Blue Horizons (A Horizons Novel Book 1) (6 page)

“Thanks. I’ll send the details. Hope you girls are having a good time.”

“We are; it was needed.” I run my free hand through my hair and let out a deep breath. A white cloud forms in front of me and I shiver.

“I hear ya. I could use a little getaway myself. Keep in touch and I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Perfect. Bye, Mona.”

She clicks off the phone and I look down at mine. Mona loves spending the holidays with her family, so if she wants to do this, then it must be good. I also love Nashville. If she’d said L.A., I might have hesitated, but I’ll always go to Nashville.

TWO AND A half hours have flown by. Rich kept pouring and I just sat back and enjoyed the music. I’ve heard better, but I’ve definitely heard worse too. But what I realize is it’s been a long time since I’ve just sat and listened to someone else play.

I’ve always found it interesting to listen to the way people play. Some play because they can, and others play because it’s the way they speak. The originals that the band performs are good and could have real potential, but then again I shouldn’t be surprised—Rich did bring them in. He’s always had a gift for spotting talent.

Sometime around one, I decide to call it a night and make my way over to Clay. He’s probably not ready to leave yet, but he’ll get back to the house whenever he’s ready. He always does.

I find him on the other side of the room talking to two of the three girls from the beginning of the evening. The blonde isn’t with them, and a wave of disappointment washes over me. I spent most of the evening thinking about her and cursing myself for not seeking her out, and there was a huge part of me that hoped she would come back and order another drink, but she never did. And then on the walk to Clay, I scan the room hoping to see her one more time, but nope. Lots of blonde hair, but none curly like hers.

Damn, well, that sucks.

Clay, the brunette, and another blonde are laughing as I join their circle. By the way he’s looking at the little brown-haired one, he’s more interested than I thought. Maybe she’ll be his challenge, even after this evening is over, and I can’t help but smile. Clay likes girls, but rarely does he allow himself to open up. He’s guarded, understandably so, but between the two of us, he’s always been the one to want a relationship.

“Hey, man,” Clay says, smiling at me. The two girls turn and stare. The brunette’s eyes get big as she remembers what I overheard, and I give her a knowing smirk.

“Lips, huh?” She looks thoroughly embarrassed and drops her gaze to the ground.

“What are you talking about?” Clay asks as he looks from me to her, and then back to me.

“Nothing. Listen, I’m out.” I grab his shoulder and squeeze.

Clay looks down at his watch and just shakes his head at me. “Something is better than nothing I guess. Thanks for coming out . . . it’s been a while.” He wraps his arm around mine and squeezes my shoulder in return.

“You good to get back?” I ask.

“Always.” His eyes flicker over to the little brown-haired girl.

“All right, I’ll see you later.” I nod at the girls, and head for the back door. We’ve always used the back door—I guess old habits die hard—but really this exit seems safer for me to avoid being noticed.

Pushing open the door, it smacks right into the girl with the curly blonde hair and I watch as she stumbles backward. Her eyes grow wide as we both realize she’s going to fall. In what feels like slow motion, I reach out and grab her arm, pulling her toward me. The girl and her smell crash into me, and at that moment, all I can think about are strawberries and snow. My other arm wraps around her waist as her head slides perfectly under my chin. Heat from her impact scorches my skin under my clothes, and before I even realize what’s happening, her knee rams full force into my groin.

Pain.

Shooting. Nauseating. Excruciating.

My knees take aim and become one with the dirt as I drop straight down and double over. The door slams shut behind me and I moan out in agony.

“Oh my God, I am so sorry. I really didn’t mean to do that. You startled me and my instincts just kind of took over. Are you okay?” The pretty blonde hovers over me, runs her hands all over my back, and tries to pull me up. Unbearable sensations are radiating through my stomach, back, and junk. I feel like an electric shock has gone straight through the middle of my chest and I can’t breathe.

What the hell?

Anger bleeds and blends in with the pain. Am I okay? Is she kidding? Pissed is a good word for how I’m feeling.

“Instincts? Are you kidding me? What did you think was going to happen, I was going to kidnap you or something? I was trying to keep you from falling and hurting yourself.” I suck air in through my nose, my eyes and mouth watering. “
Shit . . .
” I groan in pain. Glancing up at her, I pause. Her hair is hanging all around her face and her eyes are filled with fear and remorse. Such a strange combination of emotions to have at the same time, and that’s when I feel that her hands on my arm are shaking. Instantly, I feel bad.

“Whatever, don’t worry about it, okay? I’ll be fine in a minute.” I pull my eyes from her and squeeze them tight.

“I’m so sorry. Can you stand up?” The pressure from her fingertips strengthens and my mind gets stuck on the fact that she’s touching me.

“Just give me a minute.” Waves of nausea are rolling through me and I moan again. Still breathing in through my nose, I try to focus on her smell and on her fingers.

“What are you doing out here?” she asks. I can’t answer her. Why does she insist on talking to me now, at this moment? I would have loved to have talked to her inside. I really just need this pain in my stomach to go away. Throwing up in front of her is not high on my to-do list.

“Me? I was going home! What are you doing out here?” I look around to see if there are any other people out here with her. Nope, no one.

“I had to take a call.” I glance down and see her cell phone lying at her feet. She bends over to pick it up and grips it like it’s her lifeline.

“At one in the morning?” I ask her.

“Yes.” Her tone is sharp. Whatever, it isn’t any of my business anyway. Maybe she was talking to her boyfriend.

Putting one hand on the ground, I look back up to her and she takes a step back. My heart rate speeds up. I feel like I know this girl, but I don’t know why. I’ve never seen her before; I would have remembered someone as beautiful as her.

The music from inside picks up its tempo and the cold sweat that had broken out across my back chills in the night air. My hand rubs across my stomach to try and ease the pain as I suck in a few more breaths.

She starts pacing back and forth in front of me, and my eyes lock on to brown cowgirl boots and bare legs. Her legs are lean but look muscular and strong. In another time and another place, what I wouldn’t give to run my hands up them.

She stops in front of me. “Where are you staying? I can drive you if you need me to. I mean, I came with my friends, but I can drive your car and they can follow me.” She’s rambling and sounds unsure of herself, her nerves are coming through, but it’s still nice that she offers.

“Oh, off of Lake Horizons Road, but no, thanks, I’ll really be fine in a minute.” Maybe I should take her up on her offer. It would give me more time with her.

“Are you here by yourself?” she asks.

Peeking back up at her, she’s turned toward the parking lot, scanning it for something.

“No, I’m here with my friend, Clay.” Breathing in another breath, I let go of my stomach, brace my hand against the door, and attempt to stand up straight. “He’s staying a little while longer.”

She lets out a little laugh, and it’s as if the first chord of the guitar has strummed all over again. It zaps my heart.

“It’s got to be the same Clay hitting on my friend then.” She smiles and my zapped heart stops beating.

“He is. I saw them on the way out.” I turn to face her finally and her eyes lock on mine. There is something so striking about her that I can’t put my finger on it, and her eyes are so blue and clear, I feel like I’m falling into them. Blue to blue comes to mind again. They’re beautiful. She’s beautiful.

“Lake Horizons Road, that’s where we’re staying.” So she isn’t local; she’s vacationing. That answers that question.

“Maybe we’re neighbors then.” I offer her a small smile and that’s when I see it. “You’re wearing a Blue Horizons t-shirt. Where did you get that?” I’m shocked. I haven’t seen one of these t-shirts in years. At least, not one that isn’t in my closet.

She looks down at her clothes and runs her hands down the sides of her skirt like she wants to make it longer.

“Oh, I got it years ago. They were a local band that used to play here.”

“Yeah, I know. Did you ever see them play?” My curiosity is evident and she looks back up at me peculiarly.

“Yes, a couple of times actually. I guess you could say I was a fan. I even have two of their albums. I take it you’ve heard of them?” She gives me a small smile.

How do I answer that? This beautiful girl was a fan? She saw the band play, but yet she doesn’t recognize me? I feel as if I’m having an out of body experience. I’m already attracted to this girl because of her looks, and now it seems as if her taste in music is exceptional as well.

“I have. Clay and I have been coming here for years. Do you live around here?” I need to know more about her. Why? I don’t know . . . but for some reason I do.

“No, New York City.” She wraps her arms around her middle. It’s a defense mechanism—she clearly doesn’t want to talk about herself—and I have to pull my eyes away from the way she’s pushed up her chest. She’s a thin girl, but based on this move, there’s definitely a good handful. Forcing my eyes back to her face, that’s when I see the moonlight reflect off of the tiny diamond stud in her nose. Internally, I groan. That piercing is hot. Everything about this girl is hot.

“Forgive me for asking, but how old are you? You don’t seem old enough to know them. They stopped playing like five years ago.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, I think. And I’m twenty-five.” She shifts her weight from side to side.

Silence fills the space between us and she glances towards the door.

“So where on Horizons Road are you staying?” I don’t want her to leave. I want to keep her talking. I want to learn as much as I can about her before she disappears.

“Oh, I can’t remember the exact address. Cross the bridge, turn left, and it’s the fifth house on the right.” I can’t help but smile at her; those directions are almost identical to the ones I gave Clay last year. “Why are you smiling?”

“Because I’m the eighth house on the right.”

She drops her gaze, smiles, and then looks back up at me. “I guess that does make us neighbors.”

“I guess so.” I continue to watch her and she shifts her weight from side to side. A shiver runs through her and it dawns on me she must be cold. The fingers on her left hand begin to twitch, and although I’m not sure why, it’s as if she’s suddenly gotten nervous.

“Listen, I’m gonna go.” I point my thumb towards the parking lot.

“Can I go with you?” she blurts.

My eyebrows shoot up and I watch her expression turn to horror as she realizes how that sounded. “I mean, do you mind dropping me off on your way home?”

I start laughing and then so does she. There’s that sound again. I could get used to hearing that. Wait! What am I thinking? I don’t want to get used to that. Getting to know this girl means having to tell her who I am. Reality sinks in and I look at her speculatively. She’s probably no different than all the others. She sees the shift in my mood and takes a step back.

“Never mind, my friends will be ready soon enough. I’m sorry again for what happened.” She moves past me and grabs the door handle to go back inside. Ugh. I don’t want her to go back inside.

I reach out for her arm. “No, I don’t mind. It’s not a problem.” She jerks her arm away from me and the fear returns to her eyes.

Whoa
. This girl seriously does not like to be touched. I hold my hand up so she can see I meant nothing by the move.

The only sound around us is the muffled music coming from inside. Her uncertainty lingers between us and then she straightens her back.