Never Hold Back (First Responders #2) by JA Essen

Author:JA Essen [Essen, JA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-11-10T22:00:00+00:00

RACHEL

“Oh my God, Raven! When you said you were bringing out the big guns, you weren’t kidding, were you?” My jaw hits the floor when Raven shows us the framed picture from their childhood.

Zander is eleven years old and Raven is seven, and they are having a tea party. YES, a full-on, little white cups, stuffed teddy bears sitting at the table, tea party. But that’s not even the half of it. Zander has on a purple feather boa, sparkly silver princess tiara, and even let Raven paint his nails and put makeup on him, although it looks more like an abstract art painting.

“This is one of my favorite childhood memories. Zander was always willing to play with me since Mom worked two jobs to make sure we had the best chance in life.” Her eyes lift to the ceiling and she smiles, mouthing a thank you. “I’ve held on to it for that reason, and also, so I can embarrass the hell out of him at his wedding.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Macy says shocked.

With the most sinister, little-sister-she-devil expression on her face, Raven simply responds, “Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out, won’t you?”

Turning to me, she continues, “Speaking of which, I don’t know if you realize it, but since leaving Montana, Zander hasn’t spent more than three weeks with a woman. Ya’ll are going on what, like five months now?”

“Yeah, if you count since the first time we met.”

“Well, like you’ve said, he started checking in on you weekly, right?”

I nod my head in agreeance.

“Then that is where I would say it all starts. You must have triggered something inside him from that very first look. So, do you think it’s getting to that kind of serious yet?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I let out a deep breath. “There are some days that I could see us spending the rest of our lives together, and then others, he just seems so closed off and distant that I don’t even know why I bother. Hot one minute and cold the next type of deal.”

Raven affirms my feelings. “That’s his barrier of protection he puts up, not letting anyone get to close. He’s even done it to me for years, not sharing what is going on and how he really feels. Just keep moving forward, I think it will crumble one day soon.”

“Speaking of the barrier,” I drain the bottle of wine as Macy returns with another, “who hurt him like that?”

“I’m going to need a full glass for this story,” she motions for Macy to pop the cork and pour. “Shortly after our mom passed away, during his freshman year in college, he came home to the apartment he and Beth were sharing to the unfathomable. She was in their bed, riding her English college professor, getting her ass spanked from what he’s told me.

“He saw red and threw the guy, literally threw, the skinny bastard out of the apartment with nothing but his keys. Zander started gathering a few things up and she started in with the ‘I’m so sorry, it was a one-time thing’ bullshit.

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