Burning Barriers (Barriers Series Book 3) Read online

  We both sit, and I look at the small arrangement of snacks in front of us. He opens the plastic baggie of apple slices and unwraps a plate of sliced cheese.

  “Did you put all of this together, or did you have some help? The Jake I used to know couldn’t pair food with drinks if his life depended on it. And, from the looks of the cheese, apples, and wine selection, I’d say you must have had Andrea’s help.”

  “Guilty as charged. Mom threw it all together when she knew where I was taking you today.” Jake reaches out with both hands to offer me the apples or cheese. I grab a few apple slices and pop the end of one into my mouth before sucking it in, making a popping noise. As I chew the large apple slice in my mouth, Jake stares at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “What?” I mutter with my mouth full.

  “You haven’t changed a bit, Lucy Wyatt, and yet so much of you is a fuckin’ mystery.” He smirks, grabbing a few slices of cheese and plopping them into his mouth before licking his fingers. As he tosses the cheese to the side, I finish chewing my first apple slice. Just as I’m about to put the other slice into my mouth, I feel a nudge in my back.

  Jake laughs before handing me the bag of apples. “You’re gonna need these. He’s addicted to them,” he says as he lifts his chin in the direction behind me. As I turn my head around, I see a long snout trying to bite at my shirt. Roman Numeral has decided to invade our little picnic. I grab a few apple slices from the bag and hold them flat in the palm of my hand. I feel his lips move quickly over the fruit, and within seconds, they’re gone.

  Roman Numeral’s head moves quickly and bumps into me just enough to push me over. “Roman Numeral, you big tease. No more apples for you!” I barely get the words out through my laughing fit. He finally lets out a loud snort and takes off to the water where Pumpkin Pie is hanging out.

  I roll over to see Jake staring at me intently. Eyeing him suspiciously, I can sense something about his demeanor has changed. I remember this look, and I know I’m already in trouble before he even says anything.

  If there is one thing that hasn’t changed since the day I met Jake Galloway, it’s his eyes. He knows I’ll cave for those smoldering eyes of his.

  Lucy lies here in front of me, and laughter and happiness exude through every inch of her. Never in my life would I have ever guessed the girl before me now was attacked to within an inch of her life a couple of months ago.

  Shit. Her smile is infectious, and I feel a twinge deep within my chest that proves just how much I love her. Despite her deep, dark memories, she never lets it bring her down. She has forgiven me for things in my past I could never forgive myself for. Lucy may never know or find out how many mistakes I’ve made since high school, and I pray she doesn’t. The fact that she can honestly see past all that proves she’s my soul mate.

  I suddenly feel the need to be near her. No, not near her, I need to touch her. I have to feel her body against mine, like we were in the barn earlier. A sly grin sweeps across my face as I crawl on all fours to where she lies on her back.

  Her laughter stops, and I see her face blush from the simple look I give her. She knows she can’t resist me once I give her that look. She’s like putty in my fuckin’ hands, and she loves it. Lucy’s chest rises and falls at a rapid pace, and I watch as her legs squeeze tighter together. Guaranteed she’s already feeling what I can do to her in her core.

  As I reach her body, I place my hands on each side of her, ultimately pinning her below me. Her legs remain flat on the ground as I place my knees on either side of them. She licks her lips nervously and then brings her hands down to the top button on her shirt. I watch her fingers slowly work each button undone, and the sight before me has my cock hardening before the last one is even through the hole. As her shirt falls to the side, all that’s left is her perfectly rounded breasts still covered by her white lace bra.

  Once Lucy’s hands have finished unbuttoning her shirt, she quickly starts working on my clothing. The first thing to go is my baseball hat. After pulling it off, she tosses it to the side. Her eyes blink in rapid movements, but never once does she break eye contact with me. The bright sun behind me makes her eyes squint until I angle myself just right in order to shield her from the light. I slowly lower my body onto hers as she pulls my T-shirt over my head.

  It’s been way too long since I’ve felt her soft, delicate, bare skin against mine. The moment our bodies touch, I feel the electricity course through my veins. My blood burns, and instantly, everything that used to turn me on about her returns, and my craving to have Lucy again is overtaking me. My lips begin taking matters into their own hands as I place nipped kisses above her breasts. Her ragged breathing pushes her covered breasts closer to my lips as if her body already knows.

  Don’t worry, baby. My mouth will get to those soon enough.

  Her hips push up into me, and I nearly come unglued with her. I was never able to resist sex with Lucy when we were younger. Now that she’s here and even more beautiful than before, my determination is cut in half. Every time I’ve imagined her being the one I’m having sex with, nothing compares to what I see before me right now. I’m aching to taste her and have every inch of me buried inside her, and as much as that craving is coursing its way through my body, this is not how I want her to remember our second first time.

  I let out a deep growl from the back of my throat at the same time Lucy pushes herself up into my hardened cock again. I pull my lips away from the swell of her breasts, placing one hand gently on her hip as I use my other arm to support myself above her. Her nose scrunches as she moves to prop herself up on her elbows.

  “What’s wrong?” Her eyes clearly display the worst possible reasons for me to stop in the middle of our heated moment.

  I suppress my need to laugh and instead muffle the chuckles in my throat. I lower to kiss her wrinkled nose, as I can tell she’s getting pissed at me now for stopping. “Luce, trust me. Nothing is wrong, but I’m not about to take you out in the open like this. You deserve candles. Kiss. Seductive music. Kiss. And no interruptions for an entire night.”

  Her scowl begins to soften, and I watch her lie flat on her back again before buttoning up her shirt. Once she’s done, she rolls out from underneath me and starts packing up the snacks and wine.

  Is she pissed at me for not finishing with her out here in the open?

  “Luce?”

  “Yeah?” I hear her say, even though she never turns around to look at me.

  “What are you doing?”

  She stands with everything in her hands before turning to look down at me. “Well, I’m packing up, so we can head back. You’re going to need a lot of time this afternoon to get everything prepared for an entire night of sex with me.”

  I snap my head back and stare up at her, thinking I heard her wrong. Quickly getting to my feet, I move to stand in front of her. “I’m sorry. Did you just say ‘an entire night of sex’?”

  “Well, of course. You did say ‘no interruptions for an entire night.’ To me, that sounds like you need to get prepared. I don’t know… maybe take a nap or something.” She inches forward to look up into my eyes. “And Jake, you will need all your energy for what I’ve got planned for you.”

  Lucy turns and walks over to put the food into the saddlebag, and I’m stuck standing still in awe. I can’t move. I can’t speak. I’m bewildered, and I can’t believe Lucy is the one to render me into this state. Something hits me in the forehead and breaks me from my shellshock state of mind. I look down and see an apple slice lying on the ground at my feet. My eyes narrow in confusion until I see Lucy’s feet standing in front of me again.

  “Hey, Casanova, it takes two to tango. So, get your ass on that horse, and let’s get this party started. Shall we?”

  My feet move quickly, and I grab the blanket off the ground, not bothering to fold it before I mount back up on Roman Numeral. If Lucy Wyatt tells me she’s planning on having sex with me all night long, shit, I don’t care if the blanket stays out h
ere. I’ve got work to do and only a few hours to make it absolutely perfect for her.

  Shortly after we make our way back to the ranch, Jake drops me off at my house. I can see the eagerness in his eyes as I tell him tonight will be a night to remember. I’m not going to lie and say I’m not nervous. I am, but if there is one person I know in my heart who can ease me back into my normal life, it’s Jake. He might not be the last guy I slept with, but like hell am I going to let that guy stay in my mind any longer. I’m ready to move on, and I want it to be with Jake.

  Unfortunately, I’ve hit a little snag. Their names are Mom and Dad.

  For nearly a half hour, I’ve been sitting in the living room. My overnight bag is packed and ready to go to Jake’s. Ellen, who spent the longest amount of time hating Jake after I left, is now the only one on my side.

  When Jake dropped me off, he said to give him at least four hours to get everything ready for the night. If I don’t leave in the next fifteen minutes, I’m afraid he’ll assume I’ve decided not to show up and chickened out.

  I’ve been listening to my parents go back and forth trying to talk some sense into me. They apparently feel that my time spent at home should be with a counselor and with them for guidance. Don’t get me wrong. I love my parents to death, but right now, Ellen has been the only one fighting for me and explaining how she feels in her heart.

  Jake is better for me than any professional counselor.

  I sit, silently wondering when the discussion about what’s best for me will finally end or when someone will finally ask me about my feelings. Yes, I understand it was my parents’ plan to have me come home to recover away from everything, but never did I agree to seek professional help in which they already sought out before I arrived.

  It’s as though they still see me as a broken teenager who hasn’t lived on her own for nearly eight years. I have a life and a career I’ve made for myself. I’m twenty-five years old, and dammit, I’m not going to sit here any longer and listen to this madness that has been thrown out this evening.

  “Enough!” I shout. Everyone suddenly stops bickering and stares at me, almost as if they’ve all forgotten I was here. I place the throw pillow I was holding on my lap to the side and stand to make my way over to look out the front window before turning back to the silent stares that I’m now receiving.

  Dad is the first to stand and walk over to me. Instinctively, he places his hand upon my head as he did many times while I was growing up. “I’m sorry, kiddo. We didn’t mean to make you upset, but your mother and I truly feel you’re spending too much time with Jake and not enough time focusing on your recovery.”

  I snap my head back away from his hand. “You guys don’t get it. Do you?” I ask, glancing between Mom and Dad. “How is it Ellen is the only one who seems to see it? Yes, I came back here to get better after the attack, and I’m sorry I haven’t been spending every waking moment cooped up in this house doing what you want me to do. But, I’m not a child anymore, and you need to let me decide the best way for my healing to happen. Even though all of you have been an integral part of my life, the one person who has been able to understand me more than any doctor is Jake.”

  Mom leans back on the loveseat, and I can see the exhaustion written all over her face. I tend to forget how hard my leaving town and then the most recent series of events have been on everyone. I start walking in her direction, letting out a long calming sigh before I sit next to her. “Listen, everyone.” I reach out and hold Mom’s hand. “I’m still not sure I’m completely over what happened, but you need to know that Jake has been a tremendous part in getting me to move forward. Being here has helped me, too. The way I see it, the time I’ve spent with Jake has been helping me heal more than any professional ever could. I could sit in a stuffy office for hours if you want me to, but at the end of the day, that person doesn’t know me. They don’t know my past or what I need to fully comprehend how to move forward with my life. All that person sees is the clock ticking away and the check they’ll cash at the end of the week. Jake understands me as much as I understand him. He makes me happier than I’ve been in years. And although you don’t want to hear this right now, I still love him, probably more than I did after high school.”

  Dad moves toward me as though he’s ready to go to battle, but I hold up my hand to stop him from speaking. “Before you say anything,” I sternly suggest, “I know the risks I bring by getting close to him again. I know I may set myself up to be hurt again, but that’s my choice. This time when I leave it will be with a clear head and on my terms. I won’t be the same teenager who drove out of town after a breakup and nowhere to go.”

  I watch as my dad lowers himself onto the armchair, removing his wire glasses from his face and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Lucy.” He lets out a long breath. “You were never one to be reckoned with once you had your mind set on something. Lord knows your mother and I had our hands full once Jake entered your life, but if you feel he’s the best person to help you, then we won’t stand in your way. We just want to spend as much time with you as we can before you leave us again.”

  Ellen gets up from her seat and smiles slyly at me. I narrow my glance at her and wonder what she’s up to. “Well, I guess my work here is done. Now, can we schedule some kind of fun-filled family event? That way Lucy can get out of here and go play dress up… or down… with Jake.”

  “Ellen…” I snarl as she continues walking past me.

  I knew she couldn’t resist.

  Twenty minutes later, after a very awkward discussion about the birds and the bees with my parents, I pull my little Beetle into Jake’s driveway. The lights from inside the house billow through the large picture window as I watch Jake pour something into the sink.

  As I step out of the car and grab my duffel bag from the trunk, I fling the bag strap over my shoulder and begin walking up the gravel path, admiring the way the house always calms me at dusk. A soft glow of the evening light casts shadows through the sporadic aspen and pine trees. The stark contrast between the wood and stone accents on the house always welcomes despite its size and vast luxuriousness. I have to remind myself that it was Jake’s father who bought this house when we were still kids. Otherwise, I couldn’t ever see Jake living in such a house of this much worth.

  I ring the doorbell once I finish taking the front steps. I anxiously adjust my V-neck sweater before my fingers start playing with my silver charm bracelet. When the door opens and I see his face, a feeling settles within my body. It doesn’t feel like it used to, nor does it feel as though I just saw him a few hours ago. This feeling I’ve never felt with him standing before me. It’s strange, and yet I’ve been to this house hundreds of times while growing up.

  One of his million dollar smiles graces his face before he leans in to kiss my cheek. His warm breath sends a tingling feeling all over me. I’ll never tire of that feeling whenever he touches me. He takes my bag from my shoulder before pulling back. As I walk into the foyer and look around the space, I see candles lit everywhere. Pots are steaming on the stovetop as the aromas of his mother’s famous Italian meatballs and sauce make my mouth water. The antler chandelier provides soft lighting over the dinner table. I see two place settings laid out on the table with fresh cut flowers and a platter of grapes and cheese. The fireplace crackles in the living room as the reflection of the flames dance across the darkened walls.

  I glance back at Jake, who is standing in the kitchen turning off the burners on the stove. He replaces the covers on the pots, wiping his hands on the dishtowel hanging on the front of the stove before coming back to my side with a bottle of wine he just grabbed from what I assume is the wine chilling fridge under the kitchen island.

  “Everything should be ready in a little bit.” He hands me an empty glass before pulling the cork out of the already opened wine bottle. I reach out my hand, silently asking for a fill to hopefully warm my body and calm my nervous energy. He must sense my body language that suddenly screams Oh my G
od! This night is going to happen! and runs his fingers down my bare arm. “We’ll go sit outside by the fire pit and relax until we’re ready to eat and then I’ll cook the angel hair pasta.”

  After he finishes pouring both of our glasses, he leads the way with me anxiously in tow. As we exit the house and walk down the stairs, the sight before me has me rendered speechless. I stop in the middle of the staircase and gawk at what I’m seeing.

  “Little different than the last time you were out here, huh?” Jake declares as he flips a few switches on a wall, and everything comes to life.

  “When did all of this happen?” As soon as the question leaves my mouth, I know how senseless it is. Stammering back, I say, “I mean… I know when, but seriously, this is gorgeous, Jake.”

  The stone patio takes up half of the yard, and the earth-toned slate walls encircle the area creating a barrier between the yard and the trails off in the distance. Small evergreens surround the wall allowing for a more private atmosphere. The stone fire pit ring sits in the middle of the patio where a few Adirondack chairs are positioned with brown and green-striped cushions and pillows aglow from the fire.

  Jakes places the wine onto a small table between two of the chairs and comes over to me. “You always had a vision for the yard, Luce. You used to say the house needed a fire ring and a….”

  “… and a hot tub,” I whisper as my eyes wander to the other side of the patio. The tub lights enhance the steam that rises into the cool evening air, and the water bubbles inside the in-ground hot tub where the patio stones overhang the edges. A small basket with towels and bottled water sits on the edge of the tub. My vision begins to blur. “You did this for me?” I ask, pondering why he would surround himself with so many things that reminded him of me.