Ouachita Mated(13)

“How long are you here?” He needed to know so he could make sure to keep his distance.

The silence had him turning to look at her. She chewed her bottom lip, disappointment on her face.

“Don’t know. But don’t worry, I’m paying, okay?” The side of her mouth lifted in a sad half smile. “With actual dollars. Not these.” She waved a hand over the front of her shirt.

He frowned. “I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay.” She stood, tossing her towel in the basket. “I know what everyone thinks. It’s fine. One of these days though…” The fake smile was still in place as she headed for the door. “One of these days I’m going to prove that I’m no flake. Maybe even sooner than you think,” she murmured cryptically.

Magic stared after her.

“What does that mean?”

She shrugged one bare shoulder, and pushed through the door without an answer.





Chapter Four



Josie was starving. A run like that always made her want to eat her weight in nachos. She doubted Eagan was around for special orders, but maybe she could at least whip up her own if she could find all the ingredients.

She made her way through the quiet halls toward the kitchen, feeling uneasy.

The exercise had helped dispel some of her nervous energy, but it didn’t clear anything up for her. She was jobless, soon-to-be homeless, and about to commit to helping bring a baby into the world.

She definitely needed to figure her shit out before that last one happened.

The idea was she’d take a leave from her job, and stay at the lodge during the pregnancy, working from there to keep the club’s business intact. Then after having the baby, she’d return to Memphis. She loved her city, she did. But right now, it was the last place she wanted to be.

What true friends she had were here in the Ouachitas, starting families and living the good life. Bethany, starting a family. Ryan, living it up with the chicks, she assumed. Her mother and father were in California road-tripping for their retirement. And her job—now former job—hadn’t left her with anyone she wanted to buddy up with.

Josie wasn’t much for planning, but this whole life thing was getting messy again. The last time this happened, she’d almost lost Bethany as a friend. Josie took full blame. She’d used Beth to buy a car and then flaked out on the payment when her clothing habit got a little too expensive. It was an awful thing to do, and she’d worked her ass off to pay Bethany back. Nothing she’d done in her life had felt better than that. Paying a debt she owed. Righting a wrong. Fixing something she’d broken.

It was her new habit, if she was being honest. It was the thing she craved more than fun now. The substance her life needed.

It was why she wanted to be a surrogate. She wanted to do something good for her friends. But her motives weren’t entirely altruistic. She also hoped she’d gain their respect. For too long she’d been Josie, the irresponsible one. Josie, the wild one. Josie, the one who always gets herself in trouble. She wanted to prove that she could do good too. That her being around wasn’t always need for caution.

She pushed through the door to the dark dining room. It was empty, as expected, but the light was on in the kitchen. As she neared the swinging doors she heard a distinctly female giggle. Maybe she shouldn’t interrupt whatever was happening in there. But then her stomach growled and put all her qualms to bed.

Hunger outranked privacy.

Besides, if someone was getting spunky in the kitchen… ew.

Palm slapping against the swinging door, Josie stepped through into the bright lights of Eagan’s work space.

Annnnnnnd working he was.

Working his tongue in and out of a woman’s mouth, that is.

She sat on the counter, her short legs never hoping to touch the ground. Eagan stood between her knees, his hand tangled in her unruly hair.

Realizing they weren’t alone, the woman pulled away with a gasp, her shocked gaze falling on Josie while Eagan lifted his head with a lazy smile.

“Hey, Josie. When did you get here?” he asked, clearly not caring about her answer.

She grinned, strolling forward with her hand out. “Earlier. I’m Josie,” she said, introducing herself to the woman.

Eagan stepped back, and the woman wriggled off the counter.

“I’m uh… uh…”

“Clara,” Eagan answered. “This is Clara. She’s new around here.”

“Oh? You work here?”

Clara nodded.

But Josie’s hand remained alone in the space between them. Ooookay. So she wasn’t a hand shaker. Alrighty then.

“Nice to meet you, Clara.”

“Josie is Bethany’s friend. She visits from Memphis a lot,” Eagan explained.