They were both silent for a time, Marit coming to terms with what she had just heard and Julian waiting for her to do just that. When he realized Marit wasn’t going to speak first, he carefully reached over and took her hand. She jerked slightly, but didn’t pull away. It warmed him through and through that she let him take her hand in his. “I know this freaks you out.”

  She nodded readily at that statement and eventually braved looking at the handsome man across from her. His touch was warm and gentle, and it made her want to get up to curl up against him to see just how warm he really was. Something in his gaze was promising to eradicate the loneliness that had been plaguing her despite her determination to keep lying to herself that she wasn’t lonely.

  Shaking off the mysterious hold he had on her rational mind, she decided it was time to set up some guidelines. “I’m not the type of girl who goes out with married men.” Wait… no!

  That’s not how she was supposed to start this. She didn’t even know if he wanted to go out with her. Although he did say he liked her and not as a friend… so didn’t he want to go out with her?

  Good god! If only she had dealt with this crap in high school like normal women, but no! She had been too buried in books and self loathing to even check to see whether or not someone was interested in her. Even one of the nerdy guys would’ve been good enough practice.

  Glittering blue eyes touched by a gentle smile had Marit rethinking her earlier thoughts. No. Nothing could have prepared me for this guy.

  Julian took Marit’s words with grace and quickly decided that he liked her even more now. Women had always thrown themselves at him whether they were married and often didn’t care that he was. Now, here sat a woman that wasn’t trying to crawl under him for a night of passion.

  And damnit if it didn’t make him want her more.

  “I respect that. And I want you to know I’m working on it. I have no desire to be married any longer than I have to be.” Julian answered honestly, squeezing Marit’s hand in reassurance. “So until then, let's get to know each other.” Say yes.

  It felt like an eternity later when Marit finally smiled that honest smile of hers, the one that made his heart melt, and answered with a dedicated “Yes.”

  Julian sighed in relief and sat up straight, her hand still in his, as her family took the cue that it was all right to move in. Marit hadn’t noticed them, but he had.

  “Hey.” Phoebe greeted with Maggie beside her with one hand wrapped in her cousin’s.

  Marit looked at the sight of her cousin holding hands with Maggie, and then up to her cousin with an arched brow. “This better stick this time. We love this girl.” Standing she hugged Maggie close and then moved to her cousin who had eyes only for the curly haired blond now occupying Marit’s seat.

  “It’s sticking.” Phoebe declared, kissing her cousin’s cheek and shooing her to sit by Julian. Sliding in, Julian was pleased when Marit sat beside him. It wasn’t too much longer that the waitress came by to get a drink order.

  “Whiskey, rocks.” Phoebe muttered and then pointed to Maggie, “Tequila sunrise.”

  Maggie’s blue eyes sparkled up at her girlfriend. “Thanks babe.”

  Phoebe grinned. “Told you it was my turn.”

  The shorter woman nodded and took her girlfriend’s hand. Phoebe had never been a fan of PDA but Marit could tell that she didn’t mind with Maggie. But then who would. At 5’4 with the face of a cherub and a plush body layered in curves, Maggie screamed perfection.

  She had a sweet little voice that lured one in, and open blue eyes that were the windows to her very soul. It sounded corny, but Marit had always felt it to be true. There was no pretense with Maggie. She liked you or she didn’t, and when she did you didn’t have to second guess it. She just wasn’t fake.

  And she was gorgeous. Granted the last time she mentioned it to Phoebe she got an earful because Maggie wasn’t a small little trim thing, and Marit could find beauty in her but not herself. But then, Maggie had this unwavering confidence. Maybe it was because she was short?

  Marit always felt so exposed and often wished she was smaller, not necessarily in size, but in stature. She just felt like she stood out too much.

  “And you sir? Another beer?” The waitress’s tone changed when she addressed Julian, her gaze turning sultry like a switch had been flipped, as she flaunted her body in just the right position for him to notice everything special about her.

  Julian didn’t even acknowledge the girl as he turned to Marit. Phoebe snickered at the disappointment on the girl’s face. “Want to share something? What do you like to drink?”

  Marit contemplated just what kind of mood she was in and decided it was a beer type night. “Want to split a pitcher, what's on tap?”

  Julian scrunched his nose up and looked toward the boards that listed the various beers. “What about a bucket?”

  Those beers were expensive, but Marit decided she would splurge a little bit. “Sure. How about the Rousse. It’s a red beer, really smooth.”

  Nodding, Julian turned to the waitress and motioned to the two of them. “We’ll take a bucket of the Rousse and could you bring two chilled glasses please. Put it on my tab.”

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  “Wait…” Trying to grab her wallet before the girl went, she was too late so turned to Julian who was giving her a look that said ‘Don’t even offer me money’. Marit ignored it. “I need to pay for half.”

  “No,” He took her wallet and handed it to Phoebe who gladly took it and stuck it in Maggie’s purse. “You don’t.”

  Marit shot her cousin a look that read ‘Traitor!’ before turning back to Julian only for Phoebe to speak up. “You two finally admit that you like each other? Because I like this guy.”

  Marit’s face lit up all over again but MAggie avenged her stinging pride by elbowing her girlfriend lightly. “Leave her be Phebe.” Looking over at Marit and Julian, she leaned close and whispered, “But if you two have admitted it we’re glad. You’re adorable together. And Marit if you say otherwise I’ll kick you under this table.” Sitting back she smiled like she hadn’t just threatened violence on the taller woman, and waited for the response that Julian gave.

  “We’re taking this slow. Getting to know one another.”

  “What you need to know is she has an amazing set of breasts.” Phoebe spoke up, motioning Trinity and the boys over to their table.

  “What…” Marit groaned, “What is everyone’s fascination with my breasts!”

  “They’re great.” Maggie murmured as though they were talking about the weather.

  Julian kept his mouth shut though inwardly he couldn’t agree more. He also wished people would stop bringing up Marit’s breasts because it was becoming harder and harder not to stare at them as they peaked up at him from her low cut top. They were a thing of beauty…

  Smooth, lightly tanned, and they looked perfect for him to sink his teeth in to. Not enough to hurt, just to give her that threat of danger that riled a woman up, made her ache. Keep it in your pants.

  Tristan, Phillip and Jenson all sauntered up and hopped onto their spots and then seemed to notice Maggie. “Hey no fair! We got a fourth, you can’t have a fifth.” Tristan pointed at the county champ.

  Maggie had been throwing darts since she was old enough to walk and had even gone to the state championships. Leaning against Phoebe, she smirked at the irate Pearce boy and said, “I’m just here to watch. Nothing more.” Her tone sweet and innocent.

  Marit tried not to laugh as Tristan continued to stare Maggie down, and especially when Phoebe punched him hard in the arm. It was about this time that a loud shout rang out from the bar and Marit realized that Andrea still hadn’t come back. Looking up she noticed her cousin embroiled in a heated discussion with Trish from work.

  “I’m surprised Uncle Beau hasn’t fired her yet.” Trinity murmured as she rounded the table and kissed her cousin on the cheek and then Julian. “Hey sweetie, you feeling better?”

  Marit nodded. “Mama’s gone again. Staying at her apartment in town. Says she has too many confidential files to work on and can’t bring them home.”

  “So really good.” Trinity summed up and Marit nodded.

  “Yeah. Can start my horror movie marathon out in the living room instead of in my room.”

  Julian tuned into Marit’s comment even as he kept an eye on the bar where Andrea looked to be giving Trish a good dressing down. “You like horror movies?”

  Marit nodded. “Yeah. My favorite holiday is Halloween. So every evening starting October 1st I watch one horror movie until the end of the month.”

  “I love horror movies.”

  Trinity groaned. “You two are made from each other. Now excuse me, I’m going to go break up the fight that is about to happen.” Looking over at Phoebe and Maggie she asked, “Want me to order you two something?”

  They both nod without saying a word on the matter and Trinity departed knowing full well they wanted their usuals. Julian turned back to Marit, very intrigued by her little moviefest. “So, would I be invading your ritual if I asked to join you?”

  None of her cousins cared for horror movies except Phoebe, and watching a movie with Phoebe was often more frightening that the actual movie. She loved to try and scare a person and some years had gotten pretty drastic with her pranks. Phoebe was no longer invited to partake in the horror fest.

  Every shred of common sense told Marit to say no, but with the way Julian was smiling at her, there was no way she had the capacity to. “Sure.”

  “One night my house, next night yours?” He asked and then counter offered, “Or your house when your mom is out and my house when she’s in?”

  “That one.” Marit nodded, turning sharply at the sound of skin on skin only to see Trinity pulling Andrea away from Trish.

  Maggie sighed. “Seriously, they’ve been out of high school for a while now and they still can’t get along.”

  Phoebe tightened her grip on her girlfriend and chuckled. “Well, I’m not sure I’d like someone who stole my prom date during my senior year either.”

  Marit nodded her agreement. “True. Even if she did get the last laugh. Losing your prom date as a senior to a freshman would be pretty bad.”

  The girls were finally pulled away, but Julian had to admit he wouldn’t be very civil to Trish if he was Andrea. Thankfully no one was kicked out of the bar and after a stern reprimand from the barman, Andrea made her way back to the table and sat down. “Order’s in,” She said with a self satisfied smirk which only made everyone else at the table laugh.

  Before long the food had arrived and eight o’clock rolled around quick so that the game could begin. The girls were good, far better than Julian’s teammates, but he was better.

  For a few games he took it easy on them, keeping the score close, until he finally figured out what he wanted to change his wager for. He couldn’t let a woman buy him drinks for a month, there was just no way, but he could accept something else.

  It was the last two people to go, Marit and Julian. Before taking his turn, Julian turned and faced Marit. “I would like to offer a different wager.”

  The other three Pearce cousins all focused on Julian, wondering what he had in mind. When he turned only to Marit, they tried not to smirk.

  Marit on the other hand felt very under pressure and not in a good way. “What?”

  Smirking, Julian walked up to her and said, “If I win, you have to cook me supper every sunday for a month.”

  That didn’t sound so bad. “And if I win?”

  Julian could have been harder on her, but instead he shrugged and said, “You pick.” The moment those words left his mouth and the three girls behind Marit were whispering and plotting against him.

  Trinity pulled Marit close once the girls had all agreed on the best scenario and whispered it in her ear. Pulling back, Marit looked at them all like they had lost their mind and shook her head. “No. Uh uh.”

  “Come on.” They all pleaded in unison.

  “No way.” She just couldn’t ask for that. She couldn’t. So instead she thought of something that didn’t sound too crazy, but was just brave enough for her.

  “If we win, you have to let me drive your truck when I want.” The blush was back, the girls behind her all saying ‘Oooooo’ but Julian didn’t even bat an eye when he held his hand out to her. “Deal.” He said before shaking her hand.

  Turning, he made his way to the line where he needed to stand and in rapid succession launched his three darts straight into the bullseye. No one made a peep for a good long minute and then all three Pearce boys roared in triumph.

  “We won!” Tristan jumped in each girl’s face, all of them aware that Marit couldn’t out do what Julian had just done.

  Phillip and Jenson were a little more tame, but still rubbed it in the girls’ faces that they had lost… painfully.

  While Marit was sad to miss the opportunity to drive that beautiful truck, she couldn’t say that she was too upset to go to Julian’s house and cook for him. She already had a few recipe ideas in mind that would give him plenty of left overs for the week.

  Sauntering over to the man who just creamed her, Marit held out her hand and grinned. “Good game.”

  Julian pulled the woman in for a hug and whispered, “You can still drive my truck when you want. Just don’t tell the guys.”

  Looking up at the man when he released her, Marit kept her lips sealed but the fact that she was happy was very evident on her features.

  “Beer’s on you!” The boys shouted, pointing to Trinity, Phoebe and Andrea who just groaned in annoyance. In all the years they played, the girls had never lost until that night.

  Julian smirked and leaned toward Marit. “I’ll go get us something too.” Smiling, he departed long enough to get them two more beers before returning.

  The night had not been a disaster and when he toasted to a good game and meals to come with Marit, he couldn’t help but feel like maybe, just maybe his life would straighten out a little bit.

  But then… all good things do come to an end, and one day his good fortunes would find their end. It always happened to him and normally he accepted it and moved on.

  Not this time though. Julian just wasn’t going to lay down and take it. He had something worth fighting for.