Vivian Arend - Rocky Mountain Haven

“You’re such a dog,” Matt said. He shook his finger at his younger brother. “You’re lucky we don’t convince Dad to make you head into Red Deer on deliveries more often, just to mess with your free time.”

Travis sat up straight, all trace of his devil-may-care attitude gone. “Speaking of which, I need help. There’s a rush order of furniture that I kinda accepted and while we’ve got everything we need…” He glanced at Daniel sheepishly.

Daniel shook his head. “You didn’t. Damn it, Travis, you know we don’t mind helping, but could you try to not make it a last-minute emergency every time you notice the sky is falling?”

“I hate the workshop.” Travis refilled his mug and leaned back.

Blake echoed his agreement. “It’s not my favourite thing either, but it’s a part of the family business. There’s a lot less fieldwork now that the snow is down, so it makes sense to have something else to do to keep money coming in.”

Beside her Daniel tensed for a moment, as if he was about to speak, then sighed softly. She leaned against him and whispered in his ear, “You okay?”

He snuggled her tight to his side and kissed her temple. “Just something I’ve been thinking about. No firm answers yet, but I might need to borrow your math skills to see if what I’m pondering will work.”

The idea of being able to help him, in some area outside the bedroom, made her warm inside.

Matt rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Okay, now that you’re all loosened up a bit, who’s on the chopping block for pool?”

Travis stood. “I’m in. All that money I saved on drinks tonight is fighting to be free.”

“I’m in as well.” Daniel turned to her. “Beth, you joining us?”

She followed his lead and went for casual. “Sure. I think I know how.” He squeezed her hand under the table, and she fought back her laughter. To hide it, she turned to Jaxi. “Sorry, I’m not being a very good backup girlfriend if I desert you. You want to play?”

Blake growled, and the other boys laughed while Beth stared at Daniel in confusion.

“I’ll explain later,” he whispered.

Jaxi smirked as she leaned back against her husband, patting the soft rounding barely showing in her belly. “Nah, me and Blake will sit here and argue about names for princess for a while.”

Blake choked on his beer. “Don’t start on me again.”

“Why, Blake, I’m just suggesting you should be ready for anything, maybe even six daughters. That would be so righteous.” Jaxi winked at Beth and motioned her away.

Daniel held her hand as they walked to the side of the pool table. “Don’t mind them. Jaxi likes to keep Blake off balance.”

Beth grinned back. “I think her methodology is excellent.” His fingers were warm around hers, and she glanced to see if anyone was watching before sneaking in to kiss him, a fleeting touch on the lips. He tasted good. Daniel pressed a big hand to the middle of her back, holding her against his chest until she’d given him a proper kiss. When she pulled away, he stared back, his gaze tracing her mouth, her eyes. His pupils were dark and growing wider.

“I’m looking forward to taking you home tonight, just so you know.”

Beth licked her lips, and he groaned before turning away to grab her a pool cue. Oh damn, the things this man did to her, body and mind and soul.

An hour later Beth dropped the final ball into the pocket, again, and held in her laughter as Matt swore.

“Daniel never warned us you were a shark.” He slapped a bill on the edge of the table, and Beth waved it off.

“We’re playing for fun. You can keep your money.”

Travis grabbed the twenty and stepped closer. “This is part of what makes it fun. People don’t beat Matt very often, and it’s about damn time. Go ahead, take the cash.” He reached around her to slip the money in her back pocket and icy fingers slid up her spine.

She was in his arms, his hands resting lightly on the waistline of her jeans. He grinned saucily, and understanding rolled over her. The ass was testing to see her reaction.

“You lose something, Travis? Or you waiting for me to make sure your next girlfriend likes men who sing soprano?”

Matt snorted and poked Travis in the arm. “Leave her alone, jerk, Daniel doesn’t share.”

Travis ran his gaze down her body and sighed as he stepped back to a polite distance. “True. Pity, that.”

“You boys are something else.” Beth crossed her arms in front of her. “How you’ve not all ended up on Wanted posters all over the country is beyond me.”

Travis winked. “Who says we haven’t?”

“Where the hell did Daniel get to?” Matt glanced around the bar.

“Fuck.” Travis tugged Beth’s arm and pulled her toward the pool table, refusing to let her follow the direction of their stares. He turned his bright smile on her and motioned to the table. “How about one final game? Double or nothing?”

“Travis, what’s your problem? Let go.” She pulled free and found herself blocked by Matt’s muscular frame.

He spoke calmly, as if he were dealing with a skittish animal. “Now don’t go getting the wrong idea.”

She frowned. What was happening?

“What kind of wrong idea could I get?” Travis glanced at Matt and the two of them fidgeted, like her boys did when they got caught doing something wrong. “Stop it, both of you, I’m not twelve years old.” She shrugged off his hand and poked her head around Travis’s big shoulder. “Oh.”

Daniel was at the other end of the room, close to the bar counter, clutching their drink refills in either hand. A dark-haired woman stood far too close, pinning him in place. As Beth watched, the woman flung her hands around his neck and locked her lips on his as if she were giving emergency resuscitation. A funny sensation tickled Beth’s belly, and she stepped back, considering carefully.

Before tonight they’d made no formal announcement in public that they were a couple, not really. They’d mentioned they were dating to the kids, but no one else. She had no right to be upset, but from a logical, analytical point of view—some hussy was crawling over her man. Time for a decision, that’s for sure. In fact it was past time.

“Beth, you okay?”

She turned and lifted a brow at Matt. He and Travis watched her with concern written all over their faces.

“Just fine.” She took the couple of steps back to drop into the seat next to Jaxi. This was one of those moments she wanted a female touch. “Who’s the woman with a death-wish sucking face with my guy?”

Jaxi snorted behind her hand. “Daniel’s ex, Sierra. She dumped him last spring. You want me to come help deal with her?”

Beth stopped to consider. This wasn’t Daniel doing something deliberately to hurt her. In fact, when she evaluated what she knew of his character, he would expect her to speak if she wasn’t happy.

Standing up for herself was slowly getting easier.

She took a deep breath. “He doesn’t want her anymore, does he?”

“Hell, no. I’m surprised to even see her here. We’ve all made it pretty clear she’s not welcome in our circle. She turned out to be a self-centered bitch, if you’ll excuse me for saying it.”

Beth sighed. “Thanks. Okay, I think I can handle one hormonally challenged, poorly groomed woman.”

Blake choked again and Jaxi patted his back. “Don’t worry, dear, it’s a girl thing. Like you’ll have to deal with our daughters down the road.”

By the time she rose and made her way to where Daniel stood attempting to untangle himself from the woman’s clutches, Beth was still undecided what tack to take. It was obvious Daniel wasn’t the instigator, but he needed to learn there was a time to stop being such a gentleman.