Midnight Renegade by Anya Summers
12
At one on the dot there was a knock on Reegan’s front door. Her apartment was on the tenth floor of a luxury building in the heart of downtown Denver. Her place faced the mountains and on a clear day she could see for miles.
The front range of the Rockies filled her with peace at times when nothing else did.
Since she didn’t know where Brody was taking her today, she had donned a cotton sundress, in deference to the heat, that was flowing and feminine and ended just below her knees. She crossed the hardwood floors, picking up her purse and overnight bag on the way.
When she opened the door, she almost swallowed her tongue. The man was gorgeous, even in cargo shorts and a short-sleeved Henley tee.
His gaze scorched a trail down her form over the red dress with its white polka dots, down her tanned legs, to the white gladiator sandals and her fire engine-red painted toenails.
“I’ve half a mind to stay in with you looking like that.”
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“Good enough to eat… a couple times.”
She shivered at the lust swirling in her belly. “Well, we could stay in. I don’t have all the toys you do—”
He grabbed her hand. “Nope. As delectable as you are, I have plans for us today.”
“Oh well, in that case. Let me lock up and we can go.”
Brody chuckled. “Someone is a little over eager.”
“What can I say, you bring it out in me?” She locked her front door.
With a hand on her lower back, in what Reegan considered a possessive gesture, Brody escorted her to the elevator. “Do you like living in the city?”
“Yes and no. It’s an easy shot up interstate twenty-five to get to work. There’s a full gym with classes for residents. A pool up on the eighteenth-floor deck that’s fantastic during the summer months. It’s close to the club, which is why I tend to take an Uber or Lyft ride instead of driving. It’s close to Sophia. And I have a killer view of the mountains.”
“But?” he asked as they departed the elevator into the parking garage.
“Lately, I’ve been feeling hemmed in. There are some properties being built out toward the front range that I’ve been considering that are near Thornton and work.”
“The Evergreen development?” he asked, helping her into his truck.
“Yeah, why? Do you know it?”
“I should. I’m the one who designed the homes, and my construction crew is working for the landowners to build the properties,” Brody explained, looking rather pleased. In fact, his expression could be described as fucking thrilled.
Reegan had been looking at and researching those homes for the past six months with no idea he had a hand in them. “What a coincidence.”
Brody joined her in the cab on the driver’s side and gunned the engine. “Why have you been considering those properties in particular?”
As he drove them out of the garage and through the city to the highway toward his house, she gave her reasons. “Other than the fact that it’s close to work? The designs are unique and high tech. For someone like me, with the bank of computers I work on at home, the idea of having a smart house with all the tricks is damn near irresistible. And then there’s the solar-powered house batteries and option to have solar panels installed on the roof. The rebel in me can’t resist a house that’s capable of going off grid, at least partially, anyway.”
“Those homes are my newer designs. Glad you like them.”
“What made you think of adding those types of additions?” Reegan was admittedly curious since it appeared that their tastes outside of the bedroom also seemed to align.
“My mom. She was really big into saving the planet, recycling, and such. She was always telling me about the latest electric cars, ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and conserve water, like with those water heaters that aren’t the tank style, and are more efficient. She believed we have a responsibility to future generations not to destroy our world.”
What a way to honor her. They might have had their issues through the years, but Reegan couldn’t fault the love and devotion Brody had for his mom. He impressed her with his determination to continue her legacy through his work. She threaded her hand in his, wanting the connection, and squeezed. “She’d be proud of you.”
A smile hovered over his sexy lips. “Appreciate it.”
She finally glanced around and realized they weren’t anywhere near his house. “Where are we going? I thought we were headed to your house.”
“I have a destination in mind. We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes as long as we don’t run into traffic. How was your girls’ night with Sophia?”
“Good. You know she and Gabe are planning an October wedding.”
He whistled. “That’s fast. Is she pregnant?”
“No. She’s been in love with him pretty much since the moment she started working for him. And I have a feeling, seeing the way they are together, that it was mutual. I think they are just in love and want to start their life together.”
He pulled into a parking lot, and alarm bells went off. Reegan recognized this place—the all-too familiar tan buildings with the Boulder Flatirons decorating the backdrop.
It was their alma mater. “What is the meaning of this?”
“I have something to show you, is all.”
“I thought I told you not to bring up our past.” She gestured at the campus outside the windows. “This is our past in full technicolor surround sound.”
Brody exited the truck and strode around to her door. She glared at him when he opened it, and crossed her arms. If he wanted to go see something, fine, but she was sitting right here.
“What are you so afraid of, babe?”
“I’m not afraid,” she protested. But she was, more than she would ever admit.
“Then prove it. Take my hand and come with me. Or are you going to keep letting the past control you?” he challenged.
Grinding her teeth, she unbuckled her seatbelt and slapped her palm in his with enough force to drive home her displeasure about this little field trip. She snapped, “Fine.”
Reluctantly, she climbed out of the truck and followed him into the heart of the Colorado University Boulder Campus. It jarred her, the sudden trip down memory lane. Some of the best times of her life had happened on the campus, like meeting Sophia.
And some of the worst had happened here too.
It gave her mixed feelings as Brody pointed out the various dormitories that he’d lived in. He avoided his old frat house, which Reegan was supremely thankful for because she didn’t need more of a reminder of that night. She hadn’t gone near that frat house after that one time.
He kept trying to get her to engage and point out places she had liked to go on campus.
She hated that her mood had soured but didn’t think there was any help for it. Being here with him now, didn’t give her closure. It exposed the gaping wound she had been carrying around in her heart for thirteen years. That he had found her lacking in a fundamental way to blow her off the way he had, when for her, the night had been pure magic.
Holding his hand on the same campus where he’d devastated her made her realize that while they were both playing a game, she didn’t have all the rules. And he was changing them on her as they walked hand in hand.
A part of her wanted to yank her hand from his and run. Go grab a cab, and head home. Burrow in her apartment until work on Monday, and hope like hell she would feel some semblance of normalcy by then.
They stopped near the edge of campus, facing the Flatirons. Her heart stopped when she recognized the trees and the bench. It was the bench where they’d spent the night talking to each other about anything and everything, from the potential existence of extraterrestrials to where they hoped they would be in ten years, and everything in between.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Reegan yanked, trying to disconnect from his hold. But he didn’t let her go.
He steered her over to the bench and tugged her down. “I have things to say, and I need you to listen.”
“No. That’s not part of our deal. I told you, no rehashing the past.” She adamantly dug her heels in. This was not the way she had thought this day would go when she woke. She’d figured she would spend twenty-four hours in an erotic, sensual haze, not take a painful trip down memory lane.
“I’m amending the terms, because I think it’s necessary.”
“Let me go,” she muttered through clenched teeth, ready to escape the old ghosts tugging at her heart and soul.
“I will, on one condition: that you sit and listen. When I’m finished, if you still want to leave, I will drive you home.”
She glared as he shoved his sunglasses up on top of his head, into those forest green eyes, trying to decipher the honesty behind his claim. They were at an impasse. She didn’t want to surrender. And Gabe’s words came back to haunt her. She was being a piss-poor submissive by not listening, by wanting to run away, and she had been holding back.
As a concession, she nodded. “Fine. But after we’re done, I want to go home.”
“Fair enough.” Brody released her hand. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. She knew it was a defensive move but didn’t care how it looked. She had fallen for Brody on this bench thirteen years ago, and had never truly recovered from the fallout.
Brody studied her with a brooding expression.
Was he going to break up with her here? As some sort of sick, sadistic gotcha as payback for all the bad blood between them through the years?
“I’m sorry, Reegan, for my behavior after we met. It was wrong of me not to call you when I told you I would. There’s nothing I can do to erase my actions back then, but I need you to know how sorry I am, and have been for years. I’ve wanted to apologize for thirteen years.”
“It doesn’t excuse what you did,” she replied defensively. Did he think he could just say sorry and that was the end of it? If only she could figure out why he was bringing it all up.
“No, it doesn’t, but I’m sorry just the same.” He was so damn earnest in his declaration, she was having flashbacks of that night. The two of them on this very bench, laughing and talking nonstop.
“Why did you bring me here, Brody? To apologize?”
“Because I think there’s something between us, or at least the potential for it. But the thing is, until we rectify our past, we won’t be able to move forward.”
“And you think an apology is enough?” Her heart hammered in her chest. She searched his face, not sure that she had heard him right.
“No, it’s not enough, but I think it’s a start.”
Filled with suspicion, she sighed. “Brody, where are you going with this?”
He took her hand back in his, and brought their joined hands up to his chest. “I know we said no commitment as part of the original terms of our deal. But I want to change the terms. I would like to date you, Reegan. I want to give us the chance I didn’t when we were in school here, to see if we could be more.”
Fear seized her chest. She tried backing away. Shaking her head, she said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why? I know you’re enjoying what we have. I am, too—so much so that I want you in my life, and not just as a booty call. This is taking our relationship to the next logical step.”
He sounded so reasonable.
Panic descended over her. With her trust already wobbly, she aimed for maximum impact with her choice of words. “We tried that, remember? Because I do. You ghosted me, dropped me like that night meant nothing, like I meant nothing to you.”
“I’m not pushing. It’s something I want you to think about and consider. We’re different people now.”
“There’s a first, you not pushing me for an answer.”
He lowered his eyelids. His gaze turned seductive and caused tingles to erupt in her midsection. In a husky voice, he murmured, “You like it when I push you.”
Oh god, she did. She really, truly did. “Be that as it may, I don’t know that it’s a good idea, you and me turning what we have into a real commitment. In fact, I think it could end up being extremely bad for both of us.”
“I never said it was a good idea, only the next step for you and me. Besides, we could be bad together.”
She liked being bad with him. More than was wise. She couldn’t say yes off the cuff. If that night hadn’t happened between them, she’d say yes. But it had, and she had to over analyze a million possible scenarios first before she gave him a definitive answer. “I’ll think about it. And while I know it’s not the answer you want, it’s the only one I’m able to give you at the moment.”
“That’s fair. And I agree. Take some time to think about it. But know it’s what I want with you.”
“Thank you for telling me. Do you know what I really want?” she asked, needing to change the subject and remove some of the pressure from her chest.
He gave her a lopsided grin and didn’t stop her from trying to change the conversation. “What’s that?”
“A loaded bacon cheeseburger from The Sink, right across from campus.”
“Oh, now you’re talking. I haven’t had one of those in years. Let’s go eat. And you’re going to want to load up on your protein for the night I have planned, anyway. Come on.” He pulled her to her feet. With his fingers threaded through hers, he walked with her across their old campus, giving the appearance to everyone they passed that they were a couple.
She could admit that being with him, here and now, along with his earnest apology, laid some of the demons from that night to rest. But not all of them, because frankly, she had far too many insecurities for everything to be resolved after one heart to heart.
But he was right, the deal they had originally made was meant to be alterable to suit both parties involved. There was a part of her that wanted to say yes to his proposal. Any time he looked at her, she felt a fluttering deep in her chest. The man took her breath away both figuratively and literally when he was kissing her.
Could this be the start of something more? Was she brave enough to move beyond their past to test the waters?
Because the truth was, her emotions were already involved. Meaning, Reegan had already violated the terms of their agreement.
Except, what happened if she said yes, and he disappeared again to where she couldn’t reach him? It would destroy her. And make her doubly a fool for falling for his charms—not once, but twice.
