by Ann, Natalie
“But you did. Why?”
“It sounded fun. We’ve been spending weekends doing things like this.”
“We have. Why else?”
“I didn’t want to be alone today,” she said. “You didn’t have to ask me, but you did. Why is that? This is your family. How did you think you were going to introduce me?”
“Maybe because I’m not considering us just friends like you. I’m waiting for you to catch up. We’ve been out multiple times doing things that friends would do, but there is a heat and sizzle between us that you are fighting. I’m letting you have your way.”
She wanted to bare her teeth at that comment. “My way?”
“You said you weren’t ready. I’m waiting for you to be. If you want to be just friends...for now. Fine. But your body can’t lie even if your words are.” He put his hand on her thigh and ran it up and down. Her body erupted in shivers. The kind that heated her up, not cooled her down. “Want to argue with me?”
“No,” she said. “Just introduce me by my name. Let people assume what they want.”
“That works,” he said, pulling back into the road.
When they got to his aunt’s house, Adriana asked, “Where do your parents live?”
“Not that far. About a mile or so away in the same development. My father and his brother are twins. Did I tell you that?”
“No,” she said. “I guess multiples run in the family.”
“They do. You know my brothers are twins and I’m a twin but my Aunt Diane and Uncle Grant have three boys. No multiples for them. My Aunt Jolene and my father’s oldest brother, my Uncle Gavin, are coming up today. They’ve got five kids. Quintuplets.”
“The Fierce Five, right? The brewery and restaurant?”
“That’s them.”
“It’s hard not to know about them living around here.” She wasn’t going to say that when she’d had the beer at her father’s she’d asked. Then after she’d started to hang out with Wyatt that she looked them up. Since they resembled Wyatt and Sam it was easy to piece together they were family without having to ask. “Are they going to be here today?”
“No. None of them are. They are probably working or at least most of them are. We just saw everyone for Sam’s wedding anyway. You were in the OR when Sam and I were talking about this. I know you were paying attention even if you don’t want to admit it. Aunt Jolene and Uncle Gavin have a huge summer party and we will all go there for that. But you’re going to meet the rest of the crew today. So be prepared.”
That was the understatement of the year it seemed when they walked in the back. Looked like they were the last to arrive.
She met Sam’s wife, Dani, first, then Wyatt’s cousin Bryce and his fiancée, Payton. She only nodded her head to Ryder who seemed to be minus the blonde bombshell that was on his arm the other day.
As they moved further into the backyard, she met Wyatt’s brothers, Drake and Noah, and their fiancées, Kara and Paige.
Wyatt’s sister, Jade, was the last to move forward. She and Wyatt looked the most alike. There was no doubting they were twins. “So you’re the one that has Wyatt all twisted. Interesting.”
“Behave, Jade,” Wyatt said. “Ignore my sister. She thinks she is being funny.”
“Only trying to be like my twin. Don’t take any of his shit,” Jade said. “We don’t. You won’t make it if you do.”
“Go,” he said to his sister. The minute Jade walked away though an older woman came rushing over and she knew beyond a doubt she was meeting Carolyn Fierce.
“Adriana. You are even lovelier than the pictures Maggie has on her desk. We are so happy you could join us today. I see Wyatt is introducing you. He’s such a good boy. So many manners though many will tell you otherwise in the family. Don’t listen to them.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” Adriana said. She hoped that was the right thing to say. Maybe Carolyn Fierce didn’t invite her and Wyatt just decided to bring her. She might have put her foot in her mouth.
“Anytime,” Carolyn said, then rushed away.
She looked around and noticed that no one was doing anything other than sitting and eating, mingling. “How come no one is playing anything? Did you trick me?”
* * *
Wyatt was going to do everything in his power to get Adriana to this party, even if he had to fabricate how much running around and activities everyone did. But since there was a teen present this time, he figured he could convince others to join in the fun.
His mother had been more than willing to ask his aunt and uncle to put the volleyball net up and now he should have questioned why she didn’t question it.
Even questioned the warm welcome. Normally his mother kept her distance from women he brought around this early, thinking it was temporary. Of course he wasn’t used to bringing any woman he’d only dated a few times around for a family party.
He was probably reading more into it. Adriana’s stepmother worked with his mother. His mother was probably being nice and felt the connection that way. It had to be that.
“No, I didn’t trick you,” he said. “See, the net is up. Everyone is eating. It looks like the snacks just came out. After everyone gets their fill I’ll gather them up. How about basketball?” he asked. Sebastian would be on board and that meant getting Noah there too. No problem. Two against two, but if he could get two of the other women it’d work in his favor and not seem like he was trying to pull one over on her.
Thankfully thirty minutes later he’d been able to enlist Noah on his side and Sebastian convinced Paige. They just needed one more woman and Payton jumped in saying, “I like doing things outdoors. I can block but not shoot,” she said.
“Thank God,” Kara said. “Basketball isn’t my thing. If you want to do volleyball later, sure. I’ll jump in. I can hit a ball back and forth if I need to.”
Even Dani said she’d do volleyball but not basketball and Wyatt felt like everything was just falling into place.
It was the girls against the boys. He was guarding Adriana and she had the ball, backing up into him while his arms were somewhat around her. He wasn’t letting her move until she actually touched him and she had no problem doing that, her ass against his groin and she pushed back fast, then turned and shot, swoosh in the net.
“Dude,” Noah said. “You let her get the best of you.”
“What do you want me to do?” Wyatt said. “Block it back in her face? She’s just a little thing.”
“Little my butt,” Adriana said. “I played in college. I’m just messing with you but I can turn it on if you want.”
Payton started to laugh with Paige. “I thought we were outnumbered, but this is going to be fun.”
“Noah,” Paige said. “Remember who you sleep with.”
“Paige.” Sebastian let out a sigh. “That’s not right threatening Noah that way. Don’t listen to her, Noah,” his nephew said. “You can sleep in one of the bunks in my room if she kicks you out.”
All his cousins that were watching the match and cheering everyone on started to laugh. “This just got interesting.”
By the end of the match the girls had won. Yes, Noah and Wyatt went easy on Paige and Payton, but the girls did well. Adriana really did kick their butts. Once the ball was in her hands, she was able to get away from them all and shoot before they could block her.
“That was so much fun,” she said to him when he handed her a bottle of water.
“I told you. But you’re just thrilled because you beat me. I think when it’s all said though”—he leaned down and whispered in her ear—“I’m the one that is winning.”
* * *
“Will you look at that,” Carolyn said to her brothers and sisters-in-law at the table as they watched the basketball game. “It’s working. I didn’t think it would.”
“What I find so great is that though they are adults they are playing and acting like they did as teens,” her husband, Garrett, said. “Maybe we need to get out there for the vo
lleyball game and show those kids a thing or two.”
“Horseshoes,” Gavin said. “I need to hold my beer now when I play something.”
“I’m with Gavin,” Grant said. “You’ve always been more competitive than me. Let the kids go at it.”
“Boys,” Carolyn said, “back to Wyatt and Adriana. Did I do good or what?”
“I’m not so sure,” Jolene said. “They haven’t even kissed. Are you sure they aren’t just friends like Drake tried to say?”
“Please,” Diane said, “Sam told me last night that Wyatt is wearing her down. He’s got it bad for her and she’s not caving. As much as Wyatt can get on everyone’s nerves at times, they are trying to help him out a bit. You can see it.”
“I agree,” she said. “It’s kind of sweet.”
“What are you guys all talking about here?” Jade asked, walking over. “I think you’re all up to something.”
“Jade, why are you always so suspicious?” Carolyn asked her daughter.
“Because I’m onto you all. You’re talking about Wyatt and his friend, aren’t you?” Jade asked.
She looked around at everyone at the table. “Adriana is very nice. We are just chatting in general. What do you think of her?”
“I already warned her to not take any of Wyatt’s shit.”
“Why would you do that?” Garrett asked, his voice almost a little high. Carolyn wanted to pinch her husband for maybe giving everything away.
“Because no one can last around Wyatt if they don’t put him in his place. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to give her a bit of advice.”
They watched Jade walk away. “That’s a good thing,” Garrett said. “Why did you look like you wanted to hit me, Carolyn?”
“Because it was your tone of voice,” Grant said to his twin. “You almost gave it away. But yes, Jade is actually helping rather than hindering. You might have been right on with this one, Carolyn.”
“I’m starting to feel left out,” Diane said. “We had two first and now you are onto three.”
“And things might be falling into place for Jade,” Jolene said. “Gavin and I were talking about it on the way down here.”
Wyatt was forgotten for the moment, as she wanted to hear more about what to do with her stubborn daughter, as she was going to be next in line.
21
Weighing My Options
Things seemed to be moving faster in Adriana’s mind than she thought they would when she’d arrived at Wyatt’s aunt and uncle’s yesterday.
Did she have a great time there? She did. Having been an only child she wasn’t used to the closeness she saw between the siblings and cousins.
They didn’t just quit after the basketball game because everyone was too sweaty, but they played volleyball, the parents playing horseshoes, then their children jumping in to best them.
She was glad that she’d brought a change of clothes though because after the basketball game and two volleyball ones she was covered in sweat. Everyone was hot, but she was really sweaty making her realize she was putting more effort in than the rest of them.
Sometimes she couldn’t quite get rid of the competitive streak though and had to learn to dial it back.
When dinner was being served, she’d excused herself and went into the bathroom and realized how unkempt she looked, then asked Wyatt if they could get her bag out of his car. She’d keep her shorts on and just change her shirt and put on some more deodorant fearful she was going to stink.
“I’ll do the same as you,” he said, following her in the house with his own shirt. “You go first, I’ll keep guard if you want to spend more time in there kind of washing up. Then no one will think you are blowing up the bathroom with something nasty you ate.”
Her jaw opened and closed. She couldn’t believe he’d said that to her. Then she started to laugh. She was the one that’d just gotten done saying she was afraid she stunk and needed to clean up. It’s not like she was crude enough to say she had to wash her pits.
But leave it to him to say people might think she was in there “blowing up the bathroom.” So she hurried as much as she could fearful he’d think that.
When she was done, she came out and he said, “That was fast. I like a woman who isn’t high maintenance.”
“Compliment or insult?” she asked. “I’m weighing my options on that.”
“Compliment. Definitely. Now keep watch for me like I did for you,” he said. It was the least she could do.
But when Bryce came up the stairs to use the bathroom that she suspected the boys had shared when they were younger and she was standing there, he asked, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Wyatt has been in there for a bit and I’m waiting to see if he is okay.” That would teach him in her eyes. It’s not like she said he was blowing it up.
The door opened a minute later after the water shut off. “I was cleaning up,” he said to his cousin. “See, new shirt. Thanks, Adriana.”
Bryce laughed. “Someone is in the bathroom downstairs and I figured this one was open.”
“It is now,” Wyatt said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out. They went back to his car and locked up their dirty clothes. And when they returned, Bryce was there saying loudly that Payton’s sandwiches might have bothered Wyatt as he’d spent a lot of time in the bathroom upstairs.
“Ass,” Wyatt said.
She turned and raised her eyebrows. “I think your other cousin is just getting you back too.”
“He wouldn’t have said it if you didn’t start it first while you were waiting for me.”
“Really?” Jade had asked, who was close enough to hear. “Did you just beat Wyatt at another game? One that he normally wins at? Isn’t that something. Good for you.”
There was a lot more laughter at that and she’d felt mildly embarrassed over it. She apologized later to Wyatt when he’d dropped her off, but he only pulled her into his arms and kissed the living shit out of her.
She hadn’t expected that move but had been hoping for it.
When he’d pulled back she found she was clinging to his arms, her breath panting in and out, her eyes half closed. She knew they were since she had to force them open.
“Why did you do that?”
“Because the tension between us all day was getting to me. And since you’re gripping my arms and not slapping my face, I’m going to assume you were fine with that move.”
She grabbed his shirt front and yanked him down to finish the kiss the way she wanted to, then shoved him back out the door saying, “I don’t sleep with men on the first date.”
He looked stunned by that comment, but she’d shut the door in his face and then burst out laughing.
And now she was waiting for him to pick her up again. Carolyn Fierce had actually said she’d had two tickets to an outdoor concert today. Country music, just local blues bands, and Garrett didn’t want to go.
Garrett had pretty much begged Wyatt to take them, she’d seen it. She found it funny the big man—taller by a few inches than Wyatt who she was guessing was just a little over six foot—was all but pleading with his son to get him out of the daytime concert.
Wyatt had looked at her and she shrugged and said, “Why not? I’ve got nothing going on.”
When she heard a knock at the door, she pulled it open to see him there with a pair of nice shorts on and a polo shirt. He had sneakers on his feet but they were dressier ones that others wore as shoes. “I think I’m underdressed,” she said. “I’ll go change.”
She’d had on jean shorts and a T-shirt, not thinking much of it.
“It’s up to you. I’ve got chairs in my car. I’m sure it’s fine. It’s just I’ve always got scrubs or athletic stuff on around you. We aren’t doing much more than listening to music today. Unless you want to race me to the best spot to put the chairs up.”
She laughed, thinking he was joking. His lips were tugging at the corners to smile, she could see, but then it hit her again that maybe sh
e was too competitive at times. But he didn’t seem to mind.
“I’ll go change. Have a seat. I packed up a bag with some drinks and snacks in it.”
“That was a good idea,” he said. “I’ve got a small cooler with wheels in the car. I can just move it to that if you want.”
“What did you pack to drink?” she shouted from her bedroom where she’d pulled out a pair of black shorts that were a little longer and dressier.
“A few beers,” he said back. “I saw you had two yesterday.”
She didn’t drink often but didn’t mind throwing back a beer now and again. Wine wasn’t her thing. It drove her mother insane that she’d never been a girlie girl with wine and dresses. She’d rather be casual and eat and drink what she wanted after she played hard.
Spencer used to complain about that too. That when they went out a few times he would have liked to have seen her dressed up more than she was. It just wasn’t her.
She’d put a dress on a time or two when they’d gone out of town, but they didn’t do much either. He was always working or she was. Their time together was at odd times.
Now she knew why. He was trying to fit it in so his wife didn’t find out.
And as much as she didn’t want to be thinking of him right now, she couldn’t get it out of her mind that he’d contacted her mother looking for her. Why? She’d been clear she wanted nothing to do with his lying cheating ass other than kicking his balls hard enough to get lodged back so far that his proctologist buddy would have to yank them out.
“I have a few bottles of water in my bag with cheese and crackers, and some pepperoni and salami.”
“I can move it all to the cooler then. I’ve got room,” he shouted back, but she was walking out now. “You look pretty.”
“It’s just a pink shirt.”
“A pink shirt that is soft and see thru,” he said.
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve got a tank top on under it. It’s not like you can see my bra.”
