Nate's Deputy (2019 Reissue)

by Lavinia Lewis

  He couldn’t do much of anything, other than stare at the wolf in front of him. While he gazed at Jared’s handsome face, Nate heard the sound of sirens approaching.

  Typical.

  Why were the fucking cavalry always late?

  Jared turned to watch the approaching cruisers and frowned.

  “Shit. Sheriff Ferguson’s here. You need a hand up?”

  Nate snapped back to reality and shook his head. “No, I can manage. Only my face is hurt. Nothing wrong with my legs.”

  Jared stood up straight and stiffened his back. “Suit yourself.”

  Nate pulled himself up and watched Jared cross the lot to talk to the sheriff.

  “Thanks for watching my back in there,” Tristan said, stepping in front of Nate. “Appreciate that.”

  Nate jerked his shoulders in a pale imitation of a shrug. “Three against one wasn’t a fair fight. And when I saw the humans itching to get in on the action, I had to step in.”

  Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the entire reason Nate had helped Tristan, but it was all he was prepared to tell the young wolf for the time being. Tristan didn’t need to know that Nate had felt a connection to him, an inexplicable need to protect him. Of course, he now knew where that desire had stemmed from. He was standing not twenty feet away from the reason.

  “How’s your face?”

  Nate shrugged. “It’s only a scratch.”

  Tristan’s eyes widened. “What are you? Some goddamn superhero?”

  “Watch your mouth, kid.”

  Tristan lowered his gaze and his cheeks filled with color.

  “Sorry,” he whispered.

  “So, that’s your brother?”

  Tristan’s gaze shifted to the deputy talking to the sheriff.

  “Yeah, that’s Jared. Man, he’s gonna be pissed. Say, you wouldn’t mind talking to him would you, explaining things to him, tell him it wasn’t my fault back there?

  “Tell him I wasn’t the one to start things?”

  Nate started to shake his head.

  He didn’t want to have to spend any more time with Jared than was absolutely necessary, and he had a feeling the deputy felt the same way about him. But when he took in Tristan’s pleading gaze, his determination crumbled.

  “Sure, kid, I’ll talk to him. Can’t guarantee he’s gonna listen to me, though.”

  “He’ll listen. Seems like he listens to everyone but me these days.”

  There was no anger in Tristan’s voice when he spoke—only resignation. Nate wondered what the story was between the two brothers.

  He sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Nate?”

  When Nate turned, Kelan, Cody, and Pete were standing beside him.

  “How you holding up?” Pete asked.

  Nate frowned.

  Why was everyone treating him like a damn invalid? It was only a scratch to his face. He raised his hand to inspect the damage. Okay, maybe it was more than a scratch. The gash on his face was deep and still bleeding, but not nearly as much as it had been.

  “Guess I’d better get this cleaned up.”

  “Come with me,” Pete said. “I’ve got a first aid kit in the bar.”

  “I…” Nate swiveled in Jared’s direction.

  The wolf was still talking to the sheriff but he was looking directly at Nate, a deep frown marring his handsome features.

  “Sure,” Nate agreed reluctantly.

  He followed Pete across the lot then through the door to the bar. He was halfway across the dance floor when Jared called out to him.

  “Nate. You got a minute?”

  Nate stopped in his tracks.

  The sound of Jared’s voice sent chills through his body. He didn’t turn around to look at him…he couldn’t. Jared’s voice was all business and although Nate didn’t want any type of relationship with the wolf, it was only because he didn’t want to hurt him.

  He wasn’t good enough for Jared.

  The man could do better than him.

  But from the tone of Jared’s voice, Nate could tell the wolf had his own reasons for not wanting anything to do with him and Nate was about to hear them. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that, but he supposed there was no time like the present.

  “Pete? Would you mind leaving us alone for a minute?”

  Pete opened his mouth to object but he must have seen something in Nate’s eyes that changed his mind because he closed his mouth quickly and gave a sharp nod of his head.

  “Sure. The first aid kit is behind the bar. I’ll be outside. Holler if you need anything.”

  Nate nodded his agreement and silently watched his friend walk out of the bar. He still couldn’t meet Jared’s gaze. He walked across the room, avoiding the smashed glass on the floor, and retrieved the first aid kit. Placing it on the counter, he clicked open the lock. While he was rooting around in the box, Jared came to stand in front of the bar.

  “How are you doing?”

  Nate curled his fingers around a bottle of antiseptic lotion and squeezed.

  “I’m quite sure you didn’t follow me in here to discuss my health.”

  He finally looked up and met Jared’s gaze.

  His stomach lurched and his breath caught in his chest. Jared had to be the most handsome man he’d ever set eyes on, but the deep creases in his forehead and the tight set to his lips made Nate wince.

  “You’re right, I didn’t. Look, nobody here in town knows about my preference and I’d like to keep it that way.”

  “Your preference?” Nate queried, although he thought he already had a good idea what Jared was talking about.

  “For men,” the deputy confirmed.

  Nate scoffed. “You make it sound like a choice rather than something you’re born as.”

  “I didn’t mean… I…” Jared sighed and his shoulders slumped. He scrubbed a hand down his face. “It’s just, I don’t have time to start anything right now.

  “I want to make sheriff and if people know I’m gay, I can forget about that, and then there’s my brother, Tristan—he depends on me… I can’t—”

  Nate had heard enough.

  He raised a hand to silence Jared and at once the wolf stopped talking and waited to hear what he had to say.

  “You don’t have to say anything else. I’m not in the market for a mate myself, as it happens.”

  Jared’s mouth opened in surprise. “You’re not?”

  “No.”

  “Right, well, that’s great then. Uh…yeah, great.”

  Jared nodded then turned to leave.

  “Jared?”

  Jared paused then looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

  “About the fight, it wasn’t Tristan’s fault. Thought you should know the kid wasn’t the one to start the trouble.”

  Jared nodded. “Thanks, appreciate that.”

  Nate watched Jared’s retreating form with regret.

  He was sure he’d done the right thing, so why did he feel like he’d just made the biggest fucking mistake of his life? It didn’t matter anyway. Jared had made his stance perfectly clear. Seemed neither of them was in the right place to start a relationship, mates or not. It might hurt like fucking hell to ignore their bond but it wouldn’t kill him…at least, he didn’t think it would.

  Nate had never heard of a wolf rejecting their mate before.

  Why would they?

  Chapter Seven

  Turning the key in the lock, Jared let himself into the room he shared with his younger brother. As soon as he got inside, he took off his hat then threw it on the table near the door. Tristan was asleep on top of the sheets of his twin bed, still fully clothed, one arm curled under his pillow, the other resting beneath his cheek. He stirred as Jared crossed the room and took a seat on his own bed, but he didn’t wake up.

  It had been a long ass day.

  The paperwork Jared had needed to fill out about the fight at Jessie’s had kept him busy until long after midnight and that was without dealing with the
three fool wolves that had started the trouble in the first place. They were currently spending the night cooped up in a cozy little cell at the station. It was hell for a wolf to be locked up like that, but Jared hoped it would teach them a lesson.

  After he’d finished his work at the sheriff’s office, Jared had made the dreaded call to the wolf council. It wasn’t something he relished doing, but when he’d taken on the job as deputy sheriff, the council had made it clear he had to report any and all incidents in the town involving shifters.

  Of course, Jared had done his best not to think about the biggest event of the day, but as hard as he’d tried to banish all thoughts of the sexy wolf, Nate had never been far from his mind. As a result, Jared’s work in the office had taken him twice as long as it should have.

  Jared just couldn’t get Nate’s face out of his mind’s eye, couldn’t forget the things it had done to his body when their gazes had locked or the way his skin had prickled when they’d been close.

  Nate was a damn fine looking wolf.

  Tall and lean, with powerful shoulders and a wide chest housing what Jared could only assume were perfectly sculpted pecs. His face was rugged, rather than handsome…masculine. His jaw was strong and he had a slightly larger than average nose, which only added to his appeal.

  Jared’s stomach had lurched and his heart had soared when he’d curled his fingers around Nate’s chin to check on his injuries, and for a brief moment, as he stared into his mate’s eyes, all had felt right with the world. Since then, Jared had been rock-hard all night at the station. At one point he’d had to excuse himself to the men’s room to take care of the problem.

  He’d waited outside the door to make sure he had privacy then locked himself into one of the stalls. His cock was aching when he pulled it out of his pants and harder than he could remember it being.

  It felt hot and heavy in his hand.

  He’d never done anything like that at work before, but he couldn’t help himself. His hard-on wasn’t going away—he had to take care of it.

  Jared started stroking, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. He closed his eyes when the pleasure got to be too much, and Nate’s face was the only thing he could see in his mind’s eye. He didn’t want to think about Nate, it was pointless. They couldn’t be together…but he couldn’t get Nate’s image out of his head.

  When his breathing came faster, his hand sped up to match. The pleasure was immeasurable, but as good as it felt, he wished it was Nate’s hands on him—touching him and drawing out his release.

  He’d never wanted someone as much.

  He could barely breathe through his need for the strong, masculine cowboy.

  His thumb circled the head of his cock, spreading around the pre-cum that had beaded there. He slid his other hand down to gently cup and squeeze his balls and a gasp escaped his lips.

  His hand moved faster, gripped tighter and he could feel his orgasm building—a slow burn that started in his groin and spread throughout his body until he thought he was going to fly apart.

  And then he did.

  But even as he came silently behind the stall door, he found no relief because the ache wasn’t only in his cock, it was in his heart.

  As difficult as it had been, Jared had made his decision and there could be no going back. Now all he had to do was live with it and himself. It was little consolation, but Jared doubted it would have made a difference if his life wasn’t so complicated, and he’d actually wanted to forge a relationship with his mate.

  The fact that Jared had to look out for his brother and wanted to make sheriff was irrelevant because Nate hadn’t wanted anything to do with him—that much had been obvious.

  Jared couldn’t help but be a little bit cut up about that.

  As he stared at Tristan’s prone, sleeping form, Jared thought about leaving the talk with his brother until the following morning. He should have waited until they were both rested, but as exhausted as he was, sleep would elude him until he’d said what he had to say to his brother.

  Even then, it was debatable if his mind would shut down enough to allow him the peace he needed to get some rest.

  “Tristan.”

  Tristan groaned, his eyes opening slowly to meet Jared’s gaze.

  He yawned.

  “What time is it?”

  “Late. We need to talk.”

  Sitting up, his brother stretched his long, wiry frame. “It wasn’t my fault.”

  “I know, that isn’t what I want to talk to you about…well, not entirely anyhow.”

  “What is it then?”

  “Our bid on the ranch was successful. We just need to wait for the paperwork to be sorted then we’ll be able to move in.”

  Tristan’s eyes widened. “Yeah? That’s great!”

  Jared couldn’t help but smile.

  That was the first time he’d seen his younger brother excited about anything in months.

  “Yeah. Couple o’ weeks, I reckon, and we’ll be in. I’ll start making arrangements to get our stuff shipped down from Lubbock. I’ve got an appointment with the Realtor tomorrow to sign some paperwork, so I’ll know more then.”

  Tristan nodded enthusiastically, but then his smile faded and he pulled his eyebrows together in a frown.

  “What has that got to do with what happened earlier?”

  This was the difficult part.

  His brother always got defensive when Jared tried to talk to him about the way he was living his life, but they had to have it out. Tristan might not have instigated the fight in Jessie’s, but he’d been right in the middle of it. If his brother didn’t sort himself out, there were no two ways about it—Tristan was going to get himself killed.

  “I know it hasn’t been easy on you for the last few months since Pop died, but I’m hoping you’ll see this move as a new beginning for us both. We’ve got a real chance here to make a life for ourselves and a good one if we play our cards right.

  “When we move to the ranch, I’m hoping you’ll stop drinking so much, maybe find yourself a job in town.”

  Tristan squared his shoulders defiantly. “I haven’t got a drinking problem. I can quit any time I like.”

  Jared sighed. “I didn’t say you had a problem with alcohol, Tristan, just that you’ve been overdoing it. Don’t you think it’s time you slowed down and started to think about your future?

  “I know you’re interested in mechanics—why don’t you see if you can get yourself a start at Bob’s place? I’ll speak to him about it if you’d like.”

  Tristan pursed his lips. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Of course I would. Well, what do you say?”

  Tristan picked at a piece of fluff on the comforter and chewed on his bottom lip. “I’ve been thinking about that myself lately, but I’d rather wait until we get moved in first. Then I’ll go to the garage and speak to the owner myself, okay?”

  Jared let out the breath he’d been holding, relieved that Tristan hadn’t fought him on this. “Yeah, that’s more than okay.”

  Tristan nodded. “You know, before the fight started tonight I met a guy in Jessie’s and…well…I liked him.”

  Jared tried to hide his surprise.

  He knew his brother was gay, of course, but Tristan had never spoken to him about boys before.

  “Yeah? Is he from town?”

  Tristan nodded. “Yeah, he’s from around here.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Nate.”

  Jared’s stomach lurched so violently he thought he was going to throw up. Was Tristan the reason Nate didn’t want anything to do with him?

  It would sure make sense.

  “That cowboy you were with when I got there?”

  “Yeah.”

  Tristan’s smile was bright.

  Jared could barely breathe through the pain in his chest.

  “Um, did you and he…?”

  “Did we what?”

  “Uh, you know…”

  Shi
t.

  Jared prayed his brother would say no because he didn’t have a fucking clue what he would do if Tristan and Nate had been intimate in any way. And if Tristan were to find out that Jared was Nate’s mate, the kid would be devastated, and he’d had enough shit to deal with already.

  Tristan must have finally caught on to what Jared was asking because his eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Urgh! That’s gross. I didn’t mean I like him like that! Jesus, Jared, he’s gotta be twice my age…that would be disgusting. I just meant I like him, you know…as a friend.”

  Jared closed his eyes and tried to get his breathing back under control.

  Thank God.

  He didn’t respond to his brother’s comment about Nate’s age. The cowboy didn’t even look as if he was in his mid-thirties, but then he supposed to someone who was twenty-one, anyone older was deemed ancient.

  “I haven’t made any friends since we got here and it was nice to have someone to talk to,” Tristan added.

  Jared opened his eyes and met his brother’s gaze.

  He sighed. “You know you can talk to me. I’m always here for you.”

  “I know, but it’s not the same thing. Besides, we haven’t been talking very much at all lately.”

  “I realize that and maybe we’re both to blame for it, but from here on out, let’s make a promise that we’ll try harder, okay?”

  Tristan nodded.

  He continued to pick at the comforter but held Jared’s gaze.

  “I don’t want to be a disappointment to you.”

  A lump rose in Jared’s throat.

  He crossed to his brother’s bed then sat down on it and pulled Tristan into a hug. He squeezed him tightly against his chest.

  “You are not a disappointment to me, ya hear? I just know you can do more with your life, and it hurts me to see you throw it away like it doesn’t mean anything.”

  When Jared pulled back and looked at his brother’s face, tears were sliding in quick succession down his cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb but more appeared to take their place.

  “I miss Pop,” Tristan whispered.

  Jared pulled his brother close again and stroked a soothing hand over his back. “I know, Tristan, I miss him too.”