by Maree, Kay
“Oh, thank you. A bud please, darlin’,” he drawled, and I was pleased to find out that the endearment from his mouth didn’t make my body hum the way it did when Brandon said it.
Brandon's fingers subtly grazed my hand as I turned, sending my pulse skipping beats left, right, and center.
I made sure I didn’t linger at the bar. I was in a hurry to return to Brandon’s side, where I was shielded from the curious eyes burning over my entire body.
I felt those stabby stares intensify as I crossed the barn with Wyatt’s beer in hand, and I scanned around to find the source; Jolene.
She followed my every movement, and I smiled to myself when alarm entered her expression. It occurred at the precise moment I handed Wyatt his beer with a sweeter than pie smile.
He thanked me and almost had it lifted to his lips when the bottle got snatched from his grasp with a ferocity that made him jerk.
“Jolene! What the fuck?”
I bit back laughter at his outburst and mouth hanging in shock.
“Don’t drink this, Wyatt. Never accept drinks from that woman,” she hissed with a savage finger stab at me.
Jolene left Wyatt spluttering as she walked away to tip out his untainted beer.
He thumbed over his shoulder. “What the hell was that about?”
Brandon lost all composure and was all but doubled over laughing uncontrollably. Wyatt’s eyes locked with mine and shone.
“Oh, there’s a juicy story here—I can sense it. What did you do, Miss Louisiana?”
I took a few breaths to tame my laughter. “I may or may not have told her I was jailed for spiking guys’ drinks and having my way with them.”
Wyatt’s mouth fell open and unleashed a burst of laughter louder than before. “I’m glad Jolene’s got my back, I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck, then got distracted by Rory’s arrival.
“Ooh girl, Jolene’s really got it in for you. You’ll never guess what she just told me.”
Brandon, Wyatt, and I fell into another bout of laughter, leaving Rory with her hip popped and frowning at the three of us.
“Okay, inside joke. Whatever,” she sassed. “I’m going to get a drink. Wyatt, you want one?”
That set us off all over again. Rory scoffed, then left without a backward glance.
Wiping away the tears in my eyes that were happy instead of sad for the first time in almost a year, I exhaled a huge content sigh and felt happiness settle over me.
Three weeks ago it had been me against the world. Now here I was, with three strangers-come-friends, standing by me while narrow-minded locals formed their own judgment without getting to know me for who I really was.
~*~
“Louisiana! You, me, dance floor!” Wyatt whooped.
We were several hours into the night, and while Brandon stayed sober, Wyatt had let his hair down. He bent a little and moved his arms as if pulling me closer with an invisible rope. The mischievous look on his face had me laughing.
I shook my head. “I’m not dancing.”
“Oh yes you are,” he countered without losing his grin.
A shove propelled me into Wyatt’s arms and he spun us in the same motion, making it impossible to detach myself. Rory waved at me while I glared at her over Wyatt’s shoulder. He captured my hand, then set his other on my waist. Before I knew it, I was being spun out then reeled back in at a pace that left me off-balance. It was fun, but damn it was giving me head-spins.
I was breathless by the time the song finished and secretly grateful when Brandon appeared at our side.
“Christ, you’re rough, man. Hand her over,” he demanded.
Wyatt laughed, the kind of laugh that could make anyone smile. “Not as rough as your sister. Great dance, Louisiana. I’ll be back for another soon.” He winked before Brandon playfully shoved him to the side.
A new song kicked off and for the first few beats, I stood before Brandon awkwardly waiting for him to make the first move. With a smile that warmed my belly, he opened his arms and gestured me forward.
My hands wove around his shoulders as he settled just above the curve of my waist. Despite not consuming a drop of alcohol tonight, I felt heady and intoxicated in his embrace. His scent was much too delicious and made me want to inhale each breath as deeply as I could.
“Everyone’s watching us,” I whispered, feeling their unwelcome stares bounce off my back while whispered gossip spread like wildfire.
Brandon hummed, then dropped his mouth to my ear. “So, let them. Or shall we give them somethin’ to really talk about?” he murmured with a smile in his voice.
Continuing to sway in his arms, I looked up and found a cheeky glint in his eyes. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well…” He pretended to ponder before making his first move. “First, I would run both my hands further up your back, then down again…”
My breath stilled when he did just that, tracking down my torso, following the curve of my waist before dropping lower.
“Then I could cup your booty in my hands and squeeze a little before pulling you closer.”
A breathless gasp fell from my lips at the light squeeze on my bum before Brandon tugged me against his body, holding me there with one hand splayed wide on my lower back.
“Then I would smile because it feels really fucking good holding you like this. You would hum a little when I rolled my hips, just like this…”
Sure enough, I bit down on my lip as a little groan caught in my throat. Brandon’s lips brushed my ear again as he changed the direction we faced. Looking over the curve of his shoulder, I saw the open-mouthed expressions and venomous tongues talking. The touch of Brandon’s lips across my temple had my eyes fluttering closed as his aftershave somehow pulled me impossibly closer.
"Then I would run my lips over your skin, inhaling deeply because you smell too damn incredible, darlin'."
The hand on my booty vanished, only to rise and lift my chin a little.
"You would tilt your mouth up, giving me the go-ahead to kiss you like I have been wanting to all night.”
The tip of his nose trailed down mine as his shallow breath mingled with mine. The intensity in his hazel eyes held a silent question before he closed the last inch between our lips, sealing them over mine while swaying us to the new song.
Brandon drew back for no longer than one second before reclaiming my mouth. I inhaled deep and melted against him, running my hands over his shoulders then through the hair at the base of his head. The movement of his hands mirrored mine; fingers smoothed around the back of my neck and softly gripped, pulling me closer and angling me for the perfect fit. I felt him hardening within his jeans and my core instantly heated, evaporating the remainder of my hesitation.
Brandon smiled against my lips. “Just like that.”
My heavy eyelids opened the smallest amount to find him watching me. The fervor in his darkened gaze slammed into my heart and claimed everything I had to give.
His husky voice breathed more illicit words against my mouth. “And then I would tell you that you look real darn pretty while I kissed you.”
Me being malleable under his touch, Brandon effortlessly tilted my head in the other direction. The tips of our noses brushed with the movement before he kissed me again, gliding a hint of tongue across the tip of mine.
Opening for him, my tongue sought his as my heart fell for the man as he kissed me like I was his first breath of fresh air on an early spring morning.
Brandon slowed the kiss before he inhaled deep and cupped my cheek, pulling away with a groan. The look in his eyes sent a bolt of lust through me that deepened the ache between my legs.
“And then, I would tell you that I really need to stop before I can’t.”
“I can hardly breathe,” I admitted as my lungs refused to inflate.
I felt the vibrations of Brandon’s chuckle against my chest. “Then I did right by you, Lou. I ain’t gonna
lie, you lookin’ at me like that makes me want to kiss you again until you forget your name.”
That kiss was both the longest and shortest of my life. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but it was everything.
I licked my lower lip while eyeing his, unable to find the reply. I wanted more—a whole lot more.
“Raincheck?”
Brandon tipped his head back to the barn roof and cleared his throat before pressing his lips to my forehead. “You’re making it real fucking hard for me to remain a gentleman. Think we gave them enough of a show already?”
The question brought back me to reality. The one where we were the center of attention and standing at the epicenter of thick waves of disapproval.
“I think so.”
“You want to go darlin’?”
I hummed. “Only if you want to. I’m having a good time.”
Despite my fears, tonight had been more enjoyable than I anticipated—especially after that kiss. I shivered as the lingering tendrils of lust burst over my nerves.
Brandon ran his hands up and down my arms while asking if I was cold.
After assuring him I was fine, he looked at me from under his eyebrows. “You sure, sweetheart? Just say the word and I’ll drive us home.”
I nodded, then felt the flicker of disappointment when his hold eased. I liked the way his arms felt around me, warm and gentle, safe but sexy.
“I’m needing a whole lot of cold night air after that,” he drawled. “Come outside with me?”
With a breathy laugh, I smiled up into his bashful smirk. “You and me both. Let’s go.”
Brandon didn’t sling his arm around my shoulders like I had seen him do to other women tonight. Instead, he re-linked our fingers and held tight as we stepped out into the night.
Reluctantly, I loosened my grip. “I’ll just go to the bathroom.”
“Want me to escort you?”
I shook my head and laughed. “I think I can handle it myself this time around.”
Brandon smiled, then tipped his head toward the edge of the shadows. “I’ll wait at my truck.”
Stealing a glance over my shoulder as I walked away, my heart danced in time to the inside music to see that Brandon hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Even when I reached the steps to the house, he hadn’t turned away.
With a spring in my step, I hurried into the house to use the bathroom. The men had to pee behind the barn, but thankfully the women had all been given special privileges to use the indoor ablutions.
I finished up and headed through the house again when Jolene appeared in the doorway, purposely holding her ground and blocking my exit.
“He’s too good for you, jail scum. You have no right to come here and take what good men we have left. You ain’t his type and you never will be no matter how fancy you dress up.” Her light-brown eyes flashed with vindictiveness.
I smirked and crossed my arms over my chest to shield my heart from her words. They didn’t mean shit, but held notes of truth nonetheless.
“Funny—if history is anything to go by, you’re the one that isn’t his type.”
Color flared on Jolene’s cheeks and she roughly shoved past. The cool night air hitting my skin was nothing compared to the sting her spite-filled words delivered.
“You’re nothing but a dirty slut who deserves to spend a lifetime rotting in jail for what you’ve done. It’s people like you that shouldn’t be allowed to breed,” she spat.
Searing pain sliced through my chest. Her words, so forced and hateful, hit the most tender mark on my soul. My legs gave out and had me reaching for the banister to catch my stumble. There was no way she knew about Ollie; only Brandon did, and that was because he read it on my file. Rory didn’t. Jake didn’t. Jolene didn’t.
I was barely holding back tears by the time I reached Brandon’s truck.
The suspension shifted as he stood, and there was enough moonlight for me to see the immediate concern on his face.
“Lou? Is everything alright, darlin’?”
“Fine,” I replied, my voice wavering beyond control.
I leaned against the tailgate, then involuntarily flinched when Brandon’s warm hand tentatively touched down on the curve of my hip.
“Louisiana, what’s happened?” His carefully leveled tone heightened the ache in my chest.
He shouldn’t be concerned about me. I was a liability, and he was a man who deserved someone who was good for him. Not someone tainted like me.
When his arms came around me, I shoved away as an obvious sob caught in my throat. The pending tears chose that moment to overflow, and the distress angling Brandon’s brows added to my heartbreak.
“I need to leave,” I cried without explanation.
I hurried to the passenger door but didn't have a chance to tug it open. Brandon's body shielded me from the view of the barn, and, even in the moonlight, I saw blatant confusion and anger in his eyes.
“What the fuck happened, Louisiana?” he growled.
"Nothing. Please, Brandon, I just need to go. You can either drive me or stay, but either way, I am leaving this party."
Trying to push around him was pointless. His body was primed and rigid against my attempts to flee, yet gentle and non-threatening.
“Sweetheart-”
“Please, please, let me leave.” I swiped away more tears, not caring that my face would become a mess of streaked mascara.
Brandon softly caught my wrists and pressed them against his chest. He held them there with one hand, then used the other to attempt to wipe away the smeared makeup.
“You don’t need to beg, darlin’. I’ll take you home, but first, you need to tell me if anything happened just now that I need to go sort out.” A dangerous edge entered his expression that set his jaw.
"It doesn't involve a guy if that's what you're meaning."
The tense alignment of Brandon’s shoulders eased ever so slightly. “So you weren’t…” He swallowed heavily. “You weren’t touched?”
“No,” I whispered as my face crumpled.
“Christ,” he hissed. “In ya get, darlin’.”
With a tenderness that astounded me, Brandon guided me into his truck then made sure I was belted. His touch briefly warmed my knee before he softly clicked the door into place.
In the silence of the cab, I tried to shut out the party, shut out Jolene’s hateful words, and most painfully of all, I tried to shut out my tender feelings for Brandon.
Brandon
I glanced over at Lou and swallowed back the bile burning its way up from my stomach. I was beyond pissed that someone had upset her and she wasn’t sayin’ a damned thing. The entire drive back to the ranch was filled with sniffles and jerky movements from the passenger side as she cried otherwise silent tears.
I wanted to pull over and reach for her, but the fresh memory of her ducking to avoid my touch stopped me from doing so. I should have followed her into the house, should have made sure she was safe in there. Somewhere within the short five-minute window of her disappearing inside and arriving at my truck, Louisiana's sky-high mood had been ripped our from under her.
Parking in the garage set off to the side of my house, silence surrounded after I turned off the ignition aside from the click of my truck’s engine cooling down.
“Lou...”
“Louisiana,” she interjected in a tone that made my blood turn to ice. She whispered her name once more before sniffing and unbuckling her seat belt.
I gently brushed my fingers against hers in the hopes it would thaw the ever-growing glacier forming between us.
“Darlin’, talk to me.”
“There’s nothing else to say, Brandon. Enough was said tonight.”
The dejection in Lou’s voice had me so confused. Surely Wyatt’s mom’s comments hadn’t got to her this much.
“I don’t get it,” I whispered.
Back at the party, I thought tonight was goi
ng to end a whole lot different than how it was panning out. I was still trying to catch up with the change of pace.
When Louisiana turned to meet me head-on, the softness of her expression had been replaced with the same closed-off anger she aimed atme while out riding. Only this time, in the late hours of the night, it seemed both emphasized as well as masked.
“Why don’t you just take me inside and fuck me like the slut everyone thinks I am?” Louisiana taunted in a tone that physically took me aback.
“Where the hell is this coming from?” I exclaimed. “If you’re upset about me kissing you earlier, you need to tell me to back off.”
Her eyes shone with restrained tears and her teeth clenched. “It’s not that, but it is my own fault. I never should have fucked with Jolene’s head and-”
My heart dropped. “Wait! What does Jolene have to do with this?”
Louisiana ducked her head and reached for the door latch. “It doesn’t matter.”
“The hell it doesn’t.” This time my grasp was firmer when I reached for her arm. “It matters a whole damn lot.”
She tugged away, and all but threw herself out of the vehicle. I followed without missing a beat, my determined strides quickly eating up the distance as Louisiana rushed for the house.
“I got what I deserved, Brandon,” she called over her shoulder, obviously thinking I was further away than I was. “And now that entire countryside knows exactly what I am; a dirty liar who deserved to have her son taken away.”
The sobbed words punched the air from my chest and left me suffocated with rage. Lou’s fingers desperately tugged on the door handle, increasing in anguish when the lock held firm. I reached between her body and the lock just long enough to insert the key and twist, then stood back as she pushed through and ran straight for the stairs.
Pocketing the keys and blindly flicking the door closed, I raced to catch up to her, my face in line with the hem of her dress as it billowed in her wake.
I managed to get halfway into her room before she attempted to slam the door, and I grunted when it pinned me to the door jamb for a fleeting moment.
“Louisiana, please talk to me, darlin’. No one knows about your son, so why on earth would they bring him up?”