Inked Obsession (Montgomery Ink Fort Collins #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,13

lock the door. “I’ll be fine. I haven’t seen them in about a month, but they called and said they wanted to meet. I know this is hard for them, too, so I’m going to do my best to make sure they know that I’m always here if they need me.”

“What about you? I know you have brothers, loads of them, but they’re not around here, are they?”

“Well, two of them were just in town,” I said quickly.

“Really?”

I smiled, thinking of my big brothers and their growly attitudes. “Yes, but it was for work. Actually, they’re all getting out of the military soon, and they want me to move down to where we spent the most time—home.”

Beckett’s eyes widened, and he reached out, placing his hand on my arm for a moment before he dropped it. I tried not to think of the warmth on my skin. What was wrong with me?

“You mean Texas? You’re moving?”

“No, I’m not. At least, I don’t think so.” I started to ramble. “I mean, I don’t know. I like it up here. I have friends. My brothers would be down there, so I don’t know. It’s just a lot right now, and with everything coming up soon and then this meeting with my in-laws, I really don’t want to think about any of it. Is that okay?” I asked, tears threatening to fall.

Beckett cursed under his breath, lowered the toolbox, and opened his arms. “Come here.”

“I’m not letting you hug me,” I whispered.

“Why not”? he growled.

I did not like that growl. Not one bit. I was fine. I wasn’t going to think about the fact that it did things to me that I didn’t need to think about. I sighed and stepped forward into his arms. I wrapped mine around his waist, and he held me close. I did my best not to inhale his masculine scent. I didn’t want to know what he smelled like. I didn’t want to acknowledge what it did to me.

Something was seriously wrong with me.

I was about to see my late husband’s parents. I shouldn’t be thinking about another man. This was wrong on so many levels.

“Anyway,” I said as I pulled back and sniffed. “I’m fine. I’m going to see my in-laws, have a nice brunch, maybe a glass of champagne, and then come home and wash my hair.”

His gaze moved to the top of my head, and I blushed, mortified that I had let that slip.

“There’s something wrong with your hair?” he asked, a laugh in his voice.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, if you need me, I’ll be around. I promise I’ll call next time.”

“You’re a good man, Beckett.”

“You keep saying that,” he said with a sigh. “A good man would have called instead of just showing up and taking your time. I don’t want you to be late.”

I cursed and looked down at my watch again. “You’re right. I am going to be late. However, thank you. I mean it. And thank you in advance for helping me with any handyman things I need. I’ll talk to you soon.” I rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek then ran to my car.

It wasn’t until I was pulling out of the driveway, leaving him standing on my walkway, that I realized I had just kissed Beckett Montgomery’s cheek. Something I had never done before. What in the hell was wrong with me? It wasn’t that I wanted to want Beckett—I didn’t know if I wanted to want anyone. I just needed to breathe.

The first anniversary of my husband’s death was coming up, and while I thought about him every day, it wasn’t the same sinking feeling I’d had before. I was finding my way. My purpose. I had a new home, a job that I loved, and friends. So what if I had just kissed Beckett’s cheek? It wasn’t sexual. I might have wanted to sniff him and hold him a little longer, but it had been a while since I’d touched a man, so I could be forgiven. Marshall had been gone for months before he died overseas. It had been a very long time since I’d had anyone but myself and whatever toy I could find.

Maybe I just needed some encouragement. A little tenderness.

Or really hot sex.

I shouldn’t be thinking about any of that, especially when I was on my way to see Beverly and Clarence. I pulled into the small bistro on the other side of town and parked