The Barrett Brothers Collection

by K B Cinder

He hated Luke more than I did, yet he still camped out eating food in his establishment. Was he the only one allowed to move on? Besides, I was grabbing dinner, not a handful of criminal. Not that I wasn't tempted.

  "That's different," he snapped, looking at me for the first time in a long while, nothing but anger shining in his eyes as his sharply angled jaw clenched. "I'm the former mayor and congressman. I'm expected to be at town functions."

  As a kid, his tone would have made me flinch, but I was free of him as an adult. The only reason I allowed him around Linc was because he treated him like gold.

  I ignored him, choosing to smile at Linc instead, who was sampling some of Mom's cornbread. "Did you ask Grams first, Linc?"

  "Yes," he replied, grinning triumphantly as he popped another bite in his mouth.

  Dad set down his fork, folding his hands on the table. "We saw Dan Sutton earlier. It seems like you two have been spending a lot of time together. Want to tell us anything?"

  "He's my landlord," I replied, realizing what he was implying when he gave me a rare smirk. "He's visited twice since I moved in for landlord business."

  I'd rather join a convent than date Dan Sutton. It was about time Dan knew it too, landlord or not.

  "He's a good guy, Josie. He's stable and has a lot of money in the bank. That would be a great set-up for you and..”

  "Stop," I ordered. "We're not having this conversation."

  Dad had been trying to sell me off like a broodmare since he heard I was moving back to Briar. Actually, he'd been trying since I separated from Scott. And when he died, he didn't miss a beat in telling me it was time to move on.

  I was surprised he hadn’t typed up a personals ad for me.

  Single mother seeking a wealthy match. New in town. Parents desperate. Personality optional.

  "You're not getting any younger," he noted, his chiseled features sharpening as he leered my way.

  "Ed!" Mom scolded through her teeth. "Leave her be! She's fine!"

  She always tried to play peacekeeper but was never successful. Dad's disgust for me ran too deep, and there would always be a strain. No amount of intervention would clear the air. Nothing would balm the wounds.

  "It's true! The boy needs a father figure! If he doesn't have one, he'll be gay!"

  That was it. I put up with a lot of crap from him, but that was too far. I turned to Linc, who was already working through his second piece of cornbread with a bite wedged in his cheek like a hamster. "Linc, we need to go."

  I wouldn't stand there while he shredded my parenting skills, and he insulted others as he saw fit. I knew too well what it felt like to be persecuted for following your heart.

  "Everything good?"

  We all turned to see Luke closing in, a muscled missile ready to burst our bubble.

  Dad stiffened, not seeing the two of us together since we were in the back of a police car eleven years earlier.

  "Linc and I are leaving." I didn't want to talk to Luke either, but he was the lesser of two evils.

  Linc pouted but obeyed, taking a hunk of cornbread for the road and grabbing my hand with the other.

  Luke came to a stop at my side. "I was trying to find you. Jason said you came down here. Want an owner's tour?"

  Dad was red as a tomato, ready to explode while Mom held up a hand whispering as she tried to reason with him. It was embarrassing, but I was used to it. The scene had unfolded a thousand times.

  "Sure," I replied, knowing I needed to calm down before I started driving again. A tour could be just the thing I needed. Even one he gave. "Let's go, Linc."

  Luke

  Who knew sundresses could be sexy?

  I didn’t until Josie appeared in one dusted with sunflowers, the flowing fabric skimming her curves. As modest as it was with its knee-length skirt, she was more than a ten, earning my undivided attention the moment I saw her in line. Her hair flowed just how I liked too, wild and free, the waves bouncing.

  Jason gave me a hell of a side-eye when he caught me looking for her, flicking his head towards the stairs without even asking the name of my target. On the way down, I spied her squirming away from Pete, and I wanted to throw the fucker through a wall. Luckily I wouldn’t end up in handcuffs since she rescued herself, hurrying to her folks.

  I led the two down to the brew room in the elevator, not wanting to risk mixing stairs and her shoes, the strappy platform sandals an accident waiting to happen. They both seemed to welcome the change in scenery, Josie scanning the space, while Lincoln munched on cornbread, his eyes darting from machine to machine.

  Downstairs was calmer than the restaurant, most people too busy drinking to want to tour. While not a guide or brewmaster like Tucker, I could handle myself. I’d assembled most of the machinery and had done plenty of research on the process before jumping in.

  I gestured at the wall to our right, trying to ignore Josie’s perfume that enticed my cock like a snake charmer. “I’ll do a quick one, so I won’t bore you, but we combine malted barley and water in mills in the room over there. Then the mixture moves into a machine called a mash tun where the actual brewing occurs.”

  “In here, the process starts in those machines,” I noted, pointing at the huge metal bins far down the wall. “Those are lauter tuns, where the mixture from the mash tun strains. The liquid then moves to that kettle where it boils, and we add hops and whatnot depending on the recipe. After it does its magic, it moves to the whirlpool where it strains again.”

  Their eyes followed everywhere I pointed, Lincoln surprisingly interested for a kid. Josie also paid attention, seeming to relax once away from Ed. I didn’t know what I’d interrupted, but the old bastard practically had smoke billowing from his ears.

  “From there, it’s cooled and moves into these barrels behind us to ferment.” They turned, eyeing the ceiling-high tanks. “It hangs out for two weeks, and afterward, it’s bottled and sold or on tap upstairs.”

  “What do you think, Linc?” she asked, smiling at her clone.

  “Cool beans,” he replied, looking around with wide eyes. “And loud.”

  “Yeah, it gets noisy,” I agreed. “But not as loud as the shop.” It’d be a wonder if I could still hear at forty.

  “Luke fixes cars,” she noted, nudging Lincoln’s shoulder.

  He lit up with a huge smile. “I love cars!”

  “So do I,” I chuckled. “Always have.”

  If it was fast with wheels, I loved it. Hell, it didn’t even need wheels. As long as I had the wind in my hair, I’d be in heaven.

  “I like boats too. We rode one to watch whales but didn't see any, and Mommy threw up.”

  A deep blush spread across Josie’s cheeks despite her tan, her eyes flipping towards the ceiling to avoid my gaze. “Thanks, Linc.”

  “Seasick?” I asked, grinning. “Or one too many?”

  “Seasick,” she muttered. “I guess I’m getting old.”

  She was hardly old, but I wouldn’t flatter her. She knew how gorgeous she was.

  “You can see pilot whales from my dock,” I offered. “Relax on it anytime you want.”

  Linc spun excitedly, yanking on Josie’s arm. “Mommy! Can we go when we get home?”

  “He has company, honey.” She didn’t share his enthusiasm, her soft lips in a line with her yes as flat as her voice.

  As much as we disliked each other, she should take the offer. God knows sitting there had been the only thing to get me through the years. I learned to talk to the waves instead of someone else, replacing the chats she and I shared long ago.

  “You’re free to visit. Jason and Ethan don’t bite. Elena might, though.” I grinned. “You run into them yet?”

  I was curious how it went since I hadn’t mentioned she lived in Mrs. Sutton’s house, let alone that I invited her to the opening. I didn’t need to stick her in VIP or pick her favorite flowers for the centerpiece, but I did because it was the right thing to do. She wrecked me, but she was important, one of the many people that
propelled me to work harder. To do better. To keep my head up.

  Her hand gripped her purse strap as she shot me a patented Josie death glare. “Yes.”

  Shit.

  I hoped Ethan behaved himself. While I was proud to be the wild Barrett, Ethan was the fiery one, as fierce as he was beautiful. And God help you if you called him that to his face.

  “Been a while.” My brothers once loved her as much as they loved me. A love she walked away from.

  She pulled Linc close, looking ready to strike. “Yeah, it’s like they think I did something wrong.”

  I cocked my head, feeling the vein in my neck ticking. If her son weren’t standing with her, I would have gone there, but I didn’t. “No comment for now.”

  I’d watched my parents argue when I was a kid, and it was something I wouldn’t repeat. No one needed those memories.

  “No need to comment ever,” she mumbled. “Lesson learned.”

  I crossed my arms, close to letting loose, more than ready to let her know what I thought about her. She had a lot of fucking nerve. “Ditto.”

  “Funny how the truth bends as some see fit,” she sighed. “Anywho, thanks for the invite. It’s beautiful. Congratulations.”

  It was amazing how she could boil my blood and look so good doing it, storming off with her son in tow, the little boy turning to look at me again. “Bye, Mr. Luke!” he called.

  “Bye, buddy!”

  It hurt to see him stuck in our battle. He was a cool little guy that was too innocent for any of the rage between us. All he wanted was fun and cornbread.

  She didn’t wait for the elevator, choosing the stairs. She kept her eyes to herself, but I watched the pair the whole way, Lincoln glancing back a few more times before they disappeared from view.

  How could she act like she’d done nothing wrong?

  Josie

  Once home, Linc was desperate to visit the dock, and we did, only because Luke wasn’t back.

  I kept my eyes glued to the road as we headed over, wary about the big black truck that carried trouble.

  As we watched the waves for signs of life, the serenity of the sea extinguished the anger and tension that smoldered. Each gust of wind sent my skirt and hair dancing, further blowing the storm clouds from my mind.

  There were no whales, a playful seal in the surf our only company, leaping and diving through the water.

  Strong.

  Happy.

  Free.

  Everything I craved.

  Jeez, I was envious of a seal.

  Linc loved every second, cheering the seal on as he played, bobbing and flapping his flippers before disappearing from view and popping up seconds later.

  Linc’s smile made it all worthwhile, draining the dread that flooded my mind, nothing mattering more than his happiness.

  Afterward, we headed home to play catch in the backyard, my lack of skills forcing poor Linc to chase the ball like a dog as it landed everywhere but near him, not that he seemed to mind. One day I’d master throwing in a straight line. Until then, we steered clear of the house to protect the windows from wayward balls.

  All it took was an hour of playtime, and he was exhausted, taking a shower without being told and putting himself to bed as the sun started to set. I followed suit with a shower but ventured to the back porch with rosé, ready to forget it all.

  The small square was my favorite part of the cottage and also my office whenever possible, free of the musty smell that lingered inside. I still hadn’t given up on ridding the place of it, but so far, air fresheners and open windows weren’t doing jack.

  I settled in with my laptop, propping my legs up on the other Adirondack chair to craft a makeshift desk, ready to knock out projects. I had a dozen design requests along with a healthy backlog, but I still didn’t feel secure. So many major decisions in a short span left me on edge, overwhelmed with everything. Moving. The cottage. A new car.

  It was hard to stare at perfect abs and feel creative, each glance bombarding me with flashbacks of Luke in next to nothing.

  Of course, the latest cover didn’t make things easier with a naked man dripping in honey, a best-selling wholesome romance author taking a stab at erotica under the cheeky pen name, Beau Nerr. Not one to take the dip lightly, she cannonballed into the sticky side, wanting a cover that made loins quiver.

  I was delivering on the sexy, but my loins had too many questions to quiver.

  Was honey safe for your bits and pieces?

  Wouldn’t the poor guy’s balls get sticky?

  How do you wash off that much honey?

  Questions aside, I sent it off, sure her and her readers would love it, especially with the bad boy ink of the cover model, reminding me of a certain jackass. Paired with honey, I was ready to lick him.

  I set my laptop on the side table and leaned back, staring up at the sparkling night sky. I’d work more in the morning, two chick-lits and a thriller needing different creative wavelengths.

  There was also a familiar flutter below that made concentrating impossible, fueled by thoughts of Luke dripping in honey, that rigid body soaked in sticky. He might have been a rotten son of a bitch, but it didn’t cancel out how delicious he was, every inch carved for fantasy.

  I wondered how things would have gone if I sat on someone’s dock, fucking the lying bastard just once. He owed me a good fuck, especially with the hell he put me through.

  Those massive hands would feel amazing, holding my hips while I took what I deserved, his rock hard body a mass of muscle and ink plucked from my wildest dreams. My nipples puckered at the thought, and I bit my lip, fevered at the memory of him inside me, Luke Barrett a lover as gifted as he was packing.

  Guilt nipped at me, knowing he had a girlfriend, the mystery Tally now lapping up what I’d once cherished. At the same time, I couldn’t resist the urge to rub my breasts, body humming. I’d give anything for my hands to be his, to feel them on me again after so long.

  Issues aside, I wanted him, even more after seeing him at the opening dominating every room.

  My fingers had a mind of their own, ignoring the burning in my stomach for the tingling below. My breasts ached with need, my hands not giving them what they longed for, so I skimmed one below, dipping to the waistband of my pants.

  The drawstring did nothing to stop me, touching myself through the thin cotton, ready to get the show on the road.

  I pictured his rough beard between my thighs, leaving me screaming with a few flicks of his tongue, that mouth as skilled as it was filthy.

  I stifled a moan, circling myself, imagining my fingers as his, his hands sliding across my most tender place. I’d give anything to feel them, to ride that wave one last time.

  A rustling in the grass made my eyes pop wide, my hand flying from my pants. I scanned the moonlit yard and saw nothing, but I could still hear shuffling, the crunch of dry grass.

  There was a slight breeze, the soaring fir trees behind the cottage fluttering in the wind, but the sway of branches didn’t match up with the sounds I was hearing, crisp crackling of twigs, the scraping of pine needles. A sniffing sound joined the chorus, confusing me all the more.

  What the hell sniffed like that?

  Heavy steps snapped through the underbrush, barreling over the forest floor, the beast’s nose snorting rapidly.

  Bear.

  Holy shit.

  There was a bear.

  I flew to my feet, scrambling to grab my laptop, only to scream loud enough my neighbors in California could hear. A dog appeared out of nowhere and let out a bark as surprised as my scream.

  A big ass dog.

  Great. I was going to get mauled, all because I was frisky in the moonlight. I could see the headlines now, disappointing Dad even in death.

  LOCAL WOMAN DIES IN FREAK SELF-PLEASURING ATTACK

  DAUGHTER OF RETIRED POLITICIAN MAULED WHILE MASTURBATING

  “Good dog!” I cooed. “Good dog!” I hadn’t had one since I was a kid, but all dogs like
d to be told they were good, right?

  It sat, the thump of its tail loud against the wood, tongue hanging out of its mouth while it panted.

  “Where did you come from?” I asked, not sure if it was Luke’s dog or a stray in the dark. I eased over to my laptop and flipped it open, its screen illuminating the dog, and sure enough, it was Luke’s.

  I couldn’t even masturbate without him ruining it for fuck’s sake.

  “Where’s your human?” It wasn’t like it was going to reply, but if it made it less likely to eat me, I’d sweet-talk it all night long. She hadn’t sampled my flesh during our last encounter, but I wasn’t taking any chances. “Didn’t he tell you it’s naughty to run off?”

  Her tail continued to wag, an ear cocked high while one flopped.

  “Yeah, I know. I’m not one to talk, but your human is a dickhead.”

  Instead of running off, she laid down, seeming to enjoy my rant, perhaps agreeing. God knows she had front row seats to the Luke Barrett shitshow.

  “He’s a liar, you know? He told people I was the asshole. Me! I definitely wasn’t the asshole.” I lifted my glass, taking a sip. “I get the last laugh, though, because now he’s a big, hairy asshole.”

  A big, hairy, sexy asshole, but still an asshole.

  “Are you talking to my dog?”

  I turned to see Luke walking across the side yard toward the porch drenched in moonlight, still in his get up from earlier with a few buttons undone to reveal ink.

  “We were discussing life,” I explained. “You should watch your dog. This is the second time she’s wandered off. There are bears out here.”

  “And assholes,” he added.

  So what if he heard me? He was an asshole.

  I crossed my arms, trying to hide the fact that I wasn’t wearing a bra under my tank top, knowing my nipples could cut diamonds. “Yeah, a big hairy asshole.”

  He chuckled, getting closer. “I thought you were a goner by that scream. I figured she ate you.”

  “No such luck,” I muttered, wishing he’d take his dog and buzz off.

  If he really thought I was in trouble, why did he take his sweet time walking over with his stupid hair blowing in the breeze? His stupid hair that I wanted to thread my fingers through. That I wanted to grip tight while he took me with his mouth.