He nibbled along her jawline and up to her ear, tugging on her earlobe briefly and sending shivers through her. “I can’t wait to speed this part up. I can’t wait to touch you. To make you feel good.”
He adjusted her slightly, and Dana sucked in a quick breath. The hard length under her lay dangerously close to intimate positioning.
Was she ready for more on this level? Her body was one hundred percent ready. Her mind needed a little bit more time. Not to mention—
“Ahem.” A solid cough sounded.
Dana and Mark jumped apart as if they’d been hit with a cattle prod. Sliding to separate positions on the bench, Dana quickly straightened herself while Mark rescued his hat and laid it strategically over his lap.
Standing next to the bench, grinning wildly, was Anna Thompson, the only daughter of the Moonshine clan and local RCMP now on maternity leave. She pushed a double stroller, her two-year-old daughter bouncing with excitement to be released and her newborn baby son swaddled up and sleeping in the back section.
“Auntie Dana. Uncle Mark.” Anna said their names in her best cop voice, before reaching down to let Kasey free.
Dana’s cheeks were on fire. “Um.”
“Do you know how many Coleman family members I have caught parked at Heartbreak Ridge? Never mind, you don’t want to know.” Anna continued, her amusement shining clear. “But this is the first time I have ever caught one of your generation fooling around in a public place.”
“Because our generation usually knows how to have a good time without getting caught?” Mark said without a hint of apology.
“Dear God,” Anna said in a long-suffering voice before lowering her volume and speaking like a conspirator. “You might want to move this to a more appropriate location, considering a whole bunch of the clan will be arriving in the next half hour to use the playground.”
Dana rose to her feet, stifling the urge to giggle as Mark stepped behind her and held onto her hips, obviously hiding his erection. “Well, I hope you all have a good time.”
“You too.”
Anna’s laughter drifted over them as Mark caught Dana by the hand and marched them back toward Main Street.
They grinned at each other, but amusing as getting caught was, a major glitch in going forward had just revealed itself.
Mark was living with George. Dana lived with her son and daughter-in-law.
Where could they go if they wanted to take the physical part of this relationship farther?
24
The truck rumbled, engine revving hard as Blake threw her into four-wheel drive and drove cautiously over the rutted road leading to their destination.
“Hell of a good idea,” Travis said from where he was sprawled in the back seat of the crew cab.
Cassidy slapped a hand on Blake’s shoulder and squeezed in approval. “Agreed. And man, did you pick the day right, or what?”
“I’ll take credit for that,” Mike said from where he was riding shotgun. “Blake here doesn’t seem to believe in checking the weather forecast too often.”
“Don’t see the need with the way you and all the uncles spend your day constantly checking for updates.” Blake grinned at his brother and brother-in-law in the rearview mirror. “The instant a cloud appears on the horizon, a text arrives from Uncle Randy, and I know exactly what he’s going to tell me.”
Travis chuckled. “Well, give thanks to the weather gods, because a day off fishing deserves this kind of blue sky.”
“I don’t even care how hot the fishing is, the day off is a win. Plus, it’ll be good to see everyone,” Cassidy added.
“Only a couple of days until Canada Day. The entire clan will be together then,” Mike pointed out.
“Yeah, but this is special because it’s just Six Pack.” Travis bumped a shoulder against Cassidy. “And this import.”
“Cassidy is one hundred percent Six Pack.” Blake met Cassidy’s eyes in the mirror and winked. “Maybe a hundred and ten, considering you put up with Travis’s bullshit all the time. That makes you extra Coleman, or something like that.”
Travis snorted but didn’t dispute the bullshit comment.
The chatter in the truck remained light and entertaining until Blake pulled to a stop beside three familiar vehicles.
Daniel was there, Lance as well, the kid pleased as punch at having been invited to the grown-up gathering. Matt stepped forward, poking Joel over his shoulder about something.
Jesse had lawn chairs set around a fire pit, three coolers lined up at the side of the open space.
“You plan on even getting a line wet?” Travis teased. “Or are you going to sit with your feet up and drink all day?”
“Joel and I can’t decide. Fishing is fun, but catching a nap might be a better use of our morning, considering our days are numbered before the next kids drop.” Jesse settled in a lawn chair, fiddled with something underneath it then leaned back, turning the contraption into a lounger. “God, this is nice.”
Joel snickered. “That was just mean. Now I have to decide if I should tell Dare that you referred to the baby’s due date like a cow birth.”
“She doesn’t care. At this point, all Dare wants is to be done.”
“Don’t blame her. This summer is going to be a hot one,” Mike said, grinning as he turned to Blake. “At least, according to the Weather Channel.”
Blake caught himself chuckling as he headed to the back of the truck and pulled out his fishing gear.
For the next two hours, he simply enjoyed time with his brothers, his father, and his nephew. An old dock extended into the lake, and a well-defined trail meandered around the perimeter, giving plenty of places for them to shuffle off, usually two at a time so they could cast lines into the water and then chat. Or cast lines into the water then reel in silently, the sheer connection of being together enough.
The morning gave Blake time to appreciate once again how far they’d come. The brothers comfortable with each other, teasing Lance and Mike, although that last one was always done respectfully.
Some things never changed.
Blake was grateful to be able to see how tight the bonds were between them all. It gave him an assurance that if what his father feared most came to be, it wouldn’t only be Blake who would step in and help.
And watching Lance good-naturedly steal his grandfather’s line so he could tie a minuscule fly at the end of the tippet said something about how the next generation would also be there for Mike, no matter what.
One lingering fear came crashing to a head when, just before he broke for lunch, Jesse gave him a shout. “I volunteered you to help me get things ready.”
Blake might have told Jesse to not worry and that the right decision regarding his job opportunity would eventually become clear. He hadn’t realized he’d have his own share of sleepless nights after hearing about the possibility of his brother leaving again.
Whatever Jesse and Dare had decided, Blake swore he would make it work. He’d find a way that his brother and Dare and their kids felt connected and a part of everything happening back in Rocky.
“Wanted to let you know something.” Jesse popped up a portable table and began pulling lunch fixings out of the cooler.