Chapter 6 #3
Megan scampers out of the kitchen towards the living room, leaving me to quickly put the cobbler in the oven and set the timer.
But as I stand there, I decide to make coffee; coffee and cobbler is a perfect ending for this night.
I set it to brew and go out to the living room.
I pause, assessing the best place to sit; there are only a few choices.
I can either sit next to Donovan or Aiden.
Megan took the only single chair and the glint in her eyes tells me she did it on purpose.
Donovan spies me looking as well and pats the seat next to him. Well, that’s settled.
While the cobbler bakes, we all just relax, keeping nice and warm with the coffee and the fire Camden and Brent started.
Even without the fire, I would be warm. The occasional brush of Donovan’s hand on mine and the pressing of his thigh against my leg is enough to give me a heat stroke.
His fingers tangle with mine and I spy a hint of a smirk as he answers some question Megan asks. He is such a tease!
The conversation throughout the night is comfortable, like we have known each other for years.
The guys are very laid back and open about themselves.
They had all grown up together and saw each other often at community functions, and then, when they graduated from high school, they all decided to go into the army together.
If they didn’t all look different, you would have thought they were brothers. And in a sense, they are.
Brent looks gruffand is covered in tattoos, but he is actually the jokester in the group and has one for almost everything.
He has us all laughing more than once, sometimes to the point that there are tears running down our faces.
I do get the impression that even though he is quick to joke, he can be incredibly serious when it’s needed.
He gives off predator that likes to play with his food vibes at times, which both intrigues and unnerves me.
He never specifically says what he does for a living, but he does say it keeps him busy traveling, and when he isn’t traveling, he lives in a very secluded cabin, about an hour away from Don.
When they aren’t coming out to Donovan’s lake house, they usually meet up at Brent’s.
Camden is the quieter one, unless of course he has some alcohol in his system.
But he gives off silly boy next door vibes, probably because of his sandy blonde hair.
He works as a computer specialist for the F.B.I.
in Knoxville, but he is thinking of getting on with Brent doing whatever he does.
There are moments that he gets a pained look on his face, and then he snaps out of it and joins in on the conversation.
Later, when he goes out of the room to get coffee, they tell Megan and me that his girlfriend of two years left him a few weeks ago, which is the reason for the guys’ weekend.
They wanted to get him out of his funk and spend some time away from his apartment and work.
Aiden and Donovan are very similar; they are partners in the police department in Knoxville, both tall with dark hair, they even live a few blocks away from each other.
Donovan is more of the leader of the group, but Aiden is a close second.
Aiden and Donovan are actually cousins, which explains a lot.
Whenever the four of them need some time with nature and to get away from work they come to Donovan’s cabin, which just happens to be across the lake from Megan’s.
Donovan’s grandparents used to own the cabin on Lake Adger, but, unfortunately, it had been sold.
Donovan, having had such fond memories of the place, bought the cabin back as soon as he could afford it, and the four of them have been staying there every time they can get away.
At about midnight, after the cobbler is devoured and they can peel themselves off the couch, the guys decide that it is time to go. They give each of us hugs goodbye, nearly lifting us off the ground. Gosh, they are all strong, and smell so good.
“Tonight was really fun; I’m glad you guys could come over,” Megan tells them.
“It was Camden’s night to cook, and he can’t make food worth a damn unless it’s in a microwave. So thank you for saving us from him,” Brent tells us with a grin.
Camden goes to smack him, but Brent dodges and runs down the hallway towards the front door with Camden close behind. Megan looks at Aiden and Donovan, an eyebrow raised.
“Do you ever feel like the parents with those two?”
They both smirk and say simultaneously, “All the time.”
I walk Aiden and Donovan to the door while Megan lets the dogs out.
As we walk out onto the porch, Camden has Brent in a choke hold.
The sight makes me pause and wonder why it’s so hot.
Their muscles strain as Camden fights to subdue Brent, and Brent tries to break his hold.
My head cocks to the side as I continue to stare.
I’ve never seen anything like this in person.
Aiden sighs, heading down the stairs to break them up, leaving Donovan and I on the porch together.
“What are you thinking about that has that look on your face?” He whispers in my ear, causing me to jerk my attention back to the large man next to me.
“Um, I’ve just never seen anyone fight like that in person. How do they even move like that?”
Donovan chuckles, his body still so close to me and his mouth just a breath away from my ear.
“They are just playing. If they were fighting for real it would be a lot more intense, and probably bloody.”
That mental image makes me shiver, or maybe it’s from Donovan being so close. He gently turns me to face him and I get lost in his deep blue eyes.
“I’m glad we ran into each other again,” he says quietly.
“I am, too,” I smile shyly.
“How long will you be staying with Megan?”
“I’m leaving Monday since it’s only a three day weekend for me.”
He studies me, as if he’s trying to solve a puzzle, but the heat in his eyes makes me want to know what he’s thinking.
“Well, if you two get bored, you can always come over and we can feed you. And I would like to see you again.”
He has a hopeful look on his face, and I just know that if we had been alone, he just might have kissed me.
It becomes incredibly hard for me to think of anything else but wanting him to lean down and put his lips on mine.
I need to see him again; I need to see where this could go.
The feelings swirling around inside me can’t be ignored.
“I will talk to Megan, but I’m sure she will be up for that.”
Someone in the truck honks the horn, jerking us out of the moment.
Donovan shoots them a dirty look over his shoulder before bending down and wrapping me in a warm embrace.
My arms automatically come up to encircle his waist. He’s so tall and his body is so firm.
I keep my hands still, fighting the desire to let them roam across his muscled back.
His scent fills my lungs, and it both calms and arouses me.
A small sigh leaves my lips as I hold onto this man I barely know, but can’t help but be drawn to.
A deep rumble stirs from his chest, the vibration light on my cheek.
Another loud honk from the truck breaks us apart, but not before he slips something into my hand.
I stare at him, at a loss for words as he walks down the steps.
At the bottom, he turns, looking at me from over his shoulder.
“I will be seeing you, Kinley.”
He jogs the rest of the way to the truck, his long legs eating up the distance, and jumps into the driver’s seat.
The engine roars to life, and still I stand there as the truck drives down the driveway and out of sight.
I can’t explain exactly what makes me stare into the darkness.
Am I hoping I will see the truck come back?
I’m not sure, but an emptiness burns in my stomach that I don’t like.
My hands clench, the crinkle of paper drawing my mind back to what Donovan slipped into it.
I look down; on the folded piece of paper is his number and a note underneath saying “I hope to hear from you soon.” Butterflies swarm in my stomach and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.
He will be hearing from me, that is for damn sure.
I run into the house to show Megan, not even caring that I’m acting like one of my high school students who finally got their crush’s number.