Blinded by Beauty (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 8)

“Damn, I hadn’t thought of that. She is a neat freak, isn’t she?”

“She sure is,” Chance said.

“She’s not going to have any choice. You and I both know she can’t be on that leg too much.”

“I agree.”

“Here’s a bottle of red, a soda, and two glasses for both of you.”

“Wine for me and soda for her because of her medications, right?”

“Right.”

Chance took the beverages. “What about you, Jaris? What are you drinking?”

“I’ll bring my own glass and share the wine with you after I’m finished. I’ll have this ready in about five minutes. Go try to soften her up about the meal. Tell her that I’ll make sure it’s all cleaned up afterward. There won’t be a crumb left behind.”

“You got a deal.” Chance took Annie back to Kaylyn’s bedroom.

Jaris tasted the sauce, and then added a bit more garlic. As he stirred the pot, he thought about how gone Chance was for Kaylyn. They’d known each other for years. He had a pretty good idea that Kaylyn had feelings for Chance, too. They belonged together. Not him. He was the new man in her life. She and Chance had history, and it was time for them to move forward. Just a little push was all that was needed, and he was ready to make that happen tonight.

He took another taste of the sauce. “Just right, Sugar.”

Relationships required the right kind of ingredients to work, just like his sauce. As much as he loved imagining himself with Kaylyn, he knew she and Chance would make the perfect couple.

He reached down and patted Sugar on the head. “You’re my girl, aren’t you?”

She rubbed against his leg.

The words of his father swirled in his mind. “We Simmons men don’t have good luck with women, son.”

As he plated up the three dishes for Kaylyn, Chance, and him, Jaris mentally buried his feelings for her down deep in his core. It was for the best.

* * * *

Kaylyn leaned back on the pile of pillows Chance and Jaris had placed on her bed. Besides the two fluffy ones she already had, the guys had pulled out four more from the hall closet. Their bedside manner was to the extreme, though she still enjoyed all the attention.

Chance walked back into the bedroom with Annie. He was carrying several items tucked under his arm. “Dinner should be here any second. We thought it would be fun to eat in your room.”

Fun? I know better. They didn’t want her to walk to the dining room.

“This should keep your bed clean.” Chance spread a tablecloth out over her bedspread.

She laughed, seeing he’d brought out one with Christmas images on it.

“What’s so funny, Kaylyn?”

“The tablecloth has Santa and reindeer on it. Wrong time of year.”

“Is it?” He laughed. “I think we should sing Christmas carols until Jaris comes in with our food.”

“I would but I need to save my voice for the band. We perform for the opening ceremony of Dragon Week tomorrow night.”

“Come on, Kaylyn.” Chance hummed a few bars of her favorite Christmas song, and then began singing aloud, “…had a very shiny nose. Join me.”

“You’re a mess, Chance Reynolds.” She loved his humor. Always had. Actually, she loved everything about him. Always had. “And if you ever saw it—”

“Christmas carols in March?” Jaris came in with Sugar, carrying their dinner.