She slapped his chest and stared hard into his eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you,” he whispered, taking her cheek in his palm. “And I cannot wait until we are married.”
“Evy Jacobs,” she said dreamily. “I think I like it.”
“Me too.”
Her fond smile washed over him like a warm wave, a twinkle glimmering in her eyes.
“I’m so glad you chose me,” he said, caressing her breast.
Her hand stopped on his chest, accepting his heartbeat into her palm. It was like air. Air she would die without. Their lips met, kissing softly at first, as her hand slid beneath the sheet and found him hard again.
Chapter Five
Ben unplugged his cell phone from the charger and read a text from Shaun, who was impatiently waiting in the limo out front. Ben slipped the phone into his inky, black jeans and hurried into the master bath. He stopped in the doorway and opened his mouth before slowly shutting it again. He watched Brooke brush makeup onto her cheeks, her eyes sparkling like emeralds in the mirror. Not only did her lace bra and panties accentuate her voluptuous curves, but they were his favorite color as well. Black. She got prettier with each day that passed and he never took it for granted.
His mind flashed back to the tree house in her parents’ backyard. He had almost lost her back then. Lost her forever. He wondered where he would be right now if he had. Probably still doing tats in some dumpy little studio on the wrong side of town, shacking up with women who were just as wrong for him as he was for them. Brooke screamed.
He backpedalled into the bedroom, a startled look gripping his face.
“Ben!” she gasped, clutching her chest like this might be the big one. “Quick sneaking up on me like that!”
“Damn, Brooke, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Me?”
“I just wanted to say goodbye. Shaun’s out front.”
She tromped into the bedroom and balled his black v-neck into her fist, pulling him close. “You’re not going anywhere without having baby-making sex first.” Her hand found his crotch and squeezed the tree trunk inside.
“We just did.”
“That was two hours ago.”
He kissed her on the lips. “When I get back, I promise.”
Her eyes tapered into darkened slits. “If my sister has a baby before me I will be publicly humiliated in front of the entire world.”
“I doubt it would be that…”
Brooke pushed him further into the spacious bedroom. The same bedroom Ben had painted three times before Brooke finally found the illusive color she had been tirelessly searching.
Dark ash, set off with white furniture.
He fell back onto the bed with a soft bounce and Brooke went to work on his oversized belt buckle.
Ben laid his head back and laughed, trying to stop her. “Hotstuff, I have to go.”
“I’m serious, Ben! I need more sperm.”
An image of the two of them becoming the three of them skipped through his mind. It was scary but felt right. He would be the father he never had, the kind that was always there. From soccer games on Saturday mornings to Disney movies at the matinee, their kid would have it all. And so would Brooke.
He pushed her off the bed and got to his feet, a smile cutting through his three day stubble. His warm palms found her cheeks, his voice as soft as the look in his eye. “We have all the time in the world, and it will happen.”
She tried to smile and set a hand on his chest. “I know it will, sweetie. I just…” She swung her gaze around the room. It was hard to imagine them in this house without a child to help fill it. It was too big and, besides, that was the next natural step. Hell, they had already fenced off the backyard for the dog they couldn’t buy until the baby came along because they wanted them to grow up together. They wanted them to become the best of friends. But for some reason, her gut was telling her that time was not on their side. Brooke shook it off and took a deep breath. “I just want to…”
“Hey, hey, hey,” he said, taking her hands in his. “You can’t force it, Brooke. There’s no rush. We will keep trying until it happens.”
Brooke stared up into his eyes, uncertainty wringing her features. “Let’s try the upside-down thing again. I think that could really work.”
Ben kissed her on the forehead. “It may take a month or a year, but it will happen. I promise you that.”
“But what if it doesn’t, Ben? We’ve been trying since last fall.”
“I know we have and, regardless of what happens, we are going to have an incredible life together and I’m thankful for that every single day.”
She dropped his comforting gaze and responded with a shallow nod. Her eyes jerked back up to his. “Yeah, but what about the vision you had when you were in a coma?”
Ben frowned. “The one with Carrie Underwood in the broken elevator?”
She flattened her lips and folded her arms across her busty chest. “You know the one I mean. The one with two little boys and a dog named Ted.”
“Fred.”
“Whatever.”
“I have to go, sweet cheeks.”
“Would you ever…”
He waited for her to finish, his eyebrows drawing together. “Would I ever what?”
“Consider adopting? If things don’t, you know…”
His eyes softened, her smell intoxicating his senses, heart swelling with his love for her. “I will do whatever you decide, because that’s what I do.”
She smiled weakly, lower lip quivering, straining to keep a tear at bay. “I love you, you sexy man.” She leaned up on her tippy-toes and laid a wet kiss on his lips. “More than anything in the world.”
“I love you, too.” His eyes lowered to her bra and panties before rising to find her gaze. “You look beautiful.”
A smile flushed her cheeks. “Shoot, this old thing?”
He smiled as his cell vibrated in his pocket. “We’ll fire up the baby making factory when I get home. Wear something sexy,” he said with a wink.
“You better not smell like fish.”
A wry smile crossed his lips, a glimmer in his eyes. She read his mind and they spoke at the exact same time.
“Shower sex!”
They laughed and kissed hard before he turned for the door.
“And don’t let Dean have sex with anyone!” Brooke said, returning to the bathroom. “Evy would never forgive you.”
“Don’t watch The Walking Dead without me,” he yelled, his black boots clopping down the hallway. “That’s the same as cheating!”
“I would never do that to you, sugar smacks,” Brooke hollered back, brushing makeup onto her cheeks. The front door clicked shut and locked behind him. She smirked at her reflection. “Unless it’s Downton Abbey. Then all bets are off.”
Chapter Six
Duffel bags, camping chairs and two coolers quickly settled into the rear of the boat as the limo drove away, the chauffer off to kill some time before returning to pick them up in a few hours. Seagulls cried out from above, circling the fishing vessels known to have tasty scraps hiding in the crevices. The blue of dusk fell upon the marina like powder, morphing the tall buildings of downtown Milwaukee into towering silhouettes against an orange western sky.
“God, I’m stuffed,” Jon said, rubbing his belly and surveying their gear from the rear deck. He swayed a little with the tied down boat. “I should’ve brought some Dramamine.”
Shaun stepped aboard in penny loafers and nodded to the boat’s captain – a short man with a grizzly beard and white hair curling out from a dirty painter’s cap. “Don’t be such a gash in front of the captain, Jon. It’s rude.”
“I feel queasy!”
“I hope that guy’s not drunk when he picks us back up.” Ben watched the limo’s taillights fade into the night. “He could kill all of us.”
“We got everything?” Dean asked with one leg perched on the boat and one on the dock. The wind tugged at the white t-s
hirt hugging his chest while he rested his hands on the hips of his getting dirty jeans. Satisfied they hadn’t forgotten anything, he pulled his Brewers cap down lower and stepped aboard, smiling at the captain as he passed by.
“Is that everything?” Ben said from the dock, checking his watch.
“I just asked that.” Dean unfolded a camping chair and set it next to the larger of the two coolers.
Shaun waved Ben aboard. “Let’s get after it, Gilligan!”
Ben glanced back to the parking lot and then to his watch again. “I feel like we’re forgetting something. I think Jon left his floaties in the limo!”
“My floaties are right here!” Jon yelled, grabbing his junk and then dropping into a camping chair next to Dean.
Dean passed him a cold can of Shaun’s latest homebrewed summer ale before cracking one open for himself.
“While we’re young and horny, Ben!” Shaun said, opening a cooler.
Dean frowned. “Never talk about being horny on a boat full of guys.”
Shaun held up his hands. “My mistake, bachelor boy.” He snatched a cold can from the ice and turned back to Ben. “Let’s do this thang!”
Dean watched Ben paint the parking lot with his roaming eyes. “Would you feel safer putting a life vest on?”
“How about a skirt?” Shaun yelled.
“Alright, alright,” Ben said, his bulky chest deflating as a long breath left his lungs. “I’m coming.” His black boots scraped against the dock’s wooden planks. At the boat’s gate, he tossed one last glance over his shoulder.
“Welcome aboard, son.”
Ben stepped aboard, nodding glumly to the stout man in overalls and rubber boots. “Captain.”
The captain, locked the gate behind him, untied the boat from the dock, and turned to face them. “I’m Captain Taylor and this lovely lady yer boardin is Cassandra.” His lips – cracked from the hot sun - parted in a crooked smile. “Be some smooth sailin tonight, lads! Perfect for reelin in the big one!” His chin craned forward and his voice dropped. “Now, who’s gonna get it?”
Dean and his friends stared at him, blinking in the quiet that followed.
The captain arched a bushy eyebrow. “No one?”
Shaun looked to the others and then lifted a shoulder to his ear. “I will I guess.”
Captain Taylor’s eyes widened. “Good to hear, lad! And you probably will at that.” He spit out a gravelly laugh and stepped through an open sliding glass door leading to a small enclosure in the middle of the thirty-seven foot boat. “The big one is out there tonight, boys!” he said, settling into a worn chair behind the wheel. “The big one is out there.”
Ben nudged Jon in the ribs. “I got your big one.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Ben’s shit-eating grin plummeted. “From who?”
“Whip it out, Ben. I wanna see it right now.” Shaun jerked his chin toward Ben’s bulky belt buckle. “Do you really have a tattoo of Iron Man on it?”
“Jesus Christ,” Ben grumbled, running a hand up and down the brown peach fuzz blanketing his scalp. “I’m going to kill her.”
“There’ll be no whippin out of any cocks on this vessel, lads!” the captain barked over his shoulder. “That is rule number one.” He turned on the running lights. “Rule number two: no boom-boom on the boat!”
Jon scrunched his face into a ball. “There’s a bathroom on here?”
“Aye, Pippi Longstocking, below deck, but it’s only for the ladies.”
“Oh great,” Jon grumbled, holding his belly. “I think I’m getting a stomachache.”
“Just go in the water if you have to,” Shaun suggested, handing Ben a beer.
“Are you nuts? That water is freezing!”
“Water’s always a season behind,” Taylor confidently confirmed, flipping some switches and starting the boat. “Lake’s too damn big!”
“Maybe we should wait for Jon to go use the bathroom real quick.”
Everyone turned to Ben.
He thumbed behind him. “There’s a bar right across the street.”
“Yeah after you cross about three square miles of marina parking lot,” Shaun said, turning to the open water and pointing. “Let’s get this party started!”
Captain Taylor eased into the gas and gently pulled away from the dock.
A car screeched to a halt in the parking lot behind them. Ben’s head whipped around to see a dark silhouette pop out from the backseat of a taxicab and start sprinting toward them.
“Stop the boat,” Ben yelled, handing his beer to Jon and shuffling to the gate.
“Wait!” the shadow yelled, backpack swinging from one shoulder, weathered planks crying out beneath thundering steps. “Stop!”
The shadow grew closer as the dock ran out of real estate. The backpack flew through the air and hit Jon in the leg. He cried out in pain, the shadow sprinting alongside them.
“Stop the boat!”
“I can’t!” the captain said, reversing the propellers. “It’s too late! You’re outta dock!”
Ben threw open the gate and held his arms out. “Come on, Will! Jump for it!”
“Will?” Dean muttered, getting to his feet.
Will glanced ahead and saw he was almost out of dock, so he ran faster. “I’m going to die!”
“Do it!” Shaun hollered, cupping the side of his face.
Ben raised his arms higher. “Jump!”
“Oh shit!” Will wailed, planting his left foot on the last eight inches of wood and launching himself into the air. His arms cart wheeled toward the boat in slow motion, a terrified look strangling his face. His right foot found the last six inches of the boat and there was a loud grunt as he shot forward, tumbling into Ben’s open arms. They spilled onto the middle of the spacious deck and came to a rolling stop.
Shaun, Dean and Jon stood over them with incredulous looks glued to their faces.
Will looked up, chest heaving, salt and pepper hair sticking up in all directions. “Holy mother of Mary, I did it!” He stumbled to his feet, turned back to shore to see the dock fading away, and thrust both arms high into the air. “I did it!”
“Jesus Christ, are you okay?” Dean asked.
Will looked himself over, calmly smoothing his hair and orange Polo shirt. “I think so.”
“Well, I’m not,” Jon grumbled, rubbing his shinbone. “What the hell’s in that damn backpack? Bricks?”
Will grabbed the pack from the peeling wooden floor. “Sorry,” he panted, slinging it over his shoulder. “I never leave home without my bug-out bag.” He shook Dean’s hand, a big smile on his face. “Glad I could make it, Deano!”
Dean stared at him slack-jawed, arm shaking up and down as they passed row after row of different sized boats. “I didn’t even know you were coming.”
“Surprise!” He then clapped hands with Ben and pulled him to his feet. “What’s up, Dragon!”
“You knew about this?” Dean asked.
Ben slapped a meaty hand on Will’s shoulder. “Of course I knew about this. This is my guy.” He squeezed. “Holy shit, that was insane! I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
“That makes two of us,” Will said, catching his breath. “Did anyone get that on video?”
The others stared blankly at him.
“Shit,” he hissed.
A disbelieving laugh slipped from Dean’s lips. “Wow. Does Evy know you’re in town?”
Will shook his head, taking a cold beer from Ben. “And don’t tell her either. I plan on creeping out of town tomorrow morning as hung-over as a Jaybird on the Fourth of July.”
Shaun furrowed his brow. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“But damn excited to be here, boys! Thanks for having me.” Will blew ice from the top of the beer can. “I haven’t been out of the house since the Thong Song came out.”
Jon and Shaun traded silent glances, and Dean quickly introduced them to the man he had only met three times before.
&n
bsp; Will shook their hands and opened his beer with a loud crack. “I’m really excited for the wedding, Deano, and couldn’t be prouder to have you for a son-in-law.”
“Me, too.”
“Maybe sometime we can go camping or something.”
Dean smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Really?”
“Sure, why not.”
Will took a long drink and swallowed with a satisfied sigh. “Can’t believe both of my baby girls will be married soon.” He smiled warmly, looking from Ben to Dean. “First one to get me a grandson gets a new tree house.” Will cheered them with his can of beer. “But it has to be a boy. I can’t do any more girls.”
They all laughed and drank their beers, the wind in their faces and the brightly lit shoreline shrinking into the background.
Dean shook his head. “I still can’t believe that jump.”
Will closed his eyes and let the wind run through his hair. “This is going to be fun.”
“Wait till you catch one of these suckers out here,” Dean said, wiping beer from his upper lip with the back of his hand. “This isn’t Saylorville Lake.”
“It sure isn’t.” Will gazed out across the vast body of water before them, taking it all in for a moment, and then casually rolled up on Captain Taylor. “Mind if I drive for a bit?”
“Aye,” the captain replied dully, lazily navigating past the breakers. “Nobody drives the boat but me.”
“That’s too bad,” Will said, tipping the can back. “How deep does this thing get anyway?”
The captain slowly turned to him. “Deep.”
“Way to go, Ben,” Shaun whispered.
Ben unfolded a chair and joined the circle forming on the rear deck. “What’d I do?”
“You invited Evy’s dad when we just got a fat sack of Bubble Gum.”
Ben’s eyebrows dipped. “Bubble gum?”
“Yeah,” Jon whispered, leaning closer. “Five joints worth of Colorado’s finest, yo!”
Dean’s eyes darted to Will, who was busy talking Taylor’s ear off in the partially enclosed helm. “Are you serious?”
Shaun nodded, his face nowhere as bright and cheery as the one slapped across the can of beer in his hand.
Fate Interrupted 3 Page 4
