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Jaxon crosses his arms over his chest, his expression hard. "You aren't even on National Park Land anymore. You expect me to believe you just accidentally ended up at my house? And then were so worried about being lost that you had sex all over my house instead of calling for help?"
I cross my arms over my chest. "I don't have any better way to convince you, man. I'm Asher Aldridge. I work as a trainer at the gym downtown." I gesture behind me. "This is—"
"I'm Clover Weston," Clover says, still sounding a mite annoyed. "I'm a fitness instructor. Asher and I both want to buy the gym where Asher works and the owner can't decide who should get it, so he's making us run the trail race, winner gets the gym."
Jaxon smirks. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Who makes business decisions like that?"
"I'm pretty sure he doesn't really want to sell—"
"Ha!" Clover shouts behind me. "I knew it. This whole trail race is just a stalling tactic so you can save up more money and he can sell the gym to you."
I turn to her, confused. "What? I was going to say he doesn't want to sell the gym at all. To either of us. I suspect the race is a stalling tactic so he doesn't have to sell to anybody."
She deflates and I can't not hug her. I can't fit onto the step next to her, so I climb over her, sit on the step above her, and pull her up into my lap. I hug her tight. "We'll figure it out, baby."
"We won't," she says. "No matter how this ends, one of us is going to get hurt."
I'm not sure she's just talking about the gym, but before I can reassure her, Jaxon interrupts us, "Look, I just have one question."
I look up. "We don't mean you any harm, man. I swear. If you can get us a working phone we can call someone to pick us up."
He looks genuinely appalled by the idea. "I can't have anyone knowing about this place. Before you leave, I'm going to need you both to sign NDAs. I'll have my lawyer send some over."
"We'll sign whatever you need," Clover says. "And we won't tell anyone you're Bigfoot, but…" She shakes her head like she's just thought better of her question.
"But what?" Jaxon asks. "Not telling anyone I'm Bigfoot will be part of the NDA. That's non-negotiable so if you have any idea of—"
"No," Clover says. "I just want to know why you spend so much time by our house."
Jaxon's brows hit his hairline. "Your… House?" He studies Clover. "That's why you look familiar. You live at the house with all the animals and the gorgeous woman with the…" He seems to realize what he's saying and his whole body goes still. "The Sanctuary Farm, right? That's what it is?"
Clover nods. "Yeah. And I like you Jaxon, but even pop stars are creepy when they stalk a woman. If you've got a thing for one of my sisters—"
Jaxon holds up his hands. "It's not like that, I swear. Your house is an easy mile-long hike from here and it's farther from parkland than my house. When I want to be sure I can avoid tourists or fans, that's where I head. I've noticed a beautiful, ethereal woman there…" He hesitates. "I mean you're all beautiful, but I just noticed her, okay? I'm not stalking her and I don't go there because of her. I like the peace and watching the animals run around so free."
I can't see Clover's face because she's on my lap, but I can feel the tension in her body. "Okay, because if you're a creep, I will end you."
Jaxon must not understand who he's up against, because the asshole actually smiles. "I promise I'm not a creep."
"If you are," I say, letting a growl slip into my voice, "I'll take care of whatever's left of you after Clover's done. No one messes with her or her sisters."
"Sisters?" Jaxon asks, seemingly immune to my threat. Which means he's an idiot, an entitled rich guy with an army of bodyguards to protect him, or a nice guy who's actually got no reason to worry. My money is on the bodyguards. "That's so cool. I always wanted a big family."
"No offense," I say. "But I'd rather not sit around in a towel all night. Can you get those NDAs and a phone that has service so we can get out of here?"
"I can get you a ride," he says. "But it might be a while to get the NDAs. It's after hours and the Bigfoot clause isn't in the standard NDAs I have with me."
"Can we just sign it later," Clover asks. "I'm starving and exhausted and I've got a goat in my room at home that's probably eating everything I own."
I give Clover another squeeze because she really is just the most perfect person in the world. "You left Barley in your room?"
"I didn't know what else to do with him."
"I can feed you," Jaxon says. "I'm vegan, but I've got plenty of good food here and I'm a great cook. Even meat eaters usually love my food."
"What do you think?" I whisper into Clover's ear.
She leans back, snuggling up against my bare chest. "What are the odds he's trying to poison us?"
