Rearranged

by Carreiro, Tina

  Wade jogged down the steps and turned to face his brother. “I’ll relax when you start pullin’ your weight around here. We got cattle coming in, and—”

  “Jesus Christ, brother. Will you just call her?”

  “For your information, I did call her.”

  “What?” Levi sat straight up in his chair, his eyes widened, and his voice stumbled. “What… what’d she say?”

  “A lady named Alice said she didn’t live there anymore. She was probably with her husband.”

  “And you took her word for it?”

  “It’s been a month, Levi. What the hell you want me to do? Call her husband and ask if I can talk to her?”

  “Well, if you’re not gonna do that, then you need to get her out of your head. We got work to do. We have a rodeo comin’ up that needs bucking horses and a shit ton of other stuff to do. You’re the brains of this operation, remember?”

  “I know that!” He turned and walked toward the large barn. “I’m takin’ the old Ford to the back fields.” He’d get her out of his head if he had to tear the Ford up doing it.

  Wade’s eyes caught a black flash inside the training pen. He froze as the stallion ran toward him from the backside of the pen. “What the hell is that?” With his arm extended toward the approaching stallion, he turned toward Levi.

  “It’s a horse, Einstein.”

  “I know it’s a horse. What’s it doin’ here?”

  “Um, we buy, train, and sell horses.”

  “Get rid of it.” With rapid steps he reached the truck and looked back before he got in. “And don’t ever bring a black horse on this property again.” He slammed the door and left a rut when he spun the tires.

  Within seconds, Wade reached the back field. He stopped in the middle of the open area, and leaned his head back against the window. Unwanted images assaulted him. Chet with his hands on Carly, his mouth touching her. It did more than piss him off. The visions crawled through his veins and pumped an emotion into his heart he hadn’t felt before. It’d been there for weeks, and he couldn’t shake it. He’d asked her not to do it, not to marry him. God… this was the first time he’d ever put his heart out there, and she’d handed it back to him on a stake. That first night—her first time—meant nothing to her. Now, he felt as if he was stuck in a mud hole. He couldn’t sleep, food had no taste, and everything was bland. How could he have been so wrong about her and what he thought he felt from her? She’d seemed genuine when he danced with her, kissed her for the first time… He reached down, turned the knob on the radio, and Billy Dean’s voice filled the truck cab with music that stabbed his heart. “Fuck!” He punched the roof and pulled his foot off the break. Somewhere In My Broken Heart blared so loud from the speakers it drowned the sound of the engine winding up every time he pulled the wheel hard and spun the truck into a donut. He’d never been one to sing out loud before, but his pain sliced his mouth opened, and the words came out. “So fly. Go ahead and fly, till you find out who you are. And I, I will keep my love unspoken. Somewhere in my broken heart…”

  He spun the truck tires, a cloud of dust engulfing him as he came to a stop. He gripped the wheel so tight he thought it would snap. “Fuck!” He beat his palm against the top of the steering wheel repeatedly. He had to let it go. He sniffled and shook his head as the smoke poured from under the truck’s hood. He fought the water forming in his eyes.

  She left him. In her way, she left him like everyone else. The only difference was this one hurt like hell. He’d never let another person in. He gave her a piece of him that first time; she’d slid in unchecked by his internal security system. She still had a piece of him but it was time to let her go.

  * * * *

  Wade leaned against the front doorframe of his home, the screen propped open with a door wedge. Levi leaned back in the rocker, right where he had left him before he damaged the old Ford. He half smiled. “Sorry…”

  “It’s alright.” Levi tilted his head back. “You get it out of your system?”

  “Yep. Won’t be botherin’ me again.”

  “Is that so?”

  A cloud of dust blew up from behind the trees lining the long driveway. Wade pulled himself off the frame and stared at the small red car speeding down his drive. “What the hell is that?”

  “Looks like one of them piece of shit foreign cars.”

  Wade’s heart beat in his chest, almost matching the sound coming from the car. “What the hell is that sound?” He knew that sound.

  “Sounds like one of them piece of shit head-boppin’ songs.”

  Wade stilled, tilting his head. The music was becoming more audible as the vehicle came closer. His eyes widened. “That’s not a shit song. That’s Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire.”

  “Brother… I’m not even gonna ask how you know that.” Levi removed his hat and placed it over his heart. “Forgive him, Hank Williams, he knows not what he does.” Levi laughed when Wade leaned forward and knocked the hat he had placed back on his head forward.

  When the car came to stop merely feet away from the house, his heart seized. No way. The door opened, and a brown boot laced with pink cutouts met the ground. His gaze passed her knees to pink lace trim over a jeans skirt. The door shut, revealing a tank top, V’d in the center with the words Cowgirl Up on the front.

  His heart lurched toward her, but his boots stayed firm to the ground. What was she doing here? Was she here for him? God, marriage did her justice… he felt his sack tighten.

  “Good Lord.” Levi stood and leaned against the rail.

  “Glad to see somethin’ can get you off your ass.” Wade glared at him.

  “If that don’t get your blood pumpin’, I need to call the funeral home because you are dead.” He leaned further over the rail, ignoring Wade’s grunt. “You need help, darlin’?”

  “No. It’s still just the one bag.”

  Still just the one bag? She said it as if Levi should know she only had one bag.

  “If there is a God, she’ll lean over to get that one bag,” Levi said, keeping his voice low. His head tilted to the side.

  “Knock it off.” Wade leaned forward and tapped him in the back of the skull. It was the only movement he could make. His boots were stuck to the floor as her hair swung around her shoulders loose and free, and she started walking toward him. Her eyes met his and then her gaze dropped to the ground.

  His throat dried.

  “You have any trouble findin’ it?” Levi asked as he walked down the steps toward her.

  “No. Thanks for the GPS, angel.”

  Have trouble finding it? Angel? What the hell? When Levi picked her up and spun her, everything inside him crumbled. They were closer in age. What was she doing here?

  “You’re upstairs, second door on the left.”

  That was across from his room, Wade thought. Why was she staying across from him? Why was she in his house? She walked up the steps, and in seconds the heat from her body surrounded him.

  “Hi.”

  He looked down but evaded meeting her gaze. Thank God, she didn’t say his name. “Why are you here?” It’s not what he wanted to say. He wanted to say so much more, but the most important thing came out first. He’d broken the Ford trying to get her out of his head, and now, here she stood. His lips instantly yearned to possess hers. His cock tightened from staring at the hem of the skirt, and her skin that had tanned since the last time he’d seen her. Did her husband know she was here?

  She tensed. “I’m going to get settled in.”

  He saw her spine straighten, and she clung to the bag over her shoulder.

  “All right, darlin’. See ya at supper time,” Levi said, winking at her as she passed.

  Wade wasn’t moving, couldn’t have moved if he wanted to. She was here. She slid past him and scurried up the stairs, leaving an intoxicating scent behind her. As much as he tried, he couldn’t deny his body the pleasure of watching her walk up the stairs in that skirt. He had been the only one that knew what wa
s under those long, ankle length dresses she wore. Well, now her husband was probably familiar with her body. His jaw tightened at the thought. His fists clenched at his sides. This was not good. He turned, facing Levi. “What. The fuck. Is she doing here?”

  “Why don’t you ask her? I just brought the bounty in.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. Seems you have some unfinished business, brother. Go work it out.”

  “She’s not stayin’ here.”

  “Fine. Go tell her.”

  “I will.” Wade turned and headed up the stairs. He’d grab her bag and lead her right back down to the beat-up car she flew up his driveway in—her and that damn skirt she had on.

  Chapter 23

  Debt to Pay

  Carly looked around the room as she slid the bag from her shoulder. Levi had taken care of everything. The bed was made, the room was clean, and he’d made sure it was ready for her arrival. She’d parked in front of his gate for an hour before she’d had the strength to drive toward the house. It wasn’t easy. She’d put the car in drive, and back in park so many times she was surprised she hadn’t broken the transmission. Not until she pushed play on the CD player did she have the guts to move forward. Fueled by the music, she drove fast before she changed her mind. When she saw him straighten from the doorframe, her heart beat louder than the base in the speakers. Her hopes died when he didn’t even look at her. She was a fool. What did she expect? Okay, so she had a girly dream of him running out to her with open arms as in some romance movie. Clearly, that wasn’t going to happen, and she should walk, no, run away right now. The music from her car hit her ears, and she went to the window. Pulling back the sheer curtain, she looked down. Levi leaned against her car looking up toward her, and the music was blaring. Not just any music… her song. He had a grin plastered across his face and a devilish gleam in his eyes. What was he up to?

  The bedroom door flew open. Carly whirled around, catching her boot on the throw rug. She stumbled forward and landed against Wade’s hard chest. Her fingers flexed against the familiar build. Wade stepped back so quickly she had to grab the bed to steady herself. He met her gaze briefly. He looked good, and as usual he filled his worn jeans better than a button-fly commercial. His black, cotton shirt tightened around his biceps as he crossed arms, resting them over his chest. He was pissed off, she could tell by the darkness and intensity in his green eyes.

  “I asked you a question. Why are you here?”

  “I have a debt to pay.” Her words were somewhat true, but he wouldn’t get the real reason because he was acting like a cold-hearted ass.

  “Whatever it is, we’ll write it off. You need to leave.” He reached for her bag. Carly snatched it out of his grasp and tossed it behind her. It bounced off the edge of the bed and landed on the wooden floor by the wall.

  “I’m not leavin’ until I pay you back—”

  “Pay me back?” Realization dawned on his face and his expression hardened into stone. “Keep the money and go.” He pointed a finger toward the door.

  “No.”

  “You can’t stay here. Leave. Now.”

  “I have an obligation to fill, and until I do that—”

  “I know all about your obligations.” His eyes blazed. “I wasn’t one of them then, and I’m not one of them now.” He grasped her arm and pulled her toward the door.

  When Levi had told her Wade would fight her, she hadn’t thought he meant literally. He really didn’t want her. Her stomach knotted. The heat in her face threatened to set her hair on fire. She yanked her arm back. “Will you stop and just listen to me?”

  “No.”

  “Wade, I’m not leavin’ until I’ve paid you back every cent.” She stared at him. He backed out of the room and stood by the door. He seemed to struggle with something. “Wade?”

  His hand came up to silence her as his other hand frantically rubbed his pocket.

  “Why won’t you look at me?”

  “It’s better if I don’t.”

  She sucked in a breath. He used her words against her, but he couldn’t possible know what they’d meant to her when she uttered them. She stared at his back as he turned, opened the door across the hall, and slammed it so hard her heart jumped into her throat. The heat from where he’d stood and the burn from his touch invaded her senses. She felt her heart cracking. This was a bad idea. Maybe she should leave.

  No. She wouldn’t give into his bullying. She’d faced him before when he was in this mood, and she’d do it again. Besides, she didn’t have anywhere to go. Levi had booked the hotel she’d stayed at for two weeks so she could get some things settled before seeing Wade. She’d already put a payment on classes at the collage here, in his state. Isn’t that why he’d highlighted the damn thing? And now he was acting like this? He didn’t want her, and he had made it obvious.

  Wade slammed the door behind him and paced back and forth across his room. He had been three seconds away from losing it in there, and then she said his name. It had stopped him in his tracks. Her tone was almost a plea, just like that night. Even though he hated how she had this affect on him, he was thankful for it right now. He felt overwhelmed by emotion, and it started boiling up in him like someone lit a fuse in his toes. It was a feeling he’d never felt before. He’d never hurt her. Never. Dammit.

  He had one of the biggest rodeo deals coming up. They had paid top dollar for livestock. Plus, Mrs. White from the jewelry store ordered another horse from him. He looked down at his fingers moving over his pocket in rapid strokes. His digits burned from the friction. He hadn’t noticed he was rubbing the ring in his pocket so vigorously. The hard bump from the diamond under his finger had his mind on her nipples. Avoiding her eyes had its drawbacks. Did she know her nipples were hard? One under the ‘O’ and the other under the ‘U’ of the lettering on her shirt… sticking right out to taunt him. What the hell kind of material was the shirt made of anyway? You could see right through it. And when the hell did it get so hot? He shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. A splash of cold water on his face would help.

  He wrapped his hand around the doorknob, tighter than what was needed, and yanked it open. The sound in the other room paled any emotion he was going through. He was pissed, and he didn’t want her here. But he didn’t want to make her cry, he just wanted her to go away. Go back to her small town and her shitty husband. He clenched his teeth so tight he waited for the enamel to crack. He was fine as long as he didn’t think about it, but the mere mention of her husband had images dancing in his head again, and it put his anger right back where it’d begun the minute she drove up his drive. He slammed the door and headed downstairs. The distance he needed from her drove his steps. He’d stay away from her while she was working off her debt or whatever. He knew two things: one, when Carly had her mind set on following through with an obligation she was as stubborn as he was, and two, the closer he was to her, the further he fell. He couldn’t take that chance because he was already in way too deep.

  He threw open the front door and jogged down the steps toward Levi. Reaching into Carly’s car, he turned the ignition off, killing the music instantly. Pulling his head out of the car, he glared at Levi. “Whatever game you’re playin’, I don’t like it. Get rid of her.”

  “Get rid of her?”

  “You heard me. Send her back to her husband.”

  “Her husband? Did you even talk to her?”

  “Yep.” He turned and headed toward the stable. “And get those new horses in the pen to train.”

  “You didn’t talk to her. You probably didn’t ask her anything.”

  “Asked why she was here. She’s here to pay me back for a gift.” He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “A gift… she doesn’t even want my gift.” He ignored Levi when he called him a stubborn ass and kept walking toward the stable.

  A part of him admired her for not wanting his money, adored her for it. Most of the women he’d dated wanted just that, but not Carly. Under
different circumstances, he would have told her how special that made her.

  He saddled his horse so fast a Nascar pit crew would be proud. He needed more distance between them and time to get his head back on straight. When he got back from his ride, Levi would have her gone and everything would be back to business.

  Chapter 24

  Why me

  Carly watched Wade ride off, from the kitchen window. She let out a deep breath and continued pouring herself a glass of tea. The kitchen was beautiful, with wood cabinets, moss green marble counters, and a tiled backsplash to match. Stainless steel appliances really gave the kitchen its flare, and to her surprise, it was clean.

  “That went well.” Levi rubbed his hand over her arm. They’d become buddies in the month they’d known each other, and he was like a big brother to her. She’d never be able to repay him for saving her from Chet.

  “I think I should go.”

  “Don’t give up.”

  “Levi…”

  “Why didn’t you tell him about Chet?”

  “Because he’s so… angry.”

  “Are you gonna tell him?”

  “Not until he asks.”

  “Jesus fuck… two of the most stubborn ass people in the world, and I have to be stuck with them.” He shook his head. “Y’all need to learn how to communicate.”

  Carly opened the cabinet to the right of the sink and pulled out another glass. “Levi, you didn’t see him. He’s really mad, and I think he hates me.”

  “Sit down.” He pulled the chair back and tilted his head toward it.

  Carly placed both glasses on the table and sat.

  “Carly, my brother’s a private man. Well, we both are, and I don’t say much about him because it’s not my place to fill you in on the past.”

  “Then maybe you should just stop right there.” She held her palm out toward him.

  “No… listen. I think he has abandonment issues or somethin’. He’d punch me if he knew I was tellin’ you this.” Levi raked his fingers through his hair and instantly reminded her of Wade. “When my mom left, Wade stepped up to be the man of the house. He didn’t deserve that, and he took the brunt of our father’s rage when he was drinkin’.” He paused and took a sip of tea. He held the liquid in his mouth and then swallowed it in a gulp. “He saved me, sheltered me from most of it. Anyway… then there was Heather. Hell, he didn’t really love her. She’d threatened to leave him, and instead of letting her walk, he was gonna put a ring on her finger because he didn’t want to be abandoned, again.”