“Howdy, ladies.” He stood at the bottom of the steps.
“Oh good, you’re home.” Patty set her glass down. “Not too much traffic, I guess?”
“Yep. No problem. Do you know where Jake is? I want to give him the phone.”
“He took Stacey to the back field. Said he wanted to work out a little.” Terry laughed. “Stacey went with him with her jump rope. I think she wanted to exercise along with him. She was so cute.”
As anxious as he was to get to Jake, Shea was curious to know if Stacey had continued to speak this morning.
“How was she today? Is she still speaking?”
“No,” Terry said. “But I know Jake was planning on calling the doctor today.”
Patty picked up the conversation. “I told him he could use the phone here after breakfast, but he said that with the one-hour time difference, her office wouldn’t be open until noon our time, so he might be waitin’ on you.”
He gave them both a smile. “Then I’ll go find him. Afternoon, ladies.” He touched his fingers to the brim of his hat and continued on the path to the field behind the small gym they’d set up for guests who wanted to work out in the fresh air. He turned the corner and stopped short.
Jake had taken off his shirt and was lifting weights, dressed in only a thin pair of gym shorts. Sunlight gleamed off the sheen of sweat across his back, and Shea’s mouth dried at the sight of all that bare, rippling skin. The tight, black shorts clung to Jake’s firm, round ass, and Shea wished he could drop to the ground and worship its beauty.
Lord have mercy, I’ve died and gone to heaven.
Movement to the side caught his eye. Stacey was kicking a soccer ball, and Kiss was chasing after it and nosing the ball across the grass to her. The dog would sit and bark until Stacey kicked it again.
Shea sauntered over to Jake and waited until he set the weights down to put a hand on his nape. “I’m back,” he murmured in his ear. “Miss me?”
A shiver ran through Jake, and Shea loved how he responded to his touch. This wasn’t the same buttoned-up Jake he’d seen at his office, although Shea did love seeing him in one of his sleek power suits almost as much as seeing him half-naked and sweaty.
“Hi. That wasn’t too bad. I’m glad.” After wiping his face, underarms, and chest with a towel, he turned around. “Thank you for doing this,” he said softly. “I really appreciate it.”
“Do you, now?”
“Yeah, I really do.” Jake moved a step closer. “I’ve been thinking of a way to make it up to you.” A teasing light glowed in those cool green eyes.
Shea stifled a groan of frustration. “I know how.” He brushed the angular line of Jake’s cheekbone, feeling the sandpapery scratch of his scruff. Damn, he wanted to rub up against all that. Feel the hot wetness of Jake’s succulent tongue and lips on his thighs, dick, and ass. “Lemme take you for a ride.”
Alarm replaced the hazy sensuality in Jake’s eyes. “Uh, horseback riding wasn’t exactly what I was thinking.”
Shea chuckled and ran his finger along the sharpness of Jake’s jaw. “Neither was I, darlin’. Neither was I.” Jake’s eyes blazed green fire, and Shea’s entire body hardened. “Whatever you’re thinkin’, hold it for later,” Shea murmured.
Stacey ran over to them, the dog bounding by her side. He dropped his hand from Jake’s face. She gave him a little wave, then cast her eyes downward.
“Hello, Princess. Havin’ fun?” At her nod, Shea had an idea. “How would you like me to take you for a ride on Rambo, and you ’n I can go swimmin’ in the lake? That’ll give your daddy a chance to set up his new phone and take a shower. He can meet us there later if he wants.” Shea’s eyes met Jake’s. “One of the guys can drive you over if you want. Would that be okay? Terry’s busy chitchattin’ with Patty on the back porch, and I figured it would be nice for them to stay put in the heat, and I can take my little Rose of Texas here to cool off.”
“You want to take Stacey by yourself?” Jake gaped at him. “Swimming?”
“I’ll make sure she wears a life jacket, and I’ll be in the water with her, if that’s what’s concerning you.”
“No. Not at all.” Jake blinked and crouched down to Stacey’s eye level. “Do you want to go with Shea, honey, and swim? Kiss will go too. And you get to ride on his big horse instead of the pony. Does that sound fun? I’ll be there after I make a few phone calls.”
Her blinding smile was all the answer he needed, but when she said, “Yes, please, I wanna go with Shea,” his heart squeezed tight, and he met Jake’s shining eyes.
“Okay?”
Jake’s hand rested on Stacey’s curls. “Okay. I’ll get her in her suit and meet you on the porch?”
“Sounds like a plan. Right, Princess?”
She giggled, and he watched Jake take her hand. Shea sprinted over to his suite of rooms. In a minute flat he’d kicked off his boots and stripped out of his clothes, then dug in his dresser for a bathing suit. When he was by himself, half the time he didn’t even bother wearing one, preferring to swim naked when it was so hot.
