“I-I told him that I wasn’t really looking to get involved with anyone at the moment. He kissed my forehead and told me that he wouldn’t stop trying and that he’d prove that he could be a good partner. I gave him a hug, and then he left. I came here.” She snuggles into her pillows, keeping her eyes on me as I grab the comforter, pulling it up and over us.
I reach out, shutting off the light, bathing my bedroom in darkness. Lainey rolls over, and I pull her toward me until her back is against my chest. I wait for her to pull away, but she snuggles in close.
In the past, it was hard for us to spend the night together, but the few times we did, we slept just like this. She wiggles until she’s practically under me. She’s the only woman I’ve ever slept with like this. “Promise me that if he makes you uncomfortable that you’ll tell someone.”
“I will,” she whispers.
I bury my nose in her hair, inhaling the coconut scent. I listen to her breathing as it slows, and then finally, she begins to snore softly. As I hold her, I come to the decision that I must earn her forgiveness. I’m not sure what I want to happen between us, but I need her to understand why I did what I did.
Chapter Nine
Lainey
I let myself in my brother’s house, finding him drinking coffee at the kitchen counter, reading something on his laptop. “Is this the walk of shame?” Lance looks up and shakes his head. “Did you take my Porsche to go get some?” I ignore his dumb ass and grab a cup of coffee, doctoring it up just the way I like it.
Leaning against the counter, I take a sip. “After I went out with Sean, I got your keys and went to see Ranger. I slept there, but nothing happened.”
Lance sets his coffee cup down and walks toward me. “Lain? What happened between the two of you?”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to talk about it. All you need to know is that I thought he was it for me—that we’d get married and have lots of babies—but he broke my heart.”
“Sorry, sis. Are you hungry? I have to head to the vineyard for a meeting with Sean. Is he going to be pissy? Did your date go bad?”
I roll my eyes. “It wasn’t a date or, at least, not to me. Our dinner was fine. I let him down gently; just don’t bring it up. Jesus, between you and Ranger, I don’t know who is worse.” I drain my coffee cup and set it in the sink. “I’m going to take a shower. I’ll meet you at the vineyard later.” I kiss Lance on the cheek and then head toward my room.
I grab my phone and see I have three texts from Ranger—I should mention that I left while he was still sleeping. I woke up with his arms wrapped around me, and it felt too good and brought back too many memories that I wanted to keep locked away.
I open the text app and start reading.
Ranger: Where’d you go?
Five minutes later, another text.
Ranger: Hello? Let me at least know you’re okay.
The last one came when I stepped inside my brother’s place.
Ranger: We will talk about this.
I set my phone down and gather up my undergarments and then head into the bathroom to shower. I’ll text him later.
I pull into the vineyard parking lot and park next to Lance’s SUV. After taking off my helmet, I shake out my hair and grab my purse out of the seat. I head around the back and walk down the little hill toward the wine distillery.
I spot Sean standing outside on his phone. He sees me and hangs up. I make my way toward him. “Hey, you. You’re just the man I wanted to see.”
His smile widens. “Oh yeah. What can I do for you, pretty lady?” I ignore the way his eyes do a quick perusal of my body or the way it makes my skin crawl.
“I just wanted to thank you for a good time last night. I’m only here for a few more weeks, but I would like to spend time with you; right now, it can just only be friendship.”
Sean pulls me into a hug, and I swear he smells my hair. “I’d love that.” He throws his arm around my shoulders. “Let me show you the plans for the new wine barrels.” I follow him into the wine cellar. “They’re smaller, but with the stands, we’ll be able to store more and keep them off the floor.”
“That’s great. You’ve always had great ideas.” He shows me what it’ll look like when they’ve got it all put together. Sean leaves me to talk to the vintner, and I head up to the offices to visit my brother.
Lance’s door is open, and I find him and our father sitting on the sofa that runs along the back of the room. The wall is all glass, and you can see the whole vineyard from it.
They both stand as I walk in. “I’m not interrupting, am I?” I ask.
Lance reaches me first, leaning down and kissing my cheek. “Not at all.”
He steps back, and I step toward my father. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hello, sweetheart.” Dad leans down and kisses my cheek. “I wish you’d consider covering those up.” He looks down at my arms.
“Dad, don’t start,” Lance says, his voice laced in a warning tone that I’ve never heard before. “She’s beautiful; just leave it alone.”
Dad looks at me and then looks at Lance, giving him a chin lift. That was unexpected, and even more so when he turns to me. “We’re going to grab lunch. I’d love for you to join us.”
“O-Of course. I’d like that.”
We head out and have lunch at a quaint little bistro with a fantastic view of one of the other Malibu vineyards. Dad and Lance talk wine, but I’m only half listening. My mind keeps drifting to Ranger.
I stand at the end of the driveway, waiting for Ranger to pick me up. Tonight’s the night. We’re finally going to make love for the first time. My parents are out of town, Lance went to Hawaii with his fraternity brothers, and I’ve been left home alone.
Yes, I could’ve brought him back here, but he hates my parents’ house. He said it was big and pretentious, which of course, it is. We’ve decided when we get married, we’re going to live in a house on the beach so our babies can play in the water every day.
I can almost picture myself lying on a lounge chair with one of our babies sleeping on my chest, and Ranger would have our older babies playing in the sand or the water.
I spot the headlights of Ranger’s truck, and my heart starts to race. I’m so scared about tonight, but so excited too. I never thought I could love someone the way I love him. Yes, maybe we’re too young, but I believe that he is it for me in my heart.
As soon as his truck stops, I hop in. “There’s my girl.” Ranger pulls me across the bench seat and kisses me. What starts as a sweet kiss quickly turns heated. His tongue duels with mine, and I moan into his mouth as he palms my breast in his hand. All too soon, he ends the kiss. “Fuck, I love you,” he whispers.
“That’s good because I love you too.” I hug him tightly.
I crawl back to my seat, put my seatbelt on, and then he pulls away. Linkin Park plays in the background as we drive along the coast. “Where are we going?”
“I got us a hotel room.”