Holding Strong
Page 109
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Stack eyed her plate. “Looks good. Who cooked?”
“I did.” Smiling, Cherry pushed back her chair. “I’m done if you want—”
Before she could finish, they were both on it. Stack got his butt in her seat first, but Armie had her fork.
Cannon laughed at them. “Single men are so pathetic.”
To her surprise, Denver grinned and said, “Yeah.”
Flustered, it took Cherry a moment to react. “I’d be happy to cook something more—”
“Don’t encourage them,” Denver told her, drawing her into his side. “They’re like wild animals. Feed them once and they’ll always be underfoot.”
“True story,” Cannon said. “Ask Rissy. She’ll tell you.”
“That’s your sister’s fault.” Denver grinned. “She ignores the diets and always cooks the sweet stuff.”
Mouth full, Stack nodded. “Love her muffins.”
Scowling ferociously, Armie smacked him in the head.
“Hey!”
Armie didn’t back down. “That sounded bad and you know it.”
“I wouldn’t make a sex joke about Cannon’s sister!”
“Yeah, well...” He frowned. “Never mind, then.”
Denver and Cannon laughed. Stack just continued to eat, now leaning away from Armie, until the plate was empty.
After witnessing that exchange, Cherry realized just how difficult it might be for Merissa if no one could even joke without getting into trouble. Because she was Cannon’s sister, the men all put her on a pedestal, and that pretty much made her untouchable.
Did Rissy know?
Did that have something to do with Armie always resisting her?
Interrupting her musings, Denver tipped up her chin and kissed her. “Why don’t you go get your own bath and I’ll put away the dishes?”
Every other guy in the room suddenly looked at her, making her feel like a spectacle. Pretending it didn’t bother her, she teased, “Meaning the menfolk want to talk?”
“Meaning as soon as I can throw them out, I want to—”
“Denver.” Scandalized, she smashed a hand over his mouth. Heat throbbed in her face, especially when she realized all the guys were now smiling.
“You can quit smothering him, hon,” Armie said. “It’s not like we don’t know exactly what he wants.”
“Exactly,” Stack emphasized.
Only Cannon refrained from suggestive comments, but his grin said it all. “We’ll make it quick, I promise.”
Grabbing up her purse, Cherry nodded and left the kitchen with as much stiff dignity as she could. She felt them all watching her exit, so she did her utmost to keep her hips from swaying even the tiniest bit. Even after she’d turned the corner, everyone remained so silent that closing the bathroom door felt like an actual escape. Her heart finally slowed its mad gallop with her privacy ensured.
She didn’t have a change of clothes but she found one of Denver’s flannel shirts left in the bathroom for her to use as a robe. How considerate. She had work in the morning, and he had his usual full schedule. Did that mean Denver would take her home tonight? Or early in the morning?
With so many unanswered questions interfering with her contentment, she hoped Cannon was right, that they wouldn’t be long. No way would she go back out there in the same wrecked clothes—or in nothing more than a flannel shirt.
In fact, once they were all gone, she wouldn’t mind just getting naked with Denver. She wanted to make love with him for the rest of her life.
But for tonight, at least, she’d make do with a few hours.
* * *
SOON AS THE bathroom door closed with a quiet click, everyone settled at the table.
Folding his arms on the tabletop, Stack asked, “You moving her in?”
Struggling with conflicting emotion, Denver shook his head and said, “I don’t know.” He wanted to, but was he ready for that?
Turning his chair to straddle the seat, Armie said, “He’s an idiot.” And then to Denver, “You’re an idiot.”
Cannon laughed. “I heard what happened at the gym.”
“Gee, wonder how?” Denver gave a pointed look at Armie.
Shrugging, Armie said, “Why the hell are you dragging your feet anyway?”
That sentiment from Armie had Stack and Denver both staring at him with incredulity.
He lifted his arms, said, “What?” with a load of attitude, and then shoved back his chair to pace.
Cannon cocked a brow. “Am I missing something?”
“I did.” Smiling, Cherry pushed back her chair. “I’m done if you want—”
Before she could finish, they were both on it. Stack got his butt in her seat first, but Armie had her fork.
Cannon laughed at them. “Single men are so pathetic.”
To her surprise, Denver grinned and said, “Yeah.”
Flustered, it took Cherry a moment to react. “I’d be happy to cook something more—”
“Don’t encourage them,” Denver told her, drawing her into his side. “They’re like wild animals. Feed them once and they’ll always be underfoot.”
“True story,” Cannon said. “Ask Rissy. She’ll tell you.”
“That’s your sister’s fault.” Denver grinned. “She ignores the diets and always cooks the sweet stuff.”
Mouth full, Stack nodded. “Love her muffins.”
Scowling ferociously, Armie smacked him in the head.
“Hey!”
Armie didn’t back down. “That sounded bad and you know it.”
“I wouldn’t make a sex joke about Cannon’s sister!”
“Yeah, well...” He frowned. “Never mind, then.”
Denver and Cannon laughed. Stack just continued to eat, now leaning away from Armie, until the plate was empty.
After witnessing that exchange, Cherry realized just how difficult it might be for Merissa if no one could even joke without getting into trouble. Because she was Cannon’s sister, the men all put her on a pedestal, and that pretty much made her untouchable.
Did Rissy know?
Did that have something to do with Armie always resisting her?
Interrupting her musings, Denver tipped up her chin and kissed her. “Why don’t you go get your own bath and I’ll put away the dishes?”
Every other guy in the room suddenly looked at her, making her feel like a spectacle. Pretending it didn’t bother her, she teased, “Meaning the menfolk want to talk?”
“Meaning as soon as I can throw them out, I want to—”
“Denver.” Scandalized, she smashed a hand over his mouth. Heat throbbed in her face, especially when she realized all the guys were now smiling.
“You can quit smothering him, hon,” Armie said. “It’s not like we don’t know exactly what he wants.”
“Exactly,” Stack emphasized.
Only Cannon refrained from suggestive comments, but his grin said it all. “We’ll make it quick, I promise.”
Grabbing up her purse, Cherry nodded and left the kitchen with as much stiff dignity as she could. She felt them all watching her exit, so she did her utmost to keep her hips from swaying even the tiniest bit. Even after she’d turned the corner, everyone remained so silent that closing the bathroom door felt like an actual escape. Her heart finally slowed its mad gallop with her privacy ensured.
She didn’t have a change of clothes but she found one of Denver’s flannel shirts left in the bathroom for her to use as a robe. How considerate. She had work in the morning, and he had his usual full schedule. Did that mean Denver would take her home tonight? Or early in the morning?
With so many unanswered questions interfering with her contentment, she hoped Cannon was right, that they wouldn’t be long. No way would she go back out there in the same wrecked clothes—or in nothing more than a flannel shirt.
In fact, once they were all gone, she wouldn’t mind just getting naked with Denver. She wanted to make love with him for the rest of her life.
But for tonight, at least, she’d make do with a few hours.
* * *
SOON AS THE bathroom door closed with a quiet click, everyone settled at the table.
Folding his arms on the tabletop, Stack asked, “You moving her in?”
Struggling with conflicting emotion, Denver shook his head and said, “I don’t know.” He wanted to, but was he ready for that?
Turning his chair to straddle the seat, Armie said, “He’s an idiot.” And then to Denver, “You’re an idiot.”
Cannon laughed. “I heard what happened at the gym.”
“Gee, wonder how?” Denver gave a pointed look at Armie.
Shrugging, Armie said, “Why the hell are you dragging your feet anyway?”
That sentiment from Armie had Stack and Denver both staring at him with incredulity.
He lifted his arms, said, “What?” with a load of attitude, and then shoved back his chair to pace.
Cannon cocked a brow. “Am I missing something?”
