by Cathryn Cade
Daisy stood in the shade of a cluster of tall evergreens near the EbiTeck fitness track. The high-tech company had purchased the Forest Grove campus of a private college moving to newer quarters. EbiTeck had done a great job of making their new labs and offices fit in with the look of the old Main Hall and torn down the ugly buildings the college had added in the sixties. They’d even managed to save most of the towering trees.
Carlie worked for EbiTeck, the reason she, Daisy and Sara had met at a breast cancer walk-a-thon here more than a year ago.
What a difference that year had made. Daisy looked around her, smiling at familiar faces and enjoying the morning. Women eddied around her, laughing and chatting, clad as she was in light, comfortable clothing and walking shoes. Pink was the most prevalent color, and those who didn’t wear pink T-shirts and baseball caps had pink ribbons affixed somewhere on their person. There were men and boys sprinkled in the throng, but most of those who’d shown up today to walk were women. Breast cancer survivors, friends and family.
She reached up to settle her own pink plaid bucket hat on her head. Then she looked down as she brushed grass from the seat of her shorts. She wore white shorts, a pink tank and her favorite tennies, with pink ribbons tied into the shoelaces. Water bottle, check. Sunglasses, check. Sunscreen lip gloss, check. She was ready. Later, as the sun rose higher, she’d slip on her long-sleeved sun shirt, but for now she was going to enjoy the sun on her skin and work on her tan for a couple of hours.
She glanced at the big clock set up by one of the booths, selling T-shirts, water bottles and other “pink” paraphernalia. Eight o’clock, time to get started.
Her mother and sisters would be here at nine with the girls. Carlie was out of town with family, but Sara had promised to come. Daisy’s dad had given her a pledge sheet filled out with pledges from his golf buddies, his ticket to freedom for the day. He’d kissed her cheek and told her if he was going to walk in the hot sun, he damn well wanted a club and something to hit with it.
She sighed, wishing she was at the river or out at the coast. It was going to be a long, hot day. Only for such a good cause would she submit to this torture. Walking around and around in the sun with no water in sight just sucked.
“Oh, here comes a cowboy I wouldn’t mind taking for a stroll,” commented one of the middle-aged women waiting nearby. “Hoo-boy.”
Her friend turned to look. “Yum, sign him up on our team, Bernice.”
The others laughed, nudging each other.
Daisy peered past the awning of the nearest booth to see who they were ogling. Someone’s cute boyfriend or son, probably.
Her heart gave a great thunk and began to beat double time. A tall, tanned, broad-shouldered man was sauntering down the track toward her, clad in shorts and a tight T-shirt, a familiar battered straw cowboy hat on his head.
Dack saw her and grinned, his teeth a white slash in his bearded face. He wore his trademark shades, so she couldn’t see his eyes, but with that smile, she knew they’d hold a devilish twinkle.
Daisy skirted his admirers and walked out into the sun to meet him, delighted but bewildered. “Morning, cowboy. What are you doing here?”
Dack stopped before her. “Well, y’know that date you wanted us to go on?”
Amusement and delight bubbled up inside her, lighter than air. “Are you kidding me? You’re here to be with me?”
Her intense relief made her realize how tense she’d been all week. She’d been so afraid that after she ran out of the club he’d be tired of dealing with her and her fears. Even though he’d been so sweet, holding her, when he’d taken back his key it had felt like he was taking his…well, not love, but his approval.
He looked around and then bent close, cocking his head near hers. “Yeah, although I have to tell you, the Pink Camo Grammas over here may give you a run for your money. They’ve been givin’ me the eye, if you know what I mean.”
Daisy glanced over at the group of elderly women beaming at her and Dack. She smiled back at them and swatted him on his bicep. “You are so full of it.”
At that moment, a loud horn tooted. “Welcome to the Forest Grove ‘Kick Cancer’ Walk,” an amplified voice called over the field. “Eight o’clock teams, on the track. Let’s kick some cancer butt, people.”
Dack held out his hand, and Daisy took it. She followed him out onto the track, and they started off among the other walkers.
“Slower walkers to the center,” the woman with the megaphone called. “You faster walkers take the long way around. It’s good for you.”
The walkers laughed or protested good-naturedly as they sorted themselves out on the track. Daisy moved to the outside with Dack, the lane open ahead of them, her spirits lighter than they’d been all week. “How did you even know I was going to be here?” she asked.
“You told me you were doing a walk this weekend, so I did some research. Printed myself off a pledge sheet and started signing people up.”
“At the club?” When he nodded, she snickered. Well, the members certainly had money, so this was a good use of it, even if he’d just gotten a few dollars.
“And people I know,” he added.
“People you know,” she mimicked admiringly. “I’m impressed. Thank you. So, are you from here?”
“Nah, I’m from the Gorge, Hood River. My dad worked on the Bonneville Dam. How about you?”
“Tigard. Go Tigers. My dad’s a retired Realtor.”
He nodded, grinning. “I’m an Eagle, myself. So now you’re a Realtor too, huh?”
She gave him an incredulous look. “Not even close. I’m a secretary at WorldWide Realty. I’m taking classes, though. Gonna get my license.”
“I believe you.” He squeezed her hand. “You’ll be up there smiling on the billboards. ‘Buy my house.’” He pointed an admonishing finger down at imaginary motorists, and Daisy laughed.
“How about you?” she asked. Then she shook her head, turning to jog backwards in front of him. “Wait, wait. Don’t tell me, let me guess. You work outside, I know that, ’cause you’re all tan and buff, and not just from those huge weights you maul.”
“Whoa, careful.” He grabbed her arms and pulled her back beside him, her hand in his again. “You’re gonna trip, and then I’ll have to spend the next hour spreading first aid ointment on your elbows and your ass… No, wait a minute. Go ahead and run backwards. I’ll be your ointment bitch anytime.”
She snickered. “Don’t try to distract me. So, you’re tanned, but when you take your sunglasses off, you’re not as tanned around your eyes, so you don’t lie in a tanning bed.”
He snorted with disgust, and she grinned. He was such a guy. Probably rather chew nails than go to a tanning salon.
“And you come into the gym all covered in dust sometimes, but it’s not regular dirt. More like…construction dust.”
He waited, smiling as they walked along. She held up their linked hands and examined his. Big and brown and powerful, with the heavy musculature and tendons of a hand that worked hard. Scars, and a fresh scab on one knuckle that made her frown with dismay. “You get hit with things—hammers. You’re a carpenter,” she said triumphantly.
He chuckled and squeezed her hand again. “Very good. I’m a builder.”
“Houses?”
“Yup, and small business projects. Do some remodeling too. Just rebuilt a place up on Bull Mountain. Tore down the old place and started over from the ground up.”
Daisy nodded. How cool was that? They were in the same field. “I love houses,” she said. “What’s your favorite style?”
He considered. “Craftsman, I guess. I like a solid, traditional look.”
“Built to last,” she agreed. “So do you own a home?”
“Nope. Condo. Easier to take care of. Between work, the gym and the club, I’m pretty busy.”
“No hobbies, huh?” she asked dryly.
He chuckled, this time a low, intimate growl. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”
> Daisy stared fixedly at the track ahead, her cheeks hot. Oh geez, she’d walked right into that one. He had a hobby, all right.
She cast him a look under the brim of her hat and found him looking back at her. They walked along, a sedate distance between them, but suddenly Daisy felt that familiar tightening in her breasts and heat twining down deep inside her.
He smiled slowly. “I like that top, Petal. I like it a lot.”
She peered down and groaned. Her nipples were hard points, poking through her sports bra and tank.
Dack squeezed her hand, his thumb massaging the back of her hand. She felt it clear to her girly parts. “You get a free T-shirt for participating,” she told him, for something to say. “I hope you like pink.”
He chuckled. “No thanks. I’ll just get an extra one for you.”
“Hey,” she said with mock indignation. “If the pro football players can wear pink to support breast cancer research, you can too.”
He nodded. “You got a point there, Petal. Maybe we could—”
“Dack Humboldt, is that you?”
Dack turned, and Daisy peered around him. A tall woman who looked perhaps ten years older than Daisy had hurried up beside Dack on his other side. She wore skimpy pink shorts and a snug T-shirt, her long brown hair curling around her shoulders as if she were going out for the evening. She was beaming at Dack. With those teeth, she really should keep her mouth closed. Okay, that was bitchy, but did Dack have to look so pleased to see the woman?
“Hey, Shawna,” he said. “How are you?”
The two exchanged a one-armed hug, still walking. Daisy tugged her hand free of Dack’s, her smile set on her face. Well, wasn’t this fun.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Shawna exclaimed. “I told Mom that’s Dack Humboldt over there, and she said it is not, and I said it is so, and I’ll prove it.”
She and Dack laughed together. Ha, ha, that was really funny.
“Your mom’s here, huh?” he asked.
“Yeah, with Missy.” She turned and pointed, and Dack waved to someone. “You know she had that bout with the big C last winter, so we never miss a chance to do a fund-raiser, but what are you doing here, Dack?”
“Same thing you are,” he returned amiably. “Shawna, this is Daisy. Daisy, Shawna and I went to school together in Hood River.”
“I figured,” Daisy said, upping the wattage on her smile. “Hi, Shawna, nice to meet you.”
The other woman checked Daisy out avidly. “Same here, Daisy.” She looked from Daisy to Dack, her eyes sparkling. “Well,” she said, giving Dack another hug, her arm lingering this time. “Wait ’til I tell Josh that you were here walking the track. Ha! Maybe he can get his butt out here for once.”
Dack smiled down at her. “How’s he doing?”
Hmm, this sounded promising. Maybe the Hugger was married. Daisy listened hard, although she looked around as if scanning the area was all that was on her mind.
Shawna began a lengthy description of the absent Josh’s latest business venture. Daisy looked at the big clock as they passed. Nine o’clock. Mom, Dana and the girls should be here. Turning, she walked backwards for a moment, scanning the crowd.
Dack and Shawna were laughing over Josh’s first attempts to turn some old Hood River landmark into a viable business. Daisy spotted her mother’s favorite pink sun hat and sighed with mingled relief and regret.
She waved and saw Dana notice her and point, showing her mother where Daisy was.
“Back in a minute,” Daisy said to Dack. “Nice meeting you, Shawna.”
Dack looked down at her, the corners of his mouth pulling in. In regret, irritation—hard to tell with him. He nodded. “See you in a few.”
Daisy ducked around a big group of walkers and jogged over to greet her family with hugs and kisses for her two nieces, who were attired in matching pink ball caps and T-shirts.
“Who was that you were walking with?” Dana asked.
“Oh, he’s…a friend,” Daisy said. “You can meet him in a little bit. You guys ready to walk?”
She watched her mother and sister exchange a quick look, but neither said anything.
“I am,” Cora agreed, bouncing excitedly. “Daddy signed my pledge sheet.”
“Mine too,” Zoe told her. “He said if we walk for an hour, he’ll take us out for ice cream at the Pink Elephant. They have every kind of sprinkle you ever heard of.”
“And they pile them all on together,” her sister added under her breath. She and Daisy shuddered together.
The morning was still pleasant, but Daisy glugged some of her water as she walked back out onto the track. She scanned the walkers without turning her head and found Dack on the other side, just waving good-bye to Shawna.
He looked around, and she watched him spot her. She waved, and he nodded, then lengthened his stride. Her heart sped up with him. He’d catch up with her and her family in a few moments.
Hoo-boy. Then what? Hey, Mom, Dana, girls, this is the guy I had kinky sex with at a club. A club which he owns, by the way. Okay that was beyond ridiculous, but geez. It didn’t matter where or how, this stage of dating or whatever they were doing, was just awkward.
But he had said they were on a date. So that was good, right? Unless he had more old girlfriends waiting to spring out of the trees.
She turned to look behind her, and there he was. He held out his hand, and she slowed to wait for him, putting her hand in his without thinking.
“Is that your family?” he asked, looking at Dana and her mother, who had turned to look back. The girls were way ahead, race-walking each other around the track.
“Yup. Mom and Dana, my oldest sister. Come and meet them.”
“Yeah? Okay.”
She looked up at him, surprised. He hadn’t been sure she’d want to introduce him. Did that mean—oh crap. Better get this out in the open. “If you want to,” she said.
“Yeah, I want to.” He looked down at her and smiled crookedly. “Now that we’re dating, I think I should meet your folks.”
“Oh, you.” She swatted his arm with her free hand, but she was smiling inside and out as they hastened to catch up with her mother and sister.
Her mom and Dana checked Dack out thoroughly, but they did it with such charm and ease that Daisy didn’t mind—much. Introductions over, Dana asked him what he did for a living.
“I own a—”
Daisy’s heart nearly stopped. “He’s in construction,” she blurted.
Dana looked at her oddly. Dack’s eyebrows drew together over his sunglasses. “Yeah, and I own a club with two partners,” he said, his hand tightening on hers. “A fitness center.”
Daisy put one hand on her chest. Holy crap, she needed to go lie down. For one terrible instant, she’d thought he was going to admit he owned a sex club.
“Oh, is that how you two met?” Dana asked. “I know Daisy works out regularly.”
“Yeah,” Dack agreed, squeezing her hand again. “She likes a good workout.”
Blushing furiously, Daisy told them about joining Big Iron with Carlie and Sara, and Dana asked Dack a question about abdominal workouts. Daisy’s mother fell back to walk with the girls, who had caught up and wanted to tell all about their lap.
Sara arrived soon afterward and joined their group. If she was surprised to see Dack, she concealed it well. Very well. Daisy was not thrilled with the hug Dack gave the diminutive redhead or the way she smiled up at him.
But then Sara moved to Daisy’s other side to walk and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and Daisy forgave her.
The morning grew hotter. More of Daisy’s acquaintances arrived, women she’d met at treatments and classes, and some of the oncology nurses. They broke for lunch, boxed lunches eaten on the lawn in the shade of the trees.
Daisy’s mother said good-bye, her fair skin flushed with heat, and soon after Dana took the girls off for a swim. Sara saw another group of women she knew and went to join them for lunch. Daisy put on
her long-sleeved shirt, and Dack sprayed her with cool water. Then she got to do the same for him, enjoying the sight of his wet shirt sticking to his powerful muscles.
Leaning back on his elbows in the cool grass, he watched with interest as she smoothed sunscreen on her legs. “Damn, wish I could help with that,” he muttered. “Since I didn’t get to do any first aid. Always liked playing doctor.”
She smiled teasingly. “You can do my sunscreen if you take me out to the river sometime.”
He nodded. “Frenchman’s Bar? Deal.” Then he sat up and looked away, arms braced on his upraised knees.
“What?” she asked.
“Don’t interrupt me,” he growled. “I’m reciting baseball stats.”
She blushed as comprehension dawned. That was what guys did when they wanted to distract themselves from their arousal. “So, how’s that working for you?”
He gave her a look. “Be careful, or you’ll find out…sub.”
And just like that, Daisy remembered the bed at the club, with him behind her, holding her while he pounded into her. She dropped the tube of sunscreen. It landed on the grass, a sploosh of liquid squirting onto her ankle.
He gave her a wicked grin and levered himself to his feet, holding one hand down to her. “Yeah, works both ways, doesn’t it, Petal?”
Daisy looked up at him, which was a mistake, because there she was, crouched at his feet like a supplicating harem girl—which made her pussy throb with need.
She nodded, because he was waiting for an answer. Then she busied herself tucking the sunscreen into her bag, before taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet.
Sara caught up and walked with them again for a while. Dack headed off to use the portable restrooms, and Sara grinned at Daisy. “So you two made up, huh?”
“I guess we did,” Daisy said. She told Sara about his calling this their first date.
Sara made the face women usually reserved for puppies, kittens and babies. “Aww, that is so sweet. You know, if he wasn’t into kinky stuff, I’d say he was a keeper.”
Daisy stared at her. “You think the two are mutually exclusive? I mean, kinky sex and a long-term relationship?”
