didn’t want around. His world was splitting down the seams and a new world was forming. So be it.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, and kissed him again. “I won’t ask for much. I promise.”
* * *
There was something altogether naughty about sneaking Mia on board the family cruiser and raiding it for towels before he and he alone went to collect her wet clothing. The need to touch her still rode him hard. It was an ache in his chest, a snarling, looping memo in his brain.
Mia. My beloved. Mine.
And then Eli appeared as he was picking up a wet sandal, and Cutter straightened and waited for his little brother to pass judgment. Eli looked thoughtfully at him, and then at the clothes.
“Mia went swimming?”
“Yes.” Keep it simple.
“Voluntarily?”
“Maybe not.” Cutter gestured towards the cruiser, belatedly noticing the pink panties in his hand. “She’s on the boat, raiding it for towels.”
“Handy.”
“Always.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Eli asked next.
“That would be a no. But I’m doing it anyway,” he said and watched in silence as Mia appeared from the hatch of the cabin cruiser, a blue and white striped towel encasing slender curves, her wet hair piled high on her head and fastened with what looked like a bit of curtain rope.
She looked up, saw them and smiled. “Oh, hey Eli.”
“Hey.”
“Are you remaking those clothes?” she asked next.
“Patient, isn’t she?” Cutter murmured.
“You love it that a woman finally has your measure,” Eli countered.
“I do.” May as well come clean. It wasn’t as if Eli couldn’t read him like a book anyway. “I like everything about her, especially how she keeps me on my toes. I don’t know how the folks are going to take it, or how Nash is going to feel about it, but I’m done with hiding where my head’s at. I want her. I’m going after her.”
“Caleb’s going to be so bummed.”
Cutter narrowed his eyes, and not because of the sun. “And why’s that?”
“I bet him you wouldn’t last another day without acting. Caleb thought you’d last the week.”
“Huh.”
“You should take her somewhere while those clothes dry off. Like on a date. You should take her to the houseboat.”
“Seriously?” Cutter stared at his little brother in open astonishment. “Did you just give me dating advice? You, the man who had to be coerced into dating at all?”
“Could be that there’s also a bet underway regarding how soon you take her home.
“Hey, Mia?” his little brother called. “If you take Cutter to his houseboat this afternoon I win a year’s supply of Mars bars.”
“What’s in it for me?” she called.
Eli pointed his thumb in Cutter’s direction. “Him.”
Mia grinned. “What else you got?”
“Half-a-year’s worth of Mars bars,” Eli offered.
“Throw in a couple of fishing trips and you’re on. I’ve been reading up on game fishing. I want to tag me a marlin.”
“Done!”
“ Not done!” Cutter may as well add to the idiocy, as opposed to simply being swept up in it. “I’m working tonight and taking Nash with me. I can play houseboat tomorrow, but only if Eli’s willing to swap shifts.”
“Eli?” Mia smiled winningly. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, Eli.” Never let it be said that Cutter Joe Jackson couldn’t be ruthless when he wanted something. “What do you think?”
“I’ll do it. But only because I love my big brother and want to support him in his madness.” And for Cutter’s ears only, “We really should let her negotiate all our contracts from here on in.”
“Well, there’s sure as hell no point you doing it.”
Eli smiled. “I like her. I like the fire she lights in you. Not sure you need my seal of approval but there it is.”
Eli was half way along the jetty before Cutter spoke again. “Eli.”
His little brother turned.
“Thanks.”
Chapter Ten
“G uess what Beryl gave me today?” Mia said to Nash
“It’s okay,” she whispered, and kissed him again. “I won’t ask for much. I promise.”
* * *
There was something altogether naughty about sneaking Mia on board the family cruiser and raiding it for towels before he and he alone went to collect her wet clothing. The need to touch her still rode him hard. It was an ache in his chest, a snarling, looping memo in his brain.
Mia. My beloved. Mine.
And then Eli appeared as he was picking up a wet sandal, and Cutter straightened and waited for his little brother to pass judgment. Eli looked thoughtfully at him, and then at the clothes.
“Mia went swimming?”
“Yes.” Keep it simple.
“Voluntarily?”
“Maybe not.” Cutter gestured towards the cruiser, belatedly noticing the pink panties in his hand. “She’s on the boat, raiding it for towels.”
“Handy.”
“Always.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Eli asked next.
“That would be a no. But I’m doing it anyway,” he said and watched in silence as Mia appeared from the hatch of the cabin cruiser, a blue and white striped towel encasing slender curves, her wet hair piled high on her head and fastened with what looked like a bit of curtain rope.
She looked up, saw them and smiled. “Oh, hey Eli.”
“Hey.”
“Are you remaking those clothes?” she asked next.
“Patient, isn’t she?” Cutter murmured.
“You love it that a woman finally has your measure,” Eli countered.
“I do.” May as well come clean. It wasn’t as if Eli couldn’t read him like a book anyway. “I like everything about her, especially how she keeps me on my toes. I don’t know how the folks are going to take it, or how Nash is going to feel about it, but I’m done with hiding where my head’s at. I want her. I’m going after her.”
“Caleb’s going to be so bummed.”
Cutter narrowed his eyes, and not because of the sun. “And why’s that?”
“I bet him you wouldn’t last another day without acting. Caleb thought you’d last the week.”
“Huh.”
“You should take her somewhere while those clothes dry off. Like on a date. You should take her to the houseboat.”
“Seriously?” Cutter stared at his little brother in open astonishment. “Did you just give me dating advice? You, the man who had to be coerced into dating at all?”
“Could be that there’s also a bet underway regarding how soon you take her home.
“Hey, Mia?” his little brother called. “If you take Cutter to his houseboat this afternoon I win a year’s supply of Mars bars.”
“What’s in it for me?” she called.
Eli pointed his thumb in Cutter’s direction. “Him.”
Mia grinned. “What else you got?”
“Half-a-year’s worth of Mars bars,” Eli offered.
“Throw in a couple of fishing trips and you’re on. I’ve been reading up on game fishing. I want to tag me a marlin.”
“Done!”
“ Not done!” Cutter may as well add to the idiocy, as opposed to simply being swept up in it. “I’m working tonight and taking Nash with me. I can play houseboat tomorrow, but only if Eli’s willing to swap shifts.”
“Eli?” Mia smiled winningly. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, Eli.” Never let it be said that Cutter Joe Jackson couldn’t be ruthless when he wanted something. “What do you think?”
“I’ll do it. But only because I love my big brother and want to support him in his madness.” And for Cutter’s ears only, “We really should let her negotiate all our contracts from here on in.”
“Well, there’s sure as hell no point you doing it.”
Eli smiled. “I like her. I like the fire she lights in you. Not sure you need my seal of approval but there it is.”
Eli was half way along the jetty before Cutter spoke again. “Eli.”
His little brother turned.
“Thanks.”
Chapter Ten
“G uess what Beryl gave me today?” Mia said to Nash
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