Page 72 of Love You
He flipped onto his side and threw a leg over the side of the bed. “At least take a shower with me.”
She collected her purse and slid her feet into her flip-flops. “Can’t.” He was insatiable, which she was still getting used to. After Lewis it was amazing but she didn’t delude herself into thinking his sexual appetite was solely for her. Win was just a randy son of a gun.
She took one last delicious peek at him as he stretched, completely uninhibited in his nakedness, before leaving. “Try not to be obvious at the meeting about us sleeping together.” Not that she thought he would because no one would believe it anyway. But it was better for all involved if they kept this little arrangement on the down-low.
“You embarrassed of me?”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes and walked out the door.
By the time she made it to the Morning Glory diner she was cutting it close to meeting time. Felix greeted her with his usual gruff “Hello,” then yelled back to the kitchen, “Garner life preservers.”
She made it to GA with just enough minutes left to make the coffee and set the conference table with napkins, plates, and cups, and looked forward to the day when this was someone else’s chore. It’s not that she minded organizing the Monday morning meeting but she wanted to manage accounts, make deals, have a title and a good salary. The song “Passionate Kisses” flitted through her head. Yes, she should have it all, even Win Garner if only for a short time.
“Hey,” TJ said as he came in and sat at his usual spot, the head of the table. “You have a good four days off?”
“I did. How ’bout you? How was your weekend?” Until TJ and Deb had gotten together, he’d worked the weekends and put in twelve-hour days during the week. Now he was spreading more of the responsibility to Josh and spending time with Deb and even guiding a few tours.
“Good. We took the boat out. Thanks for asking.” He gazed around the empty room and let out a sigh. “I see everyone is late as usual.”
“Not me,” she said even though she sounded like a suck-up. One thing she noticed about men, they were shameless self-promoters. Women could learn a thing or two from that.
“Nope, you’re never late. Truthfully, you and Deb are the only employees here who are worth a damn, besides me of course. If we get FlashTag I’ll get you off the front desk, I promise.”
“Who’s worth a damn?” Josh came in and went straight for the coffee.
“Not you, that’s for sure.” TJ grabbed a bear claw before the other brothers could hog them. Felix never made enough.
“Good. Then you won’t mind if I take a week off in August.”
Both TJ and Darcy spun around to look at him. Darcy speculated they were thinking the same thing. Another surgery on Josh’s leg, the one he’d nearly lost in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Every time Josh went under the knife, the Garners rallied. But it was hard on them to see Josh suffer.
“Why?” TJ asked.
“It’s called a vacation, big brother. You should try it sometime.”
TJ’s relief was palpable. To an outsider, the Garner brothers’ constant ribbing of one another seemed like sibling rivalry on steroids. But Darcy knew better. They teased as hard as they played but their love for one another was unconditional. She’d never known a family who had one another’s backs as much as the Garners.
“Why August? It’s our busiest time before winter.”
“I know.” Josh picked through the doughnuts until he found one he liked. “But Hannah found an all-inclusive deal to go to Cabo San Lucas. She wants to spread Sabine’s ashes.”
All Darcy knew was that Sabine was Hannah’s late aunt and that she’d inherited Glorious Gifts from her.
“We’ll work it out,” TJ said. “What time of August? I would hate for you to miss the End of Summer festival.”
The Garners lived for the annual weekend event, which included a kayak race that GA won every year.
“We’re good,” Josh said. “It’ll be early August.”
Win came in, his hair damp, curling around his collar, and Darcy’s breath caught. The man did that to her, made her gulp for oxygen. And when he turned his smile on her she nearly melted in a puddle on the hardwood floor. She still couldn’t believe she got to sleep with him every night. Then she reminded herself for the second time today—and it was only nine—that it was temporary. He was just on loan from the public sex library.
“We ready to get this party started?” Colt brushed in wearing his police uniform. “I’ve only got a few minutes so try your best not to be too long-winded.” He looked directly at TJ, winked at Darcy, and filled a paper plate with a couple of doughnuts.
Deb was the last person in and she sat next to Darcy. The senior Garners rarely made appearances at the meetings anymore. She supposed Gray and Mary were enjoying their semiretirement.
“Can I do my report first?” Deb asked. “I’ve got a thing.”
“What kind of thing?” Josh wasn’t letting her off the hook that easy.
