Taking Chances: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (13 page)

Something hot formed in my chest, bubbling in my stomach, and I realized to my horror that that something was jealousy. I was jealous of this unnamed girl and the way her laugh commanded Collin’s attention. I knew I had no reason to feel this way, but damn, I did.

I felt Collin stiffen beside me as the girl’s eyes met with his. She smiled, winked, and began walking over to us. My heart froze, but only momentarily, before it resumed its beating with a violence that left me breathless.

She closed the last few steps between us with a jumpy little skip before flashing me a wide smile. “Hey!” She leaned in to plant a kiss on my cheek - totally invading my cherished personal bubble of space. “I’m Clea.”

Holy shit!
Clea as in
the Clea
Collin had been messing around with? Oh God, I felt sick. The hot jealousy burning in my stomach suddenly felt heavy and rotten. The man my entire entity seemed to respond to had been with this - this little bundle of - perfectness. Shit.

Forcing a smile to my face, I replied. “I’m Hadley.” I pushed friendliness I didn’t feel into my tone. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
Oh God, it so was not nice!

She tossed her head back slightly to expose her perfect neck before jumping in place. “I’ve heard there was another long term girl!” She clapped excitedly. “I couldn’t wait to meet you!”

A nervous laugh escaped from my lips and I was happy to pass it off as a real, excited laugh. “Yeah, for sure!”

A different hand touched my arm and I jumped, looking sideways to find no other than Reese, soon to be Donnelley, standing on my side. As always, Logan was nearby watching her. She smiled gently, her brown eyes fluttering between Collin, Clea, and me. Oh, she knew what I was feeling. I could sense it. And I also knew she was here to save me.

“I was hoping you’d come.” She smiled. “Come with me and I’ll introduce you around a little.”

“I’d love that.”
She had no idea how much I’d love that.

Her eyes flickered to Collin and turned slightly cold before moving down to me again. Suddenly the golden brown was warm. Huh, maybe she did know just how much I’d love to be taken away from this very awkward moment with Collin and his - what was Clea to him?

Reese linked her hand with mine, tugging me from Collin and Clea. When we were out of earshot, she whispered. “Clea’s great. She’s a really nice girl, but believe me when I say she’s not serious about anyone. She believes in having fun while she’s young and...”

I stopped her before she could say anything more. “I get it.” I raised a hand between us. “Believe me, I get it and I really don’t care. I just don’t want to stand witness to it.”

Reese narrowed her eyes on me. “You can try and fool anyone but me, Hadley. You forget that I’ve also experienced the seduction of a Donnelley brother. Logan’s got it, but Collin’s definitely got it.” Her eyes widened. “Anyway, I see the way you look at him.” My mouth opened to deny everything she claimed, but she pushed on. “I look at Logan the same way. And Kami looks at Kyle that way too.”

“Look, Reese, I’m not looking for anything like that - especially with a man like Collin Donnelley.”

Reese shook her head. “I tried to fight it. So did Kami. Fighting is pointless when it comes to keeping your heart from falling for a Donnelley brother.”

“He’s everything wrong for me.”

“Or maybe you’re everything he needs to make him the right man.” Reese countered, pinning me with ‘we can go on all night’ eyes.

I sighed. “Whatever you say.”

Reese huffed. “One day, I’ll totally be able to say I told you so.” She rolled her eyes. “Until then, let’s drink some wine and get to know each other.”

“You’re pregnant.” I reminded her gently.

“I know!” She huffed. “But you can drink my portion, can’t you?”

“Uh, no.” I shook my head, unable to keep myself from laughing. “I rarely drink. If I drank yours too I’d end up kissing your floor.”

Reese laughed loudly. “Oh, alright then!” Her eyes turned devious. “You can help Kami drink my portion.”

At that, the woman I’d recognized as the woman dressed for a day of trekking through the mountains turned. She was wearing dark jeans and a knitted red sweater. Her dark brown eyes were stern as she said, “Reese, I am not drinking your half.”

Reese raised one brow at Kami before turning to me. “Kami’s a tank.”

I waved at Kami. “I’m Hadley.”

Kami gave a small giggle. “Yeah, you’re the girl on her kne...”

I cut her off. “Please don’t.” I pleaded. “I don’t think I can hear that one more time.”

Just then a very large, very deep-voiced man hooked his arm around Kami. When his eyes landed on me, he stated. “You’re the girl on her knees!” He laughed and I felt my face fall as both Kami and Reese joined.

Kami raised her hands in a surrender-like motion. “I didn’t say it.”

Kyle frowned. “Say what?”

“You’re brilliant.” Kami rose onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Poor Hadley is known as the girl on her knees.”

“That was awesome.” Kyle laughed again. “You should have seen my brother’s face.”

I folded my arms over my chest and defended myself as I had a billion times prior. “I was picking up the credit card I dropped.”

Another man, a younger version of Logan and Kyle joined the conversation. “Ah, girl on her knees.” He grinned at Kyle. “Collin really was shocked.”

Kyle tipped his head back, gasping for breath. I frowned up at him and tried not to pay attention to Kami snickering at his side. “No one shocks Collin, but when he turned around to see you down there, with your face in his...” he laughed again. “Shit, he was shocked.”

My face was heating by the second. “I didn’t mean to...”

“I mean,” Kyle shook his head. “That was a legendary meet-cute.”

“It really wasn’t.” I replied dryly. “It was rather humiliating.”

“Awe, no.” His eyes turn serious. “Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve got a great story to tell.”

“I’ll be sure to call my Dad tonight. I’m sure he’d love to hear this legendary great story.”

Kyle’s grin turned quickly to a frown. “Maybe don’t tell your Dad. As much as I want to boot Collin in the ass every now and again, I’d prefer he live a while longer.”

I felt my face pale at his words and suddenly, my world spun. Large hands circled my waist and my back suddenly molded to a hard, familiar front. Collin dipped his head down to my ear as the world focused once again. “You alright, beautiful?”

Shaking the dizziness from my head, my vision cleared enough to see three concerned faces staring down at me. My pale skin flushed pink as humiliation burned. Pushing away from Collin, I assured. “I’m fine.” The three faces didn’t look convinced and I knew that if they weren’t convinced, the one behind me definitely wasn’t convinced. “I just...” I reached for a small square of cheese to nibble on. “I’m probably just hungry.”

For a fleeting moment, I saw sadness flash through Reese’s eyes. And then she fluttered away. When she returned. She had a bottle of juice. And two bottles of wine. She grinned mischievously. “What do you say we ladies go upstairs and get to know each other?”

“Hell yes!” Kami grinned widely.

Collin tightened his hands around my waist. “Or we can go out to the fire.”

Reese snapped her eyes to him. “Or you can go outside and let us get to know Hadley a little better. She’s here for way too long not to have girls to turn to when your ass says or does something stupid.”

Collin stiffened. “I’m not...”

“You already have.” Reese said firmly. “Don’t worry, your girl will be fine.”

I waited for Collin to correct Reese, but he didn’t. Instead, they simply remained locked in a stare down that made me want to chuckle. I mean, what was a pregnant little thing like Reese going to do against the hulk of man that was Collin? Nothing.

Feeling the need to break their intense challenge, I announced. “I’m not his girl.” I turned to Collin and saw his jaw was tensed. “But I will be fine. We’ll only be gone a little while and then I’ll join you by the fire.”

After grinding his teeth a little more, he finally nodded. Which was good because I’d been close to giving him the number of my dentist - although it wouldn’t do much good as she was located in Toronto.

Kami winked at Kyle before hooking her arm through mine to tug me from Collin as Reese was carrying the drinks. We followed Reese upstairs and just before I couldn’t see the downstairs anymore, I looked down to find green eyes watching me with an intensity that made my skin pebble with goosebumps.

***

“And you just married him?” I gasped, wide eyed at Kami. “The day after you said yes to his proposal?”

Kami laughed as she nodded buoyantly. “It was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“But you didn’t have the big white wedding.” I stumbled over my words before taking another gulp of my last glass of wine.

“I never wanted one.” She shrugged. “What we had was perfect.”

Reese assured. “It really was perfect.”

“And Reese is having a big white wedding in September, so we can have the big party we missed then without all the stress.” Kami grinned at Reese. “I’m so excited!”

“Me too!” Reese looked at me. “Do you want a big white wedding?”

“Yeah.” I sighed, feeling suddenly emotional. “I’ve always wanted the big white wedding, with a man who just swept me off my feet.”

For a moment, both Kami and Reese stiffened and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise, but Reese pulled my attention back to the conversation before I had a chance to consider the reason.

“What kind of man could sweep you off your feet?”

I circled my finger around the rim of the wine glass. “Well, I suppose he’ll be able make me laugh. He’ll push me past the comfort I will undoubtedly find in a routine and he’ll make every day exciting. He’ll be sweet and honest and loyal. I will be everything he needs and he will be everything I need. He’ll make my heart beat fast.” I whispered the last word. “I’ll love him before I even know I love him. It’ll just be instant.” I smiled. “And he’ll sweep me off my feet like the prince charming I’ve dreamt about since I was little.” I felt my eyes settle on the floor. “My Dad will respect him and my mom will adore him. But most importantly, he’ll be someone I know my brother would have loved.”

Reese and Kami were quiet and it wasn’t long before I knew why.

A deep voice spoke into the silence. “You ready to go, Had?”

My spine stiffened and I turned to stare up at Collin leaning in the open doorway of the room. I knew, I just knew, that he had heard every word.

When I looked back at Kami and Reese, they were grinning like the little minions they were. They’d known he was standing there and they had allowed me to go on and on about my perfect man.

Chapter 12

“Are you sure you can hold on if we take the quad, Hadley?”

I nodded, feeling slightly wobbly as I stood before the danger-mobile. “Uh huh.”

Collin frowned. “Are you sure?”

“The danger-mobile likes me.” I announced matter of fact. “I’ll be just fine.”

For the first time since we’d left the room upstairs, I saw the formations of a smile on his face. “The danger-mobile?”

“Yeah.” I pointed to the quad. “That’s what it is.”

“It likes you, does it?”

I frowned. “I’m still alive.” I thought about doing a little twirl to prove my point - but the thought alone made my head spin and my stomach riot. I couldn’t imagine the hell the actual action would reap.

Collin shook his head before gesturing to the quad. “Get on, beautiful.”

I frowned, confused. “You get on first, though.”

“Not this time.”

“I’m not
driving
!” I felt my voice rise. Was he a lunatic? I was drunk off my rocker!

“Damn right.” He took a step toward the quad. “But I don’t trust you to hold on to me in your current state. So, we’ll drive slow and I’ll steer from behind you.”

“Oh.” I nodded before stumbling toward the quad. And then I struggled to settle myself on the leather of the seat. When I was finally settled, Collin climbed on behind me.

As soon as his arms reached around me to find the steering bar, I realized how cool it was outside and how warm he was. And boy, did he ever smell delicious. Without thinking, I snuggled back into him. Leaning my head into the crook of his shoulder, I mumbled. “You’re so warm.”

His voice was deep and gravelly. I liked it. “You’re cold?”

“Mmhmm.” I nodded. “And you smell really good.”

I felt his quick inhale before I heard his grin. “You’re drunk.”

“I think so.”

“How much did you drink?”

“Only one bottle.” I felt my eyes drifting closed.

“You don’t drink much, do you?” He asked into my ear as he started the engine.

“No.” I mumbled, placing my hands on his knees that were settled around me for something to hold onto. And as he drove, I felt myself drifting into sleep in the safety of his strong arms.

***

My body connected with the softness of my bed and I moaned as I shifted onto my side, trying to catch the arm that was fading into the darkness. “Where?”

A deep voice spoke. “It’s okay, Had. You’re in your bed.”

Sorrow filled my chest as I cried out. “I miss you so much.” The fading figure stopped moving away from me and I continued. I would do anything - say anything, to keep him from leaving me again. “Every day hurts.” My words were a slurred whisper. “Please don’t go.”

“Beautiful...” the deep voice was filled with confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“Why did you do it, Michael?” I felt tears slipping from my lids as my mind struggled through the haze of sleep, pain, and reality. “You were supposed to be here always. You were supposed to be protecting me. You weren’t supposed to go. I love you.”

“Hadley...” the figure moved closer to me, dropping to his knees at the side of my bed. “Beautiful, wake up.” I felt his hand on my shoulder shaking me. “You’re dreaming. Wake up.”

Finally, the haze of sleep drifted away and the blue eyes I’d sworn I was looking into were green. I cried, unable to stop myself. “Collin?”

“Shhh.” He wiped away my tears with the pad of his thumb. “It’s okay, beautiful.”