“This place is even more fantastic than I’d expected, and I’d expected a lot,” Shane said, his handsome face split in a happy grin. “Gabe, Jed, and I went down to the dock and had a beer. The view is absolutely amazing.”
I stood up, grabbing my wine glass, still full from the last time Rena had topped me off.
“Well, there’s food inside if you’re hungry.”
“Did you eat?” he asked, holding the door open for me.
“No,” I relied softly as I passed him, “I waited for you.”
I don’t know why I felt almost shy as I answered him. You’d think the wine would give me liquid courage, rather than the opposite.
“Terrific,” Shane said from behind me.
I heard him shut the door and felt him come up beside me.
The small table was against the wall, blending in perfectly with the wood beams and rustic feel. I’d used red-and-white checked placemats for our two place settings. There was fried chicken, potato salad, green beans, and pie for desert.
“Wow, that looks amazing,” he said, his voice appreciative.
“Thank Zoey, she’s the goddess who stopped by the diner and got the hook-up from Dolores before leaving Cherry Springs,” I told him, not wanting to take credit. “She got food for all of us.”
“That was nice of her,” he said, holding a chair out for me.
My heart gave a little pitter-pat.
“Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted a drink,” I said, looking from the chair into his crystal-blue eyes.
“I’ll get it, you go ahead and get settled.”
I nodded and gave him a small smile before taking the offered seat.
“You need anything?” he asked.
I placed my wine on the table and said, “Water would be great.”
“You got it.”
I watched as he moved through our cabin, completely comfortable and confident in his skin.
When he grabbed a beer and water bottle out of the fridge, I quickly turned my attention to the food before me, not wanting to get caught staring.
“Here you go,” Shane said, handing me the water bottle and taking his seat.
We ate and talked, mostly about what we had done so far at camp and what stories we’d shared with everyone, so we’d be on the same page.
I’d been trying all day not to think about the fact that there was only one bed in our cabin, the floor was extremely hard, and the only other pieces of furniture were the little table we were currently sitting at and an accent chair in the corner.
“I’ll just, uh, go change,” I managed once we’d put everything away and there was nothing left to do but get ready for bed.
“I’ll just step out and give you some privacy,” Shane said.
“It’s okay, I can change in the bathroom,” I assured him.
“I’d like to see it at night,” he replied, taking his beer and stepping out into the night.
I’d brought shorts and a tank top, since it was usually pretty warm, even at night. I grabbed them out of my bag and went into the bathroom to get dressed, wash my face, and brush my teeth.
When I was done, the cabin was still empty.
I looked from the big bed to the door and made my decision. Grabbing my sweater off the top of my bag, I shoved my arms into the sleeves as I went outside to find Shane.
“Hey,” he called out softly as I stepped out onto the porch.
I turned to see him sitting on the porch swing I’d been using earlier.
“Hey,” I replied, crossing to him. “Mind if I join you?”
Shane shifted his large body all the way to one side, giving me space to sit beside him.
“If you look over that way, toward the trees, you’ll see fireflies,” he said, leaning close.
He smelled like heaven.
I kept my eyes trained on the tree line, waiting for the little flashes of light to appear, but I was hyper-aware of his body next to mine.
Our thighs touched and I could feel his warmth caressing me.
“There,” Shane said, leaning in even closer and pointing to where the little bugs flashed.
I nodded, unable to speak for fear he’d hear the rasp in my tone.
Shit, I need to get control of my hormones. I must be pretty hard up if a simple skin touch and woodsy smell are making my pulse race.
Or, I thought as I looked at Shane out of the corner of my eye, maybe it’s simply this man’s touch and smell that are affecting me like this.
Maybe I was starting to believe the stories we were spinning for my family.
I was about to balk, to tell him I was going to turn in and hurry inside like a coward, when his hand reached for mine.
“I have something else to show you,” he said, his voice low with a hint of emotion I couldn’t name.
Shane pulled a ring out of his pocket and slid it on my ring finger.
“Oh my God,” I breathed as I looked at the beautiful white gold diamond wedding band.
My eyes filled, and without thinking, I brought my hands to his face and kissed him softly.
Shane
I froze, not wanting to move and frighten her off.
Her lips were pillow soft against mine, her kiss so light I almost had to strain to feel it, and I felt the wet of her tears on the corner of my mouth.
The kiss was sweet, yet sad.
I was totally fucked.
I could flirt with sexy Jasmine, spar with pissy Jasmine, and laugh with fun Jasmine.
But this version of my wife was something I’d yet to encounter, and I wasn’t quite sure what the right move was.
When she broke the kiss, leaving mere inches between us, I moved my head so I could drop a kiss on her nose.
She smiled.
“You do that every time,” Jazzy said throatily.
“What?” I asked, barely above a whisper.
“Kiss my nose.”
“Ah.”
I hadn’t realized I’d done it every time, but there was something about the gesture, and the way she made me feel, that made another kiss imperative. Even if it was just a quick peck on the tip of her gorgeous nose.
“I like it,” she admitted, and I lost my heart.
It was officially gone. Hers. And, I didn’t want it back.
In fact, I’d fight to ensure she kept it forever.
I brushed my thumbs across her cheeks, erasing the wet. Luckily there wasn’t much, but still, I had to know, “Why the tears?”
“I don’t know,” Jasmine said with a small laugh. “I guess I was just overwhelmed. This past week has been insane. Plus coming here, having to tell everyone … It’s been a lot. Then this.” She held out her hand to look at the ring on her finger.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” she said. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it,” I managed, feeling pretty emotional myself.
I’d picked the ring out in Cherry Springs before we left, after asking her mom her ring size at dinner.
I hadn’t been sure when to give it to her … if I should make a big production, or get down on one knee, but that all seemed false, considering our circumstances, so I decided to let it happen organically.
“I do. Thank you.”
We sat outside for a few more minutes, but when I noticed chill bumps on her bare legs, I asked, “Are you ready to go in?”
“Yeah,” Jazzy said, standing up, then pausing to look down at the ring on her finger again.
I really liked seeing it there, almost like a physical reminder that I could call her mine. My wife.
“I’ll get you one,” she stated as we went back inside the cabin.
“You don’t have to,” I argued, “That’s not why I got it.”
“No, I know, but … I’d like to.”
“Okay,” I said, then grabbed my basketball shorts out of my bag and added, “Be right back.”
I went to the bathroom and shut the door. After I’d taken a piss, brushed my teeth, and changed into my
shorts, I opened the door and stepped out to see Jazzy already laying in bed. She’d put her long hair into a braid, but there were a few loose strands sticking out, which gave the illusion of flames licking out.
The comforter was pulled all the way up, practically covering her neck, and her eyes were wide.
I could tell she was nervous about us sharing a bed. That no matter how far our relationship had progressed on this day, she wasn’t ready for anything further.
“I can sleep on the floor,” I offered, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.
“No, that’s okay,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’s way too hard. You can sleep on that side, and I’ll sleep on this side. The bed’s big enough.”
I decided to take her word for it, since the thought of sleeping on the wood floor was more than unappealing.
I felt her eyes on my bare chest as I moved to my side of the bed and climbed in, and had to force myself not to flex and preen like a mating peacock.
“Shit, I should probably turn out the lights,” I said, throwing the covers back and getting back up while she laughed nervously.
Once the door was locked and the lights off, I got back into bed and settled next to Jasmine.
God, she smells good, I thought, then closed my eyes tightly and turned on my side, facing away from her.
I felt her shift, and the spicy, yet fruity scent of her wafted over once again.
I bit back a groan and started counting sheep.
One, two, three, four, five…
She moved again and I could hear fabric brush against her skin. I wished it was my hands.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten…
She made this sweet little moaning sound, and my dick got as hard as steel.
Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…
Her foot brushed against my calf and I practically jumped out of bed.
“Everything okay?” Jasmine asked, her tone maybe too innocent.
“Yeah, uh, I’m going to take a shower,” I said, throwing the covers back once more. “Forgot…”
I navigated through the dark room, stubbing my toe on the bed as I tried to find the bathroom.
“Fuck!”
“What happened?” she asked, and I heard the sheets rustling.
“Nothing, don’t get up, I’m fine,” I said so quickly my words practically tripped over each other.
I finally made it to the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
After a few seconds, I turned on the light and let out a shaky breath, both my toe and dick throbbing painfully. Pushing the shower curtain aside, I reached in and turned the water all the way to the right.
This calls for the coldest shower in history.
Jasmine
“You’re staring again.”
I shook my head and tried to figure out what I’d been staring at … the ring on my finger, or Shane, shirtless and doing manual labor.
I’d been staring at both constantly on and off all day.
“Hmmm?” I asked Rena, tearing my gaze from Shane’s sweaty body and trying to inconspicuously wipe a little drool from the side of my mouth.
Yup, it had been Shane again.
I don’t know what was wrong with me, but ever since I’d woken up that morning and looked left to see Shane sleeping soundly beside me, my hormones had been in an uproar.
He’d looked so cute, his blond hair messy and his face completely relaxed.
I was ashamed to admit, not that I ever would out loud, that I’d watched him for a good fifteen minutes while he was unaware. I’d memorized the hills and valleys of his face, the hard muscles of his exposed chest and shoulders, and had yearned for a glimpse of those multi-faceted blue eyes.
Luckily, I’d gotten ahold of myself and snuck out of bed, got ready, and left the cabin before he woke up.
“You’re staring again,” Rena repeated, then laughed. “You don’t have to look so guilty, I stare at Jed like that all the time, especially when he’s working in his studio. He’s yours now, look all you want. Hell, you’re newlyweds, why don’t you go ahead and touch.”
She threw that down like a gauntlet, knowing I loved nothing more than a challenge.
Okay, I thought, using the fact that we needed to provide plenty of PDA to hold up the charade. Challenge accepted.
I gave her a confident smile and said, “Don’t mind if I do.”
I tossed my gloves down on the ground and stood. Gabe hired landscapers to do most of the work at the camp, but Rena had decided the counselors’ cabins needed more color, so we were currently planting flowers in pots to brighten things up.
Her artist’s eye just couldn’t allow a drab backdrop.
My eyes on the prize, I sauntered over to where the guys were working. Shane and Gabe were chopping firewood, while Jed was sanding down benches. I wasn’t sure where Dillon and Reardon were.
Leaves and sticks crunched beneath my sneakers, signaling my approach.
Shane paused, his ax dangling from one hand, and turned to watch me stalk toward him.
“Hey,” he managed, swiping his brow with the back of his hand, but that was all he got out before I put one hand on his abs and the other around the back of his neck.
I saw his eyes flare, before I closed mine and captured his lips.
It only took him a second to get on board, his free arm coming around my waist and pulling me closer. I couldn’t stop the small moan from escaping from between our lips as I opened my mouth and melted against him.
I didn’t care that it was hot and he was sweaty.
I didn’t care that my cousins and our friends were getting a free show.
All I cared about was the taste of him on my tongue and the way the hard length of him felt against my body.
When I broke the kiss, eyes still closed and struggling to catch my breath, Shane dropped a kiss on my nose and I smiled.
“That was nice,” he said, his tone soft, gruff.
I opened my eyes and looked up at him, keeping my expression light and flirty, even though it felt like there was a riot in my veins.
“I was thirsty,” I replied.
Shane’s eyes widened briefly, then he gave me a sexy grin.
“Well, that was certainly more satisfying than water.”
I flexed my hand on his abs, then took a step back, letting him go.
“See you at dinner,” I said, turning to go back to Rena.
“I look forward to it.”
I walked away with an extra sway to my hips and, when I was about halfway, I looked over my shoulder to see his eyes on my ass.
I turned back around with a satisfied grin and joined my cousin.
“Damn, girl, way to tease a man and leave him wanting more,” Serena said when I joined her. “I thought he was going to throw you over his shoulder, take you back to the cabin, and have his wicked way with you.”
My heart skipped a beat and my brain got a little fuzzy at the thought.
I want that…
I wanted Shane to have his wicked way with me. To feel those lips on other parts of my body … those hands … to be able to explore more than just his abs.
“Aww, I remember those days,” Zoey said as she walked up next to Rena. “Gabe and I were so hot and heavy we could barely keep our hands off each other. In the maintenance shed, the cabins, the lake…”
She got this dreamy look on her face and sighed.
“I remember that,” Serena said. “The first time I met you, you guys nearly drowned in the lake cause you were making out so hard.”
Zoey laughed.
“Man, I miss that. Having kids really takes the impromptu sex acts out of the equation.” Zoey’s eyes lit up. “Hey, keep everyone away from the maintenance shed for a while,” she said as she started walking toward the guys.
Serena and I looked at each other and smiled.
“Gabe, honey,” she called. “I need your help with something in the maintenance shed.”
“Sure thing, babe,
” Gabe replied, dropping his ax and telling Shane he’d be right back.
He followed his wife, having no idea he was about to get lucky.
I caught Shane’s eye, then looked away, worried that he’d somehow see that I wished we were the ones about to do the dirty in the maintenance shed.
Could I risk changing everything?
Shane
“I’m gonna go jump in the lake,” I said to Jed, tossing my ax on the ground next to Gabe’s.
Jed chuckled.
“After that display, I’m not surprised. Hell, seems like everyone’s getting the fever,” he said, looking pointedly toward the maintenance shed. “Why don’t you two knock off for a while and head back to your cabin.”
I shook my head.
“Jazzy’s not comfortable flaunting that stuff,” I told him.
He raised his eyebrows.
“Coulda fooled me.”
Yeah, I’d been pretty shocked by her claiming of me a few seconds ago. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to try and persuade her to continue somewhere more private, but since I knew Jasmine was only trying to keep up the façade, I’d done my best to put a lid on my desire.
Which was raging.
“I’ll be right back,” I told him, not looking in Jasmine’s direction as I turned the other way and headed to the lake.
I was only wearing basketball shorts, socks, and Jordans, so I took off my socks and shoes at the end of the dock and did a running jump into the water. The shock of cold was startling, but by the time I surfaced I no longer felt the chill.
Enjoying the juxtaposition of the sun warming my face and shoulders while the water cooled my lower half, I treaded water for a few minutes before I started to swim.
My muscles loosened as I moved and I enjoyed the silky feeling of the water as it sluiced over my well-worked frame. It had been a long morning of manual labor, which felt great, but since most of my time lately was spent behind the bar or at the gym, I was feeling the effects.
Once every trace of a hard-on was gone, and I felt fatigued in a completely different way, I heaved myself out of the water and onto the dock.
I shook my head to get most of the water out and decided to carry my socks and shoes back to the cabin and take another shower. If this kept up, I was going to be squeaky clean by the time we left camp.
Too Dangerous: The Lewis Cousins, Book 5 Page 7