“So you and the country superstar are drinking buddies?” Fletch asked tightly.
“Not often, thank God,” Tanna retorted.
“Not often enough for me,” Devin volleyed back with a sexy growl.
“Do you remember the first night we drank together? After Celia and Kyle tied the knot?” Tanna laughed at Devin’s perplexed look. “See? You don’t remember.”
He shrugged. “I’ll admit some of that night is a little hazy. So lay it on me, baby. What sort of bad/nasty/wrong things did we do together?”
Fletch stiffened and Tanna felt his eyes boring into her.
“Don’t worry. You weren’t interested in doin’ none of that bawdy sex stuff with me.” She mock-whispered to Tobin, “I could’ve been buck-assed nekkid dancing on the bar top and he wouldn’t have reacted.”
Tobin made a whimpering groan.
“See?” Devin said. “In my defense I must’ve been drunk because sober I’da been all over that. All over you, sweet Tex-ass.”
She rolled her eyes. “Let’s see . . . we were dancing. Then we were up at the bar having another celebratory shot in honor of the happy couple, when these two barely legal chickies horned in. They were all I can’t believe you’re Devin McClain! I love you. Can you sign my big, fake tits?”
Laughter broke out and Hugh choked on his beer.
“The next thing I knew, bimbo one and bimbo two were ordering blow job shots and Devin said he’d rather have the real thing. Then he blew me off so his groupies could blow him on his tour bus.”
“I’m sure I had a blast. But as Tanna so tactfully pointed out”—Celia and a couple others snickered—“my excessive alcohol consumption had blocked those memory banks from that night.”
“You don’t remember bein’ with two chicks at one time?” Tobin said, horror on his face.
“Nope.”
“Dude. I don’t know whether to be jealous you’ve been in that situation so many times it’s normal for you, or . . . pissed off that you can’t give us a play-by-play.”
“And with that, boy wonder, it’s time to hit the road.” Hugh stood and asked Celia, “Where’s Kyle?”
“In the kitchen talking to his mom.”
“We’ll catch him on the way out.” Hugh nodded to the guys at the table. “Nice seein’ you all.”
“I’ll come with you,” Celia said, and they trooped into the house, leaving Tanna, Fletch and Devin at the table.
Fletch swallowed a drink of beer but kept his mesmerizing eyes on her. “So, what do you say? Wanna do a little dancing?”
“You do realize if I say yes, it won’t be mattress dancing, right?”
Fletch laughed, reminding Tanna that he had a great laugh. “A man can hope.”
She ran her hand over her hair. She needed a shower, but she wouldn’t have to fend off the advances she knew were coming from Fletch, if she smelled like a barnyard. “Fine. One drink. One dance.”
“Good. Let’s go,” Devin said.
A funny looked crossed Fletch’s face but he nodded. “You’re riding with me.”
A little high-handed of Fletch to expect that Devin wouldn’t want to ride with her. But to be honest, she needed a few minutes alone to clear her head. “I gotta go rub it in el preggo’s face that she’s missing out on all the fun and say good-bye. I’ll follow you.”
Chapter Six
They’d barely made it out of the driveway when Devin jumped him. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Fletch? You’re a grumpy dick today.”
“Then I’m surprised that you fucking bulled your way into hanging out with me and Tanna tonight.”
“Jesus. So your asshole attitude is outta jealousy?”
“No.” Fletch’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Maybe. Fuck. Probably.”
Devin turned toward him. “Tell me what’s going on with you two.”
“Nothin’.”
“Bullshit.”
“This goes no further than us. Thursday night we hooked up in a bar in Rawlins. Had a few drinks, some laughs, followed by awesome sex. Like off-the-charts-awesome sex. When I saw her today—”
“You didn’t call her the day after? Man, Fletch, I warned you to knock that shit off.”
“Says the manwhore who lives by the no names rule,” Fletch said dryly.
Devin flipped him off.
“So it was supposed to be one night. I was kicking myself for not getting her name or number because we connected . . . I saw her today and I just wanted to beat the hell out of any guy talking to her, because I wanted to talk to her. That’s never fucking happened to me before.” He exhaled a frustrated puff of air. “Then I find out you know her pretty damn good.”
“We’ve crossed paths a bunch of times. I like her. She’s fun. She’s wild. She ain’t afraid to let her hair down. I’ve been trying to sweet-talk her into my bed for two and a half years.”
Fletch shocked both of them and released a little growl.
Devin laughed. “Somehow that woman has resisted my charms. But I do feel the need to warn you.”
“About what?”
“Her. One Tanna Barker, three-time national barrel racing champion, is very much into threesomes. She’s also very much the no names one-night roll in the hay kinda chick.”
“I don’t give a damn about how many guys she’s slept with before now. But the fact remains she’ll be living in Muddy Gap for the summer and I want all her one-night stands to be with me from here on out.”
Devin whistled. “You’re serious.”
“Completely.”
“Fletch. Come on. You live in Rawlins, forty miles from the Split Rock. You are a workaholic. You’ve been in a relationship . . . never as I recall. With the exception of Miss King Kong tits.”
Fletch snorted. “King Kong tits? Her name was Karen. And we dated for four months, so that qualifies as a relationship.”
“What was that? Seven years ago?”
“I’ve been busy building my practice.”
“Which leads me back to the workaholic point. Don’t try and pressure Tanna into giving you something that you can’t offer in return. The surest way to kill any chance with her is to act like a possessive douche bag the first fucking night she’s in town.”
Fletch hated that Devin was making sense.
“See how tonight goes. If she’s into you, wanting you to go home with her, I’ll take your truck and leave. But if she doesn’t want you, then you will not goddamn badger her, okay?”
“All right. Fuck. I’m not a rapist stalker. I do comprehend the word no, asshole.”
They parked in the back lot at the Buckeye.
Tanna seemed nervous as they walked up to the front entrance. When Fletch placed his hand in the middle of her back, she seemed to relax.
But once they were inside the bar she shook him off.
“You guys grab a spot up front,” Devin said. “I’ll get the first round.”
After they sat, Tanna was too busy gawking at the unique space for conversation. When he caught her trying to discreetly straighten her clothes and fluff up her hair, he placed his hand on her arm, staying the motion. “You don’t need to fuss, Tanna. You are beautiful. Even after rolling around in the corrals all day, wrassling calves.”
She leaned closer and warned, “Don’t use that fake bullshit flattery on me.”
“Not bullshit, sugar twang, that’s what I see. Don’t lump me in with losers who spew that stuff hoping it’ll get them laid.”
“Oh, so you’re not here hoping you can sweet-talk me into goin’ another round with you?”
Fletch stared at her mouth. Remembering the hotness factor of seeing her lips wrapped around his cock. And how her eyes would lock on his and then flutter closed damn near in ecstasy.
“That is so not fair,” she hissed.
>
“What?”
“Looking at me with those sexy bedroom eyes, stripping me naked like you’re deciding which part of me you want to devour first.”
He grinned. “Good to know one of your talents is mind reading.”
Tanna looked annoyed for two seconds before she smiled. “Okay, I will just shut the hell up now. Although, I do wanna ask you one thing before Devin gets here. Why did you rent a motel room Thursday night? When you live in Rawlins?”
“Would you have gone home with me if I’d asked you to?”
“No. That’s also why I didn’t offer up the room I’d rented before I hit the bar.”
“No wonder you snuck off so quickly. You had an escape hatch.” He didn’t want to ask the question but he did anyway. “The thought of facing me, learning my name and me learning yours was so terrifying that you scurried off?”
Devin interrupted her response by setting three bottles on the table. “Here we go. A round of Coronas.” He held his bottle up and waited for them to do the same. “Cheers.”
Tanna spoke to Devin. “So, when you come in here, do people recognize you? Since you’re a hometown boy?”
“Yeah.”
“They don’t bother you for autographs?”
“Depends. I’m pretty sure the twelve people who live here who wanted my autograph already have it.”
She laughed.
“Did you think they’d throw confetti or mob me when I walked in?”
“I didn’t know what to expect; that’s why I asked.” Tanna sipped her beer. “I’ve been with you when you’ve been spotted by fans. Remember Apalachicola?”
“Apalacha-what?” Fletch said.
“Apalachicola. It’s a town in Florida. Superstar here played a county fair and I was entered in the rodeo, so we met up after his concert. His fans followed him and chased us all over. Finally we lost them and ended up sitting on the beach until sunrise.”
Devin reached out and squeezed her hand.
An unspoken communication passed between them and Fletch found himself grinding his teeth.
Then Devin said, “When we go out around here, it’s usually Fletch who’s mobbed. People wanting an on-the-fly diagnosis for Lassie. For free.”
“Does that happen often?” Tanna asked.
Before he could answer, All the damn time, Bill Leckland swung by to ask about a heifer not producing enough milk. Soon as Bill left, Charlotte St. Croix asked if he knew anyone selling blue heeler puppies.
“See? What’d I tell you? Around here, Doc is the superstar.”
Fletch bit back a comment that he didn’t need Devin to build him up. “Tell me what you’ll be doin’ up at the Split Rock.”
“Working in the clothing store and bartending.” Tanna swigged her beer. “Temporary gig through the summer.”
“Start of county fair season means I’m on the road through the first part of October,” Devin said. “Gonna be brutal.”
“Don’t lie. You look forward to it.”
Devin smiled widely. “I love it. There’s nothin’ like the rush of bein’ onstage. Except for sex.”
Fletch glanced at Tanna the same time she looked at him. He didn’t bother to bank the heat in his eyes.
Silence descended between them. Normally Devin would fill the air with chatter, but he too seemed preoccupied.
After two more interruptions, which required Fletch’s attention, Devin sighed. “Tanna, put this man out of his misery and dance with him. At least out there no one will cut in and demand an on-the-fly diagnosis.”
Thank you, Dev.
Tanna seemed torn. But someone must’ve been about to approach him from behind because she grabbed his hand and abruptly tugged him to his feet. “Show me how well you dance vertically, Doc.”
On the dance floor Tanna attempted to keep a proper distance, but Fletch didn’t allow it. He clasped her right hand in his left and wrapped his right arm across her lower back, pressing them chest to chest.
“Close enough for you?” she asked with a tinge of sarcasm.
“It’ll do.” He paused. “For now.”
“Fletch—”
“Damn, I love the way my name sounds flowing from your tongue.” He shuffled backward and spun them away from the bar.
She tipped her head back and looked at him. “One beer. One dance.”
“One kiss?” he asked hopefully.
“No. As awesome as the other night was, it can’t happen again.”
“Why not? Because, sugar twang, it was awesome. I imagine we could get it to spectacular if we practiced a lot more.”
Tanna laughed and beat her forehead into his chest with mock frustration.
He nuzzled the top of her head. “What’s really goin’ on?”
“I’ve got a few things to work through this summer. I promised myself I wouldn’t get distracted.” Those dark brown eyes connected with his again. “And you, Dr. Fletcher, would be a huge distraction.”
That didn’t sound complimentary. But it hadn’t sounded insulting either. He could work with that.
“I’ve barely been here twenty-four hours. I haven’t even started my job yet. I need to get my bearings. Seeing you at the ranch . . . threw me off.”
After that admission, Fletch pressed his point. “Because you felt it that night too.”
She smirked. “I can feel it now. But I can’t offer you anything but friendship.”
Fletch waggled his brows. “Friends with bennies?”
“You never give up.”
Not when it comes to you. He kissed her forehead. “I’ll give it a rest.”
A slow song came on next and she didn’t pull away. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. When the song finished he stepped back. “Thanks for the dance, friend.”
“See? You didn’t choke on the word.”
Back at the table, Devin appeared to be fighting off the advances of a woman and her daughter.
Devin stood. “There you guys are. For a second I worried you’d run off with my girl.”
Before he said anything, Tanna plastered herself against Devin’s side. “No way. You are my only love muffin forever and ever amen.” She kissed the corner of his mouth and the hand she’d placed on his chest moved down the center of his body toward the waistband of his jeans.
Devin laughed a little too heartily. “Can you at least wait until we get outside, bunny boo?”
Bunny boo? Fletch didn’t know whether to groan or gag.
Tanna pouted. “As long as we can go right now.”
“Your wish”—Devin kissed her temple—“is my command. Excuse us, ladies.”
Fletch followed an entwined Tanna and Devin out of the bar, reminding himself it was a con, shoving down the temptation to knock the smooth-talking superstar on his ass for having his hand on Tanna’s ass.
They ducked between the pickups.
Tanna let loose a loud whoop and Devin clapped his hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.
“That was not fucking funny at all, Tex-ass.”
“What the hell happened? We were gone from the table ten minutes.”
Devin released Tanna and slumped against the pickup. “The mother and daughter duo pounced on me because they are my biggest fans. They offered . . .” He shuddered. “I don’t wanna think it, let alone share it with you. So come on, Fletch. I know there’s good scotch at your place that’ll completely scrub this incident from my brain.”
Fletch and Tanna exchanged an amused look. In light of their shared camaraderie, he said, “You wanna come over for a nightcap?”
“Nah. First day of work tomorrow. But I’ll take a rain check.” Once she realized what she’d said, she backtracked. “You know. One of these days this summer.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
All Devi
n had to do was open his arms and Tanna was right there, hugging him.
Fletch should’ve given them privacy, but he couldn’t make himself step back.
“Take care, hillbilly rock star. If you can’t keep it in your pants at least wear a love glove, okay?”
“Will do. Loop me in on your wild summer exploits.”
“Wild. Right. I’ll be as mild-mannered as an old school marm.”
He snorted. “That’ll be the day.”
“You know how to get back to the Split Rock?”
“I’ve got GPS.”
“Good.”
Fletch couldn’t think of anything else to keep Tanna from going.
She said, “Drive safe,” and climbed in her truck.
He realized he’d been standing there like an idiot, watching her drive away, when Devin cleared his throat. “We leaving or what?”
“Yeah. Get in the truck.”
“Fletch, if you wanna talk about it—”
“I don’t. But that scotch is sounding better and better.”
An hour later, Tanna sat in her living room, startled when three loud raps sounded on the door. Then the door opened and a female voice said, “Knock, knock.”
Tanna peered around the edge of the room divider. “Who is it?”
“Harlow Pratt. We’re coworkers. Can I come in?”
Aren’t you already? “Sure.”
The woman bounded forward like a puppy. “Hey! Tanna, right?”
“Right.”
“It’s great to meet you.” Tanna scrutinized her. Harlow looked nothing like her sister Tierney. Maybe it was the shocking pink hair, cut in funky, chunky layers. Maybe it was the nose piercing. Or the eyebrow piercing. Or the dozen piercings lining each ear. She wore a gray sharkskin-looking dress, ripped black fishnet stockings and vivid orange hiking boots with neon blue laces.
Her first thought? No way could this woman sell Western clothing in a punk hooker Tron meets Mad Max getup.
Harlow plopped on the couch and pulled a bottle out of her gigantic Hello Kitty purse. A bottle filled with a green liquid, the color somewhere between NyQuil and Midori melon liqueur. “I thought we could have a shot to celebrate and kick off our summer right.”
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