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Her blond brows rise above her sunglasses. “They’re leaving town?”
I nod. “They’re going to be Florida residents soon.”
“Florida,” she scoffs.
“Dad says he’s sick of having to shovel and snowblow, and they want to spend their retirement somewhere they can enjoy a beach.”
My new friend laughs. “Lake Michigan has lots of nice beaches.”
I chuckle. “I know that, and they know that, but we all understand it’s different, right? The freezing-cold Lake Michigan water doesn’t hold a candle to the nice, warm tropical option down there.”
She elbows me playfully. “But you might need that cool water after watching this, right?”
I bark out a laugh that draws the attention of a few people around us and then slap my hand over my mouth. “Shit. Sorry.”
Here I am making a fool of myself my first time out of Mom and Dad’s house in days…
The clock finally hits zero, and a buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the chopping competition. All six lumberjacks stop swinging their axes as the judges examine what they’ve done to determine a winner.
My gaze drifts back over to the man on the far left, who I haven’t been able to take my eyes off since I got here. There’s just something about him. The way he carries himself. The confidence. The raw sexual appeal he radiates.
Good Lord, it has been far too long if I’m sizing up this stranger…
My new friend nudges me. “I’m going to go talk to my husband. It was nice meeting you. I’m Annie, by the way.”
“Oh, yeah, you, too. I’m Raelynn.”
And I could really use a drink to cool off.
She gives me a little wave before darting off toward her personal lumberjack, and I make my way around the edge of the competition ring toward one of the tents set up with beer and food. The line moves up, and I order a pint and watch them pour it from the keg into a plastic Solo cup.
Classy.
I smirk as I take it and turn around to find somewhere shady to enjoy my drink and the people-watching, but my foot catches on something and I start to tumble forward. My beer splashes from my cup and onto the exposed, naked chest of a very big man already covered in sweat. His large, strong arms wrap around me and prevent me from falling face-first into the ground.
The scent of freshly chopped woods, fresh pine and something wholly masculine fills my lungs as I struggle to catch my breath and offer an apology. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry.”
He helps get me upright before I look up into his face and freeze.
Shit.
The guy from the competition—and this close, my heart flutters…
Because this man is no stranger.
A slow grin spreads across his face as he leans in. “Next time, watch where you’re going instead of ogling me.”
My jaw drops at both his audacity at calling me out and also at being caught.
How the hell did he know I was watching him while he was competing?
“I, I…”
He leans in slightly. “You don’t have to lie, Raelynn. I caught you fair and square.”
And for the second time in a decade, I am ready to turn tail and run from Jax Benton rather than die of sheer embarrassment.
His blue eyes inspect the area around us—the people milling about, chatting and eating and drinking, waiting for the next competition to start up. “The last time you were on this property, you kissed me, right over there.”
