6
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“Where’re you goin’?” Lynx asked, teasing Reagan as she pulled back when the song ended.
“You’re bad for my health, Lynx Caine,” she grumbled.
“Hmm. That sounds like a compliment.”
“It wasn’t.”
Getting close to this girl wasn’t easy, but he hadn’t anticipated it would be. However, the fact that she’d let her guard down even a little was promising.
Baby steps.
“I need another beer,” Reagan murmured as she started toward one of the many coolers.
Lynx fell into step with her. “Thanks for the dance.”
“It was against my better judgment,” she countered, not looking at him.
Still, it made him laugh. He could tell she was admonishing herself for dancing with him. But the feel of her against him, the smell of jasmine from her shampoo would stick with him for a while. So, he couldn’t complain about her snippy attitude. She had given in with very little resistance, which was far more than he’d thought he’d get this soon.
Grabbing a beer and twisting off the top, Lynx passed it over to her. He watched as those walls fell back into place, and the Reagan who turned toward him was the acquaintance he’d had all these years. He couldn’t call what they had a friendship because neither of them had tried hard at it. That was all thanks to the douchebag she’d been dating for so long. At least on Lynx’s part.
But now…
“How’s your dad?” Reagan asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
“Good.”
“Really?” She looked sincerely curious.
“He is. Still home, still workin’ in that garden of his.”
“I need to stop by there sometime,” she said, her gaze drifting past him.
“He’d like that.”
She nodded, lifting the bottle to her lips.
“How’s your mom?” he asked, keeping the conversation at her comfort level.
“Same. Always workin’.”
“She still doin’ accounting or whatever?”
“She is. Same place, too.”
“And your grandfather?” he inquired.
“Still an ornery old fart.”
Yeah. Lynx knew Vic Trevino and ornery was putting it nicely. The man was a grizzly. And he didn’t much care for the Caines. In fact, it had shocked Lynx when he found out that Wolfe and Rhys were … doing whatever they were doing. Mainly because he knew how the Trevinos felt about the Caines. It wasn’t what he’d call a rivalry, but there was a little animosity there. Hell if he knew why.
Lynx maneuvered Reagan around to one of the open tailgates, then held her beer while she hopped up. Once she was situated, he joined her, keeping a good foot between them so that he didn’t send her running.
“Things good at Amy’s?” he asked, trying to keep the discussion open.
“Yeah.” Reagan smiled. “Unless you count the fact that I ran out of hot water this mornin’.”
“Long shower?” He tried not to think about Reagan in the shower. He tried really, really hard.
“Actually, no. I think it’s the water heater. I need to have it checked.”
“Did you tell Amy?”
Reagan shook her head and took a sip of her beer. “Nah. She’s stayin’ with Wolfe and Rhys most of the time, so I don’t wanna bother her.”
“I’ll check it out if you want me to,” he offered.
Her head snapped over and he could see the battle brewing in her eyes.
“For free,” he added with a grin.
“I’ll see how it’s doin’ later on. If I still have a problem…”
She didn’t finish the sentence and Lynx knew she had no intention of asking him for help. Didn’t matter. He’d look at it anyway.
“You comin’ out for barbecue tomorrow?” he asked when she was quiet for too long.
“Probably not. I need to go see my mother. Check in. She wants to talk about … you know.”
He didn’t know. Lifting his eyebrows, he silently encouraged her to continue.
“About breakin’ up with Billy.”
Lynx looked away, the familiar anger shooting through his bloodstream. He hated that bastard, hated that he’d sat back all these years and watched Reagan get shit on by the guy.
“She thinks I should give him another chance,” Reagan added, her tone soft.
He jerked his attention her way. “What?”
Her smile was sad. “I know. I don’t get it either. But that’s her way of thinkin’. After all, she stayed with my dad all those years and God knows neither of them was happy.”
Lynx couldn’t think of anything to say to that. Nothing that wouldn’t make him look like the world’s biggest prick. Billy Watson didn’t deserve Reagan. She was far too good for that asshole and she deserved a hell of a lot better.
“But it’s a lecture I’ve been expectin’. Once I get that outta the way, we’ll be fine.”
“You gonna take him back?” He hated that he had to ask that.
“Fuck no,” she barked. “For the first time in my life, I feel like … I don’t know. I feel like I’m my own person. That I don’t have to dread goin’ home. I’m done with Billy and his shit.”
Lynx had to look away, not wanting her to see the relief he felt. Every damn time she’d broken up with Billy over the past decade, Lynx had hoped she would move on for good. He’d always been disappointed when she took the loser back.
He still wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t get back with him, but he was holding on to hope this time. After all, it really was all he had left when it came to Reagan Trevino.
Reagan had no idea why she was sharing such personal details with Lynx. But he’d asked and she had no one else to talk to these days, so it had come rushing out of her. It felt good, too. Getting it off her chest, sharing some of the shit she had to deal with.
Truth was, she didn’t have any close friends. Partly because she’d always been that way, not getting close to anyone who she wasn’t related to. And partly because her relationship with Billy had caused her to alienate most people. Not many people liked Billy. He had some good buddies, but he treated most people as though they were beneath him.
Which left Reagan without anyone to bounce things off of.
And no, she couldn’t talk to her mother. She had tried plenty of times, but her mother insisted that she had committed to Billy, therefore she had to take the good with the bad. Didn’t matter that Reagan continuously reminded her mother that she hadn’t married Billy and had no intention of ever doing so. According to her mother, that didn’t even matter. She was old-fashioned like that. Which was probably the reason she had stuck by Reagan’s father until the day the man died.
“Well, don’t you two look all cozy.”
Reagan’s head snapped around to find Billy walking toward them. She chanced a quick glance at Lynx, realizing the man had hopped down off the truck already.
She followed suit, getting to her feet. “What’re you doin’ here?” she asked.
“It’s a party, right? Everyone’s invited?” Billy peered over at Lynx, as though he expected him to confirm that.
“Not everyone,” Lynx said, his tone deep, raspy.
“But my girl’s here. Figured maybe I’d come check on her.”
When Billy moved closer, Reagan took a step back, inadvertently moving closer to Lynx. She didn’t mean to, but she did not want to do this here. Not tonight. She was so tired of the fighting. And truthfully, she just wanted to be as far from Billy as she could be.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Billy moved another step closer.
“Don’t,” she hissed when he reached for her.
“Don’t what?” Billy grinned. “Don’t touch what belongs to me?”
“I don’t belong to you,” she retorted. It was then that she realized Billy was drunk.
“The hell you don’t,” he snarled. “I’ve put up with your shit for ten years. That makes you mine.”
When he reached for her again, Lynx growled beside her. It was a dangerous sound, something most people would’ve been backing away from.
Not Billy. The guy wasn’t only drunk, he was also an idiot.
Reagan put her hand on Lynx’s arm. “It’s fine. We’re not gonna do this tonight.”
Of course, neither man listened to her. Billy moved closer, practically toe to toe with Lynx. For a second, Reagan wanted to laugh. Seeing the two men square off was a sight. For one, Lynx had a good four or five inches on Billy. His biceps alone were probably bigger than Billy’s thighs.
“You been after my girl for years now, Caine. You can’t have her though.” Billy’s lip curled. “For one, she thinks you’re a dog. Fuckin’ every skank that blows through town.”
Lynx didn’t move, but Reagan hadn’t expected him to. Billy should’ve learned a long time ago that needling Lynx wouldn’t work. The man didn’t care what anyone said or thought about him.
However…
Billy reached for her and Reagan managed to jerk her arm back at the last second, avoiding his touch.
“Let’s go,” Reagan said to Lynx, turning and taking his hand, pulling him away from Billy.
Her brother had perfect timing, too. He stepped up, glancing between the three of them.
“Problem here?”
“Nope,” Reagan told him, pulling Lynx’s arm. “No problem. We were just goin’ somewhere else.” She glared at Billy. “And you’re leavin’.”
“Hell no,” he said, spitting on the ground beside his foot. “Just got here. I’m ready to get my drink on.”
Ignoring Billy, Reagan turned, still pulling on Lynx until he started to follow. She realized then that they’d drawn a crowd. A couple dozen eyes were on them, and just like always, Reagan felt shame ignite in her chest. She hated that Billy could so easily embarrass her with his actions. Even if she wasn’t with him anymore, it still bothered her. She couldn’t even blame these people for thinking she was as much of an idiot as Billy.
“I’m sorry about that,” Reagan told Lynx when she managed to get closer to her own truck. “I didn’t know he’d show up.”
Lynx frowned, coming to stand in front of her, crowding her between him and the driver’s door. “What’re you apologizin’ for?”
“He’s an asshole,” she said, as though that would excuse his actions.
“But he’s not your problem anymore.”
“Maybe not, but I know what these people think.” She shook her head and stared at the ground.
She saw his hand before she felt the warmth of his finger beneath her chin. “These people think you’re an incredible woman.”
Reagan snorted, meeting Lynx’s eyes. “Right. An incredible woman who puts up with a lot of bullshit.” With a sigh of defeat, Reagan moved away from his hand and dropped her gaze. “I really should go.”
“You good to drive?” he asked.
She wasn’t sure the last time anyone had worried about what she did. “I’m good. I nursed those two beers.” Reagan smiled up at him. “But thanks for askin’.”
Lynx’s hand curled beneath her chin again and she held her breath. If he kissed her, she wasn’t sure she would be strong enough to resist him.
Not right now.
Thankfully, he didn’t kiss her.
His hand dropped and she instantly missed his touch, but she forced a smile and turned to open the truck door.
Lynx pulled the door open and waited for her to climb inside.
“I’ll see you later?”
She nodded. “Yeah.” Smiling at him, she put the key in the ignition. “Probably at the bar on Friday?”
“You’re not comin’ to the barbecue tomorrow?”
Reagan shook her head. No way could she chance spending that much time with Lynx. It was hard enough to turn away from him now. “I’ve got … things to do.” It was a lie, but hey, self-preservation and all that bullshit.
“If you wanna chat, you know where to find me,” he said.
Reagan frowned.
“Outside your house, sleepin’ in my truck.”
Reagan smiled. “You know you don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t have to,” he began, and she finished it for him, “but you want to.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, I’ll … talk to you later on then. I’ll see you at the bar?”
His smile was warm, and she could see the heat in his eyes.
“For sure on Friday,” he added.
As she drove away, Reagan had to wonder if he took her comment as an invite. Did it sound like an invite?
“Jesus Christ, woman. You’re just a magnet for trouble, aren’t ya?”