Once Upon an Arizona Sunset

Chapter 2

In the morning when I woke up sandwiched between my two best friends I noticed a muscled, tanned, hairy arm over Olivia. Liam had crawled in with us at some point in time. I giggled silently and tapped Norra until she woke up. Then I pointed at his arm. She mouthed an 

“Oh my god he’s so sweet at me” Then Olivia started to stir. We both closed our eyes pretending to be asleep. 

"Sorry." Olivia whispered. I heard him kiss her. 

"I'm sorry, I just had to be with you after last night." He said, 

"You snuck in my room to sleep with three women?" She asked him. We couldn’t stop ourselves any longer, we broke out in giggles. 

"You two want to be alone?" I asked her, sitting up in bed. 

"Na, how about we go out for breakfast?" He asked. We jumped up happily, heading for the closet and the washroom. 

"Now, I know I didn't get to give you this in person. However, I bought it for you. I wanted you to have it. Please keep it. Wear it the next time we get dolled up." He said handing something to Olivia.

"Liam, I cannot believe you bought this for me." She said, I walked out of the closet. 

"What's that?" I asked, being nosey. Pulling my  long hair up into a messy bun. She handed it to me. It was an intricate diamond bracelet. I stared at the sparkling stones. Holy s**t. He sure spoiled her. 

"You got a brother?" I asked him slyly. He just smiled.  That kind of man I could tie myself to. I handed her back the box and headed into the bathroom to brush my teeth. 

We walked out into the sunlight, Tim pulling his car out of the garage loaded with the rest of the family. We walked over to Liam’s yard. Around the front of his truck came a man I did not know. He was tall, heavily muscled and tanned. He had piercing blue eyes, a strong jaw line and a kind mouth. Down his arms were tribal tattoos a lot like Liam’s. I noticed he had a slight limp when he walked. 

“Morning ladies,” He said to us. I smiled at him from behind my sunglasses. Scanning down his body. His t-shirt gently clung to his six pack. His thighs, rippled against his pants. 

“This is Chuck,” Olivia said introducing us. 

“This is Peyton and Norra.” She said to him. He nodded. Then he opened the door and held it like a gentleman while the three of us climbed into the back seat. I sat directly behind him. The smell of his body was blowing gently into my nose. Wow, I had always wondered if I could be attracted to someone without ever having a conversation with them. Here he was, attracting me.  Liam took us to a small diner where we sat and chatted over breakfast. I sat beside Chuck, between him and Liam. I felt so tiny between these huge burly men. When we finished up our breakfast Chuck paid the bill. Then he said, 

“Let’s go fishing. Liam, take us to the boat man. I want to fish.” He said happily. We all agreed and hopped back into the truck. After stopping to grab some lunch for later and some liquor for evening Liam drove us out to a marino on Saguaro Lake. Then he led us down the dock to a beautiful black lake boat. Liam hopped down onto the boat and helped each of us girls in and then he gave Chuck a hand into the boat. The engine roared to life and so did the stereo system. We sailed across the water. The boys in the back chatting and us girls sitting on the bow. Olivia stood up and pulled her top off, then her pants. He skin had become so sunkissed she looked like a native Arizonian now. 

“What are you doing?” Norra asked her.

“Tanning.” She replied innocently. I decided to join her, stripping down as well. I hoped Chuck was looking but I didn’t dare glance. 

Liam soared us into a cove where he dropped anchor. The boys each cracked a beer then Liam offered a drink to the Norra and I. I accepted happily, it was scorching hot out here. Chuck said to Olivia,

“Want a drink kid?”  She shook her head no. 

“What you pregnant or something?” He laughed, tossing it to her anyway. I could literally see the heat rise in her face. s**t. He didn’t know yet. I finished my first beer fast hoping that I could distract him from the fact she hadn’t drank it. But he picked up on the move. 

“Liv. you’re pregnant aren’t you?” He asked, 

“f**k yes!” He shouted, patting Liam on the back. Crap. He seemed so happy. 

“What?” He asked, looking at Olivia intently when he noticed her face. Oh this was awkward. 

“Liv?” He questioned her again. 

“It it healthy?” He asked, obviously concerned. She nodded.  

“Are you healthy?” More concern. She nodded again. He was quiet for a minute. 

“It’s not Liams” He said, it wasn’t a question. He had the solution.

“Shit.” He said, 

“Sorry man.” He said looking at Liam. 

“We aren’t involving Connor. I’m raising this baby as mine and we are not telling my parents.” Liam said. 

“Were not?” Olivia asked him. This was obviously the first she had heard of such a plan yet. 

“This secret is ours and your parent’s only Liv. That baby is mine.” Liam said.  Chuck came and sat down beside me patting Olivia on the shoulder. 

“You got this kid.” He said, squeezing her. She stood up and walked over to sit with Liam. Norra was busy fishing off the back of the boat. Chuck was quiet for a moment. Watching Liam and Olivia together. Then he looked at me, 

“They belong together don’t they?” He asked, I nodded sipping my beer. 

“Yea, she almost f****d that one up pretty bad didn’t she?” I noted. Looking at her jealously, wrapped under Liam’s arm. He shifted a little closer. 

“You have no idea,” He said.

“She broke him.” He finished. I nodded. 

“She broke herself too.” I said sadly. I had lost my best friend for a whole year because of her own damn stupidity. 

“So Peyton, are you in University?” He asked me, taking a sip from his own beer. I nodded, playing with the tab on my can. 

“What for?” He said, he seemed genuinely interested in me. 

“Well, I just changed my major. I’m going after business management and finance.” I said, 

“How about you Chuck. What do you do?” I asked him. He smiled. 

“I was in Liam’s unit, but we’re retired now.” He said.  I nodded. 

“What made you choose that path?” I asked him. He laughed, 

“That would be Liam.” He said looking at him. I chuckled, 

“I see.” I said laughing. He smiled down at me, his beautiful while teeth. We chatted for a while longer. He didn’t give me much to go on, eventually he stood up and grabbed two fishing rods, handing one to me. We fished over the side of the boat. Sitting in quiet, staring at the water. Drinking beer and munching on chips. When the sun started going down he turned to me. 

“Peyton do you have a boyfriend?” He asked me. I smiled, 

“No Chuck I do not. Do you have a girlfriend?” I asked him, being cocky. He shook his head. 

“No, it seems she tried to jump my best friend in the shower.” He said laughing.  I looked down. Dammit, he had been seeing Anna. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to jump into those waters. But I didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. 

“Well Peyton, how about you let me take you out on a date tomorrow night?” He asked me. I smiled. 

“K” I said, keeping it simple. He smiled, 

“K” He said. 

“I’ll pick you up at 6.” He said. 

“Sounds good.” I answered him. Then I took his phone out of his front pocket. Typed in my phone number. Sent myself a text and then I texted him my address. We soared back to the marina, Chuck sitting right beside me. His scent flowed around me. Damn he smelled so good. When we got back to Liam’s he walked me to my car. Then to my surprise he leaned in and kissed me. He was gentle, his lips exploring mine. It was quick but it left a burning tingle across my mouth and burning in my belly. 

“Sorry.” He said,

“I just couldn’t wait until tomorrow to try that.” He whispered. 

“Goodnight Peyton.” He said, turning and limping back to Liam’s house. I wondered silently how he had gotten it. A bullet? A bomb? Maybe one day I would find out.