Rock Candy Kisses(24)

Nope, not Annie.





Night Magic





Annie





I spot Marley darting out the door in tears and leave Bryson midsentence to go after her.

The night air is frigid. The moon hangs low and full, glowing like a  wafer in the sky-perfect considering it's Halloween. Speaking of which,  Marley has been raving about the holiday for weeks. She even made her  own elaborate costume that she spent hours sewing herself. She let me  know that as soon as Will came down for the weekend she was going to do a  little belly dance for him in private. Those velvet cuffs of hers are  still yearning to be broken in. I don't judge Marley's need for kink. I  just want to slap Will upside the head for not giving it to her. Giving  it to her. I frown at the irony.

I flag her down before she crosses the street, and she backtracks.

What's going on? Are you going to meet with Will? That was stupid.  Obviously, she's upset, but a part of me is hoping these are happy tears  and there's finally an end to her misery. I've never seen anyone so  love sick before. It's about as pleasant to watch as oral surgery sans  the Novocain.

She shakes her head as she sniffs back tears. The wind pulls her unruly  blonde mane back revealing glittering eyes. "He can't come. He'll try  tomorrow." Her lips bloat a ruby red as she clicks into her phone. A  friend of mine who lives in his building says there might be someone  else.

Oh my, God, I'm so sorry. My heart breaks as I type out the rest of my  reply. Are you sure? Maybe this friend is just jealous. I think maybe  you should hold off until you can speak with him in person.

"Oh, I will." She clicks into her phone. I'm holding back all of my  anger. I'll deal with the son of a bitch when I see him. Her expression  morphs from anger to concern. "Are you really spending the night with  Blake?"

I shrug. I want to. We'll see. If I'm not home, don't worry. I'll be by  around noon. I'm taking Blake to meet my family tomorrow night.

Marley touches her head as if checking for a fever. "Spending the  night-meeting the family? All in one weekend?" She makes a face at the  Black Bear. "You should, though, you're in love." She leans in and lands  a sweet kiss to my cheek before pulling back and typing into her phone.  I guess I'll go troll the Internet for some ‘how to keep your man'  articles-you know, taking one for the team. She digs her pinky into the  corner of her eye before continuing. I envy you. Goodnight.

Marley envies me. I marvel as I head back into the bar. I don't believe  there's been a person in my life that's ever envied me before. But I am  in love. My feet hardly touch the ground as I start in on the search for  the man of my dreams. That's what Blake is. Actually that's not  entirely true. Blake is more than I could have ever dreamed up, and  that's the best part. It's as if reality blindsided me in the best way  possible.

I spot Holt and Bryson standing in the entry with Blake between them.

Oh, for God's sake. Leave him alone. I sign before plucking him out of their clutches.

"We found him stumbling out of the bathroom with this girl, right here,  hanging off him." Bryson steps back exposing Ms. America-Ms.  I'm-going-to-turn-you-into-a -torpedo, Ms.  I'm-going-to-dry-hump-your-boyfriend-on-stage Johanna.

Her hair is rumpled. She's wearing half as much as she was earlier. I  lean in a little. Is she in her bra or is that a costume? And why is  Laney trying to force water down her throat?

Blake gently lifts my chin. His tender eyes beg me to listen before he  ever says a word. "She attacked me in the restroom. She's drunk out of  her mind." He winces. "She shoved her chest in my face. I swear"-he  holds up his hands as if to prove a point, but he doesn't have to, the  disbelief in his eyes says it all-"I had nothing to do with it."                       
       
           



       

Johanna gesticulates something to Laney, and a glass of water goes flying.

I'm not surprised by her behavior. I pull both Bryson and Holt to the  side. She's smashed. I believe Blake. Didn't you see what he did  tonight? He cares about me just like I care about him.

And we care about you. Holt burns through me with hellfire in his eyes.  Annie, this guy sleeps with girls by the dozens. Girls are throwing  themselves at him. You saw that yourself tonight. He's probably slept  with that girl before. Doesn't his track record worry you?

No, he's changed. He's a one-woman man, and I happen to be that woman. I  widen my stance as if I'm about to take them on in a brawl. When we  were little my brothers used to let me wrestle with them and pretend  that I had them beat just to make me feel good. Right now I'm thinking I  won't need the ego boost. I've got enough rage to propel me through a  good beat down with the two of them. I don't know what I have to do to  prove that I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm leaving. And don't you  even think of following me. I'll see you both tomorrow at Mom's. I'll  find my own way there.

Blake heads over, and I wrap my arms around his waist as we head out the  door. One of these days my brothers are going to have to let me live my  own life. They're going to have to realize I'm not a kid anymore. Big  surprise for them because that day is today.



* * *



When Blake asked where to, I said his place. It takes twenty minutes  before we get to the carriage house. I watch with a slight nostalgic  sadness as we drive under the tall, bronze banner that reads Golden  Oakes Ranch.

Blake taps me on the knee and gazes into my eyes with a curve of his  lips that sets my nerves jumping in a celebratory romp. I might be  heartbroken over how I left things with my brothers, but I'm still giddy  with excitement at the prospect of what the night might hold.

"I have a surprise for you." He mouths it slow and steady, and I may  have sighed while memorizing his lips. He holds a finger up while  jotting something down on his phone. I had planned on asking you to come  back to the carriage house tonight-but only if you wanted. And if you  said no I would have given you this tomorrow. "Come on." He nods out the  door, and we race up the stairs.

Blake scoops me up in his arms, and I feel a giggle escape me. My fingers reflexively cover my mouth.

"I like you happy."

You make me happy, I sign and give a shy smile at what I'm about to do  next. I call him over with my finger, and I touch my lips to his ear  whispering the sentiment as best I can.

He pulls back and closes his eyes through a pained smile. "Annie."

Blake unlocks the door and swings us inside. He turns the light over the  kitchen table and dims it until the inside of the tiny cottage glows a  soft shade of pumpkin.

He whisks me over to the sink where two giant bouquets of red roses sit  in water like dozens of beautiful frilly girls ready and willing to  paint the town. My mother always said roses were sexy. That they were  the sex-goddess of the botanical kingdom, ready to unleash their  passionate glory on star-crossed lovers that held their petals between  them. I pluck one out and inhale its intoxicating scent, sugar and  honey, and sex gods named Blake, all rolled into one.

"Blake," I whisper as he gently sets me down.

He plucks one out and hands it to me sweetly. "They're all for you."

I pull out my phone. Thank you. They're beautiful. This entire night has  been magical. Dancing with you at the bar-the words you said in front  of everyone there. It meant a lot to me.

"I want the whole world to know how much you mean to me. I love you,  Annie. I want you right here next to me." His hand firms over my back  and draws me to him in one quick swoop. "I want you in my life forever.  It hurt like hell when Benji died, but somehow you've made everything  better."

You make everything better for me, too. I pull my phone back a moment. Except one thing …

"What's that?" Blake looks distraught at the thought that he might be doing something wrong.

You haven't shared your body with me yet. Rumor has it you haven't  always been this stingy. I bite my lip, withholding my budding elation.  I'm ready Blake. And I'm hoping you are, too.

A devilish grin blooms over his face, slow and deliberate as if this  were the exact mischief-the exact kind of physical altercation he wanted  to get into tonight. He leans in, and the spice of his cologne  surprises me. His dark hair gleams with shades of blue in this dull  light. His lids grow heavy and serious, and I can't believe this  beautiful man is mine. Blake takes off his T-shirt and sends it sailing  to the other side of the kitchen. He scoops me into his arms again, and I  cradle a single rose between us as he carries me off to his bedroom.  It's dark inside, cooler with the moonlight spraying its white shadow  across the floor. Blake swipes the comforter off the bed and gently  lands me over the cool, crisp sheets. The bed holds his subtle scent, a  heady mixture of wood and citrus, lime, and spice.