Snared(43)

April

A COMFORTABLE SILENCE settled in the car as I drove to get lunch. Every few minutes I’d peer at Beau, just to make sure I hadn’t dreamt this and he was here. But then he’d lace his fingers with mine and a smile I couldn’t control would spread over my face. He’d admitted it. I had no idea what that meant for us from here on out, but I’d take the little bit I was given and we’d figure out the rest later. Hell, he was going to be gone for a month on tour. That sucked.

I thought back to what he did today with Robbie. Never in a million years would I have thought Beau would be the one to get through to Robbie like that, for several reasons. One, I knew Beau wasn’t the kind to share part of himself with someone he didn’t even know, much less a child. Two, because Robbie hadn’t said a word to anyone up until that point.

I’d listened at the door after seeing Beau had him under control outside. I hadn’t been able to hear every word, but I’d gotten enough of it to know Beau shared something with the little boy. He’d told him things he never told anyone. They’d understood each other. I thought back to what Beau had said to me about being sedated when he was a child and not wanting that to happen to Robbie. I had so many questions, but I knew I had to be patient for the answers. I may never get to know everything I had questions about, and I would have to be okay with that.

I pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. When I glanced over at Beau, his eyes were on me, that small smirk on his lips. God, I loved when he did that, but I couldn’t wait until the day I earned a real smile from him. I had the feeling it would melt me into a puddle on the floor.

“Can we . . . take it to go? Is there a park or something nearby?” Beau turned away from me and focused his gaze out of the window at the busy sandwich shop.

Well, of course. I hadn’t thought about the repercussions of taking Beau out for lunch. I giggled, thinking of the day I’d seen him and Johnny at the other restaurant being surrounded by fans.

“Of course. I have to get used to your fame, I guess. I’m not used to having to worry about someone seeing me out in public. But I know just the place. What do you want to eat?”

“Surprise me,” he said. “I’m not a picky eater, so whatever you get will be all right.”

“Okay.” I reluctantly removed my hand from Beau’s. Before I could open the door, he grabbed my neck and pulled me to him. He stopped when we were just centimeters apart. I looked into his eyes, reading the desire he felt for me like they were words on a page in front of me. I never believed it when people said they fell in love so quickly without fully knowing someone, but seeing him in front of me, I knew I was well on my way. It scared the shit out of me to think I could put my heart in the hands of this beautifully broken man, but it was happening anyway.

“Is this place . . . private?”

What was he asking me? What did he want? “Y-yes,” I whispered against his lips. I ached for his touch, but I didn’t want to push.

“Get lunch quickly.” Just before I thought he’d take my lips again, he turned his head and took my earlobe into his mouth, sucking gently before biting me softly. My eyes rolled back in my head as desire shot through me so quickly I began to shake. I’d never been more turned on in my life than being around Beau, and we hadn’t done anything but kiss.

His soft beard tickled as he kissed down the exposed skin of my neck. “B-beau.” If he didn’t stop, I was going to strip him down right here in the parking lot and climb on him.

“Still want that sandwich?” I’d never heard him sound sexier in my life. It was like something had switched in him and he was showing me who he was inside that tough exterior. I liked it. No. I loved it.

“N-not really.” I moaned as he moved to the other side of my neck. I needed him to touch me. Anywhere, everywhere.

Beau pulled back just as quickly as he’d started and smirked at me. “Get lunch. I’ll be waiting.”

I gaped at him. “That wasn’t nice.”

He quirked an eyebrow at me. “No? Okay, I won’t do it again.”

Was he . . . flirting with me? I wasn’t sure how to respond to him, so I didn’t. I opened the car door and stepped out, my legs almost giving out on me. They felt like Jell-O, and I knew exactly why. I put both hands on either side of my neck; the tingling from his lips on my skin seared into my memory. I knew one thing.

I’d never recover from Beau Anderson.



Ever since I’d gotten back into the car from the sandwich shop, Beau had been back to his usual self. I wondered if I’d dreamed him kissing up and down both sides of my neck and teasing me, but I knew the desire zinging through my body wasn’t made up.