Cowboys & Bosses

by Piper Sullivan

  When I pulled up to her place, I expected to find her sexy and rumpled in a pair of barely there pajamas, instead she was behind the wheel of her car with her gaze focused on her phone. She screamed when I tapped on the passenger window, completely oblivious to my arrival. “What is it, Luke?” The question was laced with annoyance but I wasn’t bothered.

  “Where are you headed?”

  “I need to head up to Bend to deal with problems with some of our signs.” She didn’t say it, but the signs had been my responsibility and any problem with them meant it was my fault.

  “You weren’t going to tell me?” The blank stare she leveled me with was all the answer I needed. “I’m coming with you,” I told her, hitting the lock on my car and jumping into the passenger seat. “Want me to drive.”

  “No.”

  Okay, then. I spent the first hour of the drive listening to Talia sing along to Whitney Houston’s greatest hits. She wasn’t the greatest singer but she wasn’t bad either. What she lacked in talent she made up for in enthusiasm. And volume. It was kind of adorable to see this tough as nails chick, cranking out ballads with all her heart.

  But buy hour two, I’d had enough. “What’s going on with you, Talia?” She’d been acting strange for some time and even Poppy was starting to notice.

  “I don’t know what you mean, nothing is wrong.” She sighed like even answering the question was an imposition but her gaze never slid to mine, a clear sign she wasn’t being honest.

  “Cut the shit, Talia. Everyone has noticed, even Poppy with her pregnancy brain has noticed. The only reason she hasn’t said anything is because Blake keeps reminding her of how much you have to do these days.”

  “Because my days weren’t busy before,” she mumbled. “Look I’m busy and I’m tired, okay? Besides that, when I’m not at work I’m allowed to do whatever the hell I want, okay?”

  Hell no it wasn’t okay. The more she protested the more certain I was that something was wrong. “No one said you’re not but that doesn’t mean people who care about you aren’t allowed to ask.”

  “If people gave a damn, they’d mind their own business.”

  “That’s not how family works,” I told her with a frown. “If I had a nickel for every time Blake or Lacey were all up in my business I’d be a very rich man.”

  “You are a very rich man,” she shot back drolly. “And I don’t have any family.”

  “You have Poppy and Maple.” She didn’t say anything to that, clearly she really was done talking about this. “Want to pull over and have sex?”

  She laughed just as I’d hoped, shaking her head and looking at me like I was an alien life form. “Maybe but not now. If those signs are screwed up we’ll have to do a rush order since the event starts next Sunday.” Already her mind went back to the never endling list she kept in her head, eyes glazed over as she pushed her sedan down the expressway. “Maybe on the way back.”

  I smiled at her words. Even though it was just a maybe, I could easily turn Talia’s maybe into a hard yes. A very hard yes.

  It was just past noon when we arrived just outside of Bend where they were already doing most of the work for the tournament. There were signs and flags up everywhere, telling the world there was an outdoor sports event happening soon. “Shit,” she said when we came around the first real curve on the property and caught a glimpse of the sign. “That’s too small.” Shoulders slumped, she pulled out notepad and began scribbling furiously before she lifted her head and we kept going. “Misspelled,” she muttered under her breath as we passed another sign.

  After we did a quick circuit of the property, we found the event organizers and had a quick talk with them and by ‘we’ I mean Talia. Turns out she really didn’t need my help because I was the one who’d screwed everything up. “Sorry,” I told her as we headed back to the car.

  “Doesn’t matter now, it’s handled.”

  “You’re not very forgiving, are you? That must mean you make very few mistakes. Must be nice.”

  She glared at me. “I make mistakes all the time and I own them when I do because I’m not a fucking child. If you couldn’t or didn’t want to do them, you should have just said that.” She stomped away, annoyed as ever with me but I didn’t care because she had on another pair of jeans, black this time and they were molded to legs and an ass I knew very well.

  I widened my steps in case she got the idea to take off without me, but I shouldn’t have worried because Talia was hard but she wasn’t mean. And when I slid into the passenger seat, she was already on the phone with the print shop. “Tell them to rush it.”

  Talia held up a pearl pink nail to shut me up. “I expect them completed by and delivered on Monday. Before noon.” She sent me a look that said she wasn’t impressed with me. “Yes, I understand that the mistake wasn’t yours, however I explicitly asked for confirmation and I have yet to receive it.” She nodded, a solemn expression on her face as she listened and turned over the engine. “Yes, thank you. Enjoy your weekend.”

  “Want to stay the night here?”

  “Nah, I got stuff to take care of at home.” It was vague as hell and I had a feeling she was lying.

  “What?”

  “It’s personal.”

  I laughed. “I’ve tasted every sweet inch of your body, Talia. That’s personal, this is just some shit you don’t want to share.”

  “Exactly. You’re not my boyfriend Luke and you don’t want to be so stop acting like I owe you anything!”

  She was right. Mostly. “What if I do? Want to be, that is?” Wait, what the fuck did I just say? I didn’t feel sick or panicky, my heart rate was as normal as it ever was around Talia, instead of near heart attack level at the idea of being someone’s boyfriend. It was a title I avoided at all costs.

  Judging by the shock in her honey brown eyes, I’d shocked Talia too.

  Talia

  He didn’t mean it, of course he didn’t mean it. Luke was nobody’s boyfriend and he probably said it just to get a rise out of me. That’s why he said the majority of what came out his mouth, at least to me. He was screwing with my head, at least he was trying to. But he wouldn’t because I wouldn’t let him. So I tried to shake it off. I tried hard but every time there was a moment of silence, his voice was there all deep and sexy and uncertain. What if I do? Want to be, that is.

  Who says that right before a three and a half hour drive? Luke, that’s who. And the worst part was that he looked and sounded so sincere when he said the words that I panicked and peeled out of the parking lot, driving like a bat out of hell as I reminded myself that Frederico had been a fantastic fucking liar too. He’d made me believe a lot of shit that I shouldn’t have. I refused to make that mistake again.

  Pretending that he didn’t say anything was the only course of action, especially since I was on my way to his office to make him regret he was ever born. When I divided up the tasks for Luke and I for both the wedding and the Northwest Adventure Classic, I gave myself more tasks in deference to his job as CFO, even though I was working double duty myself. And even after all that, he still didn’t do it all.

  Fucking, men.

  I signed in and went up in the elevator, giving a sigh of relief that Scarlett wasn’t at her desk. If I had to deal with that crazy bitch right now, she might end up flat on her ass. I pushed inside his office and found it empty. “Luke?” Maybe he was working out or in the bathroom.

  “Oh!” Scarlett was coming from the back of Luke’s office, where the bathroom, gym and lounge were, a smug smile on her face as she drew my attention to her fingers. Fastening the buttons on her too small blouse.

  I knew that smile and I knew what it meant. I figured it out about a half a second before Luke came out, adjusting himself. As angry as I was—and believe me I was fucking fuming—I felt a sense of relief that I was right about Luke all along. Not that it helped the fracturing inside my chest or the boiling of my blood, but a deep sense of satisfaction that I hadn’t been blindsided. Ag
ain.

  “Uh, Talia, hey.” He held a hand up in greeting like I was his fucking buddy. Well I wouldn’t give his guilt or her smugness any response at all.

  I had more pressing business at the moment. “You haven’t done the fucking tuxedoes, Lukas! The one thing I asked you do as early as possible so you wouldn’t forget and you fucking forgot!” I shook my head, disgust and anger my overriding emotions. “You hardly had anything to do and still you couldn’t do it. Thanks, Lukas.” My phone buzzed and I stared at him, ignoring the hurt while I dug it out of my bag.

  “Be reasonable, the wedding isn’t for-,”

  I turned my back to that asshole because Blake was calling and he never called. Something was wrong. “Yeah?”

  “Talia, I called you at the office but you weren’t there. It’s Poppy, her water broke and she’s screaming for you.”

  Labor. Just what I needed. “You remember the plan?”

  He huffed out a laugh. “You sent me an updated copy yesterday, so yes.”

  “Great. I’ll be there soon.” With the phone still in my hand I turned to find Luke and Scarlett wearing the same expressions as before. Guilt and pride. Well I didn’t want either and with a shake of my head, I left.

  My head was held high and my shoulders square. I refused to let the disappointment I felt outshine my glee at not falling for his bullshit.

  I only made the stupid mistake of falling for the man.

  Luke

  Dammit! I couldn’t believe Talia walked out without giving me a chance to explain that as bad as it looked, it wasn’t what she thought it was. It looked damn bad as I was sure Scarlett had meant it to for whoever had entered my office, because I hadn’t been expecting Talia specifically. It just pissed me off that she didn’t want to even hear my side of things and more than that, it cemented my idea that relationships were utter shit.

  “It’s not too late to change your mind,” Scarlett purred, brushing her fingertips along the cleavage she insisted on showing off every fucking day.

  I scoffed at that. “I don’t think so. Tomorrow you start in the accounting department and if I see you on this floor for any reason, you’re fired.” I’d had enough with her subtle flirting and innuendo but I ignored it because I wasn’t Blake. Now I see that, once again, big brother was right.

  Scarlett pushed her chest and ass out, pouting in that way that women think is sexy but really fucking isn’t. “Unless someone tells.”

  Ah, the threat. “Not very original, Scarlett. Because I was trying to be nice since you were a halfway decent assistant but now, you are fired.” I walked over to my desk and pressed the extension for HR. This was exactly why I didn’t fuck my assistants. Women were mercenary creatures who would seek revenge in the most cutthroat way imaginable.

  “Fire me and you’ll find yourself in the middle of a sexual harassment lawsuit,” she threatened outright this time.

  “You know that is an excellent idea. I’ll have my lawyers file a lawsuit against you immediately and Exhibit A against you will be the video recordings I started the moment you walked into my office. Uninvited.” Just because the world thought I was nothing more than a rich playboy with a head for numbers, didn’t make it true.

  The year-round tan she maintained couldn’t hide the way her skin turned white at my words. She sucked in a breath. “That’s illegal.”

  “Not when you’re not where you’re supposed to be. My office is off-limits unless you get explicit instructions to enter. You did not have it.” I gave her a satisfied smile that matched the one she couldn’t help but flash at Talia, making everything worse.

  Roberta entered looking harried in that way that all HR Directors do, flashing a nervous smile at me and then Scarlett. She took a seat, scribbling as I gave her a detailed account of what happened. “Sir?”

  “You heard right, Roberta. She’s to be fired effective immediately.” Roberta opened her mouth to ask a question just as my phone buzzed on the desk. “One second. What’s up, Blake?”

  “Poppy’s in labor.” He sounded confused and I can only imagine why. Talia. She knew and left without telling me.

  “I’m on my way,” I told him and ended the call. “Blake’s fiancée is in labor, Roberta. If you have any questions give me a call and start collecting resumes for a new assistant.” I fumed all the way down the elevator and to my car, cursing Talia as I made my way to the hospital and up to the maternity ward waiting room. I couldn’t believe it. That call must have been Blake and she’d looked right at me and hadn’t said a damn thing.

  Everyone was in the waiting room, including Blake. Lacey and Walker sat together and Maple was next to Blake offering words of comfort. “Where’s Talia? She was in my office when you called.”

  Both Maple and Blake wore matching expressions of shock but neither responded to my outburst. “She’s Poppy’s birth coach,” Blake said looking a bit dazed. “She was doing a lot of screaming. And swearing.”

  “Well I hear childbirth hurts a bit, brother.” I didn’t need to be a sullen bastard right now, not when this was Blake’s time to fall apart and make unreasonable demands. “So what can I do, buy cigars? Diapers? Remind you of what she’s going through in there.”

  “I did that already,” Maple offered with a mischievous smile.

  “You can tell me what’s up with you and Talia.”

  Dammit, I had to open my big mouth, didn’t I? “Who knows. She walked in on something that looked fucked up but it wasn’t at all what it was. She didn’t give me a chance to explain, just started bitching because I forgot to do the tux fittings. And then you called and she didn’t say a fucking word. Sorry Maple. She just looked at me all disgusted and walked out.” Both hands raked through my hair. “She was going to let me miss out on the birth of my niece or nephew because she’s angry.”

  “Blake has enough to worry about.” Maple stood just as Fred returned with a cardboard holder full of coffee cups. “You come with me and Fred is going to tell Blake all about the day his wife gave birth to their first child.”

  “You got it sweetheart.” The old man smiled at her, absolutely smitten, and kissed her cheek before handing cups out.

  Maple waited until we were outside in the small memorial area of the hospital that was filled with benches and flowers before she spoke. “Let me get this right, her best friend who’s more like a sister to her is in labor and she should have waited for a man who doesn’t want commitment from her or anyone else, to explain why he was fucking his secretary?” She shook her head while I was still trying to come to grips with hearing her say ‘fucking’. “So cliché, by the way.”

  “I didn’t fuck her. I wasn’t fucking her because I don’t screw my assistants.”

  “But you never shut her down, am I right?” I nodded and she shook her head. “Well that’s just stupid, son.”

  I laughed and leaned back in the bench, crossing my legs at the ankle. “Don’t hold back, Maple.”

  “Why should I? You might not have been banging that secretary but you don’t want anything with Talia, so why are you so bent out of shape? Why not just call it good, right now?”

  That was a good damn question, one I’d refused to even try to answer when it came to Talia. “Maybe it’s because we’ll be dealing with each other from now until eternity and it would be nice of things weren’t awkward as hell.”

  “Maybe? Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, kid. You like her and you’re runnin’ scared. Another thing you and Talia have in common, actually.”

  I frowned at that. “Talia doesn’t do scared. Or vulnerable.”

  “Wrong. They just happen so infrequently it just seems that way but I’ve known Talia since she was a girl. She’s as much mine as Poppy is and I know her like it. She hasn’t said so, but I know the look of someone who’s about to do a runner.”

  Run? “Where?”

  Maple shrugged and looked up at the sky. “Who knows? The world is a big place. I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad, Luke. You
’re a good boy, anyone who knows you can see that.”

  “Except Talia,” I snorted.

  “Wrong again. She told Poppy as much when she was warning her off you. Said you were good underneath all this,” she motioned to me from head to toe. “She was right.”

  “So if you’re not trying to make me feel bad, why tell me she’s going to leave?” Probably to scare the shit out of me because that’s what my racing heart felt. Talia couldn’t leave. We weren’t dating and we never would be, but that didn’t mean I was ready to be done with her. I wasn’t.

  “So that you can feel better about how things played out between you knowing she’ll be out of your hair soon. I’d say six months, maybe less.” With that she stood and waited for me to gather my thoughts and escort her back inside.

  How in the hell I was suppose to gather anything when all I could think about was not seeing Talia again, I had no idea. But I couldn’t keep Maple waiting forever. “It doesn’t make me feel better, but I appreciate you trying Maple.” I kissed her cheek. “Now let’s go great-grandma.”

  “Bite your tongue, young man. Don’t think I won’t hurt you just because you love my other girl.” The old woman howled with laughter when I nearly tripped over my feet on the way back inside.

  “I could’ve taken you down with me, you know that right?”

  She smiled and I realized in that moment how much I enjoyed Maple’s company. More family was definitely not a bad thing. “I do, but I got a loving man at home to nurse me back to health. Do you?”

  Damn, burned again by the old lady. “Can I call you Grandma?”

  “You can call me that when you put a ring on Talia’s finger.”

  Luke: 0. Maple: 3.