“She owns you? And this is the first I’m hearing of that? Now who’s blown who away?”
He smiled. If anyone knew how much it meant for Blue to fall for a woman, it was Sky. She’d been there every step of the way over the past few years, and she knew he rarely dated, much less opened up to anyone but family.
“I should have been in touch. I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy week, and now we’ve got this to deal with. But, Sky, make no mistake about it. I love her, and I admire her—I just have to learn to deal with this other shit.”
“Oh, Blue.” Sky sighed, and her voice turned stern again. “When I first met Sawyer and had a hard time with his boxing, you told me that boxing wasn’t who he was; it was what he did. So where do you come off holding this over Lizzie’s head?”
He pictured the scowl on her face as she challenged him. “That’s just it. I’m not holding it over her head. I’m trying to deal with my own jealousy—and you know me, Sky. I don’t get jealous. Besides, this is different. You opposed what he did, not…”
He walked around to the side yard and headed out back, away from the lights of the porch, which made him feel exposed. His gut burned as he bit back what he really wanted to say. I love her so damn much it hurts, and I can’t protect Lizzie and her reputation from all the shit they say about her online.
“Not what?” Sky pushed.
“You were opposed to Sawyer’s fighting, but—and don’t you dare think for a second that I believe this—but it wasn’t like he was out doing something where people could think that he was slutty. Women weren’t watching him seduce the camera like a pro.”
“So what? So she’s good at seduction. That’s a feather in her cap. You’re being an ass. I hope you know that.”
“Didn’t you hear me? I told you that I don’t feel that way. I’ve read the shit people write online about the Naked Baker, and it makes me want to kill someone.” Renewed anger simmered inside him. He wished he had the answers and the wherewithal to be able to ignore the shit he’d read online about Lizzie, but it made him want to hurt the people who wrote it.
Sky sighed. “So, what are you going to do?”
“The very best I can. I’m trying to work through my own shit. That’s our biggest hurdle. And you know she’s doing this for Maddy, right? For her sister. She’s just so incredible. Who else would do that shit?”
***
“SOMEONE WHO PUTS family first.” The anger in Lizzie’s voice resonated through her with a vehemence she had no idea she possessed. “Of all people, I thought you’d get that.”
Blue spun around, and the phone dropped to his side. He hadn’t even heard her car pull up. “Lizzie!”
“Stupid me. I got your messages and rushed home after dropping Maddy off. I thought you really wanted to talk, but this—”
“It’s Sky!” He held the phone out toward her. “She called to give me hell.”
Lizzie stormed past him toward her kitchen door. She heard him tell Sky he had to go as she went inside and stalked into the living room. Seconds later he grabbed her arm from behind.
“Let go, Blue.” She was too mad to talk rationally. “I’m just slutty, seducing the camera like a pro.”
“Christ, Lizzie, you heard that out of context.” He reached for her, and she shrugged him off. “Damn it, Lizzie. You heard part of what was said, but it wasn’t meant the way you’re making it sound. Do you really think I think you’re slutty? If you heard that, then you heard me say I read the stuff online about you and I wanted to kill the people who wrote it. I’m defending you, Lizzie, not demeaning you.”
She sank down to the edge of the couch, unable to remain standing any longer. “I don’t know what to think. Or what to feel anymore.” She wiped angry tears from her eyes. She was so damn sick of crying she could scream.
Blue crouched in front of her and lowered his voice. “I would never call you that. I was telling Sky the difference between her not agreeing with Sawyer’s boxing and me having issues with your video stuff. I worry about what people might think about you.” He gasped a breath. “Shit. That sounds messed up, too.”
Lizzie scowled. She knew exactly what he was trying to say because that was one of the main reasons she hadn’t told people about it. But it still hurt to hear it from him.
He placed his hands on her thighs, and when she looked away, he touched her chin, bringing her gaze back to his. “Lizzie, sweetheart, what you heard was my own frustration. I care about you so much. How am I supposed to protect you from anonymous viewers posting lewd shit about you online? How can I protect your reputation?”
“I don’t need you to protect me or my reputation. Don’t you get that?” She’d spent years protecting it just fine by keeping it hidden.
“But I’m a guy, and I love you. It’s the same as not letting you go into a bad area alone at night, or keeping you warm when it’s cold.”