Jett made a half turn in frustration and squared in front of Dax. His purple eyes were understanding but... not. “Fix it, Dax. For dad’s sake, if not your own. Just, fix it.”
Dax watched his brother storm off. He ran a hand over his face, turning to watch the road again. He’d been so willing to let the instant and powerful connection between them drive this relationship, that he hadn’t done enough himself to win Allie over. Just because he’d finally made up his mind to settle down, with her, doesn’t mean she’d come to the same instant decision.
She’d already been burned by a shifter, that piece of shit, and what had he done to reassure her fears? Nothing. Her ridiculous Loser Allie List. What had he done to reassure her that it was untrue?
Nothing.
Fuck his impulsivity! He’d always been this way; stubborn anytime he felt pushed, but once he made his mind up about something, he went a hundred miles an hour to make it happen.
Allie was more cautious. She balanced him that way. If he’d only listened to her instead of pushing so damn hard, maybe she’d be here with him right now. Hand in hand, waiting for the bonfires to be lit beneath the fullest moon of the year so they could mate for life. Instead, she probably felt like she was disposable and replaceable because he’d be forced to take another mate if Allie refused him.
It was unthinkable. How would he be able to take another woman and make love to her beneath the full moon, fill her with his cum and profess his undying commitment?
Unfamiliar pressure started behind his temples. Clenching his fists, Dax swallowed hard as he realized his eyes were pricking with tears. He had to save his father, no matter what. But only with Allie. It had to be her.
The impulse to go to her pounded full and hard in his body. Scanning the still-full road, Dax knew he couldn’t go now.
Soon.
# # #
WELL, HERE GOES MASSIVEwhat-the-fuckery.
Allie smoothed her red dress, appreciating how the deep-V wrap top hugged her full breasts and made her waist look small. The color contrasted prettily with her half-sleeve tattoo. She’d piled her curls on top of her head in a messy bun with wispy strands hanging down around her face. A pair of flat gold sandals and a gold anklet topped off the outfit. Not too bad considering no part of her wanted to dress up for, or go to, Marybeth’s party.
How was she going to make it through the night when her heart hurt, and her soul felt so damn heavy? While she was serving sweets to MB’s guests, Dax would be looking for someone new. He’d have his choice—blonde, brunette, short, tall. Hell, he might sample a few before he settled on one. Allie frowned so hard; her forehead hurt.
While she was enduring MB, Dax would be fucking someone else. He’d be lost to her, forever.
Allie turned away from the mirror and left the women’s restroom. She fought tears as she returned to the kitchen where sixty boxes of baked goods waited to be delivered Marybeth’s. Dax’s order was gone; someone had come to get them earlier while she was at home getting ready. She didn’t ask Becks who picked them up. She didn’t want to know.
If Dax had just been honest about his intentions from the start... if he’d given her the chance to open up to the feelings between them without all the pressure, maybe this would have turned out differently.
“Yeah, and maybe if you’d just taken a chance, you wouldn’t be smearing your mascara.”
Becks handed Allie a tissue, with a sympathetic smile. Allie took it as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Did I say that out loud?”
“No, honey. I know you well enough to correctly assume what’s going on in your head right now.”
Allie dabbed at her tears and gave a humorless laugh. “You’re right. I should have been willing to give it a chance, to just go for it... but I can’t. I can’t be that vulnerable again.”
Becks picked up a stack of boxes and carried them to the back where Allie’s delivery van was waiting. Allie followed suit, and they worked in silence until the van was loaded. Finally, Becks took Allie by the shoulder and gave a squeeze.
“Remember when you took a chance on this old, run down building? In the three years’ since, you’ve encountered an electrical fire, had a clandestine stash of ten-year-old buried cocaine drug-busted from your basement, been ravaged by raccoons and generally gone through a lot of shit. But, would you take it back and skip all the joy it’s brought you?”
“I’d like the bank loan to go away.” Allie tried to smile.
Becks rolled her eyes. “You suck at diversion. Well, would you?”
How can you compare a relationship to a building? Allie threw her hands up and looked around. Dax might be strong like the bricks that made up these walls, but that’s where the analogy ended. She’d taken too many risks in her life and none of them had panned out very well. She loved her business but taking the leap into entrepreneurship had cost her thousands, with more on the way. She’d jumped in with Blake and had gotten nothing but fear, shame, and a bruised heart.
“I’d better get going, Becks.”
Allie turned away as her friend crossed her arms and sighed. She didn’t let her mind wander as she drove through Estes Park to the gated drive outside of town where Marybeth lived. There was a man at the gate who took her name, verified she was on the list, and let her through.
Her father was already here, and Allie hoped he wasn’t rocking in a corner somewhere. She’d tried talking him out of attending as MB’s date, but he didn’t want to ruffle her bitchy feathers any more than they already were.
