Thawing the Ice (4 page)

“You keep looking at me like that
and we won’t make it out of here.” Casey’s gravel-filled voice went straight to
her center.
Another pair of underwear soaked with one sentence
. She
rubbed her thighs together to relieve the pressure and mentally counted to ten.
Now is not the time.

”And you know Dad doesn’t like to
wait,” Ryan said.

Leighton smiled as she thought of
the gruff father figure they had dinner with every Sunday. After her father’s
death, Steve had become a stickler for seeing her weekly. He took up the banner
her father had laid down effortlessly. There would always be an empty spot no
man could every truly fill, but the Boyer men did a damn good job of patching
up most of the space. She forced her eyes away from temptation and nodded. “I
think he suspects something’s up.” She hadn’t missed the appraising looks the
older gentleman had sent her way recently. She nibbled the inside of her cheek,
unsure how Robert Boyer would take their relationship.

“You think?” Casey snorted. “You
and Ry practically start fires when you’re in the same room together.” He
walked over to the dresser and pulled out clothing.

“Whoa, don’t exclude yourself from
that, chief. You get a case of puppy dog eyes and stare intensely like a sick
cow,” Ryan said, never turning his attention from the mirror.

The teasing made her smile. “Does
it bother you?” she asked softly. “That he might know we’re seeing each other?”
Their time together had been amazing, but they’d yet to come out and tell
anyone.

“No.” Ryan snorted. “Why would it?”

“Because.” She shrugged, and tugged
at the loose thread on a navy blue waffle-weave blanket.

“Because what?” Casey asked,
turning to face her. His towel hung precariously on his hips. Casey was like a
fucking bloodhound, sniffing out self-doubt threatening to rise. She loved
herself, and thought her size fourteen body was beautiful, yet, every now and
then, insecurity born from a life without a female figure to guide her reared
its ugly head. At times, she questioned her femininity.

”We don’t want anyone to know,
right?” she said.

“I don’t really care who knows, and
I get the feeling that’s not what this is about,” Casey said.

Damn you and your ability to
always read between the lines.

“You getting tired of us?” Ryan
asked. His voice sounded lighthearted, but she knew him better.

“God, no.” She shook her head. “I’m
happy.”

“But?” Casey pressed her harder,
standing in front of her.

“You’re you, and I’m…not.” Her
stomach knotted. Being together behind closed doors and coming out in the open
was apples and oranges. They’d be dissected, and she knew just what would be
said.

“Please don’t make me get a
headache trying to decode your girly shit. Spell it out for me, Pulver.”

“Jesus, Ryan, tact.” Casey rolled
his eyes.

“We’re just different in so many
ways.” She sighed.

“Is this about you being black?”
Ryan rested his razor on the sink. She smiled at his half foamed face.

“No.”

“Good, because it doesn’t bother us
in the least,” Casey said.

“I like my hot chocolate.” Ryan
smirked.

Casey shook his head. “So ,what is
it , Leighton?”

“You don’t see yourselves the way
others do. Outside looking in, we don’t match well.”

“Says who?” The deadly tone of
Ryan’s voice set off a red flag.

“No one—disengage kill switch.” Her
protective figures in school, the habit had never fully been broken. If someone
said something off collar, Ryan and Casey would make them regret it. “I’m just
having a why are you with me moment.”

“I don’t know why you’re so harsh
on yourself.” Casey shook his head. ”Makes me want to find the fucker who
dicked with your head and beat some sense into him.”

Unease skittered in her head. “If
it’s any consolation, he’s long gone from around here.”

“Fucking Gordon!” Ryan’s bellow
shook the room. “I knew that asshole wasn’t good enough for you.”

Casey sank down on the bed beside
her. “You’re beautiful, Leighton. Tall, strong, curvy, and even
better—intelligent and damn competent. We never wanted a Barbie. Those girls in
the bars were fillers to take the edge off. What we want from you is a hell of
a lot more permanent.”

“More cushion for the pushing,
Pulver,” Ryan said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Really, Ryan.” Casey hissed.

Pacified, she giggled.

“What?” Clean-shaven, Ryan set the
razor down on the sink and walked out of the bathroom. “Look, Leighton. You
want to lose weight, stay the same, put on more, I’m good. Long as you don’t
lose that ass, or those amazing tits. They’re kind of my kryptonite.” He
winked.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Ry.”

“Okay, so we’re telling Dad tonight
then?” Ryan looked at Casey.

The leapfrogging Ryan’s brain did
had her dizzy. “Wait, what?” she said.

“That’s what you want, right? More
validity?” Ryan lifted his eyebrows and frowned.

“I…yeah, I guess.”

“Done.” Ryan shrugged and walked
over to the closet to pick out clothing.

She turned to Casey, who grinned.
“Smart guy, my big brother.”

“I always forgot what a massive
brain he hides behind that sarcastic tongue of his.”

“You weren’t complaining about it
last night when I had it buried inside you,” Ryan said.

“Maybe I did and you couldn’t hear
me. I was sitting on your face.”

“Burn,” Casey called, laughing.

“Pretty good, Lei. I’m glad to see
you’re learning more from me than sexual skills.” Ryan glanced over his
shoulder and winked.

“Smart ass.” She scowled.

“Don’t be mad, Lei, my little
Hawaiian flower.”

“Oh God.” She rolled her eyes, but
couldn’t hold back the smile that rose. He’d been the one to coin the nickname
Lei. Three years older, he hadn’t been able to say Leighton when she was born.
It’d always been a special thing between the two of them.

“Dude, you’re so hokey sometimes.”
Casey snickered.

“Really? Mr. Sensitive?” Ryan
returned to dressing.

“Fuck you.” Casey stood from the
bed and did the same.

Nervous about seeing their father
for the first time she could remember, Leighton smoothed down her plaid shirt
and prayed he wouldn’t be completely disgusted. Losing another father right now
would be too much.

***

“Come on you, guys, staring at the
house won’t do us any good,” Ryan said, opening the door of the truck and
hopping down. She followed after him, taking his hand as she jumped the last
few feet. It’d snowed on their way over, and the ground was slippery.
Carefully, they made their way up the wooden stairs to the one-story home the
boys had grown up in. They knocked on the door, and Steve answered with a huge
grin.

“It’s good to see you guys. I hoped
you’d get in here before the next storm hit,” he said. He stepped back and let
them enter. They stomped their feet on the floor, loosening the lingering snow,
and began to unlace their boots.

“Hey, Pop,” Ryan said as they lined
their shoes by the door to contain the watery mess that would form as the snow
melted.

“Hey, Dad,” Casey said, offering a
smile as they stepped onto the carpet.

“Steve,” Leighton said, offering up
a smile.

“What’s new, kids? I got some meat
and potatoes ready to go in the Crockpot for supper.”

They all looked at one another and
paused.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” Steve
frowned.

“Nope. It’s pretty much the same
old, Pop,” Ryan said.

Leighton breathed easier. Springing
this on him first thing didn’t seem like the best way to go.

“Yeah, I know the Lodge is doing
well. I want to know about what happens when you head home. Lei, honey, are
they treating you well at the homestead?” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder
and led her into the dining area.

“They’re behaving themselves quite
admirably.”

“Good. I’d hate to have to kick
their asses.”

She laughed.

“That’s the smile I wanted to see.
How are the tiny tykes?”

Her heart lightened, and a silly
smirk appeared. Her fifth graders were her pride and joy. Being part of a small
school allowed her to watch them grow.

“Excellent. We’re gearing up for
Valentine’s Day, it’s adorable.”

He shook his head. “Always knew
you’d make a wonderful teacher. Thought we might lose you after college,
though. Life here isn’t for everyone. Glad you stuck around.” He patted her
back and pulled out a chair at the massive oak table he’d made with his bare
hands. “Boys, set the table and I’ll serve up dinner.”

“Wait, why doesn’t she have to
help?” Ryan asked.

“Because she’s a guest, numbnuts.”
Steve sighed. ”It’s like they forget their manners.”

“No, that excuse died years ago.
She’s family.” Casey said, giving her a smile.

Steve paused and glanced at the
three of them. “Hmm.” He shook his head and walked to the crock pot as they
moved to the cabinets and removed dishes.

***

Ryan waited until the dinner was
almost over to broach the topic of their shift in relationship.

“So, Pop, we did want to talk you
about something.”

“Sorta figured. You had the
secretive vibe rolling off you. Last time you came by like that, you bought a
house. I’m hoping this will be less dramatic.”

“That depends on how you take it,”
Casey said.

“Well, shit, lay it on me boys.”

“We’re seeing Leighton,” Ryan said.
He glanced over to see her cringe and hold her breath.

“I’m sorry.” His dad tilted his head.
“You are, or Casey is?”

“Both of us, Dad,” Casey said.

Steve turned to Leighton. “And
you’re okay with this?”

“Yes, are you?” she asked. Her
voice shook, and Ryan’s heart ached for her.

“I figured eventually one of you
would get your head out of your ass and realize what’s been right in front of
you all these years. I never imagined it’d be both of you at the same time.” He
shook his head.

“You’re not going to rip us a new
one?” Ryan asked skeptically.

“What for? I figure what a man does
behind his own closed doors is his business. Besides, you can’t get any better
than Lei. And she knows all about your bullshit. If saddling herself with you
makes her happy, I’m all for it.” Steve grabbed her hand. “You going to whip
them into shape, darling?”

“I don’t know. I’ll try, but it
might be too late for that.” Lei winked.

His dad laughed, and the tense
moment was killed.

“Were you kids actually worried
about what I’d say?” His dad furrowed his brow.

“A little bit,” Ryan said.

“Yeah.” Casey nodded.

“At my age, not much gets my goat
up.” He shrugged. “Who wants dessert?”

Ryan glanced down and beamed. He’d
never appreciated his father mother than this moment. He glanced back up. “What
did you make, Pop?”

“Apple cobbler. Had to get rid of
the apples I had leftover before they went bad. No way was I going to let them
go bad. Prices are steep these days.”

“Yeah, they are,” Ryan agreed.

Still riding high off the victory,
they decided to head down to the local tavern for a few drinks before bed. The
sooner they let others know she was off the market, the better. With her
laid-back attitude, she had no clue how attractive and desirable she was among
the men in town. She was one of the good girls they all wanted to settle down
with after they sowed their oats. They walked in, and he winced at the bleached
blonde seated at the bar. Mary Jo, the last woman he’d slept with before a
relationship with Lei became a reality. He shot a panicked glance at his
brother. Casey lifted his eyebrows, and he gestured toward her with his head.
Casey followed his line of vision and winced.

“Why don’t we take a seat in the
back?” Ryan said, wrapping his arm around Lei’s waist.

“Okay—”

“Ryan.” The high-pitched squeal
made him want to bang his head against the wall. The ghost of commitment free ass
was about to haunt him. Mary Jo slid of her barstool and hurried over to them.
The heels of her boots clicked against the wood floor.

“I haven’t seen you here in ages,
honey. Where’ve you been hiding?” She pressed her large breast into his arm and
batted her mascara-coated lashes. With her bright red nails, coupled with the
war paint on her face, she was the exact opposite of Leighton.

“Hey, Jo.” Ryan took a step back
from her and pulled Lei closer. “I haven’t been hiding. I was exactly where I
wanted to be.” He fixed her with a hard stare. Jo’s jaw dropped. She swayed
back like she’d been hit.

“Are you kidding me?” Her blue eyes
narrowed and she gave Leighton a death glare. A sneer turned her pouty pink
slips into a twisted version of a doll’s mouth.

“You have something to say, Mary
Jo?” Leighton’s voice turned saccharine sweet, and her spine stiffened.
This
could get ugly
. Mary Jo had been trying to get him to commit for awhile,
and the two worked together at the school.

“No, just didn’t figure you for the
sloppy seconds type.” Jo tossed her long blonde mane behind her back.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Lei placed a hand
over her heart. “Were you under the impression that he was ever yours?”
Leighton laughed airily. “Silly rabbit.” Casey stepped up and completed the
Boyer sandwich. Leighton wrapped an arm around Casey’s waist. “Come on, boys,
I’m feeling parched.”

“God, you are so hot when you’re in
bitch mode,” Ryan whispered, giving her side a squeeze as they walked away
leaving the pissed blonde glued to the spot with a stuned expression on her
face.

“For once, I completely agree,”
Casey said.

“I barley said anything.” She
snickered.

“It wasn’t the words, it was the
tone. Mmm. Can’t wait to get you home tonight.” Ryan moved his hand down to
squeeze her ass. The round globe of her cheek filled his hand, and he bit back
a moan.