Broken Read Free Page B

them and we’d shaken hands.
    “You really just want to get on my good side,” I chuckled, rolling my eyes at him.
    He gave me a lopsided grin. “I don’t think you have a bad side, Cara.”
    “Okay, then. Back to the mower,” I drawled. I quickly checked that there was no oil or gas before standing and walking to the back of the garage. I reached up for the extra bottle of oil I’d been smart enough to stock, but it was on the top shelf, and I couldn’t grasp it. I turned to look for something to step on, gasping when I plowed into Aspen.
    “Sorry, I didn’t meant to startle you,” he murmured as he moved his hand onto my hip to steady me, brushing against me and grabbing the oil— intimately close. “What were you drinking last night? It looked good.”
    “What?” I whispered as I stared into his hunter green eyes.
    “Your red drink you had on the deck last night. What was it?”
    My cheeks heated so fast I actually felt light-headed as he called me out on what I’d seen. “Strawberry pineapple daiquiri.”
    “Mmm, was it tasty?”
    “Yes,” I breathed, watching him lower his arm, oil in hand, but not move away from me.
    “I wish you had brought it over. Teak and I would have loved to have shared it with you. Would have added to our fun,” he purred as his hand squeezed my hip.
    “Aspen,” Cypress said firmly, and his tone made it clear the man should back off.
    Aspen nodded that he’d received the message and stepped away. “Maybe we could make a pitcher of them another night? We love trying new drinks.”
    “Yeah.” I cleared my throat and shrugged, looking anywhere else. I grabbed my gas can and hurried back to the mower. “It’s really no big deal. It’s just strawberry margarita mix but I don’t like tequila so I use Captain Morgan rum instead, throw in some frozen pineapple chunks and ice. Sometimes mangos. It’s tasty without the hangover.”
    “That does sound good,” Teak agreed as he took the gas from me. He put it in as Aspen added the oil. Then I gave them the quick tutorial. I’d also thought ahead just in case and had charged the battery to my weed whacker. It had been a good call because they didn’t have one of those either. Aspen took charge of the mower while Teak was like a kid with a new toy once I showed him how to operate the weed whacker.
    They thanked me and headed out while Cypress lingered.
    “I should go in,” I mumbled as I turned towards the door to the house. “I need to shower and make breakfast.”
    “Aspen doesn’t know the meaning of subtle,” he explained. “He’s intense and direct so if he sees something, wants something, or likes something, he does not beat around the bush. I’m sorry if he made you feel uncomfortable but he liked you catching them last night. That was his way of saying you didn’t have to go back inside, he and Teak would have welcomed you as an audience. But Aspen respects no, so if you’re not comfortable with something, just tell him and he will back off. Please don’t be mad.”
    “I’m not,” I sighed, giving him a weak smile. “Thank you for explaining, Cypress. You have to understand it’s a little much. I mean, I just met you guys, and it’s kinda like whoa, what the hell’s going on here? ”
    “I do,” he chuckled, shaking his head. Then he gestured over to Aspen and Teak. “ They don’t. They don’t do boundaries all that well. Teak’s a little like a kitten who gets overly excited and wants everyone he cares for happy and involved in the fun. While Aspen’s more the jungle cat who—well, yeah, you saw. They both have their hearts in the right place but no boundaries.”
    “Good to know.” I really wasn’t sure what else to say. Umm, great. Where do I fit in to all of this? You guys are gay so what do you want from me, I’m just your damn neighbor you just met? It was the most awkward conversation I’d had in a long time.
    But at least I knew it wasn’t just some fucked up game to Aspen