Break My Fall (Swoon Series Book 3) Read online

  Yet just now, I didn’t do that with her. “I like coming here. It’s peaceful, and it’s quiet no matter what time of day it is. I can clear my head. How about you?”

  When I looked in her direction, she had caught her bottom lip in her teeth and was nibbling on it. Nothing about these moments with her made any sense, so the fact that my cock twitched at the sight of that didn’t faze me any more than the rest. She was beautiful, damn beautiful, and my reaction to her had always been swift, fierce, and instantaneous. To the point that it frightened me slightly, which was why I usually teased her and avoided getting too close.

  Danger, danger was what my mind should’ve been saying. Yet it wasn’t.

  She turned to look at me. When I glimpsed the pain contained in her eyes, I suddenly wanted to hold her close and do anything to erase whatever caused her to hurt.

  “I come here when I miss my twin sister.”

  It was her pain, but simply hearing it felt like a knife sliding across the surface of my heart, the cut sharp and deep. “I’m sorry,” I said. Sorry didn’t seem sufficient, but I had no idea what else to say.

  I felt more than saw the twist of her mouth. “I’d say it’s okay, but it’s not really. Thank you.”

  “I didn’t know you had a twin sister.”

  “Yeah, you didn’t grow up around here, so I don’t see how you would know. Krista died in a boating accident. It’s been twelve years, so I guess I’ve gotten used to her being gone, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing her. I like the quiet here too. I don’t mean to sound weird, but I guess it surprises me you need somewhere to clear your head. What’s that about?”

  Taking a breath, I let it out slowly. Evie had been honest about a brutal loss, so I felt I owed her the same level of honesty. “Nothing particularly specific, just that sometimes I get a little down, and I need to stop thinking so hard.”

  For a moment, I saw surprise flit through her gaze. I thought maybe she would tease me and braced myself for it, but she didn’t.

  “It’s a good place for that,” she said softly. Before I realized what she was about to do, she reached over and curled her hand over mine where it rested on the rock between us, squeezing it as if to comfort me.

  “Now you seem like you might be worrying about me, Evie, when here I am worrying about you,” I said, ignoring the slight hitch in my voice.

  “We can worry about each other. That’s what friends are for, right?”

  “Are we friends then?”

  “Of course. You might play silly practical jokes on me, but I consider you a friend, Dawson.”

  “Damn, girl”—I thumped my fist on my chest over my heart—“you can actually get to me.”

  Evie’s laughter rang out in the darkness, and she squeezed my hand tighter. Somehow, she’d lightened the moment perfectly.

  Chapter Four

  Dawson

  I didn’t want to let go of Evie’s hand. I wanted to stay right here with her. With some special magic, she had helped to dissipate that cloud rolling over me. And not because she distracted me—okay, she did distract me, but not in that way right this moment—but because of just the way she was so matter of fact, so genuine even when it might hurt.

  Once again, we fell into a comfortable silence, this time with her hand warm in mine. Because I was me, and I wasn’t accustomed to letting myself experience anything this real, a thread of anxiety started to spool tightly inside. I was close personal friends with depression and anxiety. I’d learned they often came to see me hand in hand, taking turns testing my ability to withstand them.

  Restless and not wanting to ruin this moment, I decided departing from it was better than letting those feelings take over. Squeezing her hand before releasing it, I slipped my hips off the rock and turned to face her.

  “I’ll let you have the rock to yourself now.”

  I was no more than a foot away from her when she looked up at me. As if lightning flashed from the sky in the darkness, the air around us electrified suddenly. My feet were rooted to the ground as the sensation spun around me.

  Evie stared up at me. The sound of her breath catching in her throat was audible in the quiet. Without thinking, I closed the distance between us, stepping between her knees and lifting a hand to trail my fingers through the ends of her hair.

  The moment felt suspended in time with the air shimmering around us and a sense of intimacy twining like a vine with desire. I found myself dipping my head and brushing my lips across hers. She sighed, the sound of her breath tugging at my heart.

  I stepped a little closer, my knees bumping against the rock as I slid a hand through her hair, lightly cupping the nape of her neck and angling her head to deepen our kiss. She gasped when I swept my hand down her back and slipped my tongue inside her mouth to glide against hers.

  I had kissed my share of women. Frankly, I wasn’t much of a fan of kissing. In fact, I usually avoided it. It felt too intimate.

  Nothing with Evie fit into any pattern I’d ever had. I couldn’t imagine not kissing her. It was so fucking hot—the soft sounds that came from the back of her throat were little lashes of a whip against the lust driving me, and the way her plush lips were mobile under mine drew me in deeper by the millisecond.

  Her body was warm and lush with her breasts pressed against my chest. I could feel her nipples, and I knew she could feel my arousal. I hadn’t planned it that way, but my cock was notched right against her core.

  Part of me wanted to simply let loose into this. The pulse of desire beat wildly between us. It was so fucking good. I’d never experienced anything even close to this intensity. Another part of me spoke louder. I didn’t want to ruin this or make it something it wasn’t. I knew by rushing that was exactly what I would do.

  This kiss—which could last forever as far as I was concerned—was fucking heaven. It fed a part of my soul I hadn’t even known existed—the part that craved something raw, something authentic and intimate.

  I felt the press of Evie’s hand against my back, her touch a light brand. She broke free of our kiss and gulped in air.

  I did the same. For the first time in my life, I was breathless. From nothing more than a kiss. A hot kiss, but still just a kiss.

  We stared at each other. I could barely see her in the darkness, but I could make out the blue of her eyes and feel the pounding of her heartbeat against mine.

  “What was that?” she asked, her words falling quietly between us.

  My heart tumbled in my chest. Taking a breath, I replied, “A kiss.”

  Evie’s laugh was soft. “Well, I know that, Dawson.”

  I could feel her gaze searching my face, and I suddenly wanted to turn away. As comfortable as it was to be with her, the desire I felt for her was disorienting in its power.

  “Come on,” I said, starting to turn away, “I’ll walk you back.”

  Her hand caught mine, stopping me in my tracks. Her touch was light. “Dawson.”

  Turning back, I faced her again, my heart beating so hard I could hear its force echoing in my ears. “What?”

  “What’s with kissing me? That’s twice now.”

  If only she could see the thoughts spinning wheelies in my mind. I wanted to say, Because I like you, because you’re beautiful, because you’re funny, because you’re the only person in the world I feel this way with, because maybe I want something other than a one-night stand.

  I might not have had a ton of experience with relationships, but I knew quite well if I said any of those things at this moment, it would freak the hell out of Evie. It sure as hell freaked me out. I tried to call upon the part of myself that was quick with a joke and could make light of just about any moment. But I couldn’t.

  So perhaps I didn’t say my crazy string of thoughts aloud, but I was honest. “I don’t know. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”

  When I heard the hiss of her breath, I almost laughed because I knew I had startled her.

  She shimmied her hips of
f the rock, the sound of her feet crunching in the leaves as she stood beside me. I sensed she didn’t quite know what to think.

  My mouth, meanwhile, apparently had more to say. “Maybe you haven’t thought about it much, but I don’t think there’s much sense in arguing that something’s there.”

  She stayed silent as we turned and began walking through the trees together. Although I was a bit stunned with myself, I was strangely at peace. I’d simply been direct, and that was all I could do.

  “Well, I mean, no, I won’t argue there’s nothing there,” she eventually murmured. “But I don’t think I’m quite your type.”

  “I don’t have a type. And being totally honest, that was the hottest kiss I’ve ever had, so I guess you’re my type.”

  She stumbled, and I caught her by the elbow to steady her.

  “Are you serious?” she asked, her tone disbelieving. “I’m not anything like the women you usually go for.”

  It hurt, and I couldn’t believe it did, but I was getting the idea she had written me off. I supposed I deserved it. I was the one who was committed to no-strings sex. I was the one who didn’t bother to correct assumptions. I certainly didn’t have as much sex as people thought I did, but I kept busy.

  “Think what you want,” I finally replied, turning with her when she resumed walking.

  I didn’t want to let go of her, so I slid my hand down her arm and caught hers in mine. For just a moment, she tensed, but then she laced her fingers through mine. After a few minutes, we reached the main path, and I reluctantly let go of her hand when she gave it a little tug.

  “I can walk the rest of the way,” she said, looking up at me. I could see her better now because lights were strung through the trees here. By chance, her cabin was in one direction and mine in the other.

  “I’ll walk you,” I replied.

  “You’re such a man,” she muttered under her breath as she fell into step beside me.

  “Well, seeing as I am a man, I won’t argue the point.”

  Evie laughed. “Fine.”

  When we reached her cabin, I paused at the base of the steps. She stopped one step above me and turned back. For a moment, I thought she was going to say something else and revisit our conversation from moments ago. But she didn’t. After a considering look, all she said was, “Thanks, Dawson. I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  With emotion spinning inside me, I nodded. “Good night,” I called right before she closed the door.

  Sleep came more easily than it had in weeks, that little ray of sun cast through the room of my life breaking through the darkness that had threatened to descend. Which was a miracle, given how unsettled I’d felt after Evie’s comment that she wasn’t my type.

  Evie might not believe me, but I was going to prove her wrong.

  Chapter Five

  Evie

  “Here’s your change,” Nancy said as she handed over a few bills.

  I stuffed them in the tip cup on the counter at Wake & Bake Café, smiling over at her. “Thanks!” Pausing to sip my coffee, I sighed. “The best.”

  Nancy chuckled, shooing me away with her hand. “Grab a table, hon. I’ve got more customers behind you.”

  With an apologetic smile cast their way, I crossed over to snag a small round table by the front windows that looked out over Main Street in downtown Stolen Hearts Valley. I took several sips of my coffee, savoring the rich, dark flavor and the caffeine. I let my eyes coast over the space. In a renovated old home with a bright blue roof, wide plank hardwood flooring, and tall windows, the space was warm and welcoming. They served the usual fare for a coffee shop but also lunch and an early dinner. I loved coming here when I had the time.

  My mind spun back to several nights prior. I still didn’t know what to think of Dawson kissing me. My body could not forget it. Every single time I thought about it—which, if I was honest, was almost every hour—I got a fluttery feeling in my belly and heat spiraled through me.

  After surviving my awkward adolescence, I’d managed to date a little but not much. I had a few short-lived relationships in college and realized the casual hookup scene wasn’t my thing.

  So whatever Dawson wanted from me, I was quite certain it wasn’t a good idea for my sanity. Maybe we had chemistry, considering nothing more than a kiss from him left me more stirred up than any other encounter I’d ever had, but it wasn’t smart. Not for me.

  Dawson took the concept of being a player to heart. He took it so much to heart that the guys around the lodge teased him about never bringing anyone back to his bed. According to Wade, Dawson viewed that as too much of a commitment.

  I would just have to convince my body not to like him so much. I would also have to convince myself not to let my heart think I might’ve seen another side of him.

  Mentally ordering myself to stop thinking about him, I stared out the window. Downtown Stolen Hearts Valley was a lovely little town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. These were the kind of mountains that felt like they were giving you a hug. With nooks and crannies, rich greenery, and the blue haze making an appearance regularly, I loved it here.

  The sun was still rising, the sky a mix of a silvery gray-blue haze shot through with the gold of the morning sun. The rays were strengthening as the sun came to vanquish the darkness with day.

  “Well, mornin’, Evie.”

  The moment I heard Dawson’s voice, a shiver rippled through me. This was going to get inconvenient real fast. I might’ve crushed on Dawson before, but it was just an appreciation of how hot he was with his shaggy blond hair and those dangerous silver-gray eyes.

  He just had to go and kiss me. Twice. Taking a deep breath, I glanced over my shoulder to find him stopping beside the table.

  Those eyes? Oh, God, those eyes. The moment my gaze collided with his, heat flashed through me, causing my skin to prickle all over.

  “Good morning, Dawson,” I said politely, hoping the flush I felt steaming through me didn’t show on my face.

  I wanted to play it cool and calm, but I’d never been good at that. Even though I was no longer an awkward teenage girl, my lingering insecurities clung to me, and guys like Dawson always set them off.

  I took a quick sip of my coffee, swallowing too fast and choking on it. Sputtering, I snagged a napkin from the stack tucked between the cream and sugar by the window. Then, I just had to try to look at him and catch my breath too soon, only to start coughing all over again.

  “Hey there, you okay?” he asked, his gaze concerned as one of his hands fell to the center of my back and moved in a soothing circle.

  Great, just great. Dawson was now comforting me as I had a coughing fit all because I looked at him.

  “I’m fine,” I managed after a moment. I hated my body’s traitorous response to him. His touch felt so good I wanted to purr like a cat.

  It’s just been too long since you’ve had sex, my sly mind said. True, so true.

  To be specific, it had been almost two years. Long enough that I commiserated with Grace the other night and wondered if I was getting too out of practice. She’d commiserated right along with me.

  “Mind if I join you?” he asked once I was breathing normally. Without waiting for my reply, he slipped into the chair directly across from me.

  My feisty side finally kicked into gear. The coughing fit over, I cocked my head to the side. “Well, now that you’re sitting, I’ll look mighty cranky if I say no.”

  Dawson’s slow smile sent my belly into a series of flips. Almost as if it were trying to show off for him with a personal gymnastics routine.

  His gray eyes crinkled at the corners. His blond hair was dark and still damp from a shower, I presumed. Seeing as it was only six in the morning, I gathered he’d come straight here from the lodge.

  “Skipping out on breakfast with the crew?” I asked.

  Dawson shook his head. “Of course not. I’ll have coffee here and head back just in time for whatever Dani’s making for everyone this mor
ning. I wouldn’t miss her food for anything. Are you skipping out on breakfast?” He clucked, shaking his head. “Who’s going to tell Dani?”

  “She knows I like to come here a few times a week. Since I work in the restaurant, I’m always scarfing on things.”

  Dawson grinned. “Of course.”

  Nancy paused at our table, asking, “Need anything, Dawson?”

  “A coffee, darlin’,” he replied swiftly.

  She rolled her eyes as she passed by, giving his shoulder a pat. “You are too charming for your own good. I’ll be right back with that coffee.”

  Dawson winked. Although I knew that certainly wasn’t his point, his ease with flirting and teasing was a fresh reminder of why I needed to keep him at a distance. Hot kisses aside, I didn’t need to be another one of Dawson’s playthings.

  He turned his attention back to me. I felt as if he were assessing me, trying to see all my secrets. I took another sip of my coffee, managing not to choke on it this time. I counted that as a win.

  “What?” I finally asked, resisting the urge to squirm under his appraisal.

  “I was just wondering how to change your mind.”

  “Huh? Change my mind about what?”

  “You said you’re not my type, and I disagree.”

  I sputtered on a swallow of coffee.

  His silver-gray gaze darkened, and I felt a tug low in my belly. Just when I was about to reply after a fortifying sip of my coffee, Nancy arrived at our table again.

  “Here you go, black and strong just like you like it. Anything else?” she asked, glancing back and forth between us.

  “I’m all set, thanks.”

  Dawson nodded with me. “Same here. Thank you. I’ll pay on the way out.”

  “Of course, you will. If you forget, I know you’ll be back.” She winked and hurried off.

  During that brief exchange, I kind of hoped Dawson would forget what he just said, but no such luck. His gaze swung back to me. He had absolutely zero trouble with direct eye contact. I imagined that was one of his charms for any woman who was after the no-strings fun he offered.