by Sable Hunter
“Yea, I’ll do these right now before they get sticky.”
He pulled Madison’s hands out of the sink along with his and his touch almost gave Madison a heart attack. “Your hands are soft; you need to wear gloves next time.” Grabbing a drying cloth, he dried both of their hands at the same time. “Your talents are wasted in here. The dishes can wait. We’ve got a packed house out there. Sonya and I can’t keep up, so I’m calling you in Fellows.”
Madison didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if the sexy man was even aware how he affected her. In a word, Micah was irresistible. Did he do it on purpose? Did he treat all women the same? Or was she getting some type of special treatment. With no answers, she let him lead her by the hand back out into the dining room. Their entrance drew a few looks. Some from men and Madison didn’t know why. The clothing she wore did a masterful job of hiding her curves. The only hint of her shape was the unmistakable swell of her too round bottom, highlighted by the skinny jeans. There was no mystery as to why the women were sitting there with mouths agape, Micah was something worth staring at.
“Shift down, Sonya. You’re on mashed.” Micah stepped back behind the big serving counter. He looked and sounded like a general giving orders on the battlefield. “I’ll keep cutting the brisket. You’re on slaw, Fellows.”
Madison picked up the serving spoon. “Sir, yes sir!”
Micah gave her a stern look, then laughed. “Cute.”
Her heart skipped a dozen beats. She’d made him laugh? Inside, Madison’s heart did a happy dance.
And he had called her cute!
Oh sure, he was probably referring more to her joke than to her plain Jane appearance. But hey, Madison was going to relish any victory possible with this hunk, no matter how small it might be.
“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this, Fellows?” Micah asked when the dinner rush began to slow.
She’d never particularly enjoyed a boy addressing her by just her last name, but it seemed as if Micah could get away with anything when it came to Madison Alicia Fellows, so she allowed it to continue.
“Uh, well…” Somehow, saying ‘My drug addicted mother brought her abusive husband into my apartment and I needed a safe place to be,’ just didn’t seem like the best thing to tell someone you’ve known for only an hour, especially to a dreamy guy like Micah. Mustering up her courage, she took a deep breath. “I won’t lie.” If she wasn’t going to be completely honest with him, she could at least be partially honest. “In the past, I’ve needed the shelter this place can provide.”
The words she offered were accompanied by a hint of shame in her voice and this broke Micah’s heart. “We all have our days when we could use a bit of help. Nobody has it good all the time.”
He sounded genuine and the kindness in his eyes shone through for Madison to see. Nevertheless, she wanted to shift the focus off herself and fast. “Why are you here? A smartly dressed guy like you, dishing up brisket and mashed potatoes on a cold night. Surely you can’t be kind and handsome.”
Oh, my God!
Madison’s first instinct was to cover her mouth. She’d just told a man he was handsome. A bright flush rose on her cheeks. Pity there was no big rock handy to crawl under and hide. The notion of making a break for the door ran briefly through Madison’s head. Surely such a cowardly display couldn’t possibly cause her any more embarrassment than she’d just caused herself.
Micah looked down at her, giving her a wicked grin. “Handsome, huh?”
Damn. Even when he was being conceited he was hot. “I guess some people would think you are,” Madison returned, trying to minimize the damage.
Micah could see that her little slip-up had embarrassed her. Normally he would’ve pressed the issue, see if he could embarrass her a bit more for his own pleasure, but tonight wasn’t the night. Tonight was important to him and he’d promised himself he’d be on his best behavior. “Truthfully, I come in only every once in a while. I’m pretty busy with other stuff most of the time.”
“Other stuff?”
“Top secret stuff.”
Madison raised an eyebrow, realizing he was teasing. “Like your brisket recipe?”
“Sort of, but a little bit more like C.I.A top secret. I have a few hobbies which keep me busy and some business commitments that, in my personal opinion, require more of my attention than I’d like.”
“So why are you here tonight?” She pressed, wanting to know more about him.
Micah hesitated, but he found himself speaking. “Tonight’s a special night. I’m here for a friend.”
“Oh really? Is he here?” Madison wondered who in the world he could possibly know in this crowd. He wasn’t flashy, but Madison could tell by the way his clothes fit and how he carried himself that Micah had money.
“He’s not here…anymore.”
There was sadness in his voice and Madison understood what he was saying immediately. She found herself wanting to take him in her arms to hug the sadness away. Clenching her hands into fists, she resisted, feeling it might be too much. After a few moments, she unclasped one hand and placed a gentle palm on his forearm to let him know she cared. “I’m so sorry.”
Micah straightened and cut some more meat, pushing the sorrow aside. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, a way to honor a fallen friend. “Thank you. It was a long time ago. You want a sandwich, Fellows?” The line was thinning out and Sonya had gone to the back to start the cleanup.
“I’m good, thank you.” Madison turned down his offer even though she was weak with hunger.
“You’re not one of those, ‘I refuse to eat in front of a guy,’ girls are you?”
“Of course not.” Truth was, she could’ve eaten a horse, but a part of her felt like if she accepted the food, Micah would only see her as homeless and down on her luck. Even though she’d probably never see him again, Madison liked the way he looked at her now. Since this would be her only night with him, she intended to enjoy it while it lasted.
“Well, I’m gonna have some. This kid is famished.” He cut three thick slices and positioned them on top of half a roll. “Slaw me.”
Madison heaped a pile of coleslaw on top of the dripping meat and Micah squashed it down with the other half of the roll, tearing into it with his perfect teeth. Sweet Lord, even the sight of him eating made Madison want to swoon. For a moment she fantasized about having him over to her place, preparing him food and then saying he’d rather make a meal out of her.
“Damn, this tastes good.” He sighed. “A gift from the gods themselves.” Micah waved the sandwich in front of Madison’s face. “Come on, Fellows. You know you want it.”
Madison’s stomach growled as if on cue. The aroma was intoxicating. “All right,” she relented and held her hand out.
Micah placed the sandwich on the counter in front of him and took the top off the bun. “Hang on. Someone put too much coleslaw on it.”
Madison beamed from ear to ear and playfully whacked him on the arm. His bicep was rock hard.
“Hey, now. Don’t swat me. I wasn’t in charge of the coleslaw station.”
Madison picked the roll up and wasn’t sure if she wanted to eat it or take it home and pay someone to clone Micah using any DNA he’d left behind. In the end, her hunger won out and she devoured the sandwich in the most ladylike way she could manage.
When all of their guests had finished with dinner, Micah and Madison headed back to the kitchen to help Sonya with the last of the clean-up. But only after he’d persuaded her to have another sandwich with him. He was kind, handsome and he seemed to really care if she got enough to eat. Saints above, this man just got more perfect with every minute that passed.
A little while later, Sonya was wiping down the tables in the dining room, Madison was putting away the silverware and Micah was elbow deep in dishwater, scrubbing the last pot that had been soaking long enough to loosen the cooked on food. “I didn’t think I’d have this much leftover,” he mutte
red, eyeing the remaining trays of brisket and sides. “I should’ve known; my eyes are always bigger than my stomach.” Just then, his cell phone went off in his pocket. “Shit. Listen, Fellows. I don’t mean to be inappropriate here or anything, but could you grab that for me. My hands are kinda busy right now.”
Madison gasped. He wanted her to reach into his pocket and get his phone? She considered it for a moment, but decided it was worth the risk of embarrassing herself again if it meant getting to touch him.
He turned his body so she could gain access to his right front pocket, then pulled away again. “Don’t be trying to grab my junk while you’re down there,” he said with a perfectly straight face.
Madison’s mouth fell open. “Oh, my Lord, Micah. I would never do anything like that.”
He looked her right in the eye and chuckled. “I’m just messin’ with you.”
Maybe he was messing with her, but Madison’s brain flooded with images of doing exactly what she’d been told not to do. With a flush, she realized she was growing wet at the thought of finding no phone in Micah’s pocket. Instead, she’d grasp endless inches of thick hard cock. His thick hard cock. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to touch him for just one second. She could use that memory to make herself cum for the next five years.
“It’s gonna go to voicemail,” Micah warned, snapping Madison out of her desire induced fog.
“Right. Sorry.” She reached down into his tight pants, doing her best not to show how touching him affected her. She’d been right earlier, he smelled perfect, just the right mixture of citrus and spices in his chosen cologne to make every one of her senses dance and that was what they did at the moment.
“Well, what does it say?” Micah asked after she’d retrieved his phone.
Madison looked at the screen. “Thunderbird,” she said, holding the screen up for him to see.
“Do me a favor and answer it while I take these off.” He held his hands up. “Big hands. Takes a second to get these gloves off.”
Madison hit the button that said ‘answer’. “Hello.”
“I’m sorry. I’m looking for Micah Wolfe. Is this his phone?”
“Wolfe?” Madison said out loud with a smile. She hadn’t known Micah’s last name. And what a sexy name it was. This man seemed as if he were sent by the devil himself to tempt her and oh how Madison wanted to burn for all eternity. “Yes, this is his phone. Who may I say is calling?”
“Tell him it’s Kyle.”
Micah managed to slip out of the rubber gloves after a struggle. “Thanks, Fellows. I’ll take it from here. Governor, what can I do for you?” he said as he walked off to the back of the kitchen.
“Governor?” Madison thought aloud. Holy crap! Kyle Chancellor, the governor of Texas? Damn, Micah Wolfe had some powerful friends. She watched him pace the back of the kitchen for a few minutes while he talked. He moved like a panther, powerful yet graceful, smoothly as if gliding on ice.
When he was finished, he came back toward her, grabbing his coat and pulling it on. “I’m sorry. I have to get going.” Heading for the door, he opened it and stopped in the frame allowing cool air to surge into the kitchen. “Could you please tell Sonya I’ll be back for my serving dishes later? It was nice to meet you, Madison Fellows. Sleep tight.”
And just like that, he was gone. She didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.
The fantasy was over. Her Prince Charming had left her in a cold kitchen in tattered clothes. “Cinderella, indeed,” Madison huffed and turned to finish the dishes.
Bombs away…
High above the lower deck of I-35 a figure loomed. As if playing a game, he counted cars and weighed the brick in his hands. Even though people were passing him on all sides, no one paid him any mind. Street people are an invisible species. Lifting the brick, he measured the distance in his mind, watching the approach of a dark sedan. And when it was in just the right position–the man let it go and smiled as the windshield of the car below exploded.
CHAPTER THREE
Micah and the Equalizers…
Micah turned north toward Lady Bird Lake, which ran through the heart of the capital of Texas. The portion of the same waterway that flowed through the hilly neighborhoods west of downtown was called Lake Austin. Go figure. He’d always thought it would be less confusing to call the whole expanse what the original settlers called it–the Colorado River. Having spent more time in and around Austin than all the other places he’d ever lived combined, Micah maneuvered the one way streets without thinking. He had a love/hate relationship with this part of the world. Truthfully if it weren’t for his friends, he’d have left Texas a long time ago for good. The constant friction with his father had been the bane of his existence. After Colton was murdered, Micah had left town, just driven off as far and as fast as he could go. He wasn’t shocked to find that running away hadn’t really solved anything. And while time didn’t heal all wounds, it did make them bearable. He’d landed in New York for a spell, even did a few semesters at Syracuse. But he’d gotten lonesome for his friends, so he’d returned and attended UT. After receiving a liberal arts degree, he’d followed Kyle’s example and volunteered for Afghanistan. After all of that, his whole circle of friends had found their way back to this little corner of the world. Older for sure. Wiser? Well, that was debatable. They say every life experience molds a person and that was the God’s truth. No wonder he could be a sarcastic ass.
As he drove, Micah let his mind wander. The images that came to mind were diverse and haunting. From the day he said good-bye to his mother, to the last time he saw Colton alive. The faces of the Afghan children who thought war was normal, to his buddies celebrating a successful Equalizer mission. As with anyone, the good times mixed with the bad. He’d had his share of both. The women he’d enjoyed floated through his brain like models walking a runway–from sweet Sara who’d given him his first kiss to Leah who’d initiated him in the ways to please a woman. All were memorable, not one was forgettable, yet none had touched his heart. He’d seen his friends succumb to love–Kyle and Hannah, Aron and Libby, Jet and Sami–hell, most of them had found someone, even Tanner had hooked up with the famous country singer Desiree Holt. How crazy was that?
Maybe love wasn’t in the cards for Micah Wolfe. He had too much to do to settle down and plant an herb garden while his wife crocheted baby booties. Jet had informed him last night that Sami was pregnant. The good news brought a smile to his face. He was going to enjoy this. The big rough biker was a fool for babies and head over heels for Sami. She’d recently gotten a clean bill of health and he hoped to God she continued to do well. He knew his friend lived with the constant dread her brain tumor would return.
The honking of a horn brought him back to the here and now. A yellow cab was behind him, anxious for the traffic to thin out. Oh well, he understood the poor guy’s frustration. Uber was putting the cab companies out of business. Nothing was permanent. Nothing lasted forever…and that was why he chose to live as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Because caring hurt like hell when the one you cared about left you behind.
Ahead of him, he could see the capital building. A smile came to his face. Who would’ve ever thought he’d have a friend who was Governor? His childhood friend, Kyle Chancellor, the Thunderbird, their platoon leader in Afghanistan, sat comfortably in the Governor’s mansion and was married to the love of his life. They were doing well, raising their handsome little boy, but there had been a time when it looked like Kyle would lose it all. Micah had been right there beside Kyle when he’d searched for Hannah, finally finding her and baby Paulo. Life was a fragile thing, and Micah understood better than most how easily happiness can slip through your fingers.
As he turned on Colorado, he pulled into the drive and was met by a valet. “The Governor is expecting you, Mr. Wolfe.”
“Sure thing. Be careful with the car, it’s my baby,” Micah warned the young man.
“Yes, sir. You can count on it.”
Micah smirked, knowing his Dodge would be parked in a spot that routinely housed Bentley’s, limousines and foreign sports cars. Hell, he could afford to drive something more expensive. He wasn’t poor, he made an ungodly amount off of his writing. The point was–he didn’t want to. Micah took a great deal of satisfaction in doing something other than what people expected of him. He loved his friends–hell, he’d die for his friends–but he was his own man and he took pride in being a rebel.
A butler opened the door before he could knock. “Thank you, Jeeves.”
“This way, sir.”
Micah walked behind him, mirroring the butler’s stilted stride. His name wasn’t Jeeves, it was John, but the older gentleman seemed to enjoy Micah’s teasing.
At the end of the hall, Kyle stood, hands on his hips, shaking his head. “Get in here, Arthur. You’re such an idiot, Wolfe.”
Micah shook his friend’s hand. “Hey, I love that movie, but I’m much better looking than Dudley Moore.”
“Taller too.” Jet interjected. “Although, I don’t think you’re nearly as suave.”
“What the hell would you know about ‘suave’, Foster?” He slapped the giant MMA fighter on the shoulder. “How’s Sami?”
“She’s good. A little morning sickness. I can’t tell you how scared I was when she started throwing up. All I could think was cancer. When I found out she was pregnant, I got down on my knees and thanked the high heavens.”
Wow. He’d never heard Jet make such a long speech. The man was obviously excited about being a father and loved his wife very much. “I’m thrilled for you. Any more treasure hunting trips on the horizon?”
“Maybe. I was contacted by someone in the Columbian government to help verify the location of the San Jose. They have a dispute with an American salvage company. I’m not sure what will come from it, but I would love to see the ship up close and personal.”
“And get a piece of the pie.” Saxon rubbed his hands together. “If you let us invest in the venture, of course.”