by Holly Jaymes
I arrived at seven as ordered and was the first one there. “Happy birthday, Willa,” I told her as I gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you, Tucker. Mason is on the deck. He’s grilling. There’s beer out there too. If you want something mixed, I can do that.”
“Beer’s perfect.” Then I remembered my rules. “Actually, I’ll have water.”
She arched a brow.
“No booze. No women. No bad press.”
She laughed. “I’ve got seltzer, if you’re allowed bubbles.”
I pretended to think on it. “I think bubbles are okay.”
I poured a glass of seltzer and headed out to see Mason. It was interesting to see him be so domestic. When the time came, I knew he’d be a great dad.
A little bit later, Wyatt appeared on the deck. “Good thing you’re a firefighter,” he said to Mason. “I can see the smoke from across town. You sure you know what you’re doing?”
Mason laughed. “Nope.”
Wyatt extended his hand. “Good to see you, Tucker.”
“You too, Wyatt.” I shook his hand.
The door opened and Josh and Allie walked out. In some ways, Josh reminded me of Mason. There was a calmness to him that I hadn’t seen before. And yet, happiness too as he kept his arm around Allie. I wondered if he worried that I’d hit on her.
“Tucker McLean.” Josh also extended his hand to shake. “God, it’s been forever. How are you?”
“Not bad. It’s good to be home.”
“I think you met my wife, Allie.”
“Yes. Good to see you. I did a few of those moves you showed me.”
“Oh good. Did they help?” she asked.
“I’m not as tight as I usually am after a run, so I guess so.”
Several more people arrived, most of whom I remembered while growing up in Eden Lake. Then Emma walked in. I was sort of surprised as I hadn’t realized she was a friend of Mason’s or Willa’s.
“Behave,” Mason murmured next to me when he caught me watching her.
“I always behave.”
“Behave nicely,” he clarified.
I nodded and had every intention of being nice. The truth was, I wanted to be real nice. Her red hair was down in long wild waves that I couldn’t help but wish I could run my fingers through. She wore a sleeveless green floral dress that brought out the auburn of her hair and sculpted around her lovely curves. The dress made me think of an earth mother with its bohemian style.
Her gaze caught mine and I gave her a nod as a hello. She gave me a nod back, and then turned away. I sighed. Just as well. ‘No women’ was on my rule list.
The party was larger than I’d have imagined. And if I was a rule breaker, there were other single women there that were fairly obvious in their desire to help me break the no-women rule. The truth was, I was a rule breaker. But my job was on the line, and I didn’t want to fuck that up. And, Emma was there. For some reason, I couldn’t find an interest in the other ladies who sidled up to me and squeezed my biceps. So, I stuck with my seltzer and smiled but declined the various advances of the other women.
As the late April air cooled, the party gravitated inside. I enjoyed watching Mason and Willa and was warmed by how respected and loved they were by the community. It occurred to me that home wasn’t the same anymore. I felt like an outsider even though I’d grown up with most of these people.
“Tucker,” Julia Larson approached me again with her come hither grin. She’d been four years younger than me in school, which at my calculation made her twenty-three now. She was pretty, and definitely someone I’d have brought home for a little horizontal fun before I got my new rules. Before seeing Emma.
“Why are you ignoring me?” Her words were slightly slurred suggesting one drink to many.
“I’m not.” I smiled, trying to be kind as I worked to get away. I caught Emma’s disapproving glare. She gave her head a shake and then disappeared out back.
“Excuse me,” I said to Julia as I decided to find out what bee flew up Emma’s ass. I followed her out onto the deck.
The air was chilly, nearly cold. The night sky was clear and bright. If I was allowed to be my usual self, this situation would have been ideal to woo her. I’d offer her my coat to stay warm. I’d have her look up at the sky, so I could stealthily move closer and help her see the romance in the moment. Then I’d kiss her. None of that would happen now.
I reached the middle of the deck before she heard me. She spun around and her eyes narrowed.
I laughed. I don’t know why, but there was something about her and her skittishness around me that I found humorous. Or maybe it was nerves. I’d never been around a woman who disliked me so much.
“Are you drunk?” she snapped.
“Nope. No booze. It’s a rule.” I moved closer, watching her as her gaze looked back to the party and then back to me suspiciously.
“You’re safe,” I said. “No women either.”
Her head jerked back. “What?”
“No booze. No women. No bad press. Those are the rules I live by now. At least, until July.”
“I never pegged you as someone who followed rules.”
I shrugged. “If they make sense to me, I do.”
“And those make sense?” She leaned back against the rail, crossing her arms and rubbing them like she was cold.
“My job is on the line, so yes, they make sense.”
“Huh. I thought part of being a big famous quarterback were the parties and women?”
I reached the rail and leaned against it next to her. “It’s not a requirement. And if it impacts the team, then it’s prohibited.”
“You’re impacting the team?”
I turned to look at her, wondering if she was poking at me or truly interested. “They don’t like the bad press. It also impacts my health. I need to be in top shape to win my job back.”
“Win? It’s a competition?” She surprised me by turning toward me. I took that to mean she really was interested.
“Best players get to play. After I got hurt, the second best player did well and now they want to test us both to see if he’s better than me, especially since I was hurt.”
She nodded as she thought about that.
“Did you do any sports growing up?” I asked.
“P.E. in school. That’s it. Everyone had to do everything, although I suppose when we did team activities, people would choose their teams based on who was best. I was always picked last.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets when I realized I was about to reach out and push a tendril of hair that had blown into her face out of the way. She reached up and curled it behind her ear.
“Mason was picked last a lot. Now look at him.”
“I’m more of an artsy type. If there was an art contest, I’d be picked first for that.” She smiled. Just a little bit, but enough that my body warmed.
She rubbed her arms again.
“Here. Take my coat,” I said slipping out of the coat.
She flinched as I reached behind her and pulled the coat up over her shoulders, which brought her close to my body. Immediately, her sweet scent tickled my senses. My dick, in particular, took notice.
“Maybe I should just go in,” she said with a vulnerability in her voice.
I cocked my head. “Why do you hate me so?”
“I don’t hate you.”
I arched a brow, telling her I begged to differ.
“Hate is a strong word. I just don’t much like what you represent.”
“And what is that?”
She looked down. “You use women.”
“I like women. A lot.”
She pursed her lips, and I saw the Emma who didn’t mind being a bitch to me flash in her eyes. “That’s the point. It’s indiscriminate. If she has the requisite parts, you like her, never mind if she’s smart or talented.”
“I’ll admit, I like tits and ass, but that’s not all.” Although even as I said it, I knew a part of wh
at she was saying was true. Over the last few years, the women I was with were chosen because they liked to party and have sex. I didn’t care much if they were smart or talented, although I suspect many were.
I wasn’t going to admit that. “The other day, I thought how much I admired your art and how you were pursuing your passion. You’re not charging enough for your work though.”
“What do you know about art?”
“More than you know about football.”
She looked down, and again, she seemed vulnerable. Like the shield she held around her was falling.
“Why are you talking to me?”
That had me jerking back. “Because I want to.”
“Why? There are plenty of women in there who would be happy for your attention.”
“But you’re not one of them.”
“Is that it? You’re attracted to what you can’t have?”
I didn’t know why I was drawn to her. “I can’t have them either. No women, remember?”
“So you make it easier on yourself to avoid women by spending time with the one you don’t like.”
“I like you. You’re the one that doesn’t like me.”
“The point is, they might tempt you into breaking your rule and I won’t.”
I shook my head as I studied her full lips. “You’ve got it all wrong, Emma. The only woman I’m tempted to break the rule with is you.” Then, because I couldn’t seem to help myself, I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to hers.
Chapter 6: Traitorous Hormones
Emma
A part of me wanted to believe I couldn’t be seduced by Tucker. I wanted to be angry that he was kissing me. The only problem was, I was kissing him back. Quite enthusiastically, as I slanted my head and parted my lips to invite him to take the kiss deeper.
His groan vibrated through his chest, which I knew about because my hand was fisted in his shirt holding him to me as I rose on my toes to take full advantage of his delicious lips.
His arm banded around my back and turned me so I was between his body and the rail of the deck. His large warm hand splayed on my back and held me firm against him. His arousal grew against my belly and, as unwise as it was, my body came alive with desire.
“Tucker.” Mason’s voice had a tone of a mother who was catching her kid with a hand in the cookie jar.
“Go away, Mason,” he murmured against my lips.
But the spell was broken. What was I doing kissing Tucker? I gently pushed and he stepped back. A little unsettled and a whole lot discombobulated, I headed to the door where Mason stood.
“You okay?” Mason asked.
“What the fuck, Mason?” Tucker snapped. “I’m not forcing myself on her.”
“I’m fine.” Realizing I had Tucker’s coat on, I slipped it off and handed it to Mason. “Thank you for inviting me. I left the painting in your office.” I glanced quickly at Tucker whose expression was annoyed. Unable to find words, I simply turned and headed into the house, making a b-line for the front door.
I half expected Tucker to come after me. But when he didn’t make an appearance by the time I reached my car, I chastised myself for my idiocy. Of course, he wouldn’t come after me. And it wasn’t because Mason would stop him. It was because I was just an average woman and there were plenty of other easier women for him to choose from. I’d made the mistake of separating myself from the herd and, like a wolf, he’d preyed on me. Not that he was to blame. I was an equal partner in that kiss. I’d have to do better to guard against my traitorous hormones when it came to him.
I awoke the next morning agitated and aroused after a delicious sexy dream of Tucker. Pushing it aside, I rose from bed and gathered my painting materials. I made coffee and then on my deck, I decided to paint there.
I was off on weekends during the school year to give the high schoolers who worked at the coffee shop more hours. Yesterday, Saturday, I’d painted and added prints and notecards of my paintings to my Etsy store. This morning, I’d paint, clean up the house a little, and maybe go for a walk along the lake.
After cleaning my fridge, I noted that I needed a few items and decided to go to the grocery. On the way, I stopped at the lodge to check on Mr. and Mrs. Minor who owned Pine Rest Resort. They were getting up in age, and I liked to stop by every now and then to make sure they had what they needed.
“Look Harry, Emma has stopped by,” Mrs. Minor said as she opened the screen door to their place. Their residence was attached to the larger lodge that held a rec room, a large kitchen and dining area, and a few offices. At one time, Pine Rest Resort did a thriving business that included hosting dances and feeding guests. It always made me think of the Poconos in Dirty Dancing. Today, the lodge was largely unused.
I stepped inside. “How are you two today?”
“Oh, we can’t complain,” she said.
“We could, but what would be the use?” Harry said with his usual good humor, even though his world was severely limited because his mobility was so low.
“Can I get you some coffee or something?” she asked me.
“No, thank you.”
“We’re out of cream anyway, Mary,” Harry said.
“Well, that’s why I’m here. I was heading to the store and thought I’d stop by to see if you needed anything.”
“You’re so sweet to us,” she said. She had a wistful expression that made me think she missed going to the store herself.
“Why don’t we all go together?” I offered.
“Oh no, we’re too much trouble, aren’t we, Harry?”
She wanted Harry to confirm that, but he looked at me like he was trying to assess if I was just being nice or meant it because he could probably tell she’d like to get out as well.
“Come on,” I said. “It will be fun.”
“I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs,” Harry said.
Mary bit her lip like she was unsure.
“My car is out front. It’s an easy drive. Let’s go,” I said standing.
Ten minutes later, we had Harry in the back seat and Mary up front with me. “Summer will be here soon,” she said as I drove out of the resort and onto the highway heading into town.
“We don’t have many bookings,” Harry murmured.
I wished I could do something to help them, but to compete with the other resorts would take money and elbow grease that they didn’t have.
Still, I thought maybe I’d call a few of my grandmother’s artists friends. They liked rustic and could appreciate the beauty of the area without a lot of bells and whistles offered at the fancier places.
“How are you out in your place, Emma?” Mary asked.
“It’s lovely. I really like the peace and quiet and beauty.”
“We don’t see any suitors ever come by.”
I hid my amusement. “No.”
“You know when I was your age, I was married and had four children.”
I gaped. “You had four children by the time you were twenty-five?”
Her face squished up in thought. “Three. I think I was twenty-six or seven when Becky was born. Is that right, Harry?”
“It took us a while to figure out birth control,” he said.
“Harry!”
I laughed.
Mary regathered her composure. “I know things are different today, but it’s nice to have someone to love. Isn’t that right, Harry?”
“It is, Mary,” Harry agreed.
“Well, you’ve taken the best man around, Mary,” I said with a grin to Harry through my rearview mirror. His cheeks flushed slightly.
“There are plenty of fine young men in town, I’m sure,” Mary said.
My brain of course conjured up Tucker, except he wasn’t a fine young man. He was a horny jock.
We arrived at the grocery store. I helped Harry onto the motorized cart and Mary and I walked beside him into the store.
We’d picked up creamer and a few other items and made our way to the produce section.
&nb
sp; “Mr. and Mrs. Minor, it’s good to see you out.” Wyatt stepped up to us.
“Look at you, Wyatt Dalton, all spiffy in your deputy uniform,” Mary said.
He ran a hand down the front of his shirt like he wanted to make sure it was spiffy. “How are you, Emma?”
“Good.”
“Emma was kind enough to bring Harry and me shopping. She’s such a lovely girl. And pretty too, don’t you think Wyatt?”
He arched a brow as he looked over at me. I closed my eyes in mortification.
“Yes,” he said.
“Single too. I told you Emma, there are nice available men in Eden Lake.”
“Stop your match making, Mary. You’re making the kids uncomfortable,” Harry said.
“I don’t know why? Two young attractive people like yourselves should feel quite comfortable. I know your mama was so excited when Josh settled down. Lord knows, he needed a good woman to calm him down.”
Wyatt laughed. “Yes, he did.”
“You’re not getting any younger, Wyatt.”
He worked to hide his amusement. “No, ma’am.” I knew he had to be only twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Hardly old.
“Neither is Emma here. You two would be a lovely couple. Before long, you won’t have any prospects - either of you.”
I shifted, feeling a bit like a homely girl being auctioned off.
“I’ll tell you what. If it gets to the point where I’m the only single man and you’re the only single woman, Emma, we’ll get married. How’s that?”
I smiled at his humor. “Deal.”
Wyatt’s gaze flicked to someone behind me. “Tucker, how are you?”
Immediately, my belly did a somersault.
He came around me and shook Wyatt’s hand. “Good, Wyatt, and you?”
“Good.”
Tucker looked at Harry and Mary and grinned. “Mr. and Mrs. Minor. How are you?” He reached out to shake Harry’s hand, and then bent over and kissed Mrs. Minor on the cheek, making her blush.
“You charmer, Tucker.”
“How’s the arm, boy? I’ve got money on you to win the division and the Bowl,” Harry said.