By the time Clover finally stirs in the passenger seat, we’re almost to the cabin.
She rubs the sleep from her eyes. “How long have we been riding for?”
“Almost four hours.”
“What? Four hours?” she squeaks.
“How far did you think the Cape is from the White Mountains in New Hampshire?” I ask.
“I didn’t really give it much thought. But now I am. How are we going to drive back tonight? That’s like eight hours total spent on the road.”
“Congratulations, Lucky. You can add.”
“Marshall,” she huffs, “I’m being serious.”
“Don’t sweat it. If we don’t want to make the return trip, we can crash at the cabin. No one else is there.”
“I don’t know if I’d feel right about that. It’s your family's house.”
“You’re right, it’s my family’s house, and therefore, my house. I can invite anyone I want to stay there. So stop with the nonsense about not feeling right. Just because Maddie’s never brought you doesn’t mean you’re not allowed.”
Her brow is furrowed with worry, and it makes me feel obligated to explain further. “Whenever my dad and uncles get together it’s pretty chaotic, so neither of us would add to that by bringing friends. Plus, their antics can be embarrassing, especially for Maddie. But now that we’re adults and have our own modes of transportation, things will change. As long as we don’t throw wild parties, it’s all good.”
“Damn. There go my plans for later,” she jokes.
“We can have our own party.” I throw a quick glance her way, wiggling my brows.
“Whatever.” She sighs and stretches her arms. “I guess I needed that sleep.”
“Did you have a rough time falling asleep last night?” I ask, curious if she was upset like I imagined.
“I was awake for a while.”
“Anything you want to talk about?” I question.
“What’s there to say? Kent is a predatory dick, and if you hadn’t been eavesdropping, I wouldn’t be riding with you right now.”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping.” She makes a sputtering sound, and my gaze flicks from the road to her.
“Really? You texted me throughout my date with commentary and responses to everything he said and did. It’s a little late to deny what we know is fact.”
“Okay, you got me. And good thing I was listening.”
“You’re right. As annoying as it was having you witness such a pathetic display, in the end I’m glad you did. I can’t allow myself to think about what could’ve happened. It makes my stomach turn and scares the bejesus out of me. Thank you for taking care of the situation.”
“You don’t need to thank me, so stop. I would’ve saved anyone in that position.”
“Gee, thanks.” Her sarcasm is thick.
Shit. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I got a bad vibe from Kent the moment we met. My instincts told me he was trouble, so obviously I wasn’t gonna let you be alone with him.”
“What would you have done if we were eating inside his house?”
“I would’ve been spying through his windows and then I would’ve found an excuse to get you out of there ASAP.”
We settle into a comfortable silence for the last few minutes of the trip. When the forest appears in front of us, Clover gasps.
“Is this your first time seeing the White Mountains?”
“Uh huh. They’re beautiful.”
“They are. You should see them in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. It’s unreal, like a painting come to life.”
“It looks pretty amazing to me now, all those different shades of green.”
“I didn’t take you for the outdoorsy type, Lucky.”
“I wouldn’t say I am. I like swimming and going to the beach. But I avoid anywhere that spiders and snakes could be. Uh uh. No thanks.”
I smirk, thinking about taking her on a hike. Would she end up in my arms, shaking with fear at all the creatures who live in the forest surrounding the cabin? My soon-to-be aunt and her friends got chased by a black bear last month when they were taking a walk. I’ve never had that happen, and I’ve stayed here a lot.
There has to be a way to get Clover to agree to stay and not return to the beach house. I’m not sharing the black bear story with her, or she won’t even leave my Jeep.
This might be my only chance to spend time alone with her. I can’t lose out on this opportunity.
Chapter Six
Clover
Holy moly. The cabin I’ve heard so much about from Maddie isn’t what I was expecting. When I pictured a modest one story log cabin, I was way off base. This place is massive with an abundance of large windows and multi-leveled decks. It’s an ultramodern take on a traditional log cabin, and it’s gorgeous.
I step onto the driveway, close the door, and look around. “Wow,” I sigh for lack of better words.
Standing in front of his Jeep, Marshall turns, flashing his pearly whites at me. “You’re not the only person to be taken by surprise when they visit for the first time. My future aunt, Danika, had friends here over the Fourth of July holiday and they thought they had the wrong address.”
Moving forward, I stop next to him and peer up at the wood and glass structure. “Who owns this place? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“It was built by my two uncles, and my dad and their youngest brother helped out. My grandpa chipped in on the work too. Officially, it’s owned by my dad and his three brothers. They pooled their money, and since they did most of the work, they had the funds to make their dream vacation home vision come to life.”
“No one stays here year-round?” I ask.
“Nope. It gets plenty of use, though.”
“If you need someone to move in, I volunteer as tribute.” He chuckles, and the deep timbre does funny things to my stomach.
“You haven’t even seen the inside yet. Come on.” He tips his dark head toward the front steps and gestures for me to go first. When we reach the landing, I look back over the front of the property. Large, dense pine trees form a natural frame around the near side of the thick, green lawn. Without a neighbor in sight, and the sounds of nature all around us, it makes me feel unusually calm—even with Marshall next to me. He typically has the opposite effect on me.
Opening the door, he pauses, bowing at the waist. “After you, Lucky.”
“What? No butler? How disappointing,” I jest, walking inside. My eyebrows rise, and my eyeballs open impossibly wide as they scan the interior. I feel like the joke’s on me and I’m being punked. The sheer dimensions of this home are intimidating. Everything’s bigger here, and it’s daunting. Large leather furniture, that looks butter soft, is spread around the living room, which is located to the right of the entry. I think most of the bottom floor of the house I grew up in could fit inside that one room.
Marshall leads me to the oversized kitchen, handing me a cold bottle of water from the state-of-the-art fridge. “Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, I’m starving.”
“Good. I am too.” He rifles around inside the fridge and freezer, setting out different food items. “How do you feel about burgers and dogs on the grill?”
“That sounds perfect. Can I do anything?”
“Do you want any veggies on your burger?” he asks.
“I like lettuce and tomato. Want me to slice some?”
“Please. I’ll get this stuff on the grill right away.” He loads his arms with supplies. “The grill is on the back patio. Come find me whenever. If you need the bathroom, there’s one down the hall on the left.” He disappears from my sight, and I head to the bathroom. Four hours in the car with no breaks is no joke.
Once my bladder’s empty, I look at myself in the mirror. My face is bare of makeup, and my hair is still tousled from sleep. I finger comb my strands and wash my hands. There’s nothing I can do about my appearance. Besides, there’s no one to impress. Marshall doesn’t count.
Retracing my steps to the kitchen, I busy myself slicing tomatoes, lettuce, and add an onion to the mix too. I find microwave bacon in the fridge and cook some before placing everything on a platter I found in one of the cabinets.
Grabbing my water and the platter, I trek toward the back of the house. Coming upon an entire wall of sliding glass doors, I pause, my eyes scanning the impressive backyard that leads to more forest.
Stepping out onto the large patio, I walk over to the grilling station that Marshall is manning. Setting down the platter on the granite countertop, I move toward the in-ground pool. Shaking off my flip flops, I swipe my toes through the water one foot at a time.
“It’s surprisingly warm, right?” Marshall asks.
I nod. “It must be expensive to heat this all the time.”
“It’s solar energy. There are panels on the roof too. With the way this house is situated, we get sun a good portion of the daylight hours.”
“Yeah, I bet.” I check out the roof panels and squint. The sun is burning hot on my face. I take a sip from my bottle, the cool water quenching my dry throat. I point to the solar panels. “That’s smart and environmentally friendly too.” It seems everything about this place impresses me, and maybe Marshall does most of all. I’ve never seen this chill side of him before. We’ve never really hung out as friends.
When he’s at school, he’s showered with attention from guys and girls alike. He has a magnetic personality, and people are naturally drawn to him. Everyone wants a piece of him, except me. And that’s only because I know better.
My gaze sweeps over to him at the grill, flipping burgers. His lean hips and ass are nicely hugged by his navy basketball shorts. The gray tank he’s wearing shows off the sinewy muscles in his forearms and his bulging biceps. Dammit. I want more than a piece of him. I want the whole enchilada, but it can’t and won’t ever happen. When it comes to Marshall, my head has to win out over my heart and my libido.
I force my eyes to focus on the beautiful landscaping surrounding the pool. Colorful flowers overflow from large terracotta planters, and beds of seagrass are mulched to perfection.
“Come and eat,” Marshall calls out. I hurry to the table where he’s placed the platter of burgers and dogs. Settling into a chair, I build the perfect burger, adding a little of all there is. I’m so focused on my food, I don’t notice him watching me until I take the first bite.
Self-consciousness makes me react. “Wha?” I say with my cheeks full like a chipmunk’s loaded with nuts.
Marshall laughs. “Wha?” he repeats teasingly.
I take a swig of water and swallow it all down before I reply, “What? Is that better?”
“I don’t know. I kinda like wha.” He winks.
My lips curve in a reluctant grin. “You’re impossible.”
His watchful orbs study my face. “And you’re beautiful.”
My smile fades. “Don’t say things like that.”
“That you’re beautiful?” he questions, and I nod. “How is that a bad thing? I mean it. You are beautiful.”
“Thank you, but I’d prefer if you don’t compliment me like that.” Or at all.
I know I sound batshit crazy to him. Hell, I sound crazy to my own ears. The thing is, I can’t have him saying sweet things like that and not have it affect me. It’ll only get my hopes up, even though I’m aware of what a player he is.
When it comes to Marshall, there’s a sizable part of me that wants to be the one girl to change his roguish ways. The rest of me is strong enough to be the voice of reason. No matter how much praise Marshall heaps on me, I’m never going to be with him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever known another girl like you,” he states.
“With your track record, I’ll take that as a good thing.”
“You should. It’s meant to be positive.” He raises his index finger before I can retort. “I know. I know. I’m not supposed to praise you in any way.” He shakes his head good naturedly. “Since I can’t dole out any compliments, I’ll say that you don’t smell bad.”
I scrunch my face up. “What?”
“I can’t tell you how fantastic you smell, so I said you don’t smell bad. It’s the closest I can get to a compliment without going against your wishes.” He looks inordinately pleased with himself for finding a loophole.
I snort. “That seems like a lot of work to put in for someone who doesn’t like you.”
His expression shifts, becoming glum. “You don’t like me?” His masculine lips flatten in a pout. “That’s kind of mean.”
I shrug. “It’s not mean, it’s brutal honesty.”
“Come on. I’m a likable person. You’ve gotta like me a little bit at least.” I shake my head. “Are you sure?” He sounds unconvinced.
“I don’t know what to say. Maybe you’re not all that after all.”
“Oh no, I’m definitely all that. The defect must lie with you. Maybe you’re just heartless.”
I gasp with annoyance. “I’m not heartless.”
“You’ve gotta admit you can come across a little icy toward me.”
“Toward you? Sure. But not toward others.”
He ticks his head from side to side. “You don’t see anything wrong with your answer?”
“Nope. I’m only being honest.”
“Then I think I deserve to know why you’re so icy toward me.”
“Do you really not know?”
“Should I?”
“I guess I overestimated your intelligence.”
“Ouch.” He rubs his hand over his chest. “You went right for the heart.”
“Do you remember the night you cornered me in your kitchen and trapped me against the counter?”
“No. Maybe? You should reenact it so it’ll trigger my memory.”
“You wish, bud.”
“It wouldn’t be the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he says, and I narrow my eyes. “I’m messing with you. I remember what you’re referring to.”
“Do you also remember how you had another girl come over the next morning?”
“Vaguely. But it sounds about right.”
“Well, you were an asshole for doing that, and you’re still the same asshole as far as I’m concerned.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on me? I was only seventeen at the time.”
“Yeah, you were, but I can’t see that you’ve grown up much in the four years since.”
“What are you talking about? Have you seen these guns?” He flexes both arms, showing off his bulging biceps. “I didn’t have these back then either.” He makes each one of his pecs jump too.
“Very impressive,” I droll. “But I was trying to be serious.”
“I can be serious. I’d like to point out that you and I don’t spend enough time together for you to be able to judge me fairly.”
“That’s possible, but it doesn’t change anything.”
“It could change everything. How can you have a solid opinion about me when you’re uneducated on the subject?”
“Does it really matter? You and I don’t need to be friends.”
“What if it’s not friendship I’m interested in?”
“We don’t need to be friends to sleep together either.” His face sparks with hope. I shake my finger at him. “Buddy, that option is not even on the table. Your sister is my bestie. I’d never do anything to jeopardize our friendship.”
“Whoa. Hold up right there. She’s in love with my best friend. Seems like she doesn’t have grounds to give an opinion when it comes to our relationship.”
I arch a brow. “You and I don’t have a relationship, and we never will.”
“We could.” He flashes a charm-filled smile.
“Not in this lifetime.”
“Then kill me now so I can get to the next one,” he replies.
“Don’t tempt me.” I point my knife at him.
He grins, not intimidated by my threat in the least. “How abou
t a swim after we digest?”
“The water sure looks tempting.”
His eyes drink me in. “That’s not the only temptation out here.”
Oh, crap. He’s flirting now. I need to remain resistant, no matter how much charm he fires my way. I’m stronger than he realizes. He won’t be able to handle being turned down. After a few times, he’ll give up and everything will continue as usual, just like I prefer.
Chapter Seven
Marshall
“I’m in love with your pool.”
“It is pretty amazing,” I agree.
“Just so you know, I may never leave. Spending the rest of my life in this water seems like one of my better ideas.”
“What about food? You’d starve,” I point out.
“Dude, don’t rain on my parade. It’s a fantasy. That means it doesn’t need to be based in reality.”
“I know all about fantasizing.” I smirk.
“Spare me the dirty details.”
“I’m more interested in acting them out than telling you. Want to help me?”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re funny.”
“That’s not a no,” I retort. She ignores me, pushing off the bottom of the pool and swimming away. Her lean arms efficiently stroke through the water, making short work of the long pool length. She somersaults, starting back in the other direction like an experienced swimmer. Treading water, I watch her sleek, tan form as she continues her laps.
Finally, she stops at one end, her breathing accelerated from the exercise. “Did you take swimming lessons?” I ask, leisurely paddling toward her.
“Yep. From the time I was four until sophomore year of high school.”
“Did you swim competitively?”
“Uh huh. But I decided I wanted to do all the things that other teenagers were doing.”
“Getting drunk and having sex?” One side of my mouth curves with humor.
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