The Hometown Hoax (The Hoax Series) by Heather Thurmeier

cook.”
    “Neither am I, honey.” With that she handed him a metal stick and offered him the platter of assorted meats. “Sausage or hot dog. Your choice and done how you like it since you’re the one heating it up over the fire. Both are pre-cooked already.”
    He accepted a sausage and skewered it, making sure it was secure and wouldn’t fall into the fire. “Thank you. Everything looks fantastic.”
    When was the last time he’d cooked on an open campfire? Never. That wasn’t something people did in the city. As the flames licked the sausage, his gaze moved to where Tessa was sliding a hotdog onto her stick. Her touch looked gentle as she squeezed the wiener, guiding it down the shaft of the skewer. He swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry. Maybe it was all the campfire smoke he’d been sucking in great gulps as he watched. Food was not a turn on to him, or it never had been…until now.
    Now the sight of her paying such close attention to the hotdog made him jealous. He could practically imagine how it would feel to have her hands on his body, guiding him gently to where she wanted him.
    “What?” she asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
    “Nothing. Sorry.” He coughed to clear his throat and his mind. How long had he’d been staring at her like that? Hopefully not long. “I was watching you handle that wiener.”
    “Perhaps you should pay attention to your own wiener and stop worrying about the one in my hands.” She grinned and arched an eyebrow.
    He wasn’t completely sure, but her tone sounded slightly different tonight, not the usual wanting to fight with him tone, more of a teasing, almost flirty tone. But there was no way she was flirting with him, not when she had that boyfriend back in the city.
    Unless…
    Today on the lake, he was sure her story about that guy’s job was different, and he was sure that she’d sounded nervous talking about him. In fact, she’d visibly relaxed when the subject had moved on to other things. Why would she act like that unless there was something suspicious about her story, something she didn’t want people to figure out?
    “Fire. Dude. Earth to Logan.” Travis clapped his hands together, laughing when Logan finally pulled his eyes from Tessa.
    “Shit!” he blurted.
    His nicely secured sausage was currently on fire. He pulled the stick out of the pit and blew on the flames to put them out without splattering hot grease on himself or anyone else. When they were finally out, all that remained on his stick was a shriveled and blackened pathetic looking piece of meat.
    “You may as well grab a new one,” Martha said.
    “I think we should make him eat that one. Penance for not paying attention. Didn’t you always say we had to be extra careful around the fire, Dad?” Tessa asked, her voice sounding far more innocent than her expression said it should be.
    She was a devious one. No wonder they referred to her as the rebel of the family. While everyone else was more than happy to welcome him into the fold, she took every opportunity to ride him, push his buttons, and spar with him. And so far he’d taken every opportunity she’d presented to encourage her behavior.
    After today, he’d definitely encourage her to ride him tonight. Hard.
    His balls tingled with the idea.
    If only he could figure out what was up with that boyfriend situation for real because he couldn’t shake the notion there was more to the story.
    “You’re right, Tessa-bear. I should eat this wiener since I’m the one that burned it. However, I like your mom’s idea better.” He retrieved a new sausage from the table. This time he kept it close enough to warm up but far enough from the flames that there was no chance for it to burn.
    He watched her expression while they chatted. It seemed her face gave away more truth than her words.
    “So when you and Richard meet for dinner after work, do you usually meet him uptown for dinner? There’s this great little place