Luck of the Draw (5 page)

“Aww, do you like me, Houdini? Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”

Rowan didn’t want to smile, but damn it, she had to bite her cheeks to hold it back. He was infuriating. And kind of endearing. “Has anyone ever told you you’re crazy?”

At this, Breck laughed. “All the time, Houdini. All the damn time. Add that to the list of reasons I’m better off alone.” He winked.

He was joking, she knew that, but it still caused sadness to weigh her down. He loved his life. Wanted it to stay the way it was, and here she carried something that would rock it to its core.

“I’m tired and still not feeling too well. I’ll show you to your room. Since it’s just us, breakfast can veer off schedule a bit. What time is good for you?”

“You don’t have to cook breakfast for me. We don’t need to play this game by the rules.”

Yes, yes they did. “I’d rather it be that way.” She wanted to keep the lines drawn between them. This was her bed and breakfast and he was her guest.

“If you say so. Nine will work. Let’s get this mess cleaned up so you can hit the sack.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Help? I know, but I’m tired and it’ll be faster this way.” It was an excuse and she knew it, but as tired as she was, she’d take it. Rowan had been through the ringer today and she wanted nothing more than to be alone.

Well, she wasn’t really alone anymore, was she? She placed a hand on her belly, under the table, before taking it away and standing up. “Let’s get going, then.”

Chapter Five

Breck hadn’t slept well last night. Or the two nights before that. He didn’t know what it was. The bed was comfortable. Rowan decorated the room in rich, earthy tones, which he was thankful for. It might seem ridiculous, but the last thing he wanted was to stay in some kind of flowery room. Ridiculous that he’d been here three days already and he was still dissecting the room.

The silence between him and Rowan was driving him crazy. She was nice enough, of course, and they did chat, but he felt the distance she held between them. What he didn’t know was why. Or why he cared.

Ace curled up beside him as he continued to lie there. The room held a tinge of some kind of outdoorsy scent, almost like rain. One glance toward the window told him it wasn’t wet outside, but it looked like the sky could open up at any second.

Surprisingly, he missed that about Washington. It had been one of the things he thought he would hate the most about the place when he came here for school, but he’d ended up loving it. Breck hadn’t thought about it in years—hell, didn’t even think about it yesterday—but he was actually a little homesick for Washington rain.

He’d bet money on the fact that Rowan liked the rain too. He didn’t know why that fit her, but it did.

Breck got up, Ace not moving an inch. He had a litter box set up for her in the bathroom, along with food and water next to the bedside table.

Glancing at the clock, he saw he had about twenty minutes before he told Rowan he’d be down for breakfast. He took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved thermal shirt. He didn’t bother shaving, since he planned to pretty much do nothing except veg today. It was amazing how good it felt to do that. He’d needed the R&R more than he realized.

He wasn’t surprised to hear Rowan clanking around in the kitchen when he got down, but what did shock him was the man sitting at the table. He was older, with gray hair, and Breck noticed his hands shake as he pulled a cup to his lips.

“Hey! You must be the big-time poker player!” Excitement sparked from the older man’s words. “You’re the big talk about town. First our actress comes home and then we get a gambler.”

Breck snickered and held out his hand. He believed the actress the man spoke about was Sidney. “Breck Wilder.”

The man’s hand was fragile as Breck shook it. “Shakes.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Really? I like it. It fits ya.”

With that Shakes smiled before motioning to the table. “Sit down. She won’t let you help, so don’t bother asking. Miz Independent, that one. Always has been. Even when she was a little girl, running around with those red ponytails, trying to show her brothers she didn’t care when they left her behind.”

Breck wondered over the last comment, but then he pictured a feisty Rowan trying to show the boys up. This made Breck smile. Yeah, he could see that about her. “Tell me about it. She’s made of fire.”

Breck flashed to the one time he had Rowan in his arms. The way she’d come undone, her nails digging into his skin as she burned him up. Yes, she was definitely a wildfire.

Before he embarrassed himself, Breck sat across the dark wood table from Shakes. Rowan had set out a bowl of fruit that hadn’t been there last night. “Are you a friend of Rowan’s? Family?” he asked, trying to make conversation.

“I’m Shakes,” he replied as though that was an answer. Breck opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but the other man cut him off. “And who are you to our girl?”

Annoyance rubbed against Breck. Obviously everyone in this town seemed to think it was their job to protect Rowan. The worst part was, none of them knew the truth. He had slept with her after only speaking to her for a few hours, and he liked knowing people were here for her. He didn’t like the idea of her letting strangers in this house to stay with her while she was alone.

“A guest—and a friend,” he added last minute. He’d been in bed with the woman. It didn’t feel right not to at least call them that.

“Friends?” Shakes cocked a brow.

Before Breck could ask him what it was for, Rowan slipped into the room. She stumbled slightly when she saw him. Breck pushed to his feet and reached out to help her, but she recovered.

And her cheeks were pink. A sexy, tempting shade that made him grin. He liked having that effect on her. It make him continue to reach out and brush her hand, just to touch her. Memorize the feel of her again. “Mornin’, Houdini.”

“Good morning.” She pulled her hand back, dodged him, and set a plate down in front of Shakes. “Homemade cinnamon rolls, and a breakfast quiche with ham and eggs. Is that okay for both of you?”

Breck’s stomach growled. It sounded better than okay. “It smells delicious. Sit down and I’ll go grab our plates.”

“Thanks, but no.”

Breck rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to wait on me.” He was used to doing everything for himself—had his whole life. Mom was always there when he was growing up, but she was busy working so she could support him, too. Breck learned from a young age how to be responsible for himself.

“Actually, I do. I’m not doing it just because it’s
you.
It’s my job.”

Oh yeah. He’d forgotten. Now he felt like an ass. “Still, we know each other and I’ll be here for six weeks, which changes things.” Breck fell back into the chair, fully aware he was pouting, and also not sure why it bothered him that she
wasn’t
just doing it because it was him.

Rowan brought a plate out for him but didn’t stay to eat, which only fueled his frustration. Was she avoiding him?

Shakes didn’t say much more while they ate. The food was even more incredible than it smelled and when they finished, Shakes said his good-byes, hugging Rowan before leaving Breck alone with her.

Crossing his arms, he stood in the kitchen doorway, watching her flit around. She didn’t dress particularly sexy, wearing a pair of pants and a sweater, yet he couldn’t help but study her curves. To remember how they felt tucked around has body. How he’d learned her with his hands…his mouth. Breck shifted uncomfortably, his memories a little too real. Memories he wanted to repeat. “You have plans for today?” he found himself asking.

She eyed him as though she didn’t trust him. “Why?”

Eh. She wanted to play her cards that way, he’d play his. He needed a little excitement to try and get his mind off this attraction he tried to keep at bay. “If you’re not busy, I thought maybe you wouldn’t care if I stripped you naked and kissed you from head to toe right here on your kitchen floor.” So much for ignoring those thoughts…

Her face paled. Breck wondered if he’d gone too far, or that she might pass out on him again, but Rowan recovered quickly, picking up an oven mitt and throwing it at him.

“You big jerk! Stop messing with me like that.”

“Then stop looking for an ulterior motive behind a simple question. You either hate me or can’t get my sexy body out of your head, and it’s making you crazy.”

She rolled her eyes at that, and he tossed the mitt back at her. “Seriously, what are you doing today? I’ve never been to Shamrock Falls before and Jace is working. I found the store last night, but I’m thinking I might get lost if I go out on my own. You don’t want me to get lost, do you, Houdini? Then you’ll have to use your magic to find me.”

She folded a red kitchen towel before replying. The whole room was done up in red and white. Again, he liked it.

“I’m probably going fishing. I don’t have any more guests coming in and I need a little time to clear my head.”

“I haven’t been fishing since I was a kid.”

“It’s usually something I do alone…or with Kade.”

That thought put ice in his veins, but then he remembered Kade was engaged to Sidney. “Come on, what happened to that small town hospitality? I was raised in a small town, you know. We never would have turned down a request like this.” He gave her his smile. The one that usually got him what he wanted. Nothing.

That wasn’t supposed to happen. “Please?”

She sighed and actually looked like she was weighing her answer. Confusion ricocheted around inside him. He didn’t get why this was such a big deal.

“I know things are a little awkward,” he said. “I’m not asking for anything more than a fishing trip, Rowan. I told you where my head’s at right now. I’m not looking to get involved with anyone.”

Her expression turned dark. Not necessarily mad, but contemplative. Breck waited.

“Yeah…yeah, you can come. I’ll be ready in about thirty minutes, okay?”

He nodded, feeling something pass between them that he didn’t understand. Something he’d guessed she did. “It’s a date,” he winked and then immediately wanted to stomp out the words. They were definitely the wrong ones to use.

…

A date.
A date?
The man was going to drive her crazy! She finally felt like they were on the same page, where they could get to know each other like adults, and he had to add that in…though there was a possibility she was overreacting. Her hormones seemed to be all over the place.

But she was going fishing with him. To some this might not seem like a big deal, but to her it was. Fishing was her thing, something she didn’t do with a lot of people. She hadn’t been lying when she said she usually fished alone or with Kade. They both used it as their way to work through whatever was going on in their heads, and she definitely had things to work through.

Rowan remembered the first time she’d gone as a kid. She wanted to go with her brothers, who of course didn’t want her around. That was nothing new, but it still never ceased to upset her. She’d decided to go down to the lake by herself. Kade had been there. His dad used to make Kade fish with him, and Kade didn’t hate anyone the way he hated his father, so it was rare he made it down alone. Fishing wasn’t something Sidney was interested in, and so after that, it had been their thing. It brought Rowan peace.

Now she was letting Breck go with her, who made her heart too erratic to feel peaceful. But considering there was a part of him inside her, it was the least she could do. She owed it to herself and their baby to give him a chance.

Plus, he’d be leaving in five and a half weeks. From what Google said, he had an upcoming tournament. Oh, and it also linked him to actual celebrities. Actresses! How did she get herself tied up with this man?

That isn’t important.
What was important was their baby. She needed to start getting to know him as soon as possible. Hence her letting him come with her.

Rowan changed into one of her oldest pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt. She combed her curls, put them in a ponytail and then slipped a hat on, pulling her hair through the hole. She had rain gear in her truck, but knew Breck probably didn’t. She’d have to tell him to get some.

He was sitting downstairs when she got there, wearing the same thing he had on earlier. “Those shoes might get ruined. It can be a little muddy down there,” she told him. Rowan grabbed an old pair of boots out of the closet and held them up for him to see.

“I’ll be okay for now.” He grinned. “I promise I won’t break out there. I’m glad you’re worried about me though.”

She shivered, his grin going right through her. The least he could do was not be so sexy while being conceited. “You’re incorrigible.”

“So you’ve said.” He picked up a jacket from the couch, which made her feel slightly better.

Rowan and Breck walked out to her truck. He climbed into the passenger side without a word and she took the circular drive away from her house. Neither of them talked much as they took the windy, tree-lined Shamrock Falls streets, deeper into the middle of nowhere. Firs and spruces were all the eye could see until Rowan pulled off onto the little gravel spot where she always parked before fishing.

“We have to take the path through the woods a little bit.”

Breck nodded and she got out. They both headed to the bed of her truck, which was covered by a shell. “My supplies are back here.”

“I’ll grab them.” Breck opened the back. They both reached at the same time and when her hand touched his, a small spark of electricity jumped between them. Rowan jerked back, not because of the spark, but for completely juvenile reasons she didn’t want to dissect. Like how it shot up her arm. And lingered. Crap. So much for not dissecting. “You shocked me,” she mumbled.

Breck didn’t reply. Just eyed her as though he knew attraction was what really bothered her. She expected him to call her on it, but instead he asked, “Do you come out here often by yourself?”

His question surprised her.

“Yeah.”

“Hm,” he mused.

“It’s safe.” His concern was nice, both when she fainted and now. Actually, she appreciated the pizza and cleaning up her kitchen the other night too. “Umm…thanks for worrying though. That’s nice of you.”

Surprise creased around his eyes, but he only nodded at her. Geez. Was her gratitude that shocking?

“There’s a cooler with bait and some folding camp chairs. If you want to grab those, I’ll get the poles.”

His forehead wrinkled when he looked at her.

Rowan shrugs. “I packed this morning.”

“Look at you, a regular Grisly Adams, though much better looking.”

The compliment made her smile, but she tried to shut it down. Rowan stepped away with the poles. The man flirted more than anyone she knew.

It was only about a five minute walk to the water. They set up and then Rowan leaned against a tree as she began to bait her hook.

“I don’t know whether to be completely turned on or to feel emasculated here.” Breck looked in the cup of worms.

Oh, this was good. She began to laugh. “Is the big, bad, poker shark afraid of a worm? You’ve won ninety-five percent of your games, but you’re going to let a little bug get the best of you?”

At that his eyes flashed from shock to cockiness. “Did the big, tough girl who wants nothing to do with me look me up on the Internet? How did you know how often I win?”

Heat rushed to Rowan’s cheeks. He was going to take this the wrong way. No matter what she said, Breck would enjoy this much more than she wanted him to. “Shut up,” she replied.