by J. K Harper
“This place is amazing,” she said.
“Thank you,” a woman said as she bustled out from the kitchen. “I’m Madison. I hope you’re hungry. My baked eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese is almost ready.”
“It smells like sin,” Sasha said.
“You have no idea,” Madison said. “I live to cook sinfully scrumptious dishes.”
“She’s come a long way with her culinary skills. I keep telling her that she should start a cooking blog.”
“Maybe one day, when I have free time.” Madison laughed.
“I’ll help Sasha get settled,” Abby said. “We’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Sounds good.”
After Madison disappeared back into the kitchen, Abby started up the stairs. Sasha followed. The warm, homey feel of the house continued to the second floor. Caramel-colored walls lined the hall. A polished wood floor reflected sunlight from a large picture.
“The other guests should be arriving shortly,” Abby said.
“I can’t wait to get started.”
“After lunch, you’ll have plenty of time to work on your project.” Abby opened one of the bedroom doors and let her inside.
A huge four-poster bed sat in the center of the room. A patchwork quilt in blue hues lay across the sheets. Above the bed, a painting depicting a grizzly bear in the forest hung on the wall. Her luggage sat piled near an antique mahogany dresser.
“This is beautiful,” Sasha said.
“Thank you. My sister-in-law Kate does most of the interior design. She’s passionate about color and light.”
“It shows.”
“I’ll let her know you like the room. She recently redesigned it,” Abby said. “Spare linens are in the closet. There’s an attached bath and plenty of space to stretch out. We just ask that you use a drop cloth if you’re going to work with clay in your room. You might be more comfortable in the art center. It’s adjacent to the barn.”
“No problem,” Sasha said. “I’ll move all of my supplies over there this afternoon.”
“Great. Take your time getting unpacked. Madison said the food will be ready soon, but there’s no rush.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure. I can’t wait to see your project. Are you starting something new or working with an existing piece?” Abby asked.
“A new one,” Sasha said.
“I love starting a new painting. All of the possibilities are laid out before me and I just have to choose which direction I want to go in.”
“Yeah,” Sasha said. She used to know exactly what she’d create when she looked at a piece of clay. Now, she had no idea.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Abby said. “If you need anything, just holler.”
“Sounds good.”
After Abby left the room, Sasha began unpacking. She set her laptop on the desk near the window and opened it. After connecting to the Wi-Fi, she checked her bank account balance.
“Ugh,” she grumbled.
If she didn’t finish the project this week, she’d have to find a different line of work and give up her dream of being a full-time artist.
* * *
Jack parked his black Ford F-150 between two other trucks next to a huge red barn. The property had a cutesy name—Curvy Bear Ranch—but the place screamed cowboy. He half-expected a man in leather chaps to walk bowlegged out of one of the fields. It seemed like an odd place to hold an artist’s retreat, but he lived for weird, new experiences.
He hopped out of the truck and grabbed a duffle bag full of metalworking tools. As he turned toward the ranch-style home, the front door opened. A six-foot-tall man with a neatly trimmed beard and mustache jogged down the steps. A second man followed behind him. The man’s wild, chocolate brown hair bounced in the wind.
“Mack Grant,” the first man said as he held out a hand.
“Jack Brock.” He shook the man’s hand.
“This is my brother, Logan,” Mack said as the second man walked up.
“Good to meet you,” Logan said.
“Same here.”
“Those your tools?” Mack asked with a nod at the duffle bag.
“Yep.”
“You can set up in the barn. We have a workshop in the back,” Mack said.
“Need any help carrying the rest of the tools?” Logan asked as he peered into the truck bed.
“Yeah, if you could grab the welder, I’d appreciate it,” Jack said.
“Will do. I’m glad a few men signed up for Abby’s art week. I wouldn’t mind playing with a little molten metal myself.” Logan hauled the equipment out of the truck and headed toward the barn.
“Just don’t burn it down,” Mack said.
“Nah, we’ll do the welding outside,” Logan said over his shoulder. “I brought out an extra fire extinguisher just in case.”
“Not the one from the kitchen, right?” Mack asked.
“God no. You think I’d leave your wife alone in there without backup?” Logan asked in a joking tone.
“Is she a bad cook?” Jack asked.
“She’s much better than she was a few months ago.” Mack grinned. “But now she’s into flambéing everything.”
“It’s those damn cooking shows on TV,” Logan said. “Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the kitchen.”
“Man, you’d better never let her hear you say that.”
“So you live here with your wives?” Jack set his bag of tools on the bench.
“Yep. There are six of us and a few kids running around,” Mack said.
“One big happy family,” Logan added. When they reached the back of the barn, he set the welder down on a bench. “You can leave everything here when you’re not working. We’re so far in from the main road that no one’s going to show up and steal anything.”
“And if someone did show up, we’d just maul him to death,” Mack said.
Jack raised a brow.
“He’s messing with you,” Logan said. “What kind of bear are you?”
“Grizzly,” Jack responded. He pulled his shoulders back with pride.
“We’re grizzlies too,” Mack said.
“Are all of your brothers shifters?” Jack asked.
“Yep. Some of our wives are too,” Logan added.
“How long have you been an artist?” Mack asked.
“I don’t know if I’d put a title on what I do,” Jack said. “I’ve been working with metal for a few months now. My bear loves it. I think he’s drawn to the fire.”
“It’s primal as shit,” Logan said. “Is this your full-time gig?”
“At the moment, yes. I was an investment banker for years until I wised up. Life’s too short to be chained to a desk.”
“Agreed,” Mack said. “That’s one hell of a change in career.”
“A few years ago, I was in a plane crash,” Jack said. “I was the only person who survived.”
“Damn,” Logan said.
“When I got out of the hospital, I vowed that I’d try as many new experiences as I could. I quit my job and I’ve been roaming from adventure to adventure ever since.”
“There’s something to be said for freedom,” Mack said.
“I intend to explore everything life has to offer. This week is just one more notch in my belt.”
“You ever think about slowing down and staying put anywhere?” Mack asked.
“Hell no. I don’t want to be tied down to anything or anyone. When I get bored, I just move on to a new experience.”
“Well I hope you’re inspired by what we’ve got for you,” Mack said. “Follow me.”
Jack strolled past rows of horses. Maybe he’d get to ride a few while he was here. He hadn’t spent time on a ranch since last year’s cattle drive in South Dakota. It would be good to hang around cowboys for a while. The Grant brothers seemed like solid people, the kind of men who shot straight and didn’t have ulterior motives.
As they rounded a bend in the fence line, Jack st
opped in his tracks. A mountain of twisted metal jutted out every which way. Everything from old bicycle wheels to aluminum siding lay in a giant heap. His pulse kicked at the possibilities.
“All this is for me?” he asked, unable to keep the childlike wonder from his voice.
“Yep. Last year I helped my wife clear out her dad’s house. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff we found. Some of this is a little charred. Her old barn burnt down. But there should be some stuff you can work with,” Logan said.
“This is incredible,” Jack said. “I can’t wait to get started.”
In the distance, a bell rang.
“Chow’s ready,” Mack said. “Madison will ring it when meals are ready. We do three squares but there are always extra snacks available. You don’t want a hungry bear shifter roaming around.”
“You won’t go hungry here,” Logan said as they headed back toward Jack’s truck.
After grabbing his bag full of clothes from the back seat, he fell in line with the brothers. They passed a ranch-style home and headed toward the two-story B&B. Jack loved B&Bs. They were like having all the comforts of home without being tied to a house.
As they stepped inside the B&B, Mack pointed toward a shoe rack.
“Madison’s got rules about keeping your shoes on in the house. She doesn’t want dirt everywhere,” he said.
“In Japan, everyone takes their shoes off. I stayed with a family near Okinawa for a few weeks. Cleanest home I ever lived in. You could eat off the floor. Not that I tried it or anything,” Jack quickly added as he pulled off his snakeskin boots.
“I don’t know if I’d use the floor as a table,” Logan said. “But Madison does a great job keeping this place spotless.”
Jack followed them into the dining room. The scent of thyme and sage filled the air. His bear woke and rolled around in his chest. After spending five hours on the road, the beast was ready to feast.
A huge casserole bubbling with melted cheese sat in the center of the table. His stomach grumbled along with his bear.
“What are we having, babe?” Mack asked a curvy woman with golden hair and bright blue eyes. That had to be Madison, Mack’s wife. Lucky man.
“Baked eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese,” she replied.
“It smells delicious,” Jack said as he took a seat near the center of the long table.
Several people filtered into the room. A few of the men bore a strong resemblance to Mack and Logan. He got confirmation as they all introduced themselves. Their wives joined them, a couple of them with babies in tow.
Jack waited until the brothers started serving the other guests. Although he was famished, he didn’t want to dive headfirst into it. He liked to savor everything about each meal. He never knew if it would be his last.
As he reached for a large green salad, movement at the corner of the room caught his attention. A curvy woman with shoulder-length red hair and sky-blue eyes strolled into the room. His breath caught in his chest as his bear’s full attention turned away from the food and toward the woman.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said.
“Everyone, meet Sasha,” Madison said. “She’s working in clay this week.”
Without hesitation, Jack motioned for her to take the seat to his right. She smiled and crossed the room. As she slid into the chair next to his, her arm brushed his. Electric currents of awareness sizzled across his flesh to give him goosebumps. Art camp just got a lot more interesting.
Chapter 2
Sasha woke the next day to the sound of birdsong through the bedroom window. She’d cracked it open a bit to let fresh air into the room. Although it was late October, they hadn’t had more than a dusting of snowfall yet. A few scattered patches lingered in the shade under tree branches, but most of the ground remained untouched.
She slipped out of bed, pulled on a robe, and padded to the window. The sun peeked over the mountains to cast a rosy glow across the forest. Abby appeared near the entrance to the B&B. She carried several yoga mats to the center of a grassy area. As she laid them out, she hummed a song to herself.
“Good morning,” Sasha called.
“Hey up there! Are you coming down for yoga?” Abby asked.
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
As she stepped back from the window, she caught a glimpse of Jack. She leaned forward slightly. His choppy dark-blond hair rippled in the morning breeze. A black muscle-shirt barely contained his ripped chest. Huge muscular arms pumped as he jogged over to a mat. The hot guy liked yoga? Interesting.
A pair of hunter-green shorts hung loose in the front, but hugged his backside in all the right places. She couldn’t wait to see his downward doggie-style. She chuckled loud enough to draw his attention.
He turned and winked before bending forward to touch his toes. The man was flexible all right. He had a cute butt too. And apparently he liked showing it off. Figures. He was probably one of those guys who went to yoga classes to pick up women.
As he twisted into a back bend, his gaze met hers. Heat flooded her core. Well … it wouldn’t hurt to look, would it? Maybe creative inspiration would strike in the middle of her morning workout. Although, Mrs. Bran probably wasn’t expecting a nude sculpture.
She shook her head. She didn’t need a distraction this week. Fantasizing about Jack wouldn’t get her any closer to her goal, and dating was the last thing she should be thinking about right now. Even if the hottie randomly decided to seduce her with those big brown eyes, she couldn’t afford to lose focus.
After slipping into a pink top and black shorts, she hurried downstairs. She didn’t want to show up late and mess up Abby’s class.
By the time she joined the group, three other women had arrived. An older woman with graying hair smiled.
“I’m Mary Margaret,” she said. “If you hear anything cracking, you’ll know it’s just my old bones rumbling around in my back. My doctor insists that I stretch every day. Use it or lose it, he says.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Jack said while fixing his gaze directly on Sasha.
Heat rushed into her cheeks. Before she could come up with an appropriate response, the other women introduced themselves. Lonnie from South Carolina displayed the mannerisms of a genteel Southern woman, while Justine from Tennessee bounced around like a teenager who’d chugged one too many Red Bulls.
“Shall we get started?” Abby asked.
As she led the group through sun salutations, Sasha stole glances at Jack. He managed to move through the positions with a gracefulness that stole her breath, all while maintaining his virile masculinity. Not many men could pull that off, but he managed to do it with ease.
When they reached the downward dog segment, Sasha averted her gaze. If she stared at him now, she’d totally lose it. Fortunately, the entirety of her focus shifted to her arms, which threatened to collapse under her weight. Even though she did a lot of walking, she was a few pounds heavier than she wanted to be. But pizza and cookies were too good to give up.
Long ago, she’d accepted that she’d never grace the pages of a bathing suit catalog. But she loved her figure. As long as she could cram her butt into a nice pair of jeans, she wasn’t going to worry about the number on the scale.
“Are you having fun?” Jack whispered.
“Yes.”
“You going to breakfast after this?” he asked.
“Yep. Wouldn’t miss it,” she said under her breath.
“Maybe I’ll see you on the back porch,” he said. “There’s an awesome view of the lake from there.”
“Okay.”
Pride put a smile on her face. So what if she wasn’t a ten-foot-tall supermodel? She was still hot. If she ever decided to date again, it would be with someone tall and sexy like Jack. Too bad she wasn’t in the market for a man right now. Oh well. It was just coffee, right?
After the class ended, she headed upstairs to her room. Jack followed on her heels.
“Looks like we’re neighbors,” he
said when they reached their respective doors.
“Looks like it.”
“See you soon,” he said before disappearing into his room.
She bit the edge of her lip and grinned as she walked into her room. Now she really needed a cold shower. To have that hunk of hotness right next door was one hell of a temptation. Not that he’d offered to throw her down on the bed and make rough, sweaty love to her or anything. Nope. He hadn’t done that at all. Those bedroom eyes didn’t mean a damn thing. She was reading far too much into it. Oh well, a girl could dream, couldn’t she?
As she padded across the bedroom, the lumps of plastic-wrapped clay seemed to glare at her as if trying to remind her that she shouldn’t be thinking about peeling his shirt off with her teeth. She should be focused on a new ceramic design. A cold shower would definitely help.
After drying her now-icy hair, she slipped into her favorite jeans and slipped a ruby-colored cowl-necked sweater over her head. She fluffed her hair with her fingers, then inspected her reflection in the mirror. Normally she didn’t wear makeup, but a little lip gloss couldn’t hurt. She dabbed her lips until they sparkled with a pink shimmer. Much better.
She headed downstairs and into the dining room. The scent of cinnamon filled the air. As she surveyed the offerings, her eyebrows rose. They’d cooked enough for an army. Platters of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and a huge coffee cake decorated the table. Madison walked in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of steaming biscuits.
“I’m bringing the gravy right now, just one moment,” she said.
“Can I help you with anything?” Sasha asked.
“No, I got it.”
“This is amazing!” Sasha yelled toward the kitchen.
“Thank you.” Madison returned with a huge gravy boat. “I never want anyone to go hungry. Feel free to serve yourself. Breakfast is buffet-style so everyone can eat wherever they want. A few people are out on the back porch. You can stay inside or join them.”
