Fallen Too Far

I could see the hundred dollar bill that Woods put in my hands and I was sure Rush did too. I quickly closed my hand and shoved it into my pocket. I’d deal with him later when Rush wasn’t watching. Rush walked up and stuck his payment in my pocket. He kissed me softly and then winked at me before he walked over to get a golf club from the caddy.

I didn’t give Woods a reason to correct me. I quickly got back on the cart and headed for the next hole. The phone in my pocket buzzed startling me. Rush had tucked it in my pocket before I left this morning. I was having a hard time remembering I had it.

I stopped the cart and pulled it out.

Rush: I’m sorry about Woods.

Why was he sorry? He had no reason to be sorry.

Me: I’m fine. Woods is my boss. No big deal.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and headed to my next stop.

Chapter Twenty

A driveway full of cars was not something I expected when I pulled into Rush’s after work. The golf course had gotten so busy that I’d only stopped to give them drinks one more time on the sixteenth hole. He hadn’t texted me again all day. My stomach knotted up nervously. Was this it? Had his brief moment of sweetness after taking my virginity faded away so soon?

I had to park out on the edge of the road. Closing my truck door, I started the trek to the door.

"You don’t want to go in there," Grant’s familiar voice said in the darkness. I looked around and saw a small orange glow fall to the ground then get put out under a boot before Grant stepped out of his hiding spot.

"Do you come to these parties to hang around outside?" I asked, since this was the second time I’d arrived at a party here to find Grant outside alone.

"I can’t seem to quit smoking. Rush thinks I’ve stopped. So I hide out here when I need a smoke," he explained.

"Smoking will kill you," I told him, remembering all the smokers that I’d watched slowly dying when I took my mother to chemo treatments.

"That’s what they tell me," he replied with a sigh.

I looked back at the house and heard the music pouring out of it. "I didn’t know there was a party tonight," I said, hoping the disappointment in my voice didn’t come through.

Grant laughed and leaned a hip against a Volvo. "Isn’t there always a party here?"

No, there wasn’t. After last night I thought Rush would have called me or texted me. "I guess I just wasn’t expecting it."

"I don’t think Rush was either. This is a Nan party. She sprung it on him. The girl has always managed to get away with murder where Rush is concerned. I got my ass kicked by Rush more than once growing up because I didn’t fall for her wounded puppy shit."

I walked over to lean against the Volvo beside him and crossed my arms. "So you grew up with Nan, too?" I needed something. Any kind of explanation.

Grant cut his eyes at me. "Yeah. Of course.  Georgianna is her momma. Only parent she’s got. Well…" Grant pushed off from the Volvo and shook his head. "Nope. You almost had me. I can’t tell you shit, Blaire. Honestly when someone does I don’t want to be anywhere around."

Grant stalked back toward the house.

I watched him until he was back inside before I made my way to the house. I prayed no one was in my room. If they were I was going to the pantry. I was not in the mood for Nan. Or the secrets surrounding Nan that everyone but me was allowed to know. I sure wasn’t in the mood for Rush.

I opened the door and was glad that no one was standing around to see me arrive. I headed straight for the stairs. Laughter and voices filled the house. I didn’t fit in with them. There was no use in going down there and acting like I did.

I glanced at the door leading to Rush’s stairs and let last night’s memories wash over me. I was beginning to think that was a one-time thing. I opened my door and stepped in before I turned on the light.

I covered my mouth from the scream that bubbled up when I realized I wasn’t alone. It was Rush. He was sitting on my bed looking out the window. He stood up when I closed the door and walked over to me.

"Hey," he said in a soft voice.

"Hey," I replied, unsure as to why he was in my room when he had a house full of people. "What are you doing in here?"

He gave me a crooked smile. "Waiting on you. I kinda thought that was obvious."

Smiling, I ducked my head. His eyes could be too much sometimes. "I can see that. But you have guests."

"Not my guests. Trust me, I wanted an empty house," he said cupping the side of my face with his hand. "Come upstairs with me. Please."

He didn’t have to beg. I’d go gladly. I dropped my purse on the bed and tucked my hand in his. "Lead the way."

Rush squeezed my hand and we headed up the stairs together.

Once we reached the top step Rush pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard. Maybe I was easy but I didn’t care. I’d missed him today. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the emotion churning inside me that I didn’t quite understand.

When he broke the kiss we were both breathless. "Talk. We are going to talk first. I want to see you smile and laugh. I want to know what your favorite show was when you were a kid and who made you cry at school and what boy band you hung posters of on your wall. Then I want you naked in my bed again."

Smiling at his strange, but adorable, way of telling me he wanted to do more than just have sex with me, I walked over to the large tan sectional sofa that overlooked the ocean instead of a television.

"Thirsty?" Rush asked, walking over to a stainless steel refrigerator I hadn’t taken the time to notice last night. A small bar sat off to the side of it.

"Just some ice water would be nice," I replied.