Owen had told her about Sawyer’s anxiety about safety on the boats and she’d been immediately worried. For Sawyer, for sure. It broke her heart that he couldn’t get past what had happened to Tommy and that he felt responsible and that it was bleeding over into other things. But it was also bad for business. Him freaking out and cutting tours short was not good. Refunding all of that money was really not good.
But putting drunk jackasses on the boats with a guy who needed everyone to follow his direction and do things by the book was a bad idea, too.
Shit, she was going to have to talk to Kennedy about this, too. She needed to screen the tours she assigned to Sawyer better.
“We do not have a policy against drinking on the boats,” Maddie told him. Though they should and that was going to be on the next partner meeting agenda. They even served drinks on the Bayou and Beer tour. That was stupid as hell. There needed to be some changes around here. She could be the bitch that got shit done with the Snickers bar guy and with the Landry boys. They wanted her here? Well, she was here. If they regretted that, it was all their own fault.
Just like these guys getting their tour cut short.
“But,” she continued, “you have to follow the captain’s instructions, and failure to do so will jeopardize your tour no matter your state of sobriety.”
“All the reviews say this place is a big party and that you can’t miss these tours. Well, we didn’t get our tour.”
He wasn’t smiling anymore. He looked like he was getting frustrated. Seemed that maybe he wasn’t used to being told no. Maddie was fine giving him this life lesson. Actions had consequences. Especially when he was messing with someone she cared about.
“You need to take that up with your friend. And each other. Him standing up repeatedly on the boat was putting you all at risk. We want you to have a good time, but safety always comes first. You all could have kept him in his seat. Or you could have cut him off at the bar when you saw how much he’d had. So…” She shrugged. “No refund.”
“We want our money back,” the guy said, his tone firm now. “My sister is a lawyer. You don’t really want me to call her, do you?”
Oh, he had not just threatened to sic his lawyer on her.
Maddie pushed a piece of paper across the counter and pointed to the bottom third. “These are the rules and regulations you agreed to. Number five states that you will listen to and abide by everything the captain tells you above and beyond what’s spelled out in numbers one through four. You signed this when you gave me your money.” She slid her finger down. “And right here it says that refunds will not be granted if you fail to follow the above outlined guidelines. I guess your sister might just have to take that up with our attorney if she doesn’t agree that your signature binds you to this agreement.”
The guy squinted at the page.
She really hoped he couldn’t read the nine-point font at the bottom of the page because she was totally lying about the refund policy. That wasn’t in there. But it would be by the end of the day.
The guy pushed back from the counter with a sigh. “This is crap. We just wanted to see alligators.”
She breathed out in relief. “You coming in here demanding your money back after you were all a bunch of asses?” Maddie asked. “Yeah, that is crap.”
He glanced back at his friends, then looked at Maddie. “How about we leave him here and you take the rest of us out?”
Maddie’s eyebrows shot up. “There is no way I’m babysitting your drunk friend. Forget it.”
“You’re being unreasonable,” the guy countered. “I’m going to—”
Before she could cut him off, he was lifted off his feet and thrown into his crowd of friends. Owen turned on him, blocking Maddie’s view.
“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence,” Owen told him.
His voice was low and angry.
Maddie’s heart started pounding and adrenaline flooded her system.
She told herself it was surprise and alarm, but…it wasn’t. Even in that flash of time where her brain was still processing what was going on, her body was responding.
To Owen. And his protectiveness.
Oh boy.
She should stop him. She should tell him she was okay. She should put a hand on his shoulder and calm him down. He was definitely overreacting.
But she didn’t.
And that was something she knew she was going to think about—and probably regret—later.
Instead, she leaned to look at the guy on the other side of Owen’s wide shoulders.
The guy had his hands up in surrender. “Hey, man, I just—”
“You’re not listening to her, but you will to me,” Owen said. “It’s time for you to leave.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“And because you’re being pushy toward her, that means I’m about two seconds away from getting really pushy. You should leave now.”
Instead of moving toward the door, the guy, stupidly, opened his mouth.
Owen gave a little growl and grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt. He dragged him forward and pinned his back against the front counter. “The only thing coming out of your mouth better be an apology,” he said, his nose nearly touching the other man’s.
The guy’s eyes were wide and he was breathing fast.
Maddie felt herself lean in to get a better look. And still she didn’t say a thing. Certainly not, “Owen, stop.” Not even, “Hey, calm down.”
Like the guy’s friends who hadn’t said, “How about we drink soda now?” or “Man, sit your butt down,” Maddie just let it go.
It was stupid. It encompassed about ninety-five percent of the reason she hadn’t wanted to come back to Autre. But she appreciated the way Owen’s biceps bulged as he held the guy, the low, gruff quality of his voice that sent tingles through her stomach—and lower—and just the pure fact that he was this pissed off because the guy had been giving her a hard time.
It wasn’t as if he wouldn’t defend Kennedy or Tori or really any other woman who was being harassed. But dealing with customers was part of this job, and she was sure Owen let it go a lot longer before stepping in with Kennedy. If someone made an actual threat or touched Kennedy, Owen would have reacted this same way. But the frat boy hadn’t done any of that with Maddie. He was clearly entitled and used to charming his way out of trouble, but she hadn’t felt threatened. Yet, here Owen was protecting her from even the possibility of something happening.
And it made her hot.
She’d hate herself for getting turned on by all of this later, but…well, that would be later. At the moment, she leaned onto her forearms and took it all in.
It was a stupid reaction. A dangerous addiction. One that she completely avoided by living two thousand miles away.
“I’m sorry, man. Jesus,” the guy said, squirming against the counter.
“Not. To. Me,” Owen said through clenched teeth. “Her.”
The guy swiveled his head to look at her. “Sorry. Geez. Call your man off.”
She gave him a slow smile. “Nah.”
A second later she heard, “What the hell is going on?”
Josh had joined them.
He sighed when he saw Owen and the drunk. Maddie sat up, trying to seem as if she hadn’t been enjoying the spectacle. Josh pushed through the crowd and grasped Owen’s wrist.
“Let him go.”
Owen glared at the guy and then dropped his hold.
The guy smoothed his hands over the front of his shirt. “Holy shit,” he breathed.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Josh told him.
He didn’t even know what had happened or if Owen was right—or wrong—to have backed him up against the counter, but he was clearly on his cousin’s side.
The guy stalked toward the door, his friends turning and following him out. One of them had an arm around the drunk who had caused all the trouble.
“You’re getting a terrible review,” the guy call
ed over his shoulder.
“Be sure to mention the new two drink maximum rule!” Maddie yelled back.
The door slammed behind them.
“Two drink max rule?” Josh asked her.
She nodded. “It’s new.”
“Very.”
“Sawyer shouldn’t have to deal with that,” she said. “None of you should.”
“People come down here to party,” Josh said. “You really think these bachelor parties and sorority girls come for the gators?”
She nodded. “I do.”
He gave her a look.
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, the gators are cooler if you’ve had a couple drinks.”
She didn’t actually think they were cool at all, ever.
“It’s all just fun,” Josh said. “We want to give them a good time.”
“Sawyer’s having trouble,” she said, glancing at Owen.
He was watching her with a strange look on his face. It was a mix of frustration and…heat. Yeah, it was. There was no mistaking that. She felt her heart flip in reaction and she had to swallow hard.
“I know,” Josh said. He sighed. “But that’s our issue. Not our customers’.”
“So what are we going to do about it?” she asked.
Josh shook his head. “Wish I knew.”
Maddie glanced at her computer screen, where she had the schedule for the day pulled up. Sawyer had another tour coming in two hours. It was for one of the small airboats. Only five people. A young couple and three middle-aged women.
Josh would already be out and Owen had a tour leaving at the same time. She scrolled up through the previous few days, then down into the next week.
She looked up at Owen. “Do you schedule your tours so you’re out there at the same time Sawyer is?” Nearly every tour Sawyer had was at the same time Owen had one. Josh’s varied a little more, with him taking most of the longer ones.
Owen nodded. “Doesn’t always work, but I try to. That way I’m not too far away if something goes on. Sometimes we even stick right together and take the same route.”
She felt her heart flip again, but not because of heat. It was more just…warmth. These guys were looking out for Sawyer as best they could while working to keep the business going. They couldn’t afford to keep Sawyer off the boats entirely, but they were there supporting him.
“Can we do that this afternoon?” she asked, making a decision and closing the laptop lid.
“Do what?” Owen asked.
“Stick together and take the same route.”
“We?”
She nodded. “I’ll take Sawyer’s afternoon tour. But we’ll stick close to you so I don’t get us lost or stuck.”
“You’re going to do the tour?” Josh asked. “Seriously?”
“I can drive an airboat and I know all the bayou history and stupid facts about the stupid gators,” she said, not bothering to fake enthusiasm for any of it.
“You haven’t driven an airboat in twelve years,” Josh said. “Wait, have you?”
“No. But it’s not like it’s something you forget.”
Airboats didn’t operate like most boats. They were flat bottomed and were propelled by a huge fan mounted at the back of the boat rather than a motor. There were no parts below the surface of the water so there was no worry about getting tangled up in the grass and plants in the swampy waters or disturbing any animals that hung out there. The boats were steered by rudders and they didn’t have brakes and they couldn’t go in reverse, so they took a little practice, but Maddie had been riding on and driving airboats since she was a little girl. It maybe wasn’t exactly like riding a bike, but she thought she could probably pull off one tour.
And if she got the fucking thing stuck, Owen would be there. He’d wade into the water and push the boat out. He might even take his shirt off for it. It would at least get wet. It was really a winning situation no matter how she looked at it.
Except for the gators. And the being outside. And the freaking heat.
What was she thinking?
“This tour should be pretty low-key for Sawyer,” Josh said. “You don’t need to—”
“Let her do it,” Owen interrupted, looking at her as he said it. He looked almost proud of her.
That was weird.
“It’ll keep her from firing anyone else. For today, at least,” he added.
Josh look from Owen to Maddie. “Firing anyone else? What—”
“Never mind,” Owen told him. “Let her be a part of this.”
A part of this. Yeah, she didn’t need these guys starting to think that she was getting into this. Or that she didn’t hate the bayou. Because she really did.
“I just—”
“You need to go change your clothes,” Owen told her, cutting off her protest.
She looked down at her dress. “I do?”
“The wind is gonna blow that skirt up for sure,” Owen said with a nod. “And I’d like to limit the audience you’re flashing your panties to.”
“Well, you’re always takin’ your shirt off,” she said. “Making sure the female tourists remember the ride. Maybe I can help out with that, too.”
Dammit. Her voice had just gotten flirtatious. And had she just said “takin’” instead of “taking”? She had also just admitted to noticing him having his shirt off.
But he really did take his shirt off a lot. Sometimes he left with one on and came back without it. Twice, one of the girls on the boat—one of the very pretty, just-about-his-age girls—had returned to the dock in his shirt. Twice. In one week. Seriously, they needed cheaper Boys of the Bayou T-shirts just to keep up with Owen’s apparent need to strip them off all the time.
“There’s no fucking way you’re ‘helping out’ with that.”
His firm response snapped her back to the moment.
“I’m just sayin’ that the girls on your tours seem to really appreciate the scenery. I don’t see why—”
“No. Go put some clothes on,” he said with a frown.
Maddie felt a little smile tugging her lips. Which sobered her quickly. She was poking him. She was trying to get him all gruff and possessive. And it was working far too easily. She did this without even thinking and she had to stop. She needed to behave. Owen reacted instinctively to her teasing. She needed to control herself. “Fine. I’ll change.”
“Jeans would be good,” he told her.
She shook her head. “No way. I’ll die of heat stroke.”
“You won’t die of heat stroke,” he said with a little eye roll. “The wind when you’re driving the boat will keep you cool, and once we stop I’ll…”
She lifted a brow, waiting.
“I’ll be sure we’re in the shade.”
She laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t keep the tour in the shade.”
They both knew that was true and he finally sighed. “Fine.”
“What are we going to tell Sawyer?” Josh asked as Maddie came around the counter.
“Tell him…” Owen looked at her.
Really looked. As in up and down her body. And possibly picturing the whole blown-up-skirt-panty-flashing thing.
Maddie felt her nipples pebbling and she crossed her arms. Good grief. Maybe she already had heat stroke and it was making her react stupidly.
“Tell him that I bet Maddie that she’ll come back from a tour with me wetter than I do,” Owen said.
Maddie’s eyes widened. That had definitely sounded intentionally dirty.
Josh coughed and when she glanced at him, she realized that he thought so, too.
“Okay, then,” Josh said. He backed up to the door. “I’m gonna go make sure your boat’s all ready to go.”
“Thanks.” Maddie watched him leave, then focused on Owen again. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”
He nodded and she started to step past him, but he caught her arm in his big hand.
Confused, she looked up at him. Her breath caught at the hot look in his eyes.
He didn’t say anything. He just pulled her close and lowered his head.
The kiss took her completely by surprise. That it happened at all, but also how sweet it was. It was just his lips touching hers, lingering there as if he was just absorbing the feel of it. He took a deep breath through his nose and then straightened.
“Wha—what was that for?” She hated that she sounded discombobulated. But she was.
He just looked at her for a long moment, then let go of her arm. “You protecting Sawyer is awesome.”
Maddie felt a flutter in her belly and recognized that it was even more dangerous than the heat he caused by setting the drunk customer straight. “I hate that he’s having trouble,” she said.
He nodded. “Me, too. And we’ve all been really trying to help him cope. But you’re really stepping outside your comfort zone to help. That’s…I don’t know. Awesome. Very kissable.”
“What do you do when Josh or Sawyer does something amazing?” she asked, trying to be glib.
He grinned. “Buy ’em a beer or a shot.” His voice dropped a little lower. “Would you rather have a beer, Mad?”
She swallowed. “No. This works for me,” she said softly.
Heat flared in his eyes, and for just a second she was sure he was going to pull her in for another kiss. And she was equally sure that she was going to plaster herself against him and kiss him back. Kissing him on his front porch in the dark was one thing. Especially after sharing and getting emotional and everything. But here? In the light of day? Where anyone could see them? As if this was perfectly natural? This was a problem. Because it felt too damned good. And yeah, natural.
But instead of kissing her, he said, “I’ve got you out there, you know.”
She did know that and it made all of the heat swirl even faster. This was out of her comfort zone. She didn’t like anything about this plan except that it might give Sawyer a break. But she was also starting to like how much Owen seemed to like that she was doing this. That was trouble. But she realized that Owen was a big part of why all of this had come to her as a solution. She didn’t worry when Owen was around.
Sweet Home Louisiana: Boys of the Bayou Book 2 Page 18