Chapter Nine

“Here are the rules,” Grams said as Taylor slid another waffle onto his plate from the platter in the center of the table. Mom had made a second batch after his uncle and sister had decimated the first go-round.

“We know the rules,” Bethany said from the chair to his right. “Let’s just get to it! I’m ready to win.” She arched an eyebrow at Taylor. He answered by stuffing another bite of waffle in his mouth and winking at Caitlin on his other side.

“I’m explaining the rules for Caitlin, who’s new to the tradition. Also, I made some modifications, Miss Priss, so hold tight.”

“Miss Priss,” Taylor teased, leaning close to Bethany. She punched him hard in the arm, and Caitlin laughed. He loved that sound. Hell, he’d take another punch to hear it again.

“First,” Grams continued from her place at the head of the table. “This year, we’re not drawing partners. We’re twisting for them.” She held up the Twister game box. “Skill rather than chance this time.”

“Boo,” Taylor said. “I like the element of chance.”

“That’s because you don’t have any skills,” his sister said.

“I bet Caitlin thinks he has some skills.” Uncle Rock waggled his eyebrows. “Mad skills.” Attie popped Rock with her napkin.

Little did they know Caitlin didn’t have a clue about his mad skills, and it was going to stay that way. Best all around to keep it in the friend zone. If seeing her fake morning after rumpled earlier had almost driven him over the edge, he couldn’t imagine what the real deal would do to him.

“The Twister winner assigns partners, then we’re off to the races. First, though, I’m adding something extra. Instead of just winning the golden staff this year, I’m adding a little something special.”

Taylor had never known her to deviate from the traditions. He set his fork down, and put a proprietary this-is-my-fiancée arm over the back of Caitlin’s chair as Grams passed out notecards and envelopes. Then she slid pencils to everyone.

“Put your name on the outside of the envelope and write the name of your favorite charity on that card. I’ll donate a thousand dollars to the winner’s charity.”

Wow. Well that was different. And really cool.

“No peeking!” Grams said when Uncle Rock snuck a peek at Bethany’s card. Caitlin shielded her card with her hand as she wrote. Taylor thought through his favorite charities. Wounded Warrior Project and Habitat for Humanity ranked right up there. He also had a favorite charity that provided service dogs for wounded vets. He donated to those annually, though. Maybe he should select something new to him. Something more local. He grinned and wrote, then stuffed it in the envelope. Grams collected the envelopes and set them on the hearth.

“So, if everyone’s ready, let’s get started!” Grams stood and opened the Twister box. She pitched the plastic mat to Bethany, who spread it out in the middle of the floor near the fireplace. “We’re not playing all at one time.” She slid Taylor a look. “It was a disaster last year. We’re dueling in pairs. Attie, since you’re not playing, you draw who goes first.”

His aunt had a wicked case of arthritis. She was a tough woman, but running through the snow for the family scavenger hunt was out of the question.

Aunt Attie drew Mom and Bethany, which was a pretty good match until Mom started to giggle and lost her balance. Next, Bethany handily beat Dad, who didn’t even try.

“Rocky!” Attie said drawing the next name. “Give him what for, Bethy!” she called as they faced off on opposite sides of the mat.

“Don’t give me that sassy look, young lady. I’ve got fifty years on you and can still out twist you.”

“Sixty years, Uncle Rock. Try not to hurt yourself, okay?”

“Left foot blue!” Grams called. Both placed their left foot on a blue dot.

“Right foot red!”

“You having fun?” Taylor whispered in Caitlin’s ear.

Grinning huge, she nodded. “Your family is amazing. You’re really lucky.”

He certainly was. His throat tightened as he remembered Jane’s mention of Caitlin’s screwed-up home life. He’d been disappointed when Caitlin had drawn her line in the sand about sex, but the more he knew about her, the happier he was that she was here, no matter the terms. At least that’s what he kept telling himself, despite his body calling his bluff. He liked her. And so did Beau, who was nudging her hand to pet him.

“Right hand yellow!”

“Nope.” As he did every time they played this game, Uncle Rock threw up his hands and quit when it came time to lean over on the mat. Bethany did a victory lap around the room with her arms in the air, shouting ridiculous things like “The girl is unbeatable” and “The crowd goes wild!”

“Taylor!” Aunt Attie called.

He unlaced his snow boots and slid them off.

“No farting this time!” Bethany said. “That’s cheating.”

Taylor flashed a smartass grin. “You started it, if you’ll remember.” He walked to the opposite side of the mat from her. “And it’s not cheating.”

“Right hand green!” Grams called.

“And no snapping my bra strap, either,” Bethany scolded. “That’s the only reason you won last year.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He gave his sister a sly smile, intentionally picking a dot near her side. Since it was on her left, she had to angle her body to make the dot. So far so good.

Grams flicked the spinner. “Left foot red!”

Taylor laughed. Again, it was easy for him since the red was on his left. Bethany had to contort to make this one since it was opposite for her. She shot him a look, clearly expecting him to do something to turn the game. He didn’t plan to disappoint.

Bethany’s voice was strained from her effort to hold her pose. “Hey, Taylor. Your fly’s unzipped.”

“Nice try,” he said with a grin.

“Left hand red,” Grams called.

This time he reached across her and asked, “Did you give Mom your phone password?”

Her eyes widened in horror. “No. Why?” From the position she was holding, she couldn’t turn to look at their mom and dad on the sofa without falling over.

Fighting back a grin, he answered sincerely, “Well, if you have a green and white striped case, it looks like she’s checking out your phone.”

She twisted to look over her shoulder and lost her center of balance, touching the mat with her knee.

“She’s out!” Grams called.

“Mom doesn’t have my phone!” Bethany delivered a totally respectable punch to his shoulder. “Just wait, big bro. Gonna wipe the floor with you in the scavenger hunt. Especially when Caitlin beats you and gets to choose partners. Boys against girls, okay, Caitlin? We’re gonna kill it!”

“Deal,” Caitlin said, taking her place on the mat opposite him. “Ready, Blankenship?” she taunted, doing a quick once-over as if checking him out.

Two could play that game. He crossed his arms over his chest and slowly scanned her, starting with her blond hair, pulled back in a ponytail, to her fluffy green sweater he was pretty sure concealed the black lace bra from the drawer handle, to her navy snow pants, to her hot pink socks with poodles on them. By the time he raised his eyes back up to hers, he hoped that the once-over play had worked on her, because it had certainly worked on him. Focus was going to be hard-won.

“Right hand green,” Grams called.

Taking a play out of his book, Caitlin placed her hand on a dot on his side of the mat. He had to twist since it was on the opposite side for him.

“Right foot green.”

Well that sucked. He was already in a bad spot. Caitlin looked totally at ease.

“Left foot red.”

Shit. Taylor strained to keep his balance, and Caitlin gave him a sweet smile. “You should try yoga. Works wonders for balance and flexibility.”

Okay. That got his mind going in all kinds of places as he imagined her doing yoga. Naked.

Grams spun the dial and called out several more commands that had him crossing over her body to keep his balance.

“Hey Taylor. Are you going to ask me about my phone?” she whispered, maneuvering to reach the next dot. “Or maybe you should pop my bra like you did your sister’s last year?”

He looked down at her balanced under his body and lifted an eyebrow. “Should I?”

“Left hand blue!”

“It wouldn’t work,” Caitlin said with her mouth close to his ear.

He placed his left hand on a blue dot, straining to not fall as she maneuvered to reach a dot. Ploy. It was all a ploy to win. She was psyching him out. He had to win in order to have her as his partner. She’d agreed to pick Bethany if she won. No way was he going to be paired with Uncle Rock again this year. “Why wouldn’t it work?”

Her muscles shook from the exertion of holding her pose that had her looking like an upside down crab or something with her back to the ground. “Because I’m not wearing a bra.”

“Left foot yellow.”

Holy crap. She was good. But he was better. He grinned down at her and arched an eyebrow. “That’s interesting,” he said, moving his left foot to the yellow dot. “Because I am wearing one.”

It worked. She busted out laughing and fell flat on her back, knocking his right leg out from under him, which resulted in his full weight landing on top of her.

Neither of them were laughing now. Instead, it was like a time warp or something where everything blurred out except the sound of her rapid breaths and the feel of her warm, soft body beneath him.

“Uh-oh,” she breathed.

No shit. Uh-oh for sure. All he had to do was lower his head two inches and he could kiss her again. Limits, his brain reminded him. Fuck limits, his body replied.

…

Well, this is awkward, Caitlin thought. Taylor was staring at her lips like he was going to kiss her. And amazing.

Someone to her right cleared their throat.

And way too public.

“Taylor is the winner,” Grams announced.

Evidently, hearing his name snapped him back to the moment, because the I’m-going-to-kiss-you-senseless spell was broken. He grinned and pushed up, easily maneuvering to his feet. Caitlin, on the other hand, could hardly sit up because she was still under the dubious control of her raging hormones.

“Boys versus girls,” Bethany said. “Come on, Taylor. Boys versus girls, or I’m gonna tell Caitlin embarrassing stories about you every chance I get.”

He chuckled. “Nice try, Bethany.”

“Pick the teams, Taylor,” Grams said.

“Mom and Dad. Bethany and Uncle Rock.” He extended a hand to Caitlin and helped her easily to her feet, wrapping his arm around her. “We’re a team,” he announced.

As she enjoyed the feel of his warm arm around her, she couldn’t help but agree. They were a team. A good team, working together to make his grandmother’s anniversary happy.

“Come on, Uncle Rock,” Bethany said. “Let’s gear up for the scavenger hunt.” She gave Taylor a sly look. “I have a secret weapon this year, and it’s going to win my charity that prize money and win that golden staff for me.”

“What’s the golden staff?” Caitlin asked.

He laughed. “A broom pole covered with glitter and ribbons.”

“Okay. So, let’s have a recap of the rules for this section,” Grams said. “You can only take one backpack per team. Remember the survival kit has to fit inside as well.”

Survival kit? She glanced up at Taylor, but he didn’t seem worried at all. Instead, he winked at her, causing her stomach to do that flip over thing that had become its habit since she met him.

“Let’s go win this,” he whispered.