Beauty and the Bayou

by Erin Nicholas

  Suddenly Juliet leaned over and pressed her lips to his cheek. “That was really good,” she whispered.

  She’d just kissed him. In public. In front of her brother. On the cheek, but still. He glanced at Chase to find him smiling as he dragged a French fry through the Cajun mayo on his plate.

  Juliet started to lean back, but Sawyer lifted his hand to the back of her neck, holding her in place and turned his head to seal his lips over hers. She stiffened in surprise for a second, but quickly sighed and melted into him, letting him urge her mouth open and kiss her deeply for nearly ten seconds.

  He let her go, but not before he met her eyes with a look that he was sure clearly said, “I’m getting you naked as soon as I possibly can.”

  He needed her. In a way that felt primal and raw and should have been terrifying but felt so fucking right he almost couldn’t breathe.

  She settled back on her seat with a little sigh that he saw more than heard and then picked up her iced tea—unsweetened of course—and took a long draw, as if she needed to cool off.

  An idea occurred to him as he watched Chase bite into a fried alligator nugget, and he reached into his back pocket to pull his phone out.

  What do you think about coming down for a swamp tour soon? Sawyer sent the text to his friend Gabe Trahan and waited, his heart pounding more than it should have been.

  He’d not only done so many swamp tours he was in triple digits, he’d taken Gabe and his kids out on the boats a dozen times. Gabe’s daughter, Stella, was an alligator freak and loved everything about the bayou. She was only nine, but she’d even proposed to Sawyer at one point thinking that if they were married, she’d get to work at Boys of the Bayou and drive the swamp boat tours herself. Of course, she’d broken things off with him when she found out that he’d hunted alligators, too. He’d been pretty confident that he’d be able to win her back over. There was a nest of snapping turtle eggs he’d intended to show her and some new baby alligators down around the east bend. And Gus. The river otter had moved in just a week or so before Tommy’s accident, so Stella hadn’t met him yet.

  Sawyer frowned. Wait, that might not be true. Owen might have introduced them.

  It was especially stupid to feel jealous about that, but Sawyer realized that his fear about facing Stella with his scar had probably kept him from seeing her eyes light up over the river otter and had kept Sawyer from her brother Cooper’s litany of river otter facts that he no doubt would have pulled out of his head or immediately off of his mom’s phone.

  Dammit. He really didn’t want to avoid Stella and Cooper anymore. Or Gabe, Logan, or Caleb for that matter.

  He just hadn’t wanted to scare the kids. If the scar didn’t scare them, the story about how he’d gotten it would. Stella would be morbidly fascinated with the story about a shark in the bayou, but her brother Cooper would have been completely freaked out. The kid worried about everything.

  Sawyer grinned thinking about the kids that he was incredibly fond of. They had a little sister now, too, not to mention cousins and friends, like Caleb’s little girl Shay, who would all come down for the day. It would be great. He’d missed them.

  That would be great. You serious? Was Gabe’s reply a minute later.

  Definitely. You want to bring Logan and his girls, too?

  Absolutely.

  Gabe’s brother Logan was also his business partner and they were two of Sawyer’s best friends. They owned and operated one of the most popular bars in the French Quarter in New Orleans, and before his accident and Tommy’s death, Sawyer had been a regular.

  Next weekend, Sawyer said. Tour’s on the house.

  No need for that. But it’s really good to hear from you, man, Gabe texted a moment later. Glad to have you back. Stella is going to be thrilled.

  Sawyer smiled. He had good friends. He’d seen the guys since Tommy’s accident. They’d come down to hang out, without their kids. They’d called and texted, trying to pull him out of his funk. He knew that Josh and Owen had shared their concern about his mental and emotional state with the New Orleans guys and that Gabe, Logan, and Caleb had been worried, too. But the first time Gabe had scheduled a trip to Autre with his kids after the accident, Sawyer had insisted Owen take them out. The second time, he’d made Kennedy cancel them.

  Stella and Cooper weren’t just some random tourist kids. They were his friend’s kids. More, he cared about Stella and Coop, too. He’d known them for about three years now and had watched them grow up. Watching Gabe and his wife Addison bring their kids together and make a family had been awesome. Watching Stella and Cooper grow closer together and have each others’ backs even while teasing and arguing at times had reminded him of himself and Josh and Owen and Tommy.

  He also knew that taking them out on the bayou would be even harder than taking the random tourist kids. He couldn’t stomach the idea of something happening to them. Or worse, scaring them off.

  That was actually the bottom line, he realized.

  He didn’t want Stella to fear the bayou she loved so much.

  Like he did now.

  He didn’t want her to know the story of what had happened to his face. And she would ask. For sure. He knew Owen and Gabe had told her he was sick last time because she’d sent him a homemade get-well card. This time, when he saw her, she’d notice the scar and she’d ask. He didn’t want to lie to her. He also didn’t want her to see his true emotions about it all. She was his biggest admirer. He knew that if he showed her even a hint of fear about the bayou, it would make her fearful, too. But if he didn’t use this to show her how dangerous the bayou could be, she would continue to love everything about the bayou and the animals there and would possibly not take the necessary precautions.

  Which was where Juliet came in.

  He needed her to go on this tour with him. He needed her to be there to make him breathe deep through it all. And he needed her to be the one in charge of the safety precautions. She’d wear her life jacket and sit still and keep her hands inside the boat for sure, and he knew that she’d instruct the kids to do the same. He could be the bayou-loving-but-careful guy the kids had always known, while Juliet made sure that everyone stayed safe and secure and that they had a plan B for anything that went wrong.

  He could do this if Juliet was there. She’d keep him calm. She’d remind him that whatever happened, they’d handle it.

  This have anything to do with the hot brunette I heard has been hanging around down there? Gabe asked a moment later.

  Sawyer snorted as he read the message. Clearly Owen and Josh had been up to Trahan’s Tavern since Juliet had been to town.

  Yeah, it does, he said honestly. Hell, Gabe had fallen hard and fast for Addison. He could hardly give Sawyer shit for the same thing.

  And had he fallen hard and fast for Juliet?

  Oh, fuck yeah.

  Glad to hear it, Gabe told him.

  Sawyer grinned. Can’t wait to see you all, he told Gabe honestly. Thanks for being patient with me.

  Hey, we’ve all had our stuff, Gabe replied.

  Yeah, everyone had their stuff to deal with. So why had it taken Juliet Dawson’s arrival to pull Sawyer out of his dark place? He didn’t know, but he was grateful that Chase had plowed the airboat into the Boys of the Bayou dock.

  That was crazy, but true. The thing that had been Sawyer’s biggest headache just a little over a week ago had turned into the best thing to happen to him.

  Grinning, Sawyer slid his phone back into his pocket and watched as Juliet wiped her mouth and then scooted her chair back and excused herself to the restroom. Chase stretched.

  “I think I’m headin’ to bed,” he said.

  Sawyer nodded. He assumed this was Chase’s way of giving him and Juliet some time alone. Not that anyone was ever really alone in Ellie’s. “Big day.”

  “Yeah. Seriously.” Chase gave him a grin. “Your grandparents are the best.”

  Sawyer couldn’t disagree. “I’m a lucky son of a bi
tch.”

  “Leo wants to teach me to shoot tomorrow.”

  Sawyer had figured that was coming. Leo was going to take Chase out to the woods and line up tin cans on the tree stumps, just as he’d done when the boys were small. “He likes you.”

  Chase’s face brightened. “Yeah? I mean, it’s kind of pathetic that I’m twenty-two and don’t know a lot of this stuff, isn’t it?”

  Sawyer shrugged. “How would you know this stuff? Someone has to teach you. And I promise you, Leo doesn’t know anything about yachts and Bentleys and fancy food and wine and shit.” Truth was, Sawyer didn’t really know what stuff Chase knew about.

  Chase snorted. “Guessing what Leo knows could translate to all of that. He could take apart a boat engine no matter what kind of boat. Same with the car. And the food down here is way more interesting than anything I’ve ever eaten. And the wine? It’s like grape juice compared to the stuff Leo drinks.”

  “Maybe,” Sawyer agreed. “But Leo would be as out of place in your world as you first felt down here.”

  Chase sobered slightly and shook his head. “Honestly, I only felt out of place for about five minutes,” he said. “Your family is awesome.”

  Sawyer nodded.

  “And Leo wouldn’t feel out of place,” Chase said, his voice getting a little deeper. “Because he wouldn’t care what those people thought of him. He only cares what people who matter think of him.”

  Sawyer smiled. That was very true. Leo knew who he was and he didn’t apologize for it. He seemed like a crochety old guy who didn’t care who he offended, but he loved people. He’d never judge someone for having money or not having money, or for not knowing how to bait a hook or shoot a gun or repair an engine. But he’d definitely judge someone for being an asshole. Cruel, thoughtless, selfish, hateful—those things Leo Dawson would judge and call out. But if you were just a rich dumbass who didn’t know any better? He’d take you under his wing and teach you to be a rich good guy. Who could bait a hook and shoot a gun and repair an engine.

  “And that’s why I’m not giving you a lecture about being good to my sister,” Chase said, pushing back from the table.

  Sawyer lifted a brow, waiting for the younger guy to go on.

  “You know about people who matter. You know about what’s important,” Chase said, stretching to his feet. “You’ve been taught that all your life.”

  Sawyer felt like there was a tight band around his chest. He did know about those things. He’d been trying to protect those things with everything in him. Holding on tight to them. And nearly squeezing the life out of them.

  But no more. He was going to let them live, and he was going to be there to help when things went wrong and be grateful when they went right.

  “Which means that you already know that Juliet is a person who matters and that making someone like her happy is definitely something that could be very important.”

  Sawyer cleared his throat. Damn, this was suddenly really serious. From the dumbass frat boy who’d stolen his boat and smashed his dock.

  “I’m glad you realize that your sister matters,” Sawyer said.

  “Juliet is special,” Chase said with a nod. “And you all are exactly the type of people to see that and make sure it doesn’t get lost.”

  “You sure about that?” They were. They would not only see what made her special, but they’d draw it out of her and help her make it even bigger. Tori and Maddie had both blossomed here. Even Bennett, in his short, sporadic visits to Autre, had become more comfortable in being a part of things here and how he fit in.

  But Sawyer wanted to see what Chase really saw about his family. He felt his heart try to pound against that tight band around his ribs.

  “I am. Because you gave me a second chance to be who I can be, and I’m nothing compared to Juliet,” Chase said. He reached for his tea glass, took one last swallow and set it back down. Then he gave Sawyer a grin. “And if you fuck it up, Leo will make you feel way worse about it than I ever could.”

  Then he sauntered toward the front door, stopping to talk and laugh with nearly everyone on his way out as if he’d been a part of this town and this family for years rather than a week.

  Sawyer shook his head. That was…something.

  “Chase went back to Cora’s?” Juliet asked, sliding back into her seat a moment later.

  Sawyer turned to face her. He nodded. “Yeah.”

  She picked up her glass and took a swallow. He watched as a drop of condensation fell from the plastic to the upper curve of her breast, exposed about the neckline of her dress

  “I need you to do something,” he said suddenly.

  She looked curious. “Okay.”

  “Come with me.” He got up and held out his hand.

  She set her glass down and got to her feet, sliding her fingers between his. Just like that. No questions. No hesitation. Just willing to follow him wherever.

  He led her out through the kitchen, knowing that their exit through the front would be like Chase’s with multiple stops and conversation. He didn’t want anything slowing them down.

  Without a word, he started across the dirt parking lot, then the grass that stretched between Ellie’s lot and her house next door. They cut through the darkened yard, past Leo’s trailer, across the alley that ran between her house and Cora’s, then through Cora’s yard, right past the back door that would have led them up to Juliet’s bedroom. They weren’t going to Juliet’s bedroom.

  They were going to his.

  He led her through his side yard and around to the back, up the few steps to his back porch. If Juliet hadn’t realized what was going on two backyards ago, she certainly understood by the time he pulled the screen door open and stepped back to let her in.

  She didn’t even pause for a second. She stepped up into the porch and headed for the kitchen door.

  He stepped inside behind her, nearly on top of her.

  She turned. “What is it that you needed me to do?” she asked, breathless.

  “I need you to take your panties off.”

  Juliet grabbed the counter to her right, bent, unhooked her sandals, and kicked them off, then reached up under the skirt of her sundress and pulled a pair of cherry red panties down her legs. She held them up. “Okay.”

  He really wanted to fuck her on his bed this time. The office had been hot. He loved that he’d think of her every time he walked into that room from now on. He couldn’t have waited another second to have her. But this time, he could wait until they’d climbed fourteen stairs.

  Probably.

  “Drop them,” he told her. That way if anyone decided to come over to borrow something, they’d see them laying on his kitchen floor—the kitchen was always the first stop whenever anyone went to anyone else’s house in this family—and they’d know they were not welcome beyond the threshold that separated the kitchen from the front hallway.

  Juliet tossed them down on top of her shoes.

  Yeah, they needed to get upstairs. Right now.

  Sawyer bent, put a shoulder into her stomach, and lifted her over his shoulder.

  His hand splayed over her ass as she giggled.

  “I’d gladly climb the stairs to your room,” she told him as he headed for the staircase.

  “I’d gladly carry you with your gorgeous ass in my hand everywhere we go,” Sawyer told her, also feeling the strange urge to giggle. That was, of course, never going to happen. But he understood the feeling of being unable to contain the pure joy of the moment.

  She wiggled that gorgeous ass against his hand and he squeezed. He was minutes away from having her spread out on his bed, wiggling, panting, moaning, begging, all his for the rest of the night. If either of them thought that they needed to be concerned about her sneaking back into Cora’s tonight, they were lying to themselves. Everyone knew what was going on and if Juliet wasn’t in his bed tonight, they would all think something was seriously wrong. They might even think they should get more directly involved
in getting Sawyer and Juliet together.

  Neither of them wanted to face that intervention. He didn’t even want to think about how that might look. He knew it would happen at Ellie’s. There would be cheesy grits. And the truth about Juliet’s dislike for sweet tea would come to light.

  He really did need to keep her here all night. It was best for everyone.

  He ran a hand up the back of her thigh under the edge of her skirt, to the smooth, naked curve of her butt as he climbed the stairs. She squeezed her thighs together, but as he moved higher, brushing his thumb over the slit between her legs, she relaxed with a little moan.

  “Damn, girl, seems you like being wet more than you’re letting on,” he teased, turned on and humbled by the fact that she was already slick for him.

  “It’s you that makes me this way,” she said. “This kind of wet doesn’t scare me.”

  He ran his thumb up and down again, pressing in, needing to feel the sweet heat. It scared him a little. This woman was making him want and need things he hadn’t wanted or needed in a long, long time.

  She gasped as he thumbed her clit and then sank his thumb into her pussy. He had a good grip on her or she might have slid right off his shoulder to the floor.

  “Sawyer,” she said, with a breathless moan that made him ache. His cock. And his heart.

  Sawyer took a deep breath just outside his bedroom door. He’d never had a woman here. If he messed around with tourists, it was always in their hotel room. Made leaving easier. There had been a couple of quickies in New Orleans back rooms. Once he’d had a hot encounter during Mardi Gras that involved an outdoor brick wall and a Mardi Gras mask. Back when he’d messed around with local girls—something all of the Landry boys had realized was really more trouble than it was worth and had given up a long time ago—it had been in backseats or truck beds. But he’d never brought a woman home.

  Tonight he couldn’t imagine being with Juliet anywhere else.

  She’d lied to him.

  As Sawyer deposited her on the floor next to his bed, Juliet realized she was most definitely scared. But this wasn’t the same scared as she got by water. This was all about the pounding in her chest and the butterflies in her stomach and her mind screaming, This guy is everything! Keep him forever!