Page 25 of The Outpost (Jamison Valley 4)
In a different setting, a different time, Beau would be perfect lover material. I liked him. I couldn’t remember the last time I liked a guy this much. His steady personality was tugging at my heart strings, his dry sense of humor matched my own and his playful teasing had me smiling more often than not. My body crackled when it was near his and I had no doubts that sex with him would knock my socks off.
If only I had met him before Anton and my story. If only he weren’t so attached to Montana. If only I weren’t so attached to the city.
If only Beau weren’t going back to his life in Prescott today.
“Are you going to miss me, Boone?”
He wagged his tail and turned to the door.
I guess not.
“I’m done.” Beau emerged from the bathroom, towel drying his hair. My mouth watered at the sight of him barefoot in jeans and a simple black T-shirt.
I stepped past him, our arms brushing, and quickly shut the bathroom door so he wouldn’t see my blushing cheeks.
Damn those crackles.
It was probably good he was leaving. The longer he stayed, the more likely we’d be to slip up and give into this chemistry, and I needed Beau as a friend more than a lover right now.
When I came out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, all the good flutters in my belly had been replaced with the bad. Beau was kneeling next to his duffel bag, packing up to leave for town. His shoes were no longer laid out next to mine and he’d already taken out the empty cooler we’d been using as a dining room table.
“Do you have laundry you’d like me to take?” he asked.
I nodded and went to
my bag sitting next to his. “I’m not sure how much to send. When do you think you’ll be back?” Say tomorrow.
“A week.”
My shoulders fell. The last time I’d felt this much anxiety about an upcoming week had been after high school when I’d left Florida to drive across the country to Seattle.
“Hey.” His hand gently rubbed my back. “You’ll be fine.”
“Sure.” My outward confidence betrayed my inner feelings but I didn’t want Beau to know how much I was dreading this week. Not only would my nightmares likely return but I was also bound to get miserably bored again. If Beau knew that I was freaking out, he wouldn’t leave.
And he needed to leave.
He needed to go back to his life and his responsibilities. I’d taken up enough of his time, and besides that, I was desperate for more coffee. I was running low on food. I wanted clothes that had been cleaned in a washing machine, not the bathroom sink.
And we needed to put some space between us. I needed some time to remind myself that a friendship with Beau was as much of a relationship as we’d ever have. Maybe by the time he came back, I wouldn’t find him so devastatingly handsome.
Now you’re just kidding yourself.
“Do you want me to bring you back anything special?” he asked, taking my laundry and stuffing it in his duffel.
“Hmm.” I tapped my chin. “A couch would be nice. Maybe a big screen and some chick flicks. I’d love a coffee machine too.”
He laughed and I couldn’t help but smile back.
Ever since our walk in the meadow, I’d made it my goal to do something to make him laugh every day. Beau had an amazing sense of humor, and he laughed often, but it sounded even better when I was the catalyst. The sound of his laughter was a balm to my broken spirit.
I was going to really miss hearing that laugh every day.
“Will you check in with Felicity?” I asked after he had loaded up the truck.
“Yep. Boone,” he called and the dog came bounding inside. “Stay.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I’ll be fine if you want to take him back home with you.”
