“Tom mumbled something about Hale and his bright ideas. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” Haven kept her tone light. Brody’s arms tensed as he held her. She knew Hale talked Tom into trying to scare her. Hale was fully aware she could take care of herself.
“Guilty,” Brody said, pulling her close against him. “I told Hale about your little lesson today and he informed me that you’re already well-versed in defending yourself. He thought Tom would make a good guinea pig for a demonstration. We stood around the corner and watched.”
“You did not!” She turned to glare at him with a shocked expression on her face.
He nodded his head and gave her a cocky grin. “Did you really wrestle with your brothers and make Tom cry?”
“Yes. The last time was when Tom was a senior. Mom said it was too emasculating to whip him so badly at a sport he lettered in, so I stopped.” Haven loved the feel of Brody’s strong chest against her back and his arms wrapped securely around her. “I didn’t fib to you today. My two main forms of defense were poking them in the eyes or kicking them. I think I could still manage a few of the wrestling moves Hale taught me.”
“Maybe we can practice those another day.” If they did, he’d have an extremely hard time maintaining his self-control. The thought of being pinned by Haven made him feel like he was about to burn up with a fever. “Obviously you can take care of yourself. Why did you let me make you practice all afternoon?”
“First of all, you taught me some things I didn’t know. Although I didn’t appreciate your high-handed manner of showing me I had some things to learn. That was just mean,” she said, lightly smacking his leg.
“Agreed, and I’m sorry.” He kissed her neck. “Go on. What was your other reason?”
“I got to spend a couple of hours close to you with your arms around me. Why would I not want to do that?” She glanced over her shoulder so he could see the impish grin on her face. “My mama didn’t raise a stupid girl.”
“No, she didn’t.” Brody turned her in his arms so he could give her a kiss. “Not at all. Just remind me not to sneak-attack you or get on your bad side.”
“If you do, I’ll leave you crying on the sidewalk next to my wimpy brother.” Haven smiled as Brody’s mouth captured hers and all other thoughts flew right out of her head. All she wanted was for Brody to hold her tight, kiss her deeply, and never let her go.
Chapter Fourteen
“He won’t bite, you know.” Haven hid her smile as Brody let a calf suck on his fingers. He stared at it with a mixture of revulsion and apprehension.
“Is it supposed to feel like wet, gritty sandpaper?” he asked, pulling his hand away. The calf immediately latched onto the leg of his jeans and started sucking the denim. Brody looked helplessly at Haven, unsure what to do.
“Let’s go back to the house. I think you’ve had enough barnyard fun for one day.” Haven grinned as Brody nudged the bottle-fed calf away then wiped his fingers on his jeans.
Haven climbed over the fence and laughed as Brody glanced over his shoulder, expecting the calf to come after him.
“Be glad you’re not a cow,” she said. At Brody’s narrowed glare, she giggled and jumped off the fence, walking toward the house.
They strolled in the kitchen together, wearing broad smiles. Rachel looked up from the potatoes she mashed. “Have fun out there?”
“Yep. Brody did great riding, but I don’t think he liked the calves very much.” Haven washed her hands at the sink then flicked water at Brody as he soaped his hands.
If they hadn’t been in her mother’s kitchen with the woman watching his every move, Brody would have soaked Haven with the sink’s spray nozzle. Visions of what she’d look like in a wet T-shirt made him shake his head to clear his thoughts.
“That’s okay, Brody. The bottle babies can be a little demanding and a lot slobbery.” Rachel handed Haven the potato masher while she took a roast out of the oven.
“That smells great, Rachel. Thank you for inviting me for dinner.” Brody glanced around to see if he could do something to help. He noticed a pan of gravy bubbling on the stove and walked over to give it a stir. He wasn’t a great cook, but he used to help his mom in the kitchen when she was home to make him a hot meal between her jobs.
“Thank you, Brody,” Rachel said, watching him stir the gravy. “Would you mind lending me your muscle for a minute?”
“What can I do?” He stepped over to the counter where Rachel handed him two large forks and pointed to a cutting board.
“Can you lift the meat out of the roaster and set it on the cutting board? We’ll let it rest a few minutes before we slice it.”
Brody wasn’t sure what she meant by letting the meat rest, but managed to get the roast where she wanted without dropping it. He knew she or Haven could have lifted it, but appreciated her giving him something to do to feel useful.
Rachel made a tent out of foil and set it over the roast, then turned to take the gravy off the stove.
“If you wouldn’t mind carrying the bowls to the table, it would be a big help,” Rachel said, smiling at Brody as he picked up a bowl of green salad and another of green beans then went into the dining room. Rachel lowered her voice and smiled at Haven. “He’s just a big sweetheart, Haven. And such a cutie patootie.”
“Mom!” Haven glared at her mother. “Hush! He’ll hear you.”
“Hear what?” John asked, walking into the kitchen with Brody.
“None of your business.” Rachel teasingly batted her eyelashes as her husband. “Help Brody set the water glasses on the table while Haven and I finish up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” John grinned at Brody and picked up glasses full of water, carrying them to the dining room.
It took just a few minutes for Rachel to carve the meat while Haven poured the gravy in a boat and spooned the potatoes into a bowl.
Hale and Tom arrived just as Haven took a seat at the table. “You two almost timed it too late. Losing your touch?”
Hale laughed as he and Tom took seats cross from Brody and Haven.
“Nope. Perfect timing,” Tom said, looking over the delicious smelling meal. “We didn’t have to help do anything, yet we’re just in time to sit down and eat while everything is still hot.”
“They don’t like to help in the kitchen. At all.” Haven leaned toward Brody, explaining her brothers’ last-minute arrival. “It’s become an art form for them, trying to time it down to the last second to arrive at the precise moment all the food is on the table.”
“Seems like they do a good job of it,” Brody said, grinning at Hale.
After John asked a blessing on the meal, conversation around the table was lively. Talk eventually turned to football and why Brody didn't have a game that weekend.
“We get two bye weeks, when we don’t play. I think I’d rather be tackled repeatedly the entire four quarters, though, than spend more time out in the calf pen,” Brody said, making everyone laugh.
“It’s an acquired thing, I think, getting used to the slobbers,” Hale said, helping himself to more mashed potatoes and gravy. “Did you go riding?”
“Yeah, I put Brody on old Fred. If you can wake him up enough to move in a forward motion, he does fine,” Haven said.
“Who? Fred or Brody?” Tom asked, earning a glare from his sister while the rest of them laughed.
“Did you enjoy your weekend off?” Rachel asked Brody, passing him a basket of rolls.
He took one and nodded his head. “I did. It was nice to have some free time.”
“You two do anything fun?” Rachel knew Brody and Haven went to a concert with Hale and Abby.
“Just the concert, Mom.” Haven smiled at Brody, then Hale.
“Don’t forget about beating up Tom in the parking lot.” Hale grinned wickedly at his sister.
“What?” John asked, looking between his two youngest children. Their faces were both red - Haven’s from embarrassment and Tom’s from anger.
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br /> “Brody decided Haven needed to learn some self-defense moves and she didn’t tell him about all the times she wrestled with us. To prove that she could take care of herself, I sort of suggested that Tom sneak up behind her and pretend he was an attacker,” Hale said, leaning back in his chair and smiling as he recalled the look on his brother’s face when Haven took him down. “Evidently, she’s still a quick learner.”
“What did you do?” Rachel glanced at Haven, working to hide her amusement. Her baby girl once again got the best of her brother.
“I kind of… um… well, I sort of…” Haven stammered.
“She jabbed an elbow into his stomach and knocked the air out of him while stomping on his foot. When he bent over she popped his nose and then kicked him where it counts.” Hale gleefully recounted the story. “It was awesome.”
“It wasn’t awesome.” Tom shoved his brother so hard, Hale had to grab the edge of the table to keep from ending up on the floor. Tom scowled at his mother. “Don’t plan on me ever giving you grandkids. After Haven tried to kill me, that is completely off the table.”
John laughed so hard, he had to use his napkin to wipe his watering eyes. “I wish I’d seen it.”
“If I’d been thinking, I would have recorded it on my phone.” Hale ducked as Tom swung a fist his direction.
“You boys stop it,” Rachel admonished, attempting to sound stern. “I think we need to change the subject. You’ve picked on poor Tom long enough.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Hale said, winking at Haven.
She felt Brody’s hand on her leg, giving her a gentle squeeze. When she cast a sideways glance at him, she caught his smile and nodded her head.
The rest of the dinner conversation centered on Brody’s upcoming game schedule, some of the interesting things Haven and Hale experienced through their work, and John talking about potatoes.
Later that evening as they prepared to leave, Brody shook John’s hand and gave Rachel a warm hug at the door.
“I hope you’ll come to a game with Haven soon. She really does have great seats.” Brody knew her dad would enjoy watching a game since he loved to talk about football.
“We might just do that,” John said, waving as Brody walked Haven to his truck and held the door as she jumped inside.
On the ride home, she leaned back against the seat and studied him.
“What?” he asked, running a hand over his head. Under her intense perusal, he worried he had food on his face or something equally embarrassing. He tried to catch a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror but couldn’t see anything amiss.
“It’s nothing.” Haven continued staring at him.
“You’re looking at me for some reason.” He slid his hand across the seat and tried to tickle her. She pulled away, just beyond his grasp, then grabbed his fingers, holding them between her own. “Tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”
“I just wondered if you had fun today.” Haven hoped Brody honestly enjoyed being with her at the farm. She thought the time spent with him out in the fresh air and open spaces was almost magical, but then again, she found any time spent with him to be exceptionally special. “I monopolize your free time and don’t want you to feel like it’s wasted.”
“I’d never think time spent with you was wasted. Not ever.” Brody lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the back of them before leveling a heated gaze her direction. “I did have a great time today. It’s nice to get out of town and just hang without a bunch of people around. Horseback riding was a lot of fun, but the jury is still out on your slobbery baby bovines.”
Haven laughed and smiled again. “I’ll make sure we skip bottle-feeding the babies next time. I could always sign you up to work in the potatoes with Dad and Wes.”
“I think I’ll pass, but thanks for the offer,” Brody said, parking near Haven’s apartment. He got out of his truck, but before he could run around to her side, she jumped down and ran to her door.
He watched her, appreciating how playful and relaxed she was around him than she was with many people. While she liked the world to see her as a confident, serious, business professional, she’d slowly opened up to him. He got to know a fun and funny girl who loved to tease and laugh, was loyal to her family, and let animals suck on her jeans.
“You coming in?” she asked, standing in the open doorway, waiting for him to follow her.
“Just for a minute, doll.” Brody jogged to her door and followed her inside. While he closed the door, Haven disappeared into the kitchen. He heard her shut a cupboard then ice clank as it filled a glass.
She returned carrying two glasses of iced tea and handed him one before taking a seat on the couch.
“Thanks.” He sat beside her, all the while thinking he should go home. He drank deeply of the sweet tea then set his half-empty glass on the coffee table. He casually studied Haven for a few minutes as she turned on the television and flipped through channels, looking for a movie they’d both enjoy watching.
The desire to taste her lips created an urgent, unappeasable yearning in him. He reached out and took the glass from her hand, setting it next to his. Her glasses joined the tea on the coffee table, then he gave in to his need to hold her, to kiss her, to bask in the extraordinary excitement she stirred in him.
“Brody…” she whispered, as he ravished her neck with moist, hot kisses. Finally, she bracketed his head with both hands and tipped it up until she could press her lips to his.
Surprised by her hungry, driven kiss, Brody wrapped her tightly in his arms and returned her fervor. As the passion between them escalated, Brody felt his self-control slipping. Perilously close to losing the last shred keeping him from carrying Haven into her bedroom and shutting out the world, he kissed her nose and set her back from him.
“I need to go home.” Brody stood and walked to the door before he could change his mind. His resolve wavered when Haven looked up at him with wide eyes, still stormy with longing.
Could she really be that naive?
Could she really not know what she did to him?
How she tortured him with her looks, touches, and kisses?
The sweet, innocent gaze on her face answered his questions.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Thanks for a fun day at the farm.” Brody opened the door as he bent down to kiss her cheek. “Sweet dreams, Haven.”
“You, too, Brody. Good night.” Haven watched him walk out to his truck.
Unsure what she’d done this time to chase Brody away, she was starting to think she must be a bad kisser. Every time they got involved, he would pull away, make some excuse, then leave.
If she could work up the courage, she’d ask Allie what she thought it meant. Her cousin had plenty of experience while Haven felt woefully inadequate in the art of understanding men.
Chapter Fifteen
“Looks like you met the parents,” Marcus observed as Brody waved to Haven, Hale, and their parents as they sat in Haven’s sponsor seats at the game.
“Yeah. No big deal.” Brody stretched before the game began. Marcus stopped mid-stretch and stared at him.
“No big deal? Are you sure about that, bro?” Marcus asked with a mocking grin. “Seems to me meeting the parents and hanging out with the brother is a big deal. At least to her. What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” Brody stood and raised his arms over his head in a nice long stretch. “I’m not doing anything except getting ready for this game.”
“I mean with Haven.” Marcus jerked his thumb her direction. “She’s a good kid, Brody. I like her and I don’t want to see her hurt when we leave. You know how women get all attached and stuff. Don’t you think hanging out with her family kind of hints that you plan on sticking around for her?”
“They all know I’m leaving at the end of the season. I haven’t made any secret of that fact.” Irritation with Marcus began to flood through Brody. He knew his friend was trying to help, but right now his words put him
on the defensive. “If I want to spend time with a pretty girl who seems to enjoy my company until then, why shouldn’t I?”
“Why indeed.” Marcus clamped his mouth shut. When Brody got the look on his face he currently sported, there wasn’t a thing he could say or do to change his mind. Finally giving up, he broached a new subject. “Did Haven really take out her brother at the concert?”
“You should have seen her, man. Bam! Before anyone knew what happened, ol’ Tommy boy was on his knees looking like he might cry.”
“I’ll be sure to stay in front of her at all times.” Marcus laughed, glad to see Brody smile and nod his head in agreement.
Once the coach called the team off the field, the game soon began. Brody forced his thoughts away from Haven and the possibility of hurting her. He’d worry about that later.
Right now, they had a hard-playing team to beat and an arena full of cheering fans.
Brody kept an eye on the quarterback, ready when the ball sailed his direction. Leaping up, he easily caught it, hit the ground, and turned to run. He’d taken just a few steps when he felt the air rush out of him as a tackle took him down.
When the player from the other team rolled off him, Brody gulped welcome air into his lungs. Marcus walked over and offered a hand, helping him to his feet.
“You okay?”
“Yep. Let’s rock it!” Brody playfully thumped Marcus’s helmet twice and ran off.
“My goodness, Haven, this is such fun,” Rachel said, patting her daughter’s leg as they watched the players leave the field for the halftime entertainment to begin.
“Why’s that boy playing arena football?” John asked, leaning around Rachel. “He’s good enough to play with the pros. How did he end up here?”
“He said something about being cut from a practice squad and trying to work his way back,” Haven said, not sure what a practice squad was, why he’d been cut, or how he planned to work his way back. Brody hadn’t been inclined to elaborate on the details, even though she didn’t understand what they meant.
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