Yours Completely (Reign 2)

“Brock is my step-brother,” I snapped. “And you stalked me at the grocery store? Why not just call? Or come by? Or send your wife like last time.”

There was the anger I’d been missing. Funny how old habits die hard, and my first instinct was to run to my dad. He wouldn’t be the one I’d run to, not now, or ever again.

“I came to find you,” he said, his voice lowering as he glanced around the canned food aisle. There were two people browsing at the other end, so we were relatively alone, why it mattered, I didn’t know.

“You need to keep your mouth shut about Brock, about the past, about all of it.”

My forehead hurt with how hard I scowled. “That’s what you hunted me down to tell me?”

“Lana, just stay away. Stop talking. And stay away.”

“I have!” I snapped, those two people now turning our way. My father grabbed my elbow and ushered me further down the aisle and away from prying ears. “The only reason I got involved was because Brock started coming to my school. He was messing with me before that, and you know it.”

My father just stared at me, a blank expression of unflappable stone.

“He’s engaged to my advisor now. I had to tell her the truth. She didn’t believe me anyway, so I don’t know what your problem is.”

“Just don’t say another word about it.” With that, he turned and walked off.

“Dad,” I called after him. He kept walking. My heart started to burn, but I called louder. “Dad?”

He spun to face me. I held up my basket. “Remember that one year we had Thanksgiving as a family? With Mom?”

He didn’t say anything. I thought I saw him nod once, but surely I’d imagined it. So I continued with my line of questioning.

“Was is cranberry sauce or cranberry juice she bought?”

A flash of humanity crossed his face. For a split second, I saw my father. The man that once loved me. Once protected me.

“Sauce,” he said.

I nodded and watched him leave.

I should know by now that it never got easier seeing a man I once had faith in walk away.

Chapter 13

“Holy shit, you look incredible,” Cal said, standing on my stoop holding flowers. I looked down the front of myself. It was the first time I’d worn a dress in quite a while. It was tight through the bodice, but had a flowy skirt that hit just above my knees. The green fabric was a fall color, and I missed wearing dresses. Even though it was cold, the tall boots I wore would help, and I couldn’t deny that I had gone through my entire closet twice searching for something to wear.

“You look pretty good yourself.” Cal’s freshly shaved jaw looked sculpted and his eyes matched the blue button-up he wore with dark jeans. Damn, the man was fine. And I felt like a teenager getting picked up for a date.

“These are for you,” he said, and handed me the flowers. A small giggle accidentally slipped out. Yep, definitely acting like a teenager on a date. I couldn’t help it, though.

“Thank you.” I put them in water quickly and grabbed my sweater and purse. When I turned back around, Cal was right there, in my space. His hand gently cupped the side of my neck, his thumb brushing over my earlobe.

“You’re beautiful,” he said lowly. I looked up and all the air in my chest stilled. He looked so serious. And what was worse, he made me feel beautiful.

“Thank you,” I said again, only this time it was a whisper, and I did so badly want to believe him. I wanted to lean in and get caught up and pretend for a moment that we were more than…

There was no label.

I didn’t know what Cal and I were. Didn’t know what to call our situation or even call him. With Jack, I’d needed clear lines and definitions. Somehow, with Cal, I’d just fallen into some kind of comfortable routine where I called, and he came. We were something…but I didn’t know exactly what or how serious we were. And part of me didn’t want to know. Because the deeper I fell, the more it would eventually hurt.

His lips brushed mine. Soft and so incredibly perfect that I forgot everything but the feel of his mouth. He could be so hard and strong. Take me in any way he wanted and yet, he chose to be soft.

Whatever road I was going down with him, it was a tricky one full of curves and potholes. And it scared me to death.

“You ready?” he asked. Though he meant for dinner, I couldn’t help but apply it to my thoughts.