a few things here, especially since I can’t get out anyway, but that’s all there is to it.”
“That’s it? You’re sure?”
“Yeah. That’s it. I did a crappy thing to her back in the fall, and I know it. I wasn’t thinking straight then, and I need to make it right, so that’s what I’m doing now.”
That, at least, was the truth.
“Tessa will be disappointed. I think she was still holding out hope you and Lydia would get together.”
“You’d think she’d know Lydia better than that, and I’m not in any rush to get involved in anything, either. If I learned anything back in the fall, it was that I am not ready to be in any kind of committed relationship at this point.”
“Who are you trying to convince, Ely?”
“Bite me, Jonas. And even if you don’t believe me, you know how Lydia is.”
“Yeah, I know. I tried to tell Tessa that, too. Lydia doesn’t do relationships, but she does a lot of other things,” Jonas recited with a chuckle, and Ely froze in place.
“How would you know about that? Did you guys ever—”
“No way. Lydia says that to everyone—it’s her personal motto, but also kind of a joke between friends. Believe me, Lydia’s way too scary for me to think about, uh, well, you know. I love her like a sister, so I’m glad you two are making nice, but no. She and I never went there, not even in my head,” Jonas said with a shudder of sorts.
Ely laughed, partly from relief and partly from his brother’s adamant refusal. He knew Jonas had gotten close to Lydia while he’d been protecting Tessa, but Ely was glad to know it hadn’t been that close.
“Sounds to me like you wouldn’t care for someone else getting to know her that well, though. Make sure you do have your head on straight, Ely.”
“It is, don’t worry. Maybe for the first time in a long time.”
“How was Antigua?”
“Heaven.”
“In other words, completely the opposite of Montana?”
“You got that right,” he said, looking around at the snow. “Tell Tessa everything is okay, and Lydia will be in touch. But in the meantime, not to worry. We’re okay here.”
“Okay,” Jonas agreed. “She’ll want to know more, but I’ll tell her Lydia will talk to her when she gets back.”
Ely agreed, and the brothers said goodbye. He looked around, taking in the scenery around him. He’d been joking when he told Jonas that Montana was so far from heaven. He loved the Caribbean, the blue waters and long beaches. But here, the air was clean and brisk, and he felt...free. It really was Big Sky Country, and his spirit responded to that with energy he hadn’t felt in a long time. He loved wide-open spaces, and had forgotten that after being in the city for so long.
Removing the mountains of snow from the driveways and paths was refreshing, and provided a physical outlet for the sexual frustration that still clung to him. He felt much better after a few hours of hard work, until he let himself think about the kiss from the night before, and the soft bedsheets that Lydia was sleeping on. How the pink roses that covered the bed would provide such a stark contrast to the inked flowers and designs on her skin.
Suddenly, he was much warmer than he should be, not even feeling the wind as it passed by.
Down, boy. She wasn’t interested.
She’d kissed him like she was interested, another part of him argued. He could press the issue, and she might give in—and then what? She’d be pissed at him again. And rightfully so.
Chemistry was only hormones, after all, and he was a Marine, right? Self-control was hardwired into his way of life. And when this was done, he’d go back to the Caribbean and help himself to any one—or maybe more—of the beautiful women there who were always available. He stood, taking a breath as he shoveled a path to the front door of the farmhouse, refocusing.
Clearing the final bit of snow in front of the steps, he looked across the field where Lydia expertly managed the
“That’s it? You’re sure?”
“Yeah. That’s it. I did a crappy thing to her back in the fall, and I know it. I wasn’t thinking straight then, and I need to make it right, so that’s what I’m doing now.”
That, at least, was the truth.
“Tessa will be disappointed. I think she was still holding out hope you and Lydia would get together.”
“You’d think she’d know Lydia better than that, and I’m not in any rush to get involved in anything, either. If I learned anything back in the fall, it was that I am not ready to be in any kind of committed relationship at this point.”
“Who are you trying to convince, Ely?”
“Bite me, Jonas. And even if you don’t believe me, you know how Lydia is.”
“Yeah, I know. I tried to tell Tessa that, too. Lydia doesn’t do relationships, but she does a lot of other things,” Jonas recited with a chuckle, and Ely froze in place.
“How would you know about that? Did you guys ever—”
“No way. Lydia says that to everyone—it’s her personal motto, but also kind of a joke between friends. Believe me, Lydia’s way too scary for me to think about, uh, well, you know. I love her like a sister, so I’m glad you two are making nice, but no. She and I never went there, not even in my head,” Jonas said with a shudder of sorts.
Ely laughed, partly from relief and partly from his brother’s adamant refusal. He knew Jonas had gotten close to Lydia while he’d been protecting Tessa, but Ely was glad to know it hadn’t been that close.
“Sounds to me like you wouldn’t care for someone else getting to know her that well, though. Make sure you do have your head on straight, Ely.”
“It is, don’t worry. Maybe for the first time in a long time.”
“How was Antigua?”
“Heaven.”
“In other words, completely the opposite of Montana?”
“You got that right,” he said, looking around at the snow. “Tell Tessa everything is okay, and Lydia will be in touch. But in the meantime, not to worry. We’re okay here.”
“Okay,” Jonas agreed. “She’ll want to know more, but I’ll tell her Lydia will talk to her when she gets back.”
Ely agreed, and the brothers said goodbye. He looked around, taking in the scenery around him. He’d been joking when he told Jonas that Montana was so far from heaven. He loved the Caribbean, the blue waters and long beaches. But here, the air was clean and brisk, and he felt...free. It really was Big Sky Country, and his spirit responded to that with energy he hadn’t felt in a long time. He loved wide-open spaces, and had forgotten that after being in the city for so long.
Removing the mountains of snow from the driveways and paths was refreshing, and provided a physical outlet for the sexual frustration that still clung to him. He felt much better after a few hours of hard work, until he let himself think about the kiss from the night before, and the soft bedsheets that Lydia was sleeping on. How the pink roses that covered the bed would provide such a stark contrast to the inked flowers and designs on her skin.
Suddenly, he was much warmer than he should be, not even feeling the wind as it passed by.
Down, boy. She wasn’t interested.
She’d kissed him like she was interested, another part of him argued. He could press the issue, and she might give in—and then what? She’d be pissed at him again. And rightfully so.
Chemistry was only hormones, after all, and he was a Marine, right? Self-control was hardwired into his way of life. And when this was done, he’d go back to the Caribbean and help himself to any one—or maybe more—of the beautiful women there who were always available. He stood, taking a breath as he shoveled a path to the front door of the farmhouse, refocusing.
Clearing the final bit of snow in front of the steps, he looked across the field where Lydia expertly managed the
Similar Books
