Toeing the Line (The Complete Serial) Read online

  Toeing the Line

  The Complete Serial

  Allyson Lindt

  This book is a work of fiction.

  While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 by Allyson Lindt

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Acelette Press

  Blurb

  They toed a line while he was deployed. Flirting. Dirty-Talk. Mutual self-gratification. Nothing was off limits. Now he’s back, and these best friends have to figure out where they stand.

  Riley falls hard and fast for the guys she dates, and it never ends with the wedding bells she expects. Tired of the heartbreak and unsure she even knows what love is, she swears off unreliable things like dating and trying to find that elusive happily-ever-after spark.

  Which is great, except she misses the physical part of being half a couple. Fortunately, now her best friend, Zane, is back from his military deployment, he offers to tie her up in the bedroom with no expectations.

  Zane’s holding something back, and Riley sees how much the secret haunts him. If she can’t help him overcome his demons, their friendship and their no-strings playtime may not survive.

  For my eternal dragon

  Chapter One

  Car exhaust and espresso—the scent combination was all wrong, but Zane found the familiarity comforting. It had been way too long. He scanned the cars passing the wooden shack, which was barely big enough for a coffee maker and a couple of employees. Where was Riley?

  It was April, too early in the year for many people to be occupying the plastic benches surrounding the drive-up coffee shop. He grabbed their drinks from the barista, knowing what kind of coffee she’d want, and picked one of the empty tables, to set the cups down on.

  He tapped his toes inside his shoes in time with the passing seconds. Why was he so on edge? Aside from the obvious answer of my past haunts my every waking and sleeping moment. He redirected his energy away from the psychological demons, to examine the thought.

  It was as if the nervousness came from the anticipation of seeing Riley again. Which didn’t make any sense. Sure, he’d been deployed in the Air Force for the last six years, but they kept in touch, emailing, hanging out when he was on leave, chatting online whenever possible.

  His body tensed, his nerves flaring to life at the rush of pleasant memories that replaced the bad. Chatting was a bit of an understatement. He’d barely been gone for a year, when their conversations changed. Got more intimate. Jesus. The things they’d said to each other, wrapped in excuses like we’re thousands of miles apart and it’s just two friends helping each other out. For the sake of their friendship he hoped those conversations wouldn’t come between them now, but that didn’t stop his fantasies from running rampant with images of stripping her down. Pinning her against the wall. Making her scream with pleasure…

  He shook the vivid thoughts aside. The last thing he wanted was for this to cause a gaping rift between them when they were face to face.

  His pocket vibrated, and he reached for his phone. Was she canceling? He wasn’t sure if that would be a relief or a disappointment. When he saw the messages, he rolled his eyes, his irritation surging. They weren’t from Riley.

  Checking in.

  How’s civilian life?

  I’m in your part of the country. Meet me for coffee?

  He glared at the phone. No matter how many times he told Sabrina he wasn’t interested; she kept trying to recruit him. The reminder sent a new brand of images speeding through his mind, along with a series of emotions he didn’t want. Guilt. Horror. Resignation. The thoughts tightened in his chest and danced in front of his eyes.

  “Sexy love letters from your girlfriend?”

  Riley’s voice came from behind and jolted him back to the now. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her slender frame pressing into his back when she hugged him. She was almost as tall as he was, but experience told him, she had to stand on tip-toe to do that. The familiar scent of cherry lip-gloss mingled with everything else and made it easier to stash his sins behind thoughts of her. Her soft curves molded to him and rested against his shoulder blades.

  He smiled and concentrated on falling into the sensations of her. “Hey, stranger.”

  Riley settled her forehead against his shoulder. “Hey, yourself. I’m not interrupting, am I?”

  He forced himself to relax against her and get comfortable. Act the way he would have before he was deployed. He pocketed the phone. He could tell Sabrina no for the fiftieth time later.

  “Not interrupting at all. I’m here for you.” He spun to face Riley, and couldn’t stop from tracing his gaze over her. Damn, she looked amazing—the way her long-sleeved T-shirt hugged round breasts, her blonde hair framing a pixie-like face and a teasing smile. “How have you been?” he asked.

  “Not nearly as great as I am right now.” She locked her gaze on his, eyes bright blue and dancing with mischief. “I can’t believe you’re really back. For good. We have so much to catch up on. So much to do.”

  His sex-starved imagination seized and taunted him with the concept of what they could be doing. When he pushed aside the mental images of tasting her cherry-flavored lips, they left an empty spot for a new tension to dive in. A pang clattered in his gut, bringing memories of what he’d left behind in the Air Force. That was one bit of catching up on that could wait until later. Or never. She didn’t need that kind of burden. He swallowed the response, not letting it show on his face. “What have you been up to?”

  “This and that.” She turned her attention to the ground, fingers flying to the silver heart resting at the base of her throat.

  She still had that thing? The realization warmed him. “That’s specific.”

  She grabbed one of the cups from the table. “Is that for me?”

  “Only if you still like caramel lattes.”

  “Only if you need air, to breathe.” She kissed him on the cheek, took a long drink, and then dropped onto the bench across from him, fiddling with the paper sleeve on the cup.

  “The last few years have been so good, you don’t even want to talk about them?” Apparently, he wasn’t the only one with secrets.

  She met his gaze. “Wrong.” Her voice was a combination of finality and teasing. “You’re the one who dropped off the radar two years ago. You don’t get to waltz back into town, as if you were never gone, and interrogate me about my life without giving me details in return.”

  He really wanted to avoid sharing details of where he’d been. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat. “What do you want to know?”

  “Where are you staying?”

  He could answer that question. “One of Archer’s spare rooms. He’s letting me have it cheap, until I find work.”

  Riley’s expression shifted in an instant, as her furrowed brow melted into wide-eyed realization. “Really? And you’re still wondering what I was up to?”

  “Yes.”

  She gave a short laugh, but she didn’t sound amused. “I’m kind of surprised he didn’t mention it; that’s all. We… Um… I was staying there for a while too.”

  Zane dropped his face into his hand, as
the pieces clicked together. Riley and Archer, his two best friends, had a perpetual on-again, off-again relationship. “Funny how he didn’t think to bring that up when I told him I was meeting you. I thought you two were done.”

  She shrugged. “We are, this time.”

  “That’s what you said the last three times.”

  “This is different from any other time.”

  “How?”

  “No. I answered your question. You answer mine. Give and take, right? Where did you go?”

  Technically, nowhere. In truth, everywhere he hadn’t wanted to. “Afghanistan. Iran. North Korea. You already know that.” Her comment back then, when he gave her the basic details of his job, was I always thought Air Force equaled being some hotshot, flying fighter jets. You really get to hone your hacking skills instead? He’d told her it was called intelligence. Someone had to keep those hotshots safe in the air.

  He should have stuck to doing exactly that. Guilt tried to worm its way back in, and he scrubbed it out.

  She made a clucking sound with her tongue. “All of that happened before you dropped off the radar. Where have you been for the last two years?”

  “How’s the drawing coming?” He snatched the first topic he could think of. Riley was a brilliant artist. She kept saying she wanted to go pro. Step up and teach at the community college at least. Maybe try to publish one of her graphic novels. While he was deployed, she talked him into sending her photos for reference shots—of him, of his Air Force buddies, all of it. He was happy to comply if it meant she took her art more seriously.

  She twirled her cup on the table, watching him in irritation. “It’s good. Now that you’re back, you and your truck can model for me in person.”

  He knew she’d come back to the original topic sooner or later, but he was grateful she didn’t push the issue now. “You drew my truck into your story?” It was an older model BMW 1602 he and Granddad converted into a truck when he was a teenager.

  A hint of a smile crept back in. “It’s got character. I love your truck. Your granddad let me take pictures whenever he pulled it out of storage for maintenance.”

  That made sense. Granddad adored Riley.

  Silence fell between them. Their conversations had never been stilted. He needed to find something to bring things back to normal. Why did she have to hook up with Archer? Again? Not that Zane deserved a say in who Riley dated… And they never made him take sides, but it still made things awkward. “What else have you been up to?”

  She clenched her jaw for the briefest of moments before her playful smirk returned. “There’s not a lot to tell. Kenzie landed herself a sexy rich guy—you got a wedding announcement, right?—so I took over her condo payments. I may buy the place from her.”

  “I’m glad I’m back in time for the wedding. And while we’re on that, you hate living alone.”

  “I’m a big girl now. I can handle the scary noises. Speaking of…” She fiddled with her keys for a moment, before she finally pulled one from the ring. She leaned over the table and dropped the single key into his T-shirt pocket. “You’re always welcome to stop by. It might be more comfortable hanging out at my place.”

  His cock stirred, and a desire seared over him when she glided her hands over his chest, and the way she bent at the waist gave him a fantastic view down the front of her shirt. He shook aside the reactions, and centered himself in a place that wasn’t flooded with the fantasies they’d shared.

  She dropped back into her seat, toying with her hair, her gaze flitting everywhere. That felt out of place. It was like a dim image of what he remembered, but someone had missed something in the forgery. Her subtle discomfort didn’t sit well with him. “Aren’t you and Archer talking?”

  He knew most couples that broke up tended to not speak, but Riley and Archer were different. They always managed to make up when they weren’t involved.

  She turned her attention back to her drink. “We’re working on it. It’s still awkward, but friendship first. Right?”

  *

  “Friendship first. Always,” Zane said.

  “Which is why you and I don’t date.” Riley kept her tone light. Made sure it was clear she was teasing. She was so glad to have him back. No one knew her better than Zane, which was why she didn’t want to keep the Archer thing to herself. Except this wasn’t the Zane she hung out with years ago. The difference wasn’t distinct, but he seemed more formal around her. Less at ease. And instinct told her it wasn’t only because of the Archer mistake.

  She prayed it wasn’t what happened between her and Zane while he was gone. The last thing she needed was to drive away her best friend because their online conversation got a little… intense. Maybe once they got comfortable with each other again, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

  They’d flirted since before they were old enough to realize they were doing it, and once upon a time, she thought he’d be her Prince Charming. She figured out years ago their relationship didn’t work that way. He was the one man she felt comfortable saying that about. She could tease him all she wanted, and he gave as good as he got, but they both knew it didn’t mean anything.

  “I know. I get it. I’m not good enough for you.” He stuck out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout, but a hint of seriousness tinged his pale eyes.

  As if. She laughed and shook her head. “Even if you didn’t mean too much to me, to just be some random hookup, I’m trying to change. I’m done falling for every guy who smiles at me.”

  “So, what? You’re never dating again? Things might get a little lonely in the bedroom… You sure you can hold out?”

  “I’ve got a good vibrator. I’ve also got a lot better grasp on my desires than you on your so-called celibacy. We both know how not true that is.”

  His tiny smirk defied his attempt to look innocent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t been with anyone since— Well, you know.”

  And… playful moment ruined. He meant Sabrina, the Air Force girlfriend. Riley studied his face—the sturdy set of his jaw, the scruff of probably two days’ worth of beard. God, he was sexy. “Still not sure what made you think sleeping with a superior officer would serve you well. And you’re being too literal.”

  “It seemed like a good idea at the time. You’re not talking about her.”

  She wasn’t. She was talking about all the times one of them had been lonely or horny, and their conversations became more than casual banter. “I’m guessing it’s easier to hold out when you’ve got someone on call, who you can talk dirty to.”

  “If you’re saying that to cite my lack of willpower, I wasn’t always the one asking.”

  “Whatever. Now that you’re back, the tail is going to be throwing itself at you. You won’t need me anymore.”

  “I will always and forever need you.”

  His reassurance burrowed deeper than she expected, reassuring and soothing nerve she hadn’t realized was exposed. “Me too. I mean—“

  “I know what you mean.”

  Of course he did. That was part of who they were. And now they could get back to normal. No worries.

  Chapter Two

  “What happened with you and Archer?” Zane asked.

  And they were back to that. Riley stiffened her shoulders. It wasn’t a big deal, and she wouldn’t make it into one. Except she couldn’t force the explanation out, as simple as it was. “Why do you think it was anything different than any other time?”

  Zane pulled his attention from his cup and focused on her. “Probably because you said this time was different. Also, you’re not talking about it.”

  Riley fiddled with the locket hanging around her neck, tracing her thumb over the Friends Forever etched on the back. She didn’t want to keep her reasons from him, even if she questioned whether she’d done the right thing. “It maybe, possibly, didn’t end on the best of notes.”

  “I got that much. What did he do?”

  “He proposed.”

  “Proposed�
�� a threesome? New bathroom towels?”

  Seconds ticked away. She stared back, pleading in her head for him to understand. A sharp chill whipped through the afternoon, and she shivered and pulled her arms tight around herself. The April sun in Salt Lake City might be nice, but the moment it dipped behind the mountains, the cold sank in. At the drive-thru, someone’s fan belt squealed. Children’s voices carried from an open car window.

  “Like down on one knee?” At least he didn’t look disappointed—that was something to be grateful for—but she hoped for some kind of sign he wasn’t going to hold it against her, for walking away from something like that.

  “Candlelit dinner, champagne—the works.”

  “And?”

  “And I turned him down, and we decided maybe it was time we went our separate ways.”

  “I’m… sorry it didn’t work out?”

  That lacked sincerity. “No, you’re not.”

  “I’m sorry it has you on edge. I wish I knew what the big deal was.”

  She twisted her mouth in frustration. “Everyone already thinks I’m a flake who can’t maintain a solid relationship. Like… everyone. My sister. You—”

  “I don’t think that.” He rested a hand on hers.

  Warmth spread through her at the gentle touch. “Right. All this what-happened-now and something-always-happens stuff, and you don’t think I’m a flake.”

  He dropped her hand but didn’t pull back. “That’s not about you. It’s about him.”

  She ducked her head, guilt adding to her lingering doubt. She didn’t want to be the wedge in his friendship with Archer. “It’s just that I had someone stable, with a good job, who didn’t expect me to buy his weed or ask me if I wanted to do my twin sister while he watched, and what did I do? Told him no and walked away. Destroyed everything. Maybe my only chance at something good.”

  Zane clenched his hands into fists, his jaw growing tighter with each word she said.

  Please don’t let him close off again.