Page 32

Wren

I t’s been four days since Carson made me see stars I never knew existed. Four days since he made me feel things I never realized were possible.

Sure, I’ve had an orgasm before, but never at the hand of another person, and never one as intense as that was.

I keep telling myself it was so Earth-shattering because he knew what he was doing. And yes, that’s obviously true, but a bigger part of me knows it was because it was with him —the person I feel safest with. The person I’ve always trusted more than anyone else.

I’ve tried to keep my mind busy since then—between work and helping Lucy at her shop and with the twins, it hasn’t been that hard. But even so, thoughts of that night have lingered.

Lighting up my phone, I see the date and shake my head. It’s crazy that my two weeks are up. I managed to make it a full fourteen days without going out of my way to help anyone who didn’t truly need me.

What’s weighing on my mind now, though, is the fact that I’ll have to cash in on a prize from Carson. I just hope he forgot about that part of the deal because it will take everything in me not to ask for another… experience …with him.

I’ve done my best to avoid him since… that night , but today at the lake, it will be rather challenging to do so.

Carson

Be there in five

A long stream of air passes my lips as I toss the phone into my oversized bag.

Riding with Carson to the lake should be fun… Not awkward at all .

If I were smarter, I would have called Indie and asked her to pick me up instead. But that would only create more awkwardness for Carson and me, and then we’d definitely get a million and one questions from everyone else.

Sliding my large water bottle inside my lake bag, I slip my sunglasses over my eyes and make my way out the front door to wait for my ride.

“Wild! What the hell are you doin’?” Cal yells from his boat to our brother out in the water.

“Coolin’ off! What’s it look like?” Wild shouts back as he paddles toward the boat.

The guys took Cal’s boat out while us girls stayed along the shoreline with the babies. They hoped to cast their lines in the corner of the cove and maybe catch a few fish. This part of the lake is our own secret spot that few people visit, mainly because it can only be accessed by boat.

“Why the hell would you jump in right where we’re about to throw our lines?” Cal’s irritated voice carries all the way over here on the shore.

Indie chuckles beside me, baby Briar in her arms. “Uncle Wild’s a big ol’ dope, isn’t he, sugar booger?”

Briar giggles, keeping her eyes on her aunt as they sit in the cool water. Indie may not plan on having kids, but there’s no doubt she’s a big softy for her two nieces.

“So… What happened with you and Carse?” Lucy asks from the spread blanket behind us, where she lies under an umbrella with Lily.

“What do you mean?” I furrow my brows and blink innocently, trying—and failing—to act clueless.

“Wren…” Indie cocks her head, hitting me with a don’t bullshit me look.

Yeah, I’m sure it was totally obvious that we’ve barely looked at each other all morning, let alone said even two words to one another.

Why do I have to be such a terrible liar? Why couldn’t God bless me with the ability to fib?

“Really, it’s nothin’,” I mutter, chewing my cheek as I stare back out at the rippling water, praying they’ll let this go and move on.

“Holy. Fuckin’. Shit. Somethin’ did happen!” Indie howls beside me, kicking her feet excitedly in the shallow water.

“I ain’t talkin’ about it. So please…move on.” My tone snaps harder than I intend, and both girls freeze. Losing my cool and being snippy isn’t something I do, especially with my best friends.

“Alright,” Indie relents, studying me. “You can have a pass… for today . But you bet your ass we are talkin’ about this tomorrow. So you better get all them juicy details ready for me, missy.”

I shake my head. Why do I know that I’ll be spilling my guts to these girls tomorrow? It doesn’t bother me really. It might be nice to get some outside input on the whole situation. I just don’t want to talk about it while he is within earshot.

“Hey, you better at least FaceTime me!” Lucy calls over a crying Lily. That girl is the biggest daddy’s girl I’ve ever seen. Now that she’s awake from her nap and sees that Cal isn’t here, she is going to be a handful.

After a quick swim, we grab some snacks and lie on the blankets and towels to soak up the sun while the babies play in the shade. By the time the guys return, my stomach is growling louder than the cicadas, not satisfied with the chips I’ve been feeding it.

“Hey, Carse!” Indie draws his attention and then points at me. “Feed this woman before she disappears.”

The heat from the sun pales in comparison to the heat I feel when his eyes rake over my half-naked body, slow and deliberate.

“Nice swimsuit, Tink,” he says, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Just like a swimsuit, right?

Bury me now. I wish I had never said those stupid words.

“She does look pretty hot, doesn’t she?” Indie announces, making me feel self-conscious about the fact that everyone is now looking at me in my… swimsuit .

The guys cook our lunch on the portable grill, and soon, we’re stuffing ourselves with burgers and sides. Of course, everything is perfect, and I eat so much that I can barely move afterward.

“I brought some fresh pineapple if anyone wants some,” Lucy announces, pulling the container from the cooler.

Wild quickly jumps in and adds a scoop of the sweet, juicy yellow fruit to his plate.

“You want any, Wren?” Lucy asks, placing a few pieces on a plate for herself.

“Yeah, Tink, you want any pineapple ?” Carson teases with a sly grin, pulling my thoughts back to the word I never said that night.

“No thanks.” I smile with heated cheeks and turn back toward the water, doing my best to be interested in the waves rolling by.

Why am I so awkward? It’s just a word. It’s just a fruit.

“You wanna go out on the boat?”

Carson’s deep voice next to my ear startles me.

“Oh! Uh…sure! Ind, you wanna come?” I silently beg her with everything in me to say yes. I’m not sure I’m ready for more alone time with Carson. But saying no would not only set off everyone else’s red flags, it would be rude to Carson. He literally did nothing wrong.

He did everything right.

“Nah,” she says, shaking her head as she pops the last piece of fruit into her mouth. “You two kids go have some fun.” Her elbow nudges my side as she wiggles her eyebrows. “I’m gonna wrangle me a sexy man out in the water.”

“You holler for me?” Wild saunters over from where he’d been talking to Cal.

“Nope.” Indie tilts her head, her eyes trailing over her husband.

“You said, and I quote, “ Sexy man .” Anytime those words leave your mouth, Wildflower, I know you’re talkin’ about me.”

“ Actually …” she says saucily as she juts one hip out, crossing her arms over her chest. “I wasn’t. I was?—”

“That’s it.” Wild cuts her off, leaning down and tossing his wife over his shoulder. “Time for a swim, Mrs. Beckett.”

Indie laughs as she’s carried down the sandy slope to the water. Watching those two always makes my heart ache in the best way.

Glancing back in front of me, I cast pleading eyes at Lucy, hoping she will be my safety net. “What do you say, Luce? Wanna go out on the boat? Cal can wrangle the babies for a bit?”

She looks at her husband, who’s staring at her like she’s a piece of meat, and he didn’t just eat a full meal.

“Sorry, sis. She’s busy too.” He leans in and whispers in his wife’s ear, making a blush creep up her cheeks as she swats at his arm.

“Come on, Tink. Just us. I’ll teach you to drive this thing.”

Carson hops up into the boat, still shirtless, tattoos glinting in the sunlight.

I’ve always found it difficult not to stare at the tattooed sleeves.

There are a few on his chest as well, but the majority coat his arms. I’ve studied them from afar for years.

One day, I’ll be brave enough to get a closer look and maybe ask him about them and what they mean.

I climb up the back ladder of the boat and cast one last look at Lucy, who gives me a cheeky wave. I wave back, even though I partly want to strangle her for not resisting her husband and coming with me so I wouldn't have to do this alone.

We slowly take the boat out a bit and then head off. Carson has had this thing for a long time, but I’ve never learned to drive it. Usually, one of the guys does, so there’s been no need for me to learn.

“Alright,” Carson says, shutting off the motor once we are a ways out and completely alone, the water quiet around us. “You’re gonna learn to drive this thing,” he starts. “But first, we gotta talk.”

My lips roll tight, and I bite down—my usual tell that I’m nervous. I know this needs to happen. The air needs to be cleared so we can get back to normal.

“I’m sorry?—”

“Why you been avoidin’ me?”

“I haven’t—I just…” I release a sigh. I have been avoiding him, and it’s not right of me.

“Sorry. I just felt…weird. After… you know ,” I finish awkwardly, tucking a loose blonde lock of hair behind my ear.

His aviator shades may be covering his eyes, but I can still feel the weight of his stare.

“Tink. We’re friends. Nothin’s different,” he shakes his head. “It’s just me. You don’t have to feel weird around me. All I did was help you out when you needed me. That’s what friends do, right?”

I’m pretty sure friends do not help with that . But okay.

“Right.” My half-hearted response does nothing to convince him.

“Would it help if I showed you my ass?”

His response surprises me, and I let out a laugh, relieved that he’s broken the tense moment. “No!”

“Alright.” He shrugs one shoulder. “Well, if you change your mind, it’s here for your viewing pleasure.” He smiles, and it does something funny to my heartbeat.

Turning, he restarts the engine, the smile still lingering on his lips. “We good?”

How did I go days without talking to him? Whether I want to face it or not, these days, Carson really is one of my best friends.

“Yeah.” I nod. “We’re good.”

Maybe he’s right. Perhaps I am overthinking this entire situation, and I don’t need to keep making things awkward. Moving forward doesn’t have to be so difficult.

I stand and gesture toward the steering wheel. “You can try, but I doubt you’ll be able to teach me how to drive this thing.”

He smirks. “Oh, I’m sure I can teach you a thing or two.”