They both walked silently back to the house neither of them daring to say anything. The tension was so strong, so thick they were both fighting a battle, a losing battle.

Jordan stepped aside so Bethany could enter first. She brushed pass him and he heard her quick intake of breath.

For the love of God I'm about to lose it!

"Bethany" he called before she could disappear to her room.

"Yes" she replied in a low thick voice.

"Turn around" he told her.

"I can't" she whispered shaking her head.

"Please" he said as he took a slow step towards her.

"If I turn around, there's no going back. Are you ready for that?" She asked

He paused, all kinds of questions running through his mind. Was he ready to take the plunge? What would his sister say? How much of himself was he willing to offer to the woman in front of him? Could he trust himself not to hurt her?

Apparently his silence was enough because she made her move, she walked away from him and headed up the stairs.

How long are you going to be a coward Jordan.

As he lay in bed that night, sleep dangled in front of him like a tasty treat. Each time he would get close it would be whisked away. Images of a beautiful blue eyed blonde bent over a horse crying for the wounded animal would cross his mind. An animal that trusted no one but her.

It angered him that everyone had so carelessly tossed her feelings aside for so long. Treated her like an unwanted accessory. Yeah she did some bad things but why hasn't anyone ever stopped to ask why? No one ever too the time to get to know her, to listen to her, to care for her, to love her. No one but him.

Ah hell.

He sat upright in his bed and stared out at the moon that was sending light into his room.

When did this happen? How did it happen? Why her? Why now?...why not her?

"I knew you were trouble when I saw you, but I didn't know trouble could be so darn liberating." He mumbled to himself.

He realized then that he had stop living all these years. He survived for everyone else, making sure everyone was happy and alright. For his own life he had simply pushed it aside and stop living.

Bethany she never leaves his mind, she's always there; mentally if not physically. It's just incomprehensible. She's his one stable force, his one stability in a world filled with chaos and he so desperately needed that in his life. He love her so much for that.

I’m in love with her and I can’t believe I’ve only just realized it.

He sat up straighter as his room door was pushed open. He gulped as Bethany's silhouette stood before him. The light from the hallways making it hard to see her face.

She walked in and closed the door behind her. He reached for his bedside lamp to turn on the light without taking his eyes off her form. The light illuminated the room and heat flared to all parts of his body when he saw the flimsy nightgown she wore. He looked up at her face, her eyes screamed hunger. She was on a mission to seduce. Little did she know he was as ready as a kid offered a choice between candy and a plate of broccoli, bottom line was...he was all in.

"Bethany" he said in a thick voice.

"No more running" she replied

He moved the covers back as a silent invitation for her to get in and smirked when he saw her eyes widen in surprise...

Book 2