“Fine by me.” He pulls his attention away from me and focuses on his meal. I focus on mine and when we are done, he orders desert. A mud pie. He offers me a spoon to share, and who says no to mud pie? I take the spoon and share the delicious dessert with him. We don’t speak a word the whole time. He pays the bill and we drive back home. His story replays in my mind, and I don’t know what to think. Is he just some rich kid that has mommy and daddy issues? Does it matter if he’s rich and I’m poor? Is there really a difference at the end of the day? Everybody’s shit fucking stinks, and I feel bad for Al. He was sideswiped. I can’t imagine how he must have felt to learn his father wasn’t his father. The worst part is that his brother backstabbed him, and his father followed suit. I can’t imagine a sibling behaving that way. Mack had stepped up to the plate for me. She would do anything for me, and I wasn’t the easiest kid to be around. I definitely understand what having a shitty father entails. I’ve acknowledged my daddy issues a long time ago. I’m sad for Al, but I don’t tell him that. He would hate it if I pitied him.
As we pull into the drive at the ranch, I turn my head and ask, “Hey, Al, does Colton know that story?”
He looks me in the eye and shakes his head. “No one knows that story. That is a Walsh secret that the Walshes will take to the grave.”
“Why did you tell me?” I ask because I sensed it was a dark secret. I could see him shaking as he told his story and that it gutted him to his core.
“I don’t know,” he answers and at least it’s an honest answer.
“Okay.” I nod and get out of the car and head into the house. I don’t turn around to see if he’s even following me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Al
This woman is pissing the hell out of me. I tell her my deepest darkest secret. I don’t know why I told her other than the fact that she called me a bastard and that set me off. I can’t even explain the rise she gets out of me. She’s infuriating. After I basically pour my soul out to her, she doesn’t even say a word. I want to scream at the top of my lungs, but I will probably just wake up a bunch of cows. I slam the truck door shut and follow her into the house. She’s already headed back to her room. I trudge after her and when I get in the room, I kick off my boots and lie back on the bed beside her.
“You want me to leave?” I ask, but I don’t look at her. I can’t. My emotions are running high, and I don’t trust what will come out of my mouth next.
“I don’t know,” she answers the air in front of her. For some reason her response pisses me off more. I want her to know that she doesn’t want me to leave.
“You don’t know?” I ask. I stand from the bed. “Fuck this.” I walk over to my suitcase. I have a bunch of stuff all over the room, and I think she took some of my boxers to launder them for me.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She flies up from the bed. “Fuck you, Al,” she spits and then whips herself around like she is going to stalk out of the room. I grab her arm strong enough to pull her back to me but not hard enough to hurt her.
“Let go of me.” She struggles.
“No.”
“Dammit, Al.” She wiggles in my arms, but I sense the fight leaving her body. I wrap my arms around her, her back pressed to my front.
“Tell me you at least like me. Admit it, Sam,” I urge, holding her in my vise grip.
“No fucking way, you asshole.” She struggles some more, and I spin her around so that she’s facing me. Our chests heave from the exertion.
If looks could kill, then the one that she’s cutting me should murder me. Only as we stare each other down, my gaze briefly drops to her kissable lips and her gaze drops to my lips before coming back up to my eyes.
“Fuck you,” she hisses.
“Fuck you,” I hiss back. Before I know what’s happening, she’s kissing me and I’m kissing her. My grip on her loosens, and our hands turn into a wild frenzy raking over our bodies, grabbing and rubbing. We kiss hard and she begins to move me backward, I think, so we can make it to the bed. Only I trip on something and lose my balance, falling with a hard thump.
“Fuck, that hurt.”
“Shit, sorry,” she says, but she isn’t sorry because she climbs on top of me, and we kiss some more. It’s feverish, hungry, and angry. I’ve never angry-fucked before because I’ve never had a woman cause such a rise out of me. I sense it isn’t overrated. She pulls my shirt roughly over my head as I claw her shirt off her. She’s unbuckling my jeans at a feverish pace as I work her button and zipper. I’m shrugging off my jeans, and she stands to pull hers off along with her panties. Before I can even get my jeans off, she’s back on me, kissing the hell out of me and then she sinks onto my throbbing cock.
“Fuck.” I jeer. “You feel so fucking good.” She doesn’t say anything. She just sits up and begins to move. Fast and angry. I grab her breasts and knead them with the same fervor that she’s fucking me. Rough and …
“Fuck, Al, don’t stop,” she groans, rubbing herself on me. She rises up and down, up and down. I shift my hips to slam into her every time. We are panting, moaning … her orgasm building, and I know I can’t hold out for much longer. Not with the turbulent rhythm she has set, and before I have time to gain some control, she’s coming. Her moans are loud, untamed, and hot. I come so hard heat shoots up my spine and white light sparks behind my eyes. When her climax ceases, she falls on top of my chest. We both work to catch our breaths. After a few minutes of lying on the floor, she climbs off me and says she’s going to take a shower. When I offer to join her, she tells me not to. I get off the floor and get into her bed. When she leaves the shower, I go to take a shower. All the while I can’t stop thinking I just don’t understand her.
The first few days I was here, she was sweet, thoughtful, and caring. Then the chemistry between us ignited and now she’s angry, volatile, and sad. I need to know why. I can tell Sam isn’t going to make it easy on me. Problem is, I won’t make it easy on her either.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sam
An annoying buzzing sound pulls me from my delectable dream. My dang alarm clock. I reach out into the darkness, my mind moving further away from dreamland where Al was just going to town on my pussy. Reason breaks through the fog, telling me I have responsibilities I need to tend to. I blink the sleep away from my eyes, my thoughts clearing as I become more alert, and pull myself from dreamland to reality. Turning over in bed, I check my surroundings. Yup! He’s still here in bed with me, even though I haven’t spoken to him in three days. Three days since we had angry sex, which was probably the best sex of my life. The chemistry between us seems to set off some chemical reaction in my body, which makes me believe I want more with him. It’s a deceiving reaction because Al isn’t capable of more, and I’m not capable of a relationship. The feelings brewing inside me are a short circuit. Something’s wrong with my brain. Signals are firing and sending off the wrong message. There is lust between us, nothing more. He has another week and few days to wait for car parts, so he’s here sleeping in my bed, but its only sleep.
I throw the blankets off me and rub my eyes some more, wishing clarity to finally strike. I’ll never get used to waking up at the ass crack of dawn to take care of cattle. Sensing my movement, he rises from the bed, throwing blankets and pillows off him. He’s been sleeping shirtless so when he stands and raises his arms over his head, stretching his torso and showing me his strong abs, broad chest, and defined arms, I pretend I’m not looking. Truth is I steal a side glance before heading over to my closet to grab some clean clothes. The clench in my belly betrays me since I’m willing my body not to be attracted to Al. As if it’s a possibility. I should never have slept with him from the start. Not when I know he causes a rise out of me that I’ve never felt before. I don’t trust it. If my mama were here, she’d probably tell me to run in the other direction because Al has an invisible sign of heartbreaker written across his chest. He’s playful, honest, sincere, and freaking amazing in be
d. A dangerous formula. It’s a formula that’s combustible, and I learned long ago my heart is fragile.
He walks over to his suitcase and pulls out the Levi jeans that he bought in town yesterday when he accompanied me once again to the supermarket. He also pulls out the flannel shirt he bought. I don’t know why he’s trying to dress like a rancher, but it’s funny and cute. I don’t share my thoughts with him, though. I don’t say much to him. Instead, I grab my clothes and get dressed in the bathroom after I brush my teeth and wash my face. I may have been more open when he first arrived, but that was before I knew he was a thief … well, in the sense that he stole my heart.
With my teeth brushed, I head to the kitchen for a much needed cup of coffee. Papa isn’t back from his hunting trip. I figure he’ll be back tomorrow just in time for Mack, Autumn, and Ethan’s arrival. The coffee maker drips slowly, and I reach into the fridge and grab a low fat yogurt since I’m not too hungry this early in the morning. When I pull my head out of the fridge, Al is standing behind me, a smug grin on his face. He was clearly checking my ass out. I don’t call him on it. I don’t say anything except for, “Coffee?” I hold up the coffee pot.
He walks around the counter and grabs a mug. I don’t like that he feels so comfortable around my kitchen anymore. Before he was a sick stranger I was helping. Now he is more.
“Thank you.” He holds his mug out to me with that same mischievous smile, and I pour his coffee. He lifts the cup up to his lips and begins to drink it black.
I eat my yogurt without making eye contact. His gaze bores into me as he slowly sips his coffee. When I’m done, I pitch it into the garbage can. I grab my heavy jacket off the kitchen chair and head outside. He follows me quietly until we enter the barn.
“Got the vet coming in today to see if Papa’s inseminations were successful,” I explain. “We just need to feed them, load up the water, and clean the shit,” I explain very matter-of-factly.
“Sure.” He nods, but it irks me the way he watches me like I’m some puzzle he can’t figure out.
We both get to work, only I leave for the bull barn because working beside Al makes me hot and bothered. The fact that I’m having fantasies of him throwing me into the bales of hay and having his way with me disturbs me. Maybe because I like having him here and I’m getting used to him.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket. I figure its Leslie or Kell checking in, but when I pull it from my pocket I see it’s a message from Blake.
Blake: We need to meet.
It’s not a request. I hate how demanding Blake can be.
Me: I’m busy.
Blake: Stop being stubborn. If you don’t come to me, I’m coming to you.
Dammit. I do not need Blake coming here. That would be bad news.
Me: Fine. I’m working now. I’ll give you a call later.
Blake: Fine.
A few hours pass and I hear a car pull up outside. It doesn’t sound like Papa’s old truck, so I head out front to see who’s here. I see a rental car with my three favorite people on earth.
I run up to the car. Mack, Autumn, and Ethan are all smiling at me. Mack is driving. She gets out of the sedan first. “Well, look at you, Little Sis.” She smiles, coming over to me.
“You don’t want to hug me. I was just shoveling shit.” I smile. Mack smiles too. She squeezes my shoulder.
“Good to see you, baby girl.” Through her smile, I notice her jaw clench. She tries to hide her disappointment that I’m still here in Holston and still shoveling shit. To me she’s transparent. Autumn, her partner, comes out of the car next along with Ethan, their seven-year old son.
“Auntie Sam.” Ethan runs to me and wraps his arms around me before I have a chance to warn him.
“Ethan.” I smile and wrap my arms around him, hugging him back. Autumn leans in and gives me a peck on the cheek.
“Good to see you, Sam.” She smiles to me then down at Ethan, who has attached himself to my midriff.
“You too, Autumn.” I look down at Ethan. “You know your aunt has been working the barn all morning and now you’re going to smell like me?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t care.” He looks up to me. “Will you take me to the barn to see the cows?”
“Sure, I got to stay out here anyway. Gus the vet is coming by to see how successful Papa was in getting the cows pregnant,” I explain to Ethan. He loves coming out to the country to visit. He basically only knows New York City life since that is where Mack and Autumn live. When he comes out here, he likes to help out with the cattle, which makes Papa happy. Papa has high hopes of him becoming a rancher. I hope he doesn’t. I’m banking on Mack won’t allow it.
“I didn’t know Grandpa knew how to get cows pregnant.” He gives me a perplexed look, and I ruffle the hair on top of his head.
“Gross, Sam. You’re going to get him all dirty,” Mack chides. She never did like working the ranch. Never wanted to get her hands dirty. Probably explains how she is a junior associate at a prominent law firm in New York and I’m still here.
“Meh, a little dirt never hurt anyone.”
“Yeah, Mom,” Ethan chimes in. “A little dirt is good.” He winks at his mom, and Autumn tilts her chin to Mack to follow her to the house.
I spend the afternoon in the barn with Ethan. I’m kind of relieved they all arrived early because it means Al and I won’t be alone anymore, and we won’t be tempted to jump each other’s bones.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Al
I hear chatter outside the barn but figure it’s better to stay in here and work. Sam says her sister’s name, so I’m assuming they arrived a day early. I’m thinking it’s a good thing because I want to see what Sam’s sister is like. I wonder if she’ll give me insight into Sam because I don’t understand her at all.
I wait until noon when I decide to walk through the front door, figuring Sam has had enough time to explain who I am. Besides, I need to make myself lunch. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning, and the physical labor gives me a big appetite. As I walk up to the front door, which actually lands me right in the kitchen, I see two women cooking side by side. I walk right through the door and clear my throat since they are busy arguing about the very large turkey in front of them.
“Oh!” One of the ladies jumps and turns around.
“Hi. I’m Al.” I wave and pull my gloves off. I reach forward to shake her hand. She gives me the once-over before taking a step forward.
“Autumn. Nice to meet you, Al.” Her brows furrow together. She is clearly too polite to ask me who I am.
The other lady steps up, and before she says anything, she gives the other woman a weird look then looks to me. “I’m Mack, Sam’s sister. This is my wife, Autumn,” she says, which I already knew because she introduced herself.
“Nice to meet you both.” I nod. I walk over to the kitchen sink to wash my hands. Both ladies have now stopped arguing and are watching me. Both their gazes bore into my back. I reach for paper towel to dry my hands and remove my hefty winter jacket. They continue to watch me as I walk over to the fridge. I take out a bag of ready-tossed salad and the roasted chicken Sam and I picked up yesterday at the supermarket then head over to the kitchen table with a plate, fork, and knife. Both ladies still stand by the counter, watching me.
“Can I offer either of you some chicken?” I ask, my lip twisting on one side. I’m not sure what else to say since they both stare at me awkwardly.
“Oh, uh … no.” Mack blows out a breath, and her brows pinch together. She looks at Autumn then back at me. “Who are you?” she blurts out. There is no embarrassment in her tone.
I pause mid-bite. “I’m Al. Did Sam not tell you I was staying here?” I answer, figuring since Sam told me they were coming for Christmas, she would tell them I was here.
Mack walks around the kitchen counter. Her pace is slow as she takes in the details of the house. “Are you responsible for the Christmas tree?”
I chortle. “Partially. Yo
ur sister came to buy it with me.”
Mack gives me a look that I don’t understand. Autumn walks up to her. “It’s great, sweets. We finally get ornaments and stocking stuffers.” Did they not have that before?
“Yeah.” She sighs. “Did my father hire you to work around here?”
“No,” I answer.
“No?” she repeats as a question.
“No, I’m a friend of Sam’s,” I say, figuring it isn’t a complete lie. Just because she won’t talk to me doesn’t mean we aren’t friends. A knock on the door pulls everyone’s attention off me. Kell walks in, and I’m grateful. She’s holding a pan covered in a towel. Bonus. I hope it’s one of her pies. She makes the best pie.
“Hey, everyone,” Kell’s friendly voice chimes.
“Hey, Kell,” Mack says, walking away from the tree and over to Kell. She embraces her in a hug. Autumn follows suit, and while the ladies are busy, I take a few good bites of chicken because I’m starved.
When they pull apart, Kell looks down to me. “Brought you more pie.” She smiles.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” My grin is wide, and I stand up to give Kell a hug. When I turn back to the table, I notice Mack still looks very confused.
“You know him?” she asks Kell. She clearly doesn’t have a filter. Mack is the type of woman that says what’s on her mind. Surprise, surprise. A family trait.
“Of course.” Kell shrugs, still smiling wide.
“How?” she asks, looking like she’s working hard to get answers.
Kell looks down at me and winks. I’m not sure what she knows about how I ended up here. I’d be embarrassed if the whole town knew about the sleeping pills.
“Al is a friend of Sam’s. He’s visiting here from Chicago,” Kell explains.
“I’m originally from Chicago,” Autumn says cheerfully. I’m relieved Kell doesn’t go into detail about me. I blow out a breath.
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