I offer a soft smile, liking that idea a lot. However, I wouldn’t mind little Sheps appearing too.
11
Shep
My mind and body are still on the welcome home I received last night from Louisa. The sex had been hot as fuck, and it is currently taking a lot to keep my dick under control. Every time last night pops into my head—like every two seconds—my dick perks up.
I’d told Louisa this morning about my conversation with Blu before she’d gone to talk to her friend. Blu hadn’t been home. Either that or she wasn’t answering the door. I hadn’t wanted to arrive separately at the lake today for family day, but Louisa wanted to speak with Blu before we made our relationship public. I want it out in the open, and deep down I don’t care anymore how that happens.
I love Louisa with my body and soul. I’ve never led Blu on and let her think there would ever be anything between us. I’ve just been myself and friendly to my friends. Somewhere along the way, Blu decided to set her sights on me.
Bumped into from behind, I glare and find a laughing Blake beside me. “I’m so fucking glad not to have women trouble. It looks like you have an awesome headache going on.”
I snort. “Tell me about it.” I glance over the blue lake at the floating platforms. A good number of boats are out on the lake too. Stalls selling crafts, food, and hot beverages are set up along the embankment. There’s also face painting and bouncy castles for the younger kids.
Two fire trucks are shining in the sun while kids climb all over them full of enjoyment. I nod toward them. “You on duty?”
“Yeah.” Blake sighs. “I’d much rather be on the grass over there…or on the platform. His eyes narrow as he brushes his tongue over his lower lip, his hand going to his chin. Blake quickly shakes off the moment.
Unable to help myself, I look off in the direction of his gaze and I can make out Teagan in a small red bikini. I grin and turn my gaze toward the girls and our group of friends. My eyes nearly pop out of my head at the sight of Louisa in a sexy little bikini.
Blake laughs. “See why I’d rather be over there?”
I scowl, not liking the fact his gaze is now fixed on Louisa when I realize he could be looking at someone else. I mean, from here I can see Blu, Emma, and Amber. Oh! I glance again to the platform and wonder where Teagan’s brother, Travis, is. And then my eyes swing back to Louisa.
“Who are you looking at?” I ask, watching Louisa. “Please tell me it’s Blu.”
He snorts. “Afraid not, my friend. Try again.”
“Teagan?” I glance at him. “No way! Really? You’re into Teagan?”
He gives me a withering look. “And what is wrong with Teagan?”
“Not a damn thing. You’ve met Travis, right?”
“Of course, I have. We’re not interested in him.” He grins and wanders toward the fire trucks.
Wait! He said, “We’re not interested in him,” which has to mean Emile likes her too.
“Oh, sweet Jesus.” I cringe. That is not going to go down well. Then again, maybe Teagan isn’t interested in them.
Sighing heavily, I wander over to my group of friends and grin to myself when there is a spot right next to Louisa. I drop beside her on the mat and stretch out.
“Fuck,” Levi says, “my balls are going to melt.”
“Shove some ice down your shorts, honey,” Vivien says.
“I’ll look like I’ve pissed myself.”
Chuckling, I cast my eyes sideways and briefly meet Blu’s before she glances away, her lips forming a firm line. I focus on Louisa next to me wiggling her fingers. She comes into contact with mine and holds my hand. It’s daring and I don’t care. The others are on the opposite side of us.
“Who wants to swim?” Jared asks. “I’m fed up with everyone around us looking at Emma in next to nothing.”
“Be glad she has something on,” I say.
“That’s it, wife. In the lake.” Jared stands and tugs Emma up with him.
My eyes pop wide when I get a look at Emma’s backside before Jared curses. I look at Louisa and pray to God she isn’t wearing a thong.
Emma snickers. “I thought this might persuade you to fool around in the water.”
“I’m the sheriff. I have to set an example.”
“That’s a damn good idea,” Levi states. “Viv, we’re going for a dip.” He wiggles his brows suggestively.
“Great! A lake full of horny men,” Blu mutters, bringing Travis to a stop beside her.
“Join us.” I grin at Travis, who eyes Blu warily.
“Is it safe?” he asks, dropping down beside Blu, his hands dangling over his drawn-up legs.
“You need to relax more,” Blu suggests, gaining a frown from Travis. His eyes wander over Blu, who fidgets and goes red in the cheeks.
Please be into Blu, I silently beg of the guy.
Louisa gives me a quick glance and squeezes my hand. I’m sure we both had the same thought.
Blu huffs and turns onto her front, settling down. Travis pauses with the bottle of water on the way to his mouth as his eyes widen at the sight of Blu’s naked ass. I’m surprised too.
“Shep,” Travis says, “can I have a word?”
I frown and look at the man. “Yeah. Sure.” Moving away from the girls, I hear Louisa say, “I’m going for a swim.”
I tell myself not to look, but my eyes disobey. “Fuck me,” I hiss.
Travis laughs. “I think they shopped at the same store.”
“God! What the hell am I supposed to do with her in that thing?”
Travis eyes me, his eyes alight with mischief. “If you don’t know the answer to that one, then we can’t be friends.”
“Why aren’t you your grumpy self?” I mumble.
He laughs. “People stay away when you act grumpy.”
“Right.” I stand beside him and ask, “What’d you want to talk about?”
“I hate asking for a favor, but I was wondering if you’d be free sometime soon to help paint the inside of the tavern.” He sighs. “Teagan pointed out it’s a big job and one we’d get done a lot quicker if we asked for help. As much as I hate to ask, I’m asking.”
“I hate painting but count me in. What are friends for?” I grin. “Who else have you asked?”
“Um, no one.”
I shake my head. “You know your ornery ass has friends in this town, right?”
“So my sister tells me.”
“I’ll add you to the group chat and put the shout for help out there.” I grab my phone and quickly add him to the chat, and ask, “When do you want us?”
“Couple of weeks.”
Shooting off a message to everyone in the group, I slip my phone into my back pocket. “You like Blu?”
He pauses before focusing on the girls swimming and playing around in the water. “I’m too old to play around, especially in the town I call home.” He gives me a sideways glance and goes on, “I don’t want to be with someone who’s in love with someone else, either.”
“I think she needs a badass dude to open her eyes to other prospects.” I grin, liking this idea. “I also think that you’re the badass dude for the job.”
“In your dreams. I don’t have the time nor patience to run around after a woman.”
“We’ll see how long you last.” Ending the conversation, we drop our butts to the grass, and I, for one, enjoy the peace and quiet while I watch Louisa in her hot pink bikini on the swimming platform.
12
Louisa
Too hot, I slip my body from the platform and rest my head in my arms while my legs feel weightless beneath the water. It laps at my naked butt, feeling nice and arousing. If only Shep were here with me. Then again, maybe not.
“I think Travis likes you, Blu,” Ingrid states, pulling herself out of the water to sit on the platform. “Did you see the way his eyes bugged out of his head when you shoved your ass in his face?”
Blu makes a gargling noise. “I did not shove my ass in h
is face.”
“Um, you did,” I add.
“If I did it on purpose, I will never admit it.”
Amber joins Ingrid on the platform as they lie down sunning themselves. I’m too damn hot to contemplate getting out of the water.
“I wish someone would look at me like Travis looked at you.” Amber sighs.
“I’m not interested in Travis,” Blu says, and I’m not sure I believe her. There’s something about the way she said it.
“You do know I’m here, right?” Teagan says. “That’s my brother you’re talking about.” She scowls at Blu, who looks away.
“Oh God! What are they up to?” Kennedy moans. “Never mind, better not look.”
“Levi is obsessed with my sister,” Ingrid whispers. “Constantly has his hands and other body parts on her.”
“Probably why he married her,” I mumble.
“So,” Ingrid says, “who is Shep sneaking around with?”
My heart drops to my toes and my pulse thunders around in my head. Teagan looks at me, making me feel uncomfortable until she offers a smile and looks away.
“I think we should leave it alone,” Blu says sadly.
I feel like a jerk and as though I don’t deserve to call Blu my friend. Shep and I have kept our feelings to ourselves for so long and only recently acted on them. I love him. I love Blu too. As soon as I can get her alone, I’m going to tell her. Heck, I would have told her this morning if she’d been home.
“You know,” Teagan starts as she stretches out on the platform, “if Blu hadn’t made her feelings known over the years, then maybe Shep wouldn’t be sneaking around in the first place.”
“So it’s my fault he’s sneaking around?” Blu says, annoyed.
Teagan doesn’t back down. “He knows how you feel about him. I mean, the whole town does. Yet, Shep has feelings for someone else. Strong feelings that can’t be contained anymore. So because of his friendship with you and out of respect for you, Blu, instead of throwing it in your face, he’s trying to protect your feelings.” She shrugs. “It makes sense to me, who is still young, sweet, and innocent.”
We all stare at Teagan. She hit the nail on the head, but I can’t exactly say that. At least, not until I’ve spoken to Blu alone. But wow, I didn’t know Teagan could be so vocal.
Blu nudges into me. “Do you think Shep’s into Teagan?” she whispers.
Shaking my head, I reply, “I think she’s just observant.”
“Why would he do this to me? I thought he liked me.” Blu blinks away tears.
“You have been friends with him a long time, so yes, he likes you. But you have to accept that his feelings aren’t the same as yours. It isn’t his fault, nor is it the fault of the woman he’s seeing. I think you should start looking in Travis’s direction,” I whisper.
“He’s hot. Dark and mysterious,” Blu mutters.
“He looks like a man who’d enjoy hot, hard, and dirty sex,” I say.
“You like him?” She frowns. “Besides, there are a lot of single guys arriving in town.”
I laugh. “Travis is a friend. That’s it. I have no naughty thoughts about him.” I smirk. “But I don’t think it would take much for you to get him hot and bothered…from what I noticed when you shoved your butt in his face.”
Blu rolls her eyes, which widen at the sound of a fast-approaching boat. “He’s going to cause an accident,” Blu says.
Dread fills me. “He’s too close to the platform.”
The idiot in the speedboat comes closer, sending the platform rippling. Teagan, Ingrid, and Amber roll into each other.
“The platform isn’t safe,” Jared shouts. I forgot he and Emma were out here. “Get in the water. Everyone off the platform. This way.” He guides people off.
My heart pounds as I reach out and help Ingrid from the unsteady platform. Blu helps Teagan, and we both help Amber. The swimming area has been cut off from the main lake by bright orange buoys so that it’s kept safe. The platform itself is kept on the bank of the lake usually. It’s tethered to the shore by two large solid poles that will winch it back into place after today is over with. It’s also a precaution so it can’t drift further in the lake, which is eleven miles at the widest part.
“They’re coming back,” Amber says, swimming to the shore beside me.
I tread water and watch as the idiot skims the side of the platform, this time sending ripples of water toward us.
“Shit,” Amber curses, and grabs on to me as we’re both sent beneath the water.
I hold my breath, then gasp when I break the surface, looking around for the boat. I spot it coming straight for us. The police boat is giving chase.
“Amber, swim! Don’t look. Just focus on the bank.” She takes off, and for once in my life, I wish I could swim faster.
On the bank of the lake, I spot Shep entering the water, his focus on me as he’s shouting something I can’t hear.
I do hear the sound of the speedboat getting closer and closer, and then I feel as though it’s on top of me. My heart thuds in my chest as people are shouting and waving. I turn and look at the boat. It’s almost on top of me. I drop into the water, but I’m not fast enough. With a thud, I fall into nothing.
13
Shep
It’s a disaster.
The second I realize the boat is on a collision course with Louisa, I’m in the water. Amber swims with the speed of an Olympic swimmer, while Louisa swims the speed of a turtle. She always has.
My heart is in my throat as the boat is practically on top of the woman I love. Fear grips me as I get closer to her. Louisa drops beneath the water, and in the next breath, I hear a thud. The fucking bastard hit her.
Diving beneath the water, I swim until my lungs are bursting to take that next breath, and then I see her…and the blood on the side of her head.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, I haul her upward.
“Bring her here!”
I glance around with tears in my eyes and see the police boat behind me. I quickly swim to them and let the officers take her from me as I pull myself out of the water.
An officer starts chest compressions as I kneel beside her motionless body, praying silently. Seconds later water spills from her mouth as she’s turned on to her side. She’s still unconscious.
“There’s an ambulance waiting.” The officer wraps a towel around her and presses a large piece of gauze against the side of her head. I take her cold hand into mine and hold on for dear life.
She’s going to be okay.
She has to be.
“We can’t go in any further.”
I notice we’re about ten feet from shore. “I’ll carry her.”
I slip into the water, then reach out and bundle her against me. Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I move toward where our friends wait along with an ambulance. The paramedics are standing by to take her from me.
I don’t want to pass her over to them, but I do. I lie her down on the gunnery.
Amber rushes over to us. “Is she going to be okay?”
“I hope so,” I say in a ragged voice.
I take Louisa’s hand once again, unable to leave her.
“Sir, we need to get her to the hospital,” the paramedic says.
“I—”
“He needs to go with her,” Amber says, then she turns to me. “I’m going to go home and get Mom and Dad.” She looks back at the paramedics and says, “He’s her fiancé. He has to stay with her. It’s what she’d want.”
“Let’s go.” The paramedics lift Louisa into the ambulance, and I follow. Travis quickly shoves my shoes and phone into my hands.
Once seated, I glance out the open doors and see the shock on Blu’s face as she stands watching before the doors are closed and the sirens blare to life.
I can’t think about Blu finding out the way she did, not when the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with is barely holding on.
All I see is her head wound and the bloo
d coming from it. Her pale face…
An hour later I’m sitting with her parents and Amber in the waiting room. A nurse has been by and told us that she’s regained consciousness and is undergoing some more tests. The wait is slowly killing me.
Her mother, Eileen, keeps glancing toward me before looking away. She had no idea her daughter is the one I’ve been running around with. The whole town probably knows about Louisa and me at this point, and the fact of the matter is, I don’t care.
My mom comes rushing into the waiting room and tugs me straight into her arms. Her hugs have always been tight and consuming, and right now, I cling to her. I guess I’m not too old to want my mother.
She cups my face. “Louisa will fight to get better. She loves you. Just keep reminding yourself of that.”
“You knew?” Eileen says. “Why didn’t I know you and my daughter were together?”
“I only know because I caught them kissing in the bakery,” Mom says.
I kiss Mom on the cheek. “Eileen, Roy, I’m in love with your daughter and have been since I turned eighteen. She’s the reason I came back to town after college. It’s taken us forever to be together because of Blu. But I love her, and I intend on spending the rest of my life with her. I’m only sorry you found out like this. I would have preferred telling you myself when I asked for her hand in marriage. I love her.” Tears pop into my eyes and I turn away and move toward the window.
Mom moves in behind me and rests a hand on my back, stroking it in soothing circles.
A throat clears from the doorway. “Is there a Shepard Carter here?”
My heart pounds and I can’t find my tongue.
“He’s here,” Mom says.
The doctor smiles as he takes us all in. “Louisa is going to be just fine. She has a concussion. She needed thirty-two stitches to close the gash on the side of her head. The scans and blood work have all come back fine. We’re going to keep her for forty-eight hours for observation, then all being well, she can go home.” The doc looks at me. “She’s asking for you.”
Secret Love in Blossom Creek Page 5