Page 29 of Honeymoon Phase
“You got this, Luke!” she calls out as I hold my axe up and her voice feels like a wave of comfort rolling through my body. God, I have it bad for her. When did it get this bad? Where was I? Was I a willing participant or did fate just say fuck it... you can’t figure it out yourself, we’re going to force this on you?
Ivan gets his blade off first, landing smack-dab in the center. Another perfect bull’s-eye. The crowd goes wild as they wait for me to throw. My pulse thumps in my ears and with a deep breath, I toss my axe and wince when it thunks into the upperright corner. It’s close, but I can’t tell if it’s touching the green for sure.
The crowd goes quiet as the scorekeeper walks up to my bull’s-eye and inspects it, even pulling a flashlight out of her fucking pocket to shine on the blade for a better look. After what feels like an eternity, she turns around and makes a zero signal with her fingers, indicating I did not hit the green dot, and the crowd goes fucking wild.
I smack the top of my hat, yanking it down over my face. “Fuck,” I growl under my breath, kicking my boot into the ground and wondering why the fuck my own damn town is cheering for this outsider.
“Heyo... good try, man.” Ivan holds his fist out to me, and I bump it, feeling my skin crawl as we connect.
I skulk my way over to my family, ready to hear them lay into me about fucking up, but Addison steps into my path, draping her scent all over me. “Shit, you were so close to winning that one!”
“I know,” I huff, my whole body vibrating with irritation.
“You still did really good though,” she says, falling into step with me.
“Not good enough,” I bark, wincing at the ache in my shoulder as I try to move past her.
“What’s with you?” Addison reaches out and grabs my arm, forcing me to turn around to face her. “Why are you taking this so seriously?”
“You know why,” I bite, narrowing my eyes on her.
“Seriously, Luke. You don’t need to do this. I know Ivan from a few years back. We’ve been catching up and he’s unattached, so—”
“That’s not how today is going to go.” I lick my lips and step into her space, my body radiating protectiveness as I fight the urge to wrap my hands around her waist and claim her as minein front of everyone here so fuckers like Ivan back the hell off. “If I win this shit today, you’re marrying me, not him. Got it?”
Her jaw juts out as confusion shifts to rage in her stormy hazel eyes. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
I stare down at her lips, swallowing the knot in my throat as I wonder for the hundredth time what that soft mouth might taste like. “Just being a goodfriend.”
The two lines between her forehead deepen as she pouts her reply, “And that requires you to bark orders at me?”
“Maybe once in a while, you need to be told what to do.” I pin her with a scolding look before I lift my chin and turn to walk away, feeling her eyes on me as I move. I have no idea what she’s thinking. Nor do I want to. I just have to get through the next four competitions to get this Ivan fucker out of the game.
Chapter 11
Fact or Fiction?
My best friend has lost his mind.
Addison
I watch with my brows furrowed as Luke readies himself with the other lumberjacks for the boom running part of the competition. The contestants all change into shorts, tank tops, and water shoes to prepare for the event that requires them to run across a row of eight booms that float across the length of the small pond in the park. They have to make their way across them, round a barrel on the other side, and then run back.
Most usually make it all the way across and back without getting wet, so it just comes down to the best time. But I think Luke could use a dip in the cold water right now because this competition has him way too heated up.
Maybe once in a while, you need to be told what to do.
I squirm in my seat, offering a tight smile to my dad as I squeeze my thighs together and try to stop myself from feeling excited by the way Luke spoke to me. I’ve just never seen this side to him before. The dominant, self-assured, angry side.
What the fuck is wrong with me that I like it so much?
I am sick. I should not be turned on by a man telling me what to do. Even if that man is my best friend. Especially if that man is my best friend!
A best friend with godlike muscles that wereso not therefive weeks ago. And when he turned to face me after one of his axe throws, I swear I could see a solid six-pack through his sweat-soaked shirt. Would he mind if I lifted said shirt to count them? With my tongue?
My God, it’s clearly been way too long since I’ve had sex.
My eyes snap to the right when I see Luke come out from the changing area. He’s ditched his hat and his shaggy hair is blowing in the breeze as he stretches and talks to his brother Wyatt. I wonder what they’re talking about. It’s probably incredibly narcissistic to think they’re talking about me, but I’m just trying to figure out why Luke decided to do all of this. Is it just to marry me? Is my life really that important to him? I know he thinks it’s unsafe of me to marry a logger, but I’ve known Ivan for years, so he’s clearly an exception. I think Ivan and Luke might actually get along if Luke gave him a chance.
