Wild at Heart

by Rhonda Laurel

  “If I was your boyfriend, I’d be mighty tempted to let you.” He smiled. “I’ve decided I want something from you for helping with this grand charade.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I want to know why you really stay away from your friends.”

  “I’ve already told you.”

  “I know, but I want the truth.”

  “Too late,” she said. “We’re here.”

  * * *

  Chance felt a little twinge of disappointment when he saw the entrance sign for the park. She didn’t want to talk about why she’d decided to distance herself from her friends, but she loved to talk about everything else. She was charming, engaging, and had an opinion about everything. He liked that she stood her ground and dug her heels in when she was passionate about something.

  She hadn’t batted an eye when she charted a course for the trucking company where his father worked. Sure, she knew Rafe and Leigh, but she was willing to become invested in the situation for a friend.

  “You go inside,” he told her. “I’ll get the bags.”

  “I can help.” She reached for a piece of luggage.

  “No, you won’t.” He covered her hand with his, and it immediately turned into a gentle caress. The sheer softness of her dainty, finely manicured hand sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn’t help it. “I’m supposed to be madly in love? Remember? This is a boyfriend thing.”

  “OK.” She gently pulled her hand away and handed him the car keys. “Would I be sexist if I agreed with you?”

  “Let’s give the feminism debate a rest and chalk it up to good manners. I’d no sooner let any woman in my family do any heavy lifting when I am able-bodied and capable. Any real man would do the same.” He folded her arms across his chest. “Got it?”

  “Got it.”

  He watched her walk up the walkway to the main entrance. He could watch that hot wiggle all day long and not get tired of it. It wasn’t going to be difficult to pretend to be affectionate with her all weekend. It felt like a natural response when he’d kissed her in the restaurant. Those soft, pouty lips with the pink lip gloss were inviting.

  He began unloading the trunk. Why did a woman need four suitcases for a weekend camping trip? Correction, a snooty camping trip. He wouldn’t be surprised if this group was going to roast marshmallows by the fireplace. The saving grace was that he’d be there with Shannon.

  She’d piqued his interest with her comments about assessing a potential suitor after two dates. Which to him, meant she had a short attention span. A man had to be on his toes to keep up with her. He’d thought she just liked being chased. Now it was a possibility she didn’t know she was making guys chase her.

  He looked around. The lodge and the surrounding grounds were nice. This weekend was bound to be entertaining. Surely Brooks was still stewing about their encounter at the restaurant. He knew the jerk would have something up his sleeve this weekend. He wasn’t over Shannon dumping him. Who could blame the guy?

  If someone had told him that within twenty-four hours he’d be pretending to be Shannon’s boyfriend and going on a camping trip with her friends, he would have said they were nuts. He didn’t bend to the will of any woman that easily. In fact, his stubbornness was one of the things most women he dated homed in on as a bad quality.

  Maybe it was because he hadn’t dated in a while. Yes, that seemed plausible. He hadn’t been seeing anyone seriously, and when Shannon popped up all gorgeous and sexy to retrieve him from the airport, he’d been susceptible to her charms. He would have never gone for a crazy scenario like this in the past.

  Why was he so willing to follow her around? Because he felt like he’d known Shannon forever. There was something familiar about her that called to him. The idea of the redeemed wild child rang true with him too. He’d had quite a rebellious streak as a young adult. Railing against who he was and where he was from. He’d buckled down when he realized he had to keep an eye on Leigh. They had no reliable father figure to rein her in and keep her on the right path. For that, he hated Joe even more for making him grow up.

  He took the last of the bags out of the trunk and closed it.

  “Chance?”

  He turned around to see Dean Carmichael walking toward him. They’d become friends over the past several months after finding out they both shared a love of salvaging old junk. They’d gone on picks together at flea markets and other places, sniffing out vintage memorabilia that could be refurbished to its former glory. Dean was a stand-up guy, and Rafe had tremendous faith in his abilities. Rafe wouldn’t let just anyone be in charge of the security details for the Blakes. He’d planned on getting in touch with Dean while he was in Texas.

  “Dean.” Chance shook his hand and gave him a quick hug. “Good to see you, man.”

  “You too.” Dean smiled. “When did you get into town?”

  “Last night.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I hit the ground running, but I was going to give you a call to meet up for beers at the Bright Star.”

  “I’m always up for a few beers with a friend,” Dean said. “A buddy of mine has a barn that’s been in his family for generations. It’s full of stuff he’s trying to unload. He said we’re welcome to take a look and see if there’s anything worth saving. He said his grandfather may have some World War Two memorabilia in there. You up for it? We could go on my day off.”

  “Sure. Just let me know when. I just have to help Leigh with Tate’s party, but I can definitely make the time.”

  “Awesome.” Dean nodded. “I saw Leigh’s plan. It’s quite the extravaganza. I haven’t seen such a star-studded guest list like that since the country music awards.”

  “How a simple party with a cake morphed into the social event of the season is beyond me.”

  “The women on that ranch live by the phrase go big or go home. Rafe and I have been strategizing and will definitely have extra security in place.” Dean looked around in bewilderment. “Wait. What are you doing here?”

  He was in no mood to take a ribbing from Dean but here went nothing. “I’m here with Shannon and her friends.”

  “Shannon?” Dean rubbed his chin. “I didn’t know you were seeing someone. New girlfriend? Must be serious if you brought her from Knoxville to meet the family.”

  “No. New friend. As a matter of fact, we met last night.” Chance let out a dry laugh. The fact that they’d just met and he’d been thrust into her world seemed less strange as each hour passed. “You know her. Shannon Stanton.”

  “Shannon Stanton?” Dean’s eyes widened. “Oh! Stanton! Jack Stanton’s daughter? I didn’t know you and Shannon knew each other.”

  “We met yesterday. It’s a long story.”

  “I bet.” Dean smiled.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Regency’s implementing a new procedure for clearing locations for clients. I was tapped to facilitate since the changes were my idea. After everyone is in place, I’m out of here.”

  The sound of someone requesting Dean’s assistance over the walkie-talkie cut through the air. He pressed the button on the device and responded. “I’m currently in zone one. Will be there in five.” He looked at Chance. “Duty calls. I’ll call you with a day and time to explore that barn.”

  “I can’t wait.” Chance rubbed his hands together. “Who knows what treasures are hidden in there. I may finally find that bike frame I’ve been looking for.”

  “Absolutely. Afterward, we’ll grab a few beers at the Bright Star. The first round is on me. We’ll have lots to chat about. And be careful with Shannon.”

  “I know she’s a heartbreaker,” Chance said with a twinge of annoyance. “The two of us have no business being together as friends or anything else.”

  “No.” Dean gave him a quizzical look. “I was going to say she’s a lot more fragile than she lets on. She’s definitely nicer, kinder, and more respectful than the rest of the crew in the lodge. She’s been working on shedding her rich girl image.�
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  “Oh.” Chance felt like an idiot for the mini rant he’d just done. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

  “Come on, I’m not worried about you. You’ve been around the Tate and the Blakes long enough to know not all rich people act spoiled and entitled.”

  Dean was right. The Blakes were the richest family in Texas, and they were the salt of the earth. The walkie-talkie went off again.

  “I’m on my way,” Dean spoke into the device and started walking away. “How about Bright Star next Wednesday night?”

  “Cool.” He nodded.

  He finished getting the bags out of the trunk and hiked up the walkway to the lodge. When he entered, he saw the party had already started. There were a few unfamiliar faces in the room. Everyone had a drink in their hand and was chatting in small groups. Brooks was holding court with the guys, who were hanging on to his every word. Shannon was talking to Cheyenne. Fiona was talking to a group of people he didn’t remember seeing at the restaurant. Janie was flitting around the room with a clipboard. He set the bags down and went over to say hello. Cheyenne was smiling, but Shannon had a more solemn look on her face. He’d go over like a good boyfriend and see what made her mood do a one-eighty since coming into the lodge.

  “Hello, Cheyenne. Good to see you again,” he said as he approached the women.

  “Chance.” Cheyenne leaped forward and gave him a quick hug. “Thank you.”

  “Thank me for what?”

  “Getting Shannon here. I just knew she was going to cancel again.” Cheyenne playfully bumped her hip with Shannon’s.

  “She was all for it. She said she was looking forward to reconnecting with her friends, especially you.” He winked at Cheyenne.

  Janie came over with her clipboard.

  “Shannon. Chance. So happy to see you.” Janie beamed as she gave each of them a hug. She also copped a feel of his shoulders and arms. “Chance honey, you have muscles bulging everywhere.”

  “Janie.” Shannon pulled her hands away. “Stop molesting Chance. What rooms are we in?”

  “I was just appreciating Chance’s physique. Geesh.” Janie looked at her clipboard. “You and Chance are in the one of the rooms on the second floor.”

  “What do you mean? Me and Chance? I thought we were going to do guys and girls in the rooms?” Shannon squeaked.

  “Are we still in junior high?” Janie giggled.

  “What about Cheyenne?” Shannon looked at her best friend. “She and Brian have only been seeing each other a short time.”

  “I’ll manage.” Cheyenne flashed a naughty grin.

  “I would think you of all people would appreciate some privacy.” Janie held up the key to the room. “I don’t think Chance wants to play camp counselor. You know how childish Brooks and the boys can get.”

  “Actually, Brooks brings out childish qualities in other men.” Cheyenne pursed her lips. “Chance will put a stop to that.”

  “Brooks was the one who suggested we not separate the sexes. He didn’t want Chance to think we were a bunch of immature kids.”

  Ah, Brooks was behind this setup. Which meant he knew Shannon well enough to know she’d have reservations about it. He could see the nervousness on Shannon’s face about the weekend overall. Since being away from them so long, he sensed she’d wanted to bunk together with her girlfriends and get caught up on all she’d been missing. If she wanted, she could admit right now that they didn’t really know each other. But a part of him was hoping she wouldn’t. It could be even more fun pretending to be a couple in a room together for the weekend.

  He saw her straighten up a bit and plaster a smile on her face. She was still in the game.

  “We’re all adults. I missed hanging with the girls so much I guess I just forgot about Chance.” She took the key from Janie then looked at him with a playful gleam in her eyes. “Not that it’s even remotely possible I could forget about you.”

  “I don’t take any offense.” Chance kissed her on the cheek. She wasn’t ready to give up despite this little monkey wrench in the plan. “You’ve been talking about reconnecting with your friends for the longest time.”

  “Awesome,” Janie said. “You’re in room seven. Chance, no worries. We’ll do our best to share Shannon with you.”

  “It’s all a man can hope for.” Chance laughed.

  “We’re in room eight,” a deep, familiar voice said behind them. “I guess we’re neighbors.”

  He turned around to see Brooks standing there with Liv. You could practically see the mischievous wheels turning in his head.

  “Brooks. I didn’t see you there.” He took a deep breath. It was a technique he’d developed to help with his temper. He wanted to say, let’s take it outside, jack ass because he was ready to punch the guy in the jaw. Brooks had the kind of face you just wanted to punch on sight. “Somebody should put a bell on you. For a big guy, you sure do skulk around.”

  Brooks’s face turned a pale pink. “I don’t skulk.”

  “Liv.” Chance flashed Shannon’s frenemy a smile. “Good to see you. I like the vest. It looks good on you.”

  “Really? I just got it. I wanted to be festive for our nature weekend. It’s not too much?” She looked down at her attire.

  “Perfect. The extra pockets will come in handy for the hike. You can store all kinds of things in there,” Chance replied.

  “I’m glad someone noticed.” Liv nudged Brooks.

  “I said you looked awesome when I picked you up,” Brooks protested. “I didn’t think I had to recite a love poem to get you into the car.”

  “You also said the ribs you had for lunch were awesome too,” Liv huffed. “Don’t quit your day job. You don’t have the chops for poetry.”

  “Guys,” Janie interrupted. “We’ll be here for three days. Save the bickering for dinner entertainment. Dinner’s at seven. Oh, last ones to arrive have to prepare dinner. So Shannon and Chance have kitchen duty.”

  “When did we start this rule?” Shannon glared at Janie.

  “I sent a text chain about an hour ago.” Janie shrugged.

  “I didn’t look at my text messages. Chance and I were busy,” Shannon replied.

  “I guess you’ll learn to stop gazing into each other’s eyes to check your messages.”

  “Babe, we should be getting settled if we’re on kitchen duty.” Chance picked up a few of the bags.

  “Of course,” Shannon said.

  “I’ll help.” Cheyenne’s boyfriend Brian came over to help.

  “Me too,” Janie’s boyfriend Josh chimed in. “Shannon, what on earth did you pack? Janie packed just as much. It’s only a weekend.”

  Shannon shrugged. “The usual.”

  “Fellas, women are prepared for anything. I bet if there was an impromptu beauty pageant they’d all have a gown ready to steam iron in their garment bags.” Chance hefted up a couple of the bags.

  “Do I hear a complaint?” Shannon held her hand to her ear. “Because I don’t hear them when we’re sitting next to you to looking like a million bucks.”

  “No, ma’am.” Chance grinned. “I think it’s nice that you like to dress to the nines, but all of you have a natural beauty. It doesn’t matter if it’s a LBD or a flannel shirt and jeans.”

  “What’s a LBD?” Josh furrowed his eyebrows.

  “Little black dress,” Chance answered. “It’s the versatile go-to dress for any occasion. Sorta like when he put on our favorite shirt that’s good for dinner out or hanging out at the bar having a couple of beers.”

  “Brian has a blue and white shirt.” Cheyenne giggled. “He calls it his casual Friday weekend gear.”

  “Chance is right.” Fiona approached. “I will not be out-fashioned by anyone within a hundred-mile radius.”

  “We all bow to your fashion supremacy, Fi.” Shannon laughed. “Let’s go, boys.”

  Chance, Brian, and Josh followed behind Shannon as she headed for their assigned room. He’d noticed that while everyone else was having a
good time, Brooks stayed silent with a steely gaze. Chance could see the smoke coming out of his ears when the room didn’t become an issue. He’d probably hoped Shannon would protest. Hell, he’d probably have his ear to the wall, listening in like some pervert. Not that he thought it would go over well with Liv. It was going to be fun yanking his chain all weekend. But not as much fun as it was going to be getting to know Shannon better.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Shannon thanked Brian and Josh for helping with the bags as they exited the room and promised to be down soon to start dinner. Josh must have asked Chance twenty questions about motorcycles as they made their way up the stairs. Janie was going to have her hands full. Josh’s interest in buying a motorcycle seemed more than a passing fancy. Chance graciously offered to give him a few tips for purchasing a starter bike.

  The suite was nice. It had a big king-size bed, couch, and coffee table. The double sinks in the huge bathroom were a blessing as she wouldn’t have to argue with him about hogging it. A person could do cartwheels in there and never touch any of the furniture. But the enormous room felt like a matchbox standing next to the tall, sexy man on her right. It felt like close quarters that was rife for an intimate encounter if the timing was right.

  She looked at him, wondering how much time he invested in preening in front of the mirror. She imagined rugged men like him rolled out of bed looking devastatingly handsome. She’d balked at the beard, but it was working for him. The popularity of facial hair the past couple of years had plenty of men sporting face carpet, giving them a bit of an edgy look. The letdown came when you saw these faux tough guys sipping caramel macchiatos in a coffee house having a fit because their manicurist went on vacation. Men like Chance earned their facial hair the old-fashioned way through hard work, sweat, and living life the way they deemed fit. Chance wouldn’t be caught squawking about the stock market and how he couldn’t wait until his trust fund could be accessed so he didn’t have to work anymore.