Chapter 39
RACHEL
In true Justin fashion, he woke me up with breakfast in bed. Naturally, he delivered it wearing nothing but boxers and a buffalo plaid apron with Kiss the Cook embroidered on the chest. For a man who claims he doesn’t cook, he nailed the perfect Denver omelet, and his homemade hash browns were better than any I’ve ever made.
I expected to spend the day hanging out by the water like we did yesterday afternoon, but he’d barely cleared the tray from the bed before he told me to hop in the shower and put on the comfiest clothes I brought.
That was an hour ago, and now we’re headed toward Green Bay. For what, he will not tell me.
“The suspense is killing me, you know.”
He chuckles from behind the wheel. “I can tell. You can’t sit still over there.”
“Are we at least getting close?”
“Yep.” On cue, he hits the blinker and merges right toward an exit. But it’s not for one of the bigger streets that I’m familiar with, so I’m not any closer to getting answers.
“How about a hint now?” I’ve asked three times already, but that was miles ago.
“Your students have more patience than you, don’t they?” He shoots me a sidelong smirk.
I tip my head from side to side. “Hmm. Probably.”
He lifts his chin toward the windshield. “Keep looking. We’re almost there.”
With a sigh, I concede. In a matter of moments, he pulls into the parking lot of a two-story white brick building lined with lush, lavender hydrangea bushes. My pulse picks up at the sight of the gorgeous place. But as breathtaking as it is, I have no clue what it is.
Until the sign near the door comes into view.
A spa? Am I reading that correctly?
I turn to Justin as he parks the truck, my mouth agape. “Are you serious?”
With an adorable smile, he unbuckles. “I didn’t drive us all the way here just to park. Let’s go.”
I poke his arm from across the console, then break the news. “I hate to tell you, but places like this usually book out for weeks. There’s no way we’re getting service today.” I appreciate the thought, though. Even if I am a little disappointed that this won’t happen today like he probably hoped. I’ve been to a spa once in my life, and that was for my cousin Louella’s bachelorette party. I was sixteen. It was literally half my life ago.
“I know people.” He flashes another grin and hops out.
I stare in disbelief as he rounds the front of the truck and comes to open my door. “Like who? Actually, no. Don’t tell me.” He probably used to date someone who works here.
“Amelia works in Green Bay a lot. She has tons of friends down here. One of them happens to manage this spa.”
“Oh.” The giddy butterflies that were too hesitant to flutter moments ago let loose in my stomach. “So, you are serious.”
He rolls his eyes and reaches around me to unbuckle my seat belt. Then he hooks an arm around my waist and tugs me out of the truck. “Let’s get inside before we’re late.”
I manage to hold back my excitement for two point three seconds before I squeal and clap my hands like a little girl in front of a pony.
The place is fancy. Like fancy-fancy. The instant we step inside, a peaceful ambience settles over us. The air here feels lighter. Cleaner. The lobby smells amazing, too. Like citrus and something slightly masculine. Sexy. And maybe a little erotic.
Soft music plays from overhead, as well. I can’t tell what it is because it’s so quiet, but the culmination of it all immediately puts me at ease.
Though there’s a quiet voice in my head stealing a little of my joy and warning me that this place must cost a fortune.
“Justin, this is too much,” I whisper, looping my arm around his. I have no idea what comes next, but I can’t imagine it’s anything less than five-star luxury.
He kisses the top of my head. “Nothing is too much for you.” He stops a few feet in front of the receptionist, who holds up a finger to indicate she’s on the phone. Turning to me, he lifts my chin, ensuring that I can’t miss the soft but resolute look in his eyes. “I take care of what’s mine. And make no mistake about it—you are mine.”
Those silly butterflies whirl in my stomach anew. I’ll never tire of him saying things like that, just like I’ll never tire of being his.
“I love you.” I press up on my toes and kiss him.
“I love you, too. But you’re going to have to keep all that love in check for the next couple of hours.”
“What do you mean?”
He waggles his brows. “Naked couple’s massage.”
“Ha-ha. Funny guy.”
The receptionist clears her throat. “Undressing is optional, but many couples”—she angles herself over the counter and winks—“find that being naked just a couple of feet away from each other heightens the experience.”
What the heck kind of spa is this?
Justin grins. “You feeling bold today, Sunny?”
I wasn’t, but the challenge in his voice is loud and clear. “I think I might be.”
His brows lift in surprise. “You know I was only kidding, right?”
With a one-shoulder shrug, I grin right back. “That was your first mistake.”
The receptionist gives a soft laugh. “Let’s get you checked in, Mr. and Mrs. Enders. Then I’ll give you a few moments to make some decisions before I take you back to your room.”
Mr. and Mrs. Enders? Oh, he’s on fire today, isn’t he?
He steps up to the counter, takes care of the payment, and joins me in the sitting area with clipboards and paperwork.
“Mister and missus?” I mutter.
He shrugs, and the expression on his face is the opposite of apologetic. “Has a ring to it, doesn’t it?”
Heat ignites in my chest and radiates through me. Even so… “You should let me get divorced first.”
“Eh, that’s just a technicality.”
I bite back a grin, but it slips just a little at the reality of this moment, though not for long.
I’m moments away from getting buck naked in a room with my new man and a couple of strangers, and thinking about my impending divorce doesn’t make me want to run to the bathroom to lose my breakfast.
Who the heck am I?
And when did I become so damn happy?
JINX
I’ve beensemi-hard since Rachel accidentally-on-purpose dropped her towel before and after our couple’s massage. And when she moaned every time the guy who gave her a pedicure rubbed the arches of her feet, it was all I could do not to crawl out of the pedicure chair and break the guy’s hands.
Now she’s leading me into the restaurant I’ve been looking forward to trying since I made the reservation yesterday, and I can’t keep from staring at her ass in that goddamn navy dress she taunted me with two friggin’ months ago.
I’m not even hungry anymore. Not for food, anyway. But her? I laugh to myself, but there’s not a bit of humor in it. Her, I’m starving for. And I plan to abso-fucking-lutely devour her when we get back to the cabin tonight.
“You seem tense,” she says once the hostess seats us at a table overlooking the lake. There are a couple of boats out on the water, their lights and the moon casting beams of silver on the surface.
“I am.” I shake my napkin out onto my lap to cover my half erection. “I hope you enjoyed our spa day, because I certainly didn’t.”
She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, her cheeks going pink. “I enjoyed it very much. My muscles haven’t felt this relaxed in ages.”
Uh-huh. She’ll be changing her tune later. That accolade will be mine and mine alone.
“And I think you enjoyed yourself plenty. You just don’t want to admit it.”
I half snort, half scoff. “The towel drops? Yeah, I liked those. But witnessing the way that guy almost made you come by massaging your feet? I could’ve done without that.”
Lips pursed and sultry lashes lowered, she reaches across the table and takes my hand. “You have nothing to worry about, handsome. You’re the only man who’s ever made me come without help.”
“Damn right I am. And I’ll be the only one to ever do it, too.” I lock my gaze on hers to solidify my point. “Mark my words.”
That light blush deepens, and she adjusts a bit in her seat so she can cross her legs.
“How does it feel?” I taunt. “To be turned on and unable to do a damn thing about it?”
“Hmm.” She lets go of my hand and picks up her water glass. “The difference between you and me is that I like the build-up and the anticipation.”
“Oh, so now you have patience?” I laugh.
She simply smiles as the waitress appears with our drinks, ready to take our order. Luckily, Rachel read the menu choices off to me on the way here, so we both knew what we wanted before we stepped inside.
Kinda like I knew I wanted her before she was even single.
That might make me an asshole, but I saw something in her that day she came to the office with Craig’s coffee and lunch. I recognized the neglected, lonely woman beneath that fitted skirt and blouse, and I knew then and there that, if the opportunity ever presented itself, I’d do everything in my power to make her smile.
Now she’s mine. And she’s happy. It’s a boost to the ego to know I had a hand in that.
“So, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” she says, her tone soft but serious, clearly shelving the flirtation for a bit.
“All right.” I lift my bottle of beer. “Is it about the divorce?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “That’s the last thing I want to talk about. Court is in ten days, and I can’t wait to put it behind me.” She clears her throat. “I talked to Dalton the other day. We ran into each other at the Cole Stop. He’s impressed with how much Mason improved from last summer to now.”
“I am, too. You ever think about sending him to football camp? He could learn a lot and develop skills that could help him if he wants to play in high school and beyond.”
She frowns. “No. I mean, yes, I have thought about that. But that’s not where I’m going with this.”
Despite my best effort to stop them, a rush of nerves skitters down my spine at her serious tone and expression. “Okay…”
“I know what you did.”
Oh. My stomach twists itself into knots. She wasn’t supposed to find that out.
“He told me that you asked him if you could help coach, not the other way around.”
Heat burns up the back of my neck, but I shrug it off. I don’t regret the decision one bit. Even if I wish she hadn’t found out about it.
“Mason told you he wasn’t going to play because of the transportation issue,” she says, leaning forward, getting closer, “and you offered to coach so he’d always have a ride to practice and his games.”
No point in denying it. “That’s accurate.”
“Justin…”
I lift a hand, swallow past the lump in my throat. “The kid wanted to play, Sunny. I had to do what I had to do.”
“While you were also working eighty-million hours a week.”
I give a crooked grin. “I survived.”
“Barely.”
Okay, now she’s being dramatic. And it’s cute as hell.
“You are too good to me. And to my kids. You know that, right?”
I shake my head. “Nah, Sunny. I’m really not. I’m just more than you’re used to.” I reclaim her hand. “But you better get used to it, because I plan to be around for a long time.”
Her lashes flutter as she bites her lip. “You’re going to ruin me, aren’t you?”
“No.” I bring her knuckles to my mouth. Press a kiss there. “But I am going to love the hell out of you.”
“Well, you’re off to a great start,” she says, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Now I wish we were back at the cabin so I could love the hell out of you right back.”
Chuckling, I thumb toward the door. “We could take our food to go.”
She laughs. “You’re not eating a forty-dollar steak out of a take-out box, Justin Enders.”
“I would for you.”
She rolls her eyes as the hostess approaches with another couple in tow. I do a double take when I catch a glimpse of the guy’s face.
“Holy shit.”
The familiar man wears a scowl as he turns our way. That’s when I notice the toddler on the woman’s hip.
Holy crap.
“Colton Wade.” I get to my feet and extend a hand.
My old buddy blinks for a second, then breaks out into a grin. “Jinx Enders. Well, I’ll be damned.”
We do the part handshake, part hug thing and then stand back, both of us shaking our heads in disbelief.
“What’s it been? Eight years?” I ask.
He used to come up north with his buddies to tear up the back roads on their dirt bikes. Then he took his skills to the big leagues and earned himself a couple of motocross titles. Not on the courses, though. The high-flying stuff. Tricks and shit.
“Something like that.” He stands back and gestures to the woman and the little girl. “This is my wife, Taylor. You might’ve met her before. And our daughter, Freya. She’s new.”
I chuckle and offer my hand to Taylor. She looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t say for sure. “Nice to meet you both.” I gesture to Rachel, who also gets to her feet, her focus already on the cute curly-haired little girl.
“Aren’t you a spitting image of your mama,” she says, tickling the girl’s cheek. “I’m Rachel.” She smiles at Taylor. “Jinx’s girlfriend.”
The two make small talk, presumably about the toddler, while I try to focus on Colton and not on the fact that Rachel just called herself my girlfriend. Obviously, she is, but hearing her say it…
That one word is nowhere near enough.
She’s my all-in. My ride or die.
And as soon as she’s ready, I’m going to make her my wife.
I don’t care whether I have to wait a year or a decade.
She’s already planted her seed in my heart, and I will nurture our love for as long as it takes.