Chapter 2
Man, what was all that about?” Nathan’s voice cuts through my thoughts of Marian as I slide back into my seat.
“Uh, Marian needed a favor,” I say, trying to keep it vague. Now that the moment is over, there’s an unreality about what happened. Suddenly, she was kissing me on the cheek and we were pretending to be a couple. But for something fake, it sure didn’t feel that way when she was in my arms. “She wanted me to play her boyfriend for a minute.”
Laughter erupts from the group, and Lucas slaps his knee, his grin wide. “It’s about damn time you two got together!”
I can’t help but chuckle, shaking my head. “Nah, it’s not like that. It was only a ruse.” But the memory of her in my arms, her lips brushing my cheek, ignites a complex desire inside me.
“Sure, Reggie,” Daryl scoffs, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Just pretend.”
“Come on, we’ve got business to discuss,” I deflect, leaning forward to bring the conversation back on track.
“Alright, men. If you’ve gotten all that out of your system, let’s get back to business,” Waylon says.
We resume our talk about work, the mountain, and the plans for the future. All the while, Marian’s soft smile dances behind my eyes, making it hard to concentrate.
“Reggie, you’ve been quiet. Something on your mind?” Waylon’s voice cuts through the hum of conversation, snapping me back to the present.
“Actually, yeah,” I start, adjusting my glasses with a finger. “I’ve been talking to Jake over at Ghost Security about an upgrade for the surveillance around the cabins. Creek Ravine especially.”
“Good call.” Nathan nods, his thick beard bobbing slightly. “What’s the damage looking like?”
“Still waiting on a final quote,” I reply, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. “But it won’t be cheap. We’re talking top-of-the-line gear.”
“Get it done,” Waylon says decisively, his dark eyes scanning the room. “We can’t put a price on safety.”
“Will do,” I agree, making a mental note to follow up first thing in the morning.
Waylon leans back and crosses his arms, his gaze sweeping over each of us. “Now, about those two empty cabins. I was thinking of inviting a couple of new guys to join us up here. Thoughts? Objections?”
“More hands, less work,” Lucas chimes in, always the practical one.
“We could use extra hands when it comes to the rental properties.” Daryl laughs and strokes his beard. He wasn’t laughing last season with what happened with his fiancé Ana, but we all stood together and kept her safe.
“Anyone in mind?” I ask, curious but hesitant. The mountain is our sanctuary. Bringing someone new in always has growing pains.
“Nobody specific yet,” Waylon admits. “Silas over at the VA Center said there were a couple of men who recently mustered out and who might be a good fit for us.”
“Change isn’t necessarily bad, Reggie,” Nathan teases, catching my wary glance. “You might even like it.”
“Ha-ha,” I grumble, not entirely convinced. It’s no secret that I like order and don’t like change. Order is what keeps me sane.
“Alright, let’s keep our options open then,” Waylon concludes, and the others nod in agreement.
“Reggie’s just scared he’ll have to share his tech toys,” Lucas jokes, and the room fills with laughter.
“Let’s wrap this up,” I say, pushing back from the table. “I’ve got things to do.”
“Like dream about Marian?” Nathan teases, and I can’t help the flush that creeps up my neck.
“Enough,” I snap, but I know they’re only teasing me as much as I teased them when they were single. Payback is definitely a bitch.
“Later, Flagg,” they call out as I head for the door, my thoughts already drifting back to Marian.
Shruggingoff the day’s weight, I grab a cold beer from the fridge and push open the screen door to the front porch.
I drop into the creaky porch swing, bottle cap hissing as it twists free. Most nights, I use the quiet up here to work through programming problems and get all my thoughts in order. But not tonight.
Tonight, my mind plays a different reel, one where Marian is sitting next to me up here, and we’re recounting our days as we watch the sky and count shooting stars. I rub the side of my face at the memory of her kiss. It’s been a badly kept secret how much I care for her, but I didn’t realize how deeply I want her in my life until she was literally in my arms.
She fit so naturally in my arms as if we were designed for each other. I can still feel the press of her body, the softness of her lips against my cheek, the press of her breasts against my chest when she hugged me.
I’ve been lusting after Marian since Waylon hired her at King Tap. With her fiery hair, she immediately caught my eye. Then I saw her sweet smile and luscious curves, and it was instant boner whenever I saw her. I can’t count the number of times my dick has been as hard as steel and pointing the way home when I leave King Tap. But I want her more than just because she’s sexy as fuck. I haven’t even looked at another woman since the first night I saw Marian—no woman even comes close to comparing to her.
I’m so lostin my thoughts that I barely hear my phone ringing inside my cabin. When I see it’s Marian, warmth floods me.
“Reggie, did I catch you at a bad time?”
I smile at the sound of her voice and head back to my porch. I chuckle, shifting slightly in my chair, the wood creaking under me. “Nah, just having my nightly chat with the stars. What can I do for you?”
“I just... wanted to thank you again for earlier. You really saved me. I know I totally sandbagged you like that, but my parents…” Her voice trails off.
My heart clenches at hearing her confirm that she’s tense with her parents, and what I saw wasn’t a one-off strained visit.
The scent of her hair and the memory of holding her close flashes across my mind. “It wasn’t a problem, Marian. You know I’ve got your back.” These words are inadequate for the depth of my feelings, but I don’t know how else to tell her I’ll always be there for her.
Her voice has a breathy quality as she thanks me again. I close my eyes, imagining it’s just us, alone under this expansive, starlit sky, and she’s curled against me and telling me how she likes to be touched.
“Well,” she says, and I instantly know something else has happened. “Can you keep pretending to be my boyfriend a little while longer? My parents have asked us to join them for dinner tomorrow night. If it’s too much, just say the word, and I’ll make an excuse for your absence.”
Marian’s question shoots a jolt through me. I’m on my feet now, pacing the length of the porch.
“Of course,” I hear myself say, steadier than I feel. “What time?”
“They suggested Ciao, Bella, at six. Is that okay?” Her voice trembles with relief, and I can almost see her shoulders unknotting over the line.
“Six is fine,” I say, making a mental note to reschedule my meeting with Jake from Ghost Security. We’re scheduled to meet tomorrow at four, and there’s no way I could do that and be back and cleaned up for Marian in time. My meeting with Jake is important, but it can easily wait another day or two. Marian needs me tomorrow, so no way am I leaving her hanging. “Where am I picking you up?”
She rattles off her address, and I memorize the details the same way I memorized coordinates when going on a mission in the Army.
“Reggie, you’re a lifesaver.” There it is again. That breathy sigh as she speaks. Fuck. My cock is aching just from the sound of her voice.
“Never a doubt, Marian,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant. “You’ll never have to find out what you’d do without me.”
The line goes quiet, too quiet. Did I say too much?
“Reggie, thank you. You’ve already helped me so much. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Hopefully, in my arms and with those breathy sighs.