Lawless (15 page)

She nodded, capturing his smile.

Next came two old quilts which he pushed toward
her chest.  She wrapped her arms around them.  "I'm not overloading you,
am I?"

"Do I look like a wimp?"

He paused to give her a once over.  "Wimp
isn't exactly the word that comes to mind."  He held her gaze for a half
second longer before turning away.  She wasn't sure what had resuscitated his
flirting, but knowing they weren't at odds while his friends were around was a
comfort to her.

He slid out an ice chest, sitting it on the
ground while he closed the tailgate.  He held up his keys, jingling them in
front of her.  "Keys are going in the pocket."  He slipped them into
his jeans.

"Okay," she said with a questioning
laugh.

"It's important to note.  There has been
an occasion or two where they've gone missing."

"Would this occasion be another time when
you were out here drinking?"

"Quite possibly.  But just know, that's
all the information you'll get out of me concerning this subject.  All you need
to know is that the keys are in my pocket, and no one will be driving drunk."

She tried to contain the happiness that resulted
from their friendly bantering.  As they neared camp, the warm energy rushing
through her chilled, the tension in her nerves tightening like the line on her
fishing pole when she'd snagged her first fish.

Coolers and camp chairs surrounded the large,
roaring fire pit.  Someone had carted in a small table which now held a variety
of chips, hot dog buns and marshmallows.

But the crackling fire and food held no
interest for the occupants of the camp.  All eyes were on her.  She recognized
Luke and Scott and was supremely grateful they both had smiles on their faces. 
The rest wore pleasant, almost amused expressions, except one girl with long mahogany
hair who'd pressed her lips into an unfriendly line.

Milo dropped his cooler and relieved Ariana of
her items before taking her hand, tugging her forward.  "Everyone, I'd
like you to meet Anna."  He wrapped a protective arm around her, making
her feel a little better.  "Honey, I'd like you to meet Lily, Luke's new
wife."

 A beautiful, blond woman in cutoff jeans and a
black tank top stepped forward along with Luke.   She hugged Milo, and then
surprisingly extended the same greeting to Ariana.  "So happy to meet the
woman who finally captured Milo's heart.  I have to say, I'm impressed.  He's
kind of like a tiger.  Cute, but always on the prowl."

"Hey," Milo and Luke both said at the
same time.

"Don't call him cute."  Lily's
husband tugged his wife's long hair, earning him a narrow-eyed warning.

"Yeah.  I'm not a tiger.  I was nice to
you when you first came to town, remember?"

Lily winked at Milo.  "Didn't say you
weren't nice.  Just said you're always on the prowl.  Don't deny it."

He glanced at Ariana as though he'd been caught
cheating.  "I don't prowl."

"Not anymore."  She squeezed his hand
and smiled into his eyes, playing the part of a newlywed, but she knew once she
left town, he'd be back to his old hunting ways.

"Anyway, congratulations.  I'll call you
in a few days, Anna.  You'll need someone to show you the ropes in town."

"She's got me," Milo said, pulling
her close to him again.

"A woman, Milo.  She's going to need
girlfriends.  Someone to talk to when you piss her off."

"I'm not going to piss her off."

Both she and Lily raised their brows at him.

"You women are vicious when you get
together."  Milo laughed and shook his head.

"You'll have to call me on Milo's phone
until I can get a new one.  Lost it in Vegas."  Ariana didn't know how
else to explain her lack of a cell phone.

"Must have been a wild night."  Lily
laughed.  "Lose a phone, gain a husband.  I can't wait to hear all about
it."  She slid her hand into Luke's.  "Right now, we're hogging your
time.  We'd better let the others have a chance to meet you."

As Luke and Lily walked away, another cute
couple, both with midnight dark hair approached.  The tall, lanky cowboy walked
as though he'd spent most of his life on a horse, and his cute little wife carried
a very round belly.  Milo introduced them as Jerry and Kim.

"Looks like congratulations are in order
for you, too," Ariana offered after they'd all shook hands.

Kim rested a hand on the top curve of her
stomach.  "Four weeks left.  It feels like an eternity."

She could totally relate to the dragging time. 
"But then you'll have a beautiful baby.  Do you know if it's a boy or
girl?"  An unexpected jealousy burrowed, leaving a void inside her.  It
was obvious the couple shared a deep love for each other, and soon, they'd be
welcoming a precious soul into the world.  She ached to feel that kind of love,
that kind of belonging.

"It's a girl."  Kim smiled.  "I
guess you and Milo will want to start a family before too long, too.  I know he's
always wanted kids."

Milo's gaze jumped to Ariana.  She swallowed a
sharp tug of regret.  For a cruel second, she wanted to be the one who would
give him that family.  But she couldn't be.  The choices her father had made,
the choices she'd made would never allow that.  "I'm sure we won't wait
long.  I've always wanted a family, too."  Milo, of course, would think
she was playing her part.

"Glad you guys could make it."  Scott
interrupted their conversation, and Ariana was relieved.  A few more minutes
down that vein, and she might not have been able to keep her feelings buried.

Milo and Scott shook hands, and Ariana received
her second hug from Scott.

"You keep hugging my wife, and I'm going
to start wondering about your intentions, dude."  Milo punched him in the
arm.

Scott laughed.  "Yeah, right, man.  Hey, I
want you to meet Jen."  He motioned to a voluptuous woman still sitting in
a camp chair.

"Always a boob man," Milo whispered
to Scott.  Ariana elbowed him.

Jen was cute with her dark-haired pixie cut,
and Ariana was certain none of the men minded her low-cut pink t-shirt that
showcased her ample breasts.  Her green eyes fired every time Scott teased
her.  After her, an auburn-haired man with intense brown eyes introduced
himself as a life-long friend of Milo's.

"I guess Sierra's not talking to me?"
Milo asked Tyler.

"Nope.  She's pretty pissed."

Ariana slid her gaze toward the redhead with
large brown eyes.  She, too, watched them, and when her gaze connected with
Ariana's, she turned away.  Sierra left her seat by the fire and walked to a
blue cooler where she retrieved a bottle of beer.  She twisted off the cap and
chucked it toward the burning logs.

Milo winced.  "I should go say something
to her."  He glanced at Ariana.  "You okay for a minute?"

"Of course."  Sierra was obviously
one of Milo's girls who now suffered because of the story he had concocted to
protect Ariana.  The thought weighed heavily on her.  If the romance between
her and Milo was real, then that would be one thing, but Sierra's pain and
suffering were for nothing.  For all Ariana knew, Sierra and Milo would
reconnect after she was out of the picture.

The whole situation was messed up.  She turned
and headed toward the pond, needing a moment to align her emotions.  Her
initial lust for Milo had morphed into something deeper each day she spent with
him.  He was willing to put his life on hold for her.  But when the end of the
month and the trial rolled around, her life and the lives of these caring,
decent people would be tossed around again.  Without a doubt, there would be
another gaping hole in her heart.  Not that Milo had meant to make her care. 
On the contrary.  He could only be accused of being himself, a kind, funny, and
far too sexy man.

A soft breeze skittered across her bare
shoulders and sent ripples racing across the surface of the pond, wrinkling the
reflection of the setting sun.  The scent of burning wood mingled with a woman's
laughter.  Probably Jen.  She seemed the most vivacious of the group.

"Hey."  Milo had come up from behind
and took her hand.  "You okay?"  The concerned look in his eye only
increased her melancholy.

"Of course.  I'm just playing the part of
the new wife, jealous that you're talking to an old girlfriend."

He lifted one side of his mouth, giving her a
crooked grin, but there was nothing genuine about it.  "I didn't think
about how that might appear to everyone."

"I'm sure they wonder if you still care
for her, and as a new bride, I shouldn't be very happy about it."  She
winked, burying her sadness beneath a layer of teasing.

He widened his grin, becoming more sincere.  "Great. 
I'm in the dog house.  Now I'm going to have to spend the rest of the evening
trying to win you back."  He glanced at his friends, and she followed
suit.  No doubt, the newlywed couple was the talk of the evening.  "Guess
I'd better start now."

Before she could question his intentions, he
pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her waist.  Her hips bumped
against his, and she inhaled a surprised breath as hot desire spiked her blood.

"What are you doing?"  It was one
thing to tell everyone they were married.  It was quite another to act the
part.

"Trying to make up with you."  He
lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, as his bright blue eyes
sparkled with mischief.  "I'm so sorry for talking to my old girlfriend. 
I promise, you are the only one for me."

Her chest compressed against her heart.  Her
brain knew he was acting, but her heart questioned if there was a hopeful spark
of truth in his words.  The spot on her fingers where his soft lips had been
moments before burned, and she was immediately transported back to their
passionate kiss beneath the raging stormy sky.  She couldn't speak even if she
could find the words.

He lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair
behind her ear.  "Please don't be angry with me."

She looked down, afraid her expression might
give her away.  "Okay.  You're forgiven."

He chuckled.  "I'm glad you're so easy to
please.  All wives should be like you."

She flashed him a warning look that made him laugh
again.  "If we were truly married, you wouldn't get off near as easy." 
He still held her, belly-to-belly.  The caution bells firing in her head advised
her to back away, but he wouldn't let her go.

"Yeah?  Are you the jealous type?  What
would you do?"

She swallowed.  This was all a little too real
for her.  "Who wouldn't be jealous?  If we were in a committed
relationship, I would expect you to respect me, to respect us.  If you were
flirting with your old girlfriends, I would have a problem with that.  Don't
tell me you wouldn't if I flirted with other guys."

His expression softened.  "I wasn't
flirting with her.  I only felt I owed her an explanation, since we had been
pretty friendly in the past."

Was he really apologizing to her?  "It's
okay.  You can talk to her."

He ran a thumb down her cheek.

"This feels like more than acting." 
His action affected her as though it was real.

He traced a finger across her bottom lip,
scaring her.  "Does it?"  He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss across
her lips.  "I must be doing a good job then."

She pulled away and headed along the edge of
the pond, away from Milo, away from the others.

He caught up to her within a few seconds.  "Okay. 
I admit it.  That was a dumb move on my part.  I thought it would look good for
the others."

She kept walking.  She needed distance. 
Distance from the man who protected her life, but endangered her heart.

He tugged her to a stop, but she refused to meet
his gaze.  "I apologize.  I lost my head there for a minute.  I thought it
would make things look more authentic."

She jerked her gaze upward.  "You
promised.  We promised we'd keep things professional, for both our sakes.  That
kiss was anything but professional."

He scrubbed a hand over his jawline, turning
his gaze toward the pond.  "You're right.  I let myself get caught up in
the fun, but that's not an excuse."  He looked back at her.  "I truly
was trying to give them a good show, but I lost my head and took it too far.  Maybe
we should make our excuses and head home.  They'd all think it was because we
had a fight."

"No."  She crossed her arms, trying
to ward off a chill.  With the sun so close to the horizon, the breeze rolling
across the water had nothing to warm it.  As difficult as it was pretending
with Milo, she craved the company and the chance to be out of the house.  "I'm
sorry, too.  I overreacted.  It was just a kiss, right?"  She needed to
ground herself in reality and fast.  "These are your friends, and I don't
want to make things more difficult for you.  You caught me off guard with that
kiss, but I'm good now.  I'd prefer it if we go back and try to have fun.  I
want to roast a hot dog and drink a beer and forget about the world for a while. 
Besides, I like your friends, and it beats sitting home."

*        *        *

Ariana stood at the tailgate of Luke's truck, using
the light from the full moon and Lily's cell phone to help her sort through the
songs on her iPod, trying to create a playlist of music appropriate for their
wild ass party as Lily called it.

"What do you think about Jason Aldean?" 
Lily tossed her long blond ponytail over her shoulder as she eyed Ariana.

"I don't think I know him."

Lily laughed.  "Oh girl, you are missing
out.  When you get home, you'll have to look him up on the internet.  He is one
hot cowboy.  Kind of reminds me of my Luke."

Ariana smiled.  Luke could definitely hold his
own in a room full of handsome men, but Milo had him beat hands-down.  "I'll
check him out tomorrow."