Chapter 32 #2
I ran a gentling hand along his corded forearm. It was rigid, every muscle taut. Locked in a silent battle of wills with Zander, he refused to look at me.
“Davis. Down here,” I commanded, running a finger down his whiskered jaw. “I’m all in favor of fighting for a good cause, but there’s no need to throw down on my account.”
Davis’s blue eyes drilled into mine, the angry haze slowly calming into something approaching rationality. “I don’t want you, or Jo, or hell, any of you to get hurt,” he muttered. “None of this is worth it.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to claim no one would hurt us.
Thus far, none of the pranks had been personal – they’d all been carried out at or before town events.
However, everyone in the county knew where Gwen, Eve, and Jo lived because of their businesses, and, in a small town, my address wasn’t hard to figure out.
I shivered, feeling exposed. Just because things hadn’t escalated beyond property damage didn’t mean that they wouldn’t.
If someone got mad enough, desperate enough, who knew?
“I don’t want any of us at risk either,” Gwen said. “Maybe it’s time to resign.”
“No fucking way.” Zander’s growled response caught me off guard, and judging from Gwen’s expression, she felt the same.
Davis tensed behind me, and I leaned back into him.
“They shouldn’t get to win,” Zander insisted, focused wholly on Gwen.
“What, you think you’re the only man who can beat me?” Gwen asked lightly.
Zander gathered her close, setting his palms at her waist, as if only the two of them mattered. As if he had the right.
Gwen shocked me to my core when she didn’t pull away.
Maybe Davis was as entranced as I was by the drama playing out in front of us, because he wrapped his arms around me from behind, silent. After his earlier outburst, I expected him to jump all over Gwen’s offer to resign as mayor.
I wavered, zooming from thinking it was an excellent idea to wash our hands of the whole mess, to stubborn refusal to do anything less than what we’d set out to do: serve our community. It was unfortunate that someone seemed to have a problem with that, but it didn’t negate our goals.
“Gwennie, I’ve held my tongue until now, but I don’t want you hurt. If that means resigning, well, I’m in favor. If you won’t resign, maybe it’s time for a recall vote…”
I gasped.
What was he trying to pull? At first Zander made it sound like he didn’t want Gwen to quit, then he was all but threatening to run against her?
I fully expected Gwen to push Zander away, reject him as thoroughly as she’d dismiss the idea of quitting.
She may have floated the idea first, but it was hard to imagine Gwen actually giving up.
She was bull-headed enough for five mayors.
We’d put months of blood, sweat, and tears into rebranding Campfire.
I couldn’t believe she’d walk away from all of our hard work because Zander asked her to. Because he threatened her.
Gwen grinned up at Zander and arched a brow. “Follow the money?”
Solemnly, he nodded. “Yep.”
“I like it. Nemitz, there’s a brain behind all that brawn.”
“What just happened?” Eve asked, sounding as puzzled as I felt.
Gwen peered around Zander. “New plan,” she announced grandly.
“I’m so confused,” Eve muttered. “Do you know what’s going on?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“It’s simple. Playing defense hasn’t worked. Now it’s time to go on offense.”
“How?” I asked.
“I’ll start making noise around town about wanting to sponsor a recall election,” Zander said. “See who bites.”
“Everyone knows Zander and I are frenemies,” Gwen added. “It’s perfect. Too juicy an opportunity for whomever has been pulling strings behind our backs to finally step out into the light.”
“You really think it’ll be that easy?” I asked.
“Probably not,” Gwen acknowledged. “But at this point, it’s worth a try.”
Gwen left to talk to the sheriff, Zander trailing her. Eve excused herself to return to the check-in table.
“I’m still pissed,” Davis rumbled in my ear, holding me like his favorite teddy bear.
I turned in his arms, wanting to see his expression. “Yeah. So, that was new…”
He scowled. “I’ve worked hard not to react like that anymore. To control my anger and channel it better. I got carried away. I’m sorry, Bee. Your life, your choice.”
“True,” I said, watching his expression. “But I’d like to think we’re building a life together, which means you’re part of the equation.”
His shoulders relaxed, seeming relieved that I wasn’t upset over his outburst.
“Bee, I’m probably more like a math textbook: full of problems, but if there’s a chance we can solve them together, I’m in.”
“Careful, Davis. I’m rubbing off on you. You’re getting cornier by the minute.”
“Correction: I want you to rub on me, and I’m getting hornier by the minute,” he growled softly in my ear, squeezing my butt for emphasis.
I groaned, helpless with laughter. A few months ago, or even weeks ago, I wouldn’t have imagined Davis being this playful. This talkative.
“What kind of monster have I created?” I moaned softly, letting my love shine as I grinned up at him.
“Just your very own Beast, one who loves you to distraction,” he promised softly, capturing my mouth in a long kiss. His palms cupped my chin, more delicate than a breath of wind and twice as loving.
Soaking in the certainty that he loved me, I let the head rush take me, not caring that we were kissing in front of the whole town, and, inevitably, my students.
No matter what obstacles life threw at us, I had my very own soft place to land.