Recklessly in Love (Alpine Ridge)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

JOANIE

“You got fired for having sex with one of the junior partners in the copy room?” Mia gasps, parroting back the words I’d just used in the form of a question.

I grin, getting the exact amount of shock value I hoped for.

“During business hours,” I add. “If it’d been after hours, it would’ve just been a slap on the wrist.” I don’t bother mentioning that’s probably because they’d have to fire everyone if that were the rule.

“Where do I even start with that?” Mia says with a sigh. “At work, Jo? Really? While anyone could walk in?”

I snort. “That’s part of what made it such a thrill,” I respond. “Unfortunately, as hot as he was, the sex was awful.”

“So, you got fired for having bad sex. At work.”

“That about sums it up.”

“And what about him?” she asks, a note of suspicion in her voice.

“Oh, don’t worry, he was fired too. No sexist double standards there, at least.”

“Well, that’s … good? I have to say, you don’t sound upset about losing your job,” Mia points out.

I shrug, even though she can’t see me over the phone. “I knew it was a possibility. Again, that’s kind of what made it stimulating.”

“Why do I get the feeling you hoped it would happen?” Mia asks.

I can’t help my shit-eating grin. “Ah, Mia, darling, you know me so well.”

It’s precisely what I’d been banking on when I seduced the poor bastard into fucking me not just in the copy room but on the copy machine itself. Maximum noise. Maximum evidence. Too bad it didn’t live up to the fantasy of during-work sex. And photocopying a dick isn’t nearly as entertaining as I thought it would be, either. Still, the encounter served its purpose.

“Well, that’s one way to get the holidays off work,” she replies drily. “Were you that desperate for a break? Because you know you could’ve just taken an actual vacation. It’s been almost two years since we went to Hawaii. You certainly deserve one. But like this?”

I snort. “I’m not you, Mia. I wasn’t overwhelmed by my job; I was done with it. The same stupid cases over and over. Defending corporations facing criminal charges for their shady business practices was getting tiresome. I want something different. Something that’s a challenge. But now that you mention it, a vacation sounds divine.”

My mind drifts back to that week in Hawaii and the two hot local surfers I’d spent it with. The original intent was for Mia and I to each have one guy to keep us company that week, but when she had to leave suddenly to take care of her Gran — on day one of our vacation, no less — they both seemed interested in sticking around. And there was lots and lots of sticking around if you know what I mean. That was a first, even for me. One that still features prominently in my fantasies. Maybe a few new “firsts” wouldn’t be such a bad idea. And since Mia found hunky Nate in her Gran’s tiny mountain town — and herself while she was at it — it ended up working out well for us both.

“That reminds me. We’re reviving the Alpine Ridge Winter Festival. With the bakery doing pretty well and Nate’s practice getting off the ground, it’ll be a good opportunity to capitalize on the seasonal traffic to Leavenworth. You should come to stay with us and join in,” Mia offers.

I wrinkle my nose. “Snowy mountain town wholesome goodness isn’t exactly my idea of a fun vacation,” I reply hesitantly.

“Come on, Jo, you’ve only visited once since the bakery opened, and that was only for a day. I miss you,” Mia pleads.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen me at all. You’ve come here to Seattle a couple of times, too. Hell, we could go on vacation together. Let’s do something crazy. How does Thailand sound?” I counteroffer.

“I may be able to take off a day or two here and there, but I can’t leave the bakery for weeks while traipsing off to a foreign country,” Mia points out. “Trust me, it’ll be fun. Just for starters, I’m making cocoa and gingerbread macarons to go with Rae’s hot mulled wine and apple cider, plus there will be all sorts of fun activities like ice skating, snow sculptures, concerts —”

“All right, all right, you had me at gingerbread macarons,” I agree with a sigh, even though the rest sounds like it’s straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, which is definitely not my scene. “Will there at least be some hot guys?”

“There are some single guys in town,” Mia hedges.

I quirk an eyebrow at the lack of qualifying their attractiveness. “Well, that’s a start. Are any under fifty? Because you know I cap it at fifteen years older than me. Any more than that, and it treads into ‘daddy’ territory.” I shudder at the thought. I may be wild at times, but that’s one kink that’s a hard no for me.

“I mean, sure, there are, but …” Mia trails off, and I roll my eyes.

“What, am I too worldly for your small-town boys? Are you worried about your harlot friend tainting your perfect mountain paradise?” I tease, reading between the lines.

“Honestly? Yes. A little,” Mia says with a chuckle. “I’m not sure the guys here are ready for Hurricane Joanie.”

“That sounds an awful lot like a challenge,” I reply.

Mia groans, and I laugh.

“Nate is going to be furious with me for talking you into this,” she jokes.

“I guess we’re both going to be on the naughty list this year,” I joke back. “Welcome, Mia. It’s so much more fun than the nice list.”

* * *

The following weekend and a two-plus-hour drive finds me bundled up against chilly air and piles of snow, yet still freezing my ass off, while I stand next to a radiant Mia and her smoking hot fiancé Nate, staring at a tree.

Yep. A tree.

Those gingerbread macarons better be damn good.

Granted, the tree is humongous and right in the center of what I suppose qualifies as “downtown” Alpine Ridge. Mia’s bakery is just down the road behind us, next to Nate’s shop and the grocery store. And I see a sign for a bar and restaurant across the main drag. There’s also an unmarked building behind the tree, plus a couple of other buildings further up the road from where we stand. All done up in the same rustic wood with wagon wheels style. Quaint, if not a little trite. But that’s about it. Alpine Ridge is a small town.

“So, this is where all the fun will be?” I ask drily, shooting an equally dry look at Mia.

She responds with a dramatic eye roll. “This is where the tree lighting ceremony will be. But many of the activities will be inside —” she points at the unmarked building “—at the community center.”

I smirk. “A community center, huh?” I tease. “I wouldn’t have thought the town was big enough to have one.”

Mia slips her arm into mine and starts to lead me toward the building. “Real funny. Maybe keep those kinds of comments to yourself around the locals, hm?” Mia hums.

I look pointedly between her and Nate. “I guess that means you don’t consider yourself locals?”

Nate snorts. “By the usual definition, sure. I mean, we live here full-time. But by Alpine Ridge definitions? Not even close. If you weren’t born here, you’re not local.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is there even a hospital here where you can give birth?”

Mia suppresses a smile. “Not yet. But you know what he means; many people in town have lived here their whole lives.” She pushes the heavy door to the building open, and we head inside.

The small entry alcove has a desk to one side and opens to a larger room behind it. A hallway leads off to the right behind the desk.

My head swings around, trying to take in the massive amounts of knotty pine. Paneling. Beams. Even the damn desk is made of it.

“Well. This is … rustic,” I mumble, following Mia into the larger room. Long tables are arranged against the walls. And then my eyes land on a bent figure in the corner. And the spectacular ass pointed in my direction.

“Hey, Greg,” Nate calls toward the ass. I mean, the guy. Because there is obviously a guy attached to that splendid backside. A fact that becomes startlingly clear when he rises and turns toward me. Because the guy is just as spectacular as the ass.

At about Mia’s height, short for a dude but perfect for my tiny self, he’s all lean muscle, rugged five o’clock shadow, and full lips on a mountain man face. The face of a man who can rough it or rough you up in bed — in the best way possible, of course.

“Nate,” he returns, heading over and slapping Nate on the shoulder in greeting. “Perfect timing. Know anything about rewiring wall heaters?”

Nate follows him over to the corner to work on his heater issue. And I turn to Mia, shooting her a meaningful look.

“Girl, you were holding out on me,” I accuse her in a low voice.

Mia’s brows scrunch together. “Greg? Really?” she whispers back.

I raise my eyebrows incredulously. “Yes, Greg ,” I snap back. “Holy hotness, Mia. What’s his deal? Is he married?” I curse myself for being too tangled up in fantasies of that scruff scraping along the insides of my thighs to notice whether he was wearing a ring.

Mia shrugs. “Nope. He runs this place. He and Nate work out together a few times a week, and he also helps at the wellness center sometimes. He’s a good guy. Quiet. I wouldn’t have thought he was your type.”

I huff a breath out of my nose. “Hot isn’t my type? Yeah, okay, Mia.”

A faint smile plays over Mia’s lips. “I’ve got Nate. I don’t even think about whether other guys are hot anymore. I mean … look at him.” She sighs wistfully as she eyes her man. And it’s not like I’m going to deny that the towering hunk of muscle matched with the brains of a former doctor isn’t fucking hot. At least to myself. To my best friend about her fiancé? That’s a no.

“Eh. You don’t think about other guys; I don’t think about guys who are taken.” I shrug — such a lie. I’d totally do a threesome with them — just sex, of course. I’m not into polyamory by any means. Just a good time. But I know even suggesting anything like that would probably make Mia’s head explode.

She graces me with a smirk that says she knows anyway. “Well, you’ll see a lot of him while we’re here. Just … don’t break him, okay?”

I snort. “No promises.”

And with a flip of my long, dark hair over my shoulder, I tug Mia toward the boys. Scratch that — men. Definitely men. So sayeth my tingling girlie parts.

“Greg, this is my friend, Joanie,” Mia offers as we stop beside them. “She lives in Seattle but will join us for the festivities.”

Greg’s gaze turns to me, and his cornflower blue irises meet my ice blues. And I never knew it was possible to be jealous of the shade of a man’s eyes.

“Nice to meet you,” he says, offering a hand.

I slip mine into his, shaking it firmly. He’s noticeably surprised.

“Joanie is a lawyer too,” Mia offers as if in explanation. I’m a little surprised at the “too” since she’s not technically a lawyer now that she’s given that life up to run a bakery in the middle of nowhere. But that’s neither here nor there.

I look back at Greg to find an “aha” look on his face, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Yes, tiny girls can have firm handshakes — and law degrees.

“Well, that’s impressive,” Greg says with a smile that may have just melted my panties off.

I can’t tell if he’s sincere, so I smile sweetly. “Thank you. And it’s nice to meet you too, Greg,” I say, pointedly giving Mia the stink eye. But then, if he’s the kind of guy who is easily intimidated by a strong, intelligent woman, I guess I wouldn’t be interested anyway.

“Feel free to put us both to work,” Mia offers with a nod in my direction. “I know there’s a lot to do before the festival opens next week.”

Greg smiles that devastating smile again. “Be careful; I may just take you up on that. It’s a lot of dirty work.”

I purse my lips. “Well, good thing I’m always up for getting dirty,” I reply in as suggestive a tone as I can manage. And in case he doesn’t get it, I wink at him for good measure.

Greg looks mildly shocked, and I can’t help grinning. Nate shakes his head and laughs, and Mia rolls her eyes. “And that’s why you’re on the naughty list, Jo,” Mia says.

My grin grows to Cheshire-cat proportions, and Nate facepalms. He walks past Mia and mumbles just lowly enough for only Mia and me to hear, “Well, if he wasn’t interested before, he is now.”

* * *

Hours later, I’m fluffing a fake, silvery Christmas tree in the entry alcove when Greg finally approaches me. Mia has been doing her best to keep me decorating so I wouldn’t have time to pounce on him immediately. The joke’s on her because I always give them a few hours minimum to get a look at the goods first. And I’ve caught him checking out my ass more than a couple of times this afternoon.

“You’re a pro at that,” he says, leaning against the knotty pine desk. Once again checking out my ass.

I turn and bat my eyelashes at him. “I’m a woman of many talents,” I assure him.

He laughs, and his dimpled grin sets Bev aflutter. Yes, Bev. My beaver. My lady parts. What? Guys name their dicks, so I figured I should name my pussy.

“I’ll just bet you are,” he murmurs, his eyes sweeping over my frame. “So, how are you liking Alpine Ridge, Joanie?”

I step off the stool I’d been standing on and turn toward him. “It’s fine,” I reply succinctly. “But let’s just cut to the chase, shall we?”

He raises an eyebrow, looking intrigued.

“I do like a good chase,” he responds in a low voice.

I bite into my bottom lip to keep from grinning too widely. Now we’re talking.

“Mmm,” I murmur noncommittally, reaching up and running my hand down his chest — and holy shit. The muscle tone I feel under his dark plaid work shirt is no joke. “But the catching part is much more fun, isn’t it?” I look up at him from under my eyelashes, giving him a coy smile.

He chuckles, low and deep. Damn, I just want to eat this man for Christmas dinner. Yum.

“It can be,” he allows. “But —” he leans in, his hot breath tickling the shell of my ear “— anticipation can be pretty fucking hot too.” His nose grazes my lobe, sending tingles shivering down my entire left side. He straightens up and, with a wink, is gone.

I’d turn to watch his ass as he walks away, but I find that I’ve lost control of myself. My whole body has turned to Jell-O from the husky, dirty promise in his words.

Well, this vacation just took a turn for the better.

* * *

I’m pulled from dreams of all the ways I want Greg’s wicked tongue teasing me by something big and soft landing on my head. I blink my eyes open against the light shining through a crack in the guest bedroom’s door to find half of my head covered by a pillow.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Mia calls from the doorway.

I pull myself into a sitting position. “I knew I should’ve stayed at the B&B,” I grumble. But it used to be Mia’s Gran’s house, and now that she’s gone, that would be a different type of torture. So pillows in the head at an ungodly hour it is.

Mia laughs. “And that’s why I threw the pillow from here. So pleasant in the morning, aren’t you?” she asks wryly.

“What the fuck time is it?” I ask, scrabbling for my phone on the nightstand.

“It’s almost six. Normally, I’d have been at the bakery for hours by now, but I let you sleep in.” Mia strides into the room and sets something down on the nightstand in the spot just vacated by my phone.

Notes of coffee and hazelnut hit my nose, and I inhale deeply. “Your offering of caffeine is accepted. But baked goods better be next.”

“Don’t worry. Rae and Penny are at the bakery, so I’m sure there are fresh donuts by now. Up.”

I mock grumble as I get out of bed, and she leaves, but she had me at hazelnut-flavored coffee. Though there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for fresh donuts, too.

When I make it downstairs, it’s to a shirtless Nate fondling my best friend in the kitchen. Said best friend’s tongue looks like it’s getting very familiar with his tonsils.

“You two are disgustingly cute,” I grumble.

Nate tries to pull away, but Mia won’t let him, flipping me off while she finishes mauling her man. When she finally pulls away, I get one of the rare glimpses I’ve had of Nate’s torso, and I can’t say I blame her for being hot for him even after a year and a half of coupledom. The man has the definition and the bulk. Plus, he has a penchant for grey sweatpants that leave nothing to the imagination about the ginormous dick he’s packing. On top of already knowing — only from prying it out of Mia — that he’s a beast in the sack and that he adores her, I have to admit she’s hit the jackpot. You know, if committing yourself to one dick for the rest of your life is your thing. The jury’s still out for me. It’d have to be one spectacular dick.

“So, what’s on the agenda besides eating my weight in baked goods?” I ask as I drain my coffee mug and set it in the sink.

“Well, after we get a head start on macarons, cookies, and pies, we’re going to help Rae bottle her wine and cider,” Mia responds.

Nate makes to walk past me out of the room. “What about you, muscles?” I ask, poking him in his ridonculous bicep. “Are you baking with us babes?”

“Nope. I’m helping Greg set up the snowshoe obstacle course.” And with that, he leaves the room, presumably to find a shirt and pants that’ll keep that lovely dick from freezing off.

“All right, let’s do this thing,” I say resignedly.

Mia’s eyes flick to the door.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be bringing the guys lunch later,” she says with a smirk, her eyes flicking back to mine. “It won’t be all girl time.”

I don’t even try to pretend like I’m not relieved while we pack up and head out. Because hanging with the ladies is great and all, but Bev is as hungry for cock as I am for donuts right about now.