I talk to Liam about the town, telling him how it works and explaining some random things, keeping all the conversation topics safe. Just as I'm filling him in on how spread out all the neighbors are, another motor revs, coming closer.
I smirk when I see Delaney driving this way, waving at me as she nears. I guess I don't have to fetch her after all.
I also notice a few other familiar faces too, and then see a few cars pulling into Liam's house.
I flash him a grin when confusion mars his face.
"Welcome to Tomahawk," I tell him as women start walking down the bank, covered dishes in their hands. "The land of a hundred unruly beards, and everyone's own individual brand of crazy. You're officially the most eligible, baby-face bachelor."
Delaney barely even says hi to me as she shoves her way to the front of the line, and I hop on my boat, ready to get away while I still can. Besides, it'll free up space for another boat to tie off.
"I … uh … I," Liam says, gesturing for help as five women talk over him, trying to introduce themselves.
Grinning, I drive away, leaving him to fend for himself as I head to my cabin.
I notice a few of the guys fishing on the lake, staring over at Liam's home that is being swarmed with more and more women. Paul is among the crowd, and he tosses his hat into the lake, looking annoyed.
I shoot him an I-told-you-so look, and he flips me off as I laugh and coast up to my dock. I'll be glad when my brothers get my lift fixed. The lift they tore up with their boat that was way too big for it.
I step over the few shady boards they jacked up during the lift-breaking debacle, and head toward my cabin to shower and change for the day.
Tonight is when the magic happens.
So I pack a bag.
I'll be staying with Benson for at least two nights.
Chapter 3
Wild Ones Tip #111
Always bring backup and snacks. Never know when you'll need snacks.
LILAH
Snip.
Slow breaths.
Snip. That sound is almost deafening in this otherwise silent room, sans the occasional snore.
Snip.
I cringe when a leg moves, and my breath goes completely silent, because I'm holding it.
Snip.
A hand darts up, grabbing my wrist, before a set of eyes open in confusion.
"Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep, little baby," I sing, obviously panicking when my heart starts hammering in my chest.
The singing doesn't work.
Killian bolts upright in bed and flips on the lamp, which rouses Hale from his sleep. Their beds are a few feet apart, since I sort of moved the bed there earlier, knowing they'd be too lazy to move it back to Hale's room before crashing for the night.
I had a plan, and they're wrecking it by waking up.
My brothers look at me in confusion, then at the scissors in my hand, then at the hair on the floor.
Carefully, while they're still utterly baffled and just-woken from sleep, I put the scissors down calmly, back toward the door, grab the camera I have set up and ease it into my backpack, and … run like a maniac.
"Holy fucking shit!" I hear Hale snap, just as I leap off their front porch. Tucking and rolling back up to my feet, I race like my life depends on it to the boats.
"Lilah!" Killian roars, but I giggle like a crazed woman as I leap onto my boat that only has one rope tying it off, and quickly get going before can get to me.
I'm halfway across the water when I hear their boat roar to life.
Their boat is bigger and faster, so I drive like hell to Benson's dock, half-ass tie off.
"Benson!" My shrill scream sounds so foreign and unlike me, as my legs pump like an Olympian again.
"Benson!" I squeal again when I hear the boat docking behind me.
"Get her!" Killian roars.
"Get back here, Lilah!" Hale shouts, furious.
Yeah, like that's going to work. Nope. I run that much harder.
The door to Benson's home swings open just as I hurl myself up the fifteenth step, and I leap into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck, and cling to him like a shameless spider monkey.
I'm vaguely aware of the fact his hands immediately go to my ass, squeezing it, and I'm also vaguely aware of the fact those dormant girl parts are definitely taking notice. In fact, if it wasn't for the rebel yell coming from behind me, I'd have to study this a little more intently.
"What the-"
Benson's words cut off, and his hands immediately leave my ass.
"Don't even think about it. I'll beat the hell out of both of you," he cautions, turning and depositing me onto the floor.
I peek around the wall that's now shielding me, seeing my brothers as they seethe, spitting mad. Here's the thing, Benson Nolans happens to be a black belt. We only know this because he has his belts framed, and he does this spinning kick thingy that totally makes him a badass.
He's the one guy in Tomahawk who can kick Killian's ass, even though Killian is a mean fighter with a nasty right hook.
"This is between us and her. Look what she fucking did!" Hale roars.
They both point to their patchy, messed up, mostly clipped beards, and I snicker to myself as Benson works hard against his own laugh.
"Guess the beard challenge is finally over," Benson says, amused.
"No!" my brothers shout in unison.
"She did this! Not us. We can't lose by default!" Hale adds.
"Nowhere does it state that you have to trim it yourself to be the loser. Just says it has to be trimmed," Benson says, his beard twitching.
"Then who did she cut first?" Killian demands.
"Same time! I have a video of it!" I pull my video camera from my backpack, and Benson takes it and puts it on a table next to the door, not looking at it.
"You can't be serious!" Hale growls.
I giggle like an idiot, staying safely tucked next to Black Belt Benson.
"You did break her bed while trying to steal her ceiling fan," Benson points out helpfully.
"But this is the beard challenge! Too far. Too fucking far," Killian barks.
"You also left her behind with a momma cougar." Benson sounds less amused and a little angrier about that.
I stand a little taller, primly smirking at my brothers.
"Didn't know there was a cougar when we left her, jackass. This would be deserved if we did."
Killian gestures to his mangled, uneven, horrible beard-or the remnants of it anyway.
"And you rebuilt her bed way too big for her mattress. You also wrecked her dock lift-since you never built your own dock-and then messed up the entire end of the dock when the lift crashed into the lake. You still haven't fixed that, by the way."
They both blink, then as one, glare at me like I've been tattling. I totally have been tattling.
"So you think this is justified?" Killian asks incredulously, shifting his gaze and staring at Benson as though he's an alien from outer space.
"I think it was just a matter of time before you pushed her too far."
"She pushes us too far too!" Hale snaps, pointing at me. "You act like she's an angel. In case you've forgotten, we're not the only heathens on this corner!"
"Take it up with your uncle. You're not touching Lilah."
They both narrow their eyes, and I confidently slide in next to Benson as he drops his arm to my shoulders. I'm practically gloating as I curl up against his side.
"This isn't over, sis. You'll have to come home sooner or later."
"If you touch her hair in any way, I'll shave you both bald and drag you across the lake daily for at least a month. Then I'll let your uncle take his turn," Benson threatens, and I grin a little bigger, while simultaneously getting a little sick.
I never considered they might come after my hair.
The Wild Women are serious about one thing-hair. Why? Well, that's a long story.
My hair is long, dark, and I've worked damn hard to keep it healthy at this length. As if thinking about it, Benson runs his fingers through it absently, still staring down my brothers.
I'm not sure why that feels so intimate, but it does.
"Fine," Killian snarls, but I still don't trust them not to touch my hair.
My hair!
There are only so many ways to stay feminine when you have to live in the wilderness. My hair is one thing that reminds me I'm a girl most days.
Well, that and my vagina.
I don't let the hair grow long there, in case you're wondering.
"Get home. I'll call your uncle," Benson says dismissively.
They both threaten me one last time before stalking off, and Benson shuts the door as I step back. I blow out a relieved breath, until he turns to look at me with exasperation.
"Are you serious? The beards? You went for the beards?" he groans.
"This is why I didn't tell you my plan," I state dryly, defiantly crossing my arms over my chest.