Page 14 of Piece Of Me

He stared down at her for so long that the silence became more than empty air. It was heavy with things unsaid and emotions he didn’t understand. It was in the way her eyes glittered. How her breath caught as he reached for a strand of hair that grazed her cheek. It was soft, like silk, and he tucked it behind her ear, feeling her tremble in place.

“Are you broken, Scarlett?” His words were so low he wasn’t sure she heard them until she stepped away, eyes luminous in the fading light.

“I think we’re all a little broken inside. Some of us get put back together, while others stay broken, missing pieces they’ll never get back. Half happy.”

What the hell had happened to this girl?

“Which one are you?”

“I guess I’m the second one.”

If he was smart, he’d say good-night and escort the lovely Scarlett Bridgestone back to her family. Instead, he closed the distance between them once more and reached for her chin, pulling up so she had nowhere to hide.

“Guessing doesn’t make it sound like you’re too sure about that.”

Her tongue darted out, she swiped at the corner of her mouth and damned if he didn’t feel his cock twitch.

“I thought I was sure. Thought I’d be broken for the rest of my life.” Her voice was like velvet pulled tight over barbwire. She held his gaze for a heartbeat and then tugged his hand from her face. She turned around and took two steps before his voice stopped her.

“And now?”

A heartbeat passed.

“Maybe I was wrong.” She spoke so quietly he barely heard her, and without another word she left him alone.

Taz ran his hand over the hair on his chin and watched until she disappeared from sight. He wasn’t exactly sure what the hell had just happened between them, but it was enough of a something to make him pause. To make him wonder about what if.

The question, was…

What would he do about it?

CHAPTER 5

Tuesday morning was just as bright and sunny as the day before…and the day before that. Big Bend and the surrounding area hadn’t seen a lick of rain in nearly two weeks; the local foliage was starting to stress. Flowers wilted, leaves fell, and while parched and dry grass filled up most of the front lawns on the east side of town, the larger more expensive homes that sat on the west side all had sprinkler systems that kept theirs lush and green. Without a cloud in the sky there was no rain coming anytime soon, though this part of the country could be unpredictable, storms brewed over the mountains like an afterthought and the weatherman made a guess of things most days.

Scarlett pulled on her sunglasses, made sure Hank was shaded in his stroller, and headed for the park. She’d come to town for a dentist appointment and had had every intention of heading back to the ranch but made a last-minute detour.

It might have been the sunshine, or the fact that there was a breeze, and it wasn’t unbearably hot. Or maybe it was the simple fact that since the Pullman birthday party, she’d been mostly on her own. Benton had taken Nora camping in the mountains, while Cal and Millie Sue were too busy having movie nights and being in love. The only good thing about them holing up at Millie’s place was that Scarlett didn’t have to drown in their adoration for each other.

She was happy they’d found each other again, but she sure as heck didn’t need to see it up close every time they were around. It only reminded her of that big hole in her own life. One she was starting to think she’d never fill. Honestly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

Scarlett continued on down the sidewalk and crossed the street by the hardware store, which was next to the post office. She made a face as she walked by, thinking of David and his bald head. Which in turn made her think of Taz and her baby blue underwear. That particular thought brought a ghost of a smile to her face, and a bit of heat to her cheeks.

No way could she deny the attraction she felt for him. Hell, if she were being honest, she would admit to the fact he’d been on her mind more than he should be. Was she crazy to think there was something between them? Or, had she imagined the heat, the looks, the flirting? Was the attraction only one way? Did it matter? Shouldn’t she just get on with life and forget about him?

With her baby drowsy and falling asleep she decided to keep walking…and thinking, which made her realize that any notion she had of Taz filling up that lonely hole inside her was probably foolish. He seemed settled and happy with his life. From what little she learned from Millie Sue he wasn’t a one-woman kind of man. In fact, he could give Mike Paul a run for his money in that department.

“He’s a player,” she mumbled to herself. She’d googled him. She’d seen. When he’d been on the circuit he’d been pictured with a lot of beautiful women, and not many of them more than once. Though there’d been that actress from that show. The one with the big smile and bigger?—

“Scarlett?”

Startled from her thoughts, she pulled up. Three women sat a few feet away, near one of the picnic tables under a large oak tree. Scattered around them were blankets, toys, and sunshields for the children playing there. The woman who’d spoken looked familiar. She was barely five feet, with curly blonde hair pulled into a loose knot on top of her head. Her skin was tanned to a golden color, which made her blue eyes pop, and the smile on her heart-shaped face was welcoming. Dressed in a strapless yellow sundress, she was a little curvier than Scarlett remembered, but then again, so was Scarlett. Growing babies did that to a girl.

“Lacey Miller,” Scarlett said with warmth.

“Lacey Pearson now,” the woman answered, stepping forward.

Surprised, Scarlett’s smile widened. “You and Johnny are still together. That’s great.”

---