Waiting for Wednesday (3 page)

“I didn’t want your protection, Tris. I didn’t—I
don’t
—want anyone to feel like they have to take care of me. I can take care of myself.” Her words came crashing down on his head and at last he understood why she’d run. She hadn’t left town because she was afraid of her husband. She’d left town to escape
him
. His heart shut down with the realization and the last vestige of hope for a future with Lane Bryce floated away.

Lane watched Tristan’s face go hard. She’d hurt him with her words. Regardless of his reaction, she steeled her heart to the fact she was doing the right thing. Tris had always viewed her as weak, helpless—a kitten—and she was determined to break that misconception. She wanted him to see her as she was—a woman in charge of her own life, not some pitiful creature in need of his protection.

“I see,” he said. “I accept your apology.”

19

Mari Carr

Yeah right.

She could tell from his tone, from his wooden features, she had a hell of a lot of making up to do.

She’d missed his easy smile and friendship this past year more than she cared to admit. He was actually a large factor in her decision to return to Baltimore. It had taken her months in San Diego to come to grips with the royal mess she’d made of her life, then several months more to find a way to be comfortable in her own skin again. James had destroyed so much of her self-esteem during their two-year fiasco of a marriage, and only through serious soul-searching and a bit of therapy had she managed to rebuild it.

One night a couple of months earlier, she’d had an epiphany. She realized that throughout the darkest times of her marriage, it was Tris who’d kept her afloat, kept her head from going underwater. Without him, she would have drowned in a sea of misery and regret.

She looked around the bar and grinned. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed this place…and you.”

He smiled at her, though she noticed the pleasure of it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.

“I missed you too, Lane. Football season was a killer. Fucking Ravens.” She sensed him struggling to put them back in familiar, comfortable territory and she appreciated his effort. She took the ball and went with it.

“Ugh. Don’t even mention that team to me. It’s going to take me until at least summer camp to forgive them for playing like dog shit all last season.” He laughed and her heart sped up at the familiar, well-loved sound.

“Better not let Pop hear you criticizing them. Even after that crappy season, he won’t sit still to hear one negative word against them.”

“How is your pop? And your brothers and sisters?” She’d always liked Tristan’s family. She’d met and chatted with most of them on various Wednesday nights in the past.

20

Waiting for Wednesday

“They’re the same. Annoying as hell.”

She grinned, recognizing his words as a joke. One of the best things about Tris was his devotion to his family. He adored them—each and every one—and it showed. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. She wondered what it must feel like to be included in that net of
family
. A product of the foster-care system, Lane found the concept of family as foreign to her as living on the moon.

“You look great, Lane.”

She smiled. “Sweet talker.”

“Want another glass of wine?”

She glanced down, surprised to discover she’d drained her glass. She couldn’t even remember drinking the wine.

“Sure.” She was in no hurry to go back to Joy’s apartment. For the moment, she was exactly where she wanted to be. Home in Baltimore, back with her best friend Tris, relaxed, comfortable. She wasn’t sure how she’d survived an entire year without this…without
him
.

“So who do you like for the Stanley Cup?” she asked, and they were off.

Lane was surprised later when she looked around and realized all the other patrons had left, as well as Tristan’s sister. She vaguely recalled saying good night to the other woman, remembering the curious look Keira had given Tristan. Lane assumed it was because Tris had given up his station behind the bar and was sitting on the stool beside her. A quick peek at the clock confirmed it was nearly two o’clock in the morning.

“Oh my gosh.” She stood quickly. “I can’t believe how late it is.” Tris followed her gaze to the clock and shared her surprise at the hour. “Where did those three hours go?”

She laughed. “I have no idea, but I didn’t mean to keep you so late. I’m sure you had better things to do than entertain me.”

21

Mari Carr

He shook his head. “Actually I didn’t. Come on.” He stood as well, taking her hand and walking her toward the door. “I’ll drive you home.”

“I have my own car,” she said. “I only had two glasses of wine and those were consumed a while ago.”

“I don’t like the idea of you driving home alone so late.”

“Tris, I’m a big girl. Besides, Joy’s apartment building has its own well-lit parking garage. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, let me walk you to your car at least.”

She nodded her assent, trying to ignore the fact he hadn’t released her hand. Why did holding hands with him feel so natural, so good? She’d come home secure in the knowledge she could resist this, could resist
him
. She’d always been physically attracted to him and, to ward off those inappropriate feelings, she’d worn her marriage like a suit of armor. Now that she was divorced and on a path she could tread comfortably on her own, she suddenly realized she was tempting fate by putting Tris back in her life.

God, what was wrong with her?

She’d fought too hard the last year to reclaim her life, her freedom. To become a woman she could face in the mirror each morning, a woman who held her head high and didn’t have to rely on a man to take care of her. She was the new-and-improved Lane Bryce.

To add insult to injury, Tris had never indicated he wanted to be more than a friend. She was probably alone in her lust and setting herself up for a fall if he ever discovered her desires. Jeez, she needed to get laid. Find some faceless stranger and get rid of all this trapped need. Maybe then she could be near Tris without images of their naked limbs tangled together taunting her.

He opened her car door after she hit the lock release and she turned to thank him, only to have the words lodge in her throat.

22

Waiting for Wednesday

They were standing closer than she’d realized and her quick turn left her far too close to him—her nose brushing against his chest and the soft cotton of his shirt. She tried to covertly sniff his lovely scent—peppermint schnapps and…hmm…maybe rum.

She wasn’t sure of anything except that he smelled like Tris—yummy. He bent slightly when she lingered and as she looked up, she found her lips only a breath away from his.

“I’m glad you’re home, kitten.” He pressed a platonic kiss to her forehead and she kicked herself for thinking his kindness meant anything more than companionship.

She should have been grateful he didn’t share her attraction, but she couldn’t summon the emotion. While she was having some serious dirty fantasies about the man, it was obvious he still viewed her as a helpless woman and his “protector genes” had come riding to the rescue. Now she was horny…and pissed off.

She needed to get control of herself. They were best friends—and friendship was all she could handle with Tristan Collins. Anything more would definitely be dangerous to the feeble grip she held on her newfound freedom, her independence.

“See you next Wednesday?”

She nodded. “Sure. Next Wednesday.”

23

Mari Carr

Chapter Two

Lane stood outside Pat’s Irish Pub on Wednesday evening and took a deep breath.

She’d expected the week to drag as she anticipated seeing Tris again, but it had actually flown by. She’d had a great time reconnecting with Joy and catching up with some old colleagues and high-school friends. She hadn’t made much headway in the hunt for an apartment or a job, but she hadn’t expected either chore to be easy or quick.

As she opened the door she was surprised to see the bar quite busy. At second glance, she realized it was packed. That certainly explained her problem finding a parking spot. She’d figured it was Murphy’s Law working against her since she was so anxious to see Tris again. She fought her way to the bar and watched as Tristan and his brother Ewan entertained the crowd with some crazy drink-mixing antics. Tris caught a glimpse of her and she fought to ignore the sudden pounding of her heart at the breathtaking smile he gave her. He leaned over the bar toward her.

“My sister Teagan and her boyfriend Sky are in town. They’re going to sing a little later.” He spoke loudly, fighting to make himself heard over the crowd.

“Oh.” She’d read about Teagan’s splash in the music arena and her budding relationship with Sky Mitchell. “Maybe I should come back another night.” She tried to hide her disappointment at the thought of waiting another whole week to see him again.

“Freeze!” he said as she turned to leave. He gestured with his head, indicating he wanted her to follow him to the other side of the bar. She pushed her way through the crowd, fighting to get to where he waited.

“This place is crazy.” She stepped up to the bar and grabbed a napkin, blotting the front of her shirt. “Some drunk just spilled beer down my blouse.” 24

Waiting for Wednesday

Tris grinned at her, wiggling his eyebrows. “Maybe we should start a wet T-shirt contest,” he teased. “You’d win for sure.”

“Very funny.” She returned his grin and gave up on the blouse. She was drenched and there was no hope for it.

“I was hoping I could recruit you,” he yelled, fighting to be heard when Teagan and Sky started playing.

“Recruit me?”

“To tend bar. We could use an extra server. If you help here, Ewan can go out and start taking orders.”

“I don’t know anything about mixing drinks.”

“You can fill the beer orders. Anybody can run the tap.” He lifted the hinged entry to the bar before she could refuse him.

Ewan grinned when he realized help had arrived, kissing her on the cheek as she stepped up to relieve him.

“You are a lifesaver,” Ewan exclaimed as he left her and Tris alone behind the bar.

After a super-fast instruction on how to operate the tap, Tris began filling the mixed-drink orders. They worked together quickly and efficiently, and Lane tried to ignore the heat growing in her body from their proximity.

More than a few times, Tris scooted behind her to retrieve a bottle of liquor. Each time, his chest pressed against her back. He constantly put his hands on her waist to steady her whenever he passed. Twice his arm had accidentally rubbed her breast as he wiped up a spill on the counter in front of her, her breath catching at the sensual rub.

At one point, after watching her continually push her hair out of her face, he stopped to fasten it with a ponytail holder his sister Riley had brought at his request. He ran his fingers through her hair in such a provocative way her nipples went hard. The beer on her blouse, though starting to dry, did little to hide her body’s reaction to his touches.

25

Mari Carr

“Cold?” he whispered, his hot breath driving her arousal up another notch. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

Oh yeah. Accident, her ass. He was deliberately trying to provoke a response, but why? He’d never touched her in a sexual way before. Of course, she’d never been divorced before.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Tristan
was
interested in her. The thought simultaneously thrilled and terrified her.

Oh fuck. Definitely in over my head now.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to ponder the situation as the orders continued to fly, the entire pub pulsating with the loud music from the stage.

For nearly two hours, they served drinks as Sky and Teagan performed. The entire time, Lane fought her arousal as Tristan’s touches became more frequent, longer, less subtle. Her face was flushed, her breathing labored and, after yet another “accidental” touch from Tris—this time a squeeze to her rear-end—she considered murdering the man or throwing him on the floor and riding his hips—drunks be damned. She was horny and wet and her pussy was crying out for some serious stimulation.

Finally, Teagan and Sky left the stage to very loud cheers, ushered by bodyguards out the front door to where a limo was waiting to take them back to their hotel. Once the couple left, the crowd quickly thinned and the orders slowed. During a lull, Lane took a moment to regain her composure, leaning against the counter behind her and trying to figure out what the hell she was supposed to do now.

Tris watched Lane with quiet pleasure. He’d been annoyed as hell when he realized word of Teagan and Sky’s impromptu performance had gotten out. Half of freaking Baltimore had come knocking and he knew his quiet evening with Lane was ruined.

Then he’d decided to use the show to his benefit. He’d spent the days since her reappearance trying to figure out what the hell to do about the woman. He wasn’t so thick he couldn’t admit she’d wounded his pride. Before Lane, Tris had never fallen for 26

Waiting for Wednesday

a woman who didn’t fall right back. He’d also never been dumped. Whether she realized it or not, Lane had done both. By returning and waving that “I’m free” flag in his face, she’d reopened the cut and he’d been determined to get back a bit of his own.

He’d intended for his heated touches to make her regret what she’d so easily cast aside. It was petty and small, but he’d discovered with Lane, all his preconceived ideas of how a gentleman should behave were tossed out the window. He was reduced to a wounded beast, lashing out in any way he could.

His plan had worked great. Until he realized the more aroused she became, the more ravenous he grew. Her nipples were so taut beneath her blouse it was all he could do not to strip the scrap of material off her and take them into his mouth. He’d witnessed her covertly pressing her legs together twice and the subtle movements had him convinced he could smell her sweet juices even over the potent odor of the alcohol.