as moody and brooding as you, Guthrie, okay? It’s bad enough to sit here and smile pretty while I watch everyone couple off.”

Preston smiled. “Tell me about it.”

“Unfortunately, I’m his second choice, and I don’t like to be second best at anything.”

“So tell him no.”

“I’d love to, but I’ll do anything to help my sister. If that means I’ve got to keep him preoccupied for a little while so he leaves her alone, I’ll do it. Speaking of Cat, one little issue.” She set down her glass and lowered her voice. “If you hurt her again, I’ll make certain your good leg doesn’t work, either.”

“Thanks, Liz.” He shot her a wide smile. “Being as you’re a doctor, I’ll take that under advisement. And I appreciate your sacrifice. But now I’ve got to go.”

He stood up a little too fast and had to grab on to the table for support. Pain shot through his leg, and he had to breathe deep and let it pass. All the walking he’d been doing this weekend was catching up to him, and that trek up the hill yesterday after the canoe race had cost him. Well, he’d slow down after today. When he saw Brady slip a hand around Cat’s waist, he knew he couldn’t wait another second.

“Hey, buddy, don’t you think you should be resting that leg?” Brady said with a lazy grin as Preston approached. Preston wasn’t amused. It had taken all of two seconds for this guy to become a complete pain in the ass again.

Preston wanted to tell him he thought he should be resting his
mouth
, but he refrained. “You’ve had a hard weekend, losing that rowing race and all. Let me cut in and dance with Cat, okay?”

Brady narrowed down his gaze. “You’re a little bit touchy for someone in a fake relationship, aren’t you?”

Preston laughed. An artificial, phony laugh that sounded scary even to his own ears. “Um, about that fake relationship. Turns out that it’s not so fake.” He turned to Cat. “May I have this dance?”

Cat looked from Brady to him. Even in the dim light, he could see that her cheeks flushed, and that was a great relief to him. He prayed that she still wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

He wanted her with an ache that was worse than all the physical pain he’d endured since his return. Worse than all his mental anguish, and the fears that he was not a whole man and never would be again. Wanting her was larger than that, all of it.

“Thanks for the dances, Brady,” Cat said. “But if you don’t mind, I’m going to dance with Preston now.”

“Okay,” Brady said with an exaggerated sigh. “When he has to sit down and rest, come find me.”

The bastard had the audacity to wink at Cat. As he walked off, Preston couldn’t help scowling at his parting barb. He must have done a bad job at hiding his intense dislike and the fact that he was ready to have it out with him, because Cat reached up and smoothed the lines between his eyes. Her fingers were cool, and her touch made some of his tension dissipate.

Brady wasn’t worth wasting his time on. Not when he had
her
in his arms.

“Do you have a fever or something?” Cat asked as he took up her hand in his and curled it against his chest, pulling her close to him and wrapping his other hand around her waist. “Because you’re acting a little strange.”

He tightened his grip on her waist until he’d pulled her tight against his body, until her breasts grazed his chest and their hips made contact. He was certain—and pleased—that she could feel the evidence of how much he wanted her. Her scent—powder fresh and clean, flowery or something, made him want to inhale it, and her, in big gulps.

He shot her a long, slow grin. “Yeah. I guess I am. The only cure for whatever I’ve got is you.”

She shot him a puzzled look, but her mouth turned up in a smile. They were so close, he could feel her sigh as she surrendered to the feeling, curling in closer to him and swaying gently to the music.

“I’m sorry I can’t move very much,” he said in a low voice. “I may never be able to dance again like Brady does. I can barely manage to shuffle.”

“Who says we have to move at all?” She smiled at him. Her eyes were lit up and focused solely on him, too, in that way she had that made a man want to tell her all his secrets. But now wasn’t the time.

He bent his head and kissed her. She responded by melting against him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her lips met his, parting on a sigh, and he wasted no time in cupping his hand gently around her neck, pulling her even closer, and entwining his tongue with hers. He couldn’t get enough of her sweet taste. He pulled back just enough to speak, to tell her he was taking her to bed without passing Go, but he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder.

The song ended, and one with a new, faster tempo was beginning. Preston turned to find Brady at his back, grinning that blinding smile. “My turn now, Guthrie. Time to give it a rest.”

Did this guy not get the message? Preston was about to tell him off when he saw that Maddie and Nick were herding everyone into a line, laughing and beckoning for everyone to join in on the Electric Slide. Liz was back on the dance floor, and Jenna and Derrick, too; even the Kingston parents and grandparents. Preston reluctantly let go of Cat’s hand. She looked at him with a question in her eyes. He bent close to her ear and said, “We’ll finish this later.” She only had time to nod before Brady grabbed her hand and swept her into the line. Preston bowed out, walking to the sidelines to watch the entire family having fun.

Brady was a great dancer. Good-looking, great moves. There wasn’t much about him that wasn’t perfect for the job or for Cat except for Preston’s jealousy.

It wasn’t just Brady that bothered him. He’d suddenly gotten reminded of more of what he was lacking in—a family. The give-and-take, the joking, the goofing around, it was all foreign to him. He suddenly felt a need for air, so he left the reception hall, leaving the dancing to those with two working legs.

…

Cat saw the moment Preston left the restaurant and walked out onto the expansive covered porch that overlooked the big hill leading down to the lake. As soon as she’d done her duty for Maddie and Nick and could extract herself from Brady’s grip, she went outside and scanned the porch. Its outdoor tables were full of laughing, chatting people. No Preston in sight.

She hadn’t imagined those kisses, or the look in his eyes that she’d been dreaming of for the past year. If she had to search every blessed acre of the lakefront to find him, she would. She vowed that they were going to finish this tonight, one way or another.

A bright white line carved the sky, followed by an ominous crack of thunder. The humidity was about a thousand percent, so it was no surprise that a storm was on the horizon.

The dewy grass tickled her toes as she walked down the hill in her sandals, carefully lifting the hem of her gown. The night was balmy, and the crickets and locusts were competing with each other for who could sing the loudest. Then she saw him in the shadows, his broad shoulders hunched over the dock railing, looking out over the lake.

More like brooding, but she wasn’t going to allow that.

She was going to be bold and risky and put herself on the line. Preston had been right when he’d said some part of her
was
bold. Bold or just plain desperate, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was the deep-in-her-soul need to fight for a man she simply could not give up on.

“There you are,” she said. “Why’d you run off?”

He stood up, the corded muscles of his back tense beneath his shirt. He placed his cell phone into his pocket. “I was wishing my brother a happy birthday. And doing some thinking,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “Thinking or reconsidering?”

That caught his attention. He turned around, frowning.

She tossed up her hands in exasperation. “I don’t want to dance with Brady. I don’t like Brady. I like you
.
”

“I know that.”

“Oh. So you’re not jealous?”

“Yes, I’m jealous, dammit,” he said. “That’s not the issue. My feelings—”

“Don’t matter because you came back wounded? Should be shut off because you’re having some problems?” She snorted, and a big fat raindrop plopped on her back. Followed by another and another.

“We should head back up to the lodge.”

He was so damn…impassive. His face was a wall of thick safety glass, and she had no idea how to put a crack in it.

She poked him again. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to talk to you—really talk. I want you to stop using dumb excuses like Brady to push me away.”

He put his hands on her arms and looked at her. This time, there was no mistaking the conflict in his eyes. The crack she was looking for. “I’ve tried to make you understand that it would be a lot better for you to leave. So help me, Cat, you’ve got to turn around and walk up that hill without me, or you’ll regret it.”

“Regret what? That I want you? I’m an adult now. I’m not Derrick’s baby sister anymore.”

“I came back messed up, and I’m not just talking about my leg. You deserve more than to get saddled with my problems. Please, I’m begging you, just turn around and leave.”

Splat, splat, splat
. Messy droplets pinged on the trees overhead.

She crossed her arms. “I’m not leaving.”

Lightning sizzled through the sky and thunder cracked. Preston took her arm and pulled her along the field toward the gazebo. “Run ahead. I’ll meet you in the shelter.”

She shook her head. “I’m staying with you. Whether we get wet or not, you’re stuck with me.”

Halfway across the field, the rain let loose, dousing them with sheets of cool water. Cat took off her shoes and ran barefoot the last remaining distance to the gazebo. By the time they reached it, they were soaked and out of breath.

Preston leaned up against the whitewashed railing. In the dim light cast from the lodge on the hill before them, she could see the strong features of his face—the squarely set jaw, the determined set of his mouth. The fight in his eyes. She moved closer, but he held his hand up.

“If you touch me again, I can’t promise to be in control of my behavior.”

She laughed.

“I wasn’t being funny.”

“It’s a little funny.” She inched closer.

He shook his head. “Cat, please. I don’t want to—”