Page 32 of Forever Wild
“Ev?” Jack’s voice breaks me out of my haze.
Wow, is that drool there on the corner of my mouth?
“Hi!” My cheery tone is borderline screechy. “You got the cast off.”
“Yeah.” He holds out his left arm and twists it while he stares down at it. The movement makes the muscles in his bicep and forearm pop.
“And Barnaby is gone?”
“Who?”
“I named your beard,” I admit with a sheepish smile.
“Right.” He runs a hand along his smooth jaw all seductively. Okay, maybe not intentionally but goddamn.
Jack stands there like he’s waiting for me to say more. When I don’t, he asks, “Here for the pool?”
“It’s a gorgeous day.” I finally snap out of it. Not looking at his bare chest helps. Except, were his eyes always that blue?
He steps back to let me inside.
“How’s physical therapy coming? Scare off any more nurses?”
Jack aims a playful glare at me that makes things feel more normal. “Not today.”
“Well, it’s only noon.”
He lets out a short huff and follows me through the house to the kitchen. Then surprises me when he comes to the backyard.
I’m shooting him a confused look when he motions with his head toward the right side of the patio where he has a whole workout setup. Yoga mat, bands, a medicine ball. And a young guy in black athletic shorts and a red shirt, biceps popping but somehow not quite as nice as Jack’s.
“I was just getting ready to work out,” he says as if I weren’t able to piece that together myself.
“Oh.” Well, now I feel ridiculous.
He must read it on me because Jack says, “The pool is all yours.”
“It’s okay. I can leave. I didn’t realize you had people over.”
“Hey, I’m Brian.” He walks over and extends a hand.
“Everly.”
He looks about my age, maybe a smidge older. He has blond hair and one of those big smiles that guys with too much confidence like to flash in dimly lit bars just before closing. “You must be Jack’s girlfriend.”
“No,” I say quickly. So quickly that Jack lets out a small snort.
“I’m just a friend,” I clarify.
“Oh.” He keeps that megawatt smile aimed at me as his gaze drops to my bare legs then back up to my face. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so blatantly ogled before. At least not in the light of day.
“We should get started,” Jack says gruffly, giving me his back. I guess our truce is over. Big, grumpy bear.
“Nice to meet you, Brian.”
“You, too.” His smile slides into a more professional expression.
Rock music plays over the outdoor speakers as I walk over to the same lounge chair I claim each visit. I bet Jack would hate it that I have been here enough times to have one that is “mine.”
