Read Online Sacrifice of Passion (Deadly Legends) by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Bourbon Ramirez
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straight. How could she still have this effect on him after all these years?
Dammit. He couldn’t let himself get tangled up with her. What was he thinking, offering friendship? Sex was one thing. Purging her from his soul, that was a one - shot deal. But what he was feeling was more than that. He shifted, willing his arousal away. Getting close to her again was a mistake.
But what if she truly needed him? Not his sexual advances, but his protection?
Esperanza’s words of warning still hung with him. The chupacabra. The animals being killed. What did it all have to do with Delaney?
Pastor Locke came up beside him. “Something wrong?”
Shit. He’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. He turned, hiding the bulge in his pants as best he could. “Nah. It’s all good.”
The pastor stared off into the distance. They stood in awkward silence for a minute, then Vic changed the subject. “When’s Jasper getting back?” he asked.
“Soon.” The pastor looked at the barn again, then at his watch. “Services aren’t for a while yet. I’ll stick around. You can leave.”
He should. Leave now and not see Delaney again. But he couldn’t make himself. “No, you head on out. I’ll check on the horses before I take off.”
Locke hesitated, but finally nodded. “Thanks again,” he said, looking at the barn one last time.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Vic headed back toward the stable to get Zach. He heard the pastor’s car start, turned to see him driving away, and his pace slowed. It was just him, his son, and Delaney.
He stopped at the stable door and listened.
“She’s so funny,” Zach said, his laughing tone almost urgent. “Sheila rolls over like she’s a dog!”
Delaney laughed, the sound melodic. And haunting. Vic remembered when she’d laughed with him. When he’d put his lips against her neck and purred like a tiger, tickling her until she screamed for mercy.
“I’m glad we brought her inside. I didn’t want her to get lonely outside at night.” Zach’s voice dropped. “Or scared.”
“You asked your dad?”
The corner of Vic’s mouth lifted. Just like Delaney to cut to the chase.
“It was his idea,” his son said.
They fell silent. He replayed their conversation in his head. Zach had never expressed how he felt to him as openly as he just had to Delaney. And after just two meetings. Vic shook his head, frustrated.
As he entered the stable, he was struck by how closely Zach and Delaney were standing next to one another. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear. Zach stared straight ahead at the foal and mare, but nodded.
Vic came up behind them and draped his arm over Zach’s shoulder. Zach’s body stiffened, Vic’s touch an intrusion into the comfort zone he’d been in with Delaney. Vic tried to ignore the stab of hurt it shot through his gut. He was Zach’s father, dammit. Why wouldn’t his son let him in?
He reluctantly brought his arm back to his side. He wouldn’t push it. Zach needed time.
Vic glanced at Delaney, who straightened and inched away from him, her arms folding over her chest.
He couldn’t win with her, either. His proposition of sex last night had been met with flat refusal, as had his offer of friendship earlier. She really did hate him. Or was it her own guilt that she’d left him high and dry that had made her build such a solid wall around herself?
And here he’d thought they’d shared a moment.
Just like with Zach.
They stood in silence for a few more minutes, watching the foal and mare connect, the baby’s most basic need drawing her toward her mother. Nurturing simply wasn’t the same for a father. Vic’s chest tightened at the unfairness. Even in nature, a father got shafted. He didn’t offer sustenance, didn’t have the soft bosom or the nurturing soul a child responded to.
If only Vic could get a chance to show Zach he had even more to offer. Like his love and his commitment and his loyalty. If only he’d known about Zach
Dammit. He couldn’t let himself get tangled up with her. What was he thinking, offering friendship? Sex was one thing. Purging her from his soul, that was a one - shot deal. But what he was feeling was more than that. He shifted, willing his arousal away. Getting close to her again was a mistake.
But what if she truly needed him? Not his sexual advances, but his protection?
Esperanza’s words of warning still hung with him. The chupacabra. The animals being killed. What did it all have to do with Delaney?
Pastor Locke came up beside him. “Something wrong?”
Shit. He’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. He turned, hiding the bulge in his pants as best he could. “Nah. It’s all good.”
The pastor stared off into the distance. They stood in awkward silence for a minute, then Vic changed the subject. “When’s Jasper getting back?” he asked.
“Soon.” The pastor looked at the barn again, then at his watch. “Services aren’t for a while yet. I’ll stick around. You can leave.”
He should. Leave now and not see Delaney again. But he couldn’t make himself. “No, you head on out. I’ll check on the horses before I take off.”
Locke hesitated, but finally nodded. “Thanks again,” he said, looking at the barn one last time.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Vic headed back toward the stable to get Zach. He heard the pastor’s car start, turned to see him driving away, and his pace slowed. It was just him, his son, and Delaney.
He stopped at the stable door and listened.
“She’s so funny,” Zach said, his laughing tone almost urgent. “Sheila rolls over like she’s a dog!”
Delaney laughed, the sound melodic. And haunting. Vic remembered when she’d laughed with him. When he’d put his lips against her neck and purred like a tiger, tickling her until she screamed for mercy.
“I’m glad we brought her inside. I didn’t want her to get lonely outside at night.” Zach’s voice dropped. “Or scared.”
“You asked your dad?”
The corner of Vic’s mouth lifted. Just like Delaney to cut to the chase.
“It was his idea,” his son said.
They fell silent. He replayed their conversation in his head. Zach had never expressed how he felt to him as openly as he just had to Delaney. And after just two meetings. Vic shook his head, frustrated.
As he entered the stable, he was struck by how closely Zach and Delaney were standing next to one another. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear. Zach stared straight ahead at the foal and mare, but nodded.
Vic came up behind them and draped his arm over Zach’s shoulder. Zach’s body stiffened, Vic’s touch an intrusion into the comfort zone he’d been in with Delaney. Vic tried to ignore the stab of hurt it shot through his gut. He was Zach’s father, dammit. Why wouldn’t his son let him in?
He reluctantly brought his arm back to his side. He wouldn’t push it. Zach needed time.
Vic glanced at Delaney, who straightened and inched away from him, her arms folding over her chest.
He couldn’t win with her, either. His proposition of sex last night had been met with flat refusal, as had his offer of friendship earlier. She really did hate him. Or was it her own guilt that she’d left him high and dry that had made her build such a solid wall around herself?
And here he’d thought they’d shared a moment.
Just like with Zach.
They stood in silence for a few more minutes, watching the foal and mare connect, the baby’s most basic need drawing her toward her mother. Nurturing simply wasn’t the same for a father. Vic’s chest tightened at the unfairness. Even in nature, a father got shafted. He didn’t offer sustenance, didn’t have the soft bosom or the nurturing soul a child responded to.
If only Vic could get a chance to show Zach he had even more to offer. Like his love and his commitment and his loyalty. If only he’d known about Zach
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