Break the Sky (Spiral of Bliss Spin Off) (27 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ARCHER

ONCE I FINISHED THE TILE FLOORS
in the kitchen, Dean and I started installing the new maple cabinets. We didn’t talk much, but we worked well together and got most of the kitchen finished within a few days.

Liv came by often, sometimes with Nicholas and sometimes alone. She brought lunch, drinks, cookies, and samples of paint or wood trim. Whenever she came in, Dean always stopped whatever he was doing and went to join her.

I tried to leave them alone, after Liv insisted that I take a break and eat whatever she’d brought from the café, but sometimes I overheard them talking or saw them exchange a hug or kiss.

Dean called her “beauty.” Sometimes she called him “professor,” in a voice that was both teasing and full of admiration. He touched her hair a lot. She looked at him like he was a superhero. He looked at her like she was a miracle.

It should have been sappy, but it wasn’t. I realized that Liv and Dean had the first good marriage I’d ever seen. And though I’d always envied how easily everything came to Dean, I knew he and Liv had had rough times. Seeing them now, I was glad their relationship had worked out so well.

I guessed that was because sometimes people just belonged together. And when they not only found each other, but fought for each other and won, even I knew the universe got it right.

After working for a few hours on the kitchen, I took a break and sat on the front porch steps. Kelsey’s car came up the drive. Liv and Dean sat outside the trailer, drinking take-out coffees that she’d brought and looking through a catalog of door handles and hardware.

Kelsey got out of her car and came toward me with that long-legged, go-to-hell walk that I’d loved from the beginning. The blue streak in her hair glowed in the sunlight.

My risk-taking, brilliant scientist girl. She needed storms. She needed her mother and her secret craft room. She needed to chase tornados, to be pushed to her limits, to predict the unpredictable. And even if she didn’t know it yet, she needed
me.

She tossed her bag on the porch steps and put her hands on her hips.

I frowned. “What?”

“You told Peter Danforth about the tornado video.”

“Peter… oh, that student of yours. Yeah, I saw him on campus.”

“He’s not my student anymore. He’s a reporter with Channel Four news.”

“Oh.”

“You shouldn’t have said anything to him about the video,” Kelsey continued. She sounded defensive.

“I didn’t know it was a secret. You sent it to your grad students, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Now I was getting irritated. “You said you were going to at the motel.”

“I changed my mind, all right?” Kelsey snapped. “I wanted to keep it private.”

“Well, I didn’t know that.”

“I know you didn’t.” Her eyes flashed. “It just would have been nice if you’d
thought
before you spoke.”

What the hell was this about?

I spread my hands in frustration.

“Why is this such a big deal?” I asked.

“Because it was special, okay?” Kelsey retorted. “The video. It’s you, me, and a tornado. I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life. And I didn’t want to share it with anyone else.”

I stepped back, her confession hitting me right in the middle of my chest. A flush rose to Kelsey’s cheeks, as if she’d just said something that embarrassed her. I reached out to touch the blue stripe in her hair.

“I’ve never experienced anyone like you in my life,” I said.

She looked at my chest. “I didn’t know if you felt the same way about it that I did.”

“Hey.” I put my hand under her chin and lifted her face. “I never wanted that tornado to stop. I wanted to stay on the road with you forever, chasing storms. And I’m sorry I screwed up by telling that kid about the video. I thought you’d already sent it out.”

“I know. I was going to but…” She shrugged. “I would have had to eventually. The footage is too good not to share, and of course my students need to analyze it too.”

“What happened when you talked to Peter?” I asked.

“He asked for the video, and I gave it to him. I had been promising him something for a while now.”

“So that’ll be good publicity for you, right? Spread the word about your tornado research and the Spiral Project.” I put my arms around her waist and tugged her close. “We can make another
really
private video, if you want.”

She made a harrumphing noise, even as she leaned closer and pressed her mouth to mine.

“What are you doing today?” I asked, brushing my lips across her cheek to nibble at her ear.

“Running errands.” She shivered. “Stop that.”

“You really want me to?”

“No. But I saw Liv and Dean over there, and I don’t want to put on a display.”

I lifted my head reluctantly. Kelsey gave me a quick kiss before moving past me toward the trailer.

I followed, watching her gorgeous ass as we walked. We sat in the empty lawn chairs across from Liv and Dean.

“Hi, Kels.” Liv reached into the coffee holder for a cup and handed it to Kelsey. “I brought extra in case you or one of the crew were here.”

Kelsey took the cup, tilting her head toward me. “Did you bring chocolate milk for this one?”

“No,” Liv said. “Should I have?”

Dean almost grinned. “You still drink chocolate milk?” he asked me.

“Every chance I get.”

“Do you still like those ketchup-and-cheese sandwiches?”

“Nah. I prefer peanut butter these days. With strawberry jam.”

Kelsey rolled her eyes. Liv smiled.

“When Archer and I were kids, we used to have this tree house in the backyard,” Dean told them. “We’d pretend to be explorers, and we’d pack lunches in our backpacks before climbing up there. He always ate ketchup-and-cheese sandwiches on raisin bread and had chocolate milk. We’d spend all day in that tree house.”

I was surprised he remembered the tree house at all, much less the details of what we’d done there.

“The Castle,” I said.

“Oh, yeah.” Recognition sparked in Dean’s expression. “We called it The Castle. Sometimes we pretended to be knights defending our fortress.”

“
You
pretended to be a knight?” Liv asked him in amusement. “Really?”

He reached over to squeeze her knee. “We also pretended to be pirates, superheroes in a hideout… what else?”

“Space explorers,” I said. “Detectives. Bandits, cowboys, ship captains.”

Dean shook his head. “I haven’t thought about that in ages.”

“We never took it down,” I said. “The tree house. It might still be there.”

“With the house sold, we’ll never know.”

“You should build one for Nicholas,” I told Dean, gesturing to the wooded area around the property. “When he’s older. He seems to really like being outside. Bet he’d love a tree house.”

Dean nodded. “He would. We’ll call it The Castle Two.”

I almost offered to help build it, which was stupid since Nicholas was several years away from needing a tree house. But still, I liked the idea of drawing up blueprints, collecting material, building a tree house that was far more sturdy and elaborate than the one Dean and I had constructed. Nicholas’s tree house could even have real windows and hinged doors. Maybe it could have two rooms or a balcony.

I took a swallow of coffee and pushed the thought aside. I was leaving soon. I was glad I’d come, but I’d never intended to stay. Even if I’d wanted to, I didn’t belong in Mirror Lake. This was a place for people like Liv and Dean. For professors up for tenure like Kelsey. Not for guys like me.

I felt Kelsey looking at me. I had the sudden urge to touch her as easily as Dean touched Liv. Just to reach over and squeeze her knee, hold her hand. Anything to enforce the fact that she was mine.

“Archer, remember I told you about the Historical Society party tomorrow night?” Liv asked. “Would you like to come?”

I’d almost forgotten about the invitation. I glanced at Dean and waited for a look of caution or for him to suggest that maybe I had other things to do.

Instead he said, “You can borrow one of my suits again.”

I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’m going to stay in tomorrow night.”

“Too bad.” Liv looked disappointed. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

I could change my mind, I thought as I shoved to my feet. But my mind didn’t want to change me.

The sound of another car engine came up the drive. A gray Lexus pulled up beside Kelsey’s car, and a man wearing a suit and tie got out of the driver’s side.

Tension gripped me. My fists tightened with an old defensive instinct, the sense that danger was near.

“Oh.” Liv sounded disconcerted. “I didn’t know Max was coming today.”

“He said he’d stop by this week and see how things were going.” Dean rose to his feet, apparently oblivious to the look Liv shot Kelsey.

Max Lyons approached. Tall, good-looking guy with graying hair. Looked like a businessman or a lawyer. Successful. Knew how to tie a tie.

Dean and Max shook hands, and Dean gestured to Kelsey. “You know Kelsey.”

“Sure.” Max smiled at her. “How have you been?”

“Fine, thank you,” she replied. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“This is my brother Archer,” Dean said. “Not sure if you’ve met. Max is Allie’s father, and an architect who’s given us some advice about the house.”

Max held out his hand. “Good to meet you.”

I nodded, shook his hand, and stepped back. I watched Kelsey. She was looking at Max. I hoped to hell it wasn’t regret I saw in her blue eyes.

“Come on, I’ll show you what we’ve done,” Dean said.

Dean and Max started toward the house. I followed, but went into the kitchen to keep working on the cabinets. Their voices echoed through the house as Dean gave Max a tour, pointing out the reconstruction they’d done. He asked for Max’s opinion on a bunch of things, and Max made suggestions in between telling Dean about a big office building project he’d recently finished.

My breath was choppy. I twisted a screw too hard and stripped the head. With a muttered curse, I yanked it out of the wall and threw it away.

“Hey.” Kelsey came into the kitchen, her heels clicking on the new tile. “Can we have lunch later?”

I shook my head. “I’m going to work through lunch. The appliances are being delivered on Friday, and the cabinets need to be finished by then.”

I felt her frowning at me.

“What’s going on now?” she asked.

I turned to face her. “Your mother would like him.”

She blinked. “What?”

I jerked my head toward the stairs. “Max Lyons. He’s the kind of man your mother would like.”

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

I grabbed the screwdriver. “Why didn’t you bring him to meet her?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“He’s your type, isn’t he? The kind of guy you should be with.”

“But I’m not with him, am I?” Kelsey stepped closer, lowering her voice. “I went out with him a few times, Archer. That’s it. He’s a perfectly nice man, and yes, my mother would like him, but she also liked
you
. So stop acting like a jealous ass.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t fucking stand it. When I left town, Max Lyons would still be here. Plus other men like him. Men a hell of a lot better for Kelsey than I was.

Shit.
Anger scorched my chest. I threw the screwdriver down and turned away from her.

“Don’t you shut me out.” Kelsey grabbed my arm, her eyes flashing.

I stared at her, into her blue eyes that sizzled into me like electrical currents. My head filled with her almond-and-honey scent. I grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into me, crushing her soft mouth with mine. She resisted at first, pushing her hands against my chest, a noise escaping her throat.

I gripped her tighter. Slid my other arm around her waist and hauled her against me. Trapping her. I pushed my tongue into her mouth to taste her sweet heat. Shoved my hips against hers. Tightened my hand on her neck.

A fierce possessiveness flooded me. I wanted to mark her, claim her, own her.

She curled her fingers against my chest and forced her mouth from mine. Her breath caressed my jaw.

“I’m giving
over
to you,” she whispered. “I chased a tornado with you. I got a tattoo for you. I told you about my father. I’ve never done that with anyone in my life. So don’t fuck this up by being jealous. You’re the one I want. You’re the one I’m with. Since that night in the bar, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.”

Just like I couldn’t get her out of mine. Didn’t want to. Ever.

I breathed her in. The tightness in my chest loosened. My mind couldn’t change me. But Kelsey March could. In fact, she already had.

The sound of a ringtone made us separate. She turned to dig into her bag for her phone and pressed the button.

“Kelsey March,” she said.

Sudden tension radiated from her. She grabbed the edge of the counter. I crossed to her side.

“Maria?” she said into the phone. “What is it?”

Apprehension clawed at me. All the color drained from Kelsey’s face.