Once Upon a Bad Boy--A Sometimes in Love Novel

by Melonie Johnson

  “Thanks.” Bo glanced at Sadie, wondering what she thought. She’d not commented on it, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to ask.

  “Yeah,” Ryan added with a teasing smirk. “It’s very bad boy.”

  “Come on.” Bo pulled Ryan toward a booth where an attendant was handing out baskets. “Make yourself useful.”

  An hour or so later, perched on a tree branch, Bo squinted against the afternoon sun, watching as Ryan stretched his arm to reach the apples Ana was pointing to from her spot on the ground below.

  “Hey, careful, man,” Bo warned. It would suck if one of the leads in his film got injured, and not even on the damn set. He hadn’t been thrilled at Ryan’s suggestion to sneak off to a quiet part of the orchard and break the “no climbing” rule, but he’d been outnumbered. Ana had been excited at the prospect and Sadie had seemed game too, so Bo had shrugged and grudgingly followed them to a far corner of the orchard. If nothing else, he’d keep an eye out and make sure they stayed safe and weren’t caught. And to be fair, when it came to climbing trees, Bo had years of practice.

  “Chill, dude, I got it.” Ryan snagged the fruit. “Ready?” he called down to Ana.

  “Let me have it!” Ana shouted, holding the basket out.

  “I’d love to, sugar,” Ryan muttered under his breath as he let the fruit drop.

  “What was that?” Bo hissed, snapping off an apple from a nearby branch.

  “You heard me.” Ryan raised his sunglasses, peering through the leaves to wink at Bo. “Have you ever seen such lush, round, perfect … apples?” He grinned wolfishly and glanced back down, his vantage point offering a clear view of Ana’s cleavage. “Incoming!” he called, sending more apples falling.

  Bo shook his head, doing his best not to ogle the cleavage hovering below him as he tossed a few apples down to Sadie, who also stood waiting holding a basket.

  When both baskets were overflowing, Bo and Ryan carried them to Ana’s car while the girls headed inside the donut shack.

  “You and Ana, huh?” Bo asked.

  “If I’m lucky.” Ryan set his basket on the back seat of the open convertible.

  “But what about your rule?” Bo pressed, settling his basket in next to the other and making sure both were secure.

  “What about it? Coworkers are off limits. But friends of coworkers are fair game.” Ryan glanced over at the shack. “Hot and ready,” he said, chuckling as he read the sign. “Perfect.”

  Bo snorted and followed Ryan back to the shack. The guy was incorrigible. But as long as Ana seemed to welcome his advances, it was none of his business. They found the girls waiting on the other side of the little wooden building, where picnic tables had been set up in an open patch of grass.

  Ryan took the seat next to Ana, which left Bo the spot next to Sadie. As he settled onto the bench, his skin tingled, an electric current arcing in the space between his body and hers. Bo gripped the rough wood of the picnic table, fighting the urge to move closer, to fill that space, to touch her.

  Across from them, Ryan showed no such reserve, scooting closer to Ana until he was right next to her. “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey, yourself,” Ana shot back with a flirtatious wink. She reached for the paper sack sitting on the table. “You’re not fooling me; I know you’re just trying to get your paws on my donut.”

  Beside Bo, Sadie make a choking sound.

  “Are you okay?” He turned to her, ready to clap a hand between her shoulder blades, move behind her and do the Heimlich, get her on the ground and perform mouth-to-mouth. Whoa, slow down there.

  Sadie nodded. “Fine.” She glared across the table at her friend.

  “Bo?” Ana asked, her voice sweet as honey. “You like to eat donuts, don’t you?”

  “Um, sure,” he said absently, his brain still caught on the image of Sadie, spread out on the grass, his body bent over her, mouth on hers. “Who doesn’t?”

  Again, Sadie choked.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? Can I get you some water or something?” He glanced around, catching sight of a brightly painted tent set up on the other side of the picnic area. “What’s that?”

  Ana glanced over her shoulder. “That?” She turned back to face him, grin almost as wolfish as Ryan’s had been earlier. “That’s the Garden of Eden.”

  “The what now?” Bo asked, sure she was pulling his leg.

  “The Garden of Eden, it’s like a beer garden, but instead they sell hard cider.”

  “Sounds pretty good. I could use a drink right about now. Anyone else?” Three hands shot in the air. Bo excused himself and headed for the tent. Aside from a drink, he could also use a few minutes to pull himself together.

  When he got back to the table, the mood was jovial, the girls laughing at a story Ryan was telling them. “What’s so funny?” he asked, setting the tray of ciders down.

  “I was just telling them about my life before I became an actor,” Ryan said.

  “I can’t believe you actually lived in a van down by the river.” Ana shook her head.

  “Not a river, the ocean,” Ryan corrected. “This was Hawaii, remember? I lived in a van down by the ocean.” He grinned as the girls burst into giggles again.

  Hilarious. A pang of jealousy darted through Bo as he scooted back onto the bench, next to Sadie. He wanted to be the one to make her laugh, the one to bring out her smile.

  Across the table, Ana was leaning on her elbow, studying Ryan with affection, like he was a cute little puppy she wanted to take home and play with. “Let me get this straight,” she began, “one day you are homeless, on a beach in Hawaii, and the next you’re cast in a movie?”

  “That pretty much sums it up, yeah.” Ryan nodded. “Look, I know I’m lucky. But I don’t take any of this for granted. Success came to me in the blink of an eye; I know I can lose it all in the blink of an eye too.”

  “I’m impressed,” Ana said. Admiration now mixing with the affection.

  “So am I,” Sadie added.

  Bo remained silent, lost in his thoughts. In some ways he envied the actor’s easy success. Unlike Ryan, Bo had to bust his ass for every step he’d moved forward. He’d worked damn hard for everything he had. Hell, he was still working hard, doing everything he could to achieve his dreams. Owning the stunt company was just the start.

  Setting the serious thoughts aside, Bo reached for one of the plastic cups and tossed back a healthy swallow. Cold and sweet, the cider kissed the back of his throat before hitting his belly with a bang.

  “Careful,” Ana warned. “This stuff might taste like apple juice, but it packs quite a punch.”

  “You’re not kidding,” he said, already sensing the start of a nice little buzz as the alcohol swept through his veins.

  “Oh yeah?” Ryan asked, face skeptical as he grabbed a cup.

  “You might wanna go easy, man,” Bo suggested.

  “Dude, do you know how long it’s been since I had a drink?”

  “Exactly.” Bo didn’t want to get up in the other guy’s business, but he knew Ryan hadn’t been drinking while training for the film and was worried the actor’s tolerance wasn’t very high right now.

  “Relax, Bo-dacious.” Ryan brushed Bo’s concern away and raised his cup, throat working as he downed more than half in one gulp. The actor gasped and wheezed. “Wha … whazz in…” he began, words not fully coherent as he stared into his cup. Finally, he got control of his mouth again and turned to stare at Ana. “What the hell is in this?”

  “Forbidden fruit.” Ana grinned wickedly. “Fermented apples soaked in brandy barrels.” She pulled a donut out of the bag and held it up to Ryan’s mouth. “Here, take a bite of this. It’ll absorb some of the booze.” She pushed the bag toward Bo. “You better eat one too.”

  Bo picked up the bag, but before he reached in and grabbed one, he turned to Sadie. “Want one?” he offered.

  “Of course.” She took a donut from the bag and set it on a napkin in front of her. “Thanks.”
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  Bo nodded, mesmerized as she licked cinnamon and sugar from her finger.

  She glanced his way. “Aren’t you going to have one?”

  “Huh?” he asked, focused on watching Sadie’s lips move. There was a speck of cinnamon in one corner of her mouth. He wanted to lean forward and lick it from her lips.

  “Bo?”

  “What?” He shook himself. “Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” He took the last donut from the bag.

  She smiled at him, and he felt his skin flush from head to toe. It could be the effect of the cider, but he doubted it. He took a big bite, barely tasting it as he chewed and swallowed, watching her do the same.

  “You really like that donut,” he said, letting the first thought that popped into his mind fall out of his mouth. Smooth, man.

  Luckily, she didn’t seem offended. “It’s delicious.” She laughed, sucking more sugar from her fingers.

  Bo squirmed on the bench.

  “Donuts are my favorite food group,” she went on, oblivious to his sudden discomfort.

  “Donuts aren’t a food group!” Ana interrupted, giggling.

  Bo looked over, taking in Ana’s pink cheeks. She’d obviously been imbibing in the cider as well. It seemed nobody would be going anywhere for a little while.

  “Fine,” Sadie acquiesced, “they’re my favorite treat.”

  “I don’t know if I could pick a dessert as my favorite,” Ana mused. She turned to Ryan. “How about you? If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

  “Hmm.” Ryan leaned in closer to Ana and whispered in her ear.

  Her eyes widened, and she burst into giggles again.

  Bo took another pull on his cider, he could guess what Ryan’s answer had been.

  “Your favorite dessert is cherry-cola cake, right?” Sadie asked, her voice almost shy.

  “That’s right.” Bo looked at her over the rim of his cup. There was that ache again, throbbing in his chest.

  “I remember your sister would make it for you on your birthday,” she continued, reaching for the remaining cup of cider on the tray and taking a sip. “She never liked me very much.”

  “Who, Luna? She liked you fine.”

  “No, she didn’t,” Sadie insisted before taking a long pull on her drink. “Luna hated me,” she said, and then grew quiet, staring down into her cup.

  An awkward silence settled between them. Meanwhile, Ana and Ryan continued their mating dance on the other side of the table. Bo gazed into his own cup, almost empty. He’d wanted to talk with Sadie about their past, but now that the opportunity had arrived, he didn’t know how to proceed. The time still didn’t feel right. If he could get her alone for a few minutes …

  The loud clanging of a bell shattered his thoughts. Bo glanced around, bewildered. “Is there a fire?”

  “It’s a hay ride!” Ana squealed with inebriated delight. She jumped up, pointing at the approaching horse-drawn wagon. “Let’s go!” She grabbed Ryan’s arm, then stopped and looked at Sadie. “Are you coming?”

  Sadie turned to Bo. “Want to?”

  Did he want to lie in a pile of hay, Sadie’s soft warm body curled against him? Yes, yes he did. “Sure.” He gathered up the cups and napkins, cramming everything into the empty donut bag and tossing it in a trash can on his way to join the others lining up to climb aboard the wagon.

  Bo got in, then turned and offered Sadie a hand up. When her fingers touched his, sparks skittered up his arm. He tightened his hold reflexively, pulling her close for the space of a heartbeat before letting her go. Then he found an open area in the wagon and sat, yanking off his leather jacket and laying it on the straw next to him. “Here,” he said to Sadie, patting the spot he’d made for her, grateful when she didn’t protest, but simply dropped down beside him.

  “Thanks.” She bent her knees and tucked her bare legs up under the hem of her dress, until only the toes of her sneakers peeked out.

  “No problem.” He pressed his back against the wooden slats of the wagon, resisting the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

  Before long, they were all settled in, bumping slowly down a worn muddy track, the creak of the wagon wheels and steady thump of the horses’ hooves threading with the conversations of the other passengers. Bo cast an eye over the group, smiling as he watched a pair of toddlers tussle over who got to sit on their mother’s lap. Eventually, they both won, their mom scooping them up and plopping them each down on one of her legs.

  Seeing them reminded him of Toby. His nephew was older than those two, but the little guy would like this place. Bo recalled what Sadie had said about Luna. He bent his head, pressing his mouth close to Sadie’s ear. “She didn’t hate you, exactly. She was just jealous, you know.”

  “Who?”

  Bo hesitated. He shouldn’t have brought up the subject again. He should drop it. Or make something up. But before he could say anything else, Sadie caught on.

  “Your sister?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Luna didn’t hate you so much as she hated how much time we used to spend together.”

  “But I only saw you during the summer,” Sadie protested.

  “Didn’t matter. You were encroaching on her territory.” There was more to it, but Bo wasn’t about to take that turn down memory lane. It was a detour sure to lead to disaster.

  “How is your sister, anyway?” Sadie asked.

  “Fine. Good.” He stretched his legs out in front of him. “She runs her own business. Grows and sells organic vegetables. Flowers too.” For some reason, he refrained from mentioning Toby. Another detour he wasn’t ready to make.

  “She always had a green thumb,” Sadie mumbled, her voice sounding sleepy.

  Bo was feeling kind of drowsy too. The afternoon sun was warm, and the rhythmic creak and sway of the wagon was like being rocked in a cradle.

  Beside him, Sadie began to relax, her body leaning into his. The weight of her head on his shoulder felt so shockingly familiar, Bo could almost believe the last eleven years hadn’t passed, that they hadn’t been apart all that time. How often had they been together just like this? Snuggled in a pile of hay, her head tucked under his chin.

  He shifted, grief twisting his heart as he settled her more firmly against him. A longing for all the days and weeks and months and years he hadn’t gotten to share with her. But he had to let that go, had to stop mourning what he’d missed.

  Besides, he had no one to blame but himself. He’d been the one to make the choice, to walk away. He’d fully believed their lives had been headed in different directions, that a future together was impossible and would lead to nothing but pain. He’d even had the bruises to prove it.

  Had he been wrong to let her go? All this time, Bo had consoled himself with the belief he’d done right by Sadie. Told himself he’d sacrificed what he wanted, so she could have what she needed.

  Maybe, he swallowed, regret burning in the back of his throat, maybe he’d been wrong.

  Because here they both were.

  He’d come here today wondering if she still had feelings for him. She did. He knew it. Good an actress as Sadie was, she couldn’t hide it from him completely. He’d known her far too intimately for far too long not to recognize it. The tilt of her head. The way her body instinctively leaned toward his. The warm weight of her gaze when she thought he wasn’t looking.

  Was he as transparent to Sadie? Could she read him as easily? Did she know he still had feelings for her? Bo hadn’t been prepared for the depth of emotion that washed over him when he saw her that first day. Walking in to the view of Ryan whispering in Sadie’s ear, he’d immediately wanted to beat the shit out of the actor.

  This was dangerous territory—on both a personal and professional level. If he was smart, he’d follow Ryan’s policy and avoid getting involved with Sadie. Though at this point, Bo wasn’t sure if that was even an option.

  Hell yeah, it’s an option. You can make the choice. Right now. When they got off this w
agon, he could distance himself from her, redraw the lines of their relationship, make it clear he wanted to keep things strictly professional. But even as he thought it, Bo knew he would do no such thing.

  Seeing her again made his pulse race, his heart hammer. Being near her made everything come alive inside him. The only thing Bo could compare it to was how he felt while doing a stunt. The kind of rush he only got when jumping off the side of a building. But better.

  Feeling like he was lined up on the edge for a jump now, Bo finally gave in to temptation and wrapped his arm around Sadie’s shoulders, tugging her even closer, until her cheek rested on his chest, pressed firmly over his pounding heart.

  CHAPTER 11

  SADIE OPENED HER eyes. They’d stopped moving. The hayride was over and all around her, people were rustling through the piles of straw, exiting the wagon. But she didn’t want to leave. Not yet. Maybe not ever. She wanted to stay exactly where she was.

  How many times had she dreamt about this? Fallen asleep to the memory of how it felt to lie against Bo, her head on his shoulder, cheek against his chest. This wasn’t a memory. Or a dream. Right now—his chest rising and falling with each breath, his heart thumping gently beneath her cheek, slow and strong and steady—these things were real.

  “Time to wake up, abeja,” he whispered, fingers stroking over her earlobe.

  Sadie shivered. “I am awake.”

  “We need to get off the wagon.”

  “Do we have to?”

  “I’m pretty sure we do, yeah.” He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest.

  She closed her eyes and buried her face against him, absorbing his laughter, his scent.

  “Come on,” he said, tugging her up with him. “Should I carry you?”

  Yes, please.

  “No, thanks.” Sadie steadied herself and made her way off the wagon.

  Bo retrieved his jacket and hopped down after her.

  That had been kind of him, to set the jacket out for her, so she didn’t have to rest her bare legs on the straw. Sadie knew from firsthand experience how itchy hay could be against naked skin. For that matter, so did Bo.