Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(9)

Sean led the party through a side gate, down a cement walkway and into the back yard. It was apparent he knew his way around. Also apparent that he felt comfortable enough with Ray to wander around his house unattended.

As the group cleared the house, entering the back yard, they all groaned at the moderate-sized swimming pool.

“Could you have mentioned bathing suits?” Jasmine said with a scowl.

Before Sean could answer, Ray came bustling up with a big smile. “Hi Krista, Ben, Sean!” He then looked at the two girls expectantly.

“Oh…” Krista said, remembering her manners. “This is Kate and Jasmine. They might be joining our team.”

Ray smiled kindly, shook each hand, then turned to Sean. “There are beers and dogs in the usual places. I’ll let you show them around. Mable is here and has already started on the brandy.” Ray rolled his eyes, his smile still in place, before he nodded at Krista, gave Sean a warning look, then bustled away.

“Mable is the neighbor across the street,” Sean said, leading the way to a barbecue station near the house. It was a stationary, elaborate grill with two overflowing coolers next to it. The smell of hot dogs wafted their way as Sean grabbed beers. “She dips into the sauce then tells racist jokes.”

“Yikes,” Kate said as she opened her Corona.

“Yeah. I’ve never met someone with as many racist jokes as this woman possesses. I think she collects them where normal people collect bells.” Sean led everyone to a small picnic table near the pool.

“Bells?” Jasmine said with a glint in her eye. “How old are you?”

Sean laughed as they all sat down. More than a couple eyes glanced his way. “Okay, shot glasses. Whatever. Not the point.”

“So the point,” Kate said with a smirk. “Who the f**k do you know that collects bells?”

Sean laughed in the carefree way that said he was relaxed and himself, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the weathered wood. As he did so his body brushed against Krista’s, hatching butterflies in her stomach as he said, “Well, if not bells, what do people collect?”

“Knives. Swords. Lighters,” Jasmine supplied.

“Or art, Jaz,” Ben said, looking at Jasmine askew. “Stamps. Coins.”

“Well, if you want to be boring, then, yeah, I guess art,” Jasmine said with a shrug.

Sean was looking at Jasmine with shock and a smile, “Should I be worried?”

Kate and Krista both laughed as Ben nodded.

Sean turned his glittering green eyes to Krista. They were intense and focused. They caught Krista and held her.

“—don’t you think, Krista?” She heard through the fog a second later.

Krista tore her eyes away from Sean, who had stopped smiling. Whose eyes had softened to the point of mushy. “What?”

“This back yard is way bigger than I thought it would be from the front.” Kate was looking at her with a poignant look.

“Yes, definitely,” Krista responded, not missing the scrutiny.

“That was a big selling point to Ray,” Sean said, surveying the scenery. There were a collection of people near the rear of the yard where tables and chairs were set up on the lawn.

They fell into easy conversation, which was broken sporadically by Sean brushing against Krista, or bumping her with his big shoulder, or turning that beautiful smile her way. Her heart skipped and thundered and pounded in her chest so often she could barely concentrate.

As the day wore on, and they ate, drank and talked, Sean was up and down, coming and going, saying hello to someone, or getting in a quick chat with someone else. He knew most, if not all, of the people at the party. It was obviously not a work party, and Ray and Sean were obviously great friends. There was no gray area here, this was all personal for Sean.

Chapter Three

Sean was standing with a group of guys, laughing but trying to make an exit all the same, when he glanced over at the table to see how Krista was faring. He wanted to give her some space to see how she acted without his presence to distract her, or to get her defenses up. And the effect was spellbinding. She had him enthralled. He wanted to sit, mute, and watch her easy smiles and subtle grace. His eyes trailed along her sun-sparkled skin and soaked in the feminine timbre of her voice. When she turned those blue-gray eyes on him, he was caught, his tongue slow and sluggish, his thoughts filtered through honey.

She got along with everyone easily, often leaving a trail of laughter as she and her friends wandered around, striking up conversations and inspiring jealous looks from other women.

She chose that moment to look up and sweep the area. Her eyes landed on his, dipping in deep as a thrill went up his spine. She winked, scanned the faces he was standing with, then went back to her friends.

“Gonna keep her all to yourself, McAdams?”

Sean looked at Jeff. The guy was more of a friendly acquaintance than anything, but he was Mary’s work friend and was set up with many of the same women Sean was. For that reason Sean ran into him often. Jeff never minded picking up Sean’s throw-aways.

“Have to get her first,” Sean said, looking away from Krista. He didn’t want to inspire rivalry. He didn’t want competition. It was hard enough talking to her with nothing but her defenses and mistrust getting in the way.

Not that be blamed her, exactly. Today he was hunted by a few women who didn’t take, “We can still be friends” all that well.