Rocky Mountain Heat by Vivian Arend

Chapter 9 - Games with brothers make the best deals

Soooooo this chapter gets a little heated i am hear to warn you. Make up your mind NOW if you are going to attempt to read this now. there is no going back

~Anon

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Blake***

Blake took another draw on his beer and placed the bottle down carefully before turning his attention back to the surface of the pool table. He and Leo were maintaining their own over the twins, the score sixty-seven to sixty-four. Better than the previous Friday when he'd still been out of his mind trying to understand what had happened with Jaxi in the shower the night before. Damn, his life had turned into a cheap dime-store romance gone sour.

Joel and Jesse relaxed nearby, cocky grins on their faces.

"Not bad for a tired old man," Jesse said, twirling his cue as he waited for his turn.

"Well, if someone was a little less distracted, we'd have you boys so far gone you'd tuck in your tails and head home." Blake tried to decide which ball to sink. This week his partner was the one off his game, checking his watch and cell phone constantly. "Leo, you got troubles? Other than the twenty we're ready to lose if you don't concentrate a little more?"

Leo grinned sheepishly. "Cari's supposed to get back into town tonight or tomorrow. I'm waiting for her call."

"Save us from the lovebirds. Leo, you and Cari are soooo sweet." Jesse turned and pulled a face at Blake and Joel.

Blake snorted. "Six ball, right-side pocket." He lined up the shot and sank the ball in one smooth, easy motion. Handing the cue to Leo, he went back to his beer.

He wasn't going to let Jesse know he really was tired. Sleep was hard to come by since he'd witnessed Jaxi in all her glory in the shower. His nights had gotten worse after she'd blown up at him at the community hall. He tossed and turned, hard and aching, all night long with no easy solution to his problem.

"You enjoying the guest cabin, Blake?" Joel kicked his legs freely as he sat on top of a nearby table, watching Leo take his shot.

Blake grunted.

"Guess Jaxi needed a little more room than the office space. What a gentleman you are to offer your bed." Jesse's eyes twinkled with mischief.

Blake flashed him a dirty look. Damn twins could poke all they wanted, but no way would he would confess he'd changed rooms because he didn't trust himself to be close to the girl and not make a move on her.

Hell, the way she'd acted in the shower, inviting him to touch her, he didn't trusted her to stay away from him. There was no use in begging for trouble.

Then there was the whole "Showdown at O.K. Corral" two nights ago. What a fucking nightmare. He hated that he'd hurt her, the expression in her eyes almost enough to make him reconsider, if only to be allowed to wipe away the pain.

He'd admit it. Jaxi had grown up. But he couldn't let her goad him into doing something she'd regret. She was too young to really know what she wanted for the long haul, and he was not having a one-night stand with her. The pain of rejection was for her own good, even though sticking to his guns choked something deep inside him.

"Course, staying in the cabin means you've got much more privacy if you need it." Joel jumped off the table with a whoop of delight. "Leo, you blew that shot. Our turn."

Joel and Jesse alternated in sinking balls, raising their score to seventy-five before they missed. Blake sipped his beer and glanced around, letting the familiar décor soothe his tired nerves.