Thorn's Challenge - Brenda Jackson [57]
“That was an excellent display of skill and sportsmanship when you took over the lead. What was the main thing on your mind as you inched your way across the finish line?”
Again, Thorn thought it wouldn’t be kosher to give a truthful answer, at least not one with all the full details. His thoughts and emotions were too consumed with a certain woman. He smiled at the reporter and responded truthfully. “My woman.”
“Thorn asked me to make sure you got back to the hotel, Tara,” Dare Westmoreland said, smiling cheerfully. It was evident that he and his brothers were proud of Thorn.
“All right.”
From the number of reporters crowding around Thorn, Tara knew it would be a while before he would be free. In a way that was good. She needed time to think. A proud smile touched her lips as she watched from a distance as Thorn was presented the winning trophy. He was happy and she was happy for him. She was glad she’d been able to share this special moment with him.
As she began walking away with Dare and Shelly, she couldn’t help but think that her moment of reckoning had arrived.
Tara nervously paced her hotel room waiting for Thorn. The race had been over more than two hours. Because she had felt hot and sticky, she had showered and changed into a floral sundress with spaghetti straps.
The air conditioning in the room was set at a reasonable temperature, but still she felt hot and was about to step outside on the balcony when she heard the sound of the door opening.
She turned and met Thorn’s gaze the moment he stepped into the room. He had also showered and changed clothes. Gone was the leather outfit he had competed in. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a blue denim shirt and his biker boots.
Tara stood rooted in place and watched him watch her. A part of her wanted to go to him and kiss him and tell him just how proud she was of him, but another part of her held back. There was a possibility that Thorn wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her after what she had to say. But still, she had to let him know of her pride in him.
“Congratulations, Thorn. I was so proud of you today.”
He leaned against the closed door and continued to stare at her. His hands were pushed deep into his denim pockets and from the look on his face, winning the race, although a major accomplishment, was not at the moment what his thoughts were on.
His full attention was focused on her.
His next statement proved she was right. “You still have clothes on.”
His words caught her off guard and for a moment she didn’t know what to say. “Oh, boy,” she finally whispered on an uneven sigh. “Did you really expect to find me here naked waiting for you?”
A slow, cocky smile curved his lips. “Yes, that would have been nice.”
Tara couldn’t help but return his smile. She guessed after a two-year abstinence, for him that would have been nice. “We need to talk, Thorn,” she said, deciding not to beat around the bush.
She swallowed when he moved away from the door and walked toward her, like a hawk eyeing its prey. When he came to a stop less than a foot away, she inhaled his scent. He smelled of soap and shampoo as well as the manly fragrance that was so much a part of him.
He reached out and touched her chin with his finger. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Tara raised a brow. Tomorrow? Did he think he would be keeping her so busy this afternoon and tonight that she would have neither the time nor the strength to get a word out? She couldn’t help it when the thought of that sent a tremor throughout her body.
She was suddenly swamped with memories of all the dreams she’d ever had of him, her need for him as well as her love for him. But still, none of that mattered if there was not complete honestly between them. He was entitled to know the truth about her.
“What I have to tell you can’t wait until tomorrow.” After what I have to say there might not be a tomorrow for us, she thought.
“Okay, you talk,” he said huskily. And if he needed to touch her as much as he needed to breathe, he reached