FarmBoy

by Kayt Miller

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  Sneak Peek: Redhead

  Bedhead Book Two

  Prologue

  Luke

  If you’d asked me eight or nine months ago if I’d be in this predicament, I’d have laughed in your fucking face. Maybe I lacked the imagination needed to forecast the clusterfuck that is now my life and that’s on me. Hell, this whole deal is on me. The thing is, I’m not in any hurry to remedy the situation because I know if it do, she’ll be gone. And by gone, I mean gone-gone. I don’t want that. I want her here––just not like this. No, I need to figure out a way to nip this in the bud without upsetting the delicate balance that is Tayler and me.

  God, I should be pissed as hell. What am I saying? I am pissed as hell, but she wouldn’t understand because I’ve never really talked to her about my past. In the seven or eight months since I met Tayler, we’ve talked a ton. Almost daily. And in that time, I’ve neglected to tell her why I am the way I am. Why I’ll never be able to give her what she wants––a relationship––love. I can give her sex, yes. I could fuck her all day every day, but the woman won’t have it. It’s all or nothing for her and I get it. I hate the fuck out of it, but I get it.

  So, she’s going about things in a new way. Tayler thinks she’s being clever right now. She’s wheedled herself into my world, the bar, all in hopes that I’ll finally do something. That I’ll commit. But she’s going about it all wrong because while she thinks changing the bar is going to make me happy, all it does is piss me off because attempting to change the bar is the same as trying to change me and that’s never going to happen. My ex-wife figured that out the second I served her with divorce papers. I’m not changing. Not again. Not even for Tayler Sorenson. Nope, not even for her.

  Chapter 1

  Luke: Eight Months Ago

  “Luke!”

  I hear my name being yelled from the front of the house, the bar. I know the voice. Quinn Maxwell, my newest hire , is calling for me. No doubt it’s gotten busier since I’ve been holed up in my tiny office. She’s got some dude in town from overseas that seems to be drawing a crowd. I’d better get out there.

  Walking through the door, I spot Quinn and give her a small smile. “Yeah?” I step out, wiping my hands on the towel that’s always over my shoulder.

  “I want to introduce you to my best friend. A best friend I will never give free drinks to.” Crossing my fingers, I add, “I promise.”

  Yeah, right. They always say shit like that and they always give away beer to their ‘best friends’. Ignoring my thoughts, I let my eyes scan left and spot her as my throat gets a little dry. Walking slowly up the bar, I say, “Does your beautiful friend have a name?”

  “Tayler,” the beautiful redhead says holding her tiny hand out to me. “We’ve met, though.”

  “I know. You were here last Wednesday.” My voice feels dryer, deeper. She’s caught me a bit off guard, to be honest because of course I recognize her.

  “I… uh, yes, I was.”

  “You’ve also been here a number of times with a man.” A short twerp that always had is eyes on other chicks. The fucking idiot.

  Quinn responds quickly, “Her ex. He cheated on her. Can you believe that?”

  “No.” I stare at Tayler. She’s probably the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen with her pale complexion and those freckles. Even though she has those sweet features, there’s more to her than that. The woman is sexy as hell. “He’s a fucking idiot.”

  “Right?” Quinn says, then laughs.

  Ignoring Quinn, I lean over the bar so I can get a little closer to her just as she leans in closer to me. This is getting good.

  “Welp, I guess I’ll move along.” Quinn laughs again then heads off to help another customer.

  “So, Tayler,” I say in my sexiest voice. “What’re you doing later?”

  “Ah, well…” she smiles, and it’s so pure and real, it sort of takes my breath away for a second. “I’ve got a paper to write.”

  I give her my very best come-hither smirk. “Homework? You’d rather do homework than come home with me?” I’m not sure why I phrased it like that. I never take anyone home. I always go home with them. That way I can do what I need to do and leave.

  “I’m not that kind of girl,” she says sweetly.

  I’m about to laugh at her words because I’ve heard that line before, but this is the first time I believe it. “You’re not, are you?”

  She shakes her head slowly. “Nope.”

  Well, shit. Now what? “You’re serious.”

  She nods. “I am.”

  This is surreal. First of all, I rarely proposition women. They do all the work up front. No. This is new. “Can I get your number?” I ask and it surprises me. I don’t take numbers. I don’t give it out, either.

  She tilts her pretty head to the side and blinks a few times. “Why?”

  Why? She’s asking why? “So I can call you.”

  “What would we talk about?” She’s giving me her own smirk.

  “Stuff.” I mean, seriously? What I’d like to talk about is the many ways I want to fuck this girl but that’s not going to fly. “Maybe I can talk you into…”

  “You won’t.” She sips her beer. “I just got out of a long-term thing and I’m not going to jump into bed with the first guy who asks. It’s not my style.”

  I’m the first guy to ask? Impossible. “What is your style?”

  She sighs and starts to slide off of her stool. I reach out and take one hand in mine. A tingle runs up from my hand to my shoulder and down to my chest. Swear to God my nipples get hard. Embarrassing. “Don’t go.” I mean it. I don’t want her to leave.

  “That paper won’t write itself.” She chuckles.

  Pulling her hand from me, she holds her palm up. “Give me your phone.”

  Without a word, I grab it from my back pocket and set it in hand. “Passcode is 1234.”

  She arches her pretty auburn brow at me. “Secure.”

  I shrug. I don’t care about my security code. There’s nothing on there that anyone would want. I don’t pay bills with my phone or shit like that. I watch as she types on my phone. Handing it back, she smiles again and I want to wrap her up in my arms.

  “If you want to talk. Give me a call. Or text. But, I meant what I said, Luke. I’m not into one-night stands.”

  “How ‘bout two nights?” I chuckle.

  She doesn’t respond. She only waves one little hand at me and turns to leave. I watch her hug Quinn goodbye and step out my front door. Staring down at my phone, I bring up my contacts and laugh. She’s typed in her first name, Tayler, but her last is two words “Forever girl.” Now that, I can believe.