I stop smiling and study his face. “I didn’t realize you had shit in your soul.”

He smiles brokenly. “I got plenty of shit.”

I scan his beautiful face, and I have to admit I’ve seen the pain there. The broken pain in his eyes. Something bad has happened in Rainer’s life, and somehow it intertwines with whatever happened to Pippa. His story fascinates me.

“Anything you feel like sharing? I’m a good listener.”

He smiles, throwing a towel over his big, broad shoulder. “I’m not sure your ears want my story.”

I shrug. “I’ve got all night, so try me.”

“What’re you doin’ in here anyway? Where’s Max?”

“He’s having a date night with Imogen, so I’m going to meet Pip here for a drink, but she had to work late.”

“You don’t work anymore?” he asks.

I frown. “My shifts got cut, which is probably a good thing because when Mom passed, and with everything with Max, things have been hard. Lucky she left me a little money, but I’ll be looking again soon.”

“Got a job for you here, anytime.”

I beam. “Well thanks. Now don’t avoid the subject; talk to me.”

“My story isn’t a good one, and it’s something you really don’t want to hear.”

“You wouldn’t know unless you try me.”

He studies me. “You mean you wanna hear how I got sold to a slave farm, where I was stuck for close to ten fucking years? How I can’t hold a relationship to save my life and have to fight because otherwise I can’t sleep at night?”

I flinch. “Rainer . . .”

He shrugs. “Told you, my story isn’t pretty.”

“I’m sorry.”

He reaches over, patting my hand. “Don’t be. Want another drink?”

I nod and watch as he prepares one. A gorgeous brunette comes up to the counter, and she catches my eye because she walks up, hesitates, then walks away. A minute later, she comes back up. This goes on until finally Rainer notices her and asks her if she wants a drink. She stares at him, with big, beautiful green eyes, and it looks as if he just ripped her heart out.

He studies her, and then nods, as if to hurry her up. She flicks her eyes to me, and she’s got rosy cheeks, as if she’s embarrassed. She’s a truly beautiful girl, with thick, long brown hair. It flows down her back in loose curls. She’s only tiny, pixie-like even, and is busty at the same time as being quite thin. She’s got big, almost doey green eyes and big pink lips.

“Can I get you something?” Rainer asks.

She stares at him, and I have no idea how he’s missing the hurt in her eyes.

“No, ah, no, it’s fine.”

She turns and runs out, but I’m too curious. I stand up and rush over, stopping her before she reaches the door. She turns to me when I catch her wrist, and she’s got tears in her eyes. “Hey, are you okay?” I ask her.

“Ah, I’m sorry, do I know you?”

Her voice is like silken honey. She’s adorably cute.

“I just saw that you were upset when Rainer was rude. I wanted to see if you were okay?”

“You know Rainer?”

“Yeah, do you?”

She looks over to him, with longing in her eyes. “I thought I did.”

Then she disappears.

Well, now I’m curious.

I’d thought Pippa was Rainer’s story, but it would appear I’m wrong.

EPILOGUE

“Where are we going?” I laugh, tugging at the blindfold Max put on.

“Keep it on, Blue Belle, or I’ll spank you.”

I snort. “How romantic.”

“I never claimed this was going to be a romantic date. Now keep it on.”

“Seriously, where are we going? It’s so dark.”

He reaches over, taking my hand. “Trust me, yeah?”

“Are you going to take me and dump my body in a lake or something?”

He laughs. “Because that would be romantic.”

I grin and he flicks my chin.

“Chill out, kid, it’ll be great.”

“Remember, you have to sleep with me at night, Max.”

He chuckles. “I guess I better re-think the plastic ring I got you as a gift.”

“You’re a jerk.”

He squeezes my hand. “A fuckin’ good-looking jerk.”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see it.

He drives us farther and it seems as if we’re going over a dirt road. We bounce, and I’m sure I can hear rocks flicking up against the truck. After another fifteen minutes, he finally pulls up and tells me to sit still as he gets out. I hear him shuffling about, opening and closing doors, and then he finally pulls me out of the car.

He leads me over to the back and stands me still, reaching around and pulling the blindfold off. It takes me a few minutes, but when I realize where we are, my heart bleeds with joy and emotion. It’s the exact spot he brought me when we first made love all those years ago. In the back of his truck we lay under the stars and he changed my world.

“Max,” I rasp.

“You remember?”

“Of course I remember.”

He jumps up into the back of the truck and reaches out for me. I take his hand and he helps me up. He’s got a picnic basket and a few candles, but mostly our light comes from the full, beautiful moon shining through the trees. I fight back my tears as we sit, staring up at the same sky that blessed us on the night we made everything real.

“Remember how nervous I was that night?” I breathe.

“I was too, believe it or not.”

“I’m as nervous as that now, Max,” I say, turning to him. “I feel like I’m rediscovering you all over again.”

He turns to me and reaches over, curling his hand around the back of my neck and bringing me in close. “I have a lot of shit to say to you, and I think it needs to be said before we start this for real again. The first of those things is I’m so fucking sorry, baby. For the way I treated you, for the things I did, for the money I took. I was suffering and you tried to help, but I pushed you away. I can’t change that, but I’m sorry, from the bottom of my soul.”

“I know you are,” I say, cupping his jaw. “And I’m sorry too, for not fighting harder, for not realizing something was wrong.”

“It’s in the past now, but I want you to know that’s where it’ll stay. I hurt you, you hurt me, but I won’t ever do it again. I’ll fight every day, for the rest of my life, to give you the life I promised you when I made love to you in this exact spot all those years ago.”

I lean forward, bringing his lips to mine. “I love you, Max. I’ve loved you since the day you pushed me over.”

He chuckles. “I didn’t push you, Blue Belle. I tripped you.”

I smile. “Same difference.”

“You wanna know what made me fall in love with you?”

I shake my head.

“Your eyes. It’s always been your eyes. The minute I saw them, I knew that I had to have you, that I had to see them as much as I could for the rest of my life because they captivated me. They spoke to me, and even now, they’re the entrance to your soul, and without it, I feel empty. Like I have nothing to breathe for.”