Chapter 17
Queen Bee
Lawson woke in Dani’s bed with her curled in his arms. Bibi snored softly in her own bed. The dog had one in every room of the house, proving both she and Dani preferred it when they were close.
She was a fantastic dog—protective and smart—she’d proved it last night when she and Boomer had followed the same trail.
To Lawson, the trail had shown the asshole in a panic. He’d run full out, only swerving when hitting an obstacle. He’d flailed around in the bush a bit, probably trying to figure out his direction.
With Bibi and Lorraine’s dogs on his tail, he would have been nearly shitting himself. Bibi sounded like a hound from hell when she was pissed. He’d bet Lorraine’s big dogs were the same. Deep barks echoing behind as the asshole ran.
Too bad they hadn’t caught him.
The dogs had followed the trail to the road and then back almost fifty yards until the trail had disappeared.
Because the asshole had found his car.
His trail and the distance he’d emerged from the bush proved the fucker didn’t have good wilderness skills. Even in an unfamiliar forest, Lawson and his buddies would have been able to forge a straight path to the vehicle.
The asshole didn’t have training.
No surprise.
His gut told him it had been Jeremy Beaumont, Evelyn’s husband.
The man hadn’t been smart enough to realize that Evelyn was making progress in her conversation with Dani. A more patient man would have waited, and trusted his wife.
Beaumont did neither.
Dani hadn’t said it outright, but it was clear she didn’t like the man, just as it was clear that her sister had been curious about Dani and her life.
Lawson would bet his boots that the woman wouldn’t understand the allure, but at least she’d appeared interested. That boded well for Dani to forge a bond with at least one person in her family.
And it made Lawson curious as hell. What was the brother like? Were he and Beaumont alike? Had he been the one in the field?
No matter how he turned it around, Lawson didn’t think it had been Evelyn or Dani’s mother. He’d have to talk to Bella Robinson about arsonists. Were they typically male?
Dani’s hand moved on his chest. “You’re thinking awfully hard.”
He chuckled and pulled her in more tightly. “Good morning.”
She kissed his chest and climbed up on him, so they were eye to eye. “Did you sleep at all, or did you worry all night?”
He drifted his hands down her back and traced designs low on her spine. “With the way you wore me out last night? I slept. It’s a habit instilled by the army to wake early.”
Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkled at the reminder of their lovemaking the previous night. “I wish we’d discovered more about whoever tried to hurt the bees.”
“We found out a bit. Bibi and Boomer were amazing.”
She sent a smile toward her furry mountain of a dog. “They were. I wish Bella had found something she could use to prove who set the fire.”
Lawson was unsure whether to share his thoughts. If they weren’t about her family, it would be easy.
Dani tilted her head. “You have suspicions. Do you think it might be Jeremy as well?”
He needed to remember how smart she was. “He’s high on my list. Marcus took down his details, and I’m sure he’ll be following up with him today.”
“Good. I think I’ll call Evelyn.”
He grinned. “I was wondering if you might do exactly that.”
She used a finger to tap him lightly on the nose. “Smart guy. What made you think that?”
He shrugged. “From what you said, it wasn’t a long conversation, but I don’t think you or your sister were ready for it to end. She might be curious about you, and what you do here.”
Dani smiled. “I thought so, too. I hope I’m not imagining things. But if I am, and she’s not interested in making a connection, I’m no worse off than before.”
“Maybe try a video call when you’re out with Beatrice and the bees.”
“Good idea. Then I can show her how pretty it is. Evelyn always appreciated pretty things.”
“Show her your wildflowers and your fairy spinners. No one can resist those.”
She grinned. “Thanks. I need to finish more of those and mail them off.”
“I’d love to see you create them. Maybe you can put me to work.”
Some of the sparkle dimmed. “You don’t want me alone.”
He nodded. “For a few reasons. One, I’m worried about the person who set the fire returning. Until this mess is over, I’ll feel better if we’re together.”
She nodded.
Lawson continued to trace designs on her back, but he moved lower. “The second reason has nothing to do with keeping you safe and everything to do with you.”
A soft smile tilted her lips. “Oh, yeah?”
He reached her glorious ass and kept his touch light, making her squirm in the best way. “Yeah. I’m addicted, Dani. To you and your smile. Your flowery dresses and your massive dog. Your work ethic and your bees. I’m addicted to everything that you are.”
The sparkle returned, and she squirmed again. His body had been ready to go before she’d awakened. Now, he was granite hard, and if she kept squirming; he would go cross-eyed trying to maintain control.
“I’m addicted too, Lawson.”
Her quiet words, spoken with clear eyes and sincerity, tossed his control aside.
He flipped them and pressed her hard into the mattress, lips locked on hers. “Maybe we should do something about our mutual addiction.”
She laughed, and her hands roved. “Maybe we should.”
And boy, did they.
Dani had far more spring in her step than her hours of sleep should have provided. Who needed sleep when she had Lawson?
Her body tingled in the very best of ways from their wild lovemaking that morning.
Addicted was a perfect word for how she felt.
In love worked too. She was head over heels, work boots over floppy sun hats, in love.
With a spectacular man. A man she was pretty sure loved her back.
It hadn’t been much more than a month, but she was sure. She was as sure as she’d been when she’d bought this property and ordered her first bee colony.
Which reminded her that the first batch of new bees would be delivered today.
They could set up the first of the new apiaries in the clearing.
She’d ordered the other boxes to arrive with a few days in between each order.
That would help the bees focus on their own hives and not drift away to another.
It would be a good project, and it would keep her and Lawson nearby. She knew Jolie, Thea, and Amber wanted to see how it all worked, so she imagined they’d have a few friends with them as well.
Maybe she’d call Evelyn from the field before the others arrived, or after they’d returned home.
Bibi barked, and they looked up from where they were eating oatmeal drizzled with honey for breakfast.
Lawson moved to the front window. “Delivery van.”
“My bees.”
Lawson shook his head. “I can’t believe bees get sent in the post like a regular package. So weird. I wonder if the driver knows what’s in the box.”
Dani laughed. “Both the bees and the driver are perfectly safe. It’s not like it’s a live crocodile.”
After Dani signed for the delivery, they headed to the garage to gather the materials she’d need.
She slipped the bees and a few tools into a backpack.
Before she could put it on, Lawson took it and slung it over his shoulder.
She’d never had a high school boyfriend who carried her book bag, but this had the same giddy thrill she would have felt back then.
As promised, she’d texted Jolie and Amber, letting them know the bees had arrived, and they would be at the field within the hour.
The family vibe hit her hard. Again.
This was what family was supposed to be like.
She squeezed Lawson’s hand and then stopped. “I’m going to call Evelyn.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Now?”
She grinned. “Now. I’m feeling like I’m part of a family right now. Your family specifically. I’d like to include her in that. Maybe she’ll want to watch as well.”
Lawson nodded. “Good idea. And if she’s busy, you still have a few more bee packages coming. Maybe she can be there for one of them.”
“That might be even better without all the new people.” But she wanted to follow through on the idea and see if her sister would pick up. She made a video call.
In only moments, her sister answered, makeup perfectly in place, wearing a pink suit jacket and a softer pink blouse. It looked like she was in an office, but Dani didn’t know the company headquarters well enough to see if it was there. “Daniella? Wait, sorry. Hello, Dani.”
She remembered and was trying. Dani would do the same. “Hi, Evelyn. We got interrupted when you were here, but I thought you might be interested in seeing a little of my property.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened, and she smiled. “I’d like that. I can tell you’re outside. Is this where you keep your bees?”
Dani nodded. “We’re almost there. I’m here with Lawson and Bibi.”
She angled the phone, and Lawson nodded. “Hello, Evelyn.”
He didn’t growl, and she knew it had to be hard for him.
Her sister’s manners were impeccable as she responded. “Hello, Lawson. It’s nice to meet you.”
Dani angled the camera toward her dog. “And this is Bibi.”
Evelyn smiled softly. “She’s a beautiful dog.”
Dani pulled the phone back to her face. “She is. Very sweet-tempered for the most part.”
Evelyn’s face tightened, and Dani realized she might have taken that as a dig. Bibi had been anything but even-tempered when they’d met in the driveway.
Dani moved on, hoping to explain. “A new batch of bees arrived today, and I’m going to show Lawson how to start a new colony.”
Lawson dug the bees out of the pack and held it up, making Evelyn’s eyes widen. “You get bees in a box?”
Dani laughed. “Delivered by mail. We’re going to start a new colony in a new field, but I thought I’d show you what the working apiaries look like.”
They arrived at Beatrice’s field, and Lawson turned to her. “Why don’t I take the phone? That way, you have free hands to show things to your sister.”