“Alright now, I'm glad I could give y'all a good laugh,” Karissa said, trying, unsuccessfully, to hide a smile.
“Not that it was any great hardship to stare at Chase, all naked and built and....stuff,” Brooke commented.
“Hey,” Logan said, ruffling her hair playfully. “I'm sitting right here, you know.”
Brooke could only laugh. “Well, it's true,” she said, pleased by the fact that Logan seemed bothered by her comment. It earned her a devilish grin and a wink from Chase, which didn't go unnoticed.
“Yup, still here.” Logan decided that if his brother winked at his woman one more time he was going to blacken his eye. Winking wasn't so damn easy when your eye was swollen shut, now was it? He relaxed a little when Brooke guided his head down to her mouth for a totally hot, totally sensuous kiss.
“Needless to say, it was the talk of the town for the rest of the summer.” Seth said. “And mama and pop made you go over to the Evanson's place and apologize to Mr. Evanson 'like a man'.”
Chase grimaced. “Don't remind me.”
“He looked like a man on his way to the gallows,” Seth said.
“Really, how do you apologize to a man for boning his baby girl, in the middle of the town park, in broad daylight, during a holiday barbeque?” Chase asked, the serious look on his face utterly hysterical.
“From a distance, evidently,” Seth answered. “Mr. Evanson wasn't receptive at all to Chase's little visit. He gave him five seconds to get the hell off of his property and issued a warning to stay away from his daughter, or else he was going to hunt Chase down and shoot off his balls.” Seth feigned a pained look. “The old bastard was probably crazy enough to do it, too.”
Night fell over Angel Ridge, bringing with it a hint of coolness in the air. They lounged on their blankets, waiting for the fireworks show to begin. In keeping with tradition, they were being shot off above the pond that was situated near the center of the park, but from their spot near the maple they had the perfect view.
Raelyn and Paul had left for home a few hours before. Raelyn had grown tired and wanted to get home and rest. Diana and Nicholas had left not long after. They were heading out early the following morning to spend the day in Helena with Diana's sister and her family, and wanted to make it an early night. Their group had dwindled down to just the six of them.
The sounds of talking and laughter died down when, all of a sudden, the first group of fireworks lit up the night sky. One after another, they illuminated the dark sky in beautiful colors and amazing designs. The sounds as they exploded over the water, and then cascaded downward and dissipated, were thunderous. The crowd loved it. The smiles on the faces of children were definitely worth the big fuss. Brooke loved watching their reaction to it. After about forty-five minutes, the energy slowly fizzled out, and the show came to an end.
Throughout the show, Brooke was reminded of the summer she and Logan were in Paris nearly a decade before. They didn't celebrate Independence Day in France, as that was obviously an American holiday. They did, however, celebrate Bastille Day on the fourteenth of July, which was characterized by large-scale public celebrations of French culture, and included parades, musical performances, communal meals, dances, and spectacular fireworks displays.
She and Logan had celebrated with some friends they'd met while staying in Paris. After the celebration, Logan took her for a boat ride on the River Seine. He pulled a flower, a beautiful pink stargazer lily, from out of nowhere and tucked it behind her ear. Then he'd kissed her, and afterward she kept her eyes closed, simply listening to the fireworks that were still audible in the distance. He said her name softly. Just her name.
She slowly opened her eyes. He had knelt before her. The shock of what he was about to do hit her forcefully. On bended knee, Logan proposed to her. Brooke couldn't think, couldn't speak. She was taken completely by surprise. She laughed, and cried, simultaneously.
When she finally found her voice, she accepted Logan's marriage proposal and he slid the most beautiful, most exquisite diamond engagement ring she'd ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon, on her wedding finger. He'd proposed to her under a million twinkling stars, with the moonlight dancing across the water. Then he took her in his arms and showed her the absolute depth of his love for her.
To Brooke, it seemed like another lifetime. So much time had passed since that night, and with it so many opportunities missed, so much heartache and pain endured.
As much as Brooke had enjoyed herself, she was ready to go back to Logan's place, where they could make their own fireworks. It had been a really long day, and all she wanted was to spend some time alone with Logan. She'd been dying to get her hands on him all day.
They lingered for a little bit longer, talking, and then began to pack up their belongings, which were much lighter as they carried them back to their vehicles. There were people heading in every direction, toting kids and babies, who were likely eager to get home after a long, eventful, fun-filled day.
When they neared Brooke's car, Karissa's voice came from behind her. “I'm parked over that way.” She indicated the direction with a wave of her hand.
Brooke stopped and turned. “Ash, are you sure you're okay with staying at Rissa's? Because if you're not, I'll go back to the ranch with you tonight.” Please say you're okay with it. Please, please, please.
“No, it's fine,” she replied. “Rissa and I are going to have our own little slumber party. You know, stay up late watching chick flicks, painting our toe nails, talking about men.....”
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“Sounds like fun.” Brooke gave her sister a hug, and then hugged Ashley in turn. “Night, my girlies. I'll see you tomorrow,” she said to both of them.
After she and Logan said their goodbyes to his brothers, they settled into the comfort of her BMW. As Logan pulled away from the curb, he reached over to take Brooke's hand in his, and placed a warm kiss on it, something she'd become used to him doing over the past few weeks. She looked down at their joined hands. While hers were small and delicate, his were big and strong. They were a sharp contrast, yet they fit perfectly. They drove in comfortable silence as they headed away from town, the light from the lamp posts that illuminated Maple Street fading as they got farther away. Sometimes no words were necessary.
It was nearing 10:30 when Karissa quietly made her way downstairs. Normally, she was an early riser. But it was Sunday, and she'd been up late the night before. She'd ended up inviting Seth and Chase back to her place, and the four of them had watched a couple of movies and ordered a pizza, and just hung out.
There was a debate as to which movies to watch, so they compromised. The girls got to choose a movie they wanted to see, and the guys had to watch it with them. From the get-go, Chase complained about having to sit through two hours of You've Got Mail, but romantic comedies were a girl thing, so what did he expect?
When it was over, the guys could choose their own movie, and, likewise, the girls would be committed to watching it. Ashley was glad that she and Karissa got to choose first, because she had a feeling she'd be sleeping long before Die Hard 5 came to an end.
The guys had a few beers and, of course, Karissa didn't think they should be driving, so she suggested they spend the night. None of them had gotten to bed until at least three. Ashley slept with Karissa, while Chase used the spare bedroom and Seth stayed downstairs in the living room. The house was now quiet as everyone still slept.
As she passed through the living room on her way to the kitchen to start breakfast, she stopped next to Seth, who was sleeping soundly on the sofa. He lay on his back, with one arm bent at the elbow and his hand resting behind his head. The other lay to his left side. He was almost completely naked, except for a pair of black boxer-briefs. The blanket she'd given to him the night before had been tossed off and lay on the floor.
He was gorgeous. That was all Karissa could think as she stared down at him. He was so sinfully gorgeous that it should be illegal
. His chest was broad and muscular, with just a light smattering of hair. Even his nipples were beautiful, she thought, in awe. They were small and pink and hard. Perfect. She wanted to flick her tongue over that hardness, and nip at them until he was wild with need.
His abdomen was every bit as tantalizing. It was a combination of divots and squares, with piano keys running along the sides of his abs. He was ripped. His lean waist narrowed, and the sexy thin line below his navel disappeared beneath the waistband of his boxer-briefs. Which fit him snugly, contouring every inch of him, Karissa observed. She blushed when her eyes fell on the incredibly large bulge at the junction of his thighs. His legs were muscular, his skin tanned and smooth. It was all Karissa could do to keep herself from running her hands up and down every inch of his body. An insane heat crept along her skin, and she was sure her body temperature had risen a few degrees.
His face was so peaceful as he slept. Long, thick lashes shadowed his cheeks. His lips were pink and full. Karissa wondered what it would be like to take his sexy bottom lip between her teeth and suck on it. God, what am I thinking? She felt the intense stirrings of desire loud and clear.
Seth had heard her come down the stairs. She'd been quiet, but he'd never been a deep sleeper. The years he'd spent in the Marine Corps had served to make him sharp and aware. He heard every sound, as if it were a pin dropping. He'd felt her stop next to him, and he'd smelled her fragrance. He would know Rissa's scent from a mile away. He should have opened his eyes and alerted her to the fact that he was awake, but this was so much more fun.
At first, he wondered what she was doing. She was so quiet and still. When he opened one eye slightly, and glanced down, he realized that she was checking him out. Holy hell, she was actually checking him out. The expressions that crossed her face as she let her gaze travel down the length of his body, and then up again, were awesome. It was so hot, yet so funny, at the same time. It was all he could do to contain his laughter, or even to keep the grin off of his face. He was thankful that he didn't have a raging hard-on, at least not yet. Between the way she was looking at him, though, and the thoughts that were running through his mind, that wouldn't take more than another minute or so.
Karissa leaned down to push away a lock of dark hair from his forehead. She let her hand linger, and cupped his cheek with her palm, caressing his face with her thumb. She trailed a finger downward toward his chin, enjoying the strength and the masculinity she felt there. There was also a roughness there, a result of missing his morning shave, she presumed. She'd always loved his face; it was so handsome and so honorable.
She nearly screamed when his left hand came up and his fingers closed gently around her wrist. Her head snapped up and her eyes locked on clear green ones as he watched her silently. He was totally intrigued by this bold side of her. And by the fact that Karissa, sweet, shy Karissa, had just given him the once-over while she thought he was asleep. Damn, if that wasn't a hell of a way to start his day, he thought, smiling.
“I'm sorry I woke you,” she said, softly. “Are you hungry?” she asked, giving away nothing in her expression.
So that's how she wants to play this. His lips turned up in a smile. “I sure as hell am, sweetness.” But what he was craving had nothing to do with food.
Seth sat, wearing jeans that were unbuttoned at the waist, and nothing else, at the large oak table in Karissa's pretty, cheerful kitchen. He held a mug of hot coffee in his hands and watched her while she busied herself at the stove. She hadn't showered or dressed yet, and she looked totally sexy. She wore a blue satin robe that was belted loosely and stopped at mid-thigh. He'd been wondering for the past twenty minutes what she was wearing underneath. In his fantasy, the answer was nothing. Her legs were long and tanned, and the material of the robe outlined her magnificent ass every time she moved. Her toes were painted a bright pink.
She turned around and smiled. He could have sworn he felt his heart skip a beat. “Breakfast will be ready in a couple of minutes. I hope you've brought your big boy appetite.”
She has no idea. “I wish you'd let me help you with something,” he said, getting up to refill his coffee mug. He filled it halfway and then leaned a hip against the counter.
“Thanks for the offer, but there's not much to do.” He was standing only a foot from her, and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Her skin tingled all over. God, what does he have, super powers or something? She was totally and completely aware of his nearness. It made her uneasy, but at the same time, she liked it.
Logan pulled his sleek SUV into Karissa's driveway behind Seth's truck and cut the engine. He glanced over at Brooke, who sat in the passenger seat, and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.
“Is it just me, or do you also find it odd that Seth's truck is parked in Karissa's driveway on a Sunday morning?”
Brooke arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “It's definitely not just you,” she said, unfastening her seat belt and opening the car door. “Let's go see what's up.”
She made her way around to the side door of Karissa's pretty two-story bungalow, with Logan two steps behind her, and knocked lightly before opening the door and stepping inside. The wonderful aroma of pancakes and bacon filled the kitchen.
Brooke and Logan took in the scene before them. Karissa stood, wearing only a short robe, in front of the range flipping pancakes, while Seth leaned against the counter next to her clad only in jeans, which had been unbuttoned, Brooke noted, and a bare chest and feet, his dark hair a disheveled mess. He leaned in close to her as he said something Brooke couldn't quite make out, and watched as Karissa laughed and touched a hand to Seth's bulging bicep.
She glanced over at Logan, who had a bemused expression on his face.
“Morning,” Brooke called out, cheerfully. Karissa started, spinning around to face them. Seth just stood there, looking sexy as sin on a Sunday morning.
“Oh, hey guys. I didn't hear you come in,” Karissa said, hoping the affect Seth was having on her wasn't obvious to everyone, but especially to him.
“Apparently,” Brooke said, giving her her best you'd-better-spill-the-beans-later-you-hussy stare. Karissa blushed uncontrollably.
“We stopped at your place, but you weren't there,” Logan said to Seth, already forming a mental image in his mind as to why exactly he hadn't been there all night, and what he'd been doing. “Now we know why.”
“Yeah, we decided to hang out last night, watch a movie, order in a pizza.”
“Mmmhmm,” Brooke said, not at all oblivious to the way Seth looked at Karissa, like he wanted to eat her up in a single bite.
Seth cleared his throat. He couldn't say why, but he was growing uncomfortable under Brooke's steady stare.
Footsteps on the stairs drew their attention, and a few seconds later Ashley appeared in the doorway, her eyes practically closed and her hair standing on end. She shuffled over toward Seth and rested her chin on his bicep.
His biceps sure are getting a lot of attention this morning. Brooke couldn't help but notice this small fact.
“Ooh, coffee,” Ashley said. “Gimme.” She took Seth's coffee mug out of his hand and sipped deeply. “Mmm, that's so good. Thanks, doll,” she said, winking at Seth before she plopped down in a chair at the table.
Logan looked from Seth to Ashley to Karissa and then back to Seth.
“No way,” Logan said, gaping at his brother.
Seth caught the meaning behind his words instantly. He neither confirmed nor denied it. He just grinned, like the cat that ate the canary. He'd let Logan believe it, imagine it, for a while. At least, until Chase came downstairs and ruined it. He was laughing on the inside.
It was short-lived.
A minute later, Chase appeared in the doorway, looking insanely rumpled and sexy from sleep. He'd never been an early riser. He was the complete opposite of Logan and Seth in that respect. You practically had to push him out of bed in the morning.
Karissa was already passing him a hot mug of c
offee. “God, you're a lifesaver.” He took it from her and dropped down into the chair next to Ashley.
“Mornin', legs,” he said, running a hand through his disheveled mop of sandy blond hair.
“Why do you do that?” Ashley asked, her death glare aimed at Chase.
“Do what?”
“Call me legs,” she answered. “Like I'm a piece of meat. I'm more than just a nice set of legs and tits and ass.” She took a slow sip of her coffee. “I'm a person.” she said, her eyes on his. “A woman.” She paused before going on. “I mean, based on what Brooke said yesterday at the barbeque, you have one hell of a prime cock, but I don't call you 'dick' every time I run into you.”
The room got totally quiet for about ten seconds, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Then it erupted with laughter. Even Chase couldn't help but wear a smile on his handsome face.
“I'd be okay with you calling him that,” Seth offered. Ashley smiled at him. Chase gave him the finger.
“It's meant as a compliment, not as an insult. But since you mentioned it, you are definitely a woman,” he agreed, looking her up and down. “A woman who happens to have a killer set of legs.” She was itching to slap the lop-sided grin off of his face.
She gave up. Clearly there was no help for Chase MacKenna.
He loved knowing that he could push her buttons. It was the best entertainment he'd had in ages. He winked at her over his coffee mug. She ain't seen nothin' yet.
“So, what was all of that business in your kitchen this morning?” Brooke stared at Karissa, knowing that under her direct scrutiny her sister didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell.
Karissa blushed. Then a huge grin appeared on her pretty face. “Oh, nothing.”
“Are you kidding me? Seriously? It was not nothing. In fact, it looked like a whole lot of something to me.”
Karissa couldn't keep it to herself even if she wanted to. “Okay, okay.”
Second Chance at Love (The MacKenna Born & Bred Trilogy) Page 14
