A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [58]
Dare returned that smile. “Good. Then come on. Let’s get the rest of the things out of the truck.”
The next morning Dare got up bright and early and stood on the porch enjoying a cup of coffee. AJ was still asleep, which was fine, since the two of them had stayed up late the night before. Thorn had finally called to say he couldn’t make it due to a deadline he had to meet for a bike he had to deliver. So it was final that it would only be the two of them.
After loading up the supplies in the kitchen after Thorn’s call, they’d gathered wood for a fire. Nights in the mountains meant wood for the fireplace and they had gathered enough to last all three days. Then, while he left AJ with the task of stacking the wood, Dare had gone into the kitchen to prepare chili and sandwiches for their dinner.
They hadn’t said much over their meal, but AJ’d really started talking while they washed dishes. He’d told him about the friends he had left behind in California, and how he had written to them. They hadn’t written back. He’d also talked about his grandparents, the Brockmans, and how he had planned to spend Christmas with them.
Now, Dare glanced around, deciding he really liked this place. It had once been jointly owned by one of their cousins and a friend of his, but Jamal had talked the two men into selling it to him and had then presented it to Delaney as one of her wedding gifts. It was at this cabin that Delaney and Jamal had met. While she was out of the country, Delaney had graciously given her brothers unlimited use of it, and all five had enjoyed getting away and spending time together here every once in a while.
Dare turned when he heard a noise behind him and smiled. “Good morning, AJ.”
AJ wiped sleep from his eyes. “Good morning. You’re up early.”
Dare laughed. “This is the best time to catch fish.”
AJ’s eyes widened. “Then I’ll be ready to go in a second.” He rushed back into the house.
Dare chuckled and hoped his son remembered not only to get dressed but to wash his face and brush his teeth. He inhaled deeply, definitely taking a liking to this father business.
Dare smiled as he looked at the sink filled with fish. AJ had been an ace with the fishing pole and had caught just as many fish as he had. He began rolling up his sleeves to start cleaning them. They would enjoy some for dinner today and tomorrow and what was left they would take home with them and split between his mother and Shelly. Maybe he could talk Shelly into having a fish fry and inviting the family over.
His gaze softened as he thought how easy it was to want to include Shelly in his daily activities. He suppressed a groan thinking of all their nighttime activities and smiled as it occurred to him they had yet to make love in a bed. He had to think of a way to get her over to his place for the entire night. Sneaking off to make love in her backyard under the stars had started off being romantic, but now he wanted more than romance, he wanted permanence…forever. He wanted them to talk and plan their future, and he wanted her to know just how greatly she had enriched his life since she had returned.
He shifted his thoughts to AJ. So far they’d been together over twenty-four hours and he hadn’t brought up the topic of their relationship. They had spent a quiet, leisurely day at the lake talking mostly about school and the Williams sisters. It seemed his son had a crush on the two tennis players in a big way, especially Serena Williams. Dare was glad he’d let Chase talk him into taking tennis lessons with him last summer; at least he knew a little something about the game and had been able to contribute to AJ’s conversation.
Dare sighed, anxious to get things out in the open with AJ, but as Shelly had said, AJ would have to be the one to bring it up. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard his son enter the kitchen. He had been outside putting away their fishing gear.
“You did a good job today with that fishing rod, AJ,” Dare said smiling over his shoulder. “I can’t wait to tell Stone. The rod and reel you used belongs