Cherished (Wanted #4)(94)
Author: Kelly Elliott

I snapped my eyes open right as Will moved back and scrunched up his face.

“Shit,” he whispered low enough, so only I could hear. He took a few steps away from me as he ran his hand through his hair.

Lord, help me. I wanted this boy so badly, and even though I knew we had just been caught making out in my father’s barn, my desire for him was so intense I wanted to cry.

I never took my eyes off of him. He winked at me, and then he turned to the side.

“Dad, Uncle Gunner, um…I mean, Mr. Mathews, um…I mean, sir…”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Oh…holy…hell. My father.

I tried to compose myself as I pushed myself off the wall. I turned to face my father and Uncle Josh. Even though Josh wasn’t really my uncle and my father wasn’t Will’s uncle, we had always called them that. I’d wanted to giggle when Will had struggled on what to call my father, but when I looked into my dad’s eyes, I knew that wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do.

“So…” Uncle Josh started to say as he shook his head and smiled at Will. “Damn, boy…you picked the wrong girl to be caught making out with in her daddy’s barn.”

I glanced quickly over at Will, who looked at my father and then back at his dad. He smiled slightly, but then he quickly looked back at my father and swallowed hard.

My father cleared his throat and said, “Alex, Will, I think y’all need to head on up to the house and wait for us on the back porch.”

Will and I looked at each other, and at the same time, we said, “Yes, sir.”

As we walked out of the barn, Will grabbed my hand right in front of my father.

He looked at me, winked, and whispered, “I think that went well.”

I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open. “You must have a death wish upon yourself.”

I wanted to say thank you so much for sharing this incredible journey with me. I will forever have Gunner, Ellie, Jeff, Ari, Josh, Heather, Brad, Amanda, Scott, and Jessie in my heart. I hope you feel the same.

I walked back outside and looked around. Lark was sitting at a table, and two of my college friends were talking to him. He looked bored out of his mind, and I didn’t think he was even listening to them.

Billy Currington’s “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” started playing, so I walked up to the table. I smiled at the girls and looked at Lark. “I think the best man and maid of honor should dance together at least once, don’t you?”

He looked up at me and smiled. “Yep, I think so.” He set his beer down, grabbed my hand, and practically dragged me to the dance floor. As he pulled me close to him, he said, “Thank God you showed up when you did.”

I giggled as we started to two-step. “Why? You aren’t enjoying yourself?”

“Sorry, but the girls you went to college with are either bitches or boring as hell.”

I placed my head on his chest and closed my eyes. When I felt his chin rest on top of my head, the butterflies in my stomach went crazy.

I looked up at him. “So, what type of girl are you looking for anyway?”

The left corner of his mouth moved up just a bit further when he smiled. It almost felt like my knees might have wobbled for one quick second.

“What do you mean?”

I hit him in the stomach. “You know what I mean, Lark. What kind of girl is it going to take to get you to settle down? You know, for you to stop your man-whoring ways?” I asked with a wink.

“Why do you want to know? What makes you think I even want to settle down with someone?”

He instantly took the offensive approach. I shrugged my shoulder, wishing I hadn’t even brought it up. I looked away and tried to act like his response hadn’t bothered me.

“Are you wanting to apply for the position?” he asked as he pulled me closer to him.

“Um…I thought you just said you weren’t looking for someone,” I said, my voice sounding so small. I was kicking myself for letting him catch me off guard like that.

“If I was, you’d be my type, Azurdee. Your innocence just pours off of you, and it’s sexy as hell,” he said in almost a whisper.

I smiled even though I tried desperately not to. “Oh yeah?” I said, trying to be calm even though my heart was racing a hundred miles an hour.

He looked down at me as he gave me a slight smile, and then he looked away. “But I’m no good for you, Azurdee.”

My smile faded. The anger started to build up inside me. “Don’t you think I should be the judge of that?” I asked in an angry tone.

He looked back down at me and laughed. “You have no idea what you are saying. You know nothing about me, Azurdee. Why would you want to be involved with someone you know nothing about? I have secrets, and I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”

I saw the hurt in his eyes, and all I wanted to do was make it go away. “I know everything I need to know about you. Everyone has secrets and has made mistakes in life.”

“Is that so?” he asked in such a seductive way.

“Ah…yep. Isn’t that what it’s all about though? Getting to know each other. I would think that would be the best part of a relationship.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “That is one of the best parts. Sex is the other.”

I felt my face blush. If he ever knew I was a virgin, he would probably run away as fast as he could. He looked at me, and the look in his eyes caused goose bumps to pop up all over my body.

“Trust me, Azurdee, you need to just stay away from me. I’m no good for you.”

I pushed him back. “I think you just say that because you’re afraid of being in a relationship with someone.”

He tightened his eyes as he glared at me. The hurt in his eyes was replaced by something else, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

Anger? Lust maybe?

He pulled me back into him. The song had changed at some point, but we were still dancing slowly.

“Do you want to be with me, Azurdee?”

Oh god. He just came out and asked it. What do I say? Do I tell him the truth?

I looked into his eyes and whispered, “Yes.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Azurdee, no, you don’t.”

“Yes. Yes, I do. I want to be with you, Lark. I want you to make love to me.”

He opened his eyes, and the look in them caused me to suck in a breath of air.

He placed his hand on my face and whispered, “You don’t know what you’re saying, baby.”