Choices. (Completed) A Bam Brown Alaskan Bush People story

Chapter 8

I couldn't believe my bad luck. Just when Bam and I had finally started to work things out between us, he had to say the one thing that set me off. And then his brother had to show up at just the wrong time!

Pushing firmly against Gabe's brawny chest, I finally was able to work myself loose from his grip.

"You've got to stop that." I rolled my eyes and sucker punched him in the gut. "I'm with Bam...I think." I ignored Gabe's strangled cough and turned back to look at Bam. He was still smiling and even though I was still mad about his tacky comment, I couldn't resist his smile. But I wanted to make him come to me. I folded my arms and waited.

"Obie. Come here, girl." Bam stood a few feet away and held out his hand. I unfolded my arms and stuffed them in my pockets. Bam raised his eyebrows and lowered his hand, recognizing the stalemate. I held my chin up and stared back into his beautiful blue eyes, hoping I wasn't shooting myself in the foot by being stubborn. I watched with a tiny speck of fear in my heart as Bam shook his head. My heart started to thump in my chest – was he going to walk away?

"Meet me halfway." He offered and took two steps toward me. I took two steps and closed the distance between us almost at a run, throwing my arms around his neck as I reached him.

"We are so weird." I laughed as I smoothed my hands down his soft hair.

"Yeah. We are." He agreed. "But it's kinda fun." Bam pulled me away and looked into my eyes.

"But this is part serious." His gaze held mine. "I do want to spend time with you and get to know you. But we'll be leaving Juneau for Hoonah just as soon as Matt is released from the hospital."

I understood what he was saying and it was the conversation I had been dreading ever since I first met Bam a few hours earlier. Had it really only been a few hours? We had been through so much together in such a short period of time that it felt like I had known him for years. But he had thawed out this ice queen to the point that I didn't want to ever want to be frozen again. I slid my hand down his beard and let my fingers stroke his mustache. He smiled at my touch and tightened his arms around my waist. His mouth was nearly on mine and I pressed closer to feel his body hard against mine. As his face came closer and his eyes began to close...

"Hi, Bam." My friend Dina spoke from behind me.

Bam's head jerked back and his arms fell from my waist as he made eye contact with Dina.

"Are you kidding me?" I thought. He said they only had one date and it went nowhere. So why this reaction to seeing her again? I turned around to face my friend thinking, "I just can't catch a break." But as I turned, I felt Bam's left arm reach around my neck as he pressed on my shoulder, pulling me back against his chest. He stuck out his right hand to Dina, offering her a formal handshake. Dina shook his offered hand and gave me a weak smile.

"Matt's doing great. We talked, and we're OK." She shrugged her shoulders and her smile turned a little sad. "Not sure if we'll go out again, but we're OK."

I didn't want to move away from Bam, but I wanted to comfort my friend. So shutting out any lingering concerns I may have had about her and Bam, I reached out and pulled her into our embrace. We stood for a moment with my arms around her shoulders and her arms around me and Bam. When she finally broke away, I was relieved to see a familiar sparkle in her bright blue eyes.

"This works." Dina nodded and pointed a finger and me and Bam. "This makes sense."

"Thank you so much for your approval." The sarcasm in Bam's voice was thick. I laughed and dipped my head down a little, giving his arm a little kiss.

"See," Dina pointed again. "That tone of voice is why you and I didn't click on our date." She spoke to Bam and I was so glad that I didn't feel any jealousy at all toward her. "But you'd better watch out, Bam. You don't know it yet, but you may have met your match." Dina gave me quick kiss on the cheek and jangled her car keys in her hand.

"I really am heading home now. Would you like a ride?" She tilted her head at Bam. "Or are you planning to see our girl home?"

"What do mean our girl?" Bam joked without smiling. "This one's mine. Go get your own."

"Ooh. A fight!" I grinned and wiggled my butt against Bam's hips.

"No fight." Dina smiled and began walking toward the exit. "See you tomorrow, Obie."

Bam turned me back around in his arms and held me by my shoulders. Wow, he was gorgeous! He was looking at me in a very direct way but with a light of humor in his eyes.

"What was with all that butt-wiggling stuff?" He asked with a smirk.

I wanted to keep my mouth shut. I really did. But I had been holding back my crazy for so long and it had been a really long night. So the words just sort of just... spurted out of me.

"Bam, if you don't know what all that butt wiggling was meant to accomplish, maybe I do need to be dating one of your brothers."

The look in Bam's eyes was hard to read. But his actions weren't. He dropped his arms from my shoulders and I could see him gritting his teeth. My mind scrambled trying to find a way to take back my words and I finally opened my mouth to apologize and ask if we could start over. Again. But before I could say anything, his brother Bear came bounding into the room.

"Hey guys! Looks like Matt will be released in the morning." Bear's face was beaming and I had to turn my head to get away from the lure of his radiant smile.

"Wonderful." Bam growled as he walked past me back toward Matt's room. "The sooner we get home the better."

I stood rooted to the spot. I was stunned that I had sabotaged my relationship with Bam again. How many times what that now? I had lost count. I groaned out loud and started to walk after Bam to try to fix things. But before I had gone two steps, Bear jumped in front of me and smiled, tossing back his long brown hair.

"Dang!" My mind screamed. "These guys have such beautiful hair!"

"So, Obie." Bear was standing so close to me and he smelled so fresh. Just like pine. "It looks like things might really be over between you and Bam." He stepped even closer and I had to close my eyes to block out that smile. But I couldn't block out the feel of his hands on my arms, or his words.

"Do you like to climb trees?"