Page 86 of Beauty and the Bayou

He was happy.He was relaxed and happy and feeling adventurous and, more than anything, accepted.The Landrys and all of their friends and acquaintances had not just welcomed her and Chase with open arms, they’d reached out and pulled them into those open arms.Chase was a friendly guy, he got along with people, he liked to have fun.But he was used to being on his turf, knowing his way around, feeling confident in what he was doing.Everything about the bayou was as new to him as it was to her.And he was reveling in it.

Her heart swelled.She loved it here.It was stupid.This place was everything that was a challenge for her—physically demanding with risks to someone who had less than one hundred percent strength and coordination as well as a completely new culture with foods and customs and even music that was foreign to her.But she loved it.And she loved these people.

Her gaze landed on the man who was now bending and stacking boards, muscles rippling, skin glistening, his big, hard body taking care of everything.Her body heated just watching him.They’d just had sex.Goodsex.And she wanted him all over again.

Juliet blew out a breath.It wasn’t about his muscles or the big hands or the other big parts of him…no, that wasn’t true.Itwasabout one big part of him.His heart.Also, his big hurt and his big family and his big ability to see her and understand her and to want her and to want to take care of her.

She almost groaned out loud.

She was falling for him.

That had definitely not been one of the What-Ifs for this trip.

Wasit a sign of being in love if a woman could turn you on while eating shrimp?

Sawyer sat lounging in his chair, his arm draped over the back of Juliet’s, watching her as she ate and talked to her brother.Chase was telling Juliet about Leo’s old hunting cabin and how Ellie had taught him to clean fish two days ago.Juliet seemed to think the idea of Chase Dawson covered in fish guts was hilarious.Sawyer would concur.But Chase was grinning about the whole thing.

Sawyer knew his grandmother.He was certain that she’d had some plan around the fish cleaning.It was more than teaching Chase a life skill—particularly one that the guy would in all likelihood never use.Sawyer was sure she’d told Chase some old stories and somehow worked in some advice as they’d done the cleaning.Sawyer wasn’t sure what metaphor she’d used, but he was certain Chase would remember it.

The thing about Ellie’s life lessons and metaphors was the way they were delivered.Always in a unique way, and with a tone of voice that said I love you but I know you’re going to do some dumbass things.

Sawyer loved that his grandparents had made Chase feel like an adopted grandson.It was clear that he was enjoying being a part of the Landry family and that it made Juliet feel good, too.

“Hey, Sawyer?”

He looked up to find Tori and Josh standing by the table.Josh had one hand on Tori’s lower back.The other was wrapped in white gauze up to his elbow.

Sawyer felt his body tense, but then felt Juliet’s hand on his thigh.He took a deep breath.“Hey,” he said, casually.Or as casually as he could when his brother was clearly bandaged up for some reason.

Josh gave him a wary look, like he didn’t totally trust that tone.“So we got a thing set up down there to trap Gus.”

Tori took a deep breath.Josh glanced at her.“It’s just a cage that will lure him in and then shut behind him.Won’t hurt him at all.Then I’ll go get it in the morning and take it up to Leo’s.Tori will let him out in the new pen we put together with stuff for him climb on and the pool to swim in and stuff.Since she’s not the one collecting the cage, he won’t associate her with trapping him.He’ll think of her as his savior.”

It was clear Josh was saying all of this for Tori’s benefit rather than for Sawyer’s.

“Sounds good,” Sawyer said.It did.It wasn’t perfect, but if it kept Gus safe and made Tori feel better, then it was good.

“Yeah, it will be fine,” Tori said, as if talking herself into it.“But—” She glanced at Josh.“We thought we should tell you that Josh accidentally stuck his hand in a fire ant mound.”

Jesus.Of course he had.The little bastards were another common menace around here.Sawyer grimaced.Why the helldidthey all live down here?There were more things that wanted to harm and kill them than in a lot of places in the country.They could all move to… Montana.There were bears and stuff there, but from what he understood, the bears really preferred to just be left alone.

“You okay?”Sawyer asked his brother.

Josh shrugged.“Think so.Been a while since I got stung.Forgot how much these fucking hurt.But Tori got them off of me quick and we put Ellie’s cream on it.”

Sawyer actually felt himself smiling.Ellie and Cora had a cream, salve, elixir, or powder for everything.And most of it even worked.He looked at Tori.“You knew what to do about fire ants, farm girl?”

She lifted an eyebrow.“We have fire ants in Iowa,” she said.“Josh warned me there might be some down there.”

Sawyer nodded.That made sense.He wasn’t the only one around here who knew the dangers and knew how to handle them.He was just the one that wanted to keep everyone wrapped in bubble wrap and never near any of those dangers.Which would mean none of these people that he loved, who loved what they all did for a living and loved the bayou and the river otters and other things about it, would be living any kind of life.They’d be sitting inside doing…nothing.

“Sounds like you guys handled it well,” he said.

They both looked mildly surprised for a moment, but then they both smiled.

“Well, I didn’t want to get too close or touch the cage or the plants around there much because I didn’t want Gus to smell me on everything.But that meant I was standing back, holding the lantern, and wasn’t right there, so it took a few seconds for me to get to Josh to get them rubbed off.”

“It’s fine,” Josh assured her.“I’m okay.”

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