Page 4 of Red, White, and You (Merry Little Midlife #3)

I open the door and motion for Brie to enter first. Because it’s polite, yes, and because I want to watch her, memorize the sway of her hips, the swish of her blonde hair.

I want to breathe her in, so I do, inhaling her signature scent of orange blossom and lilac as she strides inside.

She’s worn that perfume for as long as I can remember, and the familiar aroma kicks up a flood of feelings, memories, and lust. I’m instantly desperate to press my nose against her throat and breathe her in.

But I’m careful not to touch her as she passes, fearful that one touch will lead to more and I won’t be able to stop touching her until I’ve made up for all the years my hands have ached for her.

I tense at the familiar voice, irritated by the interruption even though I shouldn’t be. Being accessible is in the job description. Greeting each guest, welcoming them for the first or fifteenth time, is what I do.

But this moment feels sacred, and I realize as I look at my ex-wife, that I want to lock myself in this cabin and not share her with anyone for the entire week that she’s mine.

I set the suitcases just inside the door, then offer her an apologetic smile. “Give me just one sec, Brie. ”

She nods and I step back onto the porch, then make my way down the steps as my old friend approaches.

Craig is dressed in nothing but swim trunks and hiking boots, a cold beer in his hand and a shit-eating grin on his already sunburned face. He’s always been one of the first to arrive, eager to get in as much time as possible for his week at camp.

“Hey, man,” he says, extending his free hand to shake mine. “It’s good to see you again, buddy.”

“Likewise, Craig. Glad you made it back again this year.”

“You know I wouldn’t miss it.” Craig’s been coming here once a week every summer since I started the place, occasionally booking multiple cabins for a corporate retreat or just one for himself.

This time he just booked his usual single cabin, and, judging by the woman on his arm, has either brought a date with him or already accomplished what he came to do and found a single-serving friend for his stay.

When I scan the people around him, none of them register as familiar faces. “And it looks like these are all new campers.” I give them my best Camp Host smile and begin to shake their hands. “I’m Brady West. Welcome to Camp West.”

The brunette woman whose arm is linked through Craig’s widens her eyes as she shakes my hand. “Brady West… as in…?” She motions to the surrounding cabins.

I nod.

“Camp West. West Lake. The landing…” Craig motions to everything as he speaks. “Brady owns the whole shebang.”

“Welcome to paradise,” I add.

“That’s so cool!” she exclaims.

Craig grins. “I told you I knew the owner.” He looks at me. “You going to come down to the Welcome Party tonight, get acquainted with some of the newbies?” He side-eyes the woman, then leans forward and lowers his voice. “Looks like you’ve got a few Grade A singles this year, Brady.”

“Hey,” the woman chides.

“ I’m not looking, babe. I brought my sand to the beach.” Craig motions to me. “Brady’s the perpetual bachelor.”

I laugh, shaking my head. Though I can’t control the campers, or what they get up to after dark, I at least try to be clear that hooking up isn’t one of the activities Camp West provides.

It’s inevitable, though, at a summer camp for adults.

They’re here for fun and freedom, and there’s no limit to that as long as everything is safe and consensual.

We’ve even had a few couples return a summer or two after meeting here to get married on our dock.

But back to Craig’s question… “There’s only one camper I plan to get acquainted with tonight,” I admit.

As if my words summoned her, the screen door swings open with a loud screech and we all turn toward the cabin as Brie stumbles out onto the porch, eyes wide and cheeks already flushing ten shades of red, like she’d been leaning against the screen to eavesdrop and hadn’t meant to make her presence known.

She squeezes her eyes shut for a brief second, then opens them and gives us a little wave.

Rolling my lips together to keep from laughing, I wave toward her in presentation.

We make small talk for a few more minutes, then they head off toward the dining hall for another round of drinks. I turn toward the cabin and Brie still stands on the top step, watching me with curiosity burning brightly in her hazel eyes.

“Perpetual bachelor, hm?”

Laughing, I shake my head. Craig’s statement could be perceived one of two ways: either I’m the bachelor who keeps to himself, or I’m the bachelor who hooks up with as many single campers as possible. “The first rule of Camp West? Never listen to Craig.”

She narrows her eyes as she watches me, questions brewing in that brilliant mind of hers. “You own this place.” A statement, not a question.

Of course I knew this conversation would happen at some point during the next week, but I didn’t expect it to be the first topic we discuss.

I nod, taking the steps two at a time until we’re eye to eye.

I’m close enough to touch her, and that knowledge has me balling my hands into fists at my sides.

How would she react if I pulled her body against mine and made up for lost time?

Seventeen long years without her has my mouth watering at the prospect of wrapping her in my arms again and never letting go.

She begins backing up into the cabin and I match her step for step.

When we’re inside Cabin 17, I close the door behind me. The air sparks between us, ready to combust if we get too close, just as heady and thick with lust as it always was.

“The lake, too?”

I nod. “The whole kit and caboodle.”

“Wow.”

“And you thought I’d never make anything of myself.” I say it half-jokingly, but when her face falls, I instantly regret the words.

“It’s not…” Brie pauses, shaking her head. “I never thought that. We just wanted different things.”

I nod, but even now, I’m not so sure I agree. Did we truly want different things? All I ever wanted was her .

Licking my lips, I run my hand through my hair, then down to grip the back of my neck. “Breezy, you look…”

Words fail me. I shake my head as I take my time dragging my gaze down her body.

She’s dressed for the office, not the forest, in a tight black pencil skirt, white silk blouse, and sky-high heels, but the outfit suits her.

It doesn’t matter what she wears or where she stands, she continues to be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.

When I finally meet her gaze again, the lust in her eyes makes my breath catch.

“Jesus, Brie, you’re even better than I remember.”

She pulls in a ragged breath. “So are you.”

“Married?”

She shakes her head.

“Single?” I ask.

She nods. “Quite. You?”

“Never met anyone who could measure up to my wife.” I step forward until only a foot separates us.

“ Ex -wife,” Brie corrects.

Semantics. I smirk. “How’s the law firm?”

“Amazing.”

“Successful?”

“Very.” She licks her lips and my eyes drop to follow the movement.

“So, you did it?” I ask, my attention still zeroed in on her mouth. “You made your dreams come true?”

She nods, but now there’s something else in her expression, something I can’t place. My chest tightens in response to the emotion glistening in her hazel eyes. The desire to pull her into my arms burns like an inferno, so much so that my fingers twitch and I have to clench them into fists again.

She starts to raise her hand, then drops it back down to her side .

The desire to touch is mutual, and that’s all I needed to know.

Closing the remaining distance between us, I take her chin in my hand and hold her gaze as I trail my thumb over her plump bottom lip. “How does it feel, Breezy, to have everything you ever wanted?”