Setting his duffel bag on the bed, he unpacked. It’d been a hell of a day. A nap sounded good. After putting his clothes away, he stretched out on the bed and promptly fell asleep.
****
Kaitlyn’s feet were killing her. She hadn’t had a chance to sit and relax all day. Sam had taken her on her deliveries. It took them less than two hours. He hadn’t been happy about it but he did it, and she was grateful. Knowing how busy Sam was being sheriff, she appreciated that he always came through for her. Kaitlyn couldn’t bring herself to tell him Riley had refused to help her. Knowing her big brother, he’d go after Riley and it didn’t matter if they were friends or not. Sam had always watched over her. He was six years older than she was and had always protected her. She loved, and adored him. It would never matter the reason she needed him but when she did, he was always there for her. Kaitlyn slowly moved through the greenhouse, taking inventory. Orders for additional houseplants and flowers were needed. Madilyn entered the greenhouse and walked toward her looking tired. It had been a long day for her too.
“I can stay if you need me to.” Madilyn was a tall, gorgeous redhead with porcelain skin. A sprinkling of freckles crossed the bridge of her nose while thick, lush eyelashes surrounded light green eyes that were stunning.
Kaitlyn smiled at her. “No. I’m good. Thanks, anyway. Go on home to Brody and your son.”
Madilyn smiled at her. “I just checked and Sadie’s still asleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With a wave, she left the greenhouse.
Kaitlyn had just sat at a table to relax while she figured out what to order for the next shipment when she heard the front bell. Sighing, she stood and headed for the front of the store. She halted when she saw Riley standing there. Watching him as he gazed around the room, Kaitlyn cleared her throat. He glanced over to her and her heart slammed into her ribs. His gaze roamed over her face and came to rest lingering on her lips.
“What are you doing here, Riley?” Still angry he hadn’t helped her earlier, she glared at him.
“I came to apologize,” he said in a quiet voice that surprised her.
Stunned actually, the last thing she expected from him was an apology. Intrigued to hear it, she folded her arms across her chest. “All right. Go ahead.”
His eyebrows went up and his mouth twitched. “I’m sorry.”
Kaitlyn gave him a terse nod. “Accepted.”
“You’re tough, Katie.” Riley grinned. “I don’t remember that about you.”
Kaitlyn chuckled softly. “You don’t remember a lot of things about me.”
Riley tilted his head. “What I remember is a young girl, not the beautiful woman in front of me now.”
Words were lost to her, she didn’t say anything, she wasn’t sure she could have if her life depended on it.
Riley glanced behind her. “What’s back there?”
“The greenhouse.”
“Ah, I see. You grow your own flowers for your arrangements?”
“Some, but I have to have a lot of the tropical plants shipped in. I don’t have the room to grow them all.” Kaitlyn shrugged.
“Have dinner with me.” Riley stepped forward.
“No.” Kaitlyn moved to stand behind the counter, picked up a cloth, and wiped it off although it was already clean.
“Why not? It’s just dinner, Kaitlyn. You can bring the squirt.” He glanced around. “Where is she anyway?”
“In my office, asleep in her playpen.” She nodded her head in the direction of the closed door.
“So, how about dinner? You both have to eat, right?”
“You have no idea how difficult it is taking a seventeen month old out to dinner,” Kaitlyn told him.
“Let me find out.” Riley leaned on the glass countertop and stared at her.
Kaitlyn sighed. “You’re really serious?” At his nod, she smiled. “All right…but only to the diner.”
Riley chuckled. “You feel safer there?”
That was exactly what she felt but she wasn’t going to admit that to him.
“It-it’s just more convenient. I’m sure once Sadie wakes up…” She stopped when she heard Sadie calling for her. “Speak of the devil. Excuse me.”
Hoping to recapture her breath and her senses, Kaitlyn walked to the office and opened the door. Inside, she saw Sadie standing in her playpen rubbing her eye with a fist. When the little girl saw Kaitlyn, she squealed and bounced on her toes.
“Mama.” Sadie giggled as she raised her chubby little arms up.
Kaitlyn picked her up and hugged her, kissing her soft, dark hair. “Hi there, Mama’s precious girl.” Sadie squeezed her mama’s nose then Kaitlyn spun around hearing Riley chuckle.
“So she does that to everyone, huh?”
Kaitlyn smiled. “Yes. I think Sam taught it to her. Now everyone who picks her up gets their nose squeezed.”
Sadie stared at Riley as he moved closer. “Hey squirt,” he said to her in a soft voice.
Kaitlyn was surprised when Sadie put her arms out to him and he took her daughter from her arms. He balanced her on his hip and her precocious daughter squeezed his nose making him laugh. He squeezed hers back and she giggled laying her head on his shoulder. Kaitlyn didn’t know what to think. The only man Sadie ever went to was Sam, or their dad. Sadie never demonstrated any problem going to other women, but she held back with men. Kaitlyn reached for her.
“Come here, Sadie. Mama needs to change you.” Sadie looked as if she was going to refuse but when Kaitlyn gave her a look that meant business, Sadie came to her.
“Dinner, Katie?” Riley asked again.
Kaitlyn sighed. “Yes. Give me a minute.”
Nodding with a grin, Riley left the office to wait for them while Kaitlyn laid Sadie on a blanket she’d spread on the floor of the office, and changed her then put a little sundress on her with white sandals.
This was a mistake, a big one, and Kaitlyn knew it. She’d always had a crush on Riley and it would be for the best if she just stayed away from him. Sighing, she set Sadie on her feet, took hold of her hand, and headed toward the front. As soon as Sadie saw him, she broke away and ran to Riley. He caught her, lifted her up, and tossed her into the air. At first, she looked scared to death but when he caught her, she laughed. When he did it again, her laughter blended with screams.
Kaitlyn shook her head. “What is it with men tossing babies into the air? Sam does the same thing with her. I guess she wasn’t sure about you at first, but now she’ll want you to do it every time she sees you.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.” Riley grinned.
Leading the way out of the shop, Kaitlyn waited as Riley followed her out carrying Sadie, and then she locked up. “Are we walking over?”
“If you want.”
“How about we meet over there? Since it’s still a little hot for Sadie, I’d prefer to drive her over,” Kaitlyn suggested. Riley touched the brim of his hat and headed for his truck while she and Sadie went to her SUV. Chuck had fixed it as promised and it had been ready when Sam brought her back from doing the deliveries, of that she was now grateful.
****
Pulling into the parking lot at the diner, Riley waited as Kaitlyn took Sadie out of her car seat. Leaning against the fender of the truck, he watched her. Her jean-covered ass had his mouth salivating as she leaned into the car. His groin tightened and the material across his fly stretched. Shit! Riley moved away from the fender when she straightened and turned to face him. By the look on her face, he knew she’d caught him staring at her ass. Riley smiled and shrugged. He was a living breathing man after all.
Kaitlyn held Sadie in her arms, staring at him. Riley jerked his chin for her to go ahead of him. Hesitating at first, she started for the diner. Riley followed with his eyes still on her ass. When she stopped suddenly to let someone out of the door, he almost ran into her. Turning to look at him over her shoulder, she glared at him.
“Quit sta
ring at my ass,” she muttered.
Riley chuckled. “Yeah, right.”
Kaitlyn leaned back against the building. “Fine. You go first then.”
Chuckling, Riley entered the diner with Kaitlyn behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “Quit staring at my ass.”
Lifting her eyes to meet his, she burst out laughing. “Touché.”
Riley held the door for her, and then they found an empty booth. No sooner had Kaitlyn sat Sadie in a highchair, she proceeded to bang her hands on the tray. Connie, the owner as well as one of the servers, came over to take their orders.
“It’s good to see you, Riley,” Connie told him.
“Thanks, Connie, you too, it’s been a long while. I was in earlier today but didn’t see you.”
“I come in around two every day.”
Riley nodded. “Okay, I was in here around noon. Jake and Becca Stone were here too. I’m staying in one of the cabins at the B and B.”
“I thought you’d stay at the ranch,” Kaitlyn said.
“No,” Riley snapped. When he saw Kaitlyn blush at his sharp retort, he blew out a breath. “It’s a mess, Katie. I can’t live in it. I’m thinking of just bulldozing it over.”
“That bad?” He was glad Kaitlyn had waited until Connie moved away after taking their orders to ask.
“It will make me feel a whole lot better that’s for damn sure,” Riley muttered. Sadie chose just that moment to shriek. Riley quickly glanced over to her thinking something must be wrong. The little girl just stared at him and then shrieked again. Looking to Kaitlyn, he raised an eyebrow in concern. Kaitlyn shrugged.
“Why’s she screaming like that?”
Kaitlyn laughed. “To hear herself, I suspect.”
“Christ, who can’t hear her?” he grumbled.
“I told you it wouldn’t be easy having dinner with her.” Kaitlyn grinned at him.
“It’s…” Sadie screamed again. “Fine.” Riley yelled then laughed when Sadie did it again. Thankfully, she stopped when Connie brought their dinners.
“I let them cool down.” Connie set fries down on the table for Sadie.
“Thanks, Connie. Maybe these will quiet her down.” Kaitlyn grinned with a shrug.
Watching Sadie pick up a fry and tentatively take a bite, he chuckled when she suddenly giggled. Sadie stared up at him and then offered him one. Learning in, he took a bite making her laugh. When she reached a hand out to him, he leaned closer so she could squeeze his nose.
“You’re beautiful, Sadie,” Riley told her.
“Sadie,” she said pointing to her chest.
“Yes. Sadie. That’s your name.” Then he pointed to himself. “Riley.”
“Riley.” She giggled and pointed to Kaitlyn. “Mama.”
Riley’s eyes went to Kaitlyn. “Yes. Mama.”
His eyes held hers and he watched as a blush moved across her cheeks. She glanced away from him. Glancing back to Sadie, he saw she had her finger pointed at him. Riley leaned forward and pretended to bite it. Sadie squealed with laughter making Riley laugh, but then he quickly sobered when he saw Sam walk in the diner. Shit! Sam spotted them and headed toward them. The look on his face told Riley he wasn’t happy about him being there with his sister.
“Hey, Sam,” Riley said as he got out of the booth to stand.
When Sadie saw her uncle, she threw her arms up and squealed. “Unc Sam.”
Sam grinned and took her out of the highchair. Then he narrowed his eyes at Riley.
“What are you doing, Riley?” Sam’s jaw clenched.
“Having dinner with two beautiful girls.” Riley grinned. Sam didn’t grin back and Riley could see a muscle twitching in his cheek.
“You know damn well that’s not what I meant,” Sam growled.
“Back off, Sam…we’re just having dinner,” Kaitlyn told her brother.
Sam didn’t take his eyes off Riley and Riley stared back. They stood toe to toe.
“Jesus, the testosterone filling this place is staggering,” Kaitlyn said, taking Sadie from Sam and returning her to her highchair.
Riley sat down but Sam didn’t move away making Riley sigh. “It’s just dinner, Sam.”
Nodding, Sam glanced at Kaitlyn then moved back to the counter and took a seat.
Riley huffed. “That went well.”
Shrugging, Kaitlyn laughed. “I’m his little sister. He’s always going to protect me.”
“I’m not doing anything to make him want to protect you from me…yet.” He chuckled when she blushed again.
Kaitlyn leaned forward. “Sam will kick your ass if he thinks he needs to.”
Riley ran his hand down his face. “I know. He always could.”
Kaitlyn smiled at him. “Sam’s always been a big guy,” she said, pushing a fry back onto Sadie’s plate even as her daughter tried to push it off again. “And once boys started noticing me, he’s protected me.”
“When was that? I sure as hell don’t remember you looking like this anytime I visited with Sam.”
“The braces came off when I was seventeen. My teeth were awful and it took a while for them to straighten. Sam, of course, has always had perfect teeth,” Kaitlyn grumbled.
Riley laughed. “I don’t mean anything by it, but you and Sam were night and day growing up.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. He was never skinny, his hair was never frizzy, he had clear skin, and perfect teeth. The girls were crazy over him. They still are.”
The conversation shifted to other things including Sadie’s eating habits and soon they were both just enjoying watching the little girl enjoy her meal. When she finished, she pushed her remaining food toward her mother.
Kaitlyn grinned. “I guess she’s done.”
Riley slid out of the booth. “Are you ready to go then?”
Nodding, Kaitlyn cleaned up Sadie’s hands and face with a napkin then lifted her from her highchair. When she started to slide out of the booth, Riley took Sadie from her. Kaitlyn hesitated climbing from the booth so he put his hand out for her. Shaking her head, she slid out without his help.
“I think there’s one thing you and Sam have very much in common. Stubbornness.” Riley grinned.
As if in defiance of the comparison to her brother, Kaitlyn lifted her chin, retrieved her daughter from his arms, and glided past him. Rolling his eyes, he sighed and followed her out the door. Riley stood by the door of her car while she put Sadie in the car seat. Sadie screamed.
Riley chuckled. “She screams a lot.”
Kaitlyn grinned. “This time it’s because she’s tired.”
Leaning in to look at Sadie, Riley frowned. “How can you tell the difference? It sounds the same as the ones she was doing in the diner.”
Kaitlyn shrugged. “A mother knows. By the way, thanks for dinner.” Closing the back door, she started to move toward the driver’s door but Riley didn’t move. Kaitlyn put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “Move, Riley.”
Not moving away, Riley leaned toward her. “I have to kiss those lips. They’re perfect.” His mouth hesitated above hers, waiting to see if she’d pull back. When she didn’t, he pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. When she moaned, he grinned.
“Don’t tell Sam,” he whispered, even as he wanted to kiss her again then strode around his truck, and climbed into it. Riley glanced back, seeing her still standing there with her hand over her mouth. Grinning, he drove out of the parking lot.
Chapter Four
Later, Kaitlyn lay in bed remembering his kiss. It had only been a short one but it was enough to make her lips tingle. She rolled to her side. What would it be like if he really kissed her? Deeply. Kaitlyn groaned. It couldn’t happen again. Riley was too hot and she’d always wanted him, but he hadn’t known she’d existed until now. Only he’d be leaving town soon. Besides, Sam would throw a fit.
Riley and Sam had been inseparable growing up, but being six years yo
unger Kaitlyn hadn’t run in any of their circles. The first time she saw Riley she’d been ten. He was her first real crush. As she grew up and saw more of him, the crush had deepened. She’d almost fainted the first time he smiled at her and said hello. It was the first time of many that Sam had brought Riley to the house when Sam came home from college. When he was around, he always invited Riley over for dinner.
Kaitlyn hadn’t known at the time how Sam was helping his friend get away from an abusive parent. When she learned of it, she was so angry with Riley’s father that she wanted to protect Riley from him. She laughed bitterly at the memory. It was something no one could do. Kaitlyn never understood why child services never stepped in when Riley was younger or why Riley had stayed around for five years after graduation. He hadn’t gone to college but instead, helped around his father’s ranch until the day his father kicked him out. Riley had headed to Texas and from what Kaitlyn had learned, worked in construction, and eventually bought his first flip house. He’d fixed it up and sold it making a huge profit, and his success took off from there. Kaitlyn had read he’d quit doing it and retired, but she never found out why, only that he had more than enough money to live on for the rest of his life. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling wondering if he was asleep now. Kaitlyn glanced at the clock. It was only a little after midnight. It was possible he could be at Dewey’s bar, the hangout for the local cowboys—picking up a woman. Kaitlyn groaned at the idea, and pounded her fist into her pillow. Then she pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes.
****
Riley sat at the bar with his back to it, his elbows resting on it behind him. He glanced around the room. Men were playing billiards while women gyrated around the floor to loud music. Some men were standing along the walls watching the women. Riley jerked when someone elbowed him. Glancing over, he saw Sam sliding onto the barstool beside him.
RILEY Men of Clifton Montana by Susan Fisher-Davis FINAL (1) Page 4