Hammered: A Western Romance (Red Velvet Series Book 4)

by Leanore Elliott

  Travis glared at them as if he wasn’t already angry enough.

  “Aww, big brother, that reminded me of Sydney all over again!”

  Travis’ eyes widened as he gazed over at Kanda and Trevor.

  They both nodded their heads at him.

  Travis then seemed to breathe out a huge breath of relief.

  Maggie stepped back down and turned to Kanda. “Bren here told me—well, about…” She stuck her hand out. “I am just so happy! Why, Wade hasn’t had a girl in–”

  Wade plucked her up from where she stood and sat her on his shoulder, effectively cutting off any further personal information which might come from his little mouthy sister.

  “Eeek! Damnit, Wade! I’m not 3 years old anymore!”

  Everyone broke out into peals of laughter as they all turned from the arena and headed up to the big house. Trevor and Bren held hands. Wade carried Maggie around his shoulders, with Travis and Kanda in the rear.

  Standing at the top of the wide steps, stood Marge Kincade with her arms crossed over her bosom… Her expression stern and disapproving.

  They all halted and their laughter died away as they stared up at the matriarch of the Kincade spread.

  “Well?” she asked and nodded her head to Wade. “Good timing rock—nah, I’m not gonna call you that anymore, since you bested a rodeo star and the biggest bull to ever live. This calls for a party!”

  The group all glanced at each other and back up at her.

  “Let’s have a barbeque big enough to smoke out our neighbor who lives only 5 miles away!” she suggested with a huge smile on her face. “A real genuine hoedown with line dancing on the quad out back and good eatin’ overflowing on the tables. I mean, God damnit! I haven’t seen this many young puppy love filled faces since 1986!”

  The group let out laughter and giggles as they all made their way into the big house.

  ELEVEN

  A low down, panty pilfering, no good—gloriously delicious, hot cowboy sundae.

  In the Kitchen at the Big House…

  M aggie helped Bren bring out all the meat as they both seasoned slabs and slabs of beef.

  Ranch hands kept coming in and grabbing up the huge trays, while others came in and raided the barbeque sauce.

  Country music blared in from the back of the big house as the two women got all the potato salad and the macaroni salad bowls covered and ready.

  “Well, that’s it. The rest of it is out at the tables already. I sure am glad all the men helped get this ready, so we had time to get primped.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “You mean put on the war paint and hunt for beefcake?”

  Bren’s mouth popped open, then she laughed. “Holy stars, Maggie. You sure picked up some wild speech at that stud ranch, didn’t ya?”

  She grinned. “Yeah, sometimes I do get carried away with it and my big mouth just keeps…” Her voice faded away as she saw the chicken hawk cowboy standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb as if he had no care in the world. He probably didn’t either, she thought with annoyance.

  “Yeah?” Bren prompted when she didn’t finish what she’d been saying.

  Maggie laughed a little and shook her head “Never mind.”

  “Okay then, I gotta go find my hunky cowboy. Are you comin’?”

  “Yeah, I just gotta…wash something off me…first.”

  Travis gave her a wink as he watched Bren leave through the backdoor.

  “So, you make a habit of skulking around much, cowboy?” Maggie taunted.

  He raised his brows. “Skulking?” he asked as he strolled forward toward her. “This is my home, Miss College and nobody skulks in their own house.” He stepped right up close to her and smiled. “Although, if you instead, meant stalking ?” He shrugged his wide shoulders. “Then yes, I am guilty.” He leaned in close and seemed to take a whiff of her. “It’s what all animals do when they have a scent of what they want.”

  Maggie gave a small shiver like always when he got too close. He was a hunk of good-looking man all right and he sure did smell good. She batted her eyes innocently at him. “Well, hell. You aren’t a bit shy, are ya?”

  Travis chuckled and stepped even closer. “Never been accused of that, no how.”

  Maggie smiled sweetly up at him. “If you think that just because I’m blonde that I’m EVER gonna fall for such a load of shit? Then, you are as dumb as you act.” She leaned in close and blew on his lips. “Just remember now, sweet pea, females are the hunters in most animal packs. Get too liberal with this one…and you may just lose…some of your big manly parts.” She struggled to keep up the cold front.

  Truth be told, his lips were just as yummy looking close up as his bod just now looked. Maggie needed to ignore all that male magnificence for sure, because she knew the scoreboard and the yardage of this type of linebacker. Let him make a tackle and then score? You will get left at the 50 with no chance at a turnover. She had seen it in high school and college with boys and men just like him, and she wasn’t about to let him play football with her heart!

  Travis looked affronted as he pulled his head back and stared at her—perplexed yet again.

  “Yep. See?” Maggie continued, even as her heart fluttered at the way his eyes reflected the light from the torches glowing through the windows in the kitchen. “I am not interested in being a notch on your belt, nor a cut on the old bed post.” She fumed at him while her hands remained firmly on her hips. “I am waiting for more than that…” She lifted her chin up. “…Better than that!” She took a big step away from him, then turned around and sashayed her way out through the back door. Probably leaving a very befuddled handsome cowboy in her wake.

  ~~* * * *~~

  Daisy’s Romper room…

  Daisy paced back and forth. Where did he disappear to? He’d left hours ago and she’d had time to hire the caterers, call the dressmaker for tomorrow, and she called Marge Kincade to see if she would allow the wedding to be held over there… Since both her daughters were living there now.

  Of course, ole Margie said yes and she even sounded thrilled. Daisy assured her she just needed the space and everything else was paid for, food, cake, liquor and decorations. Yeah, she’d known old Marge for a lot of years. Plus, Marge seemed to think they were all gonna be family soon. Did she know something I didn’t?

  Daisy glanced at the clock and she halted her pacing. Damnit! Did he do all this on purpose? Let her go and hire people, tell everybody then he bails, so I’m left at the—

  The door swung open while her suspicious thoughts were forced to recoil back into her addled brain.

  Rand shut the door behind him and gazed over at her. “Why do you look so rattled, Daisy?”

  She flipped around, so he couldn’t see her face.

  Grabbing her, Rand turned her back around. “Did you make all the arrangements?” he asked in a doubtful tone.

  Daisy kept lips pursed stubbornly.

  He shook his head at her as if this was what he expected.

  “It’s all set.”

  His head shaking stopped.

  Daisy nodded at him. “All of it is set… AND, we are gonna get—” she halted as though the word suddenly became foreign and hard to pronounce.

  “Married?” he supplied with a smile.

  She nodded again. “…At the Triple K. Where Maggie and Bren are.”

  “Why not have it here?”

  “At a male whorehouse, Rand?” She scoffed.

  “I don’t give a damn if we fly to Vegas and have an Elvis marry us.”

  She blinked at his tone. “Well, our girls are over there too.”

  “As long as we do it…I don’t care where.”

  “So, you still intend to go through with this?” she asked before she thought better of it.

  Rand looked stunned at her line of questioning as he threw his hands up in the air. “Ahh…no! Crickey! I came all this way to play a prank, don’t ya know? To get you up the aisle and then…” he paused
and stepped up close again, while looking closely at her face. “God damnit, Daize! Is that what you think is happening here?”

  She swallowed heavily and looked away.

  “Oh, fuck me!” His accent became real thick suddenly.

  Biting her lip, she knew she just pushed him past his tipping point now. “It’s been years, but I sure would—like to?” she joked in a small voice to try to calm him down.

  Rand stared at her, his angry expression fading, as a grin appeared on his lips when he got what she meant… He threw his head back and laughed.

  Startled, Daisy jumped.

  Rand kept chuckling as he grabbed her up and scooped her into his arms.

  Gasping at the unexpected action, Daisy held her breath.

  Marching over to the bed, he dropped her on it.

  Her breath expelled in a great big whoosh as she bounced across it.

  Rand stood by the bed and tugged his shirt off.

  Daisy again sucked in her breath. It’d been so long since she’d seen that hard body. Tasted his skin, felt like…fireworks going off inside her body.

  “Starting stripping, Daisy girl!” he ordered.

  Smiling hugely now, she sat up and unbuttoned her blouse. “No need to holler. You don’t have to tell me twice!” Daisy eagerly ripped her blouse away.

  ~~* * * * ~~

  The very LOW hoedown at the Triple K…

  The music blared as couples hooped and hollered, clapping their hands and boot stepping. The smell of charcoal smoke, whiskey, cigars and sweat filled the Texas evening air.

  Bren and Trevor stood way off to the side, slow dancing as if the song playing wasn’t a fast paced honkytonk tune. They gazed into each other’s eyes and were grinning like mad.

  Maggie saw them and smiled. She moved around the dance area and then spotted her big brother.

  Wade easily spun his lady around and laughed loudly as she tripped and he instantly caught her, then raised her high above him like she was an itty bitty thing. Watching his expressions, she knew he was totally in love with this Kanda woman. Oh wow, finally after all this time. He might just settle down.

  When they danced out of her line of sight, she sighed. It must be something to be in love like that. The sweet tender thought flew right out of her mind as she was being spun around by one of the cowboys. Again. She thought she might toss her cookies several times over by now…she’d been spun so often with each song by many of the ranch hands.

  Although, this one did have a nice smile and flashing green eyes. Cute… S till, he was no Travis though. She shook her head for the tenth time, catching herself comparing every guy to him. For one thing, ever since she told him off, back in the kitchen—he was nowhere to be seen… Not that she’d been looking! No way. She tried to convince herself and it wasn’t working.

  Damnit all, now she was falling into the habit of lying to herself.

  Of all the luck, to finally find a guy who warmed her up and occupied her thoughts? He turns out to be a scoundrel. A skirt-chasing, panty pilfering, no good, low down—hot cowboy fucking sundae! Damn him! Why couldn’t he be her dream man? Instead of a single girl’s tidal wave of sinning shame? Sincere only in the category of being untrustable, only after her—

  The cowboy dancing with her just grabbed her ass—Maggie’s eyes grew beady. She kept a plastic smile pasted on her face and she could see the dancing cowboy believed he’d done right. Like she approved of it! Jumping on me like white on rice! Being groped by a total stranger like she was nothing but a rubber doll with no brains! Her temper was already flaming after her face off with Mister Chicken Hawk earlier and what little patience she had for the male gender in general was all gone at this particular point in time.

  Maggie waited until the no good ass grabber spun her again, then tugged her closer toward his body. Abruptly, she raised a knee and got him, just about where the family diamonds resided.

  At the exact second, when everyone dancing clapped and shouted, YEE-HAW! the stunned cowboy let out his air and doubled over with a pain-filled grunt.

  Maggie pursed her lips and walked away from the grabby cowboy. “Yee-fucking-haw.” A smile curved along her mouth as she never even looked back. Maybe he’ll think twice next time he gets the grabbies! She went over to the punch bowl and stood in line to get a drink. Knee kickin’ all these cowboys was thirsty work! She let out a small chortle.

  One of the hands, Billy or Bobby, she couldn’t recall his name, stopped in front of her with a glass in his hand. She remembered him from this afternoon when all the hands were helping in the kitchen. He was probably all of 18 years old and looked as if he’d seen an apparition when his eyes caught hers…like he was almost scared of her.

  Maggie felt odd about this kid and studied his face, then she figured out what his expression reflected… An absolute look of worship.

  The shy cowboy walked up to her and stretched his hand out with an offered glass of punch. “If—you care to, ma’am?” he stuttered and then tried to smile. “So, ya—don’t have to wait in line?”

  Maggie thought it was a real sweet gesture and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, seeing how he looked so smitten by her. She took it and smiled at him.

  His cheeks turned a true plum color as his gaze dropped down to his boots.

  Maggie giggled and tipped the glass to gulp the drink down. She drained the glass in nearly one big swallow.

  His eyes were back on her and they grew wide.

  Oh boy, he probably thinks I’m unladylike, but damn…I don’t care! She’d had back-to-back dances for more than 2 hours straight and fought off being fondled, handled, groped and grabbed for nearly the entire time. She glanced over at the cowboy. “I’m sorry, but I was parched!” She laughed.

  The smitten cowhand grinned and looked as if he struggled with something, like he intended to ask something.

  Oh no, don’t ask me, no. I can’t dance another step!

  “Would you like to—?”

  “No. She’s all booked up.”

  Maggie sucked in her breath at the sound of Travis’ voice. Her gaze shot over to see him standing next to the kid cowboy.

  Gosh darnit! Did he have to stand side-by-side right up next the other man? Travis stood at least 5 inches taller, 5 inches wider, hell—5 inches as in a hundred miles more glorious all the way around. Everything about him… outshone the poor kid in every way possible. His eyes sparkled with some amused secret, his tanned face just looked so smooth and kissable while his smile dazzled— Bedazzled would be a better word for it, Maggie reminded herself with a grim reality.

  DAMN HIM!

  Travis grinned, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes now. He looked serious, hell-bent on something—about something. He stepped forward and offered her his arm. “Maggie and I have something important to discuss.”

  Maggie stared at him. Mmm, I wonder what angle he’s playing now? She narrowed her eyes at him. The kid, Billy, Bobby, Flobby? He seemed to instantly disappear as she looked and he suddenly wasn’t there at all. She felt a bit relieved ’cause all he did was make Travis look so much more magnificent… And damnit all, she couldn’t have any more of that going on. It’d been hard enough all day to resist him as it was.

  He placed his palms up at her in a defensive manner. “I just wanna talk, no passes, no…funny stuff!”

  Maggie stared at him for another full minute, hands on her hips with her eyes narrowed.

  Travis’ usual confident expression faded to unsure now, as the minute turned into yet another.

  Satisfied that he was, as Daisy put it, ‘hoppin’ on one foot’, Maggie stepped forward and looped her arm with his. “Okay…I’m up for it, if you are!” She let out a boisterous laugh.

  Looking surprised, he blinked his eyes at her sort of odd response, then smiled slightly as he led her away from the dancing quad.

  PRELUDE TO TRIPLE VELVET

  Yep…there are just too many hidden arrows in his quiver for my comfort!

 
Daisy’s Romper Room…

  D aisy now lay nude on her bed, hoping Rand found her just as desirable as he did all those years ago.

  He tugged his boots off then his jeans.

  Her breath caught in her chest while she stared at nothing but glory. I remember now… His skin felt as smooth as velvet but it always looked like hammered steel.

  He stood gazing intently at her.

  “The years have been good to you, Rand,” she whispered in awe.

  His hot gaze roamed all over her skin as he tilted his head at her. “They have been more than kind to you too, Daize.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not eighteen anymore.”

  “Well, you were twenty when I met you. So, you were never eighteen to me.”

  She tittered at his joke and felt anxious to have her leather back. “Well, big man? Are ya gonna jump into my saddle?” she asked outright… Daisy style, that is.

  He grinned and lay down next to her, tugging her close.

  She let out the most satisfied sigh when his smooth skin met hers.

  “Now, don’t go and get mad at me,” he warned.

  Batting her lashes as she almost felt drool pooling at her lips in want of licking him like a man popsicle from his ankle to his chin, she peered up at him. “Now, why would I—”

  “We aren’t gonna do anything tonight.”

  Her mouth popped open in pure unadulterated shock.

  At her fish out of water expression, he chuckled a little and pulled her close then wrapped a sheet over their bodies.

  “Wha—what?” she whispered in shock.

  “I am saving myself for my wedding night.”

  Daisy sat bolt upright in the bed and gaped at him.

  Rand kept a steady gaze with her as he shrugged at her, his smile wide.

  “Now, leather man, you’d best be kiddin’ me!”

  Rand stared at her face for a full minute and then laughed so hard, he fell over in the bed.

  Daisy felt her glower leave as relief flooded her and she lay back down, wrapping her arms around him. “I knew you must be just playing with me.”