Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
VIC
The evening was warm enough that everyone was in short sleeves, but the fire pit was blazing in deference to the soon to be setting sun. In the mountains, the temperature fell quickly after sunset, so at some point everyone would gather around the fire to tell stories.
West had dragged out the corn hole set he’d built in the wood shop, all proud of his efforts.
He and Kane were debating over how to set up the teams. Co-ed or men versus women?
Apparently, this group was serious about game nights.
I’d witnessed some of it firsthand when board games had been organized with the client-guests when the weather had kept everyone in the lodge’s great room.
All I knew was that I’d be happy no matter what as long as I got to be near Caitlyn.
And as if I’d conjured her, she stepped out onto the deck where tables had been set up for dinner.
She, Luna, Chassie, and Sami each carried a dish.
Lars, Finn, and Vic, who was holding onto a squirming Mateo, his mini-me at just over a year old, were stationed next to the grill.
Dylan, Lauren, and Addy were still inside.
Only Baz and Zoe were missing, but I’d heard morning sickness was to blame.
Taking in the full scene, it wasn’t a terrible place to be. A year ago, I knew I was ready to leave the service, even if I didn’t have my next steps figured out. Now I felt as if I were home. Even with all the overwhelming domesticity, I believed in the mission of the Triple R Lodge.
We were no longer in service to our country, but to our fellow brothers and sisters who’d put their lives on the line and now needed assistance discovering a new purpose.
At first, I wasn’t sure that giving guitar lessons would or could help, but I’d been happily proven wrong.
And I’d found something I hadn’t realized I needed.
Making my way over to West and Kane, I took one last glance toward the deck and was rewarded with a blushing Caitlyn.
Grinning, I gave her a wink. Then Luna spotted me and shouted, “Hi, Vic!” She waved her hand enthusiastically as her mom shook her head.
Tonight, she’d pulled back her hair in a ponytail, but tendrils had escaped, framing her lovely face.
My fingers itched to brush them away, tucking them behind her ears.
“Yeah, he’s got it bad,” Kane chuckled.
“Should we tell him not to fight it, or sit back and watch the fun?” West added.
I broke eye contact with Caitlyn, waved back to Luna, then before they could finish the discussion on my love life, I snagged a beer from the ice chest, took a long pull, then answered West’s question. “What if I told you I have a plan?”
“I’d say you work faster than Lars has given you credit for.” Kane took my beer, tipped his head back, and drained it.
“Lars likes to exaggerate. I’m not the womanizer he’s labeled me.” Is that how Caitlyn saw me? If so, I had a bigger uphill climb than I thought.
“Let’s just see how the evening goes. I’m not looking for an audience, but if you see me flailing, throw me a lifeline, would you?”
West and Kane shared a long look, then both men shook their heads and patted me on the back.
Now I was worried. Did they think I didn’t have a chance with Caitlyn? Did they also think I was too young for her? I’d heard what Lars thought about our age difference, but considering how much older he was than his wife and they’d worked through it, he had little ground to stand on.
“Listen, I’m not saying I’ll need real help with Caitlyn, but there’s just something about her, you know? I’d at least like a shot at getting her to see me as something more than just a--”
“More than a good-time guy with movie-star looks and charm?” Kane actually sounded sympathetic. Finally, someone was on my side.
“Yeah, something like that. I need you to make the teams co-ed, and I’ll ask Caitlyn if she wants to play with me. I’m just looking for some time with her so she can get to know me.”
West was unreadable, but Kane nodded. He got it. Kane had actually spent time in Hollywood as a stuntman. He had the looks to be a star, but he’d been a thrill-seeker and lived for the adrenaline rush of hanging off trains and jumping from tall buildings.
“Sure, co-ed it is. But you be sure about Caitlyn. Not only does she have a kid to think about, but her ex was a real piece of work. She deserves a good man. And if you can’t be one, then you back all the way off.
Read me?” Kane held my gaze, making sure I got the warning.
And I did. The last thing I was looking to do now was to go back to my old ways of casual hook-ups.
“Dinner!” Lauren’s voice carried down to us, and West lifted a hand to signal his wife we were on our way.
I double-timed it up the stairs and claimed a spot across the table from Caitlyn.
As we ate, I did my best not to creep her out, but it was hard not to stare.
So, I told some funny stories about my trip across the country to get here.
Her laugh was addictive. I racked my brain for ways to keep her laughing.
Then, like a kid, I balanced a spoon on my nose.
A surefire party trick that appealed to young and old alike. Yeah, I was shameless.
“You’re funny, Mr. Vic. Mama doesn’t laugh much anymore, but I like her laugh.” Luna forked a big bit of macaroni and cheese and happily chewed while her mother sweetly blushed.
“Luna, I laugh. Just the other day when we were watching one of your shows, remember?” Caitlyn gave me a tight smile, then stood up from the table. “I promised to be on dish duty since I didn’t cook.” She picked up a couple of empty serving plates, then disappeared into the lodge.
Shit. Not good. But there was time to make things better. After everyone pitched in to clean up, the kids, along with Dylan and Addy, went into the great room to watch a movie, and the rest of us teamed up for corn hole. And as luck would have it, Caitlyn was the last to come back outside.
“Hey, I signed us up to be on a team. Hope that’s okay?” I hadn’t been this nervous since boot camp, where I ended up puking my guts out after failing my first rifle inspection. I doubted I’d puke if she said no, but I never wanted something as much as to hear her say yes. Jeez, I had it bad.
“Um, sure. Sounds fun,” Caitlyn followed me down to where the competition had already begun. We stood off to the side, waiting our turn to play the winner. She leaned in, her shoulder brushing my arm as she whispered, “Wow, these guys are serious.”
The contact was innocent, but my dick didn’t get the memo. I spent the next twenty minutes taking deep breaths and willing it to behave. When it was our turn, we conspired on strategy, and after a few successful throws; I saw her relax.
An hour passed. An hour of standing close, smelling her light floral perfume, of tracking every gesture, every laugh.
And an hour of enduring the unavoidable—the brushing of our hands, bumping of shoulders, and God help me, of her breast briefly pressed against my arm.
Left hard and pissed off, we had an audience; I struggled to keep from pulling her into my arms and kissing her.
I cleared my throat, then said, “Okay, this is for respect and the title. You got this, Cait.” I handed her a beanbag, letting my fingers feather along hers.
My reward was another of her sweet blushes.
Her pupils were blown; her bottom lip red and swollen from biting it as she lined up her tosses, or maybe it was because of my repeated and intense staring as I purposely let my gaze roam freely over her curvy body.
But knowing she felt equally unsettled made me bolder as I let my hand settle low on her back, massaging the area gently before stepping back. Caitlyn swayed toward me, then caught herself. Funny how a single moment could feel so big.
And for me, there’d be no going back. Tonight, somehow, I’d make sure she knew how much I wanted her. My intentions were far from pure, and I wouldn’t be offering any excuses the next day to avoid seeing her again. The old Vic was no more.
"Okay, this is the last one, I promise. Then I need to get my wife to bed.” It was Lars’ turn at truth or dare.
What had begun as a lark between West and Vic to get the other to confess their worst behaviors when on active duty.
It had quickly morphed into a throwback to high school kegger days when drunk teenage boys tried to one-up each other with increasingly outrageous dares and acts of stupidity just to impress teenage girls.
But I had something different in mind. Like PG-13, different. I waited everyone out because I intended to keep mine private until I was alone with Caitlyn. Suffering through the long goodbyes and the telling of just one more story was torture.
Luckily, those with kids had left long ago. But not Caitlyn. It was as if she was just as eager to stretch the evening out. Then, finally, Chassie and Kane took off. He carried a sleeping Luna over his shoulder. Chassie waved at me and sent a wink in Caitlyn’s direction.
However, I didn’t act right away. I allowed the companionable silence to wash over me.
Caitlyn had been serenely staring into the flames.
The fire’s light play highlighted her features and dark brown hair, giving her an ethereal glow.
I’d be a happy man just sitting here, watching her, except for the need to learn how her lips felt beneath mine.
“So, I never finished my turn before everyone begged off for the night. Are you interested in finishing?” My palms were sweaty.
Just like they’d been the first time I kissed a girl.
But unlike that occasion, and where I’d be hard pressed to remember that long-ago crush’s name, this time held greater significance.