by Kendall Ryan
She nodded. “Working on it. I’m thinking we sell the lifestyle as opposed to just the whiskey.”
“And in terms a delinquent like me could understand?” Duke asked.
“Small-town, simple, laid back,” she said. “I think people would eat it up. Especially city people. You don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone from New York say they wished they could just leave it all behind.”
It occurred to me to ask if that’s what she was doing, but I tamped down the notion. Getting any more invested in her situation—her running away from New York—was the last thing I needed to do. This was a business arrangement. The possibility of getting a little more from her was a bonus. Anything that happened physically between us needed to be just that. Lines needed to be drawn in the sand, both for my sake and hers. Keep it simple, stupid.
“I love it,” Molly chimed in as she brought the food to the table. “We love this place. Everyone else should too.”
“I agree,” Charlotte said.
“You think people are really interested in a place like Shady Grove?” I asked. “I mean, I think it’s great, but it’s not like they’re clamoring to come visit.”
“They will be,” Charlotte said with confidence. “I think the first thing we need to do, besides get all of your social media accounts up to par, is set up an event. Sort of an official launch of the brand.”
Duke grinned. “I love parties.”
I kicked him under the table, keeping my focus on Charlotte. “And where exactly were you thinking?”
“Here,” she said matter-of-factly.
“I don’t know about that—”
“It’s perfect,” she said. “People need to see this place, need to see the distillery. They need to meet the family behind the whiskey.”
The mere thought of it made me itch, and I scowled at her. “I don’t want a bunch of strangers traipsing around the property. We live here, you know. It’s not a goddamn roadside attraction.”
“Luke.” Molly glared at me. “You want to sell all those barrels, right?”
“Yeah, man,” Duke said, adding to the current pileup on me. “You wanted a marketing guru. Now you need to listen to her.”
“I don’t know . . .” It didn’t sit well with me, but they were right. I had asked Charlotte to come up with ideas to help us make money. If this was her plan, I needed to hear it out. “I guess we could give it a try.”
My brother and sister grinned at each other as Charlotte leaned over and placed a kiss on my cheek. The pleased look on her face was enough to knock down my resolve a little, and the unexpected feel of her lips on my skin blasted the rest of the way through.
I was fucked with a capital F.
Chapter Eight
Charlotte
“Mornin’, this is Maggie. Can I help you?” the voice drawled through the phone.
“Hi, this is Charlotte Freemont. I’m calling about—”
“The Audi. Yup. Let me put Wayne on.”
Sitting down on the bed, I plucked a piece of lint off the fluffy down comforter while I waited.
“This is Wayne.” His normally gruff voice came out sounding apologetic. “Listen, sweetheart, I hate to tell you this, but I ran your car’s diagnostics through the computer, and you’ve got a bigger problem than I first thought.”
I listened as he explained that some converter switch was malfunctioning, and that it was going to add an extra day or two and some money to the repair work.
“Okay, got it.”
“That’s . . . that’s it?” he asked.
“Yeah. Just let me know when you’re through. I appreciate this, Wayne.”
“Of course, sweetheart. I’ll be in touch.”
I should have been annoyed, should have felt trapped and isolated, but I felt anything but. It was crazy, but part of me was excited at the idea of spending a few more days here.
I dialed Valentina next, who answered without even a hello.
“Charlotte, tell me you’re on your way. I’m freaking out.”
“Hello to you too.” I chuckled.
“Ugh, what’s happening? You’re not still stranded, are you?”
“I’m still here, yeah.”
“Whose ass do I need to kick? I’ll call the mechanic myself. Just tell me where you are.”
“No, it’s fine, Val.” It was weird, but the desire to keep this place a secret flared inside me. It was like if I could shield it from the outside world, I could stay here in peace for a few more days.
She let out a huff of frustration and cursed in Spanish.
We spent the next few minutes catching up on everything going on back home, in the real world, and it was weird. Normally, I’d eat up this kind of conversation. Gossiping with Valentina was practically an Olympic sport, one I excelled at, but today I was only half listening.
“Just a couple more days. I’ll see you soon,” I said, finally ending the call.
As soon as we hung up, my phone rang again. It was Molly.
“Hi, Charlotte. I was wondering if you’d want to have lunch with me today?”
My gaze drifted to the clock beside my bed. I had all day to kill. “Sure. What time?”
“I’ll meet you at the Garden of Eatin’ in thirty minutes.”
I picked up my purse and slipped into my nude Tori Butch flats before heading downstairs to ask Opal how to get to the restaurant. It turned out it was only three blocks away, so I’d get in a little midday sunshine and a brief walk. My time here was starting to feel more like a vacation than a death sentence.
The café was cozy chic with rustic little white-painted tables and mismatched chairs. It had character, and the menu was just as eclectic. Everything from chicken and waffles to grits (whatever those were) to spinach salad with fresh goat cheese. Maggie and I were soon seated at a table in front of the big front windows, each having found something on the menu to our liking.
“Thanks for meeting me.” Molly tasted her iced tea, then tore open a packet of sweetener and dumped it in.
“Of course. Not like I had anything better to do. Wayne thinks it’ll be another couple of days.” When her mouth puckered at that, I shook my head. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. Everyone’s been so welcoming since I’ve been here.”
“Luke has been more ‘welcoming’ than I’ve seen him with a newcomer in a long time.”
I thought Molly might give me a saucy wink or a smile with that comment, but her expression remained serious. She tasted her iced tea again and found it more to her liking before she continued.
“Listen, I think it’s great you’re interested in my brother, but I think there are a few things you should know.”
Ah. The real reason she asked me to lunch. “Okay.”
“Luke acts tough, and he is, but he’s been hurt before. He’s been through a lot; we all have. I just don’t want to see him get left behind again.”
I got the sense that she wasn’t talking about their mother’s leaving town. My mind churned with possibilities, and my curiosity was too strong to try to be polite.
Screw that. If anyone would know, Molly would, so if I had to pump her for information, I would.
“Has he been in a serious relationship before?” I asked point-blank.
Molly focused on her salad like it was the most interesting thing she’d seen all day. “He has. But that’s not my place to tell.” She then looked up and smiled at me as she turned the conversation to safer ground.
I was dying to push, but smiled back and let her have her way. Our conversation left me with more questions than answers.
Chapter Nine
Luke
If I didn’t know any better, I would say that Charlotte Freemont was really starting to like Shady Grove. The moment she came bouncing through the door of the bar with my sister, her face lit up when she saw the crowd. It was Thursday night and the Drunk Skunk was packed—packed with wandering eyes that followed Char
lotte’s every move as she walked my way.
I got it, though. She was gorgeous and had an aura of mystery surrounding her that drew the attention of every hot-blooded man in the room. I hated every one of those motherfuckers looking at her.
Eyes off my girl.
My girl? There was a thought I didn’t have every day. Last time I’d wanted a girl to be mine, I’d ended up getting my heart torn to shreds. I needed to be careful when it came to Charlotte. I barely knew her, but somehow my subconscious was staking claim. And I’d had just enough to drink to roll with it.
“Evening, duchess,” I said, sliding an arm around her waist when she was close enough. A subtle vibration jolted through her as our bodies pressed against each other. She melded against me like it was right where she belonged.
“Hello there.” She looked up at me, her big blue eyes crystal clear and sparkling with excitement. “How was your day?”
“Better now. Yours?”
“Same,” she said, biting at her bottom lip.
The crowd around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us. It had been a few days since our last kiss, and I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. The way she’d tasted. The soft moans she let out. The way her body reacted under my touch. Even when we were talking business, the thoughts of ravaging her were always there.
Tonight was the night it was going to happen, come hell or high water.
“You look good enough to eat,” I said, loving the way her hair was loosely curled and her makeup was just enough to accentuate every beautiful feature of her face. The upper curves of her fantastically perfect tits were peeking out from her V-neck shirt. Taking a bite of her was going to be fun. I wet my lips as I ran a hand over her waist.
“I thought you two hated each other,” Duke said with a grin, drawing our attention.
“Things change.” I glared at him, needing my brother’s comments like I needed a hole in the head.
“Yeah, I think I kind of like him now.” Charlotte rested her head against my chest and gave Duke a shrug.
“Give it a few days. It’ll wear off,” Duke told her, earning a slap on the shoulder from me.
“Thanks, buddy.” I turned my attention back to Charlotte. “You want to eat? Dance? Have a drink?” I ran through the list of options for the night, hoping the lust-filled look in her eyes meant she was thinking the same thing I was, which was none of the above.
“Maybe you two need to just get a room,” Molly suggested, breaking the trance that linked the two of us.
“I tried.” Charlotte chuckled. “Your brother is too much of a gentleman.”
“I don’t have to be,” I whispered in her ear with a growl.
Her body tensed, and I could practically hear the excited thump of her heart. We’d tiptoed around this sexual tension for long enough. Just because I’d ended our first night by not jumping into bed with her didn’t mean I was going to do the same thing now. My cock had been begging for days, and I was ready to do something about it.
“Want to get out of here?” I asked.
She gave me a subtle nod and a smile as I laced my fingers through hers. The feel of her petite hand in mine was a natural fit, which added fuel to the fire already building inside me.
“As much fun as this place is, we’ve got to go,” I told Duke and Molly.
“Have fun, you two,” Duke shouted over the music as I led Charlotte through the crowd toward the exit.
As soon as we were outside, I pulled her into my arms and gave her the proper greeting that she deserved. My lips found hers in an instant. My tongue greedily slipped into her mouth as I held her close. Once I knew I’d left her breathless, I resumed the hand-holding and led her to my truck.
“What’s gotten into you?” she asked with a laugh as I opened the passenger door for her.
“Decided I was done wasting time, duchess,” I replied with a smirk. “Too much? Too fast?”
“No, I like it.” She pressed her body against mine as she lifted one foot onto the running board and stood on the tiptoes of the other. “A man who knows what he wants is always sexy,” she added as she pressed her lips softly against my cheek.
The angle of her body gave me the perfect opportunity to show her exactly what I wanted. Looping an arm around her waist, I pressed the steel of my cock against her center. She moaned at the contact as I put my lips on hers. I could feel the heat radiating from her and nearly came on the spot.
I’d been thinking all day about where I wanted to take Charlotte tonight. I broke our kiss and carefully shut her inside the truck. One more second of her temptation, and our first time was going to be in the parking lot of the Drunk Skunk.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked when I situated myself behind the wheel and started the engine.
“Anywhere you want to go.”
I took her hand and drew it to my mouth, pressing my lips against the back of it as my eyes found hers. Dark curls framed her face, and her lips parted as she took in a soft breath. My libido was in overdrive, seriously blurring the reality of what was happening between us.
“To the moon then,” she said with a grin.
“You got it.” I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the most romantic spot I knew.
• • •
“Is this place for real?” she asked when we arrived at our destination. The moon looked close enough to touch as it gleamed full and bright in the inky sky.
Charlotte quickly hopped out of the truck to take in our surroundings. A gentle breeze picked up, stirring the tops of the trees that ringed the open field. There were places out in the middle of nowhere that were like heaven on earth, and this was one of them.
“It’s real.”
I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. The grassy hilltop we were standing on was at the far edge of our property, a place I was always drawn to when I needed some alone time. And alone time was exactly what I wanted right now with Charlotte. No interruptions. Just peace and quiet—and her.
“See that speck of light over there,” I said, pointing across the way. “That’s the house. And over there . . .” I pointed out a ribbon of lights in the opposite direction. “That’s Shady Grove.”
“This is beautiful.” She settled into my arms with a sigh. “It’s so peaceful.”
“It’s a good place to think. I love it out here.” As I spoke, tall grasses swayed, stirred by the breeze, and millions of stars shimmered overhead. It truly was magical here.
“Me too.” She looked over her shoulder at me. “Thank you for bringing me.”
“I may have had some ulterior motives.” I dropped a quick kiss on her lips before heading to the truck for the blanket I’d thrown in earlier. I returned to her side and spread it out on the grass. “This is a good spot for more than just thinking.”
“A picnic?” she teased.
“Yep.” I crouched to take a seat and tugged her by the hand into my lap. “Guess who’s on the menu?”
I didn’t give her time to respond. Instead, I captured her mouth with mine and let my kiss answer the question for her.
Our make-out session turned into more when Charlotte climbed off my lap and lay on the blanket, tugging me by the shirt on top of her. The horizontal position we found ourselves in was giving me all kinds of ideas, especially when she spread her legs and let me slip my hips between them. She lifted slightly, digging her heels into the ground, increasing the friction between us.
Every time I moved against her, she let out ragged little whimpers.
“You trying to kill me?” I said, feeling like I was about to burst at the seams.
“Not yet. There’s something I’d like first.” She reached between us and palmed the bulge between my legs. Her slender fingers gripped me through the denim, and damn, did it feel good.
“You sure about this?” I sat back on my heels.
She gave me a sexy little smirk. “Are you?�
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“I’m serious, Charlotte.” And I was. I didn’t want her to do something she was going to regret. This night could change a lot for us. “We still have to work together, and I know you’ll be leaving soon. I just want to make sure—”
“I know what I want, Luke. I want you.” She sat up and quickly tugged her shirt over her head before tossing it on the blanket next to us. “I don’t want to think about anything else right now.”
“Okay,” I said, never one to second-guess a woman whose mind was made up.
Charlotte liked to remind me daily that she was an independent woman who made her own decisions. This was one that I wasn’t going to question. Especially when I got a glimpse of her in that lacy scrap of fabric she called a bra, and the matching panties I found when she lifted her hips and let me slide her jeans off.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I said, dropping my lips to the upper swell of her breasts.
I pulled my shirt off, wanting to feel my skin against hers. Her eyes went wide as I lowered myself onto her. The feel of her hands on my chest was searing as she smoothed them over it for the first time. As we explored each other’s bodies, I committed the moment to memory. Not that I’d be able to forget it if I tried.
I popped the front clasp of her bra and freed her tits from the lace. Her rosy nipples tightened. Placing my lips around one and tugging it slightly with my teeth, I caressed the other between my fingertips.
She moaned, pursing her lips to muffle the sounds as I lavished attention on one and then the other. When her body rocked against mine and my name came out in a whisper of desperation, I knew right then that I needed to hear her scream it into the moonlight.
“We’re in the middle of nowhere, baby,” I said, slipping my hand down the front of her panties and finding the warm, wet heat I knew would be waiting for me. I deftly parted her folds and found the one spot that would drive her wild. “You be as loud as you want to be.”
When she let out a little whimper of satisfaction, I swirled my thumb over the bundle of nerves, loving the way she took a deep breath and froze as I worked her aching flesh.