Chapter 4 #3
He rolled his eyes and went to the cab of his truck where he had an extra flannel jacket with a quilted lining. “How Darwinism hasn’t taken out your line is beyond me.” He draped the flannel over her shoulders, dwarfing her by its size, and she smiled.
“Thanks. And evolution can’t touch us. We were the gatherers and shamans.”
“You better not be eating those mushrooms in the woods again.”
“Lion’s mane is not poisonous.”
“Wren, stop eating shit from the dirt!”
“Everything comes from the dirt.”
He’d heard enough. “I’m sure you and that yogi will have tons of fun foraging from the trees and chanting in drum circles.”
“What yogi?”
“The guy from your class.”
“That’s the third time you’ve brought him up. Do you want me to get his number for you?”
“Very funny.”
“I don’t know if you’re his type. He asked me out.”
Greyson’s shoulders tensed, but he played off his concern. “You should go.”
All bravado left her face and her cocky expression fell. “Are you serious?”
“Why not?”
“Since when are you supportive of me having a love life?”
“I’ve never been unsupportive—“
She scoffed. “Bull. Shit. It’s your fault I’m single!”
He drew back. “You can’t pin that on me.”
“Oh, yes, I can. All my life, you’ve scared off anything with a penis that tried to get within two feet of me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Greyson, you know that’s one hundred percent true. Even today, when Noah tried to get by, you barely moved in an attempt to intimidate him.”
“Who’s Noah.”
“The guy from my class!”
“If he can’t figure his way out of a door, he’s probably bad at other things.”
“You know what? Forget it. You’re right. The only reason I’m single is completely my fault. You had nothing to do with it.”
“As if anyone could have that sort of control over you, Wren.”
She gaped at him. “You’re unbelievable.” Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling your brother.”
“For what?”
She waved her phone around, trying to find a signal. “Maybe I will take them up on their proposals.”
She was bluffing.
“You should.”
“You’re right. I mean, if you guys sell off the company, the estate could go next. Where would that leave me? The Haven needs to be surrounded by nature. I can’t have a bunch of box stores and cookie-cutter houses cropping up in my backyard.”
Shit. That was a good point. He didn’t want that for her either. Most of the backwoods acreage was Hawthorne land, but they gave The Haven full access to the trails, allowing the guests to do whatever tree-huggers did out in the woods.
“You wouldn’t lose the woods,” he promised. No matter what happened with the fishery and his family, he’d make sure her woods were safe.
“Still, a girl needs to protect her interests.” She swiped her thumb over the screen of her phone. “Who should I call, Soren or Logan?”
She was still at this? Fine. He could play along with her little charade. “Does it make a difference?”
“Not really, since this is all about money and contracts. The sex should be interesting.” She flicked her thumb over her contact list.
Greyson’s mind flashed to an image of Wren naked. Fuck no. He was not picturing his brothers in that scenario.
“Oh, lucky Logan. His name comes first alphabetically. This should only take two seconds.”
His hand closed over the phone before she could hit send. “Enough.”
She smirked. “Is this more of you not interfering in my dating life?”
This wasn’t about that. They both knew she wasn’t going to date Logan. “Don’t mess with him like that.”
“Like what?”
Logan got way too sensitive when it came to relationships. Plus, he’d always had a soft spot for Wren. “Don’t lead him on.”
She laughed. “This morning, he proposed marriage, Greyson. He’s too far ahead for me to lead.”
Had the dumbass actually asked her to marry him? “We both know you’re not into Logan, so maybe leave him out of it.”
“And what is it?”
“It’s nothing. You and I both know that nothing’s going to change.”
“Do we?”
Of course they did. They’d always had a hard limit regarding Wren. His father’s ludicrous proposal might have slightly disrupted that, but at the end of the day, right was right, and she wasn’t marrying any of them.
“You and I both know you’re not going to date my brothers.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Those winter nights can get awfully chilly.”
He growled, not wanting to imagine his brothers near her any more than he wanted to picture her frolicking in his woods with that limp-dicked yogi dork. But he wasn’t going to give her a reaction.
“Do whatever you want.” He released his hold on her phone.
She raised a brow. “Thanks. I was hoping for your permission.”
“You’re welcome.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she paced, searching for a signal. “It gets damn lonely on those cold nights, all alone, in my little house.”
“Get a dog.”
“The cats won’t like that.”
“Then get a fish.”
“I have a feeling I’d enjoy Logan more.”
His jaw tightened, but before he could respond, she pulled the phone to her ear and held up a silencing finger.
“Hey, Logan.” She pivoted and wandered toward the hedge of arborvitae to talk in private.
What sort of game was she playing? Was she actually considering getting involved with his brother? She could do so much better.
Her laughter carried like a soft breeze, and he irritably reorganized his toolbox, making as much noise as possible. He should get moving. He still had several more stops to make, and regardless of Bodhi’s predictions, the flurries were starting to stick to the trees.
Setting her shovels aside, he gathered up the file and oil to put away. When she returned to the parking lot—still on the phone—he busied himself by checking the cab of his truck, not really sure what he was looking for.
“Perfect. Can’t wait. I’ll see you Wednesday.” She ended the call just as he returned to the back of the truck and smiled up at him. “Soren says hi.”
He did a double-take. “Soren? I thought you were calling Logan.”
“I did. Then I called Soren. I agreed to go out with both of them. Figured I might as well play the field and test out all my options.”
His irritation bubbled but he didn’t understand why this was pissing him off so much. “Have fun.”
“Oh, I plan to.”
He slammed the tailgate. “Shovels are done.”
“Great.”
He carried them back to the shed. The gravel crunched behind him as she followed.
Bodhi kept all the brooms, rakes, and shovels upside down in a metal trash can. It was a stupid, top-heavy system that spilled whenever anyone touched it. Greyson cursed and fumbled with the shovels until he was sure they wouldn’t topple over. When he pivoted, Wren crashed into his chest.
She looked up at him, her features slightly shaded by the shadows. Her soft jasmine fragrance filled the cramped space, despite the fading scent of drying herbs and fertilizer.
“If you don’t want me to date your brothers, Greyson, say the word and I won’t.”
He didn’t want her to date his brothers.
The statement rang like a gong through his mind, rattling his skull, but he remained outwardly silent.
There was no logical reason for him to keep her away from his brothers or anyone else at this stage. She was thirty years old and free to see whoever she pleased.
“Date whoever you want.”
It was such a subtle shift but he swore her shoulders sagged. He needed to get out of this shed. The longer she cornered him, the more he felt like prey.
She bit her plump lower lip and nodded, her gaze skating off into the corner. “Okay, Greyson. If that’s really how you feel, I will.”
How else should he feel? If his father wanted to throw down ultimatums and sell off his legacy, that was on him. He was staying out of it. Maybe she and Logan could actually make this work since they’d always shared a special bond.
A bad taste filled his mouth. “I have to get going.”
“Right. More shovels to sharpen.” She met his stare and took a small step forward. “I’m seeing Logan Tuesday night.”
“Busy week. Don’t forget Nate.”
“Mature. You know his name’s Noah.” The wind blew, and the wooden door to the shed swung closed, cutting away the light. “If you’re jealous, you could add your name to my dance card?”
“Wren.” He gave her a warning look.
“Greyson?” She used to tease him like this when they were young, but it had been years since she’d played these games. She took another step toward him. One deep breath and they’d be touching.
He tried to shift back, but there was nowhere to go in the cramped shed. “There’s not enough room in here for two people.”
“Is it too tight?”
His breath caught in his throat as he cocked his head.
What had gotten into her? Did she think she could push his buttons without consequence?
Did she want to see how far she could go without crossing that line?
It had been a damn long time since he’d felt the touch of a woman.
They were alone. It was dark. Who would know?
He would.
He grabbed her shoulders to move her aside so he could leave, but she contorted her body and slipped out of the flannel, suddenly behind him. Damn yoga. She was as bendy as a coil.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“No.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Damn it, Wren, we’re not doing this.”
“Logan and Soren would.”
His molars locked, and he took a threatening step toward her before catching himself. She gasped but didn’t back up. Her eyes dilated, and her breasts lifted. She was enjoying this.
“What is it you want from me?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Arched back so she could meet his stare, she blinked up at him. “Honesty.”
“I’m always honest with you.”
She settled her hands on his arms, and a zing of electricity shot to his cock. “You’re not even being honest with yourself.”
Her hand squeezed ever so slightly around the girth of his arm, and he imagined her grip elsewhere. He caught her wrist. “There are rules, Wren.”
“What rules? I never made any rules.”
First, the dates with his brother, now this? “Whatever game you’re playing, knock it off.”
“Or what?”