“And I do. But I like to annoy Jenna.”
“Bitch.”
“Jenna does have a point, though. We’re all curious, but since Cole is my brother, hold the sex detail to a minimum,” Alicia said, leaning forward in her chair. “How long has this been going on?”
Four sets of eyes were focused intently on her.
She hadn’t planned to say anything at all about her and Cole. Until Liz had to blab.
“So, come on, Savannah, spill,” Tara said. “I want to know the details about Cole putting that dreamy, I’m-getting-a-lot-of-sex look on your face.”
Alicia laid her head in her hands. “Oh, crap. I do not want to think about my brother having sex.”
“Exactly what I always say to Liz. She ignores me and goes right on with the gory details,” Jenna complained. “At least Tara tones it down and just sticks to the mushy love stuff.”
“I save the intense sex details for my conversations with Liz,” Tara said.
“Yeah, like how she got knocked up. That one was good. They were alone in the house one night. Nathan had spent the night with a friend and Mick suggested they get naked. They didn’t even make it upstairs, so—”
“Oh. My. God. I don’t want to know about how my future niece or nephew was conceived.” Jenna closed her eyes and shook her head.
Savannah burst out laughing as Jenna plugged her fingers in her ears and started singing.
“You all crack me up.”
“And we’re keeping you from giving us your own juicy details,” Tara reminded her. “So spill.”
“Oh. Well, nothing to tell, really. We’re…seeing each other.”
Liz gave her a look. “That’s a broad concept.”
Alicia cocked a brow. “Which means what, exactly?”
“I don’t know, exactly. Other than we’re seeing each other. For now.”
“Does that mean it’s only temporary?”
She shifted her gaze to Tara. “I can’t answer that, because I don’t know. He has his career and I have mine.”
“Well, honey, we all have careers,” Liz said, giving her the kind of patient look one would give a child who didn’t understand the topic of conversation. “What does that have to do with you screwing his brains out or falling eyeballs-deep in love?”
“Love? Who said anything about love? We’re just having sex.”
Tara snickered. “And how is the sex?”
Alicia pushed back her chair and stood. “That’s my cue to get back to work.”
“Right behind you,” Jenna said.
“Cowards,” Liz called after them.
Jenna flipped her off.
Liz laughed, then turned back to Savannah. “So, about that sex…”
“I’m not telling you about my sex life with Cole.”
“Why not? We all talk about ours.”
She looked to Tara, who said, “It’s true. We’re like sisters, and when we’re troubled or need advice about our men, we go to each other.”
“I’m not troubled. Nor do I need advice. Not at the moment. But thank you very much for the offer.”
Liz looked over at Tara. “I don’t think she’s going to give us the gory sex details.”
Tara sighed, leaned back in her chair, and laid her hands over her stomach. “It doesn’t look that way. I’m very disappointed.”
Savannah gave them a blank look. But then Tara laughed, and so did Liz. Liz swatted her on the leg.
“We’re kidding.”
“Oh.”
“Really, woman, you need to lighten up.”
She blew out a breath. “I do, don’t I?”
Tara stood and stretched. “You’d think all that sex you’re having would ease some of the tension.”
Savannah let out a snort, cupped her hand over her mouth, then broke out in a full laugh. “Oh, god. It does. It really does.”
“Obviously you need a lot more of it, then. Maybe more public sex, like the kind you had behind the bar the other night?”
Savannah’s eyes widened. “What?”
Tara came over and put her arm around Savannah. “We all try to sneak away during family gatherings, honey, but this family is too filled with eagle eyes. The swollen lips, messed-up hair, and I-just-got-screwed-within-an-inch-of-my-life look on your face was a dead giveaway.”
She felt the telltale blush creep up her neck and cheeks. “I knew that cold splash of water on my face and quick fix of my hair in the bathroom wasn’t going to fool anyone.”
“Oh, it probably fooled some,” Liz said. “But not us. We’ve been there, done that. We all knew you had a hot quickie in the garden.”
“I was jealous, since my man had an away game,” Tara said. “I hope it was good.”
Savannah sighed. “It was.”
Tara nodded. “Thank god someone’s getting great sex, then. Mick has two road games before he gets home. And before long I’ll be as big as a house.”
“And he’ll still be jumping your bones until you’re ready to pop that baby out,” Liz said.
Tara grinned. “Probably.”
Savannah loved these women more and more every minute she spent with them.
But when she felt strong, warm, very masculine hands on her shoulders, she shivered and tilted her head back, already knowing whose hands those were.
“Hey there.”
“Hey, yourself. Done with the girl chat?”
Her gaze met Liz’s and Tara’s, who both gave her a knowing smile. “I think we’re done.”
“Good. I want to show you something.”
“Sure. See you both later.”
They waved her off and she walked through the playground with Cole. A lot of the larger debris had been cleared away by the guys and by the loader they’d brought in, leaving the site nearly bare.
“Wow. Huge accomplishment today.”
He slanted a smile at her. “It has been. They’re coming to dig this up, then grade the area to even the ground out.” He laid out the blueprints for her, and though she’d already been through them, she loved hearing the excitement in his voice as he talked about all the equipment that would be put into place.
He was so different now, so focused on doing things for others. And his teammates—his friends—kept interrupting them, giving him good-natured teasing as well as asking him questions about what to do next.
She stayed out of his way and let him work.
By the time they finished up for the day, it was getting dark.
Because his uncle and aunt extended the invitation, Cole invited everyone to Riley’s bar for dinner and drinks. Most of the guys came along. Tara was tired, so she went home.
Jenna was happy to not be working at the bar, and instead be a customer. They gathered at a table, ate burgers, and visited with Cole’s parents and aunt and uncle.
“You two are getting to be a familiar couple together,” Cole’s mother said as they finished their meal. “I’m getting a hint that there’s more than just a business relationship there.”
Savannah didn’t answer, just looked at Cole, who shrugged and said, “You know, Mom, you might be right about that. But that’s between me and Savannah.”
“Yeah, good luck with that one,” Jenna said. “Have you ever known the family to butt out of a relationship?”
“I beg your pardon,” Cole’s aunt Kathleen said. “I have never interfered. I only offered advice a couple times.”
Jenna snorted. “Sure, Mom. Whatever you say.”
Ty slung an arm around Jenna. “Your family is awesome. And helpful in the relationship department when a nudge is needed.”
Jenna arched a brow at Ty. “Are you insinuating I needed a nudge?”
“More like a kick in the behind,” Jenna’s mother said.
Ty snorted and Jenna glared then said, “Okay, you might be right about that.”
“Babe, I’m always right.”
Jenna rolled her eyes.
“The Rileys never butt in where they’re not welcome,” Cole’s mom said. “I only asked if Cole and Savannah were dating.”
Cole put his arm around Savannah. “We’re dating. Subject’s closed.”
“I think we’ve just been asked to mind our own business, Cara,” Kathleen said.
Cara laughed. “I think you’re right.” Cara turned to Savannah and squeezed her hand. “But I will say you’ve been very good for my son, so I hope this lasts a very long time.”
She could think of nothing to say to his mother other than, “Thank you, Mrs. Riley.”
Her stomach tightened. This all felt so good, so natural. Being around his family made her want more than she had ever thought to hope for.
But this wasn’t her family, so she needed to stop hoping. As she well knew, things could change fast, and all her hopes could disappear. It was always best to be realistic.
After dinner everyone left. The guys had early practice tomorrow, and it had been a long day. Cole drove her home.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked as he walked her to her front door.
“You know I do.”
She closed the door behind him.
“Something to drink?”
“No.” He headed into her bedroom.
Curious, she followed him in there. He pulled off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and went into her bathroom, where he turned on her shower.
“By all means, make yourself at home.”
He paused midway through pulling off his shirt. “I’m dirty and sweaty after today. I need a shower. Do I need to ask permission?”
Her lips quirked. “No. I could use one myself.”
“Then get naked and get in here.”
He dropped his pants and slipped into the shower.
It took her less than thirty seconds to divest herself of her clothes. When she opened the shower door, he held out his hand and helped her step in.
The shower was warm and steamy, and his body was hot and smelled of sweat. She loved the scent of a man who’d worked hard. He pulled her under the water to wet her body down. She grabbed the shampoo.
“Don’t be in such a hurry. Let me do that,” he said, taking the shampoo from her hand and pouring some into his hand.
She closed her eyes and immersed herself in this. No man had washed her hair before. Her beautician did, of course, but this was a decidedly different experience. His hands were bigger, and a little rougher, but she liked the feel of him rubbing her scalp. His movements were more sensual, as if he were enjoying the experience instead of it just being his job.
He tilted her head back under the spray, rinsed her hair, then applied conditioner, sliding his fingers through the strands of her hair. He rinsed again, then lathered his hands with body wash and turned her around so he could wash her back.
Again, he took his time, rubbing her back, using his strong hands to massage the soreness out of her shoulder muscles. She leaned into him and every knot melted away under the hard pressure of his fingers. And when he rolled his fist down the center of her back, she laid her palms against the shower wall, certain her knees were going to buckle.
“That feels so good. Were you a massage therapist in another life?”
“No. I just like touching you.”
He grasped the globes of her butt and squeezed them gently, massaging them as well. Her nipples hardened.
“Do I have to pay extra for that?” she asked.
“You can give me a tip later.”
She wriggled her butt against his erection. “I think you’re the one who has a tip for me.”
He turned her around and poured more body wash into his hands, rubbed them together, then lathered them over her breasts. “I think you’re getting a little saucy with me.”