Searching For Love – the Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

by Melissa Foster

  “Mm. Good morning to you, too.” She wrapped her hand around his erection, heat rising in her eyes.

  She stroked him tight and slow, licking his nipple. Holy fucking hell, she remembered all of her little tricks.

  “Come here, beautiful.” He rolled her onto her back and moved over her, kissing her as she spread her legs wider and he aligned their bodies.

  “A girl could get used to this.”

  “I’m counting on it.” As he lowered his mouth to hers, Bandit barreled into the tent.

  “Carly?” a male voice called out.

  Zev rose on his palms just as Cutter walked into the tent. Zev lowered himself to cover Carly’s naked body and said, “Dude!”

  “Cutter!” Carly scrambled to cover up, pushing Zev’s chest. “Move!”

  Cutter looked confused as Zev shifted off Carly, quickly covering her with a sheet, and said, “Dude, turn around.”

  “Oh shit. Sorry!” Cutter turned his back to them and said, “Guess Zev rescued you from the Island of Denial.”

  “Shut up! What time is it? Why are you here?” Carly snapped.

  “It’s eight thirty,” Cutter said. “Birdie called me. She’s been texting you all night and got worried about y—”

  “Eight thirty?” Carly hollered, clutching the sheet to her chest. “What day is it?” She shook her head as if she was trying to rattle her brain into submission. “I need to go! Where are my clothes? I have to call Birdie!” She looked frantically around them. “Where’s my phone?”

  “Your phone is still in the house,” Zev reminded her. “Cutter, how’d you know we were out here?” He scanned the ground for Carly’s clothes, but saw only his shorts by the entrance to the tent. Goddamn dog.

  “I went by Carly’s place first. She never stays out all night, but since you’re here, I figured I’d check the inn, and followed Bandit back here.”

  Zev looked at Carly, who was frantically searching through the blankets, and said, “He knows where you live, but you can’t tell me?”

  “He won’t leave his scent on my sheets.” She stomped off the bed, holding the sheet around her as she scanned the ground. “Where are my clothes, Zev? I have to go!”

  She was so frantic, he scrambled for a way to help her calm down—for her own sanity and to keep her from thinking their night together was a mistake simply because they’d overslept.

  “I think Bandit took them,” he said as he stepped from the bed, naked. He didn’t care that Cutter was there. He was solely focused on helping Carly calm down and pulled her into a kiss. She stood rigid in his arms. He held her tighter, kissing her deeper, until she gave in to her own desires, melting against him. He continued kissing her, hoping to replace any remaining panic with something much more comforting, and when she made a soft, pleasure-filled sound, he knew she was okay.

  She sighed as their lips parted, looking at him a little hazy-eyed.

  “Thank you for yesterday,” he said for her ears only. “And for trusting me enough to stay last night. Take a shirt and a pair of my compression shorts from my backpack. The shorts should fit. I’ll try to find your missing clothes. I need to talk to Cutter, but I’ll call you about getting together later, and I promise to set an alarm from now on.”

  Her eyes widened, as if she just realized she was late. “Okay! I gotta go!”

  She went up on her toes, giving him a chaste kiss, and then she gathered the sheet around her legs and ran out of the tent. The sheet parted, giving both Zev and Cutter a great view of her ass. Bandit bolted after her.

  Zev snagged his shorts from the ground and stepped into them, glancing at Cutter, who was still watching Carly. “You want to take a picture of her ass or what?”

  Cutter’s gaze shot to Zev, his jaw tense.

  “What’s the deal with you two?” Zev crossed his arms, staring him down. Cutter was a big dude, and he was giving Zev the same scrutinizing once-over Zev was giving him. Go ahead, dude, check me out, because I’m the one she digs.

  “I should be asking you the same question.” Cutter matched Zev’s stance, arms crossed, chin held high, and said, “You show up here after all these years and get her into bed. What’s your plan, Zev? Carly’s like family to a lot of us around here. I know what you did to her, and if you fuck her over again, you won’t get off scot-free this time.”

  Zev scoffed at that. “There’s no such thing as scot-free.” Carly had said she hadn’t told anyone about the miscarriage, and he believed her. Which meant Cutter probably knew only about what had transpired when Zev left Pleasant Hill, but that was enough for him to realize Cutter was important to her. He pushed past the jealousy riding his shoulders and realized that the big-ass cowboy had been there for Carly when he hadn’t. As painful as it was to admit his own faults to Cutter, if he was ever going to be the man Carly needed, the man she wanted in her future, then he had to do the right thing by her on all levels.

  Including this one.

  “I’m glad you’ve got her back,” Zev said, uncrossing his arms. “I never meant to fuck her over. I thought I was protecting her by leaving. But that’s a long story. All you need to know is that I have no intention of hurting her ever again.”

  The scowl on Cutter’s face remained in place. “Good.”

  “Listen, man, I know all you see is some guy who hurt your friend and has no ties to anyone or anyplace. But looks can be deceiving. Carly and I have years of history and ties that bind us together in ways that no space of time or distance could ever erase. She’s my person, and wherever she is, is my place.”

  “Does that mean you’re sticking around after Beau gets back?” Cutter asked with a skeptical lilt to his voice.

  “That’s for me and Carly to work out. But I would like to get to know you and her other friends better. Maybe we can go for a drink one night?”

  “Are you coming to the Roadhouse with Carly tonight?”

  “The Roadhouse?”

  “It’s a bar where we all hang out Wednesday nights. No matter how busy she is, she never misses it.”

  “Oh yeah, we’ll be there.” Zev tried to play it cool, like he knew about her plans, though he wondered why she hadn’t mentioned them. “We might be a little late. We have something to do first.” He was excited to show Carly the concretions, but he didn’t want to cause her to miss a weekly get-together with her friends.

  Unless she didn’t want him to go with her and that was why she hadn’t mentioned it.

  Well, hell.

  “Cool.” Cutter looked around the tent and said, “Did you set all of this up for Carly?”

  “Yeah. Tents and movies were two of our things when we were younger.”

  “Seriously? I can’t imagine her sleeping in a tent, but uh…I guess I don’t have to imagine it now.”

  Zev shot him a warning glare.

  Cutter held his hands up and said, “It was a joke. But for what it’s worth, I have no idea who that woman was that ran out of this tent with her ass showing. The Carly I know is up with the sun, at the shop by seven, and her idea of a wild time is riding horses at Redemption Ranch on Sunday mornings.”

  “Really?” Zev wondered why Carly hadn’t mentioned that to him, either. They’d ridden horses when they were younger, but it had never been one of their things. He wondered what else had become her thing. He remembered the story she’d told him about the other guy, Callahan, who had acted like her boyfriend rescuing her when her car had broken down. Had she made that up, or was it true after all? Was horseback riding her and that guy’s thing? She’d said he was like a brother to her, and Zev definitely didn’t want to impede on that time if it was their thing. He clearly had a lot to learn about Carly’s life.

  “Do you know her friend Callahan? I think his family owns that ranch you mentioned.”

  “Cowboy? Sure. Everyone knows the Whiskeys. Why?”

  “Think you can get him to meet us at the bar? I’d like to get to know him, too.” Bandit bounded toward them carrying something in his
mouth.

  “Trust me, once I get the word out that you two will be there, they’ll all be waiting to meet you.”

  “You make it sound like I’m walking into an ambush.”

  Cutter grinned. “Don’t be silly. Nobody’s going to be hiding in the bushes.”

  Zev chuckled, crouching as Bandit came to his side. “Give it here, boy.” Bandit dropped Carly’s green bikini bottom at his feet. Zev picked it up and checked it for holes.

  “Guess you and Carly went swimming.”

  “Cliff diving,” Zev said, pocketing her bikini bottom. Cutter’s brow wrinkled with disbelief. “Looks like there’s a lot we both don’t know about Carly. Have you got someplace to go? Because I could use a little help moving things back where they belong after I feed the chickens. We can head inside, grab a cup of coffee, and talk while we work.”

  “I can stick around for a bit,” Cutter said, and they headed for the inn. “I don’t know how much time you’ve spent with Char, but let me give you a little advice. Don’t let her hear you call the chickens anything but Chickendales.”

  “Yeah, Beau told me.”

  Cutter said, “And don’t let Carly hear you call her Carls. She hates that name.”

  He fucking loved knowing that—and staking claim. “That’s because it’s my name for her.”

  “No shit?”

  “No shit. You know she hates milk chocolate, right?”

  “She’s allergic,” Cutter said.

  Zev laughed and clapped a hand on Cutter’s shoulder. “I think it’s going to be an interesting morning, my friend.”

  BY THE TIME Carly got to the shop, it was almost ten o’clock, which should have thrown off her entire morning, but Birdie had saved the day by coming in early and making all the specials. Carly had surprised them both. Despite starting out behind schedule and volleying Birdie’s forty-minute interrogation about her night with Zev, Carly was in the best mood and more inspired than ever. She’d not only caught up on all her normal tasks quickly, but she’d also come up with a surprise for Zev—a chocolate treasure chest—that she could make for special orders, too. She’d spent the afternoon listening to the mix CDs Zev had made for her their senior year of high school while mixing, baking, and painting molds, creating just the right elements for his surprise.

  The kitchen counters were littered with chocolates in various stages of completion. She was making heart-shaped and coin-shaped chocolate truffles with a gold luster coating, chocolate-covered cake balls dipped in sprinkles, white- and milk-chocolate beads, which she was currently stringing together like necklaces, chocolate and candied jewel-shaped treats, and the element she was most proud of, a chocolate treasure chest complete with gold buckles and black straps.

  Quinn had stopped in for a quick visit during her lunch break at the bank, and she’d been quizzing Carly about her night with Zev and taste-testing everything. With Quinn’s hourglass figure, Carly swore the calories went straight to her hips and boobs. She looked like a sexy librarian, sitting across from Carly in her pencil skirt and fancy blouse, her long legs crossed, one high heel bouncing up and down as she eyed the chocolates through her black-framed eyeglasses. She tucked her chestnut hair behind her ear and said, “I think you’re nuts. You should let Zev see your place. Any man who can make you forget what day it is deserves a standing ovation in my book.”

  Quinn had been there when Zev had texted about their date tonight. They were meeting at four o’clock, but he wanted to pick her up at her place, and Carly still wasn’t quite ready for that.

  Carly shook her head. “I can’t. Once he’s there, I can forget having a place where I won’t think of him. He’s got that much of a hold on my heart.”

  “That’s all the more reason to let him in.” Quinn plucked another chocolate bead from the tray and ate it.

  Carly pointed the needle she was using to thread the chocolate beads onto string and said, “Quinn Finney, if you eat one more bead, I’ll thread your fingers onto this string.”

  Quinn’s shoulders sagged. “Fine. One day you’re going to hire me to work here full time and I’ll make them myself.”

  “Eating the profits. I’ll keep that in mind,” Carly teased. “Speaking of working here, thank you again for taking next week off from the bank to work the festival. You were such a big help last year. We couldn’t do it without you.”

  “You’re very welcome. I’ll be here bright and early Sunday morning to help make all the goodies, and I promise not to eat too many.”

  Carly smiled. “It’s okay, Quinn. I just want enough for Zev’s surprise.”

  “I know. Like I said, someday you’ll realize I belong here full time.”

  “You know I want to hire you full time one day. I just don’t have the need right now.” She heard the bells chime over the door and wondered if customers were coming or going. It had been a madhouse all morning.

  Birdie hurried into the kitchen looking eighteen in her purple overall shorts with her hair piled on her head in a messy bun. “What is going on today? It’s like Grand Central out there. I swear festivalgoers must be arriving a week early.” She tapped on the counter and said, “What did I miss?”

  “I was just telling Carly she needed to hire me full time.” Quinn pointed to a chocolate truffle and looked inquisitively at Carly, who nodded. “Thank you!” She popped the truffle into her mouth and said, “And one day one of Birdie’s fine-ass brothers is going to sweep me off my feet and marry me.”

  Birdie laughed. “I’m sure any one of them would be happy to sweep you into their beds. But I don’t want to think about that. Ew. I can’t unsee that image.” She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples. “Quinn and Cutter, Quinn and Cutter, Quinn and Cutter.” Her eyes flew open. “That’s better! Let’s talk about what Carly’s orgasm master has done to her. Look at all this magnificent stuff!”

  “Magnificent and delicious,” Quinn said, eyeing the beads. “You really need to make those beads for the shop. I’d eat them by the bag.”

  “You can have two more,” Carly said, earning a cheer from Quinn. She pushed another bead onto the needle. “But I need the rest for Zev. I cannot wait to surprise him.”

  “Surprise him by letting him in your bed,” Quinn said with a waggle of her finely manicured brows.

  Birdie shot a knowing look at Carly. She and Carly had already had this conversation. Carly shook her head and said, “You don’t understand. It’s not that simple.”

  “What’s not to understand?” Quinn asked. “You’re banging your hot ex, who according to Birdie is sexy as fudge and put you in such a deep orgasm coma you couldn’t even answer your phone. I’d let a man like that in my bed any day of the week.”

  “Zev and I have a lot of history. We had a really bad breakup, and now we’re figuring out if we can make things work again.”

  “And he’s madly in love with her. I could see it in his eyes,” Birdie said. “Cutter caught them knocking boots this morning in the wedding tent.”

  “Birdie! We were not knocking boots.”

  “Damn.” Quinn leaned across the counter and said, “My prim-and-proper boss caught almost screwing the hottie? Do tell!”

  “Coma Girl hasn’t stopped smiling since she got here,” Birdie said.

  Carly rolled her eyes, but the truth was, she hadn’t stopped smiling since she’d put on Zev’s compression shorts earlier that morning. It was ridiculous that at just shy of thirty years old she’d not only been caught almost having sex, but she’d also done a sprint of shame while wrapped in a sheet.

  “When do I get to meet the OM?” Quinn asked. “At the bar tonight?”

  “OM?” Carly asked.

  Quinn whispered, “Orgasm master.”

  Carly couldn’t help but laugh right along with them. “Actually, he’s taking me someplace special tonight, so I don’t think I’ll be there.” She said it with a pang of regret. Other than when she was out of town, this would be the first Wednesday night she’d m
issed with her friends in years, but she and Zev had only five more days, and she didn’t want to miss a second of it.

  “I don’t blame you,” Birdie said. “If I had that man in my bed, I wouldn’t be leaving it, either.”

  The bells above the door chimed, and Birdie said, “Duty calls,” and headed into the shop.

  “I’d better get back to work, too.” Quinn pushed from the stool where she was sitting and said, “I’ll be back at four to work.” She stole a cake ball and hurried out of the kitchen.

  Carly loved Quinn and considered herself lucky to have Quinn and Birdie as friends and employees. They were smart, reliable, easy to get along with, and courteous to customers. Marie had worked by herself, except during festivals and events when she’d hired friends to help her. During her first few years of business, the people she’d hired had ended up being less than dependable. She’d told Carly that it was easier to offer less and enjoy her job more than to be stressed and babysitting employees.

  Carly finished stringing one beaded necklace and had started the next when Birdie peeked into the kitchen, excitement dancing in her eyes.

  “Hottie McOrgasm is here to see you,” she said in a hushed voice.

  “Zev’s here?” She tried to temper her giddiness.

  “Yes, and Quinny took a nice long look at him on her way out. You’ll be glad to know she fully approves. I’ll keep him busy while you get ready.”

  “Oh no you won’t, little Miss Flirt Bunny.” The heels of Carly’s strappy sandals clicked on the floor as she strode past Birdie into the shop.

  “You look hot!” Birdie whisper-cheered.

  Carly didn’t often wear sandals with heels, but she’d been in such a good mood that morning, she’d taken a little extra care when choosing her outfit, pairing them with a cute floral miniskirt Birdie had given her last Christmas and a flowy white spaghetti-strap top. Her entire body did a double take as Zev strode toward her in a pair of cargo shorts and a tight T-shirt. She loved that he came to see her in the middle of the day, and she was glad for the extra height from the heels. It put her closer to his mouth.