Three Dirty Harts

by Cara Dee

  Three Dirty Harts

  A Dirty Novella

  Cara Dee

  Three Dirty Harts

  Copyright © 2018 by Cara Dee

  All rights reserved

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment and may not be reproduced in any way without documented permission of the author, not including brief quotes with links and/or credit to the source. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction and all references to historical events, persons living or dead, and locations are used in a fictional manner. Any other names, characters, incidents, and places are derived from the author’s imagination. The author acknowledges the trademark status and owners of any wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction. Characters portrayed in sexual situations are 18 or older.

  Edited by Silently Correcting Your Grammar, LLC.

  Formatting by Eliza Rae Services.

  Contents

  The Dirty Series

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Epilogue One

  Epilogue Two

  More from Cara Dee

  About Cara

  The Dirty Series

  In Camassia Cove

  Camassia Cove is a town in northern Washington created to be the home of some exciting love stories. Each novel taking place here is a standalone, with the exception of sequels, and they will vary in genre and pairing. What they all have in common is the town in which they live. Some are friends and family. Others are complete strangers. Some have vastly different backgrounds. Some grew up together. It's a small world, and many characters will cross over and pay a visit or two in several books. But, again, each novel stands on its own, and spoilers will be avoided as much as possible.

  The Dirty Novellas is a new series within the Camassia universe, and just like the other books taking place there, the Dirty Novellas stand on their own. They’re a little shorter, quick fixes, with a bit more focus on the dirty filth. If you're interested in keeping up with the characters, the town, the timeline, and future novels, check out Camassia Cove's own page at www.caradeewrites.com.

  Chapter 1

  Andrew Hart

  “I thought I was going to have to send out a search party.” I stepped out onto the rooftop terrace and walked over to where my little brother was sitting by the pool. The light from under the water was the only thing that illuminated the area; that, and his phone. “What did the doctor say today?”

  I sat down on the lounger next to his and loosened my tie.

  He pocketed his phone and knocked on his solid knee. “Cast’s coming off tomorrow.”

  That was good news. Jace had been staying with me for the past three months after a grisly snowboarding accident up in Alaska, and I enjoyed having him here. He was too reckless for his own good, and I was a worrier.

  “Glad to hear it.” I cocked my head. “Is that why you’re sitting up here moping?”

  He should be ecstatic.

  We worked together, and our positions at our company pretty much explained who we were as people too. He was the thrill-seeking nature photographer who jumped from mountain to mountain to discover hidden trails and wildlife. I was the sensible suit who ran the office and managed his talent.

  In my spare time, I invested and dabbled in the stock market. He went skydiving. Come tomorrow, he could ease his way back into all that, and I would return to fretting.

  Being the older brother—by eleven years, to boot—was a horrendous task.

  Jace scrubbed a hand over his scruffy jaw and blew out a breath. “I think I wanna slow down a bit.”

  “You mean at work?” This was a surprise.

  He nodded once. “Yeah. So, you know I made reservations at Coho for my birthday next week.”

  “Yes?” I furrowed my brow. Surely, our local steakhouse wasn’t causing his broody behavior. We ate there more often than I cared to admit, and we’d gotten to know the owners well enough to call them friends.

  “No one’s coming.” Jace raised his brows at me before they dipped in another frown, and he scooted back to recline in the lounge chair. “It’s been like this for a few years now. I travel too much to keep buddies here at home.” He lifted a shoulder and ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I miss it—having a social life. Being at home more.”

  Well, no one would be happier than me if he chose to work less or take on more local gigs. With one exception, my brother was the only family I had.

  I’d discovered recently that spending time with friends didn’t hold the same appeal anymore. That was why I was looking forward to this summer so much. Jace would—hopefully—be here, and my stepdaughter was coming home from college. Why Belle had insisted on studying overseas was beyond me.

  “So I’ll book fewer clients for you, then,” I told him. “National wants you in Yellowknife in October, but—”

  “I’ll do that one,” he said quickly, and I stifled a smirk. Underneath his rough I-don’t-give-a-fuck exterior, there was a young man whose excitement for the wilderness bordered on boyish. He might be turning thirty, but to me, he was still seventeen in some ways. “It’s only a month, right?” In response, I inclined my head. He nodded as well. “That’s all right. Canada’s closer. Just…less Asia and South America.”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Is this okay, though?” Some of his worry returned. “I don’t know how shit’s going, and this place ain’t free.” He waved a hand at the terrace.

  I chuckled. It sometimes amazed me how oblivious he was. Not only did magazines and various other clients pay him handsomely, but I’d stopped taking pay for managing him once I’d built up my stock portfolio. While Jace and several other of my friends saw boredom in what I did, I saw the unpredictability, the ever-changing numbers, and the gamble.

  “We’re more than fine, little brother,” I assured him. “I’m sorry you’re stuck with only Belle and me for your birthday dinner, though.”

  His gaze snapped up. “Shit, I forgot she’s coming home. When’s that?”

  “Has anyone ever said you live in your head?” I smiled wryly.

  He laughed under his breath. “Maybe.”

  Maybe I told him that constantly.

  “She’s landing in Seattle in…” I checked my watch. “Approximately thirty-six hours.”

  I hadn't seen her in a year, and Skype was far from enough. She was busy and enjoying her life in London, which meant I was lucky if I got half an hour with her at the end of the week.

  “Cool. Are we gonna do the multi-celebration this summer, too?”

  “Of course,” I replied. Given how rarely we saw one another these days, we planned for three days during the summer where we celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and her birthday. Although, next January, I was planning on taking time off to go see her, so I would hopefully get to spend her twenty-first birthday with her in London. “I talked to her last Sunday, and her request was ‘all the American food.’”

  Jace laughed. “I know that feeling.” Then he quieted and sighed contentedly. “It’ll be good seeing her. I miss the little shit.”

  I almost snorted. Because the truth was, Belle was no longer Jace’s little shit, as he so eloquently put it. In her two years halfway across the world, Belle had matured. She wasn’t the lost little girl who mourned the death of her mother and didn’t know what to do with her life. She was a stunning young woman who studied marketing and whose dimpled smile could light up a screen.

  I made a dismayed face in the rearview mirror and rolled up the sleeves of my button-down. If my hair had been light
er, those spots of silver would have been less visible. Alas…they shone like a beacon.

  Should I dye it?

  “Are you becoming vain?” Jace asked.

  “No, but evidently I’m becoming old,” I muttered and left the car. Something was missing—and had been missing for a while. I couldn’t put my finger on it, only that I wasn’t content with my life anymore. As soon as I figured out what to change, I would. Until then, it looked like I’d be complaining about a whole lot. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to shave.”

  Belle coming home was a special occasion to me. Jace didn’t have to look like a slob.

  I’d made sure the cleaning service had been extra-thorough yesterday, and I’d ordered Belle’s favorite flowers for her room. Or was I taking things too far? Was I too old-fashioned? I was going to spend the summer with my carefree little brother and my twenty-year-old stepdaughter; I wanted them to find me fun, too. I wasn’t only the…parent, for lack of a better word.

  Jace ignored my remark with a smirk, and we entered the bustling airport to bring Belle home.

  “How the fuck are we supposed to find her?” Jace grunted, supporting himself on the crutch he’d had less than twenty-four hours and already hated with everything he was. “Christ, I hate people.”

  This from the young man who missed having a social life.

  I couldn’t blame him, though. Once upon a time, I’d loved Seattle. Now I was much more comfortable in our little town a couple hours north of here. An hour and a half, if Jace was behind the wheel.

  As for Jace’s question, I had an answer. “She’s dyed her hair pink, she told me.” I hadn’t seen it yet myself because the last time we spoke, it was over the phone. I’d had this image of a shock of bright hair until her soft laughter had filtered through the receiver and she’d told me it was “faded magenta.” Whatever that meant.

  We stood in a sea of arrivals and their families, and I checked my watch. It’d been a while since she’d landed, so she should be here soon.

  Jace made a noise. “Holy fuck.”

  “What, how pink is it?” I lifted my gaze, scanning the crowd.

  “No, that’s not… Uh.”

  I frowned at him, then searched for Belle some more, and—goddamn it all. Motherfucker. She emerged with a bright smile as she looked for us. I could only stare. My chest seized, and a flush spread up my chest. Unlike my brother, I’d known that she’d matured to an extent, and it was still a shock. Her gorgeous face had filled the screen of my laptop or phone whenever we Skyped; seeing her body was a whole other experience. And what the hell was she wearing? Those couldn’t be called shorts. The denim rode up high enough to reveal her pockets. Underneath an open flannel shirt, a skimpy top hugged her generous curves.

  “Keep that reaction to yourself,” I told Jace, half irritated. With him or myself, I wasn’t sure. Perhaps both. “Belle!” I started walking toward her so I could help with her luggage. Her hair was oddly cute, the long waves shifting in subtle shades of pink. My mouth stretched into a wide smile as she spotted me, and I even had to swallow a lump of emotion. At that point, I successfully pushed aside the unspeakable reaction I’d had, and I hurried to get her in my arms.

  “Daddy-o!” She threw her arms around my neck, and I lifted her off the ground.

  “God, I’ve missed you.” Tightening my hold on her, I breathed in her light, sweet scent and reveled in having her home again. “My darling, why do you insist on living so far away?”

  She laughed tearfully. “If it makes you feel any better, I can’t wait to be done with uni.”

  That did make me feel better.

  “Look at you, picking up local slang.” Jace walked up behind us with a grin, and Belle was quick to give him a hug too. “When the fuck did you grow up?”

  I shot him a look.

  Belle smirked and wiped her eyes carefully. These days, she wore makeup. “My roommate taught me a lot. She’s studying to become a stylist.”

  “There’s not a thing you need to learn,” I told her firmly and grabbed her roll-aboard. “You’re beautiful as you are.” Maybe a bit too beautiful.

  “Such a dad response.” She hugged my arm and held on as we made our way outside. “Can we eat at Coho? I’m starving.”

  “Anything you want, sweetheart.” I kissed the top of her head.

  Chapter 2

  I woke up the next morning in a wonderful mood. Maybe this was what had been missing. For years, I’d had this three-bedroom loft all to myself. Now the rooms were full. Belle was home, and Jace occupied the guest room.

  What’re my chances of making him stay longer?

  He had a cabin in Westslope, the northern part of town that was reserved for hermits who preferred to live in the middle of nowhere. His nearest neighbor was ten minutes of dense forest away. I was sure that was how he liked it, but he didn’t have to get rid of the place. He could go up there whenever he wanted and still live here.

  Or perhaps that was wishful thinking because I was becoming one lonely bastard.

  After my shower, I yanked on a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. I didn’t know what we were doing today, so this was the safe choice for a comfortable breakfast. I didn’t even shave or put in my contacts. Glasses would do for now. Leaving my bedroom, I passed Belle’s room, then Jace’s before I got to the open space that made up the rest of my place. The kitchen, hallway, and living room blended together in brick and warm colors that’d started to feel cold to me.

  This place was going to become a home again, a thought that hit me strangely. Because I hadn’t noticed how dark it’d become until lately. Now, though… The pictures on the walls came to life in a new way when the two who appeared in most of the photos were under my roof.

  I switched on the radio on the kitchen bar, then turned to pull out everything I needed from the fridge. Jace wanted eggs in the morning—a lot of them—and Belle woke up with a sweet tooth. She’d get pancakes today. My skills at making her favorite blueberry muffins were awful, no matter how religiously I stuck to the recipe.

  The eggs were almost finished when Jace limped into the kitchen with a bed head and sleepy scowl.

  “Morning, sunshine.” I plated the scrambled eggs and added some sliced tomatoes and bacon bits. “Sleep well?”

  “Sort of?” He squinted at nothing and scratched his head. “Um, are we gonna talk about last night?”

  I furrowed my brow and slid the plate across the bar. “Did something happen?”

  “You were there, Andrew. At Coho.” He tucked into his food as if it was going to disappear, and I poured myself some cereal. “Something’s changed with Belle. Jesus.” He seemed baffled by something, though it was difficult to tell with the way he was hamstering the food in his cheeks. “Wasn’t she crazy affectionate at dinner?”

  “Hm.” To be honest, I’d noticed it. “I wouldn’t read into that.” Certainly not when Jace was a pervert who’d just discovered his niece—his niece, for the love of God—was a very gorgeous young woman. “She missed us, Jace. She was excited to catch up.”

  And what a great evening it’d been. Over the best burgers and beers the town had to offer, Jace and I had mostly listened while Belle told us everything about her university and London. Some of the things, I already knew from talking to her. Her contact with Jace stayed at texting and occasional phone calls, so almost everything was new to him. Perhaps that was why the change appeared so drastic.

  This had been a two-year-long process. From the two weeks I’d spent with her in London to help her get settled in before her freshman year…to now. Although, I could admit the biggest changes had happened this year, particularly the physical aspects.

  I’d suppressed certain urges most of my adult life, making it second nature these days. I refused to dwell on the inappropriate. Besides, with everything Belle had going on, there were plenty of distractions. Ones that wouldn’t send me to hell.

  What I admired most about her was her passion. She was a spitfire and an act
ivist, and animals and children were what she used her voice for to protect. She’d gotten so heated when telling us about a protest she’d been part of outside Parliament.

  “Don’t forget your place,” I told Jace. “You’re her uncle. She’s not one of the girls you let hang around for a month before you trade her in for another.”

  He shook his head and forked up some eggs. “There’s so much wrong with that sentence. First of all, we’re not related. Second of all, I haven't gotten laid in almost a year, so don’t paint me as some manwhore. Third of all—” he pointed the fork at me “—you’re the one she was plastered to all evening, not me.”

  At that, I had to roll my eyes. “I’m the only parent she has. Don’t cheapen her affection because you suddenly have a hard-on for the wrong person.”

  If he pushed it, I might snap. Yesterday had been wonderful. Most of all, it was easy to keep her close when she seemed to want it that way. I’d had my arm around her throughout the evening, not because I possibly was a pervert too, but because I’d missed her very much.

  “I won’t,” he replied. “But damn, I think I do. She’s…” He shook his head. “Christ, she’s sinful. And her wit…? She’s always been able to make me laugh, but this was some next-level shit.”

  I wasn’t fond of this topic. Jace had no shame, his honesty about this tumbling out too easily. It wasn’t okay for him to be attracted to Belle. She’d been only eleven when I met her mother, and for the first birthday we’d spent as a new family, Jace had given her a jet-set Barbie that had a camera around her neck. She called Jace her uncle.