Edge Of Fear (Arrow's Edge MC Book 4) by Freya Barker (best love novels of all time .TXT) 📗

“Now you two,” Lisa says, reaching for the phone and taking a few steps back from us.

Sophia lifts her face to me, smiling without reservation this time, as she places her hands on my chest. Even with my shades on, I note the waning beams of sunlight give her skin a golden glow and set her eyes alight. I’ve never seen something so beautiful in my life.

Slipping my fingers in the short hair on the side of her face, I use my thumbs to lift her chin, and touch my nose to hers.

“Perfect!” Lisa calls out, interrupting the words threatening to spill from my lips.

Instead, I kiss Sophia’s upturned face.

Brick and his wife opt out of a late dinner in Moab and instead turn off at their motel when we pass it on the way back. I don’t particularly feel like eating out, but I drive into town anyway and stop in front of a Mexican restaurant I’ve been at before.

“You good with Mexican?”

“Absolutely. I’m starving,” she announces, but then she looks at me hesitantly. “Would you mind very much if we did takeout? I’d love to enjoy the view at the cabin before the sun is completely gone.”

“Wouldn’t mind at all. Let’s go place our order and then we’ll pick up a few beers at the liquor store down the block while they get it ready.”

Half an hour later I’m outside on the patio, building a fire from the wood stack at the side of the cabin, while Sophia is inside putting the food on some plates. The only noise you hear out here comes from the river. It’s quiet and peaceful, a welcome change from the decibels that were ringing my ears all afternoon.

I glance up when she steps outside, carrying two plates with one hand, two beers in the other, and a smile on her face.

“Waiting tables pays off,” she jokes when I rush to relieve her of her load.

Then she sits down balancing her plate on the armrest and turns her attention to the view.

“This is perfect,” she mumbles.

I couldn’t agree more.

I wish we were staying for a week and not just tonight.

CHAPTER 9

Sophia

“ANOTHER BEER?”

I twist my head back to see Tse standing in the door opening.

He’d taken the dirty dishes inside earlier—I could hear the water running in the sink—while I put my feet up on the edge of the firepit, leaned back in my chair, and watched the stars slowly appearing in the sky.

Tse in just a white T-shirt stretched over his chest and a pair of well-worn jeans low on his hips, casually leaning against the door, makes for an equally excellent view.

“Sure.”

I’ll admit, my response is not as much about the beer as it is about the opportunity to watch Tse turn and walk his tight ass back inside.

A full belly and the beer with dinner have done a lot to relax me, but I could use another to fortify me. So far I’ve avoided telling him about the earlier encounter I had today. There’s no doubt in my mind the guy intended his message to Tse to be a taunt, but I didn’t want to get him riled up when we’d just arrived.

He still needs to know, though. There is a lot left for me to learn about this, but one thing I know for a fact, he won’t like what I have to tell him. I just hope I don’t set something off.

I hear him close the sliding door and walk up, handing me a bottle. Then he tosses another log on the fire, sits down beside me, and taps my beer with his.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

I turn my torso toward him.

“I mean for everything,” I persist, needing him to understand what this trip meant to me before I piss him off. “For pushing me to come, for forcing me out of my comfort zone, for the amazing experience of stunning views and feeling free. Hands down the best day I’ve had in a long time.”

A faintly sardonic smile forms on his lips.

“You’re still welcome.”

“I had a really good time.”

Now the smile stretches wide.

“I’m getting that. Glad you enjoyed.”

He takes a sip of his beer and I do the same, straightening to face the fire and wondering how to broach the subject.

Turns out I don’t have to.

“Now are you ready to tell me what you’ve been mulling on all afternoon?”

I look at him, surprised. Guess I wasn’t as good at hiding it as I thought.

“I was waiting for Lisa at the portable toilets. This guy approached me and told me to give you his regards.”

I can feel the air go static, even though he doesn’t show any reaction.

“What did he say? Exactly,” he adds with deadly calm.

“Don’t know who—”

“I know who it is. What did he say?”

“He called you his brother, said you always had the same taste in…” I hesitate a moment, wondering how much detail I want to give him, and finally deciding on, “…a certain type of woman.”

That draws a reaction, one of narrowed eyes and flaring nostrils.

“I need the exact words, Sophia.”

The fact he uses my full name is a little disconcerting and I’m not so sure I want to repeat those words. They made me feel dirty and cheap at the time and I’m sure they won’t feel any better coming from my own mouth. Still, I brought it up, now I need to see it through.

“Tits, ass, legs…” I look away from him as I recite the words verbatim. They’ve been bouncing around my head all afternoon. “…a sweet pussy, and attitude.”

It’s silent for a beat and I sneak a glance at him, noting a muscle working in his jaw. Then he suddenly gets to his feet, his chair scraping the patio tiles, and stalks to the door.

I catch up with him just as he’s shrugging into his vest, and put a restraining hand on his arm, which he shakes off like a pesky fly.

“Please, Tse. Don’t do this. Don’t make me regret I was honest