The Christmas He Loved Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 2)

“Mom kept the dog. She thought you might not want the distraction ’cause you’re shit-faced drunk.”

“I am not”—she hiccupped and swore—“drunk.”

“Keep telling yourself that, sweet cheeks, but from what I saw, you were guzzling pinot noir like it was grape juice.”

He knew how much she hated the nickname but couldn’t stop himself. Earlier she’d pulled away from him as if he had leprosy, and the sting of that one action had pretty much ruined his night.

“Whatever,” she muttered.

Jake maneuvered the Jeep up her driveway until he stopped a few feet from her front door. He cut the engine and stared up at the house, his gut churning with an anger that had burned inside for hours. It was irrational, this anger, and one he didn’t want to analyze too closely. But it was there nonetheless. Christ, he’d been home a little over twenty-four hours and nothing had changed.

She still got under his skin. Still made him ache and burn. But then, had he really expected it to go away?

His jaw clenched. “We’re here.”

“I can see that.”

His brow furled even more. He turned to Raine, his gaze rolling over her slight form. She was pressed against the door, her head lowered, her mad mess of dark curls damp against her neck. She’d refused her coat back at his parents—naturally—because contrary to what bullshit her brain was feeding her, she was piss drunk.

Her dress rode up her thighs, leaving way too much leg on display, and he swallowed thickly as he looked away from the dark crevice between them. Her feet were bare, and the insanely high heels she’d worn were on the floor, where she’d slipped them off.

Vulnerability rolled off her in waves, and his chest tightened painfully. What the hell was he going to do about her?

He’d left Crystal Lake because he knew he couldn’t be around Raine without going crazy. The woman had pushed every button he owned for as long as he could remember. And though it killed him, he’d convinced himself that Jesse’s dying wish didn’t make sense. Raine didn’t need him. She’d always been a firecracker who traveled her own road and had no problem being on her own. Christ, most of her marriage had been solo, and last year he’d told himself she’d be fine without him hanging around.

And yet…she wasn’t fine. Jesse had been right. Raine was a mess.

His gaze lingered on the blue silk top, there, where her collarbone met the hollow of her neck. Her pulse rose and fell rapidly, and for several seconds he couldn’t look away as the wall of emotion inside him threatened to bust open.

He closed his eyes, his jaw still tight. He remembered the damn dress. Remembered the last time she’d worn it. He remembered what it felt like to hold her.

He and Jesse had been home on leave just in time for their cousin Katelyn’s wedding. It had been a hot August evening, one filled with the promise of rain and the chaotic song of the cicadas.

He’d taken Tammie George, a local girl and one of his go-to dates, along to the wedding. The four of them had ripped it up but good. Of course by the end of the evening, Jesse was done and Tammie had had one too many beers. They’d been about to leave when the band had broken into some crazy song—an Irish jig, if he remembered correctly—and Raine had claimed him as her dance partner.

How could he say no to her?

The two of them had danced like there was no one watching, and he would have danced with her all night. Would have held her close and inhaled her scent. Taken her home and made love to her.

But she wasn’t his.

And now…now the world was a mess, and some of the things that should have changed never had. Damn, but he’d thought the pain would lessen with time. Instead, it seemed to have sharpened.

Jake sighed and ran his fingers across the stubble along his jaw. “Let’s get you in the house.”

A groan was his answer, and he slipped from the Jeep, slamming his door shut as a fresh wave of anger rolled over him. The darkness inside him was pressing hard and he clenched his hands in an effort to squelch it. He couldn’t afford to let it win, because the fallout would be nasty and Raine would take the brunt. And damned if he’d do anything more to hurt the woman than he had already done.

He took a second and got hold of his emotions. The air was chilled with the smell of snow on the breeze. He exhaled twin plumes of mist as he stared up at the house, which was in darkness—not even the porch light was on. Jake glanced around, suddenly very much aware of just how isolated she was out here. As far as he k

new, she didn’t even have an alarm system. Any kind of sick bastard could be lurking in the shadows.

Jake shook his head, his thoughts darkening. It wasn’t right that she was out here alone. Hell, it wasn’t right that she was alone.

Damn you, Jesse.

He yanked the door open and cursed as Raine pitched forward. He caught her deftly, ignoring her groan as he balanced her so he could grab her shoes and bag. Her head lolled back and her eyes opened briefly, two round balls of midnight blue, and she stared up at him in silence.

Several moments passed as the cold wrapped around them. Jake’s world narrowed until all that filled it was Raine. Her eyes misted, the corners shimmering with moisture, and her hand rose, but something snapped inside him and he jerked his head back.