* * *
By the time the car rolled past the heavy iron gate that blocked the driveway at the end of a secluded dead end, my anxiety was sky high. Matty hadn’t stopped talking for more than a minute or two ever since Hawke had driven the car onto the ferry that took us from the mainland to Whidbey Island and Hawke had been cool and distant since we’d left the motel this morning. Luckily, Matty hadn’t noticed his surly attitude, but my frustration had grown more and more every time he answered Matty’s curious questions with blunt, one or two word responses.
“Is Bullet nice?” I heard Matty ask from the back seat.
“Uh-huh,” was all Hawke said back to him.
It wasn’t until the car was parked in front of the huge Tudor style mansion and Hawke and I had both gotten out, that I finally got a chance to lay into the man like I wanted. As I moved past Hawke to get Matty out of the car, I bit out, “We didn’t ask to be here. He’s just a kid and he doesn’t deserve you treating him like shit.”
Hawke grabbed my arm before I could reach for the door handle. His hold wasn’t gentle, but he wasn’t hurting me either. Just like the night before, he looked at me like he wanted to say something, but instead, his eyes dropped to where his fingers were pressed against my bare skin. I was no longer surprised by the current of electricity that passed through me or the way heat began spreading out from the place where his skin touched mine. But what surprised me was rather than releasing me, Hawke drew me closer to him. And instead of just gripping my arm, his fingers began rubbing back and forth over my heated skin. I held my breath as he continued to draw me forward until we were almost touching. Everything around us ceased to exist as his eyes held mine and I saw the unspoken apology there…at least, that’s what I thought it was. I saw something else too, but I couldn’t be sure about it either because it seemed too farfetched to be possible.
Longing.
For what, I didn’t know. But he had yet to let me go and I had yet to move away.
It wasn’t until a cold, wet nose pressed against my hand that the spell was broken. I looked down to see a large German Shepherd sniffing me and then glanced up to see a man standing at the entrance to the house. His eyes weren’t on me, though. They were on Hawke who hesitated for a moment before releasing me and stepping back. The dog circled him excitedly several times, but Hawke ignored him and went around the front of the car. I forced my attention back to getting Matty. His initial excitement about the dog seemed to have faded once he got a look at the huge animal because he clung to me as I lifted him out of the car. His legs were wrapped around my waist and his stranglehold on my neck sent a clear message that he wasn’t ready to be put down yet so I carried him around the car.
The dog followed us, but I was glad when he didn’t jump up to try to reach Matty.
“Is he nice, Daddy?” Matty whispered against my ear.
“I think he is, buddy,” I said.
“His name is Bullet.”
I expected the voice to belong to the intimidating man who’d been watching us just moments before, but it actually came from a young man making his way down the entry way stairs towards us. I saw Hawke and the other man deep in conversation and had to force myself to focus on the younger man. I guessed him to be close to my own age, maybe a little younger. He had thick blond hair and a kind face and he immediately held out his hand to me.
“I’m Seth Nichols.”
“Tate,” I answered and I shook his hand.
“And who’s this?” he asked as his eyes fell on Matty.
Matty’s head was pressed against my shoulder and he turned it so he could see Seth better. “Matthew but my Daddy calls me Matty.”
Seth smiled. “Is it okay if I call you Matty?”
Matty nodded against me. “Is Bullet nice?” he asked timidly.
“Very,” Seth responded. “He knows some tricks. You want to see them?”
Another nod from Matty. As Seth showed Matty the dog’s tricks, I lifted my eyes to watch Hawke as he talked to the other man. His eyes shifted to me and whatever conversation he was having ceased. He held my gaze for a moment and then strode into the house. The other man came down the stairs towards us and I resisted the urge to step back.
He was bigger than Hawke by a couple of inches. His hair was coal black and his gray eyes were studying me. Just like Hawke, I couldn’t get a read on him and I automatically tightened my arms around Matty in response. But as soon as the man’s eyes moved from me to Seth, his entire countenance changed dramatically. Even before Seth put out his hand, I knew what they were to each other.