The Landscaper (Working Men Series Book 6)

by Ramona Gray

  “You know, I’m not that hungry.” Knox cupped my breast as his stomach growled again.

  “Liar.” I tugged at his arm. “C’mon, let’s go make something to eat.”

  “How about a blow job and then something to eat.” He tugged on my nipple.

  “Nope.”

  “Tease.”

  “Totally.”

  He laughed and kissed my neck. “C’mon, baby, out of bed. I’m about to cook you the fastest dinner in the history of cooking.”

  Chapter Six

  Isabelle

  Mia slid into the seat next to me. “Sorry I’m late. There was an accident out on Corone Road.”

  “That’s all right. Everyone okay?”

  “Yeah. Single vehicle accident. She fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a tree. She was wearing her seat belt, so she’s bruised, but she’ll live. It’s busy in here tonight.”

  “Ren’s Bar is always busy on a Friday night.”

  “True. What did I miss?”

  “Nothing,” I replied. “Are we getting you laid tonight or what?”

  “Isabelle!” Mia turned bright red.

  “What? You told me yourself it’s been a while since you had dick, I assumed that’s why you suggested we go out tonight.”

  “Oh my God, how many beers have you had?” Mia said.

  “Um… two?”

  “She’s on her third one.” Madison, our server, had appeared at the table.

  “Shit, Isabelle, it’s only ten o’clock,” Mia said.

  “Tell me about it.” I drained the rest of my beer in one big swallow. “Another please, Madison.”

  “Sure. Mia, what do you want?”

  “I’ll take a beer.”

  “Coming right up.” Madison took my empty and we watched as she headed back toward the bar. She stopped next to a table where a large man with dark hair threaded through with silver was sitting by himself.

  “Who is that?” I asked. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him.

  “Jacob Marken. He does carpentry work, and he and -”

  “Holy shit,” I said when Madison bent and planted a kiss on his mouth before heading to the bar.

  Mia laughed. “Yeah, he and Madison are dating. I heard he moved in with her.”

  “Isn’t he like twenty years older than her?”

  “Fifteen.”

  “Huh, well good for them. They look pretty happy.”

  Madison returned with our beers. We paid her, and she pocketed her tips before nodding her thanks and heading to the next table.

  I took a big swallow of beer. “All right, let’s see if we can get you laid tonight.”

  “I’m not interested in…”

  “Mia?” I frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Uh, nothing.”

  She quickly looked down at her beer bottle, and I stared in the general direction she’d been looking. Dismay and – shit – lust immediately swept through me. Knox was sitting down at a table with a couple of guys I didn’t know.

  “Do you want to leave?” Mia asked.

  “Nope.” I drank more beer and studiously avoiding looking in Knox’s direction.

  “Uh oh.” Mia never could hide her emotions.

  “Uh oh, what?” I glanced at Knox and the jealousy shot through me like a bullet. “Is that Sonya Bracker?”

  “Yeah.”

  Sonya had joined the group of men. She sat on Knox’s lap and ran her fingers through his short dark hair.

  Mia wrapped her hand around my arm when I started to stand. “Keep it together, Isabelle.”

  I sat down and forced myself to look away. “It doesn’t matter. He’s probably already fucked her a few times.”

  “Probably,” Mia said.

  I sighed and stared moodily at her. “I never should have moved back here.”

  She gave me a sympathetic look. “So, banging him all of Wednesday night didn’t get him out of your system, huh?”

  “Apparently not.” I stretched gingerly. My thighs and my pussy were sore. Not surprising.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, just a bit sore.”

  “How many times did you and Knox have sex?”

  “Honestly? I can’t remember the exact number. It was a lot. He, uh, likes sex as much as I do.”

  “Are you really not going to sleep with him again? You’ve been in love with him for years, and you’re honestly going to tell me that sleeping with him one night was enough?”

  “Does it matter? He said he would give me one night and he did. I finally got what I wanted, and it was amazing, and I don’t regret it. But it’s over now.”

  “Is it though?”

  “He’s already with Sonya.”

  “He doesn’t seem that into her,” Mia said.

  I swallowed more beer and glanced at Knox again. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Sonya was off his lap. She was sitting next to him and I could see her hand on his thigh, but at least she wasn’t grinding her ass against his dick. I didn’t want to watch the man I loved take another woman home, but I also didn’t want to leave and not know if he took her home. Was it better or worse to know that Knox had already moved on? I really didn’t know.

  “I think we should go,” Mia said.

  “No. Why should we leave? We were here first, and I don’t care what he does with Sonya. Hell, he could fuck her in the middle of the dance floor, for all I care.”

  “You totally care,” Mia said.

  I ignored her and waved Madison over. I needed another beer. Maybe it would drown the jealousy in my belly.

  * * *

  “Hey, Isabelle. You want to dance?”

  I squinted up at the big guy standing next to our table. He looked vaguely familiar to me, but I couldn’t place him.

  A second voice came from my right. “C’mon, Mia, you know you want to be pressed up against this hot body. Dance with me.”

  I swiveled in my seat to see Mia’s work partner, Matt, grinning at her and holding out his hand. “Let’s go, hot stuff.”

  She rolled her eyes before taking his hand. “Fine, but I know you’re only asking me because Jenny Smithson just turned you down flat.”

  “Complete lie,” Matt said cheerfully before wiggling his eyebrows at me. “Don’t leave Elijah hanging in the wind, Izzy.”

  Elijah! Right… local firefighter and Matt’s best friend. I smiled up at the big man. “Hey, Elijah. How are you?”

  “Good. Dance with me?”

  “Sure.” I deliberately kept my gaze from the table Knox was sitting at, just like I’d been doing for the last hour. He was probably sucking tongue with Sonya by now, and just the thought of him kissing someone else made my stomach churn.

  I stood and took Elijah’s hand. I weaved unsteadily, and he put one big hand on my elbow. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, a teensy bit drunk though, so don’t judge my dancing on what happens tonight, all right?”

  “Sure.”

  We walked slowly to the dance floor, Elijah holding my hand tightly. He wasn’t as big as my brother, but he was well over six feet and his entire body seemed like one big muscle. I giggled as Elijah put his arm around my waist and took my hand with his.

  “What’s funny?” He asked.

  “You’ve got a lot of muscles,” I said.

  “I work out a lot.”

  “How much can you bench press?”

  “Why?”

  “Just curious. I weigh about a hundred and twenty pounds. Could you bench press me?” I asked as we swayed to the music.

  “Yes.”

  I immediately had a mental image of Elijah lifting me up and down over his head. I laughed, and he gave me another curious look as I tried to control my giggles.

  “Sorry. I just had a vision of you bench pressing me.”

  His big hand squeezed my hip. “I wouldn’t actually bench press you. Too dangerous.”

  “I know, I just meant…”

  Man, Elijah seemed like a n
ice guy, but he didn’t have much of a sense of humour. He turned me in a circle and I tripped over his feet. He caught me as I fell, and I stared up at him before grinning. “Hey, thanks for catching me before I fell on my face. You probably catch a lot of damsels in distress, being a firefighter, right?”

  “The ladies love being rescued by Elijah.” Matt, holding Mia tightly against his body, glided by us. I laughed when he reached down and cupped her ass. Mia poked him in the chest, but I could see the flush of excitement in her cheeks.

  “Hand back on my hip, pervert.”

  “Yes, Miss Mia.” Matt moved his hand before guiding her across the dance floor.

  “You know, I’m starting to think Matt has a thing for Mia,” I said.

  Elijah studied them. I might have been drunk, but there was no mistaking the flicker of jealousy crossing his face as he said, “He’s just flirting.”

  I squinted at him. “Are you jealous?”

  “No.”

  “You are jealous. Oh my God, are you, like, secretly into Matt?”

  “Why would you think I’m gay?”

  “Aren’t all gym rats secretly gay?”

  “How drunk are you, Isabelle?”

  “Ridiculously hammered,” I said.

  “I like women.”

  “Oh. Well, good for you.” My eyes widened. “Holy shit, do you like Mia?”

  “No, and keep your voice down,” Elijah almost snarled. “I don’t like her.”

  “You’re acting like you do,” I said.

  “If I liked her, why would I ask you to dance?” There was something that almost sounded like panic in his voice.

  “I don’t know, maybe you’re shy and don’t want her to know you wanna bang her like a screen door?”

  “Isabelle,” he gave me a little shake, “I am not into Mia, do you understand? Don’t say a word to her about -”

  “Get your hands off her, asshole.”

  My whole body stiffened when I heard his voice. Elijah studied Knox before glancing at me.

  “Let’s go, Isabelle.” Knox held his hand out.

  “Go where?”

  “Home. You’re drunk, and I’m driving you home.”

  “I’m not drunk.”

  “You just told me you were completely hammered,” Elijah said.

  “Be quiet, you!” I scowled at him, but he just shrugged.

  “Time to go,” Knox said.

  “You’re not my dad. I’m dancing with my new friend, and I don’t appreciate you interrupting us. Besides, if I need a ride home, I’m sure Elijah will be more than happy to give me a ride. Won’t you, big guy?” I ran my hand over his chest and smiled at him.

  I knew I shouldn’t have been using Elijah that way, but I was still pissed that Sonya had been all over Knox and he hadn’t exactly pushed her away.

  Knox’s face turned red, and his hands clenched into fists. “Let go of her now, man.”

  Elijah didn’t move, and Knox moved closer. “She’s mine,” he said in a low voice, “and if you’re smart, you’ll take your hands off her right now.”

  “I’m not yours,” I said, “and have you gone crazy? Elijah will kick your ass.”

  “Thank you for the dance, Isabelle.” Elijah was stepping away from me and before I could chase after him, Knox’s arm had wrapped around my waist.

  “Elijah, wait…”

  The firefighter nodded to Knox before walking off the dance floor. I glared up at Knox. “You asshole. Don’t pull that macho alpha bullshit ever again, do you hear me?”

  “I’m taking you home, Isabelle.”

  “What if I don’t want to go home?”

  “You’re drunk,” he said.

  “So what if I am?” I pulled away and nearly fell on my ass.

  Knox grabbed my arm and kept me upright as Mia, followed by Matt, joined us.

  “Isabelle, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Knox said. “She’s had too much to drink and I’m giving her a ride home.”

  “Nope,” I announced, “Mia is giving me a ride home.”

  “Uh, I’ve had too many beers to drive,” Mia said.

  “I’ll drive you home,” Matt said. “I’ve only had one beer.”

  “You sure?” Mia asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Can you give me a ride home too?” I lived on the other side of town from Mia, but I was hoping that Matt wouldn’t mind.

  Before he could reply, Knox slipped his arm around my waist again. “I’m driving you home.”

  “Thanks, buddy,” Matt said. “I don’t mind giving her a ride home, but it’s not exactly on my way. Mia, you ready to go?”

  “Yeah.” Mia smiled at me. “Call me tomorrow, Isabelle.”

  “Sure.” I knew Mia thought she was doing me a favour, but being alone with Knox was a very, very bad idea.

  “Let’s go, Isabelle.” Knox still had his arm around my waist and I tried to squirm free.

  “I don’t need you touching me. I can walk on my own.”

  He let go of me and I weaved my way off the dance floor. Behind me, Knox cursed and grabbed my hand.

  “I said I can walk on my own.”

  “No, you can’t,” he snapped.

  I stared up at him. “Why are you so angry with me?”

  “I’m not,” he said. “Just, let’s go, for God’s sake.”

  Still holding my hand, he led me toward the door of the bar.

  * * *

  Knox

  By the time I got Isabelle home, I was almost shaking with rage and, I didn’t want to admit it but, fear. I had never once seen Isabelle even close to drunk and watching her weave her way down the hallway to the kitchen was filling me with bright terror.

  I took a few deep breaths as she disappeared into the kitchen. I was trying to stave off the goddamn panic attack that was lurking. There was the sound of a chair tipping over, Isabelle cursed, and my heart tripled its frantic beat.

  “Isabelle!” I lurched into the kitchen, and she stared up at me from where she was sitting on the floor.

  “What?”

  “What are you doing?”

  She shrugged and pointed to the open cupboard. “I got the munchies, but the chips are on the top shelf, so I dragged the chair over and -”

  “Did you fall? Are you hurt?” I hurried over and gingerly helped her to her feet.

  Isabelle narrowed her gaze. “Knox? What’s wrong with you? You’re all sweaty and pale.”

  “Nothing’s wrong. Are you hurt?”

  “No. Maybe I’ll have a bruised knee or something, but, hey, chips are worth it? Am I right?” She held up her fist for me to bump.

  I scowled and led her to another chair before pushing her gently into it. “Sit your butt right there and don’t move.”

  “Where are you going?” She asked.

  I paused in the doorway of the kitchen. “I’m getting your brother.”

  I didn’t care what time it was, or that I would be waking Asher up. He needed to watch his sister.

  “He’s not here,” Isabelle sang out. “He’s at Luna’s place.”

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “Dead serious, you hot stud.” Isabelle giggled. “They spend a lot of nights at Luna’s apartment. I think she’s a screamer and she doesn’t want me to know.”

  She stood and weaved her way back to the cupboard. “Which, now that I think about it, I kind of appreciate. I’m really glad Asher has found the love of his life, but it’s super gross to think about him boning.”

  “Fuck!” I ran my hands through my short hair.

  “What’s wrong?” She blinked at me as I grabbed her arm and steered her toward the stairs.

  “You need to go to bed and sleep it off, Isabelle.”

  She paused at the foot of the stairs and yawned. “Yeah, I am pretty tired actually. Still haven’t caught up on my sleep from Wednesday night.”

  She suddenly turned and cupped my cock. “Hey, you wanna join me?”

&nbs
p; “No.” My voice was harsh with fear.

  She recoiled and before I could say I was sorry, she turned away and started up the stairs. “Sometimes, you can be a real asshole, Knox. You know that?”

  She wasn’t holding the handrail when she turned back, and panic rushed through me.

  She put one hand on her hip. “And you know what? I don’t need you staring at my ass while I walk up the stairs, so why don’t you just -”

  “Isabelle!” I lunged up the stairs and grabbed her arm when she teetered. She had already grabbed the handrail and she scowled at me.

  “Let go, Knox.”

  “You’re drunk!” I barely recognized the raw hoarseness of my voice.

  “Oh for God’s sake.” She tried to shake off my grip. “It’s not like I’m going to fall down the stairs and break my neck. Just let…Knox, what’s wrong?”

  I didn’t – couldn’t – respond. I was standing on the stair below Isabelle, and I stared mutely at her when she cupped my face and gave me a worried look.

  “Knox, honey? Do you feel faint? You’re white as a sheet.”

  “I’m -” I cleared my throat and tried again. “Please will you just go to bed?”

  She studied me for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

  I held her arm the entire way up the stairs and kept holding it as we walked to her bedroom. She was quiet and already seemed like she’d sobered up a little, but that didn’t stop my panic. I helped her out of her boots and socks as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and put it on the nightstand. I tugged her jeans and t-shirt off. She unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor but didn’t make a move on me. My earlier rejection had hurt her badly, but I couldn’t spit out an apology.

  My tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth, my throat was dry, and my pulse was thudding in my ears. Normally the sight of Isabelle in nothing but panties would have had all of my blood draining to my dick in a heartbeat. But fear and worry had killed my libido.

  I pulled back the covers and helped her climb into bed. She curled on her side and tucked her hand under her cheek before closing her eyes.

  “Isabelle?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Stay in bed, okay?”

  “Yeah, I will.”

  “I mean it. Don’t get up to-to go downstairs or anything.”