twenty-eight
“Idon’t know where you’re at.” Rhett’s voice came over his shoulder. “But your snatches sucked today.”
“I didn’t get much sleep last night, but...yeah, you’re right.” Sean wasn’t going to lie. His heart hadn’t been in the weight lifting. The conditioning portion of the workout probably wouldn’t go much better. But, he told himself as he eyed the stack of boxes people were grabbing, at least he wouldn’t be able to think for twenty minutes. His mind would be cleared of everything but physical pain, which was so much better than all the other kinds of pain. Besides, Tabitha was here, and she needed a good role model, not a moody excuse-maker.
Sean had just slid his hands into the slots on the sides of the box he chose for his jumps when a soft whiskey voice spilled near his ear. “You think you could get mine for me? I could use a pair of strong arms.”
Sean froze for a second, his body stiff but his insides thawing, which was an odd competition. He turned, and there she stood. Delaney hadn’t been there for the barbell work, so she’d obviously just walked in. She wore jeans and a leather jacket and motorcycle gloves. “You aren’t wearing workout clothes,” Sean said, playing along, his voice cautious.
She shrugged. “Guess I don’t need the box, then.” She took a small step closer and tilted her head at an angle. Her eyes sparkled, beautiful, even with the shiner. “Just the strong arms, maybe?”
Sean offered a soft laugh. There was no point in acting standoffish. He’d already showed his hand when he literally dropped everything to rush out and run down the Dudes. He reached for her, already thinking about how good she was going to feel in his arms. Delaney’s hand slid into his, the leather gloves warm from the sun. She pressed up against him, snaked her arms around his waist and peeked up. “I’m sorry I was such a jerk. Said the things I said. I just—” She broke off, thought for a moment. “My mom is a trigger. Which should tell me something. I’ve spent so much of my life on my own. So much of my life making everything temporary. So much of my life building up my defenses. But you were right. I can’t give up on my dad’s dream shop.Mydream shop. I can’t give up on...” she looked him up and down “...all kinds of things here.”
“So what’re you saying?” Sean suppressed a smile.
“I can make it up to you. I have some really good ways to make it up to you.” She squeezed closer.
“Take it outside,” Rhett grunted as he walked past.
“Oh, hush,” Red scolded, also walking past, and swatted Rhett on the ass. “Leave them alone.”
Sean jerked Delaney against his chest and she squeezed back, hard. He remembered Wyatt, when he’d curled himself into a tight ball on the foot of Delaney’s bed and she’d comforted him. Except now, Delaney was the one in the center of that coil, and Sean was the one doing the protecting. Despite her brave face, he could feel the tremor that came from deep in her core. “Hey, you don’t always have to stay put,” Sean said, over the top of her head, nestled under his chin. “I’m a pretty good wanderer, too.”
Delaney pulled back and peeked up at him, a glint in her eye. “I’m glad you said that. I was wondering if you’d like to take a little trip with me.”
“A trip?” Sean was vaguely aware of the workout beginning without him, of Rhett calling out “Three, two, one, go!” and the music jacking up inside the speakers and booming around them. “Like a motorcycle trip?”
“Yeah. Exactly like that.” Delaney raised her voice over the music. “Just a couple hours south. To Williamsburg. Someone I need to visit down there.”
“Ah, I see.” Sean’s insides felt lighter than they had only minutes ago. “Sounds good. But I don’t have a motorcycle.”
Delaney grinned. “Yeah, you do.”