Sweet Dreams (Sweetwater Book 2)

by Rivi Jacks

  “Never doubted it for a moment,” he says dryly.

  “Ok, Mr. Santiago,” —I hop down off the desk— “I’ll leave you to your important work.”

  He quickly reaches for me, pulling me close. “I’m sorry, but I do need to get back to work.” He brings his mouth to mine in a warm kiss. “I think you know” —he murmurs against my lips, his voice seductive— “I’d much rather spend the afternoon playing with you, my sweet.”

  “Me too,” I whisper, not wanting to leave him. “But, it’s for the greater cause—our honeymoon.” I grin as I smooth my hand over his chest before stepping back. “Try not to work too hard. Sam said something to me about going out to the Zelt’s if he gets back from the stockyard early enough.” I head for the door.

  “Just let me know, baby.”

  I turn back, and my breath catches just looking at him as he stands at his desk, looking down at the papers he’s shuffling through. I’m hit hard with the realization that no matter the stress or discomfort of a huge wedding in a strange land, I cannot wait to become his wife.

  “Well just so you know,” —I say breathlessly— “you owe me a deskcapade.” His amused gaze lifts to meet mine. “Don’t think you can make idle promises without delivering the goods, Santiago.” Lucas’ face breaks into a wide grin. I smile before turning toward the door and then remember his guests. I know they heard us, and I’m not about to face them. I turn back, deciding I’ll take the easy way out and leave via his outside door. “I’ll just—” I point toward the far wall of French doors that lead out to the stone patio.

  Lucas’ eyebrow rises. “Sofie, my guests are at the arena. They left the house when we took our break.”

  I make a quick U-turn to head back the way I came in. “You might have mentioned that,” I mutter under my breath, feeling my face heat.

  I hear Lucas laugh as I turn the corner to the hallway.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Don’t let the ones that want to steal your dreams

  They’ll steal your dreams away ~

  —Old Man Canyon

  Diane and Emma Rae show up at the cabin for our night out just as Lucas is leaving. He’d taken the afternoon off to spend with me, and we went on a long walk through his woods. One of my favorite things to do. After we returned to the cabin, we enjoyed a very pleasurable shower together.

  “Pay attention to what’s going on around you and be careful,” Lucas instructs before bending down to give me a quick kiss.

  “Yes, sir.” Keeping the grin off my face is hard. I’m doing that all the time now. Smiling.

  He cocks his eyebrow at my sassy tone. “Fisher and Cal—”

  “Will be our constant companions,” I assure him, smiling over at Diane and Emma Rae.

  He narrows his eyes and then shakes his head in amusement. I step up to him with my hands clasped behind my back and dramatically pucker up for another kiss as I close my eyes.

  I feel his warm breath near my ear as he says, “You’re lucky your friends are here because I have an urgent need to spank that sweet little ass of yours.” My eyes pop open, and I widen them just as he gives me a kiss that holds a promise. His eyes gleam wickedly into mine before he straightens to his full height. “Ladies,” he says as he nods to Diane and Emma Rae before meeting my eyes again. “Soon, my sweet.”

  He heads toward the Hummer with a panther-like grace as I stand on the porch watching him. Just as he reaches the Hummer, he looks back.

  “Have a good time tonight, dear.” I know he’s planning a trip to the nightclub Impulse to see Dominic. I blow him a kiss, and he grins.

  Emma Rae links her arm with mine as we watch Lucas drive away. “Sexy bastard, isn’t he?” I sigh, wholeheartedly agreeing with her.

  “I told you y’all were a love story waiting to happen,” Diane says with satisfaction.

  Emma Rae gives me a little nudge with her hip. “Let’s get this party started!”

  I laugh. “Are we doing the bachelorette party tonight?”

  “Absolutely not!” Diane says.

  “This will just be a practice run for the real thing,” Emma Rae informs me.

  I groan.

  “Don’t even!” Diane warns. “It’s for us as much as it is for you.”

  I laugh. “How do you figure that? Oh! Lucas brought us a gift.” I head inside to the kitchen area where a large wrapped box sits on the table.

  “What is it?” Diane asks.

  “I don’t know, he said I couldn’t open it until y’all were here since it’s for you too.” I push the package across the table closer to Diane.

  She eagerly lifts the wrapped lid off peering inside. “Ooooh.” She reaches in to lift out two bottles of Lucas’ favorite tequila.

  “Oh, yum,” Emma Rae exclaims as Diane dives back in to lift out shot glasses, limes, and salt, setting each item on the table. Diane grins reaching back into the box and then hands me an envelope with my name written on the front of it.

  Emma Rae is already working on opening one of the bottles. “Hot damn, that is one good man you have there, Sofie,” she says.

  I agree with a smile as I open the envelope.

  My sweet, I know how you prefer to drink your tequila—

  My cheeks flush at his subtle admission that he knows about the night Diane, Emma Rae, and I killed a bottle of his expensive tequila doing shots. I know it’s meant to be sipped to be fully appreciated, and Taylor teased me that it was practically sacrilegious drinking it the way we did. I bet it was thanks to Taylor that Lucas found out too. Not that I was trying to keep it from him…

  So I’ve supplied you with everything you need—my small contribution to your night.

  And just so you know, I plan to drink my next bottle in your favorite fashion, but I plan to fulfill one of my favorite fantasies doing it—licking shots off your delectable belly.

  I quickly stuff the monogrammed card back into the envelope, my whole body flushed now with the thought of Lucas’ sensual promise.

  Emma Rae fills a shot glass for each of us as Diane slices limes.

  “May we never regret this,” I toast, holding up my shot glass. Diane and Emma Rae repeat my sentiment before we knock back our first shot.

  “Good thing we’ll have a chauffeur tonight,” I say as I pick up my re-filled glass.

  “Well we need to stop after this one, no more until we eat some supper,” Diane informs as she caps the bottle.

  “Wise decision,” Emma Rae agrees.

  Murphy’s on a Friday night is usually a good time. Busy as hell but everyone is usually in a good mood for the weekend. The three of us are in high spirits as we enter.

  Cal and Fisher are our chauffeur/bodyguards for the night and they take up watch at the front and back door of Murphy’s. I wonder if it wouldn’t be more appropriate to call them babysitters. I hope it doesn’t come to that— We have a definite carefree attitude knowing they have our backs, though.

  Since we’ve beaten the supper rush, we take the best table in the house before placing our orders with Mary Burns.

  Murphy wanted to try a new food distributor, and the company offered to bring samples of their product and do the cooking for the day. So Murphy gave the three cooks for the day; me, Emma Rae, and Bobbi the option to have the day off. Emma Rae and I happily accepted his offer.

  “So—you say everyone is going on about the chili dogs?” Emma Rae asks.

  “Yep,” Mary says as she holds her pen poised over her order pad. “They’ve mostly liked everything being served.”

  “The onion rings?” I ask.

  “They’re delicious, I tried some earlier. Beer battered.” Mary grins. “I’ve probably gained five pounds from all the sampling we’ve been doing.”

  “Damn. Good thing I decided to take the
day off,” Emma Rae says.

  At the same time Diane says, “Oooh, I wish I worked here today.”

  Emma Rae gives a snort. We both marvel at the way Diane eats but manages to remain a tiny thing.

  “You’ns want the chili dogs and onion rings?” Mary asks.

  “Sounds good to me—with the works,” I add.

  “Sofie,” —Mary leans down, speaking softly— “I just want to say congratulations on your engagement. I’m real happy for you, honey.” She reaches out and squeezes my arm.

  “Thank you, Mary.”

  She beams at me and then taps her pad. “Your order shouldn’t take too long.”

  “There’s no rush, we’re here to enjoy the company as much as the food,” I tell her.

  The front door opens and the McMurty’s walk in. The three of us call out a greeting as they walk into the dining room. They’re a couple in their sixties who eat at Murphy’s every Friday night. Mrs. McMurty told me once that she and her husband had been eating here on Friday for twenty-five years, ever since their last young’un left home. She said she hoped for twenty-five more. I hoped so too.

  Right behind the McMurty’s come Terry Joe Wooten and Logan Rivers.

  “Are you girls out causin’ trouble?” Terry Joe asks as he and Logan take a table close by.

  “Not yet,” Emma Rae says. “We need to eat first and then we plan to give y’all hell out at the shotgun shack.”

  “Bring it on,” Logan teases. Catching my eye he gives me one of his killer smiles. I make note that I’m not totally immune to that smile. Not that I’d do anything about it, but I can appreciate a good-looking guy even if I am about to be married.

  “Where’s Sawyer today, Sofie? I’ve called him several times,” Terry Joe asks glancing over when Mary walks up to take the McMurty’s order.

  The front door opens again, and Sam walks in.

  “Well I thought he was with Sam,” —I motion toward Sam as he joins us in the dining room— “but it doesn’t look like it.”

  Sam acknowledges the McMurty’s and waves a hand in greeting at us when Terry Joe calls out to him.

  “I’m going to get a coke and find out what desserts they have,” Emma Rae informs us as the front door opens and a group of high schoolers enter. “Before the good stuff’s gone.”

  “Mmmm, I’ll come with you,” Diane offers.

  Emma Rae smirks. “I figured you would.”

  I move to join Sam who’s sitting beside Logan at his and Terry Joe’s table. Terry Joe slides over to make room for me.

  “Where’s Sawyer?” I ask immediately.

  “He’s cleaning up. I knocked off early. I’m going to a family dinner over at Rose’s.”

  “That sounds like fun,” I tell him.

  “Sounds like serious shit to me,” Terry Joe teases.

  I nudge Terry Joe. “I think that ships already sailed.”

  Sam laughs good-naturedly.

  “That Rose is a sweetheart,” Terry Joe says and then turns to look at me. “I hear that Lucas Santiago is one lucky bastard. Congrats, little Sofie.” He places an arm around my shoulders and gives my arm a quick squeeze.

  “Thank you, Terry Joe.” A little lump forms in my throat. Terry Joe is just a big old teddy bear. He doesn’t look like it though, and I’d never want to get on the wrong side of him. Jake says tangling with Terry Joe is a sorry mistake you’ll only make once, but Terry Joe is one of the good ones. I agree. I know that his size and gruff attitude wards off a lot of people—the ones that truly don’t know him—and I also know he likes it that way. But if you happen to be his friend, you’re one lucky person in my opinion.

  “Congratulations, Sofie,” Logan chimes in. “I hope you’ll be very happy.”

  “Thank you, Logan. I appreciate that.”

  We all look over at the table where the high school kids are sitting as one of the girls shrieks when one of the boys takes a garter snake out of his coat pocket and sticks it up in the girl’s face.

  “Oh, dear,” Mrs. McMurty says, lifting her feet and legs up to the opposite booth seat.

  I smile. A little garter snake never hurt anyone, but some people just don’t like any type of snake. I glance over at Sam and bust out laughing seeing his expression. “Get that snake out of here!” he orders.

  At the same moment, Emma Rae says, “Hey, no snakes allowed in here.” As she walks back to us.

  “Sorry,” the boy says as the group of teenagers laugh. “Sorry, ma’am,” he says to Mrs. McMurty as he passes by her table. She leans closer to the wall, and her husband laughs.

  “I guess I better get a cup of coffee before our food gets here,” I say as I stand.

  “And I need to go,” Sam says.

  “Have a good time tonight and say hello to Rose for me,” I tell him as he walks with me to the front of the store.

  “Are you girls going out to the shotgun shack?” he asks. “Rose and I’ll be out there after supper.”

  “Yeah,” —I open the front door and step outside with him— “we’ll be there. What’s Sawyer up to? He called this morning and left a message but never called me back.”

  “He said he had a blind date Eli fixed him up with. I think he’s planning to be at the shack later.”

  I grin. “It’s going to be a great night. See you and Rose later, cuz.” I give him a quick hug.

  I head back in and mosey on back to the coffee counter. My cousin Polly Walker is making a fresh pot.

  “Hi, Polly.”

  “Hey, Sofie.” She flips the switch on the brewer. “How you doing, hon? Crazy yet?”

  I laugh. “No, I’m okay. I’m not so sure about my aunts or Di and Emma Rae. They’re the ones taking care of everything.”

  “They can handle it.”

  “Yeah,” I agree. “They’re the best.”

  “What about the bachelorette party?”

  I make an expression that conveys my thoughts on that.

  “Sofie! You absolutely have to have a party. You always give them for everyone else, now it’s our turn to give you the best party ever, girl!”

  “Okay,” I laugh agreeably.

  “Sofie?” Mary pokes her head around the corner. “I took your food out to the table.”

  “Thanks, Mary.”

  Polly picks up a coffee mug and fills it before sliding it across the counter to me and then the creamer. “I need to get back to the kitchen and get those dishes washed,” she says.

  “Come on out to the shotgun shack when you get off,” I suggest.

  She gives a bark of a laugh. “The only place I’m going is to bed when I get out of here.” She pats me on the shoulder and with a chuckle, heads back to the kitchen.

  The dining room is practically full when I get back to the table. I notice right off that Bobbi and Teresa are sitting at the table directly in front of ours.

  “This is delicious, and the onion rings are to die for,” Diane says around a bite.

  “Mmm, I’m hungry.” I sit down with my back to Teresa.

  “Murphy is definitely going to have to give this company a try,” Emma Rae says.

  “Where is Murphy?” Diane asks.

  “He left yesterday with the mayor. They went to the casino,” I say around my bite of chili dog.

  “Omg! That’s where we can go for your bachelorette party, Sofie!” Diane says excitedly.

  “Uh, I don’t think—”

  “That’s a great idea, Diane,” Emma Rae readily agrees.

  “What is?” Mary asks as she sits down beside me.

  “Sofie?” I look up as my aunt Jordanna’s friend, Lola Martin steps up to our table.

  “Hi, Lola.”

  “I just got back in town to find out you�
��re engaged? Congratulations, sweetie.” She leans down to give me a hug.

  “Thank you,” I laugh softly. “I guess Jordy told you?”

  “She did. She’s so happy for you.”

  I think I hear Teresa make a derisive sound from behind me but I choose to ignore her.

  “We all are,” Emma Rae says and sends a narrow-eyed look in Teresa’s direction.

  “We were just discussing where to have the bachelorette party,” Diane adds.

  “Well, please include me,” Lola says.

  “Of course,” I assure her.

  “Looks like my foods ready to go and Tony’s waiting at home, good and hungry.” She laughs. “Y’all have a good night.” Lola bends down again for another quick hug. “I’m happy for you, hon.”

  “Thanks, Lola.”

  “I’m so glad she and Tony worked things out,” Diane says after Lola steps out the front door.

  “Me too,” I agree.

  “They’re both the nicest people,” Mary says.

  I finish my last onion ring, smothering it in ketchup and push my plate aside. “I’m stuffed.”

  “Me too,” says Diane. “Do you want to share this piece of cheesecake?”

  “No thanks,” I say with a laugh. “It’s all yours.”

  “Yeah, you probably shouldn’t, you have a wedding dress to shop for,” Diane says.

  “Do you have a ring yet?” Mary asks.

  “Lucas told her his mother is bringing the ring when she comes next week. A family heirloom,” Diane gushes.

  “I bet it will be gorgeous,” Mary says. “Are you excited—nervous?”

  “Both!” I laugh.

  “Oh. My. God!” Teresa barks annoyingly.

  “What is your problem, Teresio?” Emma Rae asks.

  “My problem is listening to y’all.”

  I can’t help it, I know I shouldn’t, but I turn around. “Then don’t eavesdrop, Teresa.”

  “Eavesdrop?” she says. “I don’t need to eavesdrop—you’re crowing so loud.”