Bonnie“That was amazing,” Bonnie declared. She couldn’t wipe the grin off her face, despite the fact the water fight had ended fifteen minutes earlier. “I can’t believe you organized all this in one night.”She motioned around the pool area. It was a disaster now, but she was impressed with everything he’d set up. There were empty squirt guns laying haphazardly on the ground. They mixed with broken balloon pieces in the grass. She bent down to pick up a discarded squirt gun and put it in a bucket she carried on her arm.“Every once in a while I have a good idea,” Dylan told her, picking up a gun and putting it in the tub he held at his hip. He winked at her, making her grin.“This was beyond brilliant,” she told him. “Did you see how much Tyson enjoyed it? He didn’t even realize his hair was wet, and even when he did, he was having so much fun he didn’t want to stop.”“He was having a blast. I’m really getting to like the little guy,” Dylan agreed, picking up another squirt gun. He s
DylanDylan revved the engine and headed out on the main highway before turning off onto a small side road. It was one of his favorite places to watch the sunset. He hoped Bonnie would enjoy it. The sports car didn’t struggle to speed up the big hill even a little bit. Dylan was fairly certain he would be pushing her car at this point. He still needed to put in the new equipment he’d ordered for her.The road curved and wound its way through pine trees and aspen. They passed some large houses before coming to an open space where he pulled off to the side of the road.“Here we are,” he announced, putting the car in park and stepping out.He quickly went over and opened her car door, barely making it before she opened it herself. He enjoyed being a gentleman. She smiled as she got out of the car, even though she shook her head a little. She was her own woman.Her eyes went wide as she saw where he had brought her.The view was amazing. Spectacular, actually.There was a wooden bench tha
Bonnie“Thank you, Tyson.” Bonnie took the new roll of paper towels from him with a smile.“You’re welcome, Bonnie,” the boy replied. He flashed her a shy smile, his brown eyes happy. “I really liked today.”She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I thought you might. Was it worth missing our swim lesson for?”Tyson nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely.”He looked over at the table where his creation lay drying. Bonnie had set up pudding painting for any kids who were interested. She’d been surprised at the amount of kids that had opted to give up their free time before bed to do an art project. Granted, it was painting with pudding, so it was art and a snack.It was just Tyson and Bonnie now. He’d wanted to stay and help her clean up before getting ready for bed. She appreciated the company and loved the way he smiled at her. He was a great kid.“Is Dylan going to be at our swim lesson tomorrow?” Tyson asked. “I know he’s helping Ms. Laura do something for the horses tonight. But wh
DylanDylan watched as big fat raindrops fell from dark skies. Rain splattered on the windshield of his truck in messy splotches as the storm rolled in. Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by a rolling boom of thunder.The evening thunderstorm reminded him of the night Bonnie had arrived. The clouds were the same color, and the timing was similar. It made him smile. If the first storm had brought her into his life, he wondered what a second storm would bring.He thought about their kiss last night. He worried that she was afraid of her ex coming back into the picture, but the way she’d spoken of him the other night made him think she was over the guy. She didn’t talk about him. The ex seemed to be a thing of the past.He pressed harder on the gas pedal of the truck. He wanted to get home to see her. He’d spent the day helping Laura move a horse to a vet in Fort Collins. It had taken all day. He was glad the horse was doing well, but he hated that he’d missed the evening with T
BonnieAs soon as they were back inside, she threw her bag by the door and sat on the bed. Bonnie sighed. Better clear up the little white lies I told first, she thought.“There really was a fire, but it wasn’t started by an ex-boyfriend.”Dylan nodded at the confession, but didn’t seem fazed by the fact that she had told a little white lie.“When I got there, I knew it was a message. And the message wasn’t for me, it was for my little brother,” she said.“Your brother? The security guard?”Bonnie nodded. “He witnessed a murder. Unfortunately, the murder was a professional hit by a crime family called the Trio. They’re a small organized crime group, but they’re growing. He’s in Witness Protection now.”Dylan frowned. “So what led you to here?”Bonnie sighed again, then began to tell the story.* * *She told Dylan everything that happened in her dream. The fire. The man in the crowd. The gesture he made. The overwhelming feeling of dread that she felt.She looked around, trying to fig
Bonnie“Follow me,” Dylan whispered, his lips barely leaving hers. Bonnie nodded, and he took her hand.She held Dylan’s hand firmly as they traversed through the storm, making their way toward his trailer. She already felt better about everything. Partly because the weight was off of her shoulders. She had come forward with the truth about why she was running. Dylan had believed her, and he had promised that he would keep her safe. She believed he would.“Just a little further.” Dylan squeezed her hand and continued leading her across the field.The rain was coming down in sheets, and there was virtually no visibility. She clung to him, trusting him to find his way to his home. They passed the camp cabins and went to the edge of the property.“We’re here,” he announced.Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted her head, squinting against the rain.“This is your cabin?” she asked.“I asked Carter if I could use a trailer instead,” Dylan explained, going and opening the door for he
BonnieShe knew she shouldn’t stare. So, she forced herself to take a step back. But, because she wasn’t watching where she was going, though, she backed right into the railing. It was just hard enough to make a thud. Her eyes widened, and her heart nearly leaped out of her mouth.Dylan slowly turned around to the sound. He had just pulled his shirt over his head, but it was only halfway on. Bonnie could now see his ripped abdominal muscles. She probably would have enjoyed admiring the new view, except now she was far too embarrassed to enjoy much of anything.“Oh, hey, Bonnie,” Dylan said, pulling his shirt down the rest of the way. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were there.”“Just walked up,” she said.She figured it was probably best to not mention the fact that she’d been standing there and staring at him for the past few minutes.Dylan seemed pretty much unfazed by her presence, though. In fact, he had a little smirk on his face. It made Bonnie wonder if he had actually had known that
BonnieThey leaned toward each other, gently pressing their lips together. The simple kiss took Bonnie’s breath away and caused goose bumps to pop up on her skin.For a moment, time stopped. As she sat on Dylan’s lap, with her lips pressed to his, all of her cares flew out the window. It was just her and Dylan and the rain outside. Nothing else existed.Without pulling her lips away, Bonnie situated herself so that she was straddling over Dylan’s lap. She closed her eyes, letting touch be her only sense. She brought one of her hands up and placed it on his cheek. His beard stubble tickled her fingertips as she gently slid her hand down toward his neck. The smell of his cologne made its way into her nose. It was intoxicating, and she breathed it in, allowing the scent to turn her on.She felt Dylan’s hands as he placed them on her sides, just above her hips. He held her by her sides, with his strong but comforting grip. She felt safe with him.Bonnie gently broke the kiss. She could se