My Ranger Weekend (17 page)

My sigh at seeing Flint was cut short when I noticed the tick
in his jaw and his hands clenching and unclenching at his side. I went to step
out of Garrett
’
s
hold but he just pulled me tighter into him. I turned to find Garrett just as
tense as Flint as they stared at one another.

“
Holy shit,
”
Reggie echoed exactly what was going through my mind.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Flint

My God! She was even more gorgeous than I remembered; her
hair shinier, her legs longer, her smile more brilliant. Reggie was pulling her
to the dance floor. I stood frozen as I watched her body sway with the music.
What I wouldn
’
t
give to have her wrapped around me as I sank into her. I adjusted myself as I
took a deep breath trying to calm down. I needed to play this smart if I wanted
her in my arms by the end of the night.

I took a seat in the corner so I could watch Ryan dance and
enjoy herself with Reggie. Plus, I had to work up the nerve to approach her.
The light blue dress she wore hugged her lithe body in all the right places.
Without Ryan even turning around, I knew the dress matched the blue in her
eyes. It was the same blue that colored my world whenever I closed my eyes.

Three songs and two beers later the ladies left the dance
floor and went to stand with . . . with Garrett.
Are you fucking kidding me?
I was too engrossed with all things Ryan that I did not even think to scan
the bar. I watched as he and his friends basked in her light as I sat in the
corner alone and in the dark. I clamped both hands around my beer to try and
gain some control of all the anger that raced through me. Was she with him now?

I saw his hand reach out and touch her! Like it was something
he did all the time. It was evident from how she did not shrink away or remove
his hand that she was used to his touch; maybe even wanted it.
I fucking
saw red as I chugged the last of my beer wanting to get the hell out of there.
I
’
m a
damn fool.
I could not sit and
watch as this fucking insanity ripped my world apart.

Then he kissed her. I had never been shot in combat but I was
pretty sure I knew in that moment what it felt like. A pain so searing it
spread like wild fire across my chest straight to my gut. It twisted and
twisted for every second his lips touched her. I reared up so fast my seat fell
to the ground. And my world stopped as her eyes swung around and met mine. Her
solar eyes widened then flared as her mind registered that it was me standing
here staring back at her. A small light flicked behind her eyes making them
glow as she took her time looking me over. I used this brief reprieve from her
eyes to look at Garrett who was shooting daggers at me. I saw his arms tighten
around Ryan and my hands automatically balled in and out of fists as I
envisioned pounding them into his pretty boy face.

I saw Ryan mouth my name as she made a move to step out of
Garrett
’
s embrace. He leaned
forward and whispered something in her ear. She stood frozen in place as she
looked back at me and then again to Garrett. His snug expression turned to one
of surprise as Ryan turned and bolted out the front door. I threw some money on
the table and chased after the one thing in my life I could not live without.

Ryan

Garrett
’
s words kept running through my mind as I took off down the street.

“
Ryan,
”
Garrett said as he
pulled on my arm stopping me.
“
I mean it. You go to him, after him, whatever, and this is
officially done. There will be no you and I ever again. Can you live with that?
”

I needed some time to think. Flint was back here and
 
. . . waiting for me. Everything I had told myself the last
five days came rushing back. Tears stung my eyes as I marched to my car.
 

Why did I not run into his arms like I dreamed about?
Because my mind was screaming that he would disappear again
if I went to him, but now I was trying to disappear. The brief reprieve I felt
when my eyes met his was overwhelming. I knew in that moment that I needed
Flint; that my heart, body, and soul would never be the same but I was afraid
of what my mind was throwing at me.

I had felt more alive in the 30 seconds that Flint and I
stared at one another than I had in six months and five days. But now? I felt
scared and alone.
 
I even pushed Garrett
away when I said,
“
How can we be done something that never really started.
”

“
Ryan, wait,
”
Flint yelled behind me. The instant quiet of the street
carried his voice. I stiffened as I heard the desperation in his plea. I did
not pause as I crossed the street to the other side. I ran, or tried to, as
much as my wedged shoes would allow.
“
Please stop,
”
he called out, his
voice so much closer.

“
Please,
”
I begged, feeling the tears building as he continued to chase
me. A block later he caught up to me, stopping my forward progress by standing
in front of me.

We stood staring at one another, panting.
“
Hey lovely,
”
he whispered. I turned my head away. I crossed my arms to
stop myself from reaching out and touching him. I trembled slightly at his
close proximity.

“
Flint,
”
I said, hating the nervousness in my voice.

A deep breath later he asked,
“
Are you with Garrett?
”

“
I was trying to be but
. . .
”
I trailed off afraid to say what I was thinking.

“
But what?
”
he barked at me.
 
I shook my head denying
him those words like he denied me these last six months.

“
You know I don
’
t like games.
”
His words bringing me back to our time in the pool together.

“
I am not playing one.
Are you?
”
I asked. My fear being replaced with all the anger and hurt
he left me feeling for a better . . . or worse part of a year.
“
You give me the best
weekend of my life and then disappear from the face of the earth.
”
I air quote the name of his CD, throwing it back at him. His
silence was deafening.
 

“
Flint,
”
I begged.
“
Where have you been? Why are you here? Why haven
’
t you called? I know
you were with Romeo one of the times he talked to Reggie. She told me she could
hear your voice in the background.
”
I paused as a single
tear rolled down my cheek.
“
Why? Why didn
’
t you call?
”
I dropped my head in my
hands as the walls I had erected came crumbling down.

In an instant Flint
’
s arms were around me.
“
Shh, lovely. Don
’
t cry baby. I am not worth the tears.
”
I melted in his arms, burying my nose into the crook of his
neck and breathing deep. For the first time since I fell asleep in his arms
that I felt whole.
“
God, I missed you,
”
he murmured, squeezing
me tighter. I basked in his warmth, in him, as we stood there unmoving; neither
one of us willing to pull away first.

“
Talk to me,
”
I said against his neck.

“
I didn
’
t call because I knew
if I did I would never make it to my father
’
s.
”

“
What?
”
I asked as I pulled back so I could see his face.

“
I just knew that
hearing your voice would be too much and I had to go see my dad first. I had to
check on him because once I was here with you I would never want to leave. I
didn
’
t call because I would
have come straight here to be with you; everything else be damned.
”

“
So you went home?
”

“
Not home, my dad
’
s,
”
he replied.
“
After we flew into New York, Romeo stayed and I flew to South
Dakota; saw my dad and tried not to think of you.
”

“
God, I missed you,
”
I said interrupting him.

“
I know baby. I know.
You were all I thought about for every minute of every day and all I dreamt
about every night for 98 straight days.
”

“
98?
”
I asked knowing he was gone at least 180 days.

As if knowing I was doing the math in my head, Flint said,
“
I was not taking our
time apart really well and I couldn
’
t sleep because I would wake up every time I dreamt of you.
So my commander made me see someone who prescribed some sleeping pills that let
me slip into an oblivion so deep even you could not find me.
”

 “
Why?
”
The thought that I did that to him made my chest hurt.

 “
Do you have to ask?
”
Flint questioned as he tucked a wayward strand of hair behind
my ear. I nodded, wanting him to answer me.
“
Because you, beautiful, in less than two days became my
everything.
”
My hand flew to my mouth as I gasped at his words.
“
Just the hope that you
even felt the slightest bit of what I did kept you on my mind 24/7.
”
He paused as his hand pulled mine away from my mouth, as his
eyes roamed over my face and then my heart fluttered as he Eskimo kissed me.
“
I have never in my life
had someone who affected me like you do; someone I want to share every moment
with and have every memory with from this moment forward.
”
His forehead came to rest on mine.
“
I want to take what
this is between us and continue to love and nourish it until I have your mind,
body, and soul like you have mine.
”

He kissed my lips.
“
I may not have gone about this the right way. I know I hurt
you when I left without saying good-bye, but it was the only way I could do it
and still survive these last six months. I would rather have the dream of you
than the reality that you were not mine. Please forgive me.
”

I was speechless.
“
I . . . I don
’
t
know what to say.

“
Please baby, say you
forgive me,
”
he pleaded.

Another tear rolled down my cheek that Flint caught with his
thumb.
“
Please baby.
”

“
I . . . I forgive you,
”
I stammered.
 
Flint stepped further
into my space forcing me to crane my neck to look in his eyes. His eyes began
to glow with a need so primal that I felt my body respond.
“
So tell me,
”
Flint growled as he nibbled at my lips.
“
Are you with Garrett?
”

“
I was trying to be but
. . .
”
I trailed off again.

“
But what?
”
His grip tightened on
my hips.

“
I can
’
t.
”
He hulled my body up against his. My hands flew to his chest.

“
Why?
”
He rumbled as he ground his erection into me.

“
Because,
”
I paused as I licked my lips as a tremble ran through my body
in anticipation of what he would do next,
“
I
’
m yours.
”
His mouth swallowed my
cry as he kissed me breathless. Wetness and need flooded my channel in response
to him. The kiss was biting in its intensity.

“
Let
’
s get out of here,
”
I sighed as the kiss came to an end.

“
I go where you go,
”
said Flint as his eyes found mine.