by Alex Grayson
I cross my arms on the bar and lean toward her, not completely giving up on my argument.
“As long as you call one of us if you get too tired. We can cover your shift if we need to.”
She scowls, but it’s not a real one because her eyes are too soft. She knows my brothers and I only have her best interests at heart. After all, Mae and Dale were the ones to take us away from the hell we were living in as kids and were more parents to us than our actual parents.
“I know it and appreciate it, but I’ll be fine. I’m only here until six anyway.” She pulls a glass from under the bar and fills it with water before placing it in front of me. “You here for lunch?”
“Yes, ma’am. The usual.”
As she walks away to put my order in, feminine laughter has me swiveling on my stool. I spot Remi and Grace in a booth, with a woman with red hair sitting across from them, her back facing me. At first, I don’t recognize the red head, because I’ve only ever seen her with a scarf over her hair, but the minute her head turns, and I get a side glimpse of her face, I’m shocked to find out it’s Eden. Only her head and shoulders can be seen over the back of the booth.
Before I know it, I’m getting up from the stool and walking over to them. Remi spots me when I’m a few feet away, and smiles.
“Hey there,” she chirps.
I tip my chin. “Remi, Grace.” My eyes move to Eden, and they catch on hers. “Eden.”
“Hi.”
My body reacts when she speaks. Not only because it likes her voice, but especially because she’s fucking gorgeous with her hair braided and tossed over her shoulder. With it normally hidden behind a scarf, I didn’t know it was so thick and long. The end of her braid rests in her lap, meaning it’ll reach her ass when she stands.
An image of me wrapping the long length of hair around my hand as I drill into her from behind pops in my mind. I try to will the image away, but it’s already there and not going anywhere.
“You want to join us?” Grace asks, pulling my attention away from Eden.
“Sure.”
With no other choice, not that I’m complaining, I take the only seat available; the one next to Eden. She scoots over to give me room. I want to haul her closer to me, but figured it’s not a good idea. Her sweet scent hits my nose, and I pull in a deep breath, taking in more.
“How are you ladies today?”
Grace answers first. “Good, now that the holidays are almost over. I was going crazy sitting at home not working.”
Grace is an elementary school teacher. School starts on Monday after having four weeks off for Christmas and the New Year.
“Isn’t it usually the other way around?” I ask. “Aren’t you supposed to dread when school starts back up?”
She laughs. “I suppose so, but not for me. I love my kids too much to be away from them for long.”
Grace is a good woman who was dealt a shitty life. She came to live in Malus five years ago when her husband nearly beat her to death.
Don’t worry. My brothers and I took care of him for her.
I glance over to Eden, who’s fiddling with the end of her braid. “Where’s Jenny? I figured she’d be here with you?”
She looks at me out the corner of her eye. “She’s with Judge. He was going to drop us off and run some errands before coming back to get us, but Jenny had something she needed to do as well.”
That explains why Eden is here without protection. No one in their right mind would come inside The Hill to get to her. And that’s the only reason why I haven’t called Judge to bitch him out about leaving her alone.
I toss my arm over the back of the booth, and I immediately feel the warmth of her body hit mine. I’m tempted to drop my arm to her shoulders, but I settle for my fingertips barely grazing the skin on her upper arm. She stiffens beside me, but after several seconds, she relaxes again.
“Any plans for the day?” I ask the women.
“Nothing except wait for Trouble to get home.” Remi frowns as she says this. “Susan’s watching Elijah for me because I was going crazy at home, worrying about him.”
Her anxious gaze slides to Eden’s before meeting mine again. There’s a silent question in her eyes, one she can’t ask with Eden at the table. She’s worried about the task Trouble and Emo are on and wants me to find out what I can. The men left yesterday and are due back tomorrow morning. I have every bit of faith they’ll be back in one piece with no one the wiser of what they did in Southern Cal, but Remi’s new to what my brothers and I do. She’ll always worry, no matter how many times Trouble’s away taking care of shit, but over time, it’ll get easier.
I give her a subtle nod, silently letting her know I’ll make a phone call later, and she gives me a grateful smile in return.
“Is he away on business?” Eden asks the seemingly innocent question. If she only knew the true answer, she’d probably haul ass out of town and straight to the police in the nearest town.
“Yeah, he’s uh, at a physician’s conference,” Remi supplies. I barely hold back my wince when her reply sounds only half convincing.
Luckily, Mae comes up to the table with our lunch. Mae may be getting on in her years, but she makes being a waitress look effortless. She’s got three plates lining one arm and holding the last one with her other hand. Her memory is still sharp as she replays what everyone ordered and places the right plates in front of the correct person.
“Thanks, Mae. This looks delicious, as always.”
Mae pats Grace’s cheek and grins. “Thank you, dear.”
Resting one hand on her hip, she regards me with something akin to curiosity in her eyes. “I didn’t realize you knew Eden.”
I take my arm from around Eden’s shoulder and cock a brow. “And I didn’t realize you knew her either.”
Her eyes narrow when I avoid her question. “I didn’t, until she walked in earlier. How do you know her?”
“Does it matter?”
Being evasive is the best course of action at the moment, or Mae’ll be pulling out wedding magazines and asking what flavor cake Eden wants for the wedding reception. If it were up to her, my brothers and I would have been married off years ago and our wives would be popping out baby number five.
“It might,” she answers, lifting both eyebrows, still waiting on my answer.
“I pulled her over just outside of town for speeding,” I say bluntly. There’s a sharp pinch on my side, so I tack on. “But she had a good reason. Nothing more than that.”
Mae’s arm drops to her side, and her lips purse, like she doesn’t like my answer. She turns, and I swear, if I didn’t know the woman better, I’d say she was sulking as she walks back to the bar.
“Thanks, ass,” Eden mutters, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“I’d say you got me back. Those damn nails of yours are killer.”
The table is quiet, except for our muted voices. When I look over at Remi and Grace, I find them both watching us with unconcealed nosiness. I clear my throat and snatch up my burger. The last thing I need is for either woman to suspect something is going on between Eden and myself. I’m still trying to figure out the answer to that myself. Or rather, if I actually want anything to go on between us.
Do I want to fuck her? A big fucking hell yes. Should I fuck her? I’m not sure yet. Women are tricky. You fuck them once and they either treat the encounter as a casual fling or they cling to you like peanut butter in the roof of your mouth. I’ve got no desire to be like Trouble and marry and settle down. The stain of my past is too much a part of me. No way would I want to dump that baggage on a woman’s lap.
“How’s Emo doing?” Grace asks after a few minutes.
I drop the rest of my burger on my plate and wipe my mouth with my napkin. I lean back in the booth and drape my arm over the back again, this time keeping my fingertips away from Eden’s shoulder. Getting more comfortable, I spread my legs under the table. When my thigh bumps hers, I decide to leave it there. I’m surprised when
she doesn’t move hers away either.
“He’s doing alright. You know how he is.”
She nods, her eyes looking doleful. The thing about Emo is that he enjoys pain. He uses it when the darkness inside him becomes overwhelming. It helps calm him in ways that nothing else can. Except for doling out death and sex. Not just any kind of sex though. Emo likes it rough, both for him and his partner. There’re not too many women in Malus who could handle the kind of rawness Emo needs in the bedroom. Grace is one of the few and the woman he chooses to use the majority of the time.
I’ve suspected for a while that Grace has feelings for Emo, but the woman is smart. She knows Emo isn’t capable of giving her what she ultimately wants; a man who could love her unconditionally and take her heart in return without squashing it. Emo isn’t built that way. He’s much too dark for a woman like Grace. Even so, she’s still there for him any time he needs her, and for that, my brothers and I are eternally grateful to her.
“I was hoping he’d have contacted me recently. I haven’t… heard from him in a while.”
I keep my voice low when I tell her, “I’ll let him know you asked about him.”
She swallows and smiles tightly, reclaiming her fork and stabbing a fry.
No one speaks after that. Once everyone is done eating, I get up and pay for our meals. Mae’s still looking at me with inquisitive eyes as she hands me my change, and I know her questions from earlier won’t be the only ones she’ll have for me. She’s just biding her time and forming her attack. I have no doubt come Sunday, the day my brothers and I go to her house for dinner each week, she’ll regale me with more questions.
When I make it back to the table, I overhear Eden tell the other women she just shot Judge a message that she’s ready to go. I whip out my own phone and send my own message.
Me – Don’t worry about picking Eden up. I’ll walk her home and stay with her until you get back.
Judge – Got it. Shouldn’t be much longer.
“Come.” I offer Eden my hand. “I’ll walk you home.”
She takes my hand, scoots to the edge of the booth, and stands.
“Thanks. But there’s no need. I’ve already messaged Judge. He should be on his way.”
“He’s not. I sent a message and told him I’ll take care of it.”
She pauses for a moment before nodding and slinging her purse over her shoulder. I was right; her hair does reach her ass.
As I walk behind the women and watch the sway of Eden’s hips and the end of her thick braid bounce against her plump ass, I realize something.
I’m in big fucking trouble, because there’s no way Eden’s leaving here without me getting a very generous taste of her and have her in my bed. Over and over again.
AFTER LEAVING REMI AND GRACE at their places, which were on our way to Judge’s, we walk up the steps to Judge and Jenny’s house. All of Judge’s women have a place of their own. Most times, he’s with one of them, but every so often, he’ll stay in his renovated childhood home. When my brothers and I came back to town ten years ago, we all had our homes gutted and refurbished, not wanting anything from our pasts to invade our futures.
Eden stops at the screen door and turns to face me.
“Thanks for walking me home.”
Those metal bracelets she’s always wearing clink together as she grabs her braid and twirls the end around her finger.
“It was my pleasure.” I take the end of her braid from her hand and finger the strands myself. “You should go without the scarf more often. Your hair is gorgeous.”
Her eyelids lower and her tongue darts out to swipe her bottom lip, tempting me to run my tongue along the same path and lick away the moisture she left behind.
Her voice drops when she speaks again. “It’s a pain to take care of. I’ve been thinking about cutting it off.”
“No,” I growl before I can stop myself. Her brows shoot up, so I soften my tone. “It’d be a sin to cut off all this stunning hair.”
She smirks. “I highly doubt God would fault me for cutting my hair.”
“You’re probably right. Let me rephrase. It would be an utter shame.”
I step closer to her, my fingers still gripping her braid. I wrap it around my fist. She moves back a step and her ass meets the screen door. I twist the braid a couple more times.
“What are you doing?” she whispers, her eyes darkening to an emerald green.
I close the remaining gap between us. “Showing you the benefits of not cutting your hair.”
Pulling gently on her braid until her head tips back, I dip down until my lips graze hers. They’re soft and sweet. So much fucking better than I imagined.
Her mouth opens when she releases a breathy moan, and I take advantage, sweeping my tongue inside to explore better. My cock swells against the zipper of my jeans, and I want nothing more than to hoist her up and grind myself against her warm center. Preferably with her skirt lifted. Would she be bare beneath her skirt or would she have on a pair of cute little panties? Either would work for me.
Her small hands grip my shirt at my sides, and I wonder if she’s going to push me away or pull me closer. I’d stop if she wanted me to, but I really fucking hope she doesn’t.
When her grip tugs me closer and her tongue shyly meets mine, I groan in relief. I shift closer and encircle my arm around her waist, pressing her flush against me. My dick both weeps and rejoices at the intimate contact. Leaving her delicious lips behind, I trail wet kisses down the side of her neck. The unique flavor of her skin is addicting, like heroine to a druggy.
“Want to know why I don’t want you to cut your hair?” I murmur against her neck.
Her head tips back until it thumps against the door. “Why?” she breathes.
I nip the flesh where her neck meets her shoulder.
“Because I want to feel it trailing over my chest as you ride my cock.”
She shudders out a breath, her nails digging into my sides. I nudge away the thin material of her shirt on her shoulder with my chin and run my tongue and lips over the exposed skin.
“I also want to wrap it around my fist and use it to tug you back as I fuck you from behind. I bet your pussy would strangle my cock when I do that, wouldn’t it?”
Instead of answering verbally, she nods and presses her hips hard against mine. I wedge one of my legs between hers and press my thigh into her core. Surprise and pleasure force a growl from my lips when she wraps her calf around my leg and digs her pussy onto my thigh.
I’m fucking dying. Dying to flip her around, toss up her skirt, and give us the pleasure we both crave. I’m dying to drop to my knees and lick up every drop I know her body has produced. I’m Goddamn dying to have her delectable lips surround my cock and have her suck until she drains me. I’d grip her long hair and help guide her to the finish line.
A throat clearing behind us has Eden stiffening in my arms. I don’t give a fuck who it is, I want to kill them. Eden lifts her head from the door and peers over my shoulder at the unwanted and untimely intruder. My grip on her hair tightens for a fraction of a second before I let her go. Red tints her cheeks, but I’m not sure if it’s from what we were just doing or being caught by Judge and Jenny. Her eyes shoot to me, and she gently presses against my chest. I take a step back, missing her body against mine the second it’s gone.
“Sorry!” Jenny squeaks from behind us.
I shoot Judge a glare over my shoulder. The bastard has the audacity to raise an eyebrow, like he doesn’t care what he just interrupted. He meanders up the fucking stairs, as if cock-blocking me is an everyday occurrence, his hand entwined with Jenny’s, pulling her behind him. At least she has the sense to look embarrassed and regretful for the interruption.
I step back from Eden and pull her to the side, so the two can go inside.
“Payback’s a bitch,” I inform Judge in low tones as he opens the screen door.
“This was payback. For the time you interrupted Layla and me in the bac
k of The Hill.”
“Fucker,” I mutter, because he’s right. That shit was hilarious at the time. It’s not so funny now.
He laughs and lets the screen door slam behind him. “No fucking on my porch,” he calls out.
Ignoring his demand, I look back to Eden. Her cheeks are still pink. The color matches her gorgeous red hair. My dick twitches, and I’d damn near give anything to be alone with her right now. Even now, with the haze of desire muted and reality seeping in, I want her more than my next breath.
“Have dinner with me tomorrow?” The words come out more a demand than a question, but I don’t take them back.
I know her answer before she shakes her head. It’s in her eyes. The hesitancy.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why the hell not?”
“It’ll just add more complications to an already thorny situation,” she answers, throwing her arms across her chest in a defensive move.
“I disagree.” I step forward until I’m crowding her. “I think it’ll make this situation a lot more pleasurable. Why not take advantage and get something good out of it? After what we just did, you can’t deny we would be damn good together.”
She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, her brow crunching as she thinks over my offer. If I knew it would help my case, I’d drop to my knees and beg. The notion makes me inwardly cringe. I’ve never begged a woman a day in my life, and for the thought to cross my mind to do so now, makes my asshole clench. The woman does some serious shit to my manhood. If I didn’t want her so much, I’d forfeit the idea and be on my way. But there’s this pull I feel toward her I can’t seem to ignore. Hell, I don’t even want to try to ignore it.
After several long seconds, she finally puts me out of my misery.
“Okay.” My dick goes from half-mast to hard as granite with her answer. “But,” she tacks on, “There’s no guarantee on the sex part.”