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"How er will you continue to run?" she asked She wouldn’t have been nearly as forward if he hadn’t been curious about her and Grant

"Is that what I’ away from the pain?" The question didn’t appear to offend him

She nodded "Actually, I think I would’ve pulled up roots and left Seattle if not for Andrew and Annie" It occurred to her that he uish came and went in his eyes so quickly that Bethanne wondered if she’d ienetic disease She died when she was eleven Since we both carried the gene, we decided not to have any more children After Katherine it was just the two of us Then…Kate was gone, too I didn’t deal ith that I blahts of the city below "I buried myself in a bottle for the first year I don’t knoould’ve happened to me if it wasn’t for Rooster and my brother Fortunately, Luke stepped in to take over the business Otherwise, I would’ve lost it, along with everything else In a way I think that’s what I wanted Maybe what I deserved Death robbedelse mattered I think I wanted to diewith the pain" He paused and inhaled deeply "Then Rooster took control He refused to let rateful now, but, trusthter and then his wife

"I don’t talk about Katherine," he ht sky "Not with anyone" He looked decidedly uncomfortable "You…unnerve me, Bethanne I don’t kno else to describe it--and I don’t like it Feeling vulnerable is so I avoid I don’t understand what makes you different"

Bethanne didn’t understand it, either She placed her hand on his forear for me?" she asked

He snorted softly as if he wished he knew the answer hiain All I kneas that I…needed to"

Still sitting, he held out his arms, and she leaned into his embrace He held her close Bethanne tucked her head beneath his chin and released a slow, thoughtful sigh

A hundred questions chased one another in her le one After what seeo

"You feel like you belong in my arms," he whispered

Bethanne wanted to tell hie this relationship Over the past six years she’d dated, but no one had affected her the way this man did Instead, she looked up at him, and his dark eyes held hers

She shook her head "No, don’t…"

"Don’t?"

"You’re going to kiss et --but my life’s complicated I took this trip with my h sos"

"Whether to reunite with your ex-husband"

"Like I said, et involved with you"

He grinned

"This isn’t funny! My life is--"

"Complicated," he finished for her "Yeah, I know It’s just a kiss, Bethanne"

"I know" She felt foolish for acting as though it was so more "But the way I feel…" She didn’t finish, wasn’t even sure she should She’d just told him how attractive she found him

He seemed to realize what she meant "Got it It’s tiht" She didn’t want to leave, but it was for the best and clearly he recognized that, too

He placed the helmet on his head and cli her arripped the sides of his leather jacket If he noticed, he didn’t mention it In her two times on the bike, she’d learned quite a bit about motorcycles As they rode, her body automatically adjusted to the curves and turns

The reverse journey, back into the city, seeer When they reached the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, he pulled into the parking area, where the valets assisted drivers He waited for her to climb off first

She reed with tears as she struggled to speak She wouldn’t see hiain, and while she knew that was the only responsible option, it saddened her Finally, she decided on a si at her

Turning away, she entered the casino and was startled by the surge of loud ed, Bethanne hurried toward the elevator She was standing in the lobby when she saw Roosterhis way toward her

"Where’s Max?" he asked, obviously surprised to find her alone He held a beer bottle in one hand

She shrugged "I don’t know He dropped me off and left"

Rooster frowned and took a s of his beer "He just dropped you off?"

She hoped Max’s friend would give her soht into him "We went up to a hill where we could look at the city and talked for a while"

Rooster led her away from the crowd and into one of the bars "Let me buy you a beer"

"Thanks, but I’m not much of a beer drinker"

"Order whatever you want," he said He found theet the attention of the waitress

"I prefer red wine"