“Okay.” She nodded. “But can I ask why?”
“You seem like a nice girl. I know your sister and Sawyer. I don’t want to see you dragged down by someone like Hayes.”
What was that supposed to mean?
The other officer offered more of an explanation. “We see him quite a bit in an official capacity. He always seems to be in the middle of whatever trouble is brewing in Fort Mavis.”
Once again Raelyn was torn between what she’d been told and what her heart felt when she was with Hayes.
“Okay. Thanks for the warning.”
Raelyn was a smart woman. Most of the time. She wasn’t stupid enough to get caught naked again. She’d keep her guard up, but she was still determined to make up her own mind about Hayes. Maybe she’d regret that decision, but for now, her jury was still out on him. She just had a feeling there was something to Hayes that the rest of the town didn’t see.
Chapter 6
By eleven a.m. on day two, Raelyn had the hang of her new job. Charlie put her on tables and she expected it to be much more difficult, having to carry plates of food clear across the diner. It wasn’t bad. The people were nice and generous with tips, and as Hayes had predicted, the crotchety old men had found something else to gossip about.
She’d quickly settled into life in a small town and enjoyed the slower pace. She suddenly understood why Laney had planted roots here. Finding her man had certainly helped those roots grow fast. Would Raelyn find her happily-ever-after in Fort Mavis too? There was a plethora of sexy cowboys to choose from, and one in particular that she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Why did bad boys have to be so damn hot? And she was starting to realize part of the reason she couldn’t stop thinking about him had nothing to do with his hotness.
The lunch crowd trickled in and before long, Raelyn had switched from delivering omelets and bacon to cheeseburgers and fries. Within seconds of clearing her tables, new customers were seated. But she realized she liked being busy.
“Hayes Turner is in your section,” said Mindy, one of the other waitresses, as she met her at the beverage station. “He wouldn’t sit anywhere else and waited til a table opened there. Want me to wait on him for you?”
“No. That’s okay.” Raelyn tried to ignore the question nagging at her brain, but couldn’t. “Why would you think I wouldn’t want to?”
Mindy’s cheeks pinkened. “After what happened with you two…in the park…I assumed you wouldn’t want to.”
Raelyn wasn’t sure if she should be offended that Mindy thought she couldn’t handle him, or flattered that she cared enough to offer to rescue her. “Trust me. I can handle Hayes perfectly fine. But thanks.”
She grabbed a menu and headed for his table. “Back again?”
He looked up at her and just the striking blue of his eyes was enough to make her knees turn to jelly. “A man needs to eat. And I enjoy the scenery here.”
She rolled her eyes. “Do you know what you want or do you need a minute?”
“I definitely know what I want.”
She cocked her hip and shot him an aggravated glare. “Can we stop this?”
“Stop what?” He feigned innocence.
“This silly game where you come in here and make sexual references.”
“I was talking about the fried chicken lunch special, but if sex is on the menu, I’ll take that instead.”
“Sex will never again be on the menu.” She didn’t know if she meant it, but felt the need to say it.
“That’s a shame, darlin’, cause I’d really love to have another bite of you. You’re the best thing I’ve eaten in years.”
Raelyn’s cheeks burst into flames and she frantically looked around. Had anyone else heard what he’d said? “Well, that’s not gonna happen.”
“Damn. I guess I’ll have to make do with the chicken. Make sure I get a nice juicy breast.”
More eye rolling. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you love it.”
Raelyn walked away and put his order in, then checked on her other customers. In between fetching drink refills and dropping off lunch specials, her gaze kept landing on Hayes. He had the paper and had made a few calls. He looked upset, and she couldn’t help but wonder why.
“Everything okay?” she asked as she dropped off a soda refill.
He quickly wiped away the look of frustration and replaced it with a sexy grin. “As fine as you.”
She started to walk away, but he grabbed her hand. Heat raced up her arm. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing. I’m working tomorrow morning, so I plan to be in bed early.”
“On a Friday night? Meet me at the bar. I’ll make sure you still get to bed at a decent time.”
“Nope. Not after what happened last time I met you at the bar.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior. And besides, I have something of yours that you might want back.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you have?”
“I’m not tellin’. If you want it bad enough, you’ll meet me tonight. Nine o’clock.”
Raelyn was intrigued, but was that a good enough reason meet him? And more importantly, would she be able to resist if last weekend’s proposition presented itself again?
She heard the ding of the bell and turned toward the kitchen. Hayes’ lunch sat in the window. “Your food’s ready.” She walked away and returned with his meal, dropping it and leaving again. He was wearing her down. She just had to decide if that was a good or bad thing.
*
Hayes inhaled his lunch, needing to curb one of the hungers raging through his body. The hunger for Raelyn would have to be satisfied later.
Back to dealing with this friggin’ job hunt. He’d made a few calls for manual labor jobs he found in the want ads. Some were already filled, others didn’t pay enough to make it worth the hassle. One more to call. A contractor looking for bodies to help with demolition in the next town over. Tiring work, but easy. If the pay was right, it might be a good temporary opportunity.
He dialed the number.
“Mooney and Sons,” a chipper receptionist answered. “How may I direct your call?”
“I’m calling about the ad in the paper for manual labor.”
“Oh, yes! It pays twenty-five dollars an hour, for as little or as much as you can be there. It starts on Monday and should be finished up by Friday. Are you interested?”
Not the greatest pay, but nothing else he’d called about had panned out. He could get his work at the ranch done by eleven, then head over. “Yeah. I can get there by noon.”
“Great!”
She took down his name and phone number and gave him the address for the demo. Soon this would be over. He wouldn’t have to keep doing these pain-in-the-ass side jobs. Once he had the money he needed, life would settle down and he’d be able to find some kind of normalcy.
*
Raelyn left the diner at two, amazed at how fast eight hours could fly by. Her job working for her mom in Dallas had been boring as hell and the days dragged by. Waitressing may not be a dream job, but she actually liked it. She got to talk to people instead of being cooped up in an office all by herself. She got to move around instead of sitting in a desk chair all day. And you couldn’t beat the aroma of yummy diner food.
She showered and headed to Laney’s shop, where she worked on bridal bouquets and flower arrangements for reception tables.
“You need help with anything?” Raelyn asked as she walked into the design room.
“Sure. There’s some roses that need to be cleaned.”
Raelyn stepped to the counter where a few bunches of pink roses lay and began to slice off the thorns with a knife, just as Laney had showed her to do years ago. She used to help out during busy times at the flower shop Laney had worked at in Dallas.
“You guys have any plans for tonight?” Raelyn asked.
“Nothing fancy. Just dinner and maybe a DVD. I’ve got an early morning
.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking of maybe going up to the bar tonight.” She kept her gaze on the rose in her hand.
“Don’t you have to work tomorrow? Even earlier than me?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why do you want to go to the bar?”
Raelyn shrugged. “I don’t know. Something to do.”
“Wait.” Laney stepped to her. “He’s going to be there, isn’t he?”
She still refused to look at her. “I don’t know.”
“Raelyn…” Laney warned. “What are you doing? Sawyer told you to stay away from him.”
“I know, but he has something of mine that I need to get back. And Sawyer doesn’t know everything. I don’t think Hayes is as evil as Sawyer makes him out to be. It turns out he didn’t almost beat a man to death. He just broke his nose.”
“Still! He’s not the kind of guy you should be hanging around.”
“Well, I think Sawyer is wrong about him. I see something there. Something maybe no one else sees.”
Laney shot her with that big sister glare. “Do what you want, but be prepared to hear ‘I told you so’ when he gets you arrested again.”
“That’s not gonna happen, so you can put the judge-y look away.””
“I’m not judging, just watching out for you. You’re my only sister and I care about you.”
“So if we had another sister, you wouldn’t care as much?”
Laney slapped her on the arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”
“I do. And I love you, too.”
Raelyn spent the rest of the afternoon with Laney. They went home together and had dinner. After they cleaned up, Laney and Sawyer snuggled on the couch and Raelyn readied herself, opting for jeans and a simple tank top, some funky jewelry. It was only eight-thirty, so she plopped down on the loveseat. Within five minutes her eyelids started to droop.
Man, she was not used to these early mornings.
Hayes had said nine, but if she didn’t find some excitement soon, she was going to fall asleep.
She stood and grabbed her purse. “I’m heading out.”
Laney eyed her. “Be careful.”
Raelyn stuck her tongue out at her then walked to the bar, only a few blocks down. Once inside, she looked around. Only half as full as it had been last Saturday. But no sign of Hayes. She took a seat at the bar, hoping she could actually snag the attention of a bartender and get a drink.
“Chardonnay, right?” the blond bombshell bartender asked with a bright smile.
“Yes. Thank you.”
She poured a glass and slid it to her. Raelyn tossed a ten on the bar and she brought her change. She pushed the remaining two bucks toward her.
“Thanks, honey. I’m Trixie. You’re new in town, aren’t ya?”
“I am.”
“It’s Raelyn, right?”
“Yes,” she replied, eyeing her cautiously.
“Everyone in town knows who you are after last weekend’s incident.”
“Oh.” Raelyn felt her face warm to a thousand degrees.
“Don’t worry about it. It told me you’re the kind of gal I’d like to be friends with.”
Raelyn smiled and sipped her wine.
“What kind of stories are you telling her, Trixie?” Hayes’ voice surrounded Raelyn, deep and rough. Her heartbeat instantly quickened and she ignored the sensations ravaging her body.
“We weren’t even talking about you.” Trixie wiped the bar then cast her gaze on Raelyn with a smile. “Let me know when you need a refill.”
Hayes sat on the stool next to Raelyn. “You showed up.”
“I was intrigued. You said you had something of mine.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out some fabric. He opened his hand and her lacy bra tumbled out, held up by just the strap.
“Give me that!” She snatched it out of his hand and he laughed. “You didn’t have to hold it up like that.”
“No, but it sure was funny to watch your face.”
She shoved it in her purse. “Where’s my underwear?”
“You’re not getting that, darlin’. It’s my souvenir.”
“So you just have a box of used thongs at home? That’s gross. And creepy.”
“Nope. Just yours.”
Raelyn knew she should still be weirded out by this, but somehow she wasn’t. “It’s a matching set, so I kinda need it back.”
“You can have it when you come home with me.”
“Then I guess I’ll never complete my set.”
Trixie poured Hayes his whiskey and slid it to him. He downed half of it in one gulp. “How ‘bout I get you a real drink instead of that fancy shit?”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I’m sticking with wine. Things did not end well when I drank whiskey.”
“Technically they didn’t end. We were interrupted. If I’d been allowed to finish what I’d had in mind for you, you wouldn’t have been able to walk into the police station.”
“You’re pretty damn cocky, aren’t you?”
“Yes, my cock is damn pretty.”
Raelyn sipped her wine. “Everything comes back to sex with you, doesn’t it?”
“It’s one thing in this life that brings me joy. That list is very short. I find no shame in enjoying sex with a beautiful woman and pride myself on the pleasure I can bring her.”
Raelyn’s mouth suddenly went dry. She knew the pleasure he could bring to a woman with those hands, those lips…that pretty cock. More wine. She breathed deep and cleared her head. “I want to know what else is on that list.”
He downed the contents of his glass and waved for Trixie’s attention. “Whiskey’s on the list.”
“And what else?”
He diverted his gaze from hers and spun his empty glass with his fingers. She wondered what he was thinking about. “That’s basically it,” he finally said.
“It sounds to me like there’s more.”
He met her stare. “Nope.”
The finality in his tone warned her not to push. Regardless of what he said, what Sawyer or the sheriff said, there was far more to Hayes than he let on, a side he didn’t let anyone see. And damn it, she wanted to see it.
Trixie poured his drink and he sucked it all down. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he said and stood, then walked toward the door.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Trixie said as she filled Raelyn’s glass. “He gets real moody sometimes. It one of his charms.”
“If that’s a charm, I hate to see what he’s like when he’s pissed.”
Trixie winked and left to wait on other bar patrons. Raelyn sipped her drink and watched the crowd. She’d always liked people watching, observing.
“Well, hello there, sugar.”
A cowboy had appeared in front of her. Red and black plaid shirt, tight Wranglers with a comically huge brass buckle holding them up, a white Stetson on his head. Typical.
“Hi,” she said politely and returned to her people watching.
“You’re a pretty little thing. I don’t think I’ve seen you in here before. What’s your name?”
“Raelyn,” she answered without looking at him.
“Pretty name for a pretty girl. Can I buy you a drink?”
She raised her glass toward him. “Already got one.”
“I’m sure you can use another.” He waved to the bartender. “Trixie, pour her another of whatever that is.”
“I’m good. Really. I don’t need another drink.”
“You can’t turn it down. It’s free.”
“I can and I am.”
He ignored her. “Trixie. Pour it.”
“She said no, asshole.” Hayes appeared behind the guy.
Mr. Belt Buckle turned. “Hayes. How’s it going?”
“Things are going to get real shitty for you if you don’t leave right now.”
“I’m havin’ a conversation with this lady.
I’ll leave when I’m ready.”
Hayes stepped closer, his teeth clenched. “You’ll fucking leave now.”
“I don’t have to do a goddamn thing you say. Get out of my face.”
“Boys…” Raelyn said, noticing Hayes’ fists clenched at his sides. “Cut it out.”
After another moment locked in a heated stare, Belt Buckle Guy stepped to the side and walked away. Raelyn just shook her head. Men.
“That guy is a dickhead,” Hayes said when he retook his seat.
“Yeah, but I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
“He doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” She meant it to be funny, but realized it wasn’t the second it left her lips.
“I’m nothing like him.”
The vibe between them had definitely changed and it was not a good one. Time to call it a night. Raelyn was ready to go home and get into her comfy new bed. But first, a trip to the ladies’ room.
She excused herself and weaved through the crowd to the tiny two-stall bathroom in the back of the bar. A line, as usual. She did her business and washed her hands, then fluffed her hair. She walked back toward the bar and Hayes, but when she got there, he stood, brushed past her, and yanked Belt Buckle Guy out of his seat, punching him square in the jaw.
A bouncer appeared immediately, pulling on Hayes’ arm. “Out!” he bellowed.
Hayes complied, jerking his arm out of the bouncer’s grasp as he headed for the door.
Raelyn followed.
“You’re running out of warnings,” the bouncer said.
Hayes walked to the parking lot, Raelyn at his heels. “What was that about?” she asked.
“I didn’t like the way he looked at you.”
The blunt answer shocked her. “So, that’s how it is? Something as minimal as a look and you respond with violence? That’s what crazy lunatics do.”
“Call me what you want, but when it comes to that asshole, yes. You don’t know him. He’s a worthless piece of shit that treats women like garbage.”
“And I was handling him. I don’t need you to rescue me. And I don’t get why you acted like that, anyway. I’m no one to you. We’re not dating. We had a one-night fling.”
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