Page 14 of 40 and Flirting (with Disaster) (Silver Foxes of Black Wolf’s Bluff #5)

Fourteen

I ris didn’t share how the conversation with her kids went when she talked to them about the lake visit, but if the mutinous look on Krista’s face as she sat in Iris’s front seat, pulling into the space next to his Mercedes, was any indication, it hadn’t gone spectacularly.

Jamie straightened his shoulders and forced the tension in his face to relax.

He refused to let the young woman’s disapproval get to him.

Yes, he wanted Iris’s family to like him, just as he wanted Michael to like Iris, but it wasn’t a necessity.

Nor would he start a war with Krista. He had every intention of being a part of Iris’s life for a long time, and her daughter would simply have to get used to it.

He had no doubt that he could eventually win her over, just like he was Iris.

The man exiting the car behind Iris’s looked a lot like Kirk, but without the surliness Jamie remembered from the older man’s face.

Adam wore a smile that reminded Jamie much more of Iris than his father.

He was Michael’s age, Jamie knew, and lived in the Pacific Northwest. Iris’s excitement at having her son home for a visit had been familiar.

Although Michael lived on the property now, he had gone to college out of state, and Jamie remembered well the days of hoping for a visit from his son.

He’d been thankful every day of his life for the close relationship the two of them shared.

Speaking of, Michael came to stand next to Jamie as their guests arrived. A low whistle left his son. “That one isn’t happy to be here, is she?”

Leave it to Michael to say what Jamie was thinking. Jamie chuckled. “Krista has issues with her mother dating,” he said, too quietly to carry to the cars.

Michael grinned. “Maybe I can distract her from her disapproval. Your woman was a real hottie in her younger days if her daughter is any indication.”

“She’s still a hottie,” Jamie protested, using his son’s word.

Michael laughed and clapped him on the back. “I didn’t say she wasn’t.”

Jamie followed Michael to approach Iris’s car.

His son continued on to Adam’s vehicle, introduced himself, and started the unloading process.

Jamie listened with half an ear as he opened Iris’s door.

She was still sitting in her car, her attention on Krista, but whatever she’d been saying cut off as their privacy was ended.

Extending his hand to help her out of the car, Jamie gave Iris a reassuring look. “Welcome back.”

“Hey, Jamie.”

Wanting to set expectations up front but also refusing to embarrass Iris unnecessarily, Jamie directed his lips to her cheek instead of her mouth as he wanted. “I’m so glad you’ve come for the day.”

Iris stepped back to encompass the rest of the crowd. “I was telling Krista about Baby. How is the foal doing?”

“Healthy as the horse she is,” Michael said, joining them. “She’s eating so much I swear she’s trying to double in size every week.”

“Not quite that much, but close,” Jamie agreed. “Welcome to Flying Horse Ranch! I’d love for your family to meet Baby if they’d like.” Maybe the horses would soften Krista up somewhat.

Adam and his girlfriend joined them, and Iris made introductions. “Jamie, Michael, these are my kids, Krista and Adam, and Adam’s fiancée, Chloe.”

“Fiancée?” Jamie reached for Adam’s hand to shake. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Adam said, his voice filled with pride. “She said yes just last night.”

Chloe’s light laugh filled the air between them. “Not that he had to be nervous about it or anything. He knew I’d say yes.” She, too, shook Jamie’s hand, then Michael’s.

“I don’t think a man is ever not nervous about asking a woman to marry him,” Jamie said, adding, “A day on the lake is a great way to celebrate.” He gestured toward the ATVs parked nearer the house.

“Why don’t we load up and we can stop at the barn on our way down to the dock.

I’ll come back up for the food when it gets closer to lunchtime. ”

A wave of enthusiastic replies came from everyone but Krista, who remained silent.

Jamie, Michael, and Adam transferred supplies to the ATVs, Adam raving over the chance to drive one of them in the process.

Jamie enjoyed the practicality of the vehicles on such a big farm, though he was too cautious to ride them recreationally.

Fatal accidents with ATVs were far too common in the country.

His one rule was that Michael wear a helmet if he went mudding with one—he refused to lose his son to a rollover accident.

Adam had done a few tourist activities with similar vehicles, so Jamie felt confident in letting him drive himself and Chloe down to the dock.

Michael took Krista, and Jamie practically purred as Iris snuggled up to his back, her lean, bare legs firm against his as she settled behind him.

He let the others go a little ahead of them, waiting to turn the key until he’d had a private moment to turn and steal a kiss from the woman whose touch sizzled through his veins.

“Hi,” he whispered roughly against her mouth.

Iris smiled, and he was pleased to note her voice was slightly breathless. “Hi, yourself.”

“You look fabulous in shorts, by the way.” Though her skirts definitely did her figure justice, he appreciated the extended view he was getting today.

Very much, if the lack of room in his own shorts was anything to go by.

He was beginning to wonder if Iris coming into his life was reversing the aging process, the way his body so frequently responded to hers.

Not that he was complaining, though he did hope the evidence of his arousal would relax before they met the others at the barn.

If Krista was upset with him now, sporting a stiff dick in front of her would make things ten times worse.

Iris dipped her head, her lips almost brushing his skin where his tank left his shoulder bare. He caught a glimpse of her smile before the fall of her bangs hid her face from view. “You too.”

Surprise flashed through him. Iris never backed away from his affection, but there was something about her response today that had his heart speeding up. As if she’d turned a corner—or made a decision.

God, he hoped so.

He let one hand drop to her knee as he used the other to start the ATV and begin the short drive down to the barn.

The others had walked through the long central area and out the back by the time they arrived, allowing Jamie a few more minutes with Iris alone.

“Baby is out back in a secure pasture. Keeps the other horses away from the foal, but gives them room to run,” he explained.

“What did you name her?”

He smirked. “In honor of the guest at her birth, her name is Daddy’s Blossom.”

Iris stopped, her hand going up to cover her open mouth. “You named her after me?”

Jamie slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Of course I did. You’re the only flower I know.”

“But Jamie…” She shook her head. “What if—”

He knew what she was thinking—what if they weren’t together for long? What if she never got over her divorce? To him, none of that mattered. Leaning close, he put his mouth to her ear. “Don’t you know I’d never want to forget you, Iris?”

And despite any reservations she might have, Iris relaxed against him. A soft sigh left her lips. “You’re too good for me.”

He chuckled. “No, I’m definitely not. I have all the faults other guys have.” He eased back from her. “But you’re worth working for.”

He tangled their fingers together and led Iris out the back of the barn, back into the sunshine.

A few feet away, leaning against the fence that surrounded the pasture, stood the rest of the crew, most of whom were focused on Baby grazing in the sunlight, Blossom at her side.

All except Krista, who was staring their way.

Jamie couldn’t read her face behind the glare of the sun and her hat and sunglasses, but he figured if looks could kill, he’d probably be laid out on the ground by now.

Which was exactly why they ended up next to her at the fence.

Baby’s sleek black coat gleamed in the morning light.

Blossom was a reflection of her mother in every way aside from the blaze of white down the center of her forehead and the white socks on one front leg and one back.

At Jamie’s appearance, Baby knickered softly and began a slow walk over to the fence, Blossom following.

Despite the crowd of people, she ambled straight to him and tucked her head over the fence to rest against his chest.

“Morning, Baby.” He rubbed her cheek for a long moment, listening to the others chat about how beautiful Blossom was. Michael filled in the details of how they raised their foals until Baby snorted and lifted her head. Jamie took a step back. “Say hi to Krista,” he told the horse.

Krista caught her breath as Baby swung her big head in that direction. “Hold your hand out flat,” Jamie murmured to her. “Let her catch your scent.”

“Like a dog?”

Jamie ignored the irritation in her voice and instead nodded. “Just like that. Speak to her softly. You can watch her ears—if they are put back, she might be aggravated, but see how they are pointed right at you? She’s curious.”

Baby sniffed Krista’s hand, her nostrils blowing hot streams of air with each breath. She brought her mouth to the tips of Krista’s fingers and lipped at them but didn’t attempt to bite.

Krista forgot her irritation long enough to giggle.

“It’s okay to pet her neck.”

As Krista became comfortable with the horse, Jamie stepped back, letting her have this moment. If anyone could win the young woman over, it was his Baby.

Smooth fingers surrounded his, and he looked over to share a smile with Iris.

Blossom, seeming not to want to be left out, had already gone over to Michael for attention. “She’s so soft,” Chloe said, petting the foal’s neck.

Michael snorted. “Just be glad it hasn’t rained in a couple of days. She discovered mud last week, and I had to give her a bath. She was coated in it.”

“Kids do love mud puddles,” Iris said. “I think Adam found every one within a mile radius around our house each time it rained. He was the king of mud pies.”

“Good thing I didn’t grow up to be a chef,” Adam said.

“I can testify that mud pies are not a huge seller,” Jamie put in.

They all shared a laugh, even Krista.

Blossom went back to nursing, and they decided to head down to the water.

The dock had been present when Jamie bought the farm, but he’d added a boat house a few years ago to house the small boat they used for occasional fishing or skiing on the lake.

Michael readied the boat and took the younger visitors out for a ride.

Iris made herself comfortable on a lounge chair, and Jamie, intent on cooling himself off after the sight of Iris in her black swimsuit, dived into the water for a quick swim.

They alternated activities until Jamie decided it was time to heat up the grill for lunch.

Michael took the ladies up to the house to grab sides and fixings while Jamie worked on hamburgers and steaks at the grill.

The smell of charred meat and smoke had his stomach rumbling, but it was amusement that took over when Adam approached him, rubbing a towel across his dark hair.

Though the look on the young man’s face was friendly, Jamie could sense determination beneath the surface.

“How do you like your steak, Adam?”

Adam settled into a wide-legged stance on the other side of the grill, his big hands gripping his towel to hold it in a loop around the back of his neck. “Medium, usually, though Dad always burned them, so whatever you can manage that’s edible is good for me.”

Jamie let a bit of his amusement show. “I couldn’t keep the Carousel open without knowing how to cook a steak to order.”

Adam cocked a hip to one side. “Mom usually took over the grilling duties.”

Jamie nodded. He had a feeling she’d taken over a lot of things to keep the house running smoothly during her marriage.

“So…” Adam cleared his throat. “You and my mom…um…”

He should probably put the man out of his misery, but it was too funny not to. “Me and your mom…?”

Adam scowled. “Talking about my mom and dating is…weird.”

Jamie took pity on him. “Would it help if I told you I have no intention of hurting your mom, we are definitely taking things slow, and no, I won’t discuss with you whether or not we intend to have sex?

Although if we do, I will definitely use protection.

Any other questions?” The bigger Adam’s eyes got, the funnier Jamie found the whole thing.

“You can skip the warnings, Adam, I promise. I want nothing more than for Iris to be happy.”

“She didn’t deserve what my dad did to her. And yes, I know the whole story,” Adam clarified. “I knew something was wrong and finally just asked her outright; she answered honestly. Dad is a dick. I haven’t spoken to him in months now.”

Did Kirk even comprehend how much he’d lost with his selfishness? Jamie didn’t think so. But Kirk’s loss was definitely Jamie’s gain.

“Kirk is a dick, I totally agree.” He flipped a couple of patties on the grill. “Iris is a good woman, and I intend to treat her a lot better than your dad did, I assure you. As good as she deserves.”

Adam’s shoulders dropped, and he smiled, the gesture somewhat sheepish. “You better.”

Jamie gripped one of the steaks with his tongs and prepared to transfer it off the grill. “I promise. And I keep my promises.” He held up the steak. “Medium, right?”

Adam chuckled. “Medium. Perfect.”