Dream Like Nothing's Impossible Page 11

  She smiled and reached up to plant a peck on his lips. “Goodnight, Eddie.”

  “Goodnight.” His relief was short lived as she turned onto her side and her little ass rubbed against his hip.

  “Would you hold me?”

  Oh, for Christ’s sake! He closed his eyes and shook his head as he said, “Yeah.”

  He turned on his side and rested his arm across her waist. This was torture! The worst form of torture any man had ever been subjected to. It had to be! She was so small and soft in his arms. He was carefully keeping his hips away from her, but his cock was straining in his pants to be allowed to press up against her sweet little ass. His arm was already starting to ache from the way he was holding it so carefully across her. A couple of inches higher and he’d be touching her breast, a couple of inches lower and his fingers would be able to find their way between her legs. He drew in a deep breath, which was a dumb move as it filled his nostrils with the scent of her. She smelled sweet, like vanilla, and all it did was make him want to put his mouth on her, to see if she tasted the same way. He eyed the place where her neck met her shoulder. He had to resist the urge to trail his tongue over her soft skin.

  Damn. He wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. No. Damned. Way!

  ~ ~ ~

  When April opened her eyes, it took her a few moments to realize where she was. She was at Eddie’s house. In Eddie’s bed! She turned over. Eddie wasn’t here, but he had been. She’d slept fitfully throughout the night, but whenever she’d come to the surface, his arm had been there around her. He’d made her feel safe. She lay on her back and stared up at the ceiling. And she was safe, or she would be if she just did what Guy told her to one last time. She could sign those papers and send them back to him, and that would be the end of it. He was a bad person; he was nasty and vindictive. Why would she want to go into battle with him when she could have everything that mattered—Marcus and her freedom—and walk away? She could put Guy where he belonged—in the past. And she could get on with building a new life for herself and Marcus. She smiled, maybe a life that would include Eddie.

  As if summoned by the thought, he tapped on the bedroom door. She sat up and pulled the sheet up over her to cover her breasts. “Come on in. I’m awake.”

  He came in with a smile and two cups of coffee. She was a little disappointed to see that he was dressed and by the looks of him freshly showered. She’d hoped that he might get back in and hold her for a while. She’d hoped he might want to make love to her last night; it would have been a good way to escape from her own mind and the thoughts that were swirling around in there. It might have been an enjoyable escape, but it probably wouldn’t have been right, and Eddie seemed to know that. He’d held her, and she hadn’t missed his erection pushing against her, but he’d done nothing about it.

  “How are you feeling? What time are you picking Marcus up?”

  “Oh!” she looked at her watch. It was eight o’clock already. She never slept this late. “I said I’d pick him up on our way to go four-wheeling. I didn’t like to stop by Megan and Michael’s too early.”

  “Then we’ve got plenty of time.” He smiled. “Do you want to take these out on the deck?”

  “I’d love to.” It would be nice to sit out there and drink coffee with him, and hopefully, it would take her mind off wanting to get him back into bed with her! She was shocked at herself that her mind kept going there. She had so much else to think about.

  She joined him on the deck a few minutes later. She felt grubby in last night’s clothes. She looked a mess, too.

  “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” he asked with a smile as she sat down.

  She stared at him. “Are you just being kind?”

  He looked at her as if she were nuts. “You’re kidding me? You don’t know you’re beautiful?”

  She shook her head. “I’m okay I guess, but beautiful? Not me.”

  He shook his head. “Then that’s something we need to work on. You, April Preston, are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  She bit her lip. She loved that he would say such a thing, but hearing him call her that. April Preston just took her mind back to everything else. To Guy. To the divorce. To what on earth she should do. To what was right and what was wrong for Marcus.

  “Did I say something wrong?” His smile was gone.

  “No. I’m sorry. It’s just that I don’t want to be April Preston anymore.”

  “Yeah. I guess you don’t. What’s your maiden name?”

  “Runyan.”

  “Okay, you, April Runyan, are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  She smiled. She loved hearing him call her that. “Thank you.”

  “It’s true. You are.”

  She shrugged. “You might want to get your eyes tested.”

  He shook his head. “And you might want to learn to believe that I really mean it.”

  “I’ll try.” But it was hard for her. It was hard to believe that such a good guy found her beautiful, and hard to believe that he wanted to be with her. However hard it was, she didn’t want to mess it all up by not believing him. She knew Guy had done a pretty big number on her self-esteem, and she didn’t want to let him control her anymore. She knew if she let him, the fingers of doubt that he’d planted in her mind about her own worth would find a way to grab on and strangle any chance she had at future happiness. She mustn’t allow that to happen; he’d ruined too many years of her life already. She needed to leave him in the past where he belonged. She sighed. If she wanted to fight him over the divorce, she wouldn’t be able to leave him in the past. He’d feature in her everyday life for who knew how long. Even if she won, she doubted she’d ever be free of him. He was vindictive, to say the least, so if she beat him in court, it would only be the beginning of the battle, not the end.

  Eddie was watching her. “Are you okay?”

  She shrugged. “Sorry. I’m just thinking about Guy. I don’t know what to do for the best. My gut tells me I should just sign those papers and send them straight back to him. That’d be an end to it; I’m sure it would. He doesn’t care about Marcus and he certainly doesn’t care about me. What do you think? Do you think I should fight him so that Marcus doesn’t lose out?”

  Eddie blew out his cheeks. “I don’t think it’s my place to say, even if I did have a clue. When you held up those papers and said he was divorcing you, I was so happy.” He shot her a look she didn’t understand. “I mean, I was so happy for you that it was all going to be over so easily. And when you said you didn’t want a penny from him, you just want it to be over, I was right there with you. I get that. Your freedom is worth so much more than any amount of money. And you can do it; you can build a life for you and Marcus without any financial help from him. Hell, you already have.”

  April nodded. She had. It certainly wasn’t the same kind of life that they’d had with Guy. He was one of the richest men in Paradise Valley. But his money hadn’t done anything to help her or Marcus be happy.

  “But then,” Eddie continued, “when Colt talked about what’s right for Marcus, it made me think again.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know. I can see you going either way.” He took hold of her hand and looked into her eyes. “And I want you to know that whatever you decide will be the right decision. I’ll support you no matter what.”

  April’s eyes filled with tears. Eddie was so different from anyone she’d ever known. He wasn’t giving her his opinion and telling her what he thought she should do. He was telling her he understood how she must feel and that he was with her. Part of her wanted him to tell her what to do, but that was the old part, the weak part. She was her own woman now; she got to decide for herself. With freedom came responsibility, right? “Thanks.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Later that morning, Eddie grinned to himself as he flew up the trail behind Marcus and April. He’d been half expecting that they’d go at a snail’s pace and just putter around up here for a couple of
hours. He couldn’t have been more wrong! Marcus had turned into a little speed demon once he was on his wheeler—and April was the same! They’d surprised the hell out of him once they’d reached the open trail. Marcus had let out a little whoop as he opened the throttle and disappeared in a cloud of dust, and then April had done the same thing. He hadn’t managed to catch up with them yet. Every time they slowed, and he drew near they set off again at breakneck speed. He was loving it! The ride was fun, but the best part was seeing the two of them enjoying themselves like that—and realizing that they had a wild or at least non-timid side to them.

  He rounded a corner and spotted Marcus stopped at the top of the ridge. April was just catching up to him. He hoped that this time, they were going to take a break; he certainly needed one.

  Marcus grinned at him when he joined them. “Hey, slow poke!”

  Wow! He’d never heard the kid joke around at all before. Evidently, this was good for him. He nodded and took his helmet off so he could wipe his sweating forehead. “Hey, Speedy.” He turned to April. “You could have warned me.”

  “About what?” she asked with an innocent smile.

  “About the fact that you’re a pair of speed demons!”

  She laughed. “We have fun; that’s all.” She winked at Marcus. “In fact, we were taking it easy to see if you could keep up. Do we need to slow down for you?”

  Eddie narrowed his eyes at her as Marcus laughed.

  “Yeah, we can slow down if you can’t take it,” he said.

  “Pft! I was just trying to make you guys look good! I’m not a beginner, you know.” He crammed his hat back on and took off with a “Yee-haw!” chuckling to himself as he went.

  Within a minute, first Marcus then April had sailed past him, just as he’d expected. He didn’t mind being outdone, didn’t mind it one bit—especially when he saw the grins on each of their faces as they went by. Those smiles were priceless, and it wasn’t as though he had to let them win. They were beating him hands down, and he was loving it.

  Once they’d returned the four-wheelers back at the resort, Eddie ruffled Marcus’s hair. “Damn, you’re good at that, little dude.”

  The term proud as a peacock came to mind again when Marcus smiled up at him. “Thanks!” We used to take the wheelers out around the ranch when we could.” He shot a look at April. “When Dad wasn’t there.”

  Poor kid. Shouldn’t that have been something he did with his dad? Eddie shook his head, then stopped when he realized Marcus was still watching him. “What else do you enjoy doing?” he asked. “You’ve already shown me you’re an expert fisherman, a speed demon on the wheelers. What else do I need to know?”

  Marcus shrugged. He was grinning again now. “I dunno. You’ll have to find out.”

  Eddie loved that he was loosening up, starting to relax around him—just like his mom.

  April chuckled. “I think we should probably warn you about horseback riding,” she said.

  “Oh, yeah.” Marcus’s grin grew even wider. “Do you want to go riding with us?”

  Eddie raised an eyebrow at him. “By the sound of this, I probably don’t.”

  Marcus laughed. “We’ll take it slow!”

  “Yeah, right. I’m not so sure I believe that, and besides, I’ve never ridden before.”

  Marcus’s grin faded. “Oh, but I want you to ride with us. It’s my favorite thing to do, and Mom’s.”

  April gave him an apologetic shrug.

  Eddie wanted to clasp a hand over his mouth as he heard himself say, “Then I guess you’ll have to teach me.” The kid looked so happy. He wasn’t going to be able to back out; he just knew it!

  April sensed his discomfort. “We can talk about that another time,” she said. “For now, we’d better get going if we want to get to the mall and be back before Eddie has to go to work.

  Eddie nodded. They should get moving, and he wanted to talk to her about what they would do when he did go to work. He didn’t like the idea of her and Marcus going back to their house. What if her ex was still around? He’d gotten into the place last night easily enough by the sounds of it. Colt said there’d been no sign of forced entry. What if he were biding his time, waiting around to make sure she’d do as he wished? He might want to scare her—or worse—into signing the papers. Eddie didn’t want them going back there. And if they did, he intended to go with them and sleep on the sofa.

  Marcus smiled up at him. “Yeah. We need to get you a new fishing pole.”

  He smiled. “I was thinking I could buy a new one for each of us.” He had a sneaking suspicion that the kid meant he wanted to buy one for him, and he wasn’t going to let him do that.

  Chapter Twelve

  April smiled as she looked out the kitchen window. Eddie and Marcus were testing out their new poles down on the dock. Eddie had insisted that they come back here after their trip to the mall, and Marcus had been more than happy to. She’d insisted that if they were coming to his house again, then the least she could do was make dinner for them all.

  She loved this house. It may not be fancy, but it was homey. And it couldn’t be in a better spot. She loved the kitchen as she made her way around it. It was perfect. Not too big, not too small and it just felt…right. She’d hated Guy’s house. For all the year’s she’d lived there, she’d never thought of it as home. She’d never felt like she belonged there. She sighed as she sliced the onions. And now if she wanted to, she could fight him for half of it. She could fight for half the ranch, half of everything. She’d never felt like she had any claim to any of it anyway, so why would she want it now? She knew the answer; she should want it for Marcus. She shook her head. Or at least Colt, the police officer, thought she should. She looked out the window again. Marcus was chatting away to Eddie, who was actually listening to him, and laughing at something he said. Marcus had never had that in his life before. That was what was really important, wasn’t it? Having people in his life who cared about him, who wanted the best for him. What would happen if she tried to fight Guy? In her experience, Guy always won in the end.

  She jumped at the sound of her phone ringing and ran to get it from her purse. She didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

  “You’re not home yet.”

  Cold fingers of dread crept their way down her back. “What makes you think that?” She wanted him to admit that he was here in California.

  He didn’t. “You didn’t answer your landline.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Your answer.”

  “To what?”

  “You know damned well what. Are you going to sign it and send it back to me? You know it’s the best thing you can do.”

  “I need to think about it.”

  His laugh sounded cruel, it always had. “Think? You? You’re not the brightest little bitch. Do as you’re told. Sign it. Send it back and you’ll be all right.”

  “And what if I don’t?”

  “You don’t really want to know the answer to that. Neither does Marcus.” He hung up.

  April stood there shaking, still staring at the phone in her hand.

  “Hey, Mom!” Marcus came trotting into the kitchen. “Eddie…” He stopped when he saw the look on her face. He looked at the phone she was still holding up. “It was him, wasn’t it?”

  She went to him and wrapped her arms around him. She needed the comfort as much as she thought he might. “It’s okay.”

  Marcus stared up at her with his big scared eyes. “Is he going to make us go back?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “No! We’re not going back there.”

  He clung to her waist. “I don’t want to, Mom. I hate it. I don’t ever want to go there again. Don’t let him make us.”

  And there it was. That was all she needed to know. He didn’t want to go there ever again? Then he didn’t have to. It wasn’t weakness; it was wisdom that helped her make her decision. “I won’t. We’re going to get divorced, and you’re going to stay with me. You don�
�t ever have to see him again.” As he stared up at her, she added, “But if some day you want to, you can, okay?”

  “I won’t want to. I don’t ever want to.”

  “I know you don’t now, but someday you might change your mind, and I need you to know that if you do, it’s okay.” She knew he couldn’t understand it right now, but she also knew that the day probably would come when he wanted answers from his father. She hated to think that he might not go after what he needed for himself for fear of hurting her.

  “Okay.”

  She looked up to see Eddie standing in the kitchen doorway. He gave her an apologetic smile. She didn’t want him to feel like he was intruding. He wasn’t; he was helping. She held her arm out to him. He understood and came over to them, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around Marcus. Her eyes filled with tears. She was so grateful to him. This felt so right.

  Her heart jumped into her mouth when Marcus spoke. “I wish you were my dad.”

  She had to swallow a sob that tried to escape. She did too, but it was hardly fair for Eddie to be put in that position. He barely knew Marcus, and she got the impression that he’d never spent time with kids at all.

  Her heart melted a little bit when he smiled at Marcus and tightened his arm around his shoulders. “I do, too, little dude, but at least we’ve found each other now. I reckon we’re going to do all right, don’t you?”

  Marcus nodded, and April had to wonder what exactly Eddie meant by that.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Eddie didn’t want to leave them. He was supposed to have been at the resort half an hour ago, but he’d called Chase and asked him to take care of setting up tonight. Chase had teased him, thinking he knew why April was making him late.

  April smiled reassuringly. “We’re fine, but you won’t be if you don’t hurry up. You’re going to be late.” She’d agreed that the two of them should stay here tonight. She didn’t like the idea of going back to her place any more than Eddie did. “Go on!”

  Marcus smiled up at him from his perch on the couch where he was playing on Eddie’s PlayStation. “We’re great. You can have your go when you get back.”