And for once in my life, I’m excited for whatlaterbrings.
18
COLLIE
“Wouldyou just let me do this, woman? How many times do I have to tell you to sit down and let me work?”
I shove past Easton, grabbing the mallet at his feet, and securing the first set of stakes in my hands. “Why would I do that when I’m better at this than you?”
The tent collapses in seconds, Easton not giving a shit how far we got in building it. Looks like we’re starting over. After he tells me off first, I’m guessing.
“For a woman as pretty as you, you sure do talk a lot of shit.”
He called me pretty.Swoon.
I send him a small smile—it’s one of silly pity. I do enjoy shit talking, especially with Easton. It makes me horny.
“Oh, I definitely talk shit. But I’m also really freaking good at building a tent. My dad thought camping as a child was the ideal vacation. Seems to be paying off for me now. And in case you need a reminder…I don’t need a man.” I flex my bicep for him just to get my point across.
The sass in my smirk doesn’t faze him. I lift the nowdismantled tent to stand and huff in frustration as it falls to the floor again. “See, you messed it up.”
“Oh, that’s rich,” Easton exhales. “I build things with my hands. Bend fucking wire, Collie. And not to be an arrogant prick, but I’m really fucking good at my job, too. I’m not about to throw down with you over putting this tent together just because Dirty Dan said we should.”
“It’s for marriage bonding,” I tell him matter-of-factly, my voice shooting up an octave. “It’s supposed to help us solve problems together.”
“It’s bullshit. Especially since, you know, we aren’t married.”
“They don’t know that.” I whisper and throw in a wink.
“Is this a first fight I hear? Dan, get over here and grab the popcorn, would ya? Collie’s about to tackle Easton,” Sheila startles us, eyes shooting to her brows in excitement.
Easton looks ready to accept defeat, but not me. “Sure are, Ms. Sheila. I’m just trying to explain to my husband here how us women can do anything a man can. But better.”
Sheila turns to Easton, looking appalled. “Is that right, son?”
He cuts me a look, knowing I’m fucking with him. Sheila doesn’t know that, though. “Trust me, Sheila. I’m well aware of howcapableCollie is.” His eyes laser focus on me and my breath catches as his voice grows dark. “But I don’t buy the ‘I don’t need a man’ bullshit. Ask her yourself just how much she needed my mouth on her yesterday. Tasting, licking, sucking, eat?—”
My hand covers his mouth before he can scar her any longer. “There’s a thing called privacy, Ranger,” I mumble forcefully, feeling shy for the first time in my adult life.
But holy mother of fat mooses. I think I just came in my panties.
“Oh, heavens!” Sheila shouts, petrified and likely wounded for life. “I’m afraid I don’t know what to do with that information.” She looks ready to crawl into a hole and die. Easton, on the other hand, looks mighty pleased with himself.
Such a change of events for the born-again hermit.
I’m already over it, ready for him to take me in the open right now.
His smart mouth is hot.
“Sounds like the recipe to a healthy marriage, toots.” Dirty Dan appears, throwing his arm around Sheila’s mortified frame.
“I suppose…” she draws out. “I seem to learn something new every day about this generation, Daniel. Lordy, Ms. Pearl, they’re active little badgers.”
Dirty Dan nods his head, causing Easton and me to laugh. “Stamina like a wolf. I promise ya to do my best work to keep up.”
Huh?“Are you two together-together?” I shuffle my pointer finger between the two of them, still holding each other in a tight embrace.
“You bet your mama’s last dollar we are. Ain’t that right, toots?”
