Rocky Waters (Lovers Lake)

“He’s not. Anyway, he can fuck off if he is. He’s a good buddy, but I’ll strangle him if he gets pissy with you.” I huff, mashing the potatoes harder than necessary.

“Do you always cook?”

“Not really. With a small ranch and a staff to feed, I have a personal cook. The only time I bother is when I’m up here alone. I don’t want people invading my space while I’m writing.”

“Sorry. I messed up your work rhythm?” I think she’s teasing, but from her tone it’s clear that she’s actually serious.

“No. God no. You being here has made it a lot better.” I turn around to her and say, “Dinner’s done.”

“I’ll get us something to drink.”

“I’ll have a beer,” I say, giving Darcy at least something to do. She looks so nervous and anxious, watching me do all the work. She gets up and grabs drinks from the fridge for us. “Do you always need to help with things?”

“Yes. As the older sister, it’s always been my job to help. I know how to cook and clean and feel completely out of place just sitting still while someone else does the hard work.”

“It’s not that hard, but I’ll try to remember that in the future. Here.” I set down our plates at the table, while she brings our drinks. She’s almost to the kitchen table when she trips over the leg of one of the chairs. I catch her in my arms, but the beer falls out. Thankfully, it doesn’t break, so I set it in the sink after helping her to her chair.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. I’m pretty clumsy.”

“I can see. We’ll just have to be more careful with you. I don’t want you accidentally falling into the river or stumbling on to wild animals.”

“As you see, it’s just my luck. I already did,” she remarks, batting her eyelashes.

“Thank heavens for that.” I wink. We eat in companionable silence, every once in a while sharing a little tidbit about ourselves. She talks about her sisters and they’re fucking hilarious. I could see me using them in a book. Although, I’d have to change the names. Her mother was obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, so they were named after the people in the movie. It’s a hell of a coincidence that my name is Bennett and I’m going to marry Darcy one day.

“So do you miss your dog?” she asks.

“Yes. He’s a good big boy. I hope you’re not afraid of dogs.”

“I love them, but we never had one of our own. They were just too much trouble with my parents’ ailments and then the apartment isn’t pet friendly either.”

“I can’t wait for you to meet Beast then.”

“So you named him after you, I see,” she sasses.

“I’m starting to like this new nickname better than Rocky,” I confess, reaching over to this that smart mouth of hers.

Once we’re finished, we team up and clean the dishes and then head into the living room to watch a movie and let our food settle. She shoots off a text to her sisters before powering off her phone. My sweet little thing doesn’t make it past the intro before she’s out, snoring softly on my shoulder. I carry her to bed and slide in beside her. We need all the rest we can get because tomorrow, I’ll be tearing up her slit again.

Chapter Five

Darcy

My body aches in all the delicious places. I can’t believe I’ve thrown myself into bed with my favorite author. Okay, technically he tossed me onto the bed, but it’s been an incredible night. The man is feral. From his publicity stills and his picture on the back of the books, you would never guess that a wild animal lives inside this man. We’ve eaten and fucked like bunnies without a lot of talking. Although I have learned a lot about him from those brief exchanges. Bennett isn’t a talker except in the bedroom.

The man is a filthy son of a bitch when he has me naked, but the rest of the time he prefers to listen. What kind of man does that? I’ve never heard of one before. It’s too much to believe, and yet, here I am, sated and the morning sun is peeking through the sky. I slip out of his arms and go into the bathroom to freshen up. I shower using his body wash because I want to smell like him. It’s silly, but I want to have as many memories of him before this dream ends and I wake back up in Chicago with my sisters and Bennett Lake is just a faded remembrance of the most magical time of my life.

I slip on some of my clothes and then pad into the kitchen looking for coffee. After finding everything, I see him coming out rubbing his eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”