Desire Unleashed (16 page)

Ice rolled his eyes. The way Sarah had emphasized
friend,
he hoped she wasn’t about to start match making. And he wasn’t even going to remark on the stunned silence that greeted her announcement. The team’s collective eyes were riveted on Kathy, who placed the tray she’d been carrying on the table and smoothed down her skirt, a gesture he’d noticed she did when feeling nervous.

Ice jumped to his feet, the guys were acting like freakin’ Neanderthals, eyeballing Kathy like they’d never seen a woman before. He took her elbow and said, “Kathy, I’d like you to meet the guys. This ugly one here is Zach Buchanan, better known as, Wolf. The scrawny one under the hat is Lucas Kincaid. We call him Havoc, for obvious reasons. Carrot top over there with ears like wide opened taxi doors is B. Michael Brannigan or Hawk, if you’d prefer. And last but not least, Mr. Cranky Pants standing by Sarah is her husband Patrick, Frosty to the rest of us.” Ice made the introductions without a glimmer of a smile. He’d pay for it later, but he had to get in the cheap shots while he still could.

Havoc, Wolf, and Hawk, sprung to their feet and jostled one another good-naturedly to be the first in line to greet Kathy. Hawk won.

“Nice to meet you Kathy,” he said before turning a scowl on Ice.

“G’day Kathy, any friend of Ice’s is a friend of mine.” Havoc tugged the brim of his Akubra, and elbowing Hawk out of the way, shook her hand like a gentleman then moved aside.

“It’s a pleasure,” Wolf crooned, giving her a wink and bestowing a kiss on the back of her hand, playing his part to perfection.

“Welcome Kathy, it’s very nice to meet you,” Frosty said, disengaging her hand from Wolf’s paw. “Take no notice of him,” he advised, indicating Wolf. “He fancies himself as a ladies’ man.”

They were a pack of charmers.

Kathy smothered a grin. “It’s very nice to meet y’all.”

Whenever she was nervous, Ice noticed her Southern drawl was more pronounced, just another little idiosyncrasy.

“And thank you Patrick, I’m ever so grateful to you for taking Cindy off my hands. I hope it wasn’t too much of an imposition.”

“No, not at all Kathy, you’ve made Meredith’s day. She’s been after a pup for so long, and what can I say, if my girls are happy, then I’m happy.”

Frosty’s slick response made Ice want to hurl. Talk about a load of bullshit, there’s no way he was happy about the dog. Kathy had even charmed Frosty.

“Patrick, can you give me a hand inside?” Sarah asked.

“Make up your mind, woman. I thought you wanted me to light the barbeque?” Ice interpreted Frosty’s expression as “Women, go figure!” But it was obvious he was prudent enough to remain silent.

“Please let me help,” Kathy begged.

“Okay thanks, you’ll probably be more use to me anyway,” Sarah said then called the children in to wash up for lunch.

The little girls were reluctant but followed the women upstairs, leaving the men alone. The guys took a seat and waited until they were out of earshot. Ice cringed the minute the back door closed behind them, knowing the first blows were about to be struck, metaphorically speaking.

Frosty launched the first missile. “You sly old dog you.”

“Yeah you bastard, and did you have to mention my ears, they’re not that big.”

“Well to tell y’all the truth, they really are quite large sunshine,” Wolf drawled in an over exaggerated imitation of Kathy’s accent.”

Havoc pushed the brim of his Akubra back off his forehead, pitched his voice two octaves higher and tittered, “Maybe it’s not that his ears are so large Rhett, maybe it’s because he’s got a little head.” Havoc’s own distinctive accent lent itself to the Southern theme.

“And just which head would that be Scarlet?” Wolf wanted to know before falling about with laughter at Hawk’s expense.

“Fuck off the lot of you.” Hawk sulked.

His reaction only made Wolf and Havoc hoot louder. Even Frosty was chuckling over their antics. Wolf could be such a comedian and Havoc wasn’t far behind. Ice certainly appreciated it today. Hell, it took the heat off of him. Well, for a short time anyway.

“That’s enough you clowns, the girls might hear, and we don’t want Kathy thinking we’re poking fun at her,” Frosty cautioned, swallowing his own merriment.

“Shoot, that little lady’s got the sexiest voice I’ve heard in a long time. I only wish it was my ear she was whispering sweet nothings into,” Wolf said with a wily look.

“Yeah, you got that right, so how’d you get lucky Ice? Hot Tits was still at Shenanigans when you left.” Hawk was tactless but evidently over his snit.

“Geezus Hawk, would you start thinking with the head on your shoulders and not the one in your pants. You don’t go calling your CO’s girl Hot Tits for chrissakes.” Frosty reprimanded while Wolf and Havoc pelted Hawk with their empty cans.

“Long story.” Ice shook his head at Hawk and gave him the dumb-as-dog-shit look. “But let’s just say she really is my neighbor. Speaking of Kathy, she’s been in there a long time.”

“Inside alone with Sarah, heck, she’s probably getting the third degree,” Hawk piped up.

“That’s enough out of you Dumbo,” Frosty chastised, defending his wife. The rest of the group chuckled at the analogy.

“Give it a rest will you, they’re not that fucking big.” Hawk was getting wound up again.

“Best go in and rescue her then,” Frosty suggested, handing the cooking utensils over to Hawk. “Don’t let anything burn or Sarah will have your nuts as well as mine on the chopping block,” he warned.

Ice followed Frosty into the sunny kitchen. “Slick move Ice, removing the heat straight off you. Will that kid ever learn not to bite I ask you?”

“What’s so funny? We could hear you all the way in here,” Sarah asked as they entered the kitchen.

“Nothing really, just the boys razing Hawk up,” he informed them.

“I hope you didn’t hurt his feeling with your insensitive introduction,” Kathy admonished.

“Don’t let it worry you honey, you have to be thick skinned if you want to survive in this outfit,” Sarah stated as Frosty encircled her large belly from behind and nuzzled her neck.

“You doing okay, Sweet Pea?”

“I’ll be better in six weeks when this little one makes an appearance,” Sarah replied, turning into Frosty’s arms and lifting her face for his kiss.

From across the room Kathy locked eyes with him. Happy families. Yep, that’s what she wants for sure. He could see it revealed in her expression as she watched the couple together. What the hell was he thinking bringing her here?

* * * *

A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Sarah’s parents, George and Phyllis. Following close on their heels were Frosty’s brother David, his wife Julie, and their four kids.

The youngsters chorused a greeting as they came dashing into the kitchen. “Where’s Meredith and Mandy?” one asked.

“Upstairs washing up for lunch,” Sarah said, kissing each child in turn. The children rushed upstairs in search of their cousins while the adults exchanged greetings.

“This is Ice’s friend, Kathy,” Sarah announced for the second time that day. That got their attention. The new arrivals paused in their chatter then hit Kathy with a barrage of questions. Ice should have expected it. They were a nosey bunch, and in all the years he’d been attending Frost family functions this was the first time he’d brought a woman.

With the intros over, George was anxious to check on the barbeque. “There’s a real art to cooking steak,” he said. “And I can see young Hawk getting up to turn them every few minutes, so if David and I don’t get out there and rescue them, we’ll all be eating shoe leather for lunch.”

“I’ll come too, love. I’ve just noticed Wolf in the yard, and it’s been an absolute age since we caught up. You’d better come along too dear. I want to get to know you better.” Phyllis said ushering Kathy out, but hesitated at the door seemingly just remembering Sarah’s condition. “Sorry pet, do you need me to do anything?”

“No Phyllis, you go ahead and chat to lover boy, I’ve got it covered,” Frosty joked with his mother-in-law.

“In that case I’ll go too, I haven’t seen Wolf since … gosh, I can’t remember when.” Julie laughed and scampered off after the others.

“Quite a fan club Wolf’s got.”

“Mmm, if I wasn’t so pregnant, I’d run for President.”

“Over my dead body, Sweet Pea.”

“So Ice, how long have you and Kathy been dating?” Frosty’s curiosity got the better of him.

“We’re not dating, she lives next door.”

“But you’re screwing her right?”

“Patrick, that’s none of your business.” Sarah gasped. “But while we’re on the subject I’m warning you Ice.” She paused from chopping onions and waved the lethal knife she was using to emphasize her point. “Kathy’s not like the others, particularly not like what’s her face.”

Ice schooled his face into a blank mask. “What’s her face?”

“You know who I mean, the horny tart who was part contortionist that you got mixed up with. Kathy’s a nice girl and she’s had a real rough time of it lately, so don’t go breaking her heart.”

Frosty leaned over and nuzzled her neck. “I love it when you talk dirty.”

Sarah shooed him with her hand. Ice eyeballed Frosty in total disbelief. “You told her about Cheryl?”

“Of course he did, he tells me everything, he can’t help himself.”

“What can I say, when she takes me in hand I can’t resist, I tell her whatever she wants to hear. The Navy could use her as a secret weapon.” Frosty came to his own defense.

“How rough a time are we talking here?” Ice asked, although it was a bit late to warn him off now.

As Sarah relayed Kathy’s story, he was astounded at how easily she had gleaned so much information in such a short time. He’d known Kathy intimately for over a week, and they’d shared many erotic moments, whereas Sarah had only just met her and already knew her life story.

“Don’t you hate it when Hawk’s right?” Frosty quipped as they loaded the trays with plates, cutlery, and the onions that Sarah had just sliced.

“Hell yeah, I can’t believe Sarah uncovered so much about Kathy that quickly.”

“I told you she’s good at ferreting out information when she’s on a mission, and by the looks of it, you my man are her latest mission.” Frosty clapped him on the back and chuckled. Ice groaned as they picked up the trays and made their way outside to join the others.

* * * *

Wolf leaped to his feet and greeted Phyllis and Julie with a hug and a kiss. Hawk relinquished the cooking utensils to George, Havoc dipped his hat, and they all drifted into easy conversation. Kathy gathered from their camaraderie that they’d all been friends for some time. It reminded her of a typical Ellis family get together, plenty of food, lots of laughter, noise, and good-natured ribbing. Phyllis, Julie, and David, intrigued by the playhouse, went off to inspect it. George took over the cooking, and Havoc, Hawk, and Wolf settled back into their seats.

Kathy realized the guys were curious. It was obvious Shane hadn’t mentioned she and he were dating, so why had he brought her here?

Hawk shot to his feet the minute she approached. “Hey Kathy, have my seat.” He offered the spot between Havoc and Wolf that he’d just vacated.

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure,” Hawk replied, tilting his lips in a lopsided grin.

Kathy sat and smoothed her cotton skirt over her knees and crossed her ankles, acutely aware of getting the once over by the three men. She knew how she must appear to them, an enigma, demure and wholesome, like Liz said, the girl-next-door type, the complete antithesis of Shane’s usual type, so of course they were curious.

“To what part of the South do you owe that sexy little accent?” Wolf asked. She recognized him as the one who’d winked and saluted her that night at the club when she’d first spotted Shane.

“I was born in Lafayette, but spent most of my life growing up in Baton Rouge. What about you, where are you from?”

“Me, I call the Big Apple home, a city boy born and bred.”

“And what about you Havoc, where does your accent originate from?”

“I’m from the land Down Under, a cattle station in Queensland, to be precise. We run a couple of hundred hectares.”

“So tell me fellas—how’d y’all come by those nicknames?”

“Well Kathy, as for myself, having the reputation of being a ladies’ man, however false that may be, I was given the pseudonym of Wolf, and of course the Iceman’s always the same, cold and calculating, never lets his emotions show or get in the way, nothing ever fazes him. In all the years we’ve worked together, I’ve never known him ever to lose his cool. Havoc’s just what the name implies, he’s always causing mayhem wherever he goes, and the young fella here’s got the eyes of a Hawk.”

“Yeah the kid’s good,” Havoc informed her. “He holds the base record for long range rifle shot and could shoot the ears of a rattler from half a mile away.”

“Oh, I didn’t know snakes had ears.”

“Well honey, they’re not that big.” Wolf’s eyes twinkled with merriment, and Havoc chuckled.

“Did I say something funny?”

“Ignore those morons Kathy, they’re not laughing at you, it’s me and my big ears,” Hawk explained seriously, shuffling from one foot to the other.

She felt for the young guy and tried to commiserate. “Well, they’re not that big.”

“All the better to hear you with my dear.” Wolf squeezed her arm, and when he winked, she recognized her blunder. A tide of scarlet washed over her as too late she realized that she’d mimicked Wolf word for word. Havoc almost choked on his beer and darted a glance at Hawk who had turned a shade that seriously clashed with his hair. She mouthed a silent apology to Hawk, but the laughter around her was so infectious that she dissolved into helpless peals, and two seconds later Hawk good-naturedly joined in.

*

George looked up from the steaks he was cooking, Phyllis, David, and Julie stopped their conversation midsentence, and all eyes turned to the frivolity taking place across the lawn.

Wolf’s hand on Kathy’s arm drew Ice’s eyes like a magnet as he sauntered down the yard with Sarah and Frosty. With a grim snarl, he placed the tray he was carrying on the table and voiced what the others were thinking.