“You’re sure you don’t want to head out early tomorrow instead?” I watch as Rogers cinches down the straps on his bags he’s attaching behind the seat of his motorcycle. I don’t want to sound like a mother hen, but after retiring as the Lieutenant of our old SEAL team, I guess old habits die hard.

“Nah, I like travelling at night. The freeway is less congested. There’s just something about ripping down the roads on my baby at night, I can’t explain it. It just feels like freedom,” he smiles down at his Harley wistfully. “Besides, Gabe is expecting me in the morning, I don’t want to crush his spirit and not show,” he laughs and I can’t help but join in. We both know that Gabe the Babe, as we called him, only cares about number one.

My conscience twinges, is that still how he is? Even after the burns?

I push the thought away. I can’t go there right now.

“I think the real question is, are you gonna be alright after that humiliating defeat this morning?” He laughs even harder just like he did when I spilled the beans on why I was driving home in my underwear after our night out.

“Shut up, man,” I rub my hand down the side of my burning face.

“I’m just saying, everyone would expect that story from me. But you? Bumping uglies with your old buddy’s sister and getting chased out with a bat?” He laughs so hard he starts to cough. “That shit is priceless.”

“Well, it’s a real shame to see you go,” I answer loudly, waving toward his bike. “A real shame,” my voice is flat.

“Ah, c’mon,” Rogers gets his fucking giggle fit under control. “Don’t be like that man,” he looks up at me to see if I’m being serious.

I’m not.

“Nah, it’s all good,” I smile. “I’m glad I could entertain you. It’s one of those stories I’ll laugh at in a few years, you know?”

“Yeah, well, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna keep laughing at it now,” he chuckles as his boots scuff against the dirt driveway over to his motorcycle.

“Yeah, yeah. Well be careful and all that shit. I don’t want to sound like your mom or whatever, but fire me off a text when you get settled at Gabe’s place,” I follow him to his bike.

“You got it man,” he throws his leg over the seat and holds on to the handles as he straddles his Harley. “Hey, let’s not wait so long to see each other again, okay?” The smile drains from his face as his voice becomes serious. “A year is too long to go without seeing your brother, I missed you man.” His voice is suddenly heavy as the air around us swirls with the burden of his words.

“I hear ya,” I clear my throat. “I promise, I’ll be see you again soon, maybe I’ll come up your way next time,” I clap my hand over his shoulder.

He nods then wordlessly pulls his helmet down over his head and fires up the engine with a roar. “I’m gonna hold you to that,” he gives me a pointed look and I nod back at him. He knows I’m a man of my word. If I say it, it’s happening. Rogers holds up his hand in a motionless wave and twists the bike around before leaving a trail of dust behind him as he disappears into the night.

I hope he’s careful getting out of here. My cabin is pretty far off the beaten path up here in the Willamette National Forest. At least it’s all just one straight road from here to Bend though.

I head back inside, shutting the door to my renovated cabin behind me and take a deep breath. It’s been awesome having Rogers visit, but I’m looking forward to some peaceful nights that don’t end in me precariously making my way up my ladder to my sprawling loft bed before passing out drunk.

I flop down in my comfy leather chair and let my mind wander back to Charlotte. She must have known who I was before we went home together. Why didn’t she tell me?

Before this morning, I had pushed the beef between Marcus and me away. It was locked down into some kind of secret trunk in my brain. Now, the memories come flooding back, painfully rubbing my nose in a mistake made long ago and a friendship I destroyed.

I lean my head back against the cool, comforting leather and close my eyes. There’s nothing I can do about any of that now. All I can do is try to push Charlotte out of my mind. Because I can’t see her again. It wouldn’t be right. Even if she is all grown up in the best ways. Even if she does smell like the sweet innocence of a field of lavender but fucks like a wild woman.

My thoughts travel to her glistening body, lit by the moonlight, pulsing with pleasure, writhing beneath me.

It doesn’t matter if I felt a real connection with her. None of it fucking matters, because I ruined everything long before she transformed into the stunning woman she is now.

Ruhr-tick-tick!

My eyes open wide as I hear the roar of Rogers’ motorcycle in my driveway. I wonder if he changed his mind about making the trip tonight. I jump up to my feet and fling open the door with a smile on my face.

“Told ya I’d see you again soon,” I laugh but my lips tug down and my eyebrows knit together as I see the dual headlights on a small car illuminate her from behind like an angel.

Charlotte.

“No, no, no,” I shake my head. “This isn’t a good idea,” I make my way back into the house.

“Wait Connor!” I can hear her run across the driveway and follow me to the door.

“Charlotte, you can’t just show up here like this,” I step inside and she follows uninvited.

“You think I’m just gonna let things end the way they did? Like I’m going to sit back and watch you walk out of my life for another fourteen years Connor?” Her brown eyes plead with me.

“Lottie,” her name crosses my lips in a whisper, “why didn’t you tell me it was you?” I don’t mean to tuck her hair behind her ear. I don’t remember taking the step closer to her, or how my lips ended up hovering over hers.

“I wanted you to give me a chance this time. It was wrong, I’m sorry, but I had no idea that you and my brother had some kind of problem with each other. What happened between you two?”

I feel the pain of the memory twist my face and I try to imagine her ever looking at me the way she is right now after she knows. I can’t do it. I can’t force the words from my mouth. Instead, I let the door slam shut and walk her backward until her back is flat against it, and cover her mouth in a long, sensual kiss.

“Did you really come here to talk, Charlotte? Or is there something else you’d like me to do with these lips?” I echo her words from last night back to her.

Charlotte’s lids look heavy as she gazes up at me. Her chest is pressed against mine, I can feel her lungs filling with air like she’s just ran a marathon.

“Kiss me, Connor,” she sighs.