“Oh, hey, Mari!” Clark says.
My head shoots up from where my chin was practically resting on my chest. I’m sitting at the Wilder conference table with my brothers and Hanna, trying to stay awake as we plow through a bunch of minor business issues. Mari has just stepped through the doors of Wilder headquarters and is ambling towards us. Even in the last two weeks that she’s been here, her walk has changed. I wouldn’t quite call it a waddle, but it’s adorable.
My caveman-self desperately wants to put one hand on the small of her back and escort her everywhere.
As to why I was almost asleep at the conference table?
I haven’t gotten nearly as much sleep the last few nights as I would have liked.
It’s been four days since I kissed Mari in her RV. Since then, I’ve tried to mostly stay out of her way, except for dropping off breakfast every morning, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what happened. There’s plenty of material there. The curve of her generous breasts in the scoop of her dress, the sight of her finger stroking across that creamy flesh and then delving between her soft lips—
Then, her voice, a plea:
Do it. Just—do it.
I will hear those words every night in my dreams. In fact, I have heard them every night in my fantasies, a little catch of desperation in her voice but utter certainty, too. No hesitation at all.
Then the kiss—a whimper, a moan, her hands clutching my arms, her mouth already open, her tongue clashing with mine.
But the instant my brain clicked back in, I remembered the bracelet. What it said about who she was. A wanderer.
And I remembered why we were both there. For the baby.
Mari sits down in a chair that Clark holds out for her.
“You have an update for us?” he asks, right off.
“Everything’s on track,” she says. “I’ve got contractor meetings all this week, and then I’ll head to Salt Lake City on Monday to grab that range we talked about—”
Screeeeeech!
“Wait, back up,” I say.
Her eyes flick to mine, but when she speaks, she addresses Clark. “There’s a guy in Salt Lake with an almost new bright red range I want for Christian Grey’s red room.” She says it as if it’s a sentence that makes sense. “I have to go pick it up.”
No! She can’t leave town. I haven’t yet convinced her that the baby—our baby—should be raised here—and by both of us.
If I hadn’t known that I had my work cut out for me before I saw the inscription inside her bracelet, I know it now.
I need all the time I can get.
“Let’s send someone with her,” Gabe says.
“I’ll go.” It pops right out of my mouth.
Gabe shakes his head. “I still need to see snow trip proposals from you and Hanna.”
“I can get those done before we go. I can have mine to you tomorrow.”
Even I can hear the desperation in my voice. I know she can. She’s watching me now, an amused expression on her face.
Gabe appears to consider it, then shakes his head again. “Clark says you’ve been indispensable out at the trailer office.”
Damn me for being useful. I should have known better.
“I can go,” another voice offers.
No. No, ani, nyet, non, nee, nein, nope, nope, nope. No fucking way.
The I can go, of course, is Easton’s. Also, it turns out that I said the no fucking way part out loud. But my words have—blessedly—been drowned out by another set of words—Hanna’s.
“Of course Easton wants to go. Pretty girl, small RV, only one bed, getting out of work for a week, what’s not to love?”
Hanna has successfully diverted attention away from me and my outburst. The only person in the room still looking at me with raised eyebrows is Clark. I shake my head at him, and he shakes his back. He’s smirking at me. I scowl. He smirks harder.
Fucking brothers.
“I’m trying to be helpful, Han,” Easton says reasonably.
“You’re trying to win over the new girl to the cause of worshipping at the altar of Easton,” Hanna says.
I have never loved her as much as I do right now.
“The new girl is sitting right here,” Mari says, but her mouth is curled with amusement.
“I would never,” Easton tells Hanna.
She rolls her eyes at him.
“Easton has to plan for summer season, doesn’t he?” I ask. “I don’t think he’s shown us all his summer plan yet. Have you, Easton?”
Easton gives me wounded look. I’ve just thrown him under the bus. There’s a code of honor among us younger brothers on that point. No feeding brothers to the wolves, or the wolf. Gabe.
Unless there’s a woman involved. Then all bets are off.
“That’s true, Eas,” Gabe says sternly. There should be a new adverb for the tone of voice and body language that goes with Gabe’s stern attention. Gabely. He looks around the table. “Okay. Kane. If you can really get the snow trip proposal done early next week, I’ll send you. Assuming that’s okay with you, Mari.”
I can’t read the expression on her face, but in the hopes of staving off any protest, I add, “I’ll be tenting on the road, so no need to worry about sleeping quarters.”
The corner of her mouth quivers. I think she’s trying not to laugh.
“Works for me,” she tells Gabe.
I throw a triumphant look in Easton’s direction. He narrows his eyes at me. I’m getting you back for that.
It’s fine; I’m not scared of Easton. He’s never done anything Gabely in his life.
As we’re all getting up from the table, I catch Clark’s eye again. He gives me an air fist bump.
I return his nod.
But even as I celebrate the victory, I wonder if it’s really a victory. After all, what have I won?
“Thank you.”
I spin around to find Mari standing right behind me, so close I can feel the warmth radiating off her skin. “I’m sure Easton would also have made an excellent companion, but it makes more sense for you to come with me, since we already know each other.”
Pretty sure she’s smirking at me. Pretty sure she put extra emphasis on know.
“And it’s flattering you were willing to go to the mat to be the one to accompany me,” she says. “No fucking way,” she whispers, imitating me.
“You heard that.”
“I might have.”
“I just—” But I’ve got nothing.
“Jealousy’s cute on you,” she says.
I’m still sputtering, trying to come up with a comeback, as she walks away and out of the office.
Yeah. I’ve won the right to spend several days on the road in a very small space with a woman I can’t keep my hands off of…
And know I’m not supposed to touch.