Page 22 of Joy Ride
“I’m beginning to really like this holiday.”
We cross through the spectacularly decked out living room, but I don’t care how many trees Chase and Lexi have, or how done up they are. Nothing can compare with the tree Jolene and I decorated at my place.
Before we join everyone, Jolene stoically reminds me, “Remember, for now, we need to keep this between us. We don’t want the entire West family riding our asses.”
I give the little white ball at the tip of her Santa hat a playful tug. “Sounds good Goldilocks.” Jolene doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to be mine, come hell or high water, and I’ll level anyone who tries to get in my way.
Turns out the kids are still crazy about me. Jolene tries to act casual, but I can see she notices the way Lara and Leo treat me like a long-lost uncle. I just saw them two weeks ago. Truth is, I don’t have a problem with kids at all. I even held little Jack, Chase and Lexi’s boy, the day he was born. What’s not to love? The kids laugh at all my jokes, no matter how corny they are, and are almost always in a good mood.
“Thank you for bringing the cookies,” Lexi says sweetly, after giving me a big hug. She places my dish on the table with the rest of the desserts while Chase offers me a cocktail.
It feels good to have the gang all here with Jolene. Damn. I crack up. I should’ve known she was a West. That’s where all that bravado and her cocky can-do attitude comes from. I shoot the breeze with my friends,her relatives. And now that I’m looking at Chase, Ryder, and Shane in a new light, I can see the similarity to their mannerisms in all of them.
As nonchalantly as possible, I scan the room for Jolene over the rim of my glass and spot her off by herself by the dishwasher. When the timing’s right, I slip out of the conversation and make my move, approaching her. And oh, what a view. She’s bent over in her snug little jeans, putting a platter away on a lower shelf.
Her ass is perfection.
She straightens by the time I reach her but still has her back to me. I angle my head so no one else will hear and sneak up next to Jolene’s ear. “Doggy style.”
Jolene snaps her head to me, and her jaw drops. “What did you just say?”
“I said, I think you need another lesson in doggy style tonight.”
Jolene bursts into laughter. “Holy shit, don’t say that here.”
“Oh great.” Lexi moans from across the room and we both turn as she closes the fridge.
“You okay?” Chase rushes to her.
“I’m fine. It’s just that we’re out of milk. I can’t believe it. I forgot the milk of all things. We’ve been guzzling jugs of it with all these cookies.
“I passed Slo Mo on the way over,” I interject. “The sign said they’d be open until six. Want me to run over?”
“You’re our guest, Travis,” Lexi shakes her head. “I can’t have you running errands for us.”
“I’ll go with him,” Jolene jumps in, and I hold back a grin. That was a pretty enthusiastic offer for someone who wants to pretend we don’t know each other.
“I insist.” I give Lexi my most charming smile. Chase eyes me a little longer than he should. My guess is he either thinks I’m flirting with his wife or he suspects there might be something going on with me and Jolene. I shrug. “It’s no problem. Not a big deal.”
“And you need to escort him to pick up milk?” Chase traps Jolene in an eye snare. He’s commanding. I’ll give him that. He makes big bucks staring at people that way.
“It’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve seen the town,” she says innocently, “and I love to browse in Slo Mo’s.”
This conversation is over as far as I’m concerned. Whatever Jolene wants, she gets. End of story. I pull my keys from my pocket. “Whole milk?” I ask over my shoulder as I head out.
“Perfect.” Lexi shouts back, and by the time I’m in the living room, Jolene is by my side to make our escape.
Chapter Eleven
As soon as we shut the door behind us, we both burst out laughing. “I don’t know how long you think you can keep this a secret from your cousins.”
“I know. Chase is on to something, so probably not too long.”
I take the risk and clasp her hand as we hurry to my truck.
Christ, she looks good in my passenger seat. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” I smile while shoving my key into the ignition and roll out of Chase’s driveway with my eyes half on the road and half on Goldilocks, who’s even more beautiful than she was yesterday. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
“Feeling’s mutual cowboy.” She shifts in the seat, all wrapped up in her puffy coat and mittens. “My phone was pilfered by a nine-year-old last night by the way. I’m sorry I couldn’t text you back.”
