They made sure Curtis knew they were together without saying a word. Curtis’ face paled because a united front between two of the town’s largest property owners was the last thing he wanted to see.
“Thank you, Officer Wilson for helping us. If you find out anything, please call me. My number is on the bottom of the form,” Mitchell said.
“Is there a number where we can reach you, Ms. Gregory, if we have any questions?”
“You can reach her at my number,” Mitchell quickly answered.
“Thank you,” Officer Wilson replied.
“Good day, Officers,” Mitchell said as they walked out the door.
“Is something bothering you?” Kayla asked as he opened the passenger door of his truck for her.
Mitchell didn’t say anything until he settled behind the wheel of his truck. “Yeah, Curtis.”
“Well, he’s always given me the creeps. What’s got him bugging you so badly?”
“The way he looked at you. I don’t want them having your number, especially Curtis. The way he was trying to get you to leave town. I just got you back, Mak. You’re not leaving town right now.”
“I wasn’t planning on it. Why do you think he wants me out of here? It kinda sounded like he wants you gone, too.”
“Yeah, that ain’t happening either.”
They drove in silence to her parents’ house. Cat had beaten them there, and Thomas was probably on Cloud Nine. “You ready to dig post holes?”
“Yeah. Evan wants me to discreetly take pictures if we see anyone next door,” he replied.
“Do you think we will?”
“I don’t know. We can only hope.”
Kayla’s family and Cat were around her dad’s truck drinking water when they pulled up. “Mitch,” she began.
“I’m going to put your family at ease immediately, sweetheart. Everything will be fine,” he interjected.
They walked hand-in-hand toward her family. Cat squealed and ran to them. Her smile split her face from ear to ear. “It’s about time y’all get here,” she said.
Kayla hugged her. “We had to stop by the police station. Come on, I only want to go through this once.”
As they walked up, close enough but not too close, Kayla heard what Mitchell was saying to her family, “Mr. and Mrs. Gregory, I want you to know I’m not trying to take your property. I wouldn’t do that, not this way. You know if you ever want to sell and Thomas or Mak doesn’t want it, you just call me. I love it. We’ve had some great times here.”
“Thank you, son,” her dad said to Mitchell. They shook hands and seemed good.
“I’m sorry I thought that stupid stuff, Mitchell. I know better.” Her mom hugged him hard. Thomas watched his family with skepticism.
“Now, do you want to tell me why my daughter is so happy and y’all were holding hands, again?” Kayla’s dad narrowed his eyes at Mitchell and tried to have a scowl on his face.
Mitchell cleared his throat. “My intentions with Mak are honorable, sir. I love your daughter, Mr. Gregory. I always have. We’re going to see where this thing goes after all this time.”
Her dad nodded his approval. Her mother hugged him again, and Thomas shook his hand. Kayla and Cat bounced behind him where he couldn’t see. After a few seconds, she walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him. When he placed one hand over hers and turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye, she mouthed, “I love you, too.”
“Mom, Dad, we need to tell you why we’re late. I don’t want you finding out from anyone else.” Kayla hoped Mitchell would take over, but his look indicated she needed to tell them. “We stopped by the police station to file an incident report,” she said quietly. “A car tried to run me over last night. Thank God, Mitch was there and moved me out of the way. I’m good except for some bruises from getting tackled,” she said as she flashed a smile at Mitchell. Her parents pulled her into hugs and made sure there weren’t any major injuries. She reassured them she wasn’t hurt.
Luckily, her brother had great timing and rescued her from their parents. “Hey, I thought Evan would’ve joined you. Kayla said he’s in town.”
“He’s working, man. He and Mak talked earlier about you coming to dinner one night soon,” Mitchell replied.
“Where are we putting this fence?” Kayla asked.
Mitchell, her dad, and Thomas walked to the edge of the property and measured where to put the fence. Her dad pointed, Thomas watched, and Mitchell showed them something with his hands. She could watch that man all day long. The ripple of his muscles, even through his shirt, transfixed her.
Her mom and Cat wanted to play twenty questions, but Kayla hadn’t digested everything that had happened since last night. She assured them they’d talked about their feelings, what they wanted, as well as their pasts. Just as her mom asked, ‘So, are you moving back home now?’ her phone pinged with an incoming text.
She shrugged at her Mom and said, “I don’t know yet.” She pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen.
Ginger: Are you coming home any time soon?
She laughed and showed the screen to her mom. A frown crossed her Mom’s face. “This is your home, not there.”
Kayla: I’m going to be a few days. You ok?
Ginger: I’m between articles. I need something new to write about. Plus, I’m kinda bored.
Kayla showed Mitchell her phone. “Can I invite her down? I mean, she could stay at the hotel even though I’d hate her doing that by herself when I’m here, too. But, I don’t want to impose.”
“Of course you can. I want to meet the girl you’ve befriended in the mountains.”
“Do you think Evan will care?
“I doubt it. Evan’s been on ice for a while. He may even enjoy it.”
“Okay. One more thing. Could we have Thomas and Cat out for dinner tomorrow night, too? Grill out, have some wine and laughs.”
“I love the way you think. Whatever you want, sweetheart.”
“Thank you.” Movement in the trees caused her to glance over Mitchell’s shoulder. “There’s someone watching us.”
“Yeah. I saw him earlier. I took a picture.”
“Great.”
“Go make plans. We’ll call y’all when we’re ready to put up boards.”
She gave him a peck on the cheek, and he swatted her behind when she turned away. Thomas saw Mitchell’s hand and saw red.
Kayla: Why don’t you come down here? We can find you something to write about. New restaurants, bars, horses, cows.
Ginger: Are you sure? I don’t want to butt in.
Kayla: See you tomorrow. I’m staying at Mitch’s. He’s invited you, too. I’ll explain when I see you. I’ll text you the address.
Ginger: OK!
“So, Ginger is coming into town tomorrow. Do you want to come out to the ranch for dinner too? We’ll grill some steaks and have some wine,” Kayla said to Cat.
“Sounds like fun. I’m in!”
Since she didn’t want anyone to know they’d be occupied and away from there, she walked to Thomas and Mitchell instead of yelling. She couldn’t help but notice the tension between them. When she was within earshot she heard Thomas, “Does she know who you’ve been with while she was gone?”
Before Mitchell could answer Kayla said, “Yes, she does. She knows he was seeing Sally, why he was seeing Sally, and why he’s no longer seeing Sally. Dammit, Thomas.”
“And you’re okay with it?”
“I’m the one who left. He was just living his life.”
“I wasn’t living. I was lonely. Mak wasn’t here, and I didn’t think about high school,” Mitchell interjected. He rubbed his hand down his face. “We both want to see where this can go, man.”
Thomas moved close to Mitchell’s ear. “I know Kayla gave it up to you. Then you disrespected her by being with Sally. You’re like a little brother to me, but you better not fucking hurt her.”
Kayla watched the men. Mitchell’s surpris
e couldn’t be hidden. “How the hell do you know that?”
“The men who work for you have worked for your family for a long time, Mitchell. They were in high school with Evan and me when they started.”
“I’m not going to hurt her,” Mitchell said as he held Thomas’ stare. They seemed to come to an understanding and the tension eased between them.
Thomas broke the stare when Kayla asked, “What’s your work schedule like over the next few days?”
“I’ve got three days off. I don’t go back until Sunday night. Why?”
“Well, my friend Ginger is coming down tomorrow, so we’re grilling out. Thought you’d like to join us.”
“Sure. Sounds fun.”
“Good. Cat’s coming, too. You should offer her a ride.”
Thomas looked at Kayla as if she’d grown horns. “Damn, dude. You walked right into that one,” Mitchell said with a smile. Thomas glared at Mitchell again. “Look, Thomas. Take it from someone who knows what it’s like not to tell a girl how he feels. You’ve been pining over Cat almost as long as I waited for Mak. You’re older, you’re a doctor, don’t do the stupid shit I did.”
“Fine. I’ll talk to her later about riding out with me.” He turned toward the fence, but Kayla swore she heard something about ‘not pining for anybody’.
Several hours later, they’d put up fifty feet of fence. They were hot, dirty, and sweaty. Tired didn’t even begin to describe how they felt. When Mitchell and Kayla climbed into the truck, she asked, “Can we just pick up Chinese?”
“Sure. Call it in. I’ll get it. Order extra for Evan.”
A few minutes after Mitchell walked into the restaurant, he walked back out with bags in his hands. As he moved toward the truck, a couple of guys approached him from behind; guys Mitchell had taken pictures of today. Kayla sat straighter in the truck, paying close attention to what was happening. One hand slid to the door handle while the other was on her phone. When Mitchell was a few feet from the truck, the driver of the car next to them flipped on the high beams right in Mitchell’s face. He tried to block the lights with his hand, but the driver moved to pick up the guys walking behind him. The engine revved and the tires squealed as they left the parking lot.
“Son of a bitch! I’m going to be seeing spots for an hour. Are you too tired to drive?” Mitchell asked as he squeezed his eyes closed, trying to make the spots go away.
“Sure, I can drive.” Kayla slid over as Mitchell climbed into the passenger side. “Babe, the two guys behind you were two of the guys you took pictures of today. Do you think they realized what you were doing?”
“I don’t think they could tell if I used my leveling app or camera. I just hope Evan knows who the hell these people are.”
The road out to the ranch was a dark, two-lane road. They were about halfway between town and the ranch when a set of lights came up behind them. Kayla noticed the lights approaching quickly. They were less than a car length away when the driver turned on the high beams. The reflection off the mirrors blinded her so she tried to change the angle of her head to get the lights out of her eyes. “Shit, I can’t see!” Just then, the car sped past them and over the next hill. When they topped the crest of the hill, she could see the car sitting down the road, waiting on them. Their high beams were still on, and the car faced her and Mitchell. She slowed down but didn’t come to a complete stop.
“Fuck! Baby, turn on your high beams. They want to play chicken.”
“What the hell? I’ve never done that in a car! Mitch, what do I do?”
“They know you’re driving, and they’re counting on you freaking out. Don’t freak out! Hold the truck down the middle of the road. We’re in a bigger vehicle, but theirs is faster. At the last minute, we’ll swerve to the right. Try not to overcorrect or we’ll flip into the ditch. I’m sure that’s what they want.”
Her hands shook as she put both of them on the wheel and pressed harder on the gas. “Floor it, Mak!”
She heard the tires from the car and knew they’d left black marks. The headlights were coming directly at them. They were getting bigger and bigger. Her eyes widened as the car got closer. Her heart thumped like a race horse. She wanted to swerve out of the way. “When Mitch?”
“Not yet, baby. Keep it straight. Stay…Stay…Stay…Now!”
She swerved at the same time the car did. The rear end of the truck fishtailed. They ended up on the side of the road, but not flipped. She looked in the mirrors as Mitchell turned to look behind them, but the car was gone. They didn’t lose control, but they also didn’t slow down.
The adrenaline was flowing. She was shaking from head to toe. Mitchell grabbed her head and turned her to face him. “You did great, sweetheart. You okay?” He kissed her hard as his adrenaline was pumping, too.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to do that again.”
“You want me to drive the rest of the way?”
“Yes. I don’t think I can function.”
He reached over and put the truck in Park. She slid back to the passenger’s side as Mitchell walked around. He wrapped her in a blanket he pulled from behind the seat. “Let’s get you home.” Home. That was the third time she’d heard that word today, and each one referred to a different place. Where did she consider home? She knew in her heart it was wherever Mitch was.
The rest of the drive to the ranch was uneventful. She’d calmed considerably by the time they parked.
10
Mitchell carried Kayla into the house. When they passed through the kitchen, Evan was mixing a drink at the bar in the living room. Mitchell sat the bags of food on the counter and tossed Evan his phone. “There are some pictures on there and food in the bags. We need to talk, but I’m going to take care of my girl first. I’ll be back in a little while.”
He sat her down in their bedroom. It didn’t feel like it was just his anymore. It was theirs. He bent to take off her shoes, but she just stood there. He thought she was in shock. When he stood to remove her t-shirt, he asked, “Bath or shower, baby?” Her eyes rose to his, and that was when he saw the tears. He pulled her close and held her tight. She was like a ragdoll, totally spent. Shower would be faster. Then food and bed. He quickly removed her clothes then led her to the bathroom as he kicked off his boots. He only turned on one shower head as he stripped and gathered towels for them. When the water was warm, he picked her up, and she wrapped herself around him. She held on so tightly he thought she’d choke him. “Baby,” he croaked, “you’ve got to loosen up so I can breathe.” He felt her loosen her hold a fraction. A small fraction. He stepped into the shower and the warm water cascaded over them. He rubbed her from the top of her back to her cute little butt. Feeling her breast plastered against him was sweet torture. “You’re okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you. You’re home and you’re safe.” Her lips started kissing his neck. Aww, hell. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He knew sex was a good way to burn off the adrenaline. He knew she needed to feel as close to him as possible. Hell, he needed it too. He just didn’t think she’d want sex. Part of him wanted to keep his anger until he talked to Evan, but his girl needed him. Needed this. If this was what she needed, he’d give it to her. He’d always take care of her, so he walked to the wall of the shower and pressed her against it. The tiles had to be cold because she arched her back which pushed her breasts to him more. “Ahh. Baby, look at me.” Her kisses felt so good, but he had to know where her mind was. She rested her head against the tile and lifted her eyes to his. Her eyes were still wide, and her pupils were still dilated. “Are you sure you want this now?”
“Yes, Mitch. Please. In your arms is where I know I’m safe. Right now, I don’t think I can get close enough to you. Please.”
“You are safe. I need you close, too. I just need to know we’re on the same page.”
“Yes.”
He kissed her hard because he needed the connection, too. Quick and hard would burn off the adrenaline. Her breathing picked up immediately as h
is hands were under her ass and his fingers barely reached her pussy. She didn’t need foreplay. She was already wet. Her body attached to his had him hard. He aligned their bodies and held her open as he slid in easily. His cock slipped almost completely out before he pushed back in. From there, the pace was frantic. His arms supported her as his thrusts grew harder. Her moans got louder as he gave her what she needed. What he needed. Her walls tightened around his cock, and she cried his name within minutes. He followed her over the edge, and came inside her. “I love you, Mak. Only you.”
He rested his forehead on her shoulder as they caught their breath. “Can you stand, sweetheart?” He felt her nod along the side of his head so he slowly let her down. When her feet touched the floor, he kissed her forehead. “Better?”
“Much.”
“Let’s get cleaned up. We need to get to the food before Evan eats it all,” he said with a small grin. He still needed to touch her so he washed her body as she washed her hair. She needed to feel him too, so they switched. He dried her before he dried himself. For the first time he saw her wrapped in a towel, and the sight reminded him these assholes had seen her like this. All of a sudden, his anger had ramped to twice what it was earlier.
Kayla turned to see him staring at her. She tilted her head and furrowed her brows trying to understand what had come over him. “What’s wrong?”
He wasn’t mad at her, he was just mad. His voice was quiet. “They saw you like this. You, like this.” He waved his hand up and down so she knew he was talking about all of her. “This is intimate, and they saw you.”
“I’m sorry, Mitch. I really thought it was you. That you were being polite and trying not to interrupt me, or that you left me the only key.”
“I want to say that it’s okay, but it’s not okay. I don’t want anyone seeing any part of you. I want all of you to myself for the rest of eternity.”
Unwelcomed Greeting: A Riverton Crossing Novel Page 7