Beat of the Heart

by Katie Ashley

  “I am.”

  Melody’s face lit up like a Fourth of July sparkler. “J!” she squealed, reaching her arms out. “Get me, J!”

  “Hey, my little princesa,” he replied, as he took Melody from me. He kissed both of her cheeks, which were dimpled from giving him such a big smile.

  I lifted my brows in surprise and turned to Lily. “Does he always act this way around the kids, or is this all just show to impress me?”

  As AJ scowled at me Lily laughed. “He’s actually very good with the kids. Of course, none of them were until Jude came along. They pretty much became second fathers to him.”

  AJ bobbed his head. “Yep, Jude was my guinea pig, and he taught me well.” He snuggled Melody to his chest. “But this little chica here, she’s my muñeca linda.”

  “En ingles, por favor?” I said with a grin.

  “My pretty baby doll.”

  “Listen to you. Charming ladies of all ages,” I replied to which AJ winked.

  “Out of all the guys, she’s always been enraptured by AJ. She lights up whenever he comes in the room,” Lily said.

  “That’s cause she knows I’m the sweetest, most-handsome, best guy in the whole wide world. Right, Melly Moo?”

  AJ tickled Melody’s sides, causing her to giggle. Brayden strolled up hand in hand with a little boy who was the spitting image of Lily. “Hey, Mia, good to see you,” he said, giving me a hug.

  “Thanks. Same to you.”

  “This is our son, Jude.” He peered down at Jude. “Say hello to Mia.”

  Jude thrust out his tiny hand. “Hiya Mia.”

  Bending over, I smiled and shook his hand. “Hi to you, too.”

  “Are you Uncle AJ’s girlfriend?”

  Shit! How the hell was I going to get out of this one? “Um…”

  Brayden must have sensed my embarrassment because he reached out for Melody. “We were just going to go swing.”

  “Wing! Wing!” Melody screeched excitedly, as she dove into her father’s arms.

  Jude abandoned his father’s side to tug on AJ’s shirt. Pointing a small finger at me, he asked, “Is she your girlfriend?”

  Undaunted, AJ replied, “Yep, she’s a girl, and she’s my friend.” For reasons I couldn’t understand, I felt a little let down by his summation of what we were. I mean, it had only been two weeks, so it wasn’t like I could really claim a relationship status with him. But at the same time, I hated his answer.

  Wrinkling his nose, Jude said, “Ew, girls are gross.”

  AJ laughed. “Give it a few years, and you’ll change your mind, buddy.”

  Jude didn’t appear too convinced as he followed Brayden across the clearing to an enormous wooden play-set. “AJ, give me a hand,” Jake called from the grill.

  “Be back in a minute,” AJ assured.

  “Okay.”

  As we put the finishing touches on lunch, the conversation flowed freely between Abby, Lily, and me. I was starting to enjoy their company more and more.

  “So do you sing, Mia?” Abby questioned, before popping a few potato chips into her mouth.

  “Oh God no. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

  Lily laughed. “That makes two of us then.” She then motioned over to where Brayden was helping Jude down the slide while intermittingly pushing Melody in a harnessed swing. “Only my children appreciate my singing voice at bedtime, and that’s usually only when Bray’s on tour and they have to settle for me.”

  As I eyed the play-set, I was wondering what an engaged but childless guy like Jake was doing with one. Lily must’ve read my mind because she said, “He did that just for Jude and Melody so they would have a place to play when they come to visit.”

  “How sweet.”

  Lily nodded and then gave Abby a playful nudge. “And I think for future children, too.”

  Abby’s blue eyes widened as she swallowed hard. “Oh, no, we’ve got to get through a wedding first. And watch your tongue. If Jake hears you say that, he’ll freak out. We’re not planning on kids for several years down the road.” At Lily’s knowing look, Abby sighed. “Okay, Jake isn’t down for having kids for several years.” Twirling the enormous diamond on her ring finger, she grinned impishly. “I’d have one tomorrow if I could.”

  Before I could stop myself, I blurted, “But you’re so young.”

  Abby wrinkled her nose. “Exactly. I mean, who needs a baby when I’m a mere baby myself at twenty-two?”

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

  Patting my back, Abby shook her head. “Trust me, you’re not the first person to say that. My darling fiancé included.” Deepening her voice to mimic Jake, she said, “We’ve got all the time in the world to have kids. We need to get at least three US tours and one world tour under our belts before I knock you up.”

  I laughed. “Hmm, Jake sounds a lot like AJ—bossy, take charge, my way or the highway.”

  Abby winked. “Yeah, but isn’t it fun turning the tables on them?”

  With an enthusiastic jerk of my head, I replied, “Oh yes, it is.” I couldn’t help thinking about when I had tied him up in the limo on our first date.

  AJ and Jake appeared with pans loaded with steaks, hamburgers, and ribs. As I gazed down the length of the two tables, my eyes widened at all the food. “Just wait, there won’t be much left when we’re done,” AJ said.

  “You guys can put it away, huh?”

  Jake grinned. “It’s not just us guys. Don’t let Abby’s size fool you. She’s a big eater.”

  Abby laughed as she handed me a paper plate. “He loves giving me shit about that.”

  “Well, I should hate you for being able to eat so much and still stay so tiny,” I teased.

  “I tell her the same thing all the time,” Lily replied.

  Poking her bottom lip out, Abby said, “Sorry.”

  With a smile, I said, “You’re forgiven.”

  “Good. Now let’s eat.” She waved to the others to join us at the table. I noticed that once again Allison was at Rhys’s side and managed to snag a seat beside him. After I filled my plate to the brim, AJ patted a spot on the bench, so I eased down next to him. When he scooted closer to me, I cocked a brow at him. “Would you prefer I sit in your lap?”

  He grinned. “I just wanna be close to you.”

  Leaning over, I whispered into his ear, “Don’t think you’re going to be starting something with me anytime soon, Mr. Resendiz.”

  AJ held up his hands in surrender. “I was just trying to be affectionate.”

  “With you, there’s always something lurking behind that affection.” Lowering my voice, I added, “And it’s usually a hard-on.”

  Choking on his hamburger, AJ snatched up his beer and downed half of it. When he recovered, he cut his eyes over at me. “Damn, girl.”

  “The truth hurts, doesn’t it?” I questioned with a smile.

  AJ chuckled before taking another bite of his hamburger. When he did, he left a glob of mustard behind. “Ugh, you’re such a pig.” I reached over and swiped it away with my thumb. Before I could move my hand, AJ’s tongue darted out and licked the mustard off my thumb. It caused an ache to burn through my lower half. I shivered under his stare.

  “Having the tables turned sucks, huh?” he questioned in a low voice.

  “Oh shut up and eat your burger,” I snapped.

  With a wink, he brought his free hand under the table to rest on my knee. When I glanced across the table, Jake and Abby were smiling at us. I quickly focused my attention back on my plate and the conversations floating around me. It was a rowdy and raucous meal, but it felt just like being with my family at one of our weekly dinners. I felt happier than I had in a long, long time.

  With our bellies full from the enormous meal and dessert, we left the picnic tables and headed over to the lounge chairs by the crackling bonfire. Before he sat down, Jake flipped the switch on the outdoor stereo system, sending music echoing around us. As I nursed a foamy beer, my head pinged b
ack and forth between the guys’ conversation—most of it was good-natured ragging on each other.

  When the music switched over and Luke Bryan’s Drunk on You belted out of the speakers, I sat up straighter in my chair. “Augh, I love this song!” I exclaimed.

  “Seriously?” AJ questioned, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

  I nodded. “You know I love country music, and I adore anything by Luke Bryan.”

  With a squeal beside me, Abby gushed, “Really? Me too. You know we met him at the CMAs.” She fanned herself and giggled. “He’s even hotter in person.”

  “Oh my God, I would die. Did you actually get to talk to him?”

  Jake and AJ glanced at each other and rolled their eyes at Abby and me acting like lovesick teenage girls.

  “Yeah, we did. He was so nice, too.”

  “I would kill to meet him.”

  Abby reached over and smacked my leg. “Next CMAs you’re coming with me then.”

  “That would be awesome.”

  AJ grunted. “Seriously, this dude has nothing on me.”

  “You actually know the lyrics to this song?”

  “Unfortunately yes.” At my continued skepticism, he added, “You want me to put my money where my mouth is?”

  Rhys groaned. “Please Mia, don’t get him started.”

  Ignoring him, I grinned at AJ. “Come on, big boy. Give me your best shot.”

  “My pleasure.” He sat down his beer and then rose out of his chair. He took center stage in the circle of chairs. Cocking his head to the side, he waited to start in on a line of the song. While he sang the lyrics, he mimed rolling down the windows, turning up the radio, and pouring some Crown in a cup. Abby and Allison giggled at his antics while I couldn’t help smiling at him for being such a goober.

  When he got to the chorus, he pointed straight at me and bellowed over the song, “Girl, you make my speakers go boom, boom—” Precisely in the moment, he whirled around to smack both of his ass cheeks on ‘boom, boom’. “Dancing on the tail gate in the full moon.”

  “Nice,” I replied as I clapped wildly.

  Jake snorted contemptuously. “Don’t encourage him. AJ will use any excuse to shake his ass at us.”

  “Don’t be hatin’ on my ass shaking skills. Mia’s a lady who appreciates rhythm—in and out of the bedroom.”

  Reaching out, I grabbed him by the belt loops and jerked him closer. I leaned forward to nip with my teeth at one of AJ’s butt cheeks through his shorts. “I sure as hell do.”

  “Easy now, you two,” Jake grumbled, motioning over at Allison.

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh please. I’m almost seventeen, not seven.”

  AJ turned around to face me. With a grin, he held out his hand. “Come on, I want to take you to see the waterfalls.”

  I cocked my head at him. “Is that some code word for you to get me away from the group, so you can ravish me out in the woods?”

  Abby giggled. “No, there are actually some small waterfalls on the far edge of Jake’s grandfather’s property. They’re only about twelve feet, but it’s really beautiful there.”

  Eyeing AJ’s outstretched hand, I said, “Just the waterfalls. No funny business that might land me with poison ivy on my ass, right?”

  He pursed his lips in his signature smirk. “I’m not making any promises.” When I started to protest, he held up a hand. “I can’t be held accountable if you accidentally take a tumble out there and happen to roll through poison ivy.”

  “As long as you don’t help me along in that tumble, I think we’ll be fine.” I then slipped my hand into his, and he pulled me out of the lawn chair.

  “Have fun taking in the scenery,” Abby teased.

  I grinned at her before I let AJ tug me along behind him. He led me over to the barn where a Jeep and several four-wheelers were parked. Instead of going for the Jeep, he slid onto a gleaming black four-wheeler. Turning around, he then patted the sparse space behind him. “Hop on, babe.”

  I swept my hands to my hips. “You can’t be serious.”

  “And why the hell not?”

  “For one, you’re saying that a city-boy like you actually knows how to ride one of those things, least of all drive it?”

  “Yes, Mia, as hard as it is to believe, this Mexican city dweller actually knows how to drive a four-wheeler.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing at his tone. Instead, I continued to look skeptically at him. AJ rolled his eyes “Listen, I’ve been riding them up here at Jake’s since I was fourteen. But even before that, I was driving my uncle’s motorcycle along the streets of Guadalajara, which trust me is a hell of a lot more dangerous than anything the backwoods can throw at you.”

  “Okay, okay, I stand corrected.”

  With a triumphant grin, AJ revved the motor to life. Hiking my leg, I slid across what was left of the seat behind him. I was practically plastered against his back. My bare thighs brushed against his.

  “Hold on tight, baby,” he called over the roar of the motor.

  Wrapping my arms around his waist, I shouted back, “Trust me, you don’t have to tell me that twice.”

  “You got nothin’ to worry about. I wouldn’t ever let you get hurt.”

  My heart fluttered a little at both his kind words and sincere tone. “Aren’t you just a sweetheart?”

  “Yep, I am.” Glancing over his shoulder, he winked. “Now sit tight. I’m gonna give you the ride of your life.”

  I snickered in spite of myself. “Whatever.”

  AJ released the brake and stomped on the gas, sending us careening forward over the gravel road. A dirt storm kicked up in our wake, clouding my vision. As we gained speed, I gripped him even tighter. His rock hard abs tightened beneath my hands.

  With a turn to the right, we left the gravel road and began tumbling over uneven and overgrown grass. Long before I could see it, I could hear the pounding roar of the water. I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath until we reached the stream. AJ must’ve felt my anticipation because he shut off the engine and pointed to the right. “See,” he instructed.

  Shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand, I gazed to where he pointed and exhaled my anxious breath. Looming up ahead, water cascaded over three separate jagged rock formations before it pooled into a stream below.

  “Like it?” AJ questioned, as I remained staring open-mouthed.

  “Are you kidding me?”

  He chuckled as he slid off the four-wheeler. As he helped ease me onto the ground, I replied, “I can’t believe anything so beautiful is right here in the middle of Jake’s property.”

  AJ reached out his hand for mine. “Come on, let’s go explore.”

  Nodding my head, I slipped my palm into his. Conversation seemed to fail us as we strolled along the river bank. Our clothes rippled in a gentle breeze, while wildlife hummed and buzzed all around us. Squirrels scurried across treetops while birds cried out as they soared over our heads. I squealed and jerked AJ’s hand at the sight of a doe and her fawn along the bank. But at the sight of us, they darted away back into the woods. “Did you see that? The baby was just like Bambi with spots.”

  AJ grinned at my enthusiasm. As I took in all the beauty surrounding me, I sighed with contentment. “I can see now why Jake loves this place so much.”

  “I don’t know if I would call it ‘love’ or an obsession. It’s getting harder and harder in between our breaks to get him back on the road.”

  “Well, it does make sense he wouldn’t want to leave here. I mean, it’s part of his blood. Being on the road has to be such a rootless existence that I’m guessing he’s super thankful to have such a wonderful home to come back to.”

  He nudged me playfully. “Listen to you sounding all wise like Yoda or some shit.”

  I elbowed him back. Hard. “Please tell me you didn’t just liken me to some old and wrinkly, green dude?”

  “Hey, you are older than me.”

  “Keep it up, Resendiz, and I see a weekend of just you and yo
ur hand getting off.”

  Throwing his head back, AJ laughed heartily. “Come on now, don’t get so riled up.” He dropped my hand, so he could slide his arm around my waist. Drawing me to him, his warm lips nuzzled against my neck. “You know you’re the sexiest cougar in the entire fucking world.”

  I wiggled out of his grasp and thrust a finger in front of his face. “You sir, are not redeeming yourself. I’m a measly three and half years older than you. I’d hardly call that a cougar.”

  “But thinking I’m your cougar cub gets me hard.”

  Rolling my eyes with exasperation, I huffed, “Just the wind blowing gets you hard.”

  AJ eyed me for a moment before roaring with laughter. His dark eyes danced with amusement as he playfully cuffed the back of my neck. “Damn, Mia, what am I going to do with you?”

  “Take me down to the water,” I commanded.

  “With pleasure.” He held out his hand again, and I slipped mine into his. We high stepped our way through the almost knee level grass towards the riverbank. When we reached it, I bent over, peering down at the gently flowing stream. In my mind, I had pictured harsh rapids flowing from the waterfalls, but this was so smooth. “Look how crystal clear that water is. You can see straight through to the bottom.”

  “If you think it looks amazing, you should feel it.”

  In a flash, I stepped out of my flip-flops and started tentatively wading into the water. As I dodged branches and other debris on the bottom, my toes squished through the silky sand. The refreshing coolness lapped against my ankles, and I sighed in renewed contentment. “It’s warmer than I’d thought it would be.”

  “Wanna go swimming?” AJ asked from behind me.

  As I glanced over my shoulder, I could see the wicked gleam burning in his eyes at the suggestion. “Hmm, we seem to have forgotten our bathing suits.”

  “Who says we need them?”

  I shot him a coy smile. “Are you suggesting we go skinny dipping?”

  “Now why would you automatically think I was insinuating a nude swim?”

  “Because you’re a complete and total horndog?”

  AJ laughed. “Now Mia, my mind wasn’t being so devious. I simply meant for us to swim in our underwear.”