Return to Me Read online

  Chapter Two

  Hailey breezed out the door several hours later with a wink and a wave, her trademark 'see ya later' gesture that never failed to bring Paige's lips into a tiny curve of a smile. She waved back before closing the door and taking a deep breath.

  A casual glance at the ancient grandfather clock in the entryway-and an even more covert glance out a dusty curtain-told her it was almost time. Barely resisting the urge to run up the stairs, Paige forced herself to walk and act natural as she made her way to her room. She even paused outside her bedroom door to elongate her slim body into a stretch as Denmari passed behind her in the hall.

  "I'll be back." He tossed over his shoulder on his way down the darkened stairwell.

  "You’re leaving? How long will you be gone?" Paige hoped her voice didn’t betray the anxiety that began to burn a trail down her throat.

  "Tomorrow." He replied after a brief pause.

  "Have fun!" She called out, relief a tangible thing. She wouldn’t have to hurry. Well, she amended, taking in the long slant of late afternoon sunlight as it fell across her bed, there would be no need to hurry back-later. Much, much later. Paige grinned and slipped out of her plain t-shirt and old blue jeans. Maybe she would spend the night with Guy. Then again, probably not, she frowned, tossing aside several tops until she came to a cherry colored halter-it was one of her favorites and also incredibly flattering. The thin shiny material left her shoulders bare, clung to the high globes of her breasts, and skimmed the top of her underwear.

  "Pants, pants, pants..." She chanted, tapping a fingernail against her lips and frowning into her closet. "Maybea skirt..." No, she discarded the idea a split second later. She may not have been well versed in the way of men, but neither was she completely naive.

  "Aha!" She crowed, leaping forward to snag a pair of dark shimmery jeans that, much like the halter, fit her like a second skin. Downstairs, the clock chimed five times, a reminder that she was late, again.

  "Dang it!" She cursed, hopping from one foot to the other into a pair of shoes and snapping up her purse. Thirty seconds later she was out the door and running down the dirt and gravel driveway toward the street. She could hear the roar of an engine approaching and felt her heartbeat kick in swift response.

  Guy swung into sight and up to the curb a few seconds later, his rogue grin lazy and inviting all wrapped together. Paige climbed onto the back of the bike and wrapped her arms around his lean waist, squeezing him tight in lieu of an actual greeting.

  “Ready?”

  She nodded, then, remembering he couldn’t see her, shouted “Let’s go!”

  Guy wound the bike through a small maze of city streets at the base of the hill below Paige’s country style subdivision before heading out toward the old aqueduct near the edge of town. The night was unusually mild and the wind whipping through her hair felt positively wonderful. Paige grinned and laid her cheek against the smooth leather at Guys back. If Denmari knew she’d been out riding, with Guy, no less…she shivered at the very thought, her smile slipping a notch or two.She didn’t think she was allowed to ride motorcycles, but she definitely knew she wasn’t allowed to date, a rule she found ridiculous. She was seventeen years old, for heavens’ sake!

  Normally she didn’t break the rules, okay, more like never, not until Guy caught her eye at the movie theater a month back, when she’d first come home on summer break. He’d smiled and she’d ducked into the ladies room and later, even though she had done her best to steadfastly ignore him, he’d sauntered over to her and struck up a conversation. He had been taking her out on his bike every week since then. He’d been kissing her too.

  Excitement was still singing in her blood as Guy pulled off the road next to an isolated grassy spot. Shadows were beginning to form in the corners of the world and Paige grinned up at the palest hint of a moon as she climbed off the bike to follow Guy across the small clearing.

  “Come here.” He told her, turning around suddenly to snatch her into his arms for a kiss. His lips were firm and hungry on her own and he was shaking by the time he released her.

  “Hi.” She smiled up at him.

  “Hi.” He tugged at a section of her brown hair, one side of his mouth twitching up at the corner. “I brought you something tonight; something special.”

  “You did?” She grinned, pulling away from him.

  “You wanna see it?”

  “No.” Paige teased with an eye roll that would have made Hailey proud.

  “Oh, well, then-“

  “I was kidding!”

  “Good, then spread this blanket while I grab your surprise.” He told her with a wink before turning and jogging back to the bike to dig into the satchel at the back. It took Paige a moment to recognize the cylindrical object he pulled out of the bike’s ‘trunk’ for what it was-a bottle of booze.

  “Uh…”

  “What do you think?” He grinned and dropped down beside her to pop the cork.

  “Well…” She wet her lips, clearly at a loss.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never had a drink.” He chided.

  “Guilty.” She shrugged, glancing away and back again, in spite of herself. The pungent scent coming from the bottle was both intriguing and unnerving.

  “It’s wine. Here, take a sip.”

  “Oh, I don’t think so.” She shook her head in automatic response, even while she was reaching for the long necked bottle.

  “Uh huh, sure.” Guy’s voice soothed as she took the wine into her hand, tipped it slightly, felt the sweet and sour liquid trickle over her tongue.

  “It’s good.” She announced in surprise.

  “Told you so.” Guy scooted closer and they drank in a mostly companiable silence, passing the bottle back and forth between the ever decreasing space from their bodies and talking only occasionally.

  Before long, silence gave way to heavy conversation, which soon gave way to laughter that grew as the level in the bottle shrank.

  “You’re my girl, you know that?”

  Guy’s voice was heavy with feeling, almost as heavy as the arm that wound around Paige’s narrow waist. She wasn’t sure how to answer that question, or even if he’d asked her a question. She giggled and leaned into his kiss to run her tongue across his lips, an unusually bold move that wrought another shudder from the man she hung on to for dear life.

  “Oh, Paige, Paige…” He groaned, cupping her through the silky material of her top.

  It felt as though she swelled to fill his rough palm completely, her nipple pebbled beneath the thin top and she gasped in surprise before allowing herself to be swept away by the all new sensation. Guy kept one hand on her back as he squeezed the full weight of her breast and rubbed his palm flat against her turgid nipple.

  She felt as if she were swimming when he shifted their position on the blanket to bring their bodies closer together. She moaned out loud at finding Guy half leaning back in a sitting position and herself pulled on top of him. A quick tug of her knees opened her jean clad thighs even wider to him until she was fully straddling the bulge that strained against the front of his own jeans. Paige scooted her bottom back to get a better look, marveling at the thick ridge before Guys trembling hands gripped her hips and desperately shifted her back onto him.

  “Wait…” The protest was uttered weakly, an after-thought.

  “Honey-“ He groaned, flexing beneath her trim body.

  “I’ve never-“ She gasped at the pressure of his hand on the back of her head, opened her mouth to his tongue. He seemed to sense what she was trying to tell him and he backed off slightly, although not without effort.

  “Shhh, we won’t go too far. I promise.” He soothed, still moving his hips beneath her.

  “Ahhh, okay…” She buried her head into the hollow between his neck and shoulder, feeling a little dizzy at each stroke that set her core aflame. Heat pooled between her legs at the rhythmic pull of his hands over her hips.

  “
Let me make you feel good.” He whispered, taking his hands off her waist long enough to unzip her pants and slip two fingers inside.

  Paige was dimly aware of the fact that his hand must be cramped because her pants really were pretty tight, and then she was aware of nothing at all as his fingers slicked over her sensitive nub with a frantic urgency. Her skin felt hot and achy and ready to burst all at once; she was barely aware of digging her fingers into his shoulders and sliding her body over his hard length through the thick denim of their clothes, she only knew that the harder she ground against his ridge and the faster she moved over him, trapped his fingers against her and forced them to rub harder and faster until she cried out in the sweetest satisfaction she’d ever known.

  “God, Paige.” He whispered a moment later, his breathing hard and fast.

  “Ahhh.” She sighed, her heartbeat still galloping as awareness returned in slow degrees. Crickets chirped, the zipper of her pants dug into her pubic bone, and if the wet spot on Guys jeans was anything to go by, the ride home was going to be uncomfortable for him too.

  They dozed there on the sweet smelling grass, waking to find a bright moon high overhead-the night had fallen in full.

  “You okay?” Guy yawned and rose to a standing position.

  “Yeah.” She nodded, only slightly embarrassed at what had transpired between them. “I’d better be getting home…”

  “Yeah, okay.” He dug a booted toe into the ground before giving her a small smile and walking her back to the bike.

  The ride home was indeed very uncomfortable and Paige did her best not to distract Guy from his driving by squirming in the seat.

  Every light was burning at the Frey/Denmari homestead when Guy and Paige pulled up just after midnight.

  “Paige?” His tone held the hint of a question.

  “Oh no…” She exhaled, defeated even before she stepped off the bike. Denmari stepped off the porch and strode toward her, his face an angry mask as he seemed to take in the scene in a matter of starkly clarifying seconds.

  “Get in the house. And you-“ He pointed a stiff finger to Guy, “get the hell off of my property.” He gripped Paige’s arm close to her shoulder and half marched, half dragged her across the yard, up the porch stairs and into the house without turning around to see if he was obeyed. The sound of the motorcycle spitting out loose gravel told him that he had.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He roared, shoving the door open and unceremoniously dumping his step daughter inside.

  Paige stumbled, her arms going out to brace her imminent fall, when she felt Denmari’s fist twist in the front of her shirt and yank her off of her feet. He shoved his face close to her own and she recoiled.

  “You smell like a brewery-and a whorehouse.” He snapped, disgusted. “Who was that loser that you’ve been out whoring around with, Paige?” He demanded, giving her a shake.

  “His name is Guy and he’s not-“

  “You’re damn right he’s not. You’re never going to see him again.”

  “Oh yes I will.” She protested, remnants of wine propping up her unwise bravado. The back handed slap her he gave her sent her sprawling across the cold tile floor and she found herself yanked up once again, toes dangling precariously off the floor. Her stomach roiled dangerously and the thought of the wrath she’d incur if she became ill was enough to freeze the blood in her veins.

  “Either you tell him you’re not to see him again, or I will. And if I do it, nobody’s ever going to see him. Ever. Again. Do I make myself clear?”

  “I-“

  “Answer me!”

  “Okay!” She cried out, wanting nothing more than to retreat and escape and suddenly her wish was granted as she found herself thrust away from Denmari.

  “Go clean yourself up. You disgust me.”