The Wells Brothers: Blue

by Angela Verdenius

  Resuming reading, Charley got caught up in the book. As interesting as the plot was, slowly but surely her eyelids started to lower until finally the book slid down to lie open against her belly.

  Her last conscious thought was…just what did Blue want to talk about?

  ~*~

  Freshly showered, hair up in a bouncy ponytail, dressed in a yellow t-shirt and white skirt with yellow rosebuds printed across it, feet in flat-heeled white sandals, Charley felt like she was ready to face whatever Blue had on his mind. The yellow helped make her feel positive, the white cool for a summer’s day, the sandals - well, she just liked them.

  Kitty following behind, tail up and full of confidence, they entered the kitchen to find it empty.

  Hearing voices outside, she peered through the curtains to see Blue and Jason debating something in the backyard. Downing a glass of icy water, she grabbed a tub of yoghurt and dipped the spoon into it.

  She was still eating it when Blue and Jason walked in through the back door. She watched them while slowly drawing the spoon from her mouth.

  Blue’s attention was caught by the movement, his gaze seeming to zero in on her mouth, his pupils enlarging.

  For a second she really thought she saw heat flare in his eyes, something a little hot in the blue depths when his gaze shifted to meet her’s, but almost instantly he turned around, pulling open the ‘fridge door to retrieve two cartons of Iced Coffee, one of which he tossed to his cousin. When he turned back his usual pleasant smile curved his lips, his eyes without heat.

  Talk about wishful thinking. She heaved a sigh.

  He paused in the act of opening the carton. “Something wrong?”

  Fingers busily tearing open the carton to form a spout at the top, Jason glanced between them thoughtfully, his normal serious expression giving away nothing of his thoughts.

  “Nope,” she replied with determined cheerfulness.

  “You seemed a little…” Tipping the carton to his lips, Blue took a sip while thoughtfully eyeing her over the top. Lowering it, he swallowed before adding, “Wistful?”

  Oh God! No way could she let him guess what she’d really been thinking. How embarrassing would that be?

  Charley took refuge in scraping the remaining yogurt from the tub. “Just wondering what you and Jason were cooking up for Luke’s buck’s night.”

  “Ah…”

  Damn. Did he now think she was wondering why she hadn’t been invited to Mikki’s hen’s night? Cripes! Talk about looking pathetic. Sure, she was friends with the girls, but Charley had been philosophical about not getting an invite to the hen’s night. It was Mikki’s night, her choice who attended, and it wasn’t as if they were best mates. But what if Blue and Jason thought she was silently hinting?

  Charley groaned silently while smiling brightly at the men. “So, what have you got planned for Luke?”

  “Actually, he isn’t having a buck’s night.” Lean hips rested back against the counter very close to where Charley stood.

  “Oh?”

  “Nope.” Blue’s big hand gestured with the drink carton.

  She couldn’t help but note his long fingers, the clean, short nails, the big, capable hand. Lucky Kitty getting stroked by him.

  Oh man, I really have to get over this crush, stat.

  Determinedly, she returned to the topic. “But it’s tradition.”

  He shrugged. “Well, we’ve never been much for following some traditions.”

  “Really?” Intrigued, she looked at Jason.

  He smiled slightly.

  “So, the hen’s night…?”

  Jason shook his head.

  “No hen’s night?”

  Another shake.

  “Okay.” Lowering the yoghurt tub, she tapped the teaspoon thoughtfully against her bottom lip. “I get that your mob isn’t the kind to have drunken, rowdy nights out, but I’d have thought some kind of celebration would be in order.”

  “Luke and Mikki left this morning to spend the day somewhere quiet.” Blue glanced at her then down at the carton of Iced Coffee he was now twirling in his hand, the liquid inside sloshing against the cardboard.

  “They live together,” she pointed out.

  “So?”

  “So they have quiet times already.”

  “This upcoming wedding has been busy - planning, preparations, Mikki’s million and one family members, and she’s been waylaying her mother’s grand plans. Mikki dug her heels in for a small wedding with only close family and friends, and Luke is right behind her. Now she’s tired and, as she politely put it to me the other night, ‘I need some freakin’ time alone with my fiancée without everyone watching and cracking dirty jokes. If I don’t get a break with him, I’ll be a useless lump in the sack come the wedding night.’”

  Jason chuckled softly.

  “Wow.” Charley blinked. “Okay.”

  “They dropped Dog off at Dad’s place and drove off somewhere for parts unknown.” Blue grinned slightly. “Bet Aaron knows, though.”

  “Aaron won’t tell unless there’s an emergency,” Jason drawled.

  “Too right.” Tipping back his head, Blue drained the coffee from the carton.

  Charley watched the strong lines of his neck, the bob of his Adam’s apple as he drank. How could a man drinking look sexy? Damn, she had it bad.

  Glancing away, she caught Jason’s thoughtful gaze and blushed. Clearing her throat, she walked to the bin and dropped the empty yoghurt tub into it before rinsing the spoon under the tap.

  Not really knowing what to say, so aware suddenly of Blue’s regard, she wondered if he’d noticed her going all gooey-eyed at him. “Right, well, no buck’s or hen’s night for the Wells or Dawsons. Gotcha.”

  “Mmmm.” Still holding his Iced Coffee, Jason started for the hallway. “Well, I’m off home.”

  Blue followed him, the low murmur of their voices filling the air.

  Charley used the time to sternly tick herself off for letting her mind wander into fantasy land. Determinedly turning her thoughts to reality, she grabbed some scissors and went out into the backyard.

  Clipping off a bouquet of roses from the bushes, trimming the thorns from the stems as she went, she inhaled the fragrant scent as she carried them back into the kitchen. Taking the vase from the table, she tipped out the half dead flowers, rinsed the vase, filled it with fresh water and carefully arranged the roses into it, placing it back on the middle of the table with a nod of satisfaction.

  Much better.

  Wiping the scissors, she placed them back in the laundry and washed her hands in the sink before returning to the kitchen.

  Blue was standing at the back door, hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts as he looked out at the yard. As she came in, he turned with a serious expression.

  Oh yeah, now she remembered.

  Folding her arms, she leaned her hips back against the kitchen bench. “You wanted to talk to me about something?”

  He studied her for several seconds before taking his hands from his pockets and walking towards her, every step sure, his arms swinging loosely.

  She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed when the phone rang.

  He just looked frustrated.

  Reaching up, she took the phone from the hook and placed it to her ear. “Hello?”

  “I had a little visit from your boyfriend, and I didn’t appreciate it.”

  “Gary?” Her fingers tightened on the phone.

  Halting, Blue’s regard intensified.

  “So you got a new boyfriend. That was fast, Charley.”

  “Boyfriend?” she echoed stupidly. “I don’t-”

  “I can’t believe you dropped me.” Gary’s voice lowered.

  She blinked. “Seriously?”

  “How could you? You know how much I care about you.”

  “Seriously?”

  “We had something good between us. You know that.”

  That was debateable. “I do?”

  �
��Charley.” Gary almost crooned it.

  Ewww.

  He couldn’t possibly hear Gary, but going by the way Blue’s eyebrows lowered, he was having a good guess.

  “Mmmm.” Not wanting to have this conversation right in front of him, Charley sidled past him and strolled to the back door.

  Blue strolled along behind her, so she shut the door in his face while giving him a warning glance over her shoulder. He folded his arms and pursed his lips.

  Shaking her head, she went down the back step and onto the lawn. “Gary, there’s nothing more to-”

  “Look, I know I behaved like a moron, but I swear I’ll make it up to you.”

  “There’s nothing to make-up for. This wasn’t working between us-”

  “Charley, darling, please-”

  “Oh geez, don’t beg, Gary.” Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to win you back. Nothing is too much, nothing too expensive, nothing too big. Name it and it’s yours.”

  “No, it’s over.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  Taking the receiver from her ear, she looked at it incredulously. He actually sounded panicked. For sure he hadn’t seemed that enamoured of her that he’d actually panic at the thought of her leaving him. It wasn’t even as though they’d been going out long.

  Turning at the sound of the security screen opening, she frowned at Blue stepping out of the kitchen onto the veranda.

  Pointing one finger warningly at him, she backed away into the shade of the big tree at the side of the yard, putting the receiver back to her ear just in time to hear Gary saying, “Right?”

  “Ah - sorry. Bad connection. What did you say?”

  “I said,” he replied with unaccustomed patience, “it’s not true, right?’

  “What’s not true?”

  “Blue’s your boyfriend.”

  Her mouth fell open. “What?”

  “He accosted me in the shopping centre car park.”

  “Oh, he did, did he?” Her gaze narrowed on the man scrutinizing her from the veranda.

  At her expression, he stilled.

  “He told me you were his woman,” Gary stated.

  “He what?” Stunned, her jaw dropped.

  Charley had no idea what her expression looked like, but if it was anything like her feelings - part indignation, part shock, part disbelief - that would explain why Blue actually took a step backwards before apparently remembering he was an adult and stopping.

  While she continued to gape at him with Gary rambling on in her ear, Blue walked languidly across to the veranda post to lean one brawny shoulder against it, arms folding across his heavy chest. Not to mention he raised one eyebrow.

  Normally she found that cute. Now it was a little irritating. In fact, was the man actually challenging her a little?

  “He told you I was his woman,” she repeated into the phone, gaze locked on Blue’s.

  There went that eyebrow again, hitching a little higher while he had the nerve to look so damned cool.

  “I knew it was a lie to get me to stay away from you,” Gary continued. “You and I were meant to be together, we make a good team. How about we go out to dinner, anywhere you like, work through this little hiccup-”

  “Stop right there.” Charley stared across the expanse of lawn at Blue.

  Unbelievable. Part of her squirmed with delight that he would stick up for her like that, say what he did to make sure Gary backed off. She appreciated that, though she could handle Gary herself. What she found annoying was the fact that her heart had leaped traitorously at the thought of Blue claiming her as his woman because, damn it, he didn’t see her as his woman, did he?

  That wasn’t fair to her. He didn’t know that, but still… She had to nip that little idea of his in the bud before he unwittingly hurt her big time. Because sure as God made green apples, if Blue hooked up with anyone else word would get back to Gary and others and then they’d all see her as being dumped or cheated on.

  Cripes, he’d just made a big web for her. Little lies spread to big lies and…

  “I’ve got to go.” She hung up on Gary’s protests.

  Blue regarded her.

  Lifting a hand, Charley crooked her finger at him then pointed to a spot directly in front of her.

  Pushing away from the veranda post, Blue stepped down off the veranda and walked over to her.

  No, he stalked, his feet moving soundlessly over the paving then the grass, arms swinging loosely, an alertness about him that hadn’t been present the previous night. But it had, she realised, been shimmering around him since he’d walked into the kitchen less than an hour ago.

  Folding her arms, she waited while he approached, pursing her lips as he came to a stop less than two feet from her, making her tip her head back to meet his eyes. Then he simply stood there, legs sightly spread for even balance, hands behind his back, stance easy yet definitely military. Man was preparing for something…

  Refusing to acknowledge the little leap of her pulse at his nearness and complete attention, Charley stated coolly, “So, you met Gary in the car park.”

  “Yep.”

  “You warned him off.” When Blue’s gaze didn’t waver, repeating the words - the exact words - made her throat a little dry. But still… “Did you tell him I was…ummm…” Her indignation was severely buckling right about now, but she squared her shoulders. “Your woman?”

  “Yep.”

  It was hard to know what he was thinking, the man was watching her like she was prey or something.

  No, not something. Definitely prey. His gaze didn’t falter, didn’t shift, just kept boring right into her like he could read her mind.

  Hoo boy.

  Determined to remain as cool as him, Charley tapped the phone against his chest to emphasize her point. “You’re an idiot.”

  Man wasn’t even rattled. “Nope.”

  “Yes. Have you thought about what you’ve done?’

  “Absolutely.”

  “I doubt it.”

  No answer, his regard still sharp.

  Still irritated, but definitely a tiny bit breathless because this little confrontation was just a wee bit delicious - never knew I had a self-destructive streak - she tapped his chest again with the phone. “Just think about it for a few seconds, I’m sure it’ll come to you.”

  “I know what I’m thinking.” He smiled.

  Holy shit, that smile was all teeth, all predatory. Like a shark.

  The shiver of heat that went through her had bugger all to do with the summer day and everything to do with her libido leaping to life.

  Regardless of her wayward emotions, however, she maintained a cool demeanour. “I realise that a cold drink on a hot day might cause a brain fart, but just try a little bit harder to think of the consequences of what you’ve done.”

  “Oh, honey, I’ve thought of the consequences.” In an abrupt move, he plucked the phone from her grip, tossing it to the thick, springy lawn before capturing her hand. “And I stand by it.”

  His unexpected movement caught her by surprise. The sensation of those long fingers closing around her hand, the warmth of his palm, the calluses that told of hard work, holding a weapon, doing the hundred and one things a soldier did every day, was heat producing. But the sensation of Blue holding her hand had her belly dipping.

  When he suddenly tugged her right up against him, his hard frame and her softer one pressing together, her mind nearly went into overload.

  God knew her thighs got a little shaky as heat slammed into her.

  It took all she had to brace her free palm against that muscle-hardened chest and shove backwards to put some space between them.

  Blue simply yanked her back against him.

  “Blue!” She shoved back again.

  This time he allowed it, but kept a firm grip on her hand while silently watching her.

  Taking a deep breath, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ea
r and looked pointedly at her hand in his. When he didn’t let go, she rolled her eyes.

  Ruthlessly tamping down her feelings which were starting to fling all over the place - mostly down deep to wallow in forbidden zones - Charley let out an exasperated sigh. “For goodness sake, Blue, surely you realise what you did?”

  “Yep.”

  “Gary thinks you and I are together.”

  “Yep.”

  “Not in the tenant/landlord way, either.”

  “Yep.”

  “He thinks you…I…”

  “Yep.”

  “Blue, you told him I was your - your - ”

  “Woman. Yep.”

  “Look, I know you meant well. You didn’t think, obviously, but you meant well.”

  His expression didn’t change.

  “You thought telling him that I was your girlfriend would make him back off, but this is going to backfire to bite you in the arse.”

  “My fine arse. You always say I have a fine arse.”

  “What?” She stared at him. “Really? Now? You bring that up now?”

  The faintest of grins danced around his firm lips. “Just saying.”

  She blew out an exasperated breath. “Yes. Whatever. This is going to backfire and bite you on your fine arse.”

  “There’s only one way this will backfire, Charley.” As quickly as it had appeared, the glint of amusement vanished.

  “Glad you see it. When you see a woman you’re interested in and want to meet her, Gary will think you’ve dumped me. That makes me a laughing stock in his eyes and whoever else he tells.”

  “Nope.”

  “Nope? How can you possibly say-”

  “Just listen.”

  “Blue, you-”

  “This will only backfire if you say no.”

  “No? To what?”

  “Being my woman.”

  “You want me to perpetuate your lie?”

  “You misunderstand me.” Wrapping his free hand around her nape, Blue leaned forward to place his mouth at her ear. “I want you to say you’ll be my girlfriend.”

  Charley froze. She couldn’t have heard correctly. No way did he just-

  “Say it, Sunflower.” His breath was hot on her skin.

  Say it? Say she’d be his girlfriend? He couldn’t really mean it, so it had to be… “You want me to pretend?”