Chapter 16
LUCY
“Her mind’s on Roman’s cock again,” Wolf announces while pouring himself coffee. He raises his gaze toward me and smiles.
I set my cup of tea down before I drop it. “Well in truth, I’m reading Ethan’s schedule, so perhaps get your head out of the gutter.”
He laughs. “Sweetie, you’re still on the same page of his schedule since I arrived in the kitchen ten minutes ago.”
That’s when Grayson drags the stool out beside me and plunks down. His scent pours all over me, which is completely unfair, since the brandy-and-leather scent is extremely sexy. “Lucy’s had a big night. She’s still recovering.”
I simply glare at him, and he blows me a kiss.
Roman the whole time remains at the other end of the counter, leaning against it, his ankles crossed, his blue button-up shirt open at his throat.
Even from my location, I notice the purple love mark on his neck that I gave him sometime last night when I completely forgot how many times I’d orgasmed.
And now, he’s calm and drinking his coffee, grinning to himself.
“Maybe,” I turn to Wolf. “You had a huge night and a lack of sleep.”
Grayson snaps into laughter, and heat scales up my neck. “I didn’t get any shut-eye.”
“Yeah right.” I shuffle the papers. “Anyway, we have a busy day and—”
“I’m still curious,” Grayson interrupts me. “Did you actually get any sleep, or are we going to find you falling asleep on the job today?”
I lift my gaze. “That’s between my Alpha and me.”
Everyone falls silent, and it takes me a few seconds to realize that I called him my Alpha.
Roman gives me a wickedly sexy wink, his cup paused halfway to his mouth. All while Grayson’s smile transforms into something dangerous. And Wolf tips his head forward, giving his approval.
Wonderful. Evidently, I just fed all their egos.
So, I slide off the stool and stroll to the window, feeling three pairs of eyes following me.
“Guests are ready for a full day, and I’m not going to get distracted by three muscular lumberjacks, sexy voices, shirts stretched over biceps, or any that hot, broody Alpha staring you have all perfected. ”
No one responds, so I glance over my shoulder.
Three grins stretch across their faces. Yep, I shouldn’t have said all those things aloud.
An explosion of laughter suddenly reaches us from upstairs, stealing the moment, and I embrace it.
Roman places his cup in the sink. “Okay, that’s our cue. We all clear on our running order?”
We nod as I smooth down my dress.
Wolf passes me, hand tenderly tracing my chin. “Do try to control yourself out there. I’ve seen firsthand how excited you get when we get shirtless with axes.”
“Very funny,” I mock as he lingers too long, tracing my jawline then my lips, and when he leaves my side, I already miss him.
Grayson loops an arm around my waist, drawing me against his chest, his mouth on my ear. “Let’s go have some fun.” I soften against him, inhaling that intoxicating, rich scent. “And you need to know that last night was rough for some of us.”
I swallow the thickness in my throat. “Perhaps this isn’t the best time to talk about that?” Here I am, trying to be casual, which is close to impossible with his hard body curled around mine, his erection pressing against my ass. How am I meant to have a sensible thought?
Instead of releasing me, he tightens his grip, his hot breath flaring across my neck. “I could lie and say you weren’t on my mind last night, except I jerked off way too many times, picturing your mouth on my cock, little bird.”
An inferno rushes through my body, and I find myself leaning back into him, desperately craving more contact, even if I’ve spent the day telling myself to keep my distance from them. “Are you trying to drive me crazy? Why would you say that?”
His lips brush across my ear. “I want it on your mind all day.” Then he lets me go, facing me, walking backward.
I’m left swooning from the loss of him, and he knows it by the slow grin at the corners of his mouth. He’s fully aware how difficult it’s becoming to resist these men.
Loud thundering sounds from the guests rushing downstairs, so we head out of the kitchen.
All six of them are dressed in shorts and hiking boots; some have sunglasses up in their hair, others wearing caps. The woman in front wears a tiny emerald tiara and a pink sash that reads, Debbie, the bride.
Grayson approaches them, shoulders back, head high. “Ladies, are you ready to discover the world of lumberjacks? To have the most amazing day of your lives?” He releases a whoop, and the women scream out in excitement in return.
I smile, loving to see them ready to have a fun day, though it’s impossible to ignore how each one of them leers at Grayson, checking him out head to toe. The green monster in my chest rears her head up, wanting to put a stop to this.
I step up alongside him. “Hello, everyone! I sure hope you’re all ready for all the fun. I’ll be with you for the festivities. Okay, shall we begin?”
They are all rushing out the door. The bride pauses at my side, whispering, “Are they real lumberjacks?”
“Every single day,” I answer.
“Steph,” she calls out to her friend. “They’re real!”
In no time, we’re outdoors, and they’re climbing into the large truck made for eight people, even if snug, and I get into the driver’s seat.
Grayson hurries out of the lodge, carrying two picnic baskets. He loads them into the back as one of the ladies in the back says, “For today, I’m not married.”
They all giggle, agreeing, and by the time Grayson climbs into the passenger’s seat, they fall silent, studying him.
“You’re a real lumberjack, then?” Steph asks.
“Yep, that’s me,” he answers with a grin.
“So you live out here in these woods?” another asks.
“Actually, I live in a wooden cabin.” He glances my way with a raised eyebrow, and I shake my head as I start up the engine. I hit the gas, and we’re following the track that takes us deeper into the woods.
“Aww, it must be lonely out there,” someone else says.
“Well, three of us live together, and we manage,” he explains, keeping his tone neutral, while the woman squeaks with excitement.
Fifteen minutes later, and a dozen more questions, and every lady in the back has grown loud. Once we take the last bend and emerge into a clearing, I park the truck.
Up ahead, Roman and Wolf are in the cleared area.
Their sleeves are rolled, and they’re practicing moves with their axes.
Roman swings long, his dark hair falling forward, and all those muscles tensing across his back with every strike.
Wolf uses shorter swings, but twice as brutal.
It’s impossible not to look at them and drool.
“Oh my God,” the bride squeaks from the back.
The six of them hurry out of the truck, and Grayson’s on their heels, getting them to sit on the rows of logs in front of the cleared area the men are working in. It’s far away enough that flying wood won’t reach them, though they all want to move closer.
“Ladies, feast your eyes on the real work lumberjacks do out here. Now, show of hands, who wants to see wood being chopped?” Grayson states.
All hands shoot into the air, some even use both.
Roman lowers his axe and waves to the women, sending them into an excited giggle. I can’t help myself, and I laugh.
Wolf stakes his axe into a stump, then picks up a split round and grips it with his bare hands on either side.
Everyone falls silent, watching his muscles tense, shoulders locking, and veins popping on his forearms as he tugs at the wood.
It tears in half with a fibrous crack, falling apart in his hands.
The cheers are loud, and he gives them a wink, which only sets them off into swooning.
Grayson settles beside me where I stand near a red pine. “They love these shows.”
I don’t blame them when it’s captivating. Muscles, sunlight, sawdust. What isn’t there to love?
“I want to say thank you,” I say, leaning closer to him. “Seriously, you three do so much work on this land, and Grandma notices.”
“We’d do anything for Eve. She’s a complete lifesaver for us.”
I glance out to Roman chopping wood, working hard, sweating. The woman are going feral over him.
Grayson’s in my ear. “When you watch him out there, are you picturing yourself back with him last night?”
I hold back my reaction, well aware he wants me shocked. “You are relentless, aren’t you?”
“Does that mean you’re wet right now?”
“Grayson,” I gasp, then pretend to cough, but completely fail when he begins laughing at me. “Look, you need to settle down as you seem more worked up than me.”
“Oh, little bird, you have no idea. I’m a patient man. But when all bets are off, I’m going to have you on your hands and knees for me.”
My toes curl in my boots. The things these Alphas say drive me wild.
“Okay. Maybe keep it in your pants until our guests have gone home,” I say, then stick my tongue out at him.
“I’m really trying.” His nostrils flare as he exhales through is nose. “But your scent is ruining me. I smell sex on you.”
“No, you don’t!”
He’s laughing, and I can’t tell if he’s teasing me or telling the truth.
But if he wants to play games… I lean in closer to him and whisper, “Then I shouldn’t mention how much of a rush I was in this morning, that I forgot to put on any underwear.”
For a full few seconds, there’s nothing from Grayson, then his hand falls to my thigh, going for the hem of my dress. I smack it away.
“No way.”
“Lucy, shit!”
“Nope.” I grin and stroll toward the guests. Several steps later, I glance over my shoulder to where he hasn’t moved. His chest’s pumping fast as though he’s run a marathon, and his gaze has turned feral. Okay, I might have just broken him.
An hour later, he steps into the middle of the area and lifts both arms into the air for attention. “All right, our lumberjacks have worked up a sweat. And who can guess what dirty men need to do next?”
“Strip!” bellows one of the ladies, and they’re all chanting it now.
Grayson chuckles. “Sort of close. They wash.”