Denver: A Bad Boy Romance (FMX Bros Book 3) (7 page)

Chapter 17

Denver

Jami was doing a poor job of hiding an amused grin as I walked over to her. She’d sat quietly on the sidelines while I performed my model duties, a job I was already getting bored with. I much preferred hammering nails or jumping motorcycles. Primping and preening was definitely not my thing.

The rain had cleared as quickly as it’d started, and the advertisement team didn’t waste a second of time transporting us all to the shoot location, a jungle-like backyard of some big house near Diamond Head.

For Jami, it had been entertaining watching me have my nose powdered, my hair brushed and my picture taken a million different ways until the shot was perfect.

“What I am wondering,” Jami asked before I reached her, “is why the female model, Britney, was dressed like Jane? Shouldn’t they have dressed you like Tarzan to get the full impact of the jungle theme?”

Once the sun had returned, the heat had returned with it. And in Hawaii, it was a moist, steamy heat. Not the dry heat of California. I took hold of the water bottle in Jami’s hand. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was until the liquid poured down my throat.

“The photographer’s assistant, the woman in the pink boots and shorts, had suggested they dress me like Tarzan, but I assured them with one look that it wasn’t happening. Not even sure what the jungle theme has to do with motocross gear, but apparently, some brain from the marketing department came up with what they considered to be a brilliant slogan—‘whether you’re swinging from vines or launching off a kicker, Crushin’ It Gear will fly with you.’”

Jami looked past me. “Britney seemed happy to be posing in the fake leopard skin bikini.”

“Britney is always happy when she’s in front of a camera. I much prefer to work with her friend, Amy. She’s way more down to earth and easy to talk to.”

“The way Britney was grinning and touching you during the entire shoot, it seemed she wanted to swing away on a vine with you.”

I kissed her on the head. “You jealous, Holliday?”

“Maybe. Not completely sure because I don’t know if I’ve ever been jealous before.”

I put my arm around her shoulder and led her for a walk along the garden path that eventually led to the road and the rental car.

“Wait, that’s not true. I have been jealous.”

“Not sure if I want to hear about it. I was kind of liking the idea that I was the first person to make you feel jealous.”

“Nope, sorry to disappoint. Cory Thorne in third grade. That was the first time I was bit by the green-eyed monster, only it wasn’t over another girl. He brought his hamster to school for show and tell. I can tell you I obsessed over that little rodent. I begged, pleaded and went a little bananas with the notion of having my very own hamster.”

“Well, did the begging and pleading work?”

“Nope. My dad would have gone for it, but my mom thought they looked too much like rats. So, yet another permanent scar on my psyche, thank you very much, mommie dearest.”

We stopped at a giant bush covered with yellow hibiscus flowers. “Hope you don’t mind, but I accepted an invite for us to go out to a club with the rest of the Crushin’ It group. They are one of my biggest sponsors, so I—”

“I understand.” She took hold of the hand I had draped over her shoulder and kissed the knuckles. “I’m going to be with you, so I really don’t mind.”

Chapter 18

Denver

The crew in charge of the photo shoot were professionals, who I had little in common with, but it didn’t really matter because I was only focused on one person in our party. Jami. Even in the dimly lit dance club, she radiated daylight, and I never stopped looking at her. She was a great conversationalist and just like at Cole’s, she was completely at ease talking to people she hardly knew.

Unfortunately, Britney grew more obnoxious with each pina colada. Even Amy was rolling her eyes at everything her friend said. Of course Britney had a constant flow of dance requests, so we were only subjected to her charmless personality in between dance sets.

The place was packed with tourists. A band that was a little country and a little rock n roll played some decent sounding tunes.

Jami sipped the last bit of fruity drink through her straw as the band started the next song. “Oh, The Wreckers, ‘Leave the Pieces’, I love this song!” She hopped up and held her hand out to me. “Now that I know you’re a great dancer, I’m not going to leave you alone.”

I put my hand in hers. “Only because it’s
you
asking. And I wouldn’t exactly call me a great dancer.”

“Oh, come on, Twinkle Toes.” Amy winked at me as I pushed reluctantly up from the chair. “You know how rare it is to see one of you freestyle boys tear up the dance floor instead of the dirt?”

Jami pulled me along to the dance floor, and we squeezed into the crowd. Britney spotted us and danced her way toward us, basically ignoring the man she was dancing with, an old guy who looked as if he’d fallen asleep on the beach with sunglasses on his face. He resembled a beet red raccoon.

Britney rudely pushed between us. “You have not danced with me all night, Denver. I’m beginning to think you don’t like me.” She’d had more than enough drinks, and her words blurred together. She pointed at the stage with her long finger. “That guitarist is staring at me.” She waved at him. “Hi, sweetie.” She stumbled back on her high heels, and I caught her before she landed hard on her butt.

Jami touched my arm. “Walk her back. We can dance to this tune another time.”

I held firmly to Britney’s arm and escorted her back toward the table. She pulled her arm from my grasp, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. I took hold of her arms and held her back. “Britney, I think you need to head back to the hotel. You’ve had a few too many.”

“Fuck you, Denver.” Her hand came up. I ducked sideways before she managed to slap me. I caught her before she tipped over. It seemed everyone in the place had turned to watch.

“Brit,” I said in a low voice, “let’s just get back to the table before some bad publicity gets back to the company. Otherwise, we’re both going be out on our asses.”

Jami stood a few feet away deciding, smartly, not to get involved.

Britney’s unfocused gaze landed on her. Jami looked so perfectly smart and innocent and sexy and so much the opposite of Britney that I swallowed back an ache in my throat, an ache that I could only explain as a tug of emotion sneaking up on me. Like a commercial or a movie scene that catches you by surprise. That’s what Jami was, a poignant moment in life that had caught me by surprise.

Britney pointed her long finger at Jami and raised her lip in disgust. “What the heck are you doing with her? She reminds me of all the loser girls in high school I ignored.”

“Shit, Britney, that booze just takes your bitch quotient to a whole new level.” I decided that I didn’t really care if she stumbled and fell face first on her way to the table. I turned away from her.

I walked over and took hold of Jami’s hand. She looked slightly hurt by the ruthless comment. I lifted her chin and kissed her. “Want to get out of here?”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Britney had found her way back to the table. Walt, the photographer, had ordered a round of drinks for everyone to celebrate his thirtieth birthday. Jami and I sat to join him with plans to make our escape right after. Another drink was the last thing Britney needed. It seemed her head and conceit only grew with each passing moment.

She leaned back against her chair and pointed rudely toward the band again. “That guitarist is like a fucking stalker. I swear he hasn’t taken his eyes off me all night.”

Amy looked up toward the stage and then back at her inebriated friend. “Brit, you need to stop drinking. I don’t want to be cleaning your barf up off the bathroom floor tonight.”

“I’m telling you he’s been staring this direction through the entire song.” Britney propped her chin on her hand and stared at the band. “He’s actually kind of cute.”

Jami shot me a half smile.

I leaned over to Walt. “Hey, happy birthday, man. What time are we meeting tomorrow? We wanted to get in at least one hike and waterfall while we’re here.”

“Won’t need you until three. They want a sunset shot. So enjoy the day.”

“Great.”

The music stopped, but Britney made no attempt to lower her voice. She was still talking about the guitarist. Suddenly, she gasped dramatically and grabbed Amy’s arm. “Oh shit, the guitarist is coming this way. See, I told you he was staring at me.” She fumbled for the mirror in her purse.

The guitarist held his instrument as he made his way through the maze of tables. He had a shaved head and beard and plugs in his ears. He reached our table and walked to the side we were sitting on. It seemed Britney hadn’t just been imagining it. She dropped her mirror in her purse and lifted her hand to the man. He seemed surprised and shook it. Then he continued along the side of the table and stopped in front of Jami. Britney spun around on her seat and nearly lost her balance.

The man bowed to Jami. “Miss Holliday, I would be so honored if you would sign the back of my guitar.” He pulled a marker out of his pocket and held it up.

Jami took the pen. “The honor would be all mine—” She paused for his name.

“Leo, if you could just write it to Leo that would awesome. I saw you play when I was in Chicago. It was a spiritual experience.”

Jami blushed at the compliment. “Thank you. That means a lot coming from a fellow musician.” She signed her name and handed the pen back. He nodded to her and walked away.

Britney and every other person at our table stared open-mouthed at Jami. She shrugged. “Guess he liked the way I danced.”

I flashed a secret smile her direction and stood up. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I took Jami by the hand and led her out of the club. The sidewalk was bustling with people and a warm mist had settled in over the island.

“Well, Miss Holliday, I’m honored as hell too.” I pulled Jami into my arms and kissed her.

Chapter 19

Jami

I gripped the long, spongy stem of the vine and scooted down to the next layer of loamy soil. A warm mist hugged us as we trekked in our mud covered sandals down the trail. Denver had taken the lead to point out any questionable sections on the path. So much of the trail was covered in overgrown plants and tangled vines, it was hard to understand how he could even stay on the path. It was also aggravating to see just how easily he could traverse what was clearly a trail that saw few visitors.

I took a step and my sandal sucked down into the wet soil like quicksand. Suction held me firmly in place. Denver hadn’t noticed my predicament. “Excuse me, Tarzan, but I seem to be stuck.”

He looked back at me and smiled. Sunlight was streaming through the permanent misty haze, and it illuminated his handsome face just enough to give him an almost godlike appearance. I decided right then that if I was to die a slow, ugly death in quicksand, then Denver would be an awesome last sight to see before sinking into an earthly grave.

Denver hiked back to me and swung the backpack carrying our water bottles and snacks toward the center of his back. He leaned over. “Put your hands on my shoulders.”

I placed my hands on him and braced myself against his strong shoulders as he took hold of my ankle.

“I have a new respect for those poor prehistoric creatures who wandered into the tar pits.”

He pulled my foot free of the sandal and I stepped away from the mire. “I don’t think you have to worry about becoming a fossil yet.” He dug out my sandal and held it up. “Doesn’t look much like a shoe right now, but it’s better than walking barefoot.”

“Thank you. You are a handy guy to have around for all kinds of things, broken showers, quicksand rescues, really great sex.” The last comment made him grin. “I’d say you’re an all around keeper.” The second I said it a twinge of sadness went through me. It was true. Denver was one in a million, a keeper, the kind of man you only expect to meet in your daydreams. And, in less than a month, I was going to have to walk out of this unbelievable daydream and back into the shadows of my real life. How foolish I’d been to think I could just have fun, take part in a sexy little dalliance with Denver, and then just as easily pack up my meager belongings and leave him behind for good.

We continued along the primitive path with my feet taking a perpetual mud bath and my heart just a little more muddied as well. The roar of rushing, tumbling water and the anticipation of finding a waterfall at the end of the hike helped wash away some of the blues.

Denver flicked a glance back over his shoulder. “I can smell and hear the falls. We’re getting closer. You’ll soon see why it was worth hiking along a path that rarely sees human footprints. People always flock to waterfalls that are easy to reach.”

We traveled around a forest of lush, tropical plants and came to a recess in the rocks, a recess that was covered in a cool, misty spray of water. The falls started up from some magical point in the black rocks and ended their journey in a deep green pool. Broad leaf plants and ferns carpeted the adjacent rock formations.

I found solid footing and stopped. “Oh wow. You’re right. It was worth the mud. After my tar pit experience, this place almost looks prehistoric, doesn’t it? Like a dinosaur might pop its head out of the palms to take a sip of water.”

“Boy, that would be a great selfie, wouldn’t it? Us standing in a waterfall picture with a brontosaurus photo bombing us?” He placed the backpack on a dry section of ground. “Best part of all, there’s no one else up here. That muddy hike is a turn off for most tourists, and with so many other waterfalls on the island, this one gets sort of ignored. Or at least that was what it said online when I searched for secluded waterfalls. And you can swim in the pool. You up for it?”

“Nope. I’ve seen it, so let’s turn around and go back.” I laughed as I reached for the hem of my shirt. “Of course I want to swim.” I stripped down to my bathing suit, an out of style one piece that I’d brought along to cover my white belly.

Denver nodded approvingly at it. “It’s not a step up from the bra and panties number you were wearing in the other side of the Pacific, but there is something to say for formfitting, curve hugging one piece suits.”

“Something to say like, hey Granny, did you pull that out of the old chest in the attic or did you just steal it off a nun?”

His laugh sounded even better echoing off the surrounding rocks. “The stuff you say, Holliday. Unexpected and funny, every damn time.” He reached for my hand.

Not knowing if the bottom was rocky or smooth, we both decided to leave on our mud soaked shoes.

The water was just cool enough to feel refreshing, especially after the warm, humid hike. A constant spray of water shot over the otherwise calm pool. The silt bottom fell quickly away from our feet, and we found ourselves swimming toward the center.

I floated onto my back and stared up at the waterfall. “Majestic. I’ll bet whoever came up with that word was floating on their back staring up at a waterfall just like this.”

Denver swam up next to me. He let his gaze drift over my body. “Incredible. I’ll bet whoever came up with
that
word was swimming next to a beautiful girl.”

“In an out of date granny suit?”

“Granny suit, my ass. All I can think about is what’s hiding beneath it.” He hooked his arm around my waist, and I pushed my feet downward and snuggled against him. We were both treading water as we took in the scenery. The surrounding landscape was a perfectly painted picture. The water roared behind us, spraying us with a cool mist as he kissed me.

He lifted his face. His blue eyes matched the color of the blue sky. There was an intensity in his gaze that splintered my heart and made it do a little skip of joy all at the same time.

“I can’t think of a more idyllic setting to be kissed in by the hottest man ever. This couldn’t be more perfect. Well, unless of course we were lucky enough to have Stevie Nicks show up and sing a romantic song like “Landslide”. That might make it just a little more perfect, but since that’s—”

Denver stopped my senseless speech with his kiss. Cool water or not, it seemed to take only seconds, and we were both short of breath in our need to touch each other.

His mouth devoured mine as his hand pushed down my suit strap, exposing my breast. His thumb brushed over my nipple. Then his mouth followed. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me around the pool. The heady feeling of drifting around beneath a waterfall in the arms of a man who had wound his way around my heart made me dizzy.

Holding me snugly in his arms, Denver kicked his legs and took us in the direction of the churning water. The spray grew stronger, and the serene, smooth surface of the pond swirled like the inside of a blender.

“I can see a ledge behind the curtain of water. I think we can climb up behind the falls and watch it from the other side. We could hike up to it, if you want.” He lowered his mouth to my shoulder and kissed it. “We’ll be hidden in our own private water room.”

“In that case, I’m up for a hike.”

We swam toward the water’s edge and found a place to climb out onto the rocks. They’d been worn smooth by water and time. Denver climbed up onto the next outcropping of black rock. He turned around and lowered his hand for me. I placed my palm on his and he pulled me up. All I could think was his strong, supportive arms were something I could learn to love.

His firm grip kept me safe and secure on the rocks as he led me to a ledge that stretched across the face of the rocks. It was more than wide enough to walk on, and it meandered beneath the waterfall at a spot where the water came down over the ledge like a protective curtain. The bulk of the water, save for a feathery cool mist, missed the ledge completely. It was like a pocket in the rocks, a perfect place to stand and watch the underbelly of the fall as it made its rapid descent into the pool below.

We watched the water in awe. The roar of the fall was loud, and we could hardly hear each other. But we didn’t need to talk. Denver took hold of my hand and squeezed it. He led me to stand in front of him and wrapped his arms around me. He lowered his mouth to my shoulder and kissed it.

“I just remembered a scene from Last of the Mohicans when they were standing beneath a waterfall, waiting to be captured.” I reached up and wrapped my fingers around Denver’s thick forearms. “Hawk-eye tells Cora to ‘stay alive. I
will
find you’. Then he jumps into the falls. There can’t be anything more romantic than knowing that someone would walk the entire Earth to find you.”

Denver squeezed his arms tighter. “I promise that if I ever lose you, I will walk the entire planet to find you.” He kissed my neck. “But I’m not jumping into that waterfall.”

I laughed. “Well, that’s disappointing.”

“Maybe I can make it up to you somehow.” His hand smoothed down over my belly and he tucked it between my legs. I melted against his strong chest as his fingers scooted beneath the crotch of my suit, finding the sweet spot that made a breathy sigh rush from my lips. His thumb massaged my clit as his fingers pushed inside of me.

Denver’s arms supported me as my knees turned to jelly and my head spun from the intensity of it all. His skill and the extreme, almost dreamlike surroundings pushed me quickly over the edge of an orgasm. My soft cry of pleasure was absorbed by the thunderous sound of the waterfall.

It took me a few moments to regain my composure. I spun around in Denver’s arms. “That was like an erotic fantasy come to life. I won’t ever look at a waterfall the same.” I reached up and ran my fingers along the dark stubble on his chin. “Heck, I won’t ever look at another man the same.” As I said the words, they swept down into my chest and took hold. I was falling for Denver, and I had no idea how this could end without me completely broken.