I turned on the ATV and gave it a shot of gas. I sped by her before doing a U-turn, coming around to face her. Turning off the machine, I said, “And that’s another thing we need to talk about. If I wanted all of my thoughts read, I’d send you an e-mail of each one. Some things are private, Liane. Private. Do you understand the meaning of that?”
She looked abashed for a moment, and her toe caught on a rock. She stumbled, but didn’t fall. “Are you accusing me of snooping into your thoughts?” Her hands were on her hips again.
“Yes. No. Shit, I don’t know.”
She narrowed her eyes and stalked right past me.
I sighed and turned on the four-wheeler, then turned back up the hill, coming up along beside her.
“I do not snoop on you,” she yelled over the noise of the engine. “I don’t need to. Nearly everything you feel shoots out at me like a bloody bullet.”
I turned off the engine, but she didn’t stop, just picked up speed. Turning it back on, I pulled in front of her and shut it off. I jumped off and marched up to her, not stopping until I’d tossed her over my shoulder.
“Hawk!” Her small fists wailed on my back, hurting more than I’d like to admit.
Straddling the ATV, I started the engine again and smacked her bottom when she started kicking. “Be still!” I yelled at her. “Now, do you want to ride this way or in front of me like a normal person.”
Wrong thing to say. Again.
She began kicking like a caged animal and, to my amazement, pulled my hair. I never imagined in a million years this normally calm creature resorting to violence.
Pulling her off my shoulder, I plopped her down facing me, her legs straddling my hips. I wrapped my hands around her thin wrists. “Stop it.”
A second later, I was seeing stars. I lifted my hand to my nose. This she-cat had head butted me. I couldn’t believe it.
Spotting the blood, she became immediately docile and horrified by her actions. “Oh no, I hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
She whipped her t-shirt over her head, leaving only a tank top underneath. Was she not wearing a bra? I didn’t have a chance for a second look because she was stuffing the shirt against my face.
“Are you alright? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that, but, oooh…”
She lifted the shirt to check on the blood and I couldn’t remove the smile from my face in time. Her eyes narrowed and I quickly grabbed her wrists again, then move my head out of her reach.
“It’s not funny,” she shouted. “I injured you. I’ve never even injured a mouse. I’m a catch and release kind of person.”
I couldn’t hold it in any longer, a hoot of laughter came flying out of my mouth. Her lips grew thin, then curved a little at the corner. Then she was laughing too.
My side hurt, my jaw ached, my temples even throbbed before I could make myself stop. Tears were spilling down my face. Just when I thought I’d gained control, I’d look at her and lose it all over again.
“Is this our first fight?” she asked me, wiping the corner of her eyes. She had hiccups now from laughing so much.
Each time she hiccupped, her breasts bounced up and down. She noticed my distraction and crossed her arms over her chest. Then her eyes dilated as she gazed up at me and she lowered her arms to her side.
“I wish we were married already,” she said, her gaze falling to my lips.
My cock swelled and she shifted on my lap, her cheeks turning the prettiest pink. “I wish that too, Liane, more than you could ever know. If we were, we could begin making up right about now.”
Silence stretched between us.
“I’m still mad at you,” she said after a while and lifted a hand to my cheek.
I turned my face to press my lips into her warm palm. “I know. I don’t blame you. I’d be mad at me too.”
“Will you try? With your mother? With your family?” Her thumb brushed across my lower lip.
“Yes. I’ll do anything for you.”
Her fingers slid around my neck and she pulled my face down to within millimeters of her own. “I love you, Hawk.”
My heart squeezed. “I love you too.”
She smiled against my lips. “Good. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to hit you again.”
I kissed her all the way home.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Auggie
I felt staggered by the sight of Hawk and Liane; knowing that either one of them could have hit a button and welcomed me in. Instead, they chose to remain anonymously at home, Hawk heaving guilt upon me despite my attempt to heal with gifts in hand. I couldn’t say I was angry with Liane. She was siding with the man who was almost her husband. I suspected she wanted the rift healed as much as I did. I understood it was at her urging that Hawk had even contacted us in the first place. That said, I knew she felt her goal was furthered by staying close to Hawk — as a loyal mate should. I would stand by Worth in the same situation.
There was one thing about anger, pain and tears. It forces you to resolution. That’s where I’d arrived. I was going to fix this even if that meant dragging every one of them behind me. That’s when I came up with an idea.
I missed Dad and had promised myself to bring the family down to stay. I would take the kids out of school for two weeks and make Worth clear his schedule. I doubted Hawk and Liane would come, but I would definitely invite them. We would all fly down to the condo and spend some time with Dad. It would be a luxurious prison, and we needed to be away from our normal routines. People tended to hide in their routines.
Worth was home when I got back. He was sitting in his study doing some kind of paperwork. I tapped on the door frame, and he looked up as I went in and sat in one of the chairs opposite his desk. “I’ve always wondered why you do that?”
“What are you talking about?” He was impatient.
“You have chairs facing your desk, as though clients are coming in.”
He shrugged. “Call it shrink feng shui,” he said, and I laughed aloud. It helped to lighten the atmosphere.
“Wanted to talk with you if you have a few minutes?”
He nodded and laid down his pen. “What’s up?”
“I tried a bit of a peace offering today, and it blew up in my face,” I began.
“What did you do?”
“I had Letty make me a huge picnic of Hawk’s favorite foods and took the golf cart up there to surprise him. He’s got the place surrounded by security fencing, including a huge gate that’s locked. I realized I didn’t even have a phone number for him. I tried calling you, but you were in conference. I finally found Liane’s number, and she was with him. He was rigid and bitter; very, very angry. I told him I’d leave the picnic, and when he came home, he could eat it. After I headed toward home, I turned around and saw them both at the gate, bringing in the food. They’d been inside all along and could have opened the gate with the push of a button. Do you have any idea how that feels as a mother?”
“Ouch!”
Well, Worth was willing to extend a bit of sympathy to me. It seemed we weren’t past that point of return, at least. “I’m so hurt.”