The Darkest Knight (The KNIGHT Brothers Book 3)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  “You’ve always sent business my way, Seth. I’ll call in my crew and we’ll get this done before you can say ‘electricity’.”

  “I appreciate that, Taylor. Let’s get this started.” Seth turned to her. “Hold off on any more painting for the moment.”

  She nodded and he went back to discussing the finer details with the electrician.

  Reese silently left him to the stressful business and headed back down the hill to her cabin with Abby trailing beside her. Considering she couldn’t continue with her hands-on work, she’d use the time to sit down and write out her plans for basic furnishings for the cabins. She’d never been the head of such a large task before, but she was confident that she could do this. Seth had made it clear, and she had agreed, that the cabins would be decorated in a practical way. He’d set a tight budget and she couldn’t go over that amount.

  As she sat down on the porch with pen and paper to jot down her ideas, her thoughts kept wandering to the ‘almost’ kiss back at Seth’s cabin. If the knock hadn’t come on the door, it was hard to tell where she would be right now. In his arms? Naked? Probably more than likely.

  She gave her head a quick shake, remembering that she couldn’t get ahead of herself. Obviously, the attraction was real between them. Seeing him shirtless had affected her in such a way that she’d lost herself—lost all logic. Beyond the fact that he had a powerful physique, he also had the scars of a soldier who had fought many battles. Most women might be repulsed by seeing the marks and blemishes, the puckered skin of shrapnel wounds, to the longer scar of a stabbing injury. But Reese felt drawn to his suffering, his story. His wounds told their own story. Would he open up to her fully? She wanted to know all his trials and tribulations, and for the first time, she wanted him to know all her fears.

  It wasn’t until lunch time when she met back up with the crew on the grassy knoll for their gathering that had become the norm these days. Isla and Vanna had prepared the food again. This time, there was a massive buffet of the makings for fajitas. Sliced flank steak. Chicken. And all the fixings.

  She filled her plate and started for her usual spot underneath the oak tree when she heard her name being called. Seth stood and waved her over to sit next to him. A tingle shot down her spine and her throat constricted. She’d have to face her own battle sitting near him with so many eyes watching.

  Approaching the table, she smiled as all the men stood until she took her seat on the bench. She was barely settled when Seth sat, his bulging thigh brushing her knee, sending swirls of heat into her senses. If only she could ignore the sparks flying between them, but something so overwhelming could never be left unacknowledged. They were growing much like the wildflowers in the fields surrounding the cabins. They had taken on a life of their own, offering beauty to the landscape. Looking from each of the men, she was glad that none of them seemed to notice her flushed appearance as they dug into their meal hungrily.

  Seth’s heat warmed her bare leg, making her toes curl. If only she could slide over a few inches, but then she’d almost be on Lex’s lap. Not happening.

  The men laughed as they discussed the situation with the electrician. She felt like a fish out of water, and was glad she could nibble on her steak to stay occupied instead of salivating each time the breeze kicked up and wafted Seth’s spicy scent under nose.

  “Taylor. You haven’t met Reese, have you? I think my manners sucked when I didn’t introduce you two earlier,” Seth said.

  The man, probably in his mid-forties, scraggly beard and thin shoulders, greeted her with a nod. “No, I haven’t. Sorry about my manners too, ma’am.”

  “She’s the brains behind Step for Light,” Seth added.

  Reese’s heart warmed that he chose to include her, even giving her props.

  “It’s a mighty good thing you’re doing here, ma’am. I’ve already made it clear that I’ll donate my labor for the cause. That’s the least I can do for all the men and women who’ve fought for my freedom.”

  “That’s amazing.” Her heart did a flip. She happened to turn her chin and caught the most amazing expression on Seth’s face. He looked almost…happy. For a man who was used to spending most of his time alone, he seemed to be settling into the fact that they were surrounded by a small crowd. His grin made her want to take up where they’d left off back at his cabin. She continued to watch him through the veil of her lashes, the butterflies fluttering wildly inside of her stomach. Yes, she was losing herself rather quickly.

  “Lots of food, fellows.” Isla had brought a platter of grilled steak, handing it over to be passed around the group sitting on the long picnic table. “Eat up.”

  When the platter made its way to Seth, he dropped several slabs of the juicy steak on his still full plate and he surprised her by tossing a few on hers too. In any other setting, she would have been aggravated by a man taking the initiative to give her more food, but somehow his grin made it impossible to feel anything but pleasure.

  “She meant you too, even though she said fellows.” He winked, grabbed a piece of steak with his fingers and popped it into his mouth. She squirmed in the wooden bench. She wouldn’t mind having those sweet lips on her body, like right now.

  “If I keep eating like this, I won’t fit into my clothes.”

  “What a shame that would be.” The combination of his smooth voice and the naughty glaze in his eyes sent her libido into overdrive. He was flirting and she didn’t mind, not one bit.

  Another platter of peppers and onions was passed around and this time she got the offering first, but instead of adding more to her plate, she dished a forkful onto Seth’s plate. He didn’t seem to care in the slightest. “Do you like Isla’s cooking?” she said in a whispered tone.

  “Is that a trick question? Who doesn’t like her cooking?”

  She returned his smile and refused to concentrate on the building of awareness in the pit of her stomach. Straightening her shoulders, she forced her mind back into a business state. “I have an idea.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  Particles of excitement floated through her bloodstream. This was a lot different than the wall she’d encountered when she’d first arrived. “I overheard her stating that she is looking for a job until the baby is born. They could use the extra money.”

  He nodded as he dunked his homemade tortilla into salsa, then bit into the soft bread. “Yeah.”

  “How about we ask her to come here to Landing Knight to work as a cook? We will need someone for that position once we start having veterans arrive.”

  One brow lifted. “We hadn’t gotten that far, had we?”

  She gave a slight shrug, feeling like this could go several directions. “If I’m overstepping my boundaries, you know, spending ‘your’ dime…”

  A slow grin crossed his lips. “You’re a partner.” He shoved a forkful of refried beans in his mouth. “If this is what you see fit, we’ll go forward with it.”

  Her heart rocked. “So, we can hire her?”

  “No, you can hire her. You came up with the idea so it’s only fitting that you give her the news.”

  “Should we discuss the details first?”

  “Later, when it’s not so crowded.” He popped the last bit of tortilla into his mouth. She’d never enjoyed watching a man eat more. “Are you sure you want to hire her?”

  “Yes, of course. Why not?”

  He dropped his gaze to her plate. “You have barely touched your lunch.”

  “Oh…” she shoved tendrils of hair behind her ear. “You added too much to my plate.”

  He chuckled and the husky sound fish lined her core with a candied hook. “I haven’t eaten this good since…can’t remember.”

  “Seriously? You’re a millionaire. Something tells me you’ve eaten at Michelin five-starred restaurants.” She picked off a piece of tortilla and nibbled it.

  He shrugged and the arm of the T-shirt slid upward showing off his detailed tattoo. Her finger started tapping, wanting so
badly to run her fingers along the inked picture. “When I was younger I was made to involve myself in the Knight soirees, but once I got old enough, I refused to attend all the glitzy, fritzy social parties. I don’t think any of my brothers enjoyed it either, they just must in order to rub elbows with benefactors. It’s their job. I, on the other hand, decided early on that I’d be burning my own path.”

  “You joined the military.”

  “Never regretted it, even after—” He closed his lips tight.

  She was certain he was talking about the incident in Syria. Wanting to prod him to talk, she realized sitting around a table with a bunch of masculine men wouldn’t be the appropriate time to get him to divulge feelings. She might need a rope and pliers to make that happen.

  “The trainer is coming soon, right?” Gage asked from across the table.

  She reluctantly tore her gaze from Seth and onto the other man. “Yes. He’ll want to inspect the property, make sure it’s appropriate for the dogs. Talk to Seth about the necessary housing he’ll need. It’s important to have a suitable space for them.”

  Lex scrubbed his sandpapery jaw. “Suitable for dogs? All they need is a place to squat, food to eat, and a place to sh—” His cheeks flamed and he lowered his gaze. “Sorry.”

  Chuckles were heard from the men who were quickly finishing up their meals.

  “Service dogs need more than just the obvious. It’s a very task-taking course the dogs must go through to learn the job. For instance, Abby was in training for two years before she was suitable for being a service dog. Now, she’s a natural.” At the mention of her name, she lifted her ears, but didn’t bother to raise her head. “They’ll need a special diet, proper vet care, and patience from people as they learn what’s expected of them.”

  “This’ll be real interesting watching it come together. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of services for veterans above the basics,” Johnny added, pushing his plate away, then patting his stomach.

  Reese was glad to see that every man had cleared their plate because the food was just that good, except for hers that still held a lot of steak. Feeling guilty, she stabbed a piece of meat and pushed it into her mouth, chewing the perfectly seasoned meat. The delicious taste urged her to gulp another three slices until she couldn’t manage another bite.

  “Alright, men. Let’s head back to work. The cabins won’t fix themselves,” Seth commanded and every man at the table stood and disposed of their empty plates into the trash can. Seth didn’t make a move.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “How about we take a walk and discuss the details of hiring Isla?”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Seth was a liar. He didn’t want to discuss anything with Reese other than everything about her personal life. He cursed himself for thinking this was a good idea. He should have gone back to work and let her do the planning for decorating, but the invitation had settled at the tip of his tongue and he’d had no choice but to voice it.

  They were a few feet from the picnic table when her soft, warm fingers settled on the inside of his elbow. “If you’re too busy right now, we can set something up later.” Her eyes were bright.

  “I suggested this, remember?”

  “The frown sort of told me something different.”

  He wanted to spend time with her, but they’d almost crossed a line earlier and he doubted he would have regretted if things had been allowed to naturally progress. The woman had shown him how caring she was. He’d seen her friendliness toward the guys. How she wanted to help others. How she thought of Isla. Reese was settling right in here at Landing Knight, among his friends…and with him. For Seth, he found her amazingly mesmerizing.

  Unsure of how the heart worked for a lot people, he could see that she genuinely cared for others, and for a cause. She was willing to put her own needs and comforts aside to help veterans. He found that she had a certain kindness that seeped in and sugar coated all his dark, withdrawn parts. He didn’t want that—or did he?

  Reese removed her hand and he wanted nothing more than to grasp it and pull it back. “Let’s head this way.” He pointed toward the barn and took off at a quick speed, realizing she was falling behind. He slowed down and wished his heart would do the same.

  He looked out onto his land and felt a tug in his chest. Suddenly, he had a fire under his rear to make things happen. He wasn’t sure if it was the project that had him more motivated or the pretty woman walking next to him. Could be both, but he was leaning more toward the latter. For the first time in a really long time, he saw a vision for the future of Landing Knight. The options of making the place a popular resort again. Maybe even building a house for himself close to the pond on the untouched side of the property. He’d never given much thought to sharing that house with someone, hell, possibly a family.

  Sheesh. Life was changing for him.

  Marriage and commitment didn’t seem foreign.

  “I’m getting the feeling you’re wanting to speak to me about something other than Isla.”

  She was smart and intuitive. Although he just wanted her to talk. “What would that be?” He played the clueless card.

  “What almost happened back at your place maybe?”

  “We don’ have to talk about it if you don’t want.” He forced his face to relax, showing no emotion. Inside though, he was a basket case. He could only compare himself to a jumping bean with the way his cock jerked so many times when she was near.

  “Are we fooling ourselves if we pretend there isn’t an invisible pull between us?”

  Reaching the barn, followed by the two dogs, he stepped up to the fence and propped his back against it. She settled beside him and he got a quick peek at the tops of her breasts as well as the length of her toned legs as she lifted herself to sit on the top rung. Her delectable curves were right there at eye level, making his eyeballs sweat. He tried his best to turn his attention to the scenery, but he couldn’t see a damn thing through the blurred haze of lust. “Are we fooling ourselves if we fall into this?”

  “You have a point there.” A butterfly flew around the vicinity of her head and landed close. She smiled. “I could get used to the wonderments of this land. It’s so peaceful.”

  “Those shorts and boots make you look right at home.” He dipped his gaze down tanned, toned limbs.

  She cracked a smile. “I think you have a love/hate relationship with my clothes.”

  He turned and propped his arms on the top rung, his forearm brushed her warm skin. The onslaught of heat burning his chest took his breath away. “I don’t think I’ve noticed a woman’s outfit more in my life.” Realizing how profound that little sentence was made him want to drag it back. He lost his ability to think around her. What would go next? It certainly wouldn’t be his cock. That part of his body had never worked so hard.

  “Well, who’s this?” She jumped off the fence and his eyes automatically fell to the bounce in her breasts. He had two safety holds for that…his palms ached at the mere chance.

  Back on track, he realized she was referring to a cow slowly meandering their way. “That’s Cow.”

  She turned her chin up and smiled at him. “You named your cow, Cow?”

  He nodded and rubbed his chin, still getting used to not having the thick beard. “It was fitting.”

  “You couldn’t be a little more creative? Like Betsy. Spots. Or Alfalfa?”

  Cow rubbed her head against the fence. Seth rewarded her with a nuzzle behind her ear. “I like the name Cow, and so does she.”

  “She seems awfully friendly.” Reese stood up on the bottom rung so she could pet the cow. Her rounded bottom made his teeth ache. She had no clue what her body did to him—or for him. He wasn’t sure he could jack off enough to get the deep-rooted feeling of need rinsed from his parts.

  “Would you like to feed her?” He needed a break from the tension that grew in his temples.

  “Really? Can I? I’d love to!”

  “Come on.”
He started for the barn and she followed him. He pointed at the large white bucket next to the stall. “She gets a mixture of grass, hay, and grains as well as corn and grass silage.” He lifted the lid and scooped out the proper amount into a stainless-steel pan and handed it to her. “Beware, she’ll get excited knowing she’s being fed.”

  “Abby, stay,” Reese commanded the dog, and she sat.

  Spike realized what they were doing and he followed closely.

  They strolled out together into the pen and, sure enough, Cow jumped back and forth from front to hind legs and then trotted toward them at a fast pace. Reese snuggled in close to Seth as if she feared the cow’s charge. “Will she stop?”

  “No worries. She’s docile. Sprinkle the food onto the ground.”

  Reese did as he requested and Cow nibbled at the feed hungrily. “How did you end up with a cow?” She pressed the empty pan against her chest.

  “She was a gift.”

  “Wow. Some gift.” After Cow had munched all of the food, she lifted her head and nuzzled Reese’s leg. Seth was a bit envious. “Are all cows this friendly?”

  “Not always, but cows can be quite nice animals to have.”

  Turning, Reese nailed him with a bright gaze. “You surprise me, Seth.”

  He laughed. “Because I have a cow?”

  “Because there is so much more to you than scarred flesh and a badass façade.”

  “I am human, and flawed.”

  Cow came up behind Reese and nudged her, sending her hard against Seth. He clutched her arms to hold her steady, but when he got a strong whiff of flowers and woman, he thought he felt more links in his chain break. She lifted her chin, her bright gaze meeting his, and his heart knocked right into his throat. Her bottom lip trembled, matching the quivering of his balls.

  “What would you like to show me next?” Her soft voice made the hairs on his arms stand.

  “That’s a loaded question.” Most items on his list were too dirty to voice aloud.

  She swallowed hard. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her lips, her cheeks, her neck, and every available spot on her body.