by Liv Brywood
“Chow’s ready,” Mack said. “Madison will ring it when meals are ready. We do three squares but there are always extra snacks available. You don’t want a hungry bear shifter roaming around.”
“You won’t go hungry here,” Logan said as they headed back toward Jack’s truck.
After grabbing his bag full of clothes from the back seat, he fell in line with the brothers. They passed a ranch-style home and headed toward the two-story B&B. Jack loved B&Bs. They were like having all the comforts of home without being tied to a house.
As they stepped inside the B&B, Mack pointed toward a shoe rack.
“Madison’s got rules about keeping your shoes on in the house. She doesn’t want dirt everywhere,” he said.
“In Japan, everyone takes their shoes off. I stayed with a family near Okinawa for a few weeks. Cleanest home I ever lived in. You could eat off the floor. Not that I tried it or anything,” Jack quickly added as he pulled off his snakeskin boots.
“I don’t know if I’d use the floor as a table,” Logan said. “But Madison does a great job keeping this place spotless.”
Jack followed them into the dining room. The scent of thyme and sage filled the air. His bear woke and rolled around in his chest. After spending five hours on the road, the beast was ready to feast.
A huge casserole bubbling with melted cheese sat in the center of the table. His stomach grumbled along with his bear.
“What are we having, babe?” Mack asked a curvy woman with golden hair and bright blue eyes. That had to be Madison, Mack’s wife. Lucky man.
“Baked eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese,” she replied.
“It smells delicious,” Jack said as he took a seat near the center of the long table.
Several people filtered into the room. A few of the men bore a strong resemblance to Mack and Logan. He got confirmation as they all introduced themselves. Their wives joined them, a couple of them with babies in tow.
Jack waited until the brothers started serving the other guests. Although he was famished, he didn’t want to dive headfirst into it. He liked to savor everything about each meal. He never knew if it would be his last.
As he reached for a large green salad, movement at the corner of the room caught his attention. A curvy woman with shoulder-length red hair and sky-blue eyes strolled into the room. His breath caught in his chest as his bear’s full attention turned away from the food and toward the woman.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said.
“Everyone, meet Sasha,” Madison said. “She’s working in clay this week.”
Without hesitation, Jack motioned for her to take the seat to his right. She smiled and crossed the room. As she slid into the chair next to his, her arm brushed his. Electric currents of awareness sizzled across his flesh to give him goosebumps. Art camp just got a lot more interesting.
Chapter 2
Sasha woke the next day to the sound of birdsong through the bedroom window. She’d cracked it open a bit to let fresh air into the room. Although it was late October, they hadn’t had more than a dusting of snowfall yet. A few scattered patches lingered in the shade under tree branches, but most of the ground remained untouched.
She slipped out of bed, pulled on a robe, and padded to the window. The sun peeked over the mountains to cast a rosy glow across the forest. Abby appeared near the entrance to the B&B. She carried several yoga mats to the center of a grassy area. As she laid them out, she hummed a song to herself.
“Good morning,” Sasha called.
“Hey up there! Are you coming down for yoga?” Abby asked.
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
As she stepped back from the window, she caught a glimpse of Jack. She leaned forward slightly. His choppy dark-blond hair rippled in the morning breeze. A black muscle-shirt barely contained his ripped chest. Huge muscular arms pumped as he jogged over to a mat. The hot guy liked yoga? Interesting.
A pair of hunter-green shorts hung loose in the front, but hugged his backside in all the right places. She couldn’t wait to see his downward doggie-style. She chuckled loud enough to draw his attention.
He turned and winked before bending forward to touch his toes. The man was flexible all right. He had a cute butt too. And apparently he liked showing it off. Figures. He was probably one of those guys who went to yoga classes to pick up women.
As he twisted into a back bend, his gaze met hers. Heat flooded her core. Well… it wouldn’t hurt to look, would it? Maybe creative inspiration would strike in the middle of her morning workout. Although, Mrs. Bran probably wasn’t expecting a nude sculpture.
She shook her head. She didn’t need a distraction this week. Fantasizing about Jack wouldn’t get her any closer to her goal, and dating was the last thing she should be thinking about right now. Even if the hottie randomly decided to seduce her with those big brown eyes, she couldn’t afford to lose focus.
After slipping into a pink top and black shorts, she hurried downstairs. She didn’t want to show up late and mess up Abby’s class.
By the time she joined the group, three other women had arrived. An older woman with graying hair smiled.
“I’m Mary Margaret,” she said. “If you hear anything cracking, you’ll know it’s just my old bones rumbling around in my back. My doctor insists that I stretch every day. Use it or lose it, he says.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Jack said while fixing his gaze directly on Sasha.
Heat rushed into her cheeks. Before she could come up with an appropriate response, the other women introduced themselves. Lonnie from South Carolina displayed the mannerisms of a genteel Southern woman, while Justine from Tennessee bounced around like a teenager who’d chugged one too many Red Bulls.
“Shall we get started?” Abby asked.
As she led the group through sun salutations, Sasha stole glances at Jack. He managed to move through the positions with a gracefulness that stole her breath, all while maintaining his virile masculinity. Not many men could pull that off, but he managed to do it with ease.
When they reached the downward dog segment, Sasha averted her gaze. If she stared at him now, she’d totally lose it. Fortunately, the entirety of her focus shifted to her arms, which threatened to collapse under her weight. Even though she did a lot of walking, she was a few pounds heavier than she wanted to be. But pizza and cookies were too good to give up.
Long ago, she’d accepted that she’d never grace the pages of a bathing suit catalog. But she loved her figure. As long as she could cram her butt into a nice pair of jeans, she wasn’t going to worry about the number on the scale.
“Are you having fun?” Jack whispered.
“Yes.”
“You going to breakfast after this?” he asked.
“Yep. Wouldn’t miss it,” she said under her breath.
“Maybe I’ll see you on the back porch,” he said. “There’s an awesome view of the lake from there.”
“Okay.”
Pride put a smile on her face. So what if she wasn’t a ten-foot-tall supermodel? She was still hot. If she ever decided to date again, it would be someone tall and sexy like Jack. Too bad she wasn’t in the market for a man right now. Oh well. It was just coffee, right?
After the class ended, she headed upstairs to her room. Jack followed on her heels.
“Looks like we’re neighbors,” he said when they reached their respective doors.
“Looks like it.”
“See you soon,” he said before disappearing into his room.
She bit the edge of her lip and grinned as she walked into her room. Now she really needed a cold shower. To have that hunk of hotness right next door was one hell of a temptation. Not that he’d offered to throw her down on the bed and make rough, sweaty love to her or anything. Nope. He hadn’t done that at all. Those bedroom eyes didn’t mean a damn thing. She was reading far too much into it. Oh well, a girl could dream, couldn’t she?
As she padded across the bedroom, the lumps of plastic-wrapped clay
seemed to glare at her as if trying to remind her that she shouldn’t be thinking about peeling his shirt off with her teeth. She should be focused on a new ceramic design. A cold shower would definitely help.
After drying her now-icy hair, she slipped into her favorite jeans and slipped a ruby-colored cowl-necked sweater over her head. She fluffed her hair with her fingers, then inspected her reflection in the mirror. Normally she didn’t wear makeup, but a little lip gloss couldn’t hurt. She dabbed her lips until they sparkled with a pink shimmer. Much better.
She headed downstairs and into the dining room. The scent of cinnamon filled the air. As she surveyed the offerings, her eyebrows rose. They’d cooked enough for an army. Platters of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and a huge coffee cake decorated the table. Madison walked in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of steaming biscuits.
“I’m bringing the gravy right now, just one moment,” she said.
“Can I help you with anything?” Sasha asked.
“No, I got it.”
“This is amazing!” Sasha yelled toward the kitchen.
“Thank you.” Madison returned with a huge gravy boat. “I never want anyone to go hungry. Feel free to serve yourself. Breakfast is buffet-style so everyone can eat wherever they want. A few people are out on the back porch. You can stay inside or join them.”
“Okay.” Sasha grabbed a plate and loaded it up.
She ventured onto the back deck. Two tables with red-and-white striped umbrellas sat to one side. The women from the yoga class were already seated at one table.
“Come sit with us,” Mary Margaret said.
“I can’t believe this view,” Sasha said as she slid into a white plastic chair.
“And the fresh air…” Mary Margaret inhaled deeply. “We don’t get this is New York City. You have to go out to the country to even get a breath these days. Where are you from?”
“Bozeman. It’s not too far from here,” Sasha said.
“I landed there. Nice little city. Not too far off the beaten path, but not a big metropolitan either. Back when my husband Ronnie was alive, we spent a lot of time in that airport. Boy has it changed over the years!”
“You came here a lot?” Sash asked before spooning scrambled eggs into her mouth.
“We spent our summers in Yellowstone camping in the backcountry,” Mary Margaret said. “Probably what messed my back up, all that sleeping on the ground. We had sleeping bags, but honey, those don’t do a damn thing to keep you from getting a stiff as a board the next morning.”
“I used to camp in Yellowstone a lot, but I haven’t been in a couple of years,” Sasha said.
The sliding glass door to the house opened and Jack walked out. Sasha’s heart kicked. He’d changed into a brown-and-white checkered long-sleeved shirt and jeans. His hair, still damp from a shower, hung in a cowlick over one eye. He pursed his lips and blew at it.
“Damn thing never wants to stay straight.” He flashed a lopsided grin. “Do you guys have room for one more?”
“For a tall drink of water like you? We sure do, sugar,” Lonnie said.
Jack pulled a chair over from the second table and slid it between Sasha and Mary Margaret. He set a plate piled high with bacon, biscuits, and gravy down.
Madison walked out holding a frothy iced coffee drink with whipped cream on top.
“Here you go.” She set the cup in front of Jack. “A blended mocha latte with peppermint and a dash of cinnamon.”
“That looks amazing.” He took a sip. “Tastes great too.”
“That’s a guest favorite, especially in the summer,” Madison said. “I’m heading back in, but if you need anything else, let me know.” After everyone murmured their thanks, she strolled away.
“You drink iced mochas?” Sasha raised a brow as Jack took another sip.
“Never had one before,” he said. “I asked her to surprise me with the house special.”
“You have a little…”
“Oh,” he licked the whipped cream off of his top lip.
The sensual move awakened her bear. The creature turned her attention to Jack. She clawed at Sasha’s chest as if asking permission to shift. Not right now, bear.
The group chatted over breakfast. One by one, everyone peeled off to get started on their projects, leaving Sasha alone with Jack.
“So you work with clay?” he asked.
“It’s my favorite medium,” she said. “There’s something about feeling the wet clay sliding through my fingers that excites my creative spirit.”
“I get that. When I work with fire and metal, something primal takes over. My bear loves it.”
“Mine does too,” she said.
“Grizzly?”
“Yep.”
“Same here,” he said. “So why did you come to the ranch? It sounded like you have a studio in your garage at home.”
“Honestly, I’ve been stuck,” she said. “I can’t seem to find anything inspiring in the clay. I keep working it to death but nothing happens. I was hoping to get that feeling back—I have to get it back.”
“It will come back. It just takes time.”
“I don’t have any more time,” she said. “I have to finish this project for an art patron or I’m going to lose my business.”
“You create art full-time?” he asked.
“Yes. But the last two years have been brutal. The economy is in bad shape and people don’t have as much discretionary income. I’m lucky I’ve been able to stay afloat this long. But I’m getting behind on my payments and if I don’t get this piece done this week, I could lose everything.”
“You’ll get it done.” He leaned over to place his huge hand over hers. As he gazed into her eyes he added, “You just need to reconnect with your inner passion.”
Her bear roared with pleasure. It wanted to roll around in his arms and claim him. Damn creature could be so demanding. But he was just trying to be supportive. And even if he was implying something more, she wasn’t mentally ready to have a casual fling.
“I’m going to head over to the barn.” He withdrew his hand. “Will I see you later?”
“I’ll be around.”
“Good luck today.” He pushed back from the table, and after gathering up both plates, he headed into the house.
Sasha trailed her fingers across the top of her hand where he’d touched her. Oh he’d awakened something all right, but she’d have to ignore her naughty impulses. Maybe at the end of the week she could get his number, but until then, the only thing she’d be getting intimate with was a big block of clay.
***
Jack swiped his hand across his forehead as he surveyed the monstrosity of twisted metal behind the barn. He’d hauled a bunch of pieces up from the scrap pile so he wouldn’t have to keep making trips. Although he’d only just begun his creation, he knew it would be awesome. His bear scampered around in his chest. The beast loved the wild, primitive feel of working with fire.
He’d been bending, twisting, and soldering for hours. As he stepped back to assess his creation, he nodded. Yep, right on point. After the conversation he’d had with Sasha earlier, he’d been inspired to create a sculpture of two people dancing the tango. What could be sexier? When he’d been in Argentina, he’d learned the provocative dance from an eighty-year-old woman who could dance circles around him. He hoped he’d be able to move half that good when he reached her age.
After turning off the welding equipment, he set it aside. Mack and Logan had been by to let him know that he was free to swim in the lake in either human or bear form. Although the ambient temperature hovered around sixty degrees, he’d worked up a sweat. Time to cool off.
He strolled across the ranch to the B&B. After changing into a pair of swim trunks, he grabbed a towel and headed outside. On the way to the lake, he spotted Sasha sitting at a picnic bench. An extension cord stretched from the house to a spinning potter’s wheel. Eager to check out her creation, he walked toward her. A frustrated huff punctuated th
e air a moment before she smashed a half-formed vase.
“Hey,” he said slowly. “How’s it going?”
“I’m just so frustrated. I’ve tried pinching. I’ve tried coiling. I’ve tried freeform hand molding. Nothing is working.”
“Maybe you need a break?” he said.
“I don’t—”
“Have time? I know,” he said.
“You don’t get it. I’m going to lose everything I’ve worked for if I don’t get this done.”
“I understand. But I also think that sometimes you have to step back from work and give your ideas time to cook. Even chefs have to let their soup simmer for hours to get the right consistency.”
“I’m not making soup,” she said.
“I know.” He couldn’t help but smile. “But trust me, sitting around being mad isn’t going to help you right now. I know what you need.”
“Really?” she asked in an amused tone.
“You need to go skinny-dipping in the lake with me.”
As she tossed her head back to laugh, sunlight sent fiery streaks through her hair. Joy cast radiant beauty across her face. He licked his bottom lip. The sudden urge to kiss her rose up, but he managed to keep his desire in check.
“I can’t do that,” she said when she finally caught her breath.
“What? Go swimming?”
“No, skinny-dipping.”
“Why not?” he asked.
She twisted to one side and pointed at her voluptuous butt. “My ass is far too big to be parading around naked.”
“Good thing I like curves.” He flashed a charming smile.
“You’re the devil in disguise, trying to tempt me like that.”
“It’s not me,” he said with mock innocence. “It’s my bear.”
As if on cue, the beast clawed at him. Jack ran his palm across his chest.
“Has he been acting up?” she asked.
“He always does when there’s a beautiful woman around.”
“I...thank you.” Her cheeks turned crimson. “You’re a very convincing man.”
“So you’re coming?”
“I’m going to run back to my room and get a bathing suit,” she said.