Love Me (Trust Series #2) (43 page)

“Damn it, Alli, we’ve got people around us all the time. You cannot go walking around naked. Jeremy, almost fucking saw you.”

I cannot even register what he just said. I heard the words, but I’m bathing in my own mortification of the situation. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I cannot believe I just did that. Did he see anything? Oh my gosh.”

Damien pulls me back, and I know my eyes must be as big as saucers. No one but my mother, father, and Damien have ever seen me completely nude before.
Oh, and that one time Sam and I went skinny-dipping in the pond.

Damien starts laughing at me probably because I’m taking this worse than he is, which is pretty bad.

“No, he didn’t. I got to you just in time. I’d be fucking pissed if he had.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief as I sink on the bed. Then, what Jeremy just saw hits me again.

“Oh geez, Damien, he saw you though. I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I’m always forgetting they’re around.” I just bury my head in my hands.

He starts chuckling at me as he leans us back on the bed. “Better my ass than yours. Calling Sam is going to have to wait.”

The warm caressing of his voice tells me exactly where this is going. My body instantly agrees with him.

Sam can definitely wait.

There’s a knock at the door as I come bounding down the stairs, fresh from a shower. Making it to the door in record time, I pull it open and tackle my best friend in a hug, causing her to stagger backward for a moment.

“Hey there, bestie. I’m so sorry I was such a bitch. Please forgive me.”

She pulls me to her. “There’s nothing to forgive. I missed you. I was scared shitless.”

I pull back, and her big green eyes are glossing over as she smiles.

“I know, Sam. I’m going to tell you everything.”

The look of relief that crosses her face makes me want to cry. I’ve been a horrible friend even though I had to keep it all from her. A throat clears behind us.

Damien continues walking toward us. He walks up to Sam and gives her a hug as he says, “Sam, I’m sorry I was so difficult through this. You were right.”

When I look into my husband’s face, Damien’s blue eyes pierce me.

Nodding, she tries to keep her voice even. “It’s okay. We were all freaked-out.”

I give her another hug, and a few tears escape mine and Sam’s eyes.

Damien’s hand goes to my back. “Why don’t you go to the upstairs sunroom, so you guys can have some privacy to talk? I’ll have some tea delivered up in a bit.”

Leaning back, I give Damien a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”

And at that, Sam and I walk arm in arm up the stairs. It’s times like this that make me realize how blessed we are to have a friendship like we do.

“That’s why I couldn’t tell you everything because we had to keep it a secret and protect everyone.”

Sam’s mouth is open as I finish the saga with who we now know is Ben. It feels so good to have it all out there with no white lies.

As we sit next to each other in our yoga pants and T-shirts, we both wipe away a few more tears. I like to think of them more as healing tears.

Sam sniffs. “I understand. It’s just a lot to take in. It explains a lot about the stress you both have been under.”

We grab hands and lean on each other.

She continues, “It’s hard getting older, knowing that we won’t be included in every single thing happening in each other’s lives. We’re both entering a different stage.”

She’s right, but it doesn’t change what we have. I stare at her for a minute as we sit out in the sunroom in the white wicker furniture with red cushions.

There’s nothing our friendship won’t be able to withstand.
“Sam, we’ll always be best friends.”

“Damn straight.”

We hug again as there’s a knock at the door. I’m sure it’s my ever-worried husband since I’ve been MIA for a few hours.

“Come in.”

Sure enough, a head of black hair emerges from behind the door as he asks, “Everything okay in here?”

He looks and sees both of our blotchy smiling faces. It’s pretty funny watching him deliberate between actually entering or closing the door and letting us be.

Sam adjusts her messy ponytail. “Oh, Wales, get your ass in here. Your wife is fine. We’re just having some female bonding.”

I’m glad to sense that any fundamental trust has not been broken between Sam and me.

Damien finally commits and walks in to take a seat on the chair across from us. There’s no room for him on the loveseat.

Sam gets up and immediately gives Damien a hug. “Thanks for keeping her safe. I never should have doubted you. I’m sorry I gave you so much shit over the last few weeks. I just got scared and didn’t know what was going on. I understand why you kept me out of it though.”

He stands up and takes her in a full-blown hug, and the elation I feel from my world tilting and righting again is so wonderful.

“Sam, no need to apologize. We both just wanted what was best for Alli.”

She moves and gracefully folds herself back in the loveseat next to me. She gets serious. “Do you really think he’s going to try to get Allison again?”

I hate all this talking about Ben. It causes my nerves to drift toward the red. I shudder at the thought of him even touching me.

Damien immediately reaches across to grab my knee. “Yes, but I’m not taking any chances. Alli is with me wherever I am. When I don’t physically have my eyes on her, she has multiple people who will take whatever measures are necessary to keep her safe. But for now, if we leave the premises, she’s with me.”

The words
whatever measures are necessary
give me a sick feeling in my stomach.

He looks me directly in the eyes. “Alli, there’s no changing that order until this fucker is dealt with. I won’t take any chances with you ever again.”

I just nod. I’m not going to argue.

Damien’s phone chirps. His brows slightly crease as he looks at it. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back. I figured we could dine on the back porch tonight with the view of the ocean, if that works for you ladies.”

I wonder what’s going on.
Probably something with work.
Who knows though?
In some cases, some of those athletes he has to deal with act more like high school adolescents than grown men making millions.

He gives me a quick kiss.

I respond, “Yes, that sounds wonderful. We’ll be down after a bit.”

I know if his phone call is about work, then there’s no way he’ll be right back. He gives me another sweet kiss before he makes his exit.

I look at Sam, and she starts tearing up.

What in the world?
“Sam, what is it? What’s wrong?”

A few tears escape her big green eyes. “He’s perfect for you. It’s just so sweet how much his P loves your V.”

That does it. It opens up our giggle boxes as we both lose it. It’s precious to see her getting all sappy over letters of all things.

After a few more minutes of giggling, we decide to make our way downstairs for some wine. We stand and stretch.

Sam says, “I’ll be down in a few. I’m going to freshen up after all the tears today.” She leans in for one last hug. “I love you so much. Thanks for telling me.”

“Love you, too, bestie.”

As we leave the sunroom, Sam heads to her room as I head downstairs. I feel worlds better. I hated having that barrier between us with the white lies.

When I come off the stairs, I stop in my tracks when I see Damien talking to Martin in an in-depth conversation at the front wooden door. With the way Damien’s rubbing his head, I’m instantly put on high alert. I know Martin isn’t the threat, but old habits die hard.

Why is he here? Does he know something about Ben?
My mind is racing in a hundred directions with a million different questions.

Belatedly, I notice Martin’s hair has returned back to his natural blond color, but it is still cut short.

Martin glances my way, and Damien instantly snaps out of whatever stress he was under. His demeanor immediately changes as he realizes I’m there. I look at him quizzically, but he just smiles and pulls me into his side as if this is a totally normal day among the three of us.

He gives me a kiss on the cheek, and then he whispers, “Trust me this evening, baby, with anything I do. You are completely safe. Just relax, and don’t ask questions.”

I give a slight tip of my head with a smile, acknowledging Damien’s request, as I look at Martin. I have no idea what’s going on, but Damien has my complete trust.

I extend my hand as I greet Martin, “Hey, Martin. It’s good to see you again.” My voice, I know, sounds slightly shaky because, as of late, anything that has to do with Martin is still linked somehow to Ben.

Martin gives me a soft smile. “You, too, Allison. I’m sorry about what you went through. Damien has kept me posted. I wish it didn’t have to go down the way it did. Thanks for all you did to get my name cleared. I’ll never forget it.”

I gave hours of endless testimony to help exonerate him. It was exhausting and emotionally draining, but it was worth it to give an innocent man his freedom. At his grateful tone, my instincts take over, and I walk up to him and give him a hug. He returns it in a brotherly way. It’s amazing how someone who I loathed not too long ago is slowly becoming a friend. My brain is still getting used to assimilating Martin and friend in the same thought.

“Thank you, Martin, for all you did to help us when we had no idea what all was going on.”

He releases me, and I immediately walk back into Damien’s arm. I know Damien’s comfortable with me being around Martin, or Damien wouldn’t allow Martin to be that close to me. I don’t want to cause any stress on them though.

Damien speaks next, “I’ll be forever in your debt, Martin. Let’s have some drinks on the back porch. Would you like to join us for dinner? Alli’s friend, Sam, is here, too.”

Martin immediately replies, “Sounds good. I appreciate the invite.”

Something feels a little scripted or off about all this, but I’m going to play along as we make our way to the back porch.

“I’ll meet you guys out there. Nature calls,” Martin says.

Damien points a finger down the hall. “Bathroom is the third door on the left.”

It’s beautiful out here, seeing the waves hit against the ocean. It reminds me of when Damien and I first met. For the first time in three weeks, I want my camera, which makes me smile.

I hear the clinking of ice before Damien pours himself a drink. The sound of the crashing waves soothes me. Damien’s hands come around my waist, and I close my eyes at the contact. He’s rubbing my stomach in a loving way as if he’s relishing a child. My mind is completely out of control, and my breathing becomes just a little shallow.

What is he doing? Is he crazy?

He nuzzles my neck. “Just breathe, Alli. It’s going to be fine. Remember what I said earlier.”

I swallow hard and just exist in the moment. Before I freak out, I turn into him, my lips searching for his. His kiss always takes me out of the moment and calms my erratic brain. He obliges and takes my lips in a slow, sensual kiss that eases my apprehension. If I could live in this type of haze for the rest of my life, I would be a happy person.

Throats clear behind us, and my head shoots up to see Martin and Sam in the doorway. I know I give them both a look as if I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t.

Damn it, I’m married. I can kiss my husband and not be ashamed.

They both have a cat-ate-the-canary smile, and I just want to hide. Humiliation is inevitable as I take in Sam’s face.

She says, “Oh, Allison, honey, I do not need to see The Lay of the Year
.
I saw The Kiss of the Year in person, and I don’t think my dry spell could handle that type of hotness.”

Dry spell, my foot.

Out of habit, my cheeks heat as Martin and Sam both start laughing and high-fiving.

Traitor.

She’s known him for all of two minutes, and they are already compadres. I feel the vibrations from Damien’s silent laughter, and I give him a mock slap to sober him up.

Whose side is he on? He’ll end up in a dry spell if he doesn’t watch it.