Branded

by Candace Havens

  “I don’t know, numbers are about the only things that really make sense to me. I like order. Math has always been my best subject.”

  I leaned back against the headboard. He was sitting next me in his jeans and button-down, legs stretched out. More than anything, I wanted to reach out and touch him, or better yet, have him wrap me up in those big arms of his. But this wasn’t the time.

  “I’m that way with words. I love to write.”

  “Really?”

  I nodded. “I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember. It’s the only way I’ve ever really been able to express myself.”

  “Then why aren’t you studying writing in school?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know why. Empresses of oil fortunes aren’t writers.”

  “Callie, you don’t always have to do what everyone expects from you. It’s okay to say no and to live your own life.”

  “Like you?” Dammit. That was mean. “Sorry. You’re awesome.” I lowered my voice. “I know what you’ve given up to take care of your mom and then your sister. How is what I’m doing any different?”

  “Because they wouldn’t have survived without me,” his voice was low as well. “My mom didn’t have anyone to take care of her when she was dying. Uncle Charlie was helping financially, but she needed constant care the last six months. And Ads would have ended up in the system when Charlie was hurt, so there was no choice. That’s the difference. Your grandparents would be even more disappointed if they thought you were unhappy trying to live out their dreams. But they’ll be fine, no matter what you choose.”

  There were fits of giggles from the kitchen. “I better go check on the crazies,” he said.

  And he was right. His situation was a hell of a lot tougher.

  I heard his voice and then more giggling. When he came back to the bedroom, he was smiling.

  “She’s having a great summer,” he said. “And those girls aren’t who I thought she’d run into at the country club. A lot of them actually work there.”

  “Yep. They’re hard workers. It’s good for her to be around people her own age.” That reminded me of the promise I’d made to her, that I’d talk to Cole about the Fourth of July festival.

  I typed in the numbers and the formula clicked into place. “Wow. Just wow.”

  “You’ve got this,” he said. “I feel like when you’re having problems, it’s because you’re trying to make it harder than it is. If you can remember the formulas, and then apply it to the word questions, you’re good. I’ll give you that sometimes the word questions are confusing. Some of these guys can’t speak English. I get it. But you just need to pick apart what’s actually being said, and then apply what I just showed you.”

  “Thanks. Um…” I nodded toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. “I don’t like to get in your family business. At all. And I feel protective of Addy, as well.”

  He turned to me frowning. Shit.

  I held up a hand. “Nothing happened. It’s just that she wants to go on a date. No. Not a date. With like a group of friends to the festival.”

  “No,” he said. The tone was low and scary.

  Okay then.

  “I promised her I would ask. And I won’t push. I’d just told her that maybe if you and I went, and sort of hung back, that maybe you’d be up for it. But I get it. She’s your baby sister.”

  “Wait, you’d told her we’d chaperone? Aren’t you afraid of how that would look? Us out in public?”

  I shook my head. “No. We’re friends. We both care about her. And you’d look like a creeper brother if you tried to hang out with her friends. As you’ve seen, they’re not a bad group of kids.”

  “But there’s a difference between a group of girls and having boys along. I’m not trying to be a bad guy. But she doesn’t always make the right choices. You didn’t see her when— If she wants to go to the festival, I’ll take her.”

  I shrugged. “I told her I’d try. It’s a group of friends, and we’d be there.”

  “You think I’m being an asshole.” He stood then. “I’m all she’s got, okay? There’s no one else around to protect her. Me. I’ve got to make sure she’s safe. And she’s too young to be going out in groups or dates or anything else with boys. I told my mom that when that fiasco happened. She should never have been allowed alone with a guy. She was fifteen fucking years old.”

  I waved a hand. “Shhhh. She’s going to hear you. I don’t want to upset her.”

  “You’re trying to help. I get it,” he said. “But when it comes to Addy, just stay out of it, okay?” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I need to go check on the new livestock. Keep an eye on the girls.”

  He stormed off.

  Note to self: Stay out of family business.

  …

  The next day, I was in the barn working with Callie’s grandpa, showing him how the new software worked. It was a good distraction, which was what I needed.

  I’d been an asshole, even more so for going off and leaving Callie with Ads and her friends, but I didn’t need her fucking around in my personal business. She didn’t understand what had happened with Ads. What that creep had done to her.

  Fuck, just thinking about it pissed me off again.

  “Cole.” The old man was standing over my shoulder, learning the new inventory system that was probably going to save him a couple hundred thousand a year. “This is great, but what happens if there’s a virus or something?”

  “It’s backed up every hour to the Cloud, so the most you’re going to lose is an hour’s worth of changes. I also installed a system for a remote backup server, which will back up everything from that day. So you’ve got it in two places. And if Charlie isn’t comfortable with the computer, he can enter the info and still print it out.”

  “Hell, just this month you’ve saved me twenty thousand dollars we would have overspent on crap we didn’t need. You’re a wonder, son.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  I’d sensed her as soon as she entered the barn.

  “Hi,” I said when she walked into the office.

  “Hey, Grandpa,” she said, ignoring me and leaning in to kiss the old man on the cheek. Lucky bastard.

  “You said you needed to see me?” She looked at her gramps, never at me. Not even once. She was dressed in a T-shirt and those little denim shorts she loved so much.

  It was a good thing part of my body was hidden under the desk.

  “Hey, darlin’. Two things,” her grandfather said. “One, I wanted Cole to show you his setup with the inventory. He’s got this brilliant new system. I’d like you to learn it so maybe you can help with some of the paperwork until Charlie gets back. I’d like Cole to focus on some of the other ways to make the business more efficient. He’s got some great ideas.”

  She nodded, but she wasn’t smiling now. Learning the business, any part of the empire, wasn’t what she wanted.

  “The other thing is I need you to name the colt.”

  “Okay,” she said as she turned and walked out of the barn. Her grandfather followed.

  I had to wait a few seconds to get myself under control before following them out.

  They were both sitting on the corral fence watching the mare and the colt. The younger one was running around and bucking. He’d definitely found his legs the last few days.

  I’d been calling him Blue, because his coloring was so black it almost had a blue sheen.

  I ventured asking her a direct question. “So what do you think, Callie?”

  Still, she didn’t turn and look at me. I wasn’t sure if it was because she was mad, or if she was pretending for her grandfather. I had a feeling it was the former.

  “Midnight Blue,” she said.

  Her grandfather clapped his hands. “Perfect. Spirited thing. He’s gonna be a good one. Well, kids, I’ve got to get to the office. Cole, you’ll show her the ropes?”

  You have no idea. “Yes, sir.”

  He left, but she just sat
there on the fence.

  “You gonna forgive me for being an asshole?”

  Her shoulders had been rigid straight, and they collapsed a bit. “Not sure,” she said.

  Her voice was quiet, so much so I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right.

  “I’m sorry,” I said as I climbed up and sat a few feet away. She still didn’t glance at me.

  “I know I’m not family, but I care about her, too,” she said.

  “You must, after hanging out with that craziness last night.”

  “I envy her in a way,” she said. “I didn’t have friends like that when I was young. I had friends, but not like she does. Her heart is so open and free, even though she’s been through hell. I’ve never been like that. I don’t trust easily, but until last night, I’d trusted you.”

  “You know how protective I am.”

  “Yes, but you were mean last night. I wasn’t telling you what to do. I was just trying to give you her point of view and you stormed out. Discussion over. You made me feel like a piece of shit.” She held up a hand to keep me from talking. “And I know I let you make me feel that way. But it hurt. I get it. I’m a piece of temporary ass, but you never made me feel that way until last night.”

  Shit. “Hey, that’s— I told you I was an asshole. I can’t think straight when it comes to my little sister and dating. It had nothing to do with you.” I took off my hat and ran a hand through my hair. “Please look at me.”

  She still didn’t.

  “Please. And I would have talked to you last night, but you didn’t seem interested. I thought about what you said about the Fourth of July festival. How she’d be with a group, and we’d be right there. It was dumb for me to overact. The one thing I’m really worried about is being so close to you without being able to touch you. I’m not sure it’s possible. Around all those people, someone is going to notice that I can’t stop looking at you.”

  Her head flipped around then, and I could see she was trying not to smile.

  “It’d be like torture, right?”

  “Hell, yes.”

  “Hmm. That might be fun.” She hopped down off the fence.

  “You can be evil sometimes.”

  “You have no idea,” she said. “I’ll text Addy, she’ll be so happy.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I just promised Gran I’d go to Dallas with her for some fashion show. We’ll be back in time for the festival.”

  Fuck. What?

  I jumped off the fence and ran after her.

  “What about the makeup sex?” I said, lowering my voice in case someone was around.

  “We’ll see,” she said. “I’ve got to go. We’re wheels up in forty-five minutes, and I have to change. I’ll be ready for the festival tomorrow night at six.”

  She really was leaving. Shit.

  I wanted to reach out and pull her to me, but Shorty showed up with one of the feed trucks.

  “Hey, Cole. Miss Llewellyn,” he said.

  “Hey, Shorty. I’m on my way out of town. You guys have fun.”

  She took off up the path.

  Twenty-four hours.

  Hell.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Torturing Cole might have been the most fun I’d had in a long time, except for maybe sex with Cole. That was definitely more fun, and the only thing I’d thought about since I’d left the barn yesterday. I’d been conveniently busy all day since we’d returned. He’d texted me to come down to the barn, saying he knew I was back. But I’d made excuses.

  I’d texted Bethany without telling her who the guy was, and she’d set me straight. No matter the relationship, I had to demand respect. She was right.

  This might be some temporary fun, but I wouldn’t be treated like crap, or as if I didn’t matter. The festival was actually two days before the Fourth of July, and our time together was coming to an end. I wouldn’t waste what time we had left being petty, but torturing him, making him wait for it, that was just fun.

  Grandma texted: You have a visitor.

  I grabbed the little purse that matched my red cowboy boots, a contrast to the sundress I was wearing. My goal was to drive Cole crazy.

  When I arrived downstairs, the hunger in his eyes was worth the hour and a half it had taken for me to get ready. I even wore makeup and had done my hair.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Oh, there you are, dear. I think it’s sweet you’re helping Cole to chaperone Adina and her friends.” Grandma came in from the hallway leading to the kitchen. “I thought you kids might want to take a picnic basket for the fireworks.”

  Cole blinked a couple of times and then cleared his throat. “Thank you, ma’am,” he said. I noticed he positioned the large basket in front of his pants, and I chewed on my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

  “That’s sweet of you.” I kissed her cheek.

  “See you later. Have fun.” She waved us off.

  “You look beautiful,” he said after he closed the front door behind us.

  “Thanks. You look nice, too.” He wore a white button-down and jeans with boots.

  I stopped when I realized Adina was the only one in the truck. “I thought we were driving everyone?”

  “We’re picking up some, and Shorty is getting the rest. They wouldn’t all fit in one vehicle.”

  We were the only ones chaperoning this bunch of teens. This was going to be a very long night.

  “You look so pretty,” Addy said as Cole helped me up in the truck, not so accidentally slipping his hand up my thigh and teasing my heat. It happened so fast, I thought maybe I’d imagined it.

  I coughed to keep from squeaking. “Thanks. Man, the air is so dry.”

  There was a small smile playing on his face as he climbed in the other side of the truck. He reached back into the picnic basket and pulled out a bottled water. “In case you get too hot.”

  I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

  “What’s so funny? Why would she be hot? You’ve got the air conditioning going full blast. I’m freezing.”

  We both started laughing.

  “What?” she said. “You guys are weird. Oh, look. Here comes Shorty. Can Carrie and those girls ride with us? Then the boys can ride in the other car.”

  “Sure,” Cole said.

  Forty minutes later, we were at the fairgrounds where the festival was being held. The boys in the group wanted to ride the scarier rides first, of course. Was there any other way to prove their manhood? Well, there was, but Cole would have none of that. When we found the Spider, most of the girls hung back, except for Adina. She glanced at her friends like they were crazy for being scared.

  “Cole and I will ride with you,” I said.

  “You will?” Cole asked.

  “I happen to like fast and scary,” I said. “The harder, I mean the faster, the better.” We climbed into the cage with the bench and bar that would hold us down. It was all enclosed and would spin in circles eventually. I shoved my dress between my thighs and tight under my ass to keep from flashing everyone.

  “Whoohooo!” Adina yelled as the ride took off at warp speed.

  I grabbed the overhead bar but didn’t miss the quick look Cole stole at my boobs, which were pushed up and nearly falling out of the top of my dress. His warm body pressed against mine, and his pine scent filled my senses. God, I’d missed him.

  So much.

  He gave me a slow smile that held so much promise, then we were thrown around like pinballs in a machine.

  I like fast rides, but by the time it was done, I was stumbling out.

  Cole caught me, and for a moment I thought he was going to pull me to him and kiss the hell out of me.

  “Oh my God. That was crazy fun,” Addy said.

  “I know. You go, Ads,” one of the boys high-fived her. I recognized him as the kid who had been washing dishes at the bar at the club. He was nice.

  “I was afraid Derek was going to puke on all of us.”

  “As if.” I assumed
it was Derek who answered. He was looking a little green.

  “You okay?” Cole’s hand was at my elbow.

  “Oh, yeah. Just rattled my brain a bit.”

  “What’s next, Ads?”

  “Ferris wheel,” she said.

  “Well, at least it’s slower,” Cole said. His sister ran forward to join her girlfriends, leaving the boys trailing behind. We followed at a good distance, but it was really silly. The two groups couldn’t have been more separate.

  “Truly, I don’t think you had to worry,” I said. I slipped my arm into the crook of his.

  He glanced down and frowned for a second.

  “Oh, sorry. The grounds kind of uneven.” I wasn’t lying. And I was still a little dizzy.

  “It’s okay.” He took my hand and slipped it back through his arm. “I wouldn’t want you to fall.”

  Then he gave me one of his devastating smiles. I couldn’t stop looking at him, and I smiled back.

  “Callie?” I hadn’t seen James come up to us until he spoke.

  I yanked my hand from Cole’s arm.

  “James?”

  Cole stiffened beside me.

  “What are you doing here?” James asked. “I thought you were in Dallas with your grandmother. At least, that’s what your grandfather said.”

  “We were. Why were you talking to Gramps?”

  “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. You keep ignoring my calls. I wanted to see if you wanted to go to another private concert.” James eyed Cole.

  “You visit with your friend,” Cole said, no emotion in his voice. “I’m going to check on Addy and her friends.”

  I started to protest but didn’t. What had James just seen?

  “Who’s that?” he asked.

  I sighed and focused on James. He had his arm around a pretty brunette. I’d seen her at the club a few times but couldn’t remember her name.

  “Cole. We’re chaperoning his sister and her friends. He’s kind of protective.”

  “Huh. Looked to me like maybe you two were the ones who needed watching over.”

  “What? No. We’re just friends. He’s taken over as foreman, helping out while his uncle is in the hospital.”

  I changed the subject and held out my hand to the girl with him. “Hi, I’m Callie. What are you doing hanging with this guy?”