by Roma James
Except even as the thought occurred to me, I knew it was just an excuse.
I wasn’t worried about whether it worked out or not.
It was working out perfectly so far.
Ty, Cody, Jaeger, and I stood in the break room at the clinic while Ty went over the last minute details.
It was almost a comical sight—him in a button-down that looked tailor made and jeans that fit him like a glove, me in my low-cut little black dress, and the other two guys lined up like they were receiving orders from a drill sergeant.
We couldn’t have been a more mis-matched group if we had tried. To think that we were all sort of dating—well, to think that I was sort of dating everyone in the room—only made the scene more surreal.
But any comedic value was lost on me, along with most of the other details they guys were going over, since I couldn’t stop staring at Ty’s ass in those jeans.
Seriously, his ass always looked good, but tonight?
It had me more than distracted. It had me hot.
“You guys understand?” Ty was asking. “He doesn’t need any meds, or any pain pills, or anything like that. Your only job tonight is to make sure he doesn’t run around too much and fuck something up, okay?”
It only took me a moment to realize he was talking about Rambo. Ty’s German Shepherd was progressing really well in his recovery, but he still had to be careful not to overdo it. For a dog that was clearly used to a rough and tumble life, it was proving a challenge.
As cruel as it felt to deny him the opportunity to run around outside whenever he felt like it, it really was for his own good.
“We’ve got it, damn,” Jaeger said, heaving out a tired breath as he turned to Cody. “Why does it suddenly feel like mom and dad are leaving us alone for the weekend or some shit?”
Cody laughed, nodding at Ty. “You want us to promise not to throw any wild parties, Dad?”
I couldn’t help but join the laughter as Ty shook his head and grimaced.
“First of all,” he said to Cody, “don’t call me Dad. That’s just weird. You’re older than I am, anyway. Second, this shit is important. We can’t leave here until Rambo can leave.”
“Maybe we don’t want to leave yet anyway,” Jaeger said, shooting a quick look in my direction. “Maybe we’ll tell him to fake it for a few extra days, just in case.”
“Maybe you’re full of shit,” Ty said, shoulder checking his friend as he walked over to stand next to me. “I don’t know when we’ll be back, but it’ll probably be late. I assume the bars around here close at two?”
I nodded. “They do. Though it’s been a long time since I’ve closed down the bar. We might be back a lot earlier than that.”
“Fair enough,” Ty said, wrapping an arm around my waist and looking me up and down before turning back to the other two guys. “Regardless of whether it’s nine tonight or nine in the morning, I need you two to keep an eye on Rambo until we get back.”
Cody nodded and Jaeger gave a mock salute as we turned to walk out the door, heading to Grace’s truck
“Just so you know,” Ty said, his voice low and sexy as he leaned in close, “you look amazing tonight. If we do close down the bar, it’ll be because I want to look at those long legs for as many hours as possible.”
I laughed and took his hand as stepped out into the warm night. Yeah, there was no way we were coming back early.
But that was okay, because I already knew it was going to be a good night.
Chapter 10 - Ty
I couldn’t help but grin as I watched Grace finish off another margarita. I had downed a couple of beers when we first got to the bar, and she had matched me drink for drink.
That had been hours ago, though.
Since I was the one responsible for getting us back to her place in one piece, I had stopped after those two beers. She had offered to stop then as well, which was nice of her, but fuck that.
Just like I had told her then, this night was all about her being able to cut loose and have a little fun. If she didn’t want to have any other drinks, I wasn’t going to pressure her.
But if she did want more, I would be the last one to stand in her way.
She had gone with more, and while I was pretty sure she never really crossed the threshold into being drunk, I could tell that she was definitely feeling good.
Which made me feel even better.
Because Grace on a normal day was sexy.
Beautiful.
Captivating.
Tonight, though, in that little black dress with a couple of drinks in her?
Jesus fuck.
I’d been walking around with a hard-on all damn night. I couldn’t stop looking at her.
Neither could every other bastard in the bar. Grace had every dick in the room on high alert, and it was pretty fucking amazing to watch.
She sighed as she set down the glass, completely empty except for a few ice cubes that clinked together.
“I had forgotten how good the margaritas are here,” she said, nibbling at her lip when she noticed me grinning at her. “I think that was only my second one, though?”
I shrugged, non-committal. Two, four, whatever. Didn’t matter to me, as long as she was having fun.
“The music is pretty good here, too,” I said. “I could barely keep up with you out on the floor.”
She laughed. “You said I should really cut loose tonight.” She gave me a big smile. “So I cut loose.”
“I’m glad you did,” Ty said, meaning it. “Your smile is too beautiful to hide it outside of working hours. I’ve had a really good time tonight with you.”
“Me, too,” she said, her eyes darting from my eyes to my lips and back again. “It’s been…”
Whatever she had been about to say got lost in her throat when our lips met. It was just a quick kiss, but damn it made me want to put her on the back of my bike right that minute and take her somewhere more private, more quiet, somewhere I could kiss her the way I really wanted to.
The way she really needed to be kissed.
“Do you want to get out of here?” she asked, as if she had read my mind.
I shrugged, hoping to hide how eager I was to do just that. “It’s up to you, beautiful. This is your night.”
She smiled that sweet, sexy smile again and took my hand. “Let’s go, then. They’re only open for another hour or so, anyway. And I’m pretty sure I’m good on margaritas for the next month or two.”
“You’re the boss,” I said, winking as I dropped her hand to put my arm around her waist instead, just a little worried that the combination of liquor and the gravel parking lot might not agree with those high-heeled shoes she was wearing.
She proved me wrong, though, handling it all like a champ—not even so much as a wobble as we made our way outside and back to her truck.
We were just a few feet away when someone behind us shouted her name.
“Doctor Grace Black, I’ll be damned.”
I felt her go stiff against my side as we both turned to look toward where the voice had come from. A middle-aged man in a crisp white shirt and blue jeans that looked like they had never seen the light of day walked around the front of a bright red truck, a woman with big, bleached hair taking his arm and cooing something into his ear as he sneered in our direction.
“Hello, Garrick,” Grace nodded. “We were just leaving. Enjoy your night—”
“Oh, I will,” he said, interrupting her with a harsh laugh. “And from the looks of it, I’m sure you will, too. Don’t wanna keep the rest of your… friends… waiting.”
I took a step forward, tucking her behind me as I stared him down. “Listen, man. I don’t know if anyone’s told you before, but you don’t need to speak to a lady like that. Now, go on inside and this won’t need to go any further.”
Neither Garrick nor the woman he was with moved a muscle for several long seconds, and I was pretty sure I was going to have to deck the guy just to show him I wasn’t fucking around.
&nb
sp; Finally, she had the sense to tug at his arm and nod toward the door. “Come on, honey,” she said, shooting me a sideways glance. “If people see us talking to her, they might start saying those things about us, too…”
“What things?” Grace asked, her icy tone making them both turn back toward us as she stepped out from behind my arm.
I tensed, ready to step in if needed.
If I couldn’t punch this asshole, Grace shouldn’t get to fight with Blondie Big-Tits, either.
“Oh, haven’t you heard?” Garrick asked, in just exactly the kind of tone I had just warned him about. “Word on the street is that you’ve been whoring around with a bunch of bikers, that you’ve shacked up with them and ugh—”
I had crossed the distance between us and hauled him up against that shiny red truck before he could finish. The girl with him had started screaming, but I didn’t give a fuck. Grace could handle her.
“Here’s what you’re gonna do,” I hissed. “You’re gonna shut that fat fucking mouth before I knock your teeth down your fucking throat. Understand?”
His eyes narrowed and his face was starting to turn purple, but I wasn’t sure whether that was from anger or the fact that I was holding onto his collar so tightly that he couldn’t breathe.
Whatever. Either way didn’t matter to me, as long as he didn’t speak.
“Now, unless you want me to really embarrass you in front of your lady friend, I’d suggest you get the fuck inside before I decide to stop being nice.” I started to let go, then changed my mind, knocking him against the truck again just because I could, half-hoping to leave a big, ass-shaped dent in the side. “One more thing,” I said. “You ever talk to Grace that way again in front of me, and I’ll cut your goddamn tongue out and shove it up your ass.”
His eyes went wide, and he wheezed loudly as I pushed him back one more time, letting him stumble against the side of the truck as I turned back to Grace.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded, but I already knew things were definitely not okay. I was tempted to walk right back over and kick that motherfucker’s ass for ruining the end of our night, but I would have to save it for another time. Right now, I just needed to get her back home.
“Let’s go,” I said, taking her hand and ushering her back to the vehicle.
Only after I had started the engine and began to pull away did I hear him calling after us.
“You’re gonna pay for this, asshole!”
I didn’t even waste the time to turn and look back at his pathetic ass. I had more important things to take care of.
I had to make sure Grace really was okay.
Grace, Cody, Jaeger, and I sat around her living room, the three of us on the floor while she laid across the couch.
As if the night hadn’t ended on enough of a sour note, I was pretty sure those two or four or more margaritas had caught up to her.
Once I’d gotten her home safely, I spent a few minutes making absolutely sure she was okay before heading out to the tents to get Cody and Jaeger. It had taken a lot to calm them down when I told them what happened, and the only thing that really stopped them from going back to beat Garrick’s ass was that Grace wanted us to come back up to her house tonight.
That had been an hour ago, and everyone—myself included—had calmed down considerably since then.
She had long since changed out of the short black dress in favor of sweatpants and a t-shirt, and she groaned as she propped herself up on her elbow and looked over at us.
We had been talking quietly among ourselves, half-joking, half-serious as we discussed the things we would have liked to do to that jackass Garrick Windram. We had to be careful to keep our voices down, though. It was past two in the morning, and I had no doubt Grace’s grandmother would happily kick all of our asses if we woke her up.
“I just don’t understand it,” she said, sighing. “Why do people have to be so shitty?”
“People like Windram have a lot to compensate for,” Cody said.
It would have been funny if it wasn’t so fucking true.
“But do you really think people are saying those things around town?” she asked. “Surely, Jenny would have told me if she’d heard anything like that…”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, babe,” I said. “He was probably just trying to get a rise out of you.”
She shook her head. “Except that woman had hinted at it, too, and I don’t even know her. I just…”
We all waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. I could see the tears forming in her eyes, and I wished for the millionth time that night that I could have gone back in time, could have gotten her out of that bar just a few minutes earlier, so she wouldn’t have had to deal with that bastard or his woman.
“Does it really matter if people are talking shit, though?” Jaeger asked, his expression dark. “Fuck them if they can’t mind their own business. None of us here are doing anything wrong.”
“I agree,” she said. “Or I would agree, except…” She dashed at her cheeks and I scooted over next to the couch, reaching up to hold her hand as she continued. “Except it’s my reputation on the line, and my reputation affects my business.” She looked at me. “That’s why I haven’t taken it upon myself to call out Garrick for being a disgusting pig before now. As repulsive as he is, he knows a lot of people around here, and they listen when he talks.”
Her words made me feel a pang of guilt for losing my temper back at the bar, but only for a second. That guy still deserved to get socked in the mouth for talking to her like that, reputation be damned.
Except, like she said, it was her reputation that was taking the hit.
Not mine.
Not Jaeger’s or Cody’s.
She was taking all the heat for an idea we had sprung upon her. That wasn’t cool at all.
“We should have the kennel finished in a couple of days,” I said. “After that, we’ll pack up and get out of here, and then this whole thing should blow over.”
Everyone looked at me in stunned silence. Jaeger opened his mouth to speak, but Cody cut him off with a look. He understood that it was the right decision—the only decision that would hopefully salvage her reputation.
Grace was the first to speak. “No,” she said, simply. “I don’t want you to leave.”
I looked up at her, studied her. She looked like she was feeling rough—no doubt all the things that had been good about those margaritas had worn off completely by now—but she still had that beautiful fire inside her, and it was on full display now as she matched my stare.
“It’s the only way,” I insisted. “It’s not what I want, either. It’s not what any of us want. But I know I speak for the three of us when I say that we’d rather leave than cause you any trouble or embarrassment.”
“You don’t embarrass me,” she said, raising her voice. “That’s not what I meant at all. I just… I’ve been so caught up in what we’ve been doing here—the fun, sweet, great things we’ve been doing—that the thought of having to deal with gossip around town never even crossed my mind. It’s not like we’ve taken any pains to hide the fact that I’ve been out on dates with all three of you this week.”
“So, do we need to be more… discreet?” Cody asked. “I think we could probably—”
“No,” Grace cut him off, shaking her head. “I mean… I don’t know. That’s not what I want, either. I don’t like the thought of living in fear of what people might think or say. I’ve been judged for things all my life, and I’ve never hidden myself away from those people before. But this feels… different. It feels more personal, I guess.”
I hated seeing her like this. The night had started out so great, just like the rest of the week had been. She had really been enjoying herself, feeling free and sexy and fun. It had been written all over her face.
Now, though, all I could see there was pain and confusion and a bunch of conflicting emotions—none of them good.
“What d
o you want us to do?” I asked. “We want to stay, but we want to do the smart thing, the right thing, too.”
“I’m not sure,” she said, laying back against the arm rest on the sofa with a heavy sigh. “I don’t think we should make any decisions tonight, though. I’m tired. We’re all tired. Let’s just…” She yawned, emphasizing her point. “Let’s just sleep tonight and see how we feel tomorrow.”
“I can tell you how we’ll feel tomorrow,” Jaeger said. “It’s the same way we feel now. We care about you and we care about what happens to you. We want to stay, but this has to be your decision. We’re good with sharing—great with sharing, and if the time comes that you want to explore more with us than what we’ve been doing so far, we’re good with that, too. But if you decide we need to go, we won’t hold it against you. We won’t blame you. We’ll just go.”
She nodded, and I could tell she was still on the verge of tears. There was nothing I could say to Jaeger, though. He had only spoken out loud the words that the he, Cody, and I had been thinking.
“Let’s go back to camp, guys,” I said, starting to stand. “We need to let her get some sleep.”
“Wait,” she said, reaching out to stop me.
The three of us froze in place as we turned to look at her. “Don’t go,” she said. “I mean… will you please stay tonight? The three of you? Stay right here with me?”
“We absolutely will,” I said, nodding as the other guys sat back down on the floor. “We’ll be here tonight and we’ll be here when you wake up in the morning.”
“Yes, we will,” Cody said.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Jaeger added.
I leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, then took the spot on the floor right next to the couch as Cody and Jaeger stretched out across the living room floor.
“Good night,” she said, softly.
“Good night,” we answered in unison.
She turned off the lamp on the end table next to her and laid back down on the couch, her arm dangling off the side, too close for me to resist reaching out and taking her hand.