Harper's Little Spitfire

by Angel Steel

  Closing her eyes, she counted to ten and reopened them. Caleb gripped the bench, not once taking his eyes from her.

  “I’m not playing with you while you’re drunk and in pain.”

  “I’m not that drunk, spitfire,” Caleb said and stood taller, trying extremely hard to hide the fact that he was.

  “Sorry, not happening.”

  “Of course you would have to say no and ruin my fun. How the hell am I going to get home with this constantly hard?” he said as his hand wrapped itself around the hard erection in his pants.

  “Go in the bathroom and jerk off. You’re not getting anything from me till you sober up, Caleb.”

  “You’re a joy kill joy, Sage. Why can’t you be like all the other women?” He shook his head at her. “Fine, be that way. I’ll find someone willing when we get home, then. Your loss,” he growled and stumbled out of the kitchen.

  Her mouth fell open as she stared after him. It wasn’t the fact she wasn’t willing; she was ready to throw herself at him. She wanted him to remember what they did together, not count her as one of his drunken mistakes.

  Then the rest of what he said hit her. He was going to find someone else to fuck, because I didn’t put out! Did he really think of her as just a fuck buddy? There was more between them than just that; well, she hoped there was. Holding the pain back from his words, she moved over towards the front door, needing some fresh air.

  “Spitfire, you know he didn’t mean it,” Logan said calmly behind her.

  Nodding her head, it was hard to take in what any of them meant sometimes. She didn’t like the fact that once he was home, he’d end up in someone else’s bed other than hers. It broke her heart, hearing it come from his mouth. Stepping outside on the veranda, she breathed in the fresh air, trying to calm herself.

  It was hard to do. All she wanted was all of them, but something deep inside kept telling her differently. It was never going to end up the way she wanted.

  She heard the door open. Glancing that way, she found Logan standing there. “We’ll be leaving in ten minutes.”

  “Okay,” she whispered. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she walked back to the door. Logan held it open for her and she walked inside, and then down to the bedroom.

  Finding her folded bra and jeans on the dresser, she sat down and put them on. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she grabbed her hat and moved back out into the lounge room. She sat down and waited for the rest of them to get ready. When they stood to the side of her, besides Caleb, she got up, pulled her boots on and followed them outside to get the horses ready to go.

  Caleb sat on the quad, his back to her. Zeb jumped up on one of the horses, while Logan stood at her side.

  “I need you to ride with Caleb. You’re the only one that will fit with him on it, unless you don’t want to.”

  “I’ll ride with him.” Just what she needed.

  Stomping over towards the quad, Caleb shifted back, allowing her to get on. Starting the motor, she gripped the handles and without waiting for the rest of them, she took off, not caring at this point if Caleb was holding on.

  His grip never held onto her. Obviously using the back bar for leverage, she revved the engine and shot faster down the track. Screw him and the horse he rode on.

  He kept his hands off her, never touching her once. She couldn’t wait to get off the damn thing and away from him. If he wanted to act like a damn child, so be it; she was prepared to do the same damn thing.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY

  The trip from the cabin back to the main house took longer than their journey out. The pain that erupted in Caleb’s side every time Sage hit a hole or a mound of dirt had him gritting his teeth and gripping onto the back bar.

  His mind was a blur. He had no freakin’ idea why she was hitting everything possible, causing him pain. He had tried several times to reach out and grip onto her, but her growls towards him had him flinching away. Damn! Did he say or do something to hurt her? He hated seeing her like this.

  As the main gate came into focus, she sped into the yard and skidded to a stop right in front of the barn. Immediately, Sage jumped off and stomped towards the house, leaving him there.

  Zeb and Logan stopped beside him, both of them shaking their heads at him as they slid off the horses. Zeb took both of the horses into the stable as Logan helped him off the quad.

  “What’s wrong with Sage?” Caleb asked, confused, while he walked slowly towards the door. He looked up and found his father standing there, looking at all three of them with his arms crossed over his chest. He didn’t look too happy by the way he was glaring at all of them.

  As they started up the stairs, their father spoke, “So, which one of you pissed her off?”

  Caleb glanced at Logan and Zeb. Both of them shook their heads and walked up the stairs, leaving him standing there with his father. Well, that answered the question as to who!

  “I had guessed it was you. You can never keep your mouth shut,” Markus reprimanded as he shifted in front of the door, not allowing him to enter. “What have you done this time?”

  He went over in his mind anything possible that he would have said or done to upset Sage, but nothing jumped out right away. Images from last night flashed through his brain; he couldn’t hold back the grin that covered his lips as his father looked on.

  He gripped the rail and hoisted himself up the stairs; his father scowled at him until he realised that he was holding his side.

  “Did you boys get into a fight out there?” Markus asked, helping him the rest of the way up to the door.

  “I wish,” he cringed at the pain.

  “Where are you hurt?” Markus asked.

  Resting against the wall near the front door, he lifted up his shirt so his father could see.

  “Jesus Christ, Caleb. What the hell is that from?”

  He let go of his shirt and straightened away from the wall. “Had to check the property last night. Some of the branches came close to falling on the roof but missed, thank God. This,” he indicated to his side, “is from checking over the cattle in the holding yard. I forgot all about Spawn being with them. He charged and threw me over the damn fence.”

  He was shocked when he heard his father’s laughter boom across the veranda. Caleb looked over at him, and there he was, holding his stomach as he bent forward, laughing at him. Well shit.

  “You think it’s funny? It wasn’t when he threw me over the bloody fence. I’m taking that damn bull to the slaughter house when I can move better,” he grated. Opening the door, he left his father and made his way into the house. On route, Caleb had to stop to get his breathing right.

  Every time he breathed in, pain ripped across his chest, but it was worse when the breath came out. Every breath was painful; his ribs felt like they were constricting him, or he was having a damn heart attack.

  He needed a drink, something to take the pain away. The meds that Logan had given him had worn off halfway home, but they did shit to the pain. He needed something way stronger than that; alcohol was the best option. Walking towards the bar area in the sitting room, he rested against the bar before he reached up and pulled down a bottle. Before he had a chance to even open it, he froze when he heard his mother’s voice behind him.

  “Isn’t it a bit early to be hitting the hard stuff?”

  “Not with the pain I’m in,” he grimaced.

  His mother stepped behind the bar next to him and removed the bottle from his hand. Slumping on the bar stool at the end of the bar, he watched as his mother reached under, pulled out a can of soft drink and placed it in front of him. He looked at the can and back to her.

  What the hell is that supposed to do for me?

  Thumping his head on the top of the bar, he sat back up, instantly holding his side.

  “What’s wrong?” He heard the concern in her voice.

  “Nothing, Mum. Don’t worry about it,” he replied and lifted from the stool. His hand gripped on the edge of the bar
as more pain laced his chest. He heard his mother call his name, but his hearing faded in and out, then his body was falling. He didn’t feel the ground, only someone holding him up as he was moved backwards.

  “Jesus, you’re heavy,” Zeb cursed, lifting him upright and walking him back towards the couch. Lying him down gently, he opened his eyes and found his mother hovering over him, his father frowning down and both Zeb and Logan looking on.

  He heard voices but couldn’t make out what was said. His shirt was lifted from his side. Reaching for the hand that held his shirt, he stopped short when his mother gasped,

  “Oh, my God. What happened, Caleb?”

  “Spawn charged him and threw him over the holding-yard fence,” Zeb told her.

  “Why did you go in there if he was with the rest of the cattle?”

  “I forgot he was with them, and honestly, I thought he was with the other herd closest here, in the yard.”

  “That damn bull is nothing but trouble,” his mother muttered before she stood and walked away.

  “His sperm pays the bills here, woman,” his dad shouted after her. Caleb had to hold the laugh back, knowing that the movement would cripple him. His dad was never shy at saying what was on his mind, none of them were; they only held it back because of their mother.

  “I don’t care if it’s his sperm or the fact that he roots everything in his path and produces good cattle. I am sick of him hurting everyone. Before he came here, I only bandaged up five people. Now, because of him, I have lost count.”

  Zeb snickered behind them; Logan groaned, and his father stood tight-lipped, scowling at his mother.

  “I am not getting rid of him, so don’t bother saying it.”

  “What’s it going to take, someone ending up seriously injured or killed by him, Markus? Then will you decide that it’s time?” His mother, Rebekah, faced off against her husband.

  His mother had balls, big brass ones to have a standoff with his father, or any of them, but more so Markus. All her boys backed down pretty damn quickly with her, not wanting to be in the line of fire when it arose.

  “Damn it, woman. Jesus, you frustrate me to no end. I’m not getting rid of him. You like all the fancy things you have now, the trips we take; all that stuff will stop the moment he leaves this property, Bekah.”

  “You idiot. You know I don’t give two hoots about the money. As long as I have you and my boys, I’m happy. After twenty-five years together,” she shook her head at him, “I’m not here for the damn money, Markus Harper. We had nothing when we built this ranch. So don’t you stand there and huff out that I’m one of those stupid ranch wives who are only after money. You know me way better than that.”

  The room went silent. Caleb couldn’t hear a breath being taken or the flapping wings of a fly. The quiet felt absolute. He shifted on the sofa and watched as Logan and Zeb took several steps back from their parents who continued to stare at each other. They all knew that their father would back down the moment she fought back. Well, they hoped he did.

  They all stared at their parents. Nothing more was said between them as their eyes never left each other.

  A noise from the side of the room caught his attention. Turning that way, Caleb found Sage looking at him as Bri, Kaidence and Lilly stood beside her, glancing around the room.

  Bri whispered something into Sage’s ear; her eyes left his as she looked between his parents, and then she whispered back.

  She knew how his parents were. She had seen them several times have blows like this, so he wasn’t concerned. He needed to break the tension that filled the room. “Mum, do we have anything for pain, other than Ibuprofen? It doesn’t do anything.”

  His mother’s stance relaxed as she faced him. “By the look of that bruise, your ribs are cracked. I’m guessing two, maybe three of them without touching them. Are you having difficulty breathing?”

  “No, I’m breathing fine. Just hurts like a bitch when I do.”

  “Caleb,” Rebekah hissed.

  “Sorry, Mum,” he mumbled.

  “I’ll see what I can give you. You can’t have anything that will knock you out. We need to watch your breathing in case you have a punctured lung, but I don’t think you do.”

  Glancing at her husband one more time, she spun around and walked off towards the kitchen.

  Everyone in the room looked towards his father. His eyes followed where his mother went, then shaking his head, their father sat down in one of the spare chairs and huffed out a breath.

  Sage and the girls stepped further into the room. Sage sat in the chair opposite Markus, not once looking in his direction. Bri and Lilly moved over to where Zeb was and Kaidence sauntered over to Caleb. She knelt down near where his head was resting on the sofa, and by the look on her face, she was pissed.

  “So, I heard what happened at the cabin.” She grinned evilly. “I’m glad you gave her a better night to remember than what Mac did.” Shifting closer to him, so he was the only one hearing what she obviously was going to say next. “I don’t care if you were in pain from what happened out there with that bull. You ever say shit like you did to her again, I’ll castrate you personally and enjoy every single moment of it, got me?”

  He frowned, having no idea what he had said to spitfire, but he nodded his head in agreement.

  Tapping him on the thigh harder than normal, she smiled. “Good. Now, I’m going to enjoy what time we have left here before we leave.” Straightening up, her smile dropped. “Remember what I said.” Turning her back, she walked back to where Sage was.

  Fuck! Closing his eyes, he couldn’t think right. He had no idea what he’d said. Visions flashed over his closed eyes: him behind Sage as he slid in and out of her, while Logan was under her, and Zeb to the side, watching as her hand slid up and down his erection. Then he thought back to when he was outside in the storm, counting the cattle until he was thrown over the fence, his brothers helping him inside and laying down on the sofa.

  Once on the sofa, he remembered the alcohol. Logan handing him tablets, then...nothing. Absolutely nothing. Blank. It went from him taking the tablets to when he was holding onto the back of the quad for dear life. He concentrated really hard, but in between was blank.

  Growling, he sat up best he could and hung his head as his hands dangled between his spread legs. This is all fucked up!

  Sage’s voice echoed his way. Glancing up, his eyes connected with hers. Pain laced her face, but it quickly disappeared and anger replaced it. Shaking her head at whatever Bri said, she stood and turned to leave.

  “Sage.” He needed to talk to her, apologise for what he said, although he couldn’t think of exactly what it was.

  Her body stilled, back straight, and she turned and faced him, glaring daggers into him.

  Gulping, he pushed from the couch and stood on shaky legs.

  “Can we talk, please?” He was grovelling. He hated seeing her this way towards him.

  Her shoulders shifted slightly, but to his relief, Sage nodded once and walked out of the room. Breathing a heavy sigh, he followed after her down the hall, determined to make this right.

  She leaned against the wall, twisting her hands in front of her, eyes downcast as he approached. He stood in front of her, wanting nothing more than for her to forgive him. God! I hope I didn’t fuck everything up with her!

  Clearing his throat, he spoke, “Sage, shit.” He raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to release half of the tension sitting on his shoulders. “I’m just going to say it. I’m sorry for whatever I did or said. I can’t remember anything after last night when we came inside after checking everything out. It’s all blank till we arrived here, and it’s bugging the shit out of me that I hurt you in some way.”

  She didn’t look at him when he spoke. Taking a breath, he continued, “I hate seeing you like this towards me. I know without anyone telling me I fucked up. I’m not trying to make excuses for not remembering, but for the life of me, the shit isn’t coming
to me. Can you tell me what I did or said, please?”

  Her head lifted and he cursed. He hated seeing her this upset. Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. Stepping forward, he pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Shit, spitfire. I fucking hate seeing you cry. It breaks me apart knowing the pain I see in your eyes is from me,” he whispered against her hair. And he meant every word, ten-fold. He’d kick himself in the balls if he could.

  Her hands tightened in his shirt as her nails dug into his stomach. “Talk to me, baby. I need to hear your voice.”

  “You didn’t do anything. It was what you said that cut me, Caleb.” Her voice shook.

  “What did I say?” He held his breath, praying that whatever dick thing had come out of his mouth, he could make better.

  Leaning her head back, she looked into his eyes, searching for that something. “You said, I’m a kill joy’, and you asked why I couldn’t be like all the other women, and that you were going to find someone willing when you got home.”

  “Fuck, spitfire.” He tightened his hold on her. Her body shook as she sobbed into his chest. “I didn’t mean any of that. Shit, I can’t even remember saying that to you, and I’m not saying that just for you to forgive me.” Lifting her chin, so she was looking at him. “I didn’t mean any of that. I don’t want anyone but you in my bed, Sage. All I can think about is how your smile brightens up the room, your laughter, seeing how happy you are, and most importantly is when the next time is I can be buried deep inside that tight little body of yours. You drive me fucking insane with want. My dick is constantly hard for you, only you, and no one else. And there is no fucking way you are a kill joy. You might give me blue balls and frustrate the hell out of me, but never that, spitfire.”

  To his relief, she giggled.

  “Do you forgive me for being an ass to you?”

  Leaning her head back, her breath lingered over his lips. Her tongue traced along her bottom lip. Groaning, she dug her nails into his stomach more, careful not to touch the bruised area as her body shifted against his.