Page 22 of Nobody Does it Better (Lucky in Love)
When I rise, the light of the new day shines on the man in bed next to me. As sunbeams dance across his sleeping form, the realization deepens.
This is what I want.
Waking up with Shaw. Every day.
And to get what you want, you need to ask for it.
As I kick off the covers, I resolve to tell him how I feel. I resolve, too, to talk to Perri and see how she’d truly feel if I dated her brother. While she’s made her stance clear in the past, she also loves me and wants me to be happy. Surely if she knows how happy I am with him, she’ll be supportive.
I always bring a change of clothes when I come to Tahoe, so I tug on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, brush my teeth, and then pad to the kitchen, resolved to move forward and figure out what we can be.
The snow has stopped, the air is crisp, and it’s a brand-new day. I whip up some eggs and toast.
When I catch a glimpse of the clock, I see it’s nearly eleven.
“Holy cow. We really slept in,” I murmur.
When the eggs are done, I hear the shuffle of feet, a yawn, and a stretch. I turn around to where one seriously sleep-rumpled, sexy man wanders into the kitchen wearing only boxer briefs.
“Hey, you,” I say.
“Hey, you.”
But the next sound we hear isn’t either one of us.
It’s my best friend. Because she’s banging on the cabin door.
12
Shaw
I came to this cabin seeking answers. The next morning, I have all of them. Every single last one.
I know exactly why I don’t want Vanessa to go to the wedding with someone else.
Because I don’t want Vanessa to go to any wedding at any time with any other man. Or on any other date. I want to be the one on her arm now and always.
So, yeah, we had great sex. Duh.
Given how long I’ve wanted her, that’s no surprise. But the sex was also amazing because I finally understand why I’ve wanted her with such ferocity. Light bulbs popped, bells rang, birds sang, and chimes chimed. Freaking angels crooned from the heavens.
I’m in love with her.
That means I need to take care of a few important matters, stat.
Like taking a leak.
Hey, nature calls.
I head to the bathroom, drain the dragon, wash my hands, and brush my teeth.
On to the next critical matter.
Tell the woman I love her, hope to God she feels the same, then figure out how to break the news to the she-ogre that is my sister when it comes to Vanessa.
The scent of scrambled eggs and coffee wafts through the cabin, and I walk into the kitchen in my skivvies, sporting a new round of morning wood—or maybe it’s just Vanessa wood. I plan to slink my arms around the brunette beauty, kiss her neck, inhale her sexy scent, and tell her I meant every word last night.
Every word and more.
Instead, someone knocks wildly on the door, before Vanessa yanks it open.
My dick crawls back into my body, curls up and hides under a couch.
Stationed in the doorway is one wildly worried leprechaun, stomping her feet, flapping her hands. “I thought you were dead! I was calling you all night. And all morning.” Perri points at Vanessa as she goes full j’accuse in a court of law. I don’t think she’s seen me yet. But she must have noticed my truck.
“Why would I be dead?” Vanessa asks, and I can hear the deflection in her voice, and the nerves too.
“Because of the snow! It was terrible, and I was worried about you, and you didn’t answer your phone. And Shaw didn’t either. I thought you were both dead.”
“There’s no service here! And why was I supposed to text you? You knew where I was.”
Perri’s eyes bug out, her neck shooting forward like a peacock pecking. “Because! Because I worry. Hello! I’m the girl who raced to the hospital in college when you broke your leg. I tried the landline too.”
Vanessa’s brow knits. “There’s a landline?”
Perri huffs. “You gave me the number in college. Did you forget?”
“Yes! Maybe I forgot that we had one, but it never rang, so it might not even be on or plugged in or whatever the hell you do with landlines. Did you really think I was dead?”
Perri’s voice shoots to Saturn. “Yes. And as soon as the snow cleared this morning, I got in my car and drove up to see if you were. Derek came with me. I was worried. That’s who I am. I’m the worrier because I’ve seen too much every day in my job.”
She waves behind her as footsteps crunch in the snow. Derek trudges up the steps, thumbs hooked in the loops of his jeans.
He tips his chin at me. “Hey, man.”
