Dance Away, Danger (21 page)

“I did it to protect you.”

“Thanks.” She began to close the door.

Jason stuck his foot in its path. “Brenna, I had people still trying to kill me and I didn’t want them to think I cared about you or told you anything. I didn’t want to put you in any more danger.”

She didn’t shut him out, but she didn’t welcome him in with open arms. But, really, what had he expected?

“Is that it?”

“No, I....”

“What do you want from me?”

There was no use trying to mend fences he’d destroyed before they even had a chance to be put up. She’d declined to press charges against him for whatever reason. Part of him wanted to ask her about her decision, but he was sure she wouldn’t answer. “The bottom line is, I owe you. When you could’ve left me to die, you took me to the hospital. When you could’ve ruined my career, you didn’t. Your efforts helped put a stop to a ring of corrupt policemen. Thank you for saving my life.”

Her features softened a bit. “You’re welcome.”

She really was pretty. Through all his hallucinations, he hadn’t been wrong about that.

“Have a good day.”

“Wait.” He fished in his pocket for one of the business cards his sister’d had made the minute he graduated from the academy and held it out to her. “If you ever need….”
Me.
“Anything at all, call me. You may not want to, but I’ll be there for you no matter what.”

When she reached for the card, her fingertips brushed his. A current of some kind surged up his arm. By the way her crystal blue eyes widened, she felt it too. Nothing odd about that for him. He was horny and she was hot. Still, for her to react after all she’d been through, after all he’d put her through...interesting.

Damn, Gage.
She wasn’t dating material. Any shrink worth his almighty paycheck would tell them to stay the hell away from each other.

“Anything else?” Again her face held the mask of a disinterested person, a woman whose precious time was being wasted.

“No.”

“Then goodbye, Officer Gage.” She did close the door then, and after a few minutes of listening to the wind whistle, he walked out of her life.

****

Matt scanned the side of the pool. Kids played in the deep end, women occupied the lounge chairs across from him with their mates sitting beside them. Some read, others talked, most enjoyed cool drinks from the bar. The woman who had hit on him last night strolled toward him in a barely there bikini. Sure, she wore the suit well, but she did nothing for him.

Because she wasn’t Tessa.

What the hell was he still doing thinking about her? Yes, he’d enjoyed her company when they weren’t getting chased or held at gunpoint or shot at, but his time with her was over. He
wanted
it to be over, didn’t he?

Yet sitting there under the hot sun, enjoying the warm breeze and relaxing, he couldn’t deny something inside him was missing.

Over the last three days, Tessa’s words, and Jason’s, for that matter, traveled miles through his brain. She’d put her life on the line for him, to protect him because she trusted him more than any guy she’d been involved with.

And he’d dismissed her. He’d been so busy wallowing in his own pity
,
he hadn’t even considered what she’d revealed as her truth. No one had ever cared enough for him to be willing to sacrifice herself.

Holy hell, that was insane. Matt had played the man-of-the-house role for far too many years at a time when the burden shouldn’t have been his. He’d learned early in life how all-consuming responsibility could be and how to deal with it when the results weren’t exactly right. As a young man, he’d walked away as soon as he could escape and he hadn’t glanced back once.

Until that moment.

“Hey, stranger.” The blonde stopped at the foot of his lounge chair. “I lost you last night.”

No, she hadn’t. He’d ducked out of the bar as soon as he could. He tossed his feet over the side of the chair and stood. “Yeah, I had a lot on my mind and I was tired from my trip.”

If he stayed with her, Tessa Gage wouldn’t be dependent on him. She’d be his equal. Yes, diving into a partnership with her would be risky, but it would be a calculated risk. He needed to be with her, wanted to take that chance because living without her no longer appealed to him as an option.

“What about today?” The beautiful woman in front of him tossed her hair over her shoulder.

“Today, I’m going home.” And while he waited to board the plane to Rhode Island, maybe Matt would be able to find the courage to tell Tessa he’d fallen in love with her.

****

Tessa Gage was strong, independent, capable…and another year older.

The waves crashed on the shore of City Park Beach. She tugged her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she sat on the sand and thought about wrapping her legs in the comforter she sat on. Wind rustled through her curls and made them sail off her face. The sun beat down from high above her. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salt-sea air.

Jason was vindicated, called a hero by the media, Pete had agreed to testify against Whit, and Whit would face countless charges in the very system he’d manipulated.

And Tessa sat there alone because the man she loved couldn’t commit to her.

Before meeting Matt, Tessa had been content to live her life casually, dating fun, handsome men, teaching her dance classes, occasionally assisting her boss, and taking care of her overworked brother. Since then, she’d learned so much about herself. She could survive a crisis. She could surrender to a man sometimes without sacrificing a part of herself. She could have her happy ending.

But not the happy ending she wanted with the man who’d claimed her heart. Even at that moment, traitorous warm tingles rumbled through her at the thought of Matt’s body entwined with hers. The time with him was an experience she’d never have again. Yeah, some birthday.

A shadow blocked the rays of sunshine.

Tessa opened her eyes to see who had joined her on the frigid beach. Her heart skipped. Matt stood above her with his Patriots jacket on and a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

“Hi,” he said.

A little smile stretched along her lips. “I thought you were on vacation.”

“I was, but it didn’t feel right.”

Time off, lounging on a warm beach with no cares in the world didn’t feel right? What was wrong with him?

“Can I join you?”

“Sure.”

He set the bag on the sand and sat down. “Listen, Tessa.” He bent one knee up and watched the swelling sea. “I’ve been doing some thinking and I’m sorry about the way we left things at the hospital.”

“Thank you for that.”

“While I was on vacation, I thought about what you and your brother said to me.”

“Jason?” If the jerk had jumped in where he didn’t belong, she’d kick his butt herself.

“Yeah. If he could’ve, he would have jumped out of his bed and beat me senseless.”

“I’m sorry for his behavior.”

“No, don’t be. He made things clearer for me, and I realize how I screwed up.”

A spark of hope surged within her. “Screwed what up?”

“I thought I didn’t want any responsibility because I was tired of it. Helping you last week reminded me how good it feels to share what I know and help someone else. That’s the man I want to be.” A storm of worry, hope, and desire swirled in his brilliant brown eyes.

“You walked away.”

“Yeah, but I think...what I mean is....” He scrubbed his hand over his head. “Damn.”

“It’s okay. Take your time. I’ll listen.” She let go of a soft chuckle. He took a deep breath
and nodded once.

“What I’m trying to say is, I came to you for your brother. I’d like to stay for you, for us.”

Tessa gasped as tears crowded her eyes. “Oh my God.”

He playfully bumped her shoulder. “Is that a good ‘oh my God’ or a bad ‘oh my God’?”

“Definitely a good one.” She leaned forward and kissed him. She meant to take the lead, but Matt took possession of her mouth at once, sinking his tongue between her lips and igniting another firestorm within her. He demanded everything of her and she willingly surrendered to him. His capable hands pulled her body flush against his. Butterflies sprang outward from her belly as waves of desire pulsed through her veins. The man would be everything to her: friend, lover, partner. How had she become so lucky?

Way before she was ready, he eased away from her. “Great. I’ve got something for you.”

He rummaged through his duffel bag while she declared, “I’ve got you. I don’t need anything else.”

“Ah-ha. Got it.” With a wicked gleam, he grinned and held up a blue scarf.

“What’s that for?” Her body tingled as memories of how he’d used the very same material to love her, all of her, returned to her brain. Heat flooded her cheeks. They’d been very adventurous during their last night together.

“It’s a surprise.” He scooted closer to her and laid the soft material across her eyes.

Giggles tripped out of her mouth. “Matt,” she said as he tied the material behind her. “What’ve you got up your sleeve?”

His breath barely brushed her ear. “I told you. It’s a surprise. When we were in the diner, you told me you had the ultimate self-control.” His teeth grazed her earlobe and a shudder rolled down her spine. “Prove it.”

“Matthew Rylan, you are evil.” Damn, she lost all willpower when it came to him and he knew it, but it was okay. Matt would never steer her wrong.

A rumble of laughter came through him. “Yeah, but you love me.” She heard the smile through his words, could imagine his crooked grin.

“I definitely do,” she admitted with emotion swelling her chest.

She heard him rummage through his bag again. The scent of a sugary dessert tickled her nose. He didn’t remove the scarf. Her body thrummed with nervous energy. “You are torturing me.”

“That’ll come later, sweetheart.” A clicking sound once, twice led to the smell of sulfur and the feel of heat moving closer to her face. “Go ahead and take a peek.”

She yanked the covering from her head and smiled. “Happy birthday.” He held a chocolate frosted cupcake with a cherry on top and a lit candle in the center. He cupped one hand around the flame to keep it from flickering out.

In his eyes, she saw the love he had for her, the forever she wanted with him.

She accepted the cupcake just as the wind blew out the candle. “How sweet! Thank you.”

“Wait. I’m not done. I still have your present.”

She leaned closer to him and coaxed another kiss from his luscious lips. “I thought you were my birthday present.”

“Well, I’ll put a bow on for you later,” he chuckled as he searched the duffel bag a third time.

Tessa laughed. “That, I definitely want.”

He traded the cupcake for an envelope. While she ripped it open, he set the cupcake in front of her on the blanket. Inside the envelope, she found two plane tickets...to Ireland. Her jaw fell open. “Matt, your gift is...amazing, but I can’t accept it.”

“Yes, you can.” He leaned over her shoulder and pointed to the date on the tickets. “I checked in with your work. Once things get squared away with them finding Alice’s replacement, they said you’ll be free to go and have fun. And your brother didn’t kick my ass when I mentioned it to him. So, you’re cleared to go.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Her heart swelled with love for him, for all they could be together.

“I’m in love with you, Tessa, and I can’t imagine another day without you. I can’t promise you forever yet. I’ve spent too much time on my own, but if you’ll take it slow with me, I’ll do everything I can to be the man you deserve.”

She shifted to her knees and kissed him. “You already are.”

“So then you’ll go with me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh yeah. Life with you is one adventure I don’t want to miss.”

Matt stretched out on the blanket, pulled Tessa with him, and showed her just how good a partner he intended to be.

The End

Alexa Bourne is a teacher by day and a romance writer by nights, weekends, and all school holidays. She also teaches online classes for writers throughout the year. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance and is thrilled to have the chance to share her stories with readers everywhere.

When she’s not concocting sinister plots and steamy love scenes or traveling and exploring new cultures, Alexa spends her time reading, watching brainless TV, and thinking about exercising. Okay, she also spends way too much time interacting with readers and writers on social media sites. But don’t tell her editors! Find out more about her and her books on her website,
www.alexabourne.com
.