Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“Water was calm there, cut off from the current,” Raine agreed. “Nice little cove.”
They made it back to the sandy beach in record time. No one else had claimed it for a camping spot. They set up their individual tents and ate. There was no campfire, but they were used to that. The evening was warm and they spread a ground sheet and made drinks, mixing the vodka with various flavors that were usually poured into water. Raine was the only one not drinking, and Vienna only drank a couple of the drinks because most of them were pretty bad. All food was put in a bear container just in case they received a visit from the resident bear.
It was still warm, and Vienna stripped down to her panties and bra after everyone had retired to their personal tents. She went back outside to the groundsheet to lie down and look up at the stars. The sky was particularly beautiful and very clear. She tried finding the various constellations and then counting the stars.
“Bear. Bear. Don’t you come around our camp, you cranky old bear. I’ll punch you if you try to take over this campsite.”
Stella’s belligerent voice jerked Vienna awake. Vienna jumped to her feet, looking wildly around for the bear, but she didn’t see the animal anywhere. Stella was also in her underwear, and she had her fists raised as if she were ready to punch the bear just like she’d claimed.
The other women raced out of their tents dressed similarly, with the exception of Raine, who had thrown on a light, unbuttoned shirt. She looked calm and ready for business.
“No bear that I can see,” Vienna hastily informed her.
Harlow showed her fist. “That old bear better not come around. I’ll fight him off.”
“I’ve taken plenty of self-defense lessons,” Shabina said. “I know exactly where to place a good kick to send that bear flying. He wouldn’t come back to our neck of the woods.”
“I think I’d be the one to fight him off,” Stella said. “I saw him first. I think he ran when he saw how big my fist was.”
Zahra made a sound between a laugh and a snort of derision. “Seriously, Stella? Your fist wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Stella looked at both her fists. “I beg to differ with you. I have big fists. Hammer fists.”
Raine and Vienna exchanged a long look. Sometimes when they got together and were alone, they did drink a bit too much because it was such a rare occasion. Stella was funny when she drank, but she did have a wild imagination and the others tended to egg her on in whatever she was pursuing. They weren’t going back to bed anytime soon.
* * *
• • •
“Do you know how utterly hot Sam is? How utterly hot and truly dreamy he is? Have I ever told you I think he’s both?” Stella asked.
“Only when you’re incredibly drunk,” Zahra confirmed.
“Well, he is,” Stella continued. “But don’t ever tell him I think so. I wouldn’t want him to get a big head. He’s perfect the way he is. If he knew what I thought, he’d be so arrogant. You’ll have to go to your graves with this secret. Swear it. All of you.”
“Do you have any idea how many times we’ve had to swear to take this to our graves?” Vienna asked.
“Do you have any idea how many times Sam’s had to swear right along with us to take this to his grave?” Zahra asked. “Anytime you’ve had too much to drink in the last two years, we’ve heard about Sam’s hotness and his dreamboat status. He’s heard about it too.”
“He has not,” Stella denied.
“Stella, he’s our sober driver, and you go on and on about him and how you want to ‘do’ him and kiss him all over,” Zahra pointed out. “You whisper in a loud voice all the way home.”
“I most certainly do not.” Stella glared at her. “I know I don’t. You know how I know? Because I always ask you if I said anything like that in front of Sam and you always reassure me I didn’t.”
Zahra burst out laughing. “Honey, we’d all been drinking every time. That’s why Sam’s the sober driver. How would I know if Sam heard or not?”
“He heard,” Harlow said, nodding wisely.
“Oh, yeah, he heard,” Shabina confirmed. “You were pretty loud and you were always in the front, turning around to talk to us. How could he not hear you?”
Stella turned to Raine as if she would save her. “He didn’t.”
“He did. Every single time.”
Stella fell over backward, groaning, a palm to her forehead. “He never said a word. Not a single word.”
“Now we have to hear how he’s such a gentleman.”
Stella sat back up. “He is a gentleman, Zahra Metcalf. A hot, dreamy gentleman, and I’m so going to marry him.”