With my cheek pressed against his chest and the sound of his heartbeat pounding in my ear, I gave in. Tears coursed down my cheeks. He held me tight while he ran his palm up and down my back.
“It’s going to be okay, Sugar Pie.”
The deep rumble of his voice offered comfort. But it also stoked the heat that had sparked the first time I saw him. He wasn’t like any man I’d ever known. Tough on the outside, there was a gentleness to him underneath. And I was going to be all alone with him in a tiny cottage set on the bank of a river.
“Should we go check the place out?” he asked.
I’d stopped crying and could have spent the whole night exactly where we were. This close to him, the scent of leather filled my nose. My cheek rested on his soft t-shirt, but I could feel his hard muscles underneath.
“I suppose we probably should.” Lifting my head, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the rearview mirror. Mascara streaked down my splotchy cheeks. My eyes were rimmed in red. “Oh Mylanta, I look awful.”
“Mylanta?” He held my chin in one hand and used his thumb to brush away the dark smudges.
Heat bloomed on my neck and spread across my face. “I wasn’t allowed to cuss growing up. My mom always said, ‘Oh Mylanta’ and I guess it stuck.”
“I think it’s cute.” He pulled me in and pressed a kiss on my forehead. “Come on. Let’s get you settled. You’re probably exhausted.”
He carried my bag while I grabbed my backpack. We stopped on the front porch while he entered a code into the lockbox and grabbed the key. The sun had set on our drive over so I couldn’t see the river, but I could hear the rush of water nearby. We stepped into the cottage and Triton flipped on the light. There was a woodburning stove in one corner and a comfortable-looking couch in the other. The kitchenette took up half of the back wall and a small table sat on the other side of a butcherblock island.
“There should be a bedroom back there along with a bathroom.” Triton nodded toward a hallway. “It’s not much, but you’ll be safe here.” He carried my bag into the bedroom, and I followed.
The room was too small to hold anything bigger than a double bed. Triton set my bag on the edge.
“Wait, where’s your stuff?” I asked. We’d left straight from my parents’ house. I hadn’t been paying attention before but didn’t seem to have anything with him.
“I’ll be alright. I can borrow some things from my brothers. Mama Mae always has extras of everything sitting around. I’m going to do a quick sweep of the perimeter before I crash on the couch. Do you need anything?” With Triton standing in the center of bedroom, the room seemed to shrink. The walls closed in as reality crashed down on me.
I didn’t want to be alone, but I also didn’t want him to think of me as clingy or needy. “You won’t be comfortable on the couch. Your feet will hang off the edge. Why don’t you take the bedroom?”
He crowded closer, his head slowly shaking back and forth. “Not happening. I’ll just be in the other room if you need anything. You’re going to be okay, Bess. I promise.”
Staring into his eyes, I believed him. “Well, if you need anything, I guess I’ll just be in here.”
His mouth immediately spread into a wide grin. “Careful what you offer, Sugar Pie. I might be tempted to take you up on it.”
Realizing how my offer sounded, I clapped my hand over my mouth. “I just meant, if you need to talk to me about something or…”
“I know what you meant. Get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll figure things out in the morning.” He smoothed my hair back from my face, his gaze lingering on my lips.
It felt like he was going to kiss me. My nerves lit up in anticipation. Heat hurtled through my veins as I waited, breathless, for him to touch his lips to mine.
The spark in his eyes faded and he pulled back. “Goodnight, Bess.”
A hollow ache pulsed in my core, desperate to be satisfied. I didn’t understand, but I didn’t know what to do about it either. So, I watched him go then fell onto the bed, cursing myself for bungling things but also letting out a sigh of relief. Giving into the attraction would make everything more complicated. Besides, my father would absolutely lose his mind.
I heard him leave to go check around outside and took that opportunity to use the restroom and change into my pajamas. By the time he came back inside, I’d snuggled under the covers. Even though I was emotionally and mentally exhausted, it didn’t feel like sleep would come.
Triton walked around in the other room. The walls were paper thin, and I could hear everything, even the long, drawn-out sigh he made as he settled on the couch. I stared up at the ceiling and tried to force my mind to quiet. I’d almost fallen asleep when a soft knock came from the front door. My stomach clenched as I waited for Triton to answer it.
CHAPTER7
TRITON
I checkedthe peephole before answering, though I’d been expecting my brother Owen. I’d called him on my way in to let him know I’d be in the area. He’d insisted on bringing over some staples to get us through the first couple of days.
“Where is she?” Owen didn’t waste time pushing past me to enter the cottage.
“Shh. She’s in bed, probably sacked out already.” I closed the door and flipped the deadbolt. “Did you see anyone on the way over?”
