by Jacob Chance
“Last night, I asked Dani to marry me.”
“Shut the fuck up.” He must be joking.
Rex nods his head. “I’m serious.”
“You are?” My surprise is obvious. I knew Rex was serious about Danika, but I had no idea he was “marriage” serious.
“Yeah. I didn’t want to wait. I know she’s the one for me.”
“Congratulations, bro. I’m really happy for you guys.”
“Thanks. I realize it probably seems sudden to you, and most likely will to the rest of our family, but she centers me. I finally feel like I’ve found my calm place, and it’s with Danika.”
“I’ve noticed you seem more relaxed and at ease. I’m sure the rest of our family will be able to also. What does Ruby think about you getting married?”
“I had a talk with her before I purchased Danika’s ring. Obviously, I wasn’t going to do anything Ruby didn’t approve of. She has to come first. No matter what, she always will.”
“How does Danika feel about that?” I question.
“About Ruby being the most important person in my life?” I nod. “She agrees. That’s another reason I know she’s the one for me. She cares about Ruby’s feelings and doesn’t want to disrupt her life.”
“Well, I think you guys will be extremely happy together.”
He aims a grim look my way. “Now if we can fucking find them, we’ll be all set.”
“We will.” My tone is confident. “How much trouble can three intelligent women get into?”
Minutes later, I’m reminded of my question when we hear those same three women calling for help.
Rex shouts for Danika and she calls back to him. We race toward her panicked voice, uncertain of what we’ll find. And I can confidently say that not once on our trek through the woods did I imagine the scenario in front of me.
“Hi, honey,” Danika calls from the tree limb she’s sitting on.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” he asks.
My eyes scan over Roxanne and Violet, also balancing in the same tree, checking for injuries. Both seem shaken and a little dirty but fine on the whole. That is, aside from the surreal image of the two of them straddling and clinging to the bottom branch of an oak tree. Pulling out my phone, I can’t resist taking a picture. They may not find this moment funny under present circumstances, but no doubt they’ll laugh at it after the fact.
“Why are you in a tree?” Rex shakes his head, as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing.
“Because we wanted to hang out up here for a couple of hours.”
“Okay.” he shrugs. She shakes her head.
“Rex, there was a bear after us,” Dani shouts.
“Where’s the bear now?” I ask looking around.
“He ran off, but we didn’t dare chance getting down,” Roxanne fills in. “In case he came back.”
“Was it a grizzly bear?” Rex inquires.
“I don’t know. We’re not experts on bear types,” Dani sounds exasperated.
“What color was its fur?” I question.
“Black, I think. He was dark and fast,” Roxanne tells me. “Especially when he was running toward me.”
“Black bears aren’t usually aggressive unless you have food with you. Did you guys bring any?”
“No, none,” Dani replies.
“Okay, time to get you ladies down. Rocky, you first.” I scramble up the large rocks next to the tree and hold my arms up to assist her. “Come on. I’ll help you.”
Roxanne swings one leg over the limb, lowering herself until she’s hanging by her hands. Wrapping my arms around her hips, I catch hold of her dangling form.
“I’ve got you. Let go.” She complies, and I absorb her weight fully, which places her ass in my face. I’m tempted to drag this moment out as long as I can, but Violet is still precariously perched on the branch waiting for help. I set Roxanne on her feet, and she whirls around to face me.
“Thank you.” She presses against me, giving me a quick, unexpected squeeze before climbing down the rocks to the flat ground below.
“Come on, Violet. You saw what Roxanne did. I need you to do the same.” She does exactly what’s needed, and she’s on her feet in seconds and then next to Roxanne.
I move down to the path joining them while Rex helps his fiancée down from another perch.
“How did Dani end up on a higher branch than you guys?” I ask.
“She’s a better climber than we are. We were lucky to get up there at all,” Roxanne explains.
Once we’re all together on the path, Rex mentions that he’ll take the front and I’ll take the back, so the girls won’t be worried.
As we progress back toward the house, I find my gaze fixated on Roxanne’s beguiling heart-shaped ass. I’m trying my best to be a gentleman, but it’s not easy when I’ve never seen such bangin’ curves in my life. Too many of the women I’ve dated starve themselves trying to squeeze into some arbitrary clothing size.
That’s not the case with Rocky. Last night, watching her dig into the steak dinner with gusto, I was pleasantly surprised and maybe even a bit turned on.
“How long were you guys hanging out in the tree?” I ask, trying to get my mind on more appropriate content.
“Oh, about two hours,” Violet responds. “But it felt like much longer.”
I chuckle. “I bet. How did you manage to get up there?”
“Roxanne and Dani lifted me,” Violet informs me.
I turn to Rocky. “That’s impressive.”
She shrugs. “Not really. Dani helped and Vi’s light.”
“Not that light,” Vi retorts, vigorously scratching her arms. “When we get back to the house I’m jumping in the pool first thing. I’m itchy as hell.”
“Me too.” Roxanne adds. “I feel like bugs are crawling all over me.” She twists from side to side examining her legs.
“You should check yourselves for ticks. There are deer all around our place and in these woods.”
“Oh, great.” Rocky's sarcasm is thick. “This is why I’m not a nature lover. I’ll stick to walking on the treadmill at the gym, thanks.”
The trek back to the house goes much quicker and without running into any more bears. As soon as the pool is in sight, the three friends race across the grass, squealing and laughing. Rex and I snigger as we observe them playfully pushing and shoving each other. When they reach the pavers that surround the pool, they kick off their sneakers and socks. Water splashes everywhere as the three of them jump into the placid surface. Waves and ripples flow away from the three women as my brother and I stop at the edge of the pool.
“Are you thinking of joining them?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve got a few phone calls to make for work. What about you?”
“I’m thinking of grilling some burgers and dogs, since we missed lunch.” I rub my stomach.
Rex nods. “I like that idea. I’ll take one of each.”
We walk around the patio together, my brother heads inside, and I fire up the grill.
“Oh, dear future brother-in-law, please tell me you’re about to grill us something delicious,” Dani calls out.
“I’m making a late lunch/early dinner. Who wants a burger or a dog?” My gaze automatically strays to Roxanne.
“Yes.” Danika fist pumps. “You’ve now solidified your place as my favorite of Rex’s brothers.”
“You’re obviously as smart as you are beautiful.” I grin.
“Hey, stop flirting with my fiancée,” Rex complains, appearing in the open sliding glass door.
“Mind your own business. I thought you had work calls to make?” I reply.
“I do, but I heard your loud mouth out here yapping away. And FYI, Dani is my business.”
“Aww, how sweet. He’s so protective,” Vi comments.
“Yeah, but did you hear your girl say I’m her favorite Winters brother?” I taunt.
“Wait a sec.” Danika props her arms on the edge of the
pool. “I said you were my favorite of Rex’s brothers.”
“Tomato. Tomahto.” I shrug. “I’m still your favorite.”
“Hey,” Larsen chimes in, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m a little hurt, Dani. I thought you and I were tight.”
She throws her hands up. “Adam’s cooking for us, and right now, that trumps everything else. But I’m sure you can earn your way back to my top spot.”
“Here’s an idea. Why don’t you both focus less on my fiancée and more on finding female companionship of your own.”
“Hey, what are we, chopped liver?” Vi huffs.
“I was thinking on a more permanent level. You guys only have to put up with these two clowns until Monday.”
Rex’s reply reminds me I’m working with a limited amount of time. Roxanne will return home, and who knows when I’ll see her again. It’s time to kick my effort into overdrive. I’ve got two days to literally charm her panties off.
9
Roxanne
“I hate to ruin the mood, but I’ve got to head back home. There’s a work problem I need to take care of,” Larsen mentions.
“Can’t someone else do it for you?” Rex asks.
“Unfortunately not. It has to be me.”
“Drive safe, man. Are you planning on coming back tomorrow?” Adam asks.
“I’m not sure. I’ll have to see how things go.” Larsen shakes his brothers’ hands before turning toward me. “It’s been nice meeting you.” He gives me a quick hug. “I hope I see you again sometime.”
“Well, there’s a wedding to plan, so I’m sure we’ll cross paths at some point.”
He gives a quick wave and hurries out the door.
“Damn, that sucks,” Adam comments.
“That’s why he gets paid the big bucks, dude. Don’t feel too bad for him. He’ll be well compensated for having to work on the holiday weekend.”
Danika and Violet come down the stairs and join us in the entryway where we’ve been waiting for them.
“What’s going on?” Dani inquires.
“Larsen had to unexpectedly leave for work,” I offer, shooting a glance at Vi. Her smile falls from her glossed lips. Disappointment twists her mouth. She was looking forward to spending more time with him.
Dani shrugs. “That’s too bad. I guess he’ll be missing out on the best desserts. More for us.”
“That’s one way to put a positive spin on the situation.” Rex wraps his arm around her shoulders. “I love your optimism.”
Dani beams up at him. “I love you.”
“Aww, how cute,” Adam ribs them. “How about we get a move on. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for dessert.” He flashes a wolfish grin my way, as if he wishes I were his dessert. And for a second, my mind wanders into forbidden territory where I imagine what kind of pleasure his large hands could wring from my body.
I don’t allow the indulgent thoughts to continue. Adam is a beast I don’t want to play with. He’s not the kind of man to be tamed. Time is precious, and I have no intention of wasting any on a player like him. He’s too good looking, too charming, too… everything that I avoid in a man.
The dessert bar we’re at smells divine. I want to order one of everything on the menu. Instead, I start with a chocolate martini and take my time perusing the options.
Adam leans over. “Want some help?”
“You’ve been here before?” I ask.
“Many times. This place is a favorite of the Winters’ family.”
“Then, yes, please. I’m completely overwhelmed with all the choices. Give me some suggestions.”
“First, let me say that you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. My personal favorite is the apple pie with salted caramel ice cream on the side. I can also recommend the key lime pie, the fudge brownie sundae, and the strawberry shortcake.”
“Hmm, I like the sound of all of those.”
“Then let’s order one of each. You can try each one and choose your favorite.”
“Yeah, but I’d be wasting the others.”
He shakes his head. “No, you won’t. I’ll eat whichever ones you don’t want.”
“You can eat that much?”
His eyes lock on mine. “I have a healthy appetite.”
For pussy.
Why do I imagine that to be the rest of his sentence? Am I that sex starved?
It has been a while, but that’s no excuse. I’m acting like I’m in college and the hot jock is paying me some attention. And since I’ve never been that kind of girl, and I refuse to start at thirty-five, I need to get a grip on my thoughts.
I’m a strong, self-sufficient woman, dammit. I don’t need attention from an attractive man—okay make that a smokin’ hot man—to make me feel good about myself.
He lifts one thick eyebrow. “What are you thinking about?”
“Oh, sorry.” I laugh. “My mind kind of wandered there for a bit.” I evade answering his question.
“Yeah, I could tell. What were you thinking about?”
Crap. Why can’t he let it go? “If you must know, I was thinking about some work issues I need to take care of when I get back to Boston.” Good one, Roxanne.
“You’ll be at work soon enough. Don’t waste your vacation thinking about the future. The present is what matters.”
“Is that your philosophy on life?”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it my personal philosophy; I’m not sure I really have one. But I think it’s important to enjoy each moment. Once they’re gone, we can’t get them back.”
“That’s true.” As much as the contrary part of me wishes I could disagree with what he said, I can’t. He made perfect sense and even sounded eloquent while doing so. I become cognizant of how disengaged Adam and I have been from our friends since we sat down at the table. They’ve faded into the background. In fact, for a few minutes, I forgot they were with us.
My eyes glide around to our companions, noticing we’re not the only disconnected ones. Rex and Dani can barely keep their lips apart from one another and Vi is still checking out the menu.
“You don’t like your martini?” Adam asks, pulling my attention back to him.
“I like it just fine. I’m pacing myself.”
“Gotcha, hangovers suck.”
“They do. I can’t remember the last time I had one.”
“Don’t tell me that, or I might take it as a personal challenge to get you drunk.”
“What purpose would that serve?” I question.
“People are less inhibited when alcohol is involved.”
“Not me.”
“Are you purposely waving a red cape in front of me?”
“You’re not a bull, so I think I’ll be okay.”
“What if I told you I have a bull tattoo on my calf?”
“But you don’t.”
“But I do.” His masculine lips slowly part, revealing straight, white teeth.
I scrunch my nose as I try to picture his legs. “How did I not notice?”
“So, Rocky, does this mean you’re admitting you’ve been checking me out?”
And just like that, the companionable bubble we’ve been coexisting in pops. Why must he push my buttons at every opportunity?
“Don’t be delusional. Calf tattoos are hard to miss. Is it on the back of your calf or the side?”
“What does it matter?” he asks.
“I don’t like them on the back of men’s calves. It’s something I associate with females.”
“Well, mine’s on the outside, upper area. I guess I’m only three or four inches from being considered a girl.”
I snort. “Only three or four inches? That’s what she said.” He chuckles good naturedly, and I imagine it’s because he’s so confident in his masculinity. In his dick size. My dirty-minded subconscious whispers.
Adam nudges my arm with his. “You know, I’m going to have to debunk your back calf theory. Haven’t you ever seen George St.Pierre’s fleur
de lis tattoo? He’s an MMA legend.”
“Nope, can’t say I have. Why are you making an issue out of this anyway?”
“Maybe I find verbally sparring with you to be stimulating.” He wiggles his eyebrows lecherously.
“Is there anything you don’t find stimulating? I think you’re in a perpetual horndog state.”
He barks out a laugh, drawing all the eyes around the table to us. He carelessly raises his wide shoulders in a shrug and tips his head in my direction. “Don’t mind me. Rocky’s hilarious,” he addresses our tablemates.
Dani catches my gaze, a knowing smirk twisting her pink lips, and I know I’m going to be cornered by her at some point tonight for details.
“She sure is,” she replies, looking all sorts of smug.
I turn my head away before I start to squirm under the weight of her stare. Shifting away from Adam, I straighten, pressing my spine against the unyielding wooden chair back.
Our waitress appears beside our table to take our orders, removing the focus from myself and the handsome guy next to me. By the time she leaves, Adam and Rex are engaging in some verbal jousting. Watching them together is surprisingly entertaining. And it’s not only because they’re so damn fine. Quick-fire wit is an attractive quality to find in a man, and they have it in spades—especially Adam.
The more time we spend together, the more positive qualities I notice. If I thought he was off-limits before, this only makes him one thousand percent more so.
Too many enticing attributes could bring about my potential undoing. And by undoing, I mean the heartbreak I’d be sure to experience if I let myself become involved with Adam.
Which is why I won’t.
You can’t fall for someone if you don’t allow yourself to. This practice has always worked for me in the past—why should anything be different now?
So what if he’s the most attractive guy I’ve ever met. And possibly the funniest.
He’s also Mr. Manfax, and I need to remind myself of this until I cross back over the Massachusetts state line.
Before we know it, our desserts are in front of us.