“I should probably go back in. I told Ethan I was going to the bathroom.”
“Ah, there’s the search party now,” Sean drawled as Garrett stepped outside.
“Everything okay, sweet pea?” Garrett asked as he walked over.
“Yep. Just talking to Sean and getting some fresh air.”
Garrett shoved his hands into his pockets. “You mean you’re hiding out here with this pussy who’s here for the same reason.”
Sean grunted. “Yeah, the exact same reason you’ve run outside like a damn girl.”
Garrett grinned. “Too many damned people. Ma eats that shit up, but I swear it makes the rest of us crazy.”
“So at what point is she going to figure out we’ve fled the premises?” Rachel asked. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Marlene’s feelings.
“Not to worry. Mom is well used to having to round us up. She usually gives us ten minutes or so to get the crazed look from our eyes, and then she’ll come out all sweet-like but with a glint in her eyes you know better than to ignore.”
“And at that point, she drags us back inside by our ears,” Sean finished.
“Sam should be making his appearance soon,” Garrett said. “He got snagged on his way out. We all left Ethan on his own fielding questions. Poor bastard.”
“Oh,” Rachel said. “Maybe I should go back in. I didn’t intend for him to get stuck answering questions about me all night.”
Garrett shook his head. “Not to worry. He deserves it for the time he sicced Aunt Edna on me at Thanksgiving. The woman talked my ear off for damn near an hour while Ethan made his escape. The rest of the bastards stood outside the window and laughed their asses off at me.”
Laughter bubbled up and spilled from her lips. She could so picture it in her mind, and the more she imagined it, the harder she laughed.
“So this is where you assholes are,” Sam growled as he shut the patio door behind him. “Although I don’t think we’re far enough away from the house to do us much good. Mom will only let it go for as long as she’s preoccupied. The minute she notices we’re gone, we’re toast.”
Rachel edged a little closer to Sean and then realized what she’d done. Why the hell did Sam still intimidate her? By all rights Garrett should scare the life out of her. Sam wasn’t near as big or as scary-looking as Garrett, but something akin to panic gripped her every time Sam got close. Maybe it was because he’d been the first one into her hut that night, and she’d been so convinced he was there to kill her.
No matter how stupid that seemed now, she couldn’t rid herself of the memory of him standing over her, big and menacing, holding a gun.
To his credit, Sam seemed very aware of her fear, and he always made a point of being cautious around her. Even now, his eyes softened and he didn’t seem hurt by her overt unease.
As if realizing her sudden stiffness, Sean casually rested his hand on her knee. He gave it a gentle squeeze and never looked away from Garrett and Sam.
“It’s hard to run away from Ma in her own house,” Garrett said in resignation. “She’ll just hunt us down and give us the look.”
Sam chuckled. “Damn shame when grown men are reduced to a bunch of pussies by their mother.”
The patio door jerked open and Ethan stuck his head out, his expression grim.
“Hey have you guys seen Rachel?”
“I’m looking at her,” Sam said.
Ethan stepped out, and relief settled over his face. He stopped beside Garrett and glanced between Rachel and Sean and then at the others.
“You okay?” he asked.
She smiled, not wanting him to worry. “I’m fine. I stepped out for some fresh air not realizing this was a time-honored tradition of escaping Marlene’s get-togethers.”
Ethan relaxed and stuck his thumbs in his belt loops. “Yeah, it’s become something that rivals war games. He who survives the longest without being hauled back in by Mom wins.”
As he stared at her, she knew he was thinking of their earlier conversation, of when they kissed and what she’d asked him to do. His gaze settled over her skin, warm and electrifying.
She shivered, and she wasn’t the least bit cold. The late summer air was humid and warm to the point of discomfort, but all she could feel was the heat of his stare, and the promise in his eyes.