Wounded (An Aspen Series Novella) (Prequel to Relentless) (6 page)

He met up with his buddies to watch the annual
parade, and of course, they cat-called the reigning queen like they did every
year.  At the end of the parade, they got in line and followed the procession
to the usually empty lot at the south end of town where the car show and the
rest of the activities would take place.

Jerry found now that he’d taken that first step
toward the rest of his life, things seemed a little easier.  Hot July sun beat
down on him as he and the other guys sauntered through the old cars that had
been restored and detailed with loving hands.  The thick, sweet scent of cotton
candy hovered in the air along with the sound of children’s laughter.

A cherry red ‘67 Camaro caught his eye, and he
wandered toward it.

“Like what you see?” a female voice said from behind.

He turned to find Kelsie Wayne looking as
beautiful and blond as she had in high school.  “Hey, Kelsie.”  His smile came
easy, and it was nice to talk to a woman that didn’t flip his heart on the
ground and stomp on it.  He glanced at the car.  “This yours?”

She matched his smile.  “I wish.  It’s beautiful.”

He eyed her soft blond curls, thinking she was
pretty as well as nice.  He preferred brunettes to blondes, but look where that
had gotten him.  Maybe it was time to start looking beyond his usual
preferences.

“I heard you were back in town.”  She hooked her
thumbs in her front belt loops in a flirty gesture.

“I got back a couple of days ago.”

“Too bad you couldn’t get your car fixed for the
last round of the derby.”

Is that what people were saying?  “Yeah.  Maybe
next year.”

“You and Kimber still broke up?”

He narrowed his gaze.  Aspen was notorious for
gossip spreading like wildfire, but he didn’t like it when his personal life
was the topic of conversation.  “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged, still smiling.  “Half the town
thinks she’s been waiting for you to come home.  The other half says she’s
still seeing Eric.”

The dagger sliced deeper into his heart, and
suddenly, the little blonde in front of him didn’t seem so sweet.  “I guess if
you want to know what she thinks, you should ask her.”

The mood turned awkward, Kelsie’s smile slipping
a bit.  “Okay.”  Her smile faded completely as she focused on something beyond
his shoulder.  He turned to find Kimber several hundred yards away, obviously
watching them.  She quickly turned, and then Jerry spied Eric standing only a
few feet from her.

Perhaps the rumors were true.

“I’ll ask her later.  I gotta go now.”  He turned
back to see Kelsie’s curls bouncing as she headed in the opposite direction.

What?  Did she think he was going to make her go
ask Kimber
right now
?

Hell.  Women.  Maybe he should just go celibate. 
He did take the slightest bit of satisfaction though, that Kimber had seen him
with Kelsie.  No time like the present to make her start regretting her
choices.

He turned and followed Kelsie.  He had no idea if
Kimber watched him go after her, but he sure as hell hoped she did.

*        *        *

Kimber watched Jerry walk away, her heart
crumbling.  He was never going to give her a chance to explain.  She couldn’t
tear her gaze from him, even as he drew farther apart.  The love she held for
him crushed against her lungs, making it hard to breathe.  She
had
to
find a way to get him to listen.  She only needed a few minutes alone with
him.  If she could have that, she’d know for certain if she still had a chance
or not.

She turned, catching a glimpse of Eric hovering
not too far away, and she groaned.  When would he get a clue?

Then thankfully, she spied Noelle amongst the
crowd of milling people.  She was headed her way with the oddest grin on her face. 
Kimber didn’t spare Eric another glance as she took off to meet her friend. 
She linked arms with her and tugged her toward the row of trees that grew along
the lot’s edge.

“You have a wicked grin on your face.  Spill,”
Kimber said as they reached the shade.

“I found you some allies.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ian is pretty good friends with Milo Sykes, and
Milo just happened to mention to Ian last night at the derby that he thinks
Jerry is still in love with you.”

Her heart stopped.  “Seriously?”

“It gets better.”  Noelle beamed, spiking the
pounding in Kimber’s chest.  “I just
happened
to run into Milo a few
moments ago.  So,
of course
, I had to ask him.”  She gripped her hand.  “He
confirmed it.”

Kimber tried to breathe.  “This is good.”  It was
what she’d prayed for.  “It means I still have a chance.”

“More than that.  You have
allies
.  During
my little conversation with Milo, he agreed that you and Jerry need a chance to
figure this thing out before you actually call it quits.”

“We do,” she said, her voice breathless.

“I’m not sure exactly what he and Luke intend to
do, but he said to tell you to keep your eyes open for opportunities.”

A pinch of uncertainty pricked her.  “What does
that mean?”

She laughed.  “I’m not sure.  I guess just go
with the flow.  But it seems you now have a couple of cupids on your side.  Oh,
did I mention that I told Milo you’d be in the kissing booth between seven-thirty
and eight?”

Excitement flooded her.  “Oh God.  I hope this
turns out okay.  Promise me you’ll find a way to keep Eric as far from that
booth as possible.”

A mischievous glint sparked in her friend’s
eyes.  “That, I can definitely do.”

A deep burning fire fanned to life inside Kimber
at the thought of kissing Jerry again.  She hoped Milo could somehow pull it
off.  If she could just get that close to him again, she might be able to show
him how much he meant to her.

*        *        *

The smell of grilling hamburgers and the sound of
laughter hung in the air over the small town square.  Jerry sat at one of the
many picnic tables under the town’s bowery, he and Milo checking out any
available ladies who walked by.

“I haven’t seen Sierra all day.  Where’s she been
hiding out?” Jerry asked his friend.

Milo shrugged.  “No clue.”

“What’s the deal with you two?”

“No deal.  She’s a friend.”

“She seems like more than a friend.”

Milo grinned as a long-legged redhead passed by. 
He made no attempt to hide his obvious attraction as he swiveled to follow her
movements.  “They’re all friends, if you know what I mean.  I’m up front with
the ladies I date and make no promises.  If they don’t like me the way I am,
that’s their choice.”

Jerry knew exactly what he meant.  Most of his
friends, Milo and Luke included, had no desire to settle down any time soon.  Wanting
marriage seemed be a disease only he’d been cursed with.  “One of these days
you’re going to fall, and then you’ll know what kind of misery I’m talking
about.”

“Exactly what I’m determined to avoid.”  His
friend glanced at his watch.  “Let’s go see if we can find Luke.  He’s supposed
to be around here somewhere.”  He stood and headed across the grass, toward the
many booths that had been set up to sell food and crafts.

Milo seemed to be walking with purpose, which
surprised Jerry since they didn’t have a designated meeting place or time with
Luke.  They rounded a corner, and Milo stopped abruptly.

Jerry looked at his friend and then followed his
gaze.

Kimber leaned forward and placed her lips on an
old man’s cheek.  The red, white and blue sign above her head stated, “Kissing
Booth”.

His heart started beating a faster like it always
did when she was around.  Jerry turned, but Milo caught his elbow.

“You should kiss her,” Milo said under his
breath.

He lifted his brows, not believing what he’d
heard.  “You’re kidding, man.”

“Not at all.”  He turned his back to Kimber.  “You’re
the one who wants to make her regret leaving you, so go up there and lay one on
her that she’ll never forget.”

Jerry hesitated.  He did want to see her in as
much misery as he was, and maybe this was the first step in sending her down
the road of regret.  He looked at his friend, a grin spreading across his face. 
“You don’t think I’ll do it.”

Milo shrugged.  “I don’t know if you have the
guts.”

“The hell.  If I can face down an Afghani tank, I
sure as hell can do
this
.”

Jerry strode forward just as the old man left
with a huge grin on his face.

He locked gazes with Kimber, her eyes growing
wider with each step he took.  When he stood directly in front of her, he
reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty.  If he intended to abuse the
kissing policy, he should probably pay for it.  He held the bill up for her
inspection before stuffing it into the payment jar.  Then he tugged her forward,
pulling her into his arms and placed his lips over hers before she could reject
him.

The second their mouths touched, he knew he’d
made a grave mistake.  Every inch of him tightened with desire, and he lost
control.  He possessed her mouth, pushing his tongue against her lips until she
opened for him.  Then he drank her kisses in like a man who’d been without
water for too many days.  He crushed her body against him, lifting her to her
tiptoes, taking everything he’d missed for so long.

The feel of her was heaven.  Soft, feminine, and
he groaned as the scent of her sweet, musky perfume surrounded him.

When she sighed and slipped her hands over his
shoulders, he knew he’d won the battle despite his personal cost.  He allowed
himself a moment to enjoy the feeling of her running her fingers over the short
hair at the base of his skull before he pulled away.

He searched her face, proud of the blush he’d
caused and the glazed look of passion in her eyes.

She wanted him
.

He’d accomplished his mission.  Unfortunately, it
didn’t feel like he’d punished her at all.  Instead, he had a major hard on and
wanted
her
more than ever.

He turned and walked away without saying a word,
pissed that it was so easy for her to breach his defenses.  A couple of people
whistled and clapped as he left, and he was sure they’d enjoyed some
entertainment at his expense.

“That’ll get people talking,” Milo said as Jerry
reached him and continued on past.

“Like they’re not already?”

“True.”  Milo snorted, turning to follow him.  “The
whole town is wondering if you’ll get back together.”

He scrubbed a hand over his neck as though that
would help him erase the feel of her touch.  “Don’t they have anything better
to do?”

“Apparently not.”

They walked a few moments in silence before Milo
spoke again.  “Well?”

Jerry knew he wanted the lowdown on his kiss with
Kimber, but how did he explain the contradicting emotions racing through him?  “It
totally backfired in my face, that’s what.”  And that part didn’t sit well with
him.

“Cause you still love her?”

Hell, could that really be true?  “No, because I
wanted to give her a taste of what it’s like not to have me, and it made me
miss her all the more.”

*        *        *

Kimber let her eyes flutter closed as she placed
an index finger on her lips, trying to memorize the feel of him kissing her. 
God, it had been good.  And far too long since she’d found herself buried in
his embrace, his strong arms holding her, his warm lips on hers.

Heat surged inside her.  She ached for him like
none other and hated that she had to be patient.  But his kiss had been a first
step in the right direction.  She’d known by the look on his face that he’d
been as affected as she had.  Maybe he really did still love her.

It was hard, but she refrained from running after
him, praying that her little cupids had more magic in the works.

*        *        *

By the time he and Milo found Luke sitting in the
dunking tank, Jerry had managed to slow his aching desire to a sizzling burn. 
But he was still mad.

At first, he’d thought he’d accomplished his
mission, but now he wondered.  The more he thought about it, the angrier he
got.  He was pissed at himself for getting that close to Kimber, and angry with
her for breaking his heart.  That kiss had not been a punishment at all.  At
least not for her.

Damn it.  Why did life have to be so difficult?

He paid five bucks for three balls.

“Oh, hell no,” Luke said when Jerry advanced to
the front of the line.  The little kids who’d taken wild shots at him had been
no threat, but they both knew Jerry had a pretty vicious fastball.

“Get ready to get your ass dunked.”  Jerry used
his anger to power his first ball.  It missed by a hair.  No doubt because
Kimber had messed with his concentration.

Luke heckled him.

Jerry took a moment to pause this time before he
hurled the ball at the target.  It hit with a satisfying smack, and Luke
dropped into the water.

Cheers came from the crowd.

“Your turn,” he angled his gaze toward Milo as
Luke climbed from the tank, happily accepting a towel from a cute volunteer.

“I don’t think so.”  He shook his head with a
grin.

Several people in the small circle that had
gathered added their encouragement.

“Come on,” one lady said.  “All proceeds this
year are going to Kimber’s foundation for soldiers and their families.”

Jerry narrowed his eyes, zeroing in on Milo.  “Kimber’s
foundation.  How can you refuse?”  He pulled out his wallet, pissed that no one
had mentioned her foundation, either, leaving him to wonder what the hell that
was all about.  His frustration made him a little reckless.  “I’ll pay twenty
bucks a ball.”

Milo took a step back.  “Not wanting to get
soaked tonight, Jerry.”