Page 41 of Catch My Fall

Ray: This is a welcome surprise. Yes, it would be wonderful to see you. It’s been too long, Al.

My heart settles at those words. One step closer.

A gust of wind must catch the door because it slams shut, and Sierra jumps out of her skin.

“You alright?” I ask her.

She nods. “Yeah, just a little jumpy, I guess. I can’t stand loud noises…”

“Good thing where we’re going is quiet.”

“When was the last time you went there?” she asks, resting her chin on her palm, her warm toffee eyes holding mine.

“I was twelve. My parents used to take me there every summer. My dad and I would take a boat out onto the water and sail around the islands on the gulf while my mom stayed at home painting. She was an amazing artist.”

“Where are they now? Your parents?”

My eyes dip to the table. “Gone.”

Everything changed the day they died, my whole entire world slammed to a screeching halt, tilting on its axis.

Sierra’s soft hand slides into mine, linking our fingers together and something eases inside me. “I’m sorry. Is it going to be hard going back there? We don’t have to.”

I give her a tight-lipped smile. “I’ll be fine, princess. You’ll be there. Can’t imagine wanting anyone else there with me.”

She goes to speak, but is cut off when our waitress returns with our drinks and Sierra’s fingers unlink from mine, the loss of her touch instant.

“Here we are,” the lady says, setting down our drinks. “Have you kids decided on your food?”

“Um…” Sierra scans the menu. “Can I have the buttermilk chicken with french fries?”

“Sure, sweetheart. And what can I get for you?” The lady turns to me.

“I’ll have the same. Thank you.”

“Sure thing. Shouldn’t be too long.” She takes our menus and sees to another table.

“So, what did my brother say to you before we left?” Sierra asks, taking a sip from her drink.

“To protect you with my life and that he wants daily updates otherwise he’s sending out a search party.”

“Of course.” She rolls her eyes. “What else?”

“That if he finds out I touched you, he’ll have my head on a spike and feed me my own balls.” A direct quote.

She waves it away. “He wouldn’t dare.”

“He’s just trying to look out for you.”

“He’s trying to control. Alec, do you really think I’d be here with you if I didn’t think you’d have my best interests at heart? Gage knows you’d never put me in danger, he’s all talk.” She averts her eyes down to her food. “And FYI, I might want you to touch me.”

My dick jerks at the thought.

“Sierra,” I warn.

“What? You did on my birthday.”

The memory alone has me semi-hard in an instant. The feel of her skin against mine, the taste of her mouth, the feel of her warm pussy on my fingers… I shake the memory away. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

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