Hugging her one more time, hating to let her go, Clay asked, “Do you have everything you need, Lily? My keys to the truck and the shop?” Lily jingled the keys in her hand. She still had to work the following day, so they were leaving Clay’s truck for her to use.
Jack approached them. “Lily, my cousin Maynard is going to be around the ranch this weekend, and Eli is just down the road. If you feel the least bit uncomfortable while you’re on the road or at the shop, they both said you could call on them. These are their cell phone numbers.” He handed her a slip of paper then turned to Clay. “You should talk to Ace and Kemp about this situation.”
Unfamiliar with the help Ace and Kemp had given to several people in the assembled group over the last couple of years, Del cleared his throat and said, “With all due respect, Jack, we can handle Mr. King.”
Jack looked Del in the eye and nodded his head. “I’ll leave you to your good-byes then.”
Lily looked from Clay to his brother. “I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me. I hope you have a great time.”
Del pulled Lily close and stroked her cheek as she pressed her body against his. “Stay safe and get your rest because when we get home you’re not going to get much sleep Sunday night.”
“Oh,” was all she got out before Del planted a deep kiss on her lips.
Glancing around, Clay noticed the other couples and groups in similar interchanges. He closed in behind Lily and turned her lips to his when Del was done kissing her.
“I’ll miss your sweet kisses,” he murmured before smooching her soft lips again.
Lily’s sexy smile sent hot streaks of lust straight to his cock, and he imagined her pliant, full lips sucking his shaft.
“Sweet talker.”
Del murmured, “We’re going to call you when we head to bed tonight. Keep your phone with you.” The arousal in her eyes at Del’s authoritative tone fed the lust growing inside Clay.
“I’ll be waiting for your call,” she whispered as conversations resumed all around them.
Ethan Grant clapped Clay on the back. “All right, lovebirds, the sooner we leave the sooner we can get back.”
Lily smiled up at Clay and kissed him one last time, but he could still see the longing in her eyes. Cockblockers.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lily sifted through her overnight bag, looking for her swimsuit. Grace had told her that their pool was heated and she should bring her swimsuit. She’d been reluctant but thought it might be a great way to get to know the girls and perhaps talk about modeling the jewelry.
She cringed when she saw how loosely the swimsuit now fit her. In some ways the weight loss had been good. Her curves were still intact for the most part, though smaller, but she felt a little bony in places. She was grateful Clay had stopped her when he had because she hadn’t been able to see what was happening. Her body image was warped from too many years of false input, and as determined as she had been to change everything about herself she might have put herself in the hospital again.
Maya Warner slipped into the bedroom they were sharing and said, “Clay and his brother sure did seem unwilling to leave you earlier.”
Lily nodded. “I was just as reluctant if you want to know the truth. We only just…got together and I…”
Maya chuckled. “Can’t keep your hands off of them? I know exactly how you feel. I was like that, too, still am, actually. My guys got a good impression of you for asking them up front about me modeling. They like that you weren’t sneaky about it and just came right out and asked.”
“Honesty is the best policy.”
Maya smiled, and gazed at her. “Lydia Carlisle is cooking for us again tomorrow night. I’m going to make sure you eat well.”
“Huh?”
“Honesty is the best policy. You’ve lost too much weight. Lydia is the chef in our group. I’m a decent cook and so is Teresa.”
“Oh, I know! Supper was delicious!”
“We’re going to fatten you up a little. Don’t make that face. Come on. Grace said the water is warm and she’s got the lights adjusted outside for us.”
Lily wondered at that last statement until she followed Maya out the back door. All the lighting around the backyard had been dimmed, and so had the lights inside the pool. A moment later she understood why. There were several wet swimsuits lying poolside, and Rosemary, Grace, Summer, Margot, Lydia, and LuAnn, who had arrived during supper, were all skinny-dipping. Juliana was in the process of taking hers off as she giggled at something Grace said from in the pool. Emma had gotten a page while they were eating and had to return to the hospital since it was her weekend on call.