Page 27 of Beyond Reach

Regardless, her feet drew her to the painting with her face. She’d come to town thinking all the feelings for Garner were gone, and now emotion conflicted her. His scent filled her nostrils, and each time she breathed, she took him in.

The memory of him holding onto her, desperately trying to keep it together, played through her head. In a few short hours, everything she believed she had conquered emotionally fell apart. How would she get through the next few days?

“That’s a crazy looking painting.”

She squealed and spun around. “Steven, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I was fantasizing that you and Garner were in here on the floor, a tangle of limbs and lips, but…”

“You’re nasty.”

He chuckled. “When Marcella came along, I thought about stopping her.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“And keep her from catching you guys making up for loss time? That would have been perfect.”

“You’re heartless.” She wasn’t sure she liked this guy, but when he smiled, she saw warmth. When he spoke about Garner, she knew he loved his friend and would kill for him.

Steven looked her up and down. “Unfortunately, you don’t look like you just got dressed in a hurry.”

“Idiot. I’m not the type of woman to take another woman’s man. It’s not right.”

“She doesn’t agree with you.”

“Garner wasn’t mine anymore.”

“Wasn’t he? There’s a bro code.”

“Oh God.” She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

“You don’t go after your buddy’s leftovers. I assume the same thing goes for women. Even if it’s over, there’re always residual feelings. It can get messy. No, it’s safer to fish deeper in the ocean.”

“Whatever.” She pointed to the painting. “Have you seen this before? Has Garner ever brought you into this room?”

“No, but I knew about him painting. After about year or so, he gave it up. I didn’t know this room existed. Definitely not about that horrible portrait.” He rubbed his chin, studying the painting. “You’re far more beautiful than this.”

She blushed. “Thanks.”

“I mean it.” He winked at her, which completely deflated the ‘serious’ claim. “If Garner won’t change his mind about her, I still have my most powerful card.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“Sure.” He took one of her hands in his and kissed the ring finger. Her eyes widened. The idiot enjoyed throwing her off guard. “We’ll get married. That’ll show him.”

She snatched her hand away. “Stop fooling around. You’re not going to marry some woman you just met to show Garner he’s making a mistake. Besides, it would be too late at that point because he would have already married her.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, beautiful lady. I can do it because I don’t take myself or life too seriously.”

“But you claimed to be ‘serious’ a minute ago.”

He flared his nostrils in dismissal of her logic. “Let’s go find a drink and you can tell me whether you kissed my buddy or not in his secret place.”

“You’re impossible!” She laughed.

“I know.”

Chapter 11

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