Forbidden by Abbie Williams Page A

chance to think about it since he’d arrived home in a state of grieving exhaustion on Sunday. Now, walking the path he’d walked with his father a millon times in years past, his throat felt jagged. He wrapped one big hand more securely around Cody’s skinny legs; the little boy now perched more or less motionless, and Matthew found himself imagining all the times he had followed in his father’s wake, how many times he’d seen the light in Daniel’s sky-blue eyes as he told a story or taught a lesson, or helped his youngest son better perform some task. The loss seemed incredible, impossible. Hell, Daniel had barely even been 60 years old.
    The main lodge came into view through the trees. Matthew pulled himself together and lowered Cody to the ground. Debbie was carrying Emma braced on one ample hip as though Emma were a baby and not almost as tall as Debbie herself. Emma clung to her auntie’s neck, her forehead bent on Debbie’s plump shoulder, and Matthew felt a renewed surge of anguish. He wished for a moment that they’d taken the funeral director’s advice and closed the campground for the week. What the hell were they thinking, anyway, with all this false bravado? It was fucking stupid to carry on as usual, when things couldn’t be farther from.
    Matthew entered the main lodge, with its stacks of brochures, maps, lot rental forms, vending machines and Minnesota souvenirs, his gaze immediately finding Bryce among the others. His entire body flushed at the sight of her and she looked up from far across the space suddenly, her dark eyes landing on him with a warmth that made his lips curve in a small smile. He wanted nothing more in the wide world than to shove aside the racks of sweatshirts between them and sweep her into his arms, and then run. Just run, anywhere. Dangerous game…that was exactly what he was playing.
    â€œHi, honey,” Erica said to Cody, and then to Matthew, “Would you mind swinging into town and getting the kids some lunch? I just haven’t had a chance to make anything here. Take Riley with you…he’s been making a fool of himself, fawning all over poor Bryce all morning.” Erica rolled her eyes heavenward. “Ev! Emma! Uncle Matty and Uncle Riley are going to take you guys for burgers, and Deb, would you mind sticking around here while I drive over to the cemetary with Bryce?”
    â€œNo, of course not,” said Deb, and then brightly to Bryce, “Hi, you must be the niece.”
    Matthew tried to breathe normally as Bryce came within a few feet of them. He had been right about her hair: it had come down her neck over the past few hours, and she looked lovely, soft…for a moment he couldn’t tear his gaze from the spot where he’d pressed his lips so many times that night, where he’d licked the salt from their lovemaking…
    â€œYes, hello,” she was saying. “So Riley is your twin? I’m sorry,” she told Debbie in a teasing way, and Riley, across the room with Wilder, called, “I heard that!”
    Riley rounded up the girls on his way over, and Emma looked mollified as she rode piggyback on her redheaded uncle. “Giddy-up!” she commanded him, and Riley waved farewell as he galloped out the front door, yelling, “Hurry up, Sterno, I’m starving!”
    â€œBye, Mom,” Evelyn added, pausing to peck Erica’s cheek, and Matthew collected Cody again, while Bryce tried not to stare at his insanely gorgeous shirtless torso. She felt the heat from her lower body rising up and into her arms and cheeks and nipples, and as he turned to head out the door, he said casually, “See you later.” She thought, Please oh please let that be a promise .
    It was beyond reason, she knew, a game she was playing, letting herself feel these crazy things because there was no chance they could actually act on them… could we? For a moment she imagined what