Chapter 5
Bree
“Let’s play Two Truths and a Lie.”
We’ve been in the vault for about forty-five minutes, trying to find ways to pass the time while avoiding any references to meeting in Austin.
Luckily, it’s not stuffy in here. Declan and I have already named all fifty states, the capitals of about half, and played several rounds of the alphabet game.
We gave up while listing cars from A to Z, giving up at the letter Q.
Declan’s jeans rustle slightly as he shifts. “Upping the stakes, I see.”
“What stakes? There are no stakes.”
“Now it’s personal. We’re going to learn some things about each other.”
“We’re stuck in a vault in the dark with a dog that’s not ours. Might as well.”
He chuckles, the sound deep and rich. “I’ll go first. So, Bree. Two truths… or a lie?” He drags out the question, laced with humor and a hint of suggestion.
My foot finds his and kicks it slightly. “That’s not going first.”
The little puppy is curled into a snuggly ball between us, Declan’s flannel shirt covering her up. We’re sitting on the floor against one of the leather sofas, where we’ve been since the lights timed out. Eventually the puppy got curious and made its way over.
“I’m waiting, Austin.” The low timbre of his voice, and the way he uses it to say my nickname, sends chills up my body.
“Fine.” I pause, the rise and fall of the puppy’s breathing steady. “I count the number of steps I take from one spot to the next. I graduated from Vanderbilt. I have a tattoo of an Emily Dickinson poem in a secret location.”
“Interesting, Austin.” He nudges my foot with his, mimicking my move from moments ago.
“I don’t want to insult you by assuming that Vanderbilt is the lie.
Obviously the truth. If that really is your alma mater, it makes sense that you would have a Dickinson tattoo.
So, I’m going with the steps. Nobody does that. ”
“Wrong. I do that.”
“That’s an odd thing to do.”
“Maybe, but my sister does it, too.”
“So, it’s got to be the tattoo. Because you’re obviously a Vanderbilt girl.”
“Third generation.”
“If you were to get a Dickinson tattoo, what would it be?”
“’Beauty is not caused. It is.’”
He emits a low hum deep in his throat, his bicep brushing my shoulder. “Love that.” His hand reaches out, finding my knee and tracing a slow circle on my skin.
“Your turn.” My words sing-song despite the seeds of lust germinating inside my abdomen.
“I have a spreadsheet ranking every coffee shop I’ve ever visited. I can identify trees by smell alone if I’m blindfolded. Two years ago, I was banned from a hardware store for ‘excessive lumber enthusiasm.’”
Laughter bubbles out of me before I can stop it, waking the puppy. “How am I supposed to figure that out, Declan?”
“Using that Vanderbilt education might help.”
“If it weren’t dark in here, you’d see my eye roll all the way from Nashville.
” The puppy shifts again, and we both reach down to pet her fur, our fingertips brushing.
Tiny sparks ripple through me at his touch, and I am so glad that it’s dark, or he’d see the blush blooming on my cheeks.
“I’m going with the coffee shop. You have two options about trees. ”
“You—”
“I change my mind. My Vanderbilt education trained me that lies can sometimes hide among the most obvious choices.”
“Interesting idea.”
“Who smells trees? That’s obviously the lie.”
“I appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to the choice, but I’ve never been banned from a hardware store. It was from Hank & Lulu’s.”
“Declan!” I purse my lips, chucking his shoulder with mine. “The Jenkinses are the nicest people. What did you do?”
“I brought three different girls on three different dates to the diner all in one day.” He chuckles. “I was in high school.”
My knee nudges his thigh. “They’re vicious. I like it. How long did it take for Hank and Lulu to let you back in?”
“Immediately. One of my brothers ratted me out to my uncle, who promptly drove my ass up there to apologize. He also made me volunteer there every weekend for a month. After that, they kept me on as a Sunday server.”
“Was that your uncle who you were with the other day?”
“That was him. The one and only Lucas Graham Wilder. He took me and my brothers in after our parents died.”
I think back to the plaque on the wall at the Chamber of Commerce. “I’m sorry for your loss, Declan.”
“Thanks. Me, too.” He shifts, his body leaning against the couch behind us.
“My uncle Luke is great. He started Wilder Industries on his own, learning the lumber trade in Montana, where I was born. He moved to Texas when I was really young after some land opened up. Now, my brothers and I own half, with Uncle Luke owning the other half .”
A half-smile stretches across my face. Of course he’s a freaking lumberjack. “Okay. My turn. I can speak French. I got kicked out of my sorority for a prank involving the dean’s office. I lost my fifth-grade spelling bee by incorrectly spelling ‘sesquipedalian’.”
“If you can say ‘sesquipedalian,’ then you can probably speak French. So I’m going with getting kicked out of the sorority. Lies.”
“You’re right. It’s what got me elected president my senior year.”
“So how does one spell ‘sesquipedalian’?”
“Heck if I know. I lost to that bitch Serena Adams.”
We both burst out laughing, our heads bowing close, our noses touching. Our lips are a whisper apart. I’m not sure if I move first, or if Declan does, but our mouths meet, soft and searching. I pull back, my hand finding his jaw, as the puppy snores between us.
“Cal isn’t my boyfriend.”
“I know, Austin.”
The familiar scent of his cologne wraps around me as our lips meet, the woodsy citrus making my toes curl.
I can’t help but smile against his mouth at the way my body remembers this.
His lips find mine, warm and sure, his thumbs tracing my cheekbones.
His breath mingles with mine for a heartbeat before he leans in, his short beard grazing my skin as his lips touch mine, sending another delicious shiver down my spine.
The kiss is soft and unhurried, as if we have all the time in the world.
Nothing like in Austin. Yet, it’s just as delicious, maybe even more so because I know where this could lead.
He doesn’t rush things, though. Instead, his fingers cup my neck as his lips open, a little bit of tongue seeking mine.
Desire radiates through me, but I keep our kiss where it is.
When we finally part, Declan’s nose nuzzles mine as he whispers, “Definitely worth getting locked in the vault, Austin.”
“Same.”
Without warning, the puppy stirs, jumping up with a loud bark. We scramble to catch her little body before she bolts away from us, and Declan catches her just as the vault door opens. The lights flip on automatically, bathing us in amber light that is much brighter than it should be.
“Well, hi.” My boss, Nash Rivers, stands in the doorway to the vault along with Walker James and Cal, taking in the scene before him
Cal’s expression is a mixture of relief and fear. “Thank gawd, BreeBree. We couldn’t find you at first, but Nash suggested reaching out to Hannah, and her phone showed your location is here. The dot’s still blue.”
My hands reach toward the lights to block their sudden brightness as Declan hops up. He extends his hand to help me stand before scooping the puppy into his arms.
My eyes adjust to the light, and I can see tears brimming Cal’s eyes. Poor guy. “Hey. We’re okay, Cal. Truly. It’s okay.”
Walker walks forward, wordless, and pulls me in for a tight hug. There is absolutely nothing going on between us—he’s way too young for me. Still, his concern is touching.
Nash clears his throat, and Walker pulls back, nodding at me. “Wish I would’ve known y’all were down here, Bree.”
Before I can respond, Declan does it for both of us. “She was fine. We found ways to pass the time.”
I turn to him, incredulous at his obvious territorial claim.
Nash ignores the subtext. “Just curious, and no shaming intended here, but why didn’t you use the safety release?”
“It didn’t work.” I smooth my hands on my skirt, my bare feet seeking my heels that I long ago abandoned.
Nash heads over to the silver plate on the wall. “What do you mean it didn’t work?”
“I pressed and pressed it, but nothing happened.”
Nash bites his lip, his nostrils flaring like he’s trying not to laugh as I speak. “The latch lifts and clicks.” He demonstrates, popping the lever out before lifting it with a loud click.
Declan bursts out laughing, causing the puppy to lick his chin as I turn beet red. I should have known this.
“Good to see you, man.” Nash steps over to Declan, slapping his back like two old friends. “Who’s this?”
“Not sure yet. Bree rescued the little thing from oncoming traffic.”
“You keep Nash in line while rescuing dogs?” Walker winks at me. “I know I liked you, Bree Winthrop.”
I don’t need his excessive flirting right now. Walker James is definitely not interested in me, but Declan doesn’t know that from the way his jaw clenches whenever the country artist speaks.
Cal, a little late to the party, looks from me to Declan, back to me. “Uh, hi, sweetheart.” He shifts over to me and awkwardly puts his arm around my shoulders. “I was worried about you.”
“He knows we’re not dating, Cal.”
I should be offended at the relief on his features or how quickly his arm disappears, but he did me a solid by still playing along with my stupid farce, so he’s forgiven. And is it me, or is Walker James smiling a little at Cal’s quick rejection?
Nash takes in the four of us, shaking his head.
He motions to me and Delcan. “I know there’s a story here, but I’ve got to get home to Rebecca.
She’s craving salmon and strawberries, so it’s grill time for me.
” He holds up a high-five aimed at me. “Glad you’re alright, Bree.
Can’t have you disappearing on us now. I don’t think Walker here would know how to function without you. ”
The young artist is a little needy, but only because he’s green. The poor guy just doesn’t know what he doesn’t know yet.
To Declan, Nash adds, “Still on for poker tomorrow night?”
“Wouldn’t miss it, man. Bannon’s house, right?” Ryder Bannon is Nash’s cousin and a fire captain for the Cobalt County Fire Department. He’s a fixture in my circle now, especially when Nash’s daughter Harlow is around.
“Yep.”
“Thanks for the rescue, Nash.” I reach over, scratching the pup behind her ears. She must like it because the little thing leans into it. “How did you guys figure out we were in the studio?”
“When you didn’t join us at the compound to debrief, we knew something was up.”
Poor Cal looks sheepish. “Sorry again, Bree.”
I pull my friend in for a hug. “It’s not like you did it on purpose, Cal. You had said you’d lock the vault. It’s really okay.”
Declan puts out a hand with a nod. “No hard feelings, man. Could’ve happened to anybody.” The way his biceps flex with this simple movement underneath the white tee makes my insides quiver. It’s a good thing I couldn’t see him all this time, or I might have melted right into a puddle of lust.
He nods toward the pup in his arms. “Do you think that vet is still open?”
“It said six.” I look at the clock on the wall. “It’s five-fifteen now. We can make it. I can drive. My car’s right in front.”
As Declan slides into my SUV, I can’t help noticing how natural it feels to have this lumberjack of a man in my space.
Huh.