by Lexi Post
“Anyway, I figured I’d have to make a run for it. I picked out what I thought would be the two slowest men to run between, when I heard a truck door slam. Three of my adversaries looked in that direction and that’s when I went for it.”
Kendra tensed. Though Chris stood before her unscathed, she couldn’t help worrying about him.
“I almost made it, too, but one of them grabbed my shirt. I swung at him and caught him in the jaw before another grabbed me. That’s when Kane showed up.” Chris gestured toward his car. “He didn’t say a word. Just started dropping them one by one, until they finally figured out their only chance was to gang up on him. They released me and ran for my car.”
Cain? As in Cain and Abel? Wasn’t Cain the one who killed his brother? She shook off the thought and focused on Chris. Since Chris was a relatively new hire, she was surprised by his willingness to let a man, even one named Cain, take the blows meant for him without helping. “You left him?”
Her employee frowned. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been in a tight spot. This is still the old west after all, but no, I didn’t leave him. I crouched behind a car and hit the app on my phone. It’s the sound of a police siren that sounds far away but gets louder as if it’s getting closer. I have it set for two miles.” Chris grinned. “You should have seen those idiots scatter. Kane was still standing until one of them gunned his car right for him. I pulled him out of the way, but he still got clipped.”
Kendra stared at Chris, trying to process the scene in her mind. What he’d described was a hit and run on top of assault and battery. They needed to press charges. They needed to—
“He wants to bring him home.”
At Hunter’s words, she faced him. “Home?”
Her security guard nodded toward the car. “He’s a mess.”
Chris shook his head. “Kane wouldn’t let me take him to a hospital, so I convinced him to let me take him back to my place.” He pointed behind her. “But Hunter said I had to get your okay. I tried to tell him who I bring back to my place is no one’s business but my own.”
“You mean you have this Cain in your car?” At least a dozen ramifications of Chris bringing his hero back to Poker Flat ran through her mind and she shifted her weight to her right leg.
“Yes.” Chris squared his broad shoulders. “After he stepped in to help me, it was the least I could do.”
That was true. However, they knew nothing about the man. He could be a convicted felon. Then again, she already had one of those working for her. And to be fair, the man had stepped in to help Chris without even knowing who he was. That indicated a good moral compass. It was more the fact that the man had been dropping the others, as Chris said, that concerned her. Someone that good with their fists could be dangerous. “And his name is Cain as in Cain and Abel?”
Chris took a breath as if trying to be patient with a child. “Not that it matters, but it’s spelled K-a-n-e. As in the movie Citizen Kane, though my defender is nothing like that character. I think Kane’s a cowboy.” The last word was said on a sigh, Chris’ gaze becoming unfocused as he stared off into space.
“Chris, are you interested in this man?”
“Oh, to be so lucky. But I’m destined to admire from afar.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Chris’ gaze snapped back to her. “He’s not gay.”
“He told you that?”
“No. I just know.” His shoulders fell. “Such a waste.”
She bit the inside of her lip to keep from grinning. She’d never heard a gay man use that particular phrase. She had to wonder what Kane would think of Chris’ admiration. The last thing Chris needed was to be accused of improper behavior again. Maybe Kane should be driven to his own home.
She looked back at Hunter to find him not there. He’d moved to Chris’ car and was bent over with his head in the open door. Just the sight of him reminded her that she had him, Wade, and even Mac to help if Kane ended up being a problem. Chris was technically correct. She didn’t have a right to tell him who he had over to his casita. If Kane did have a criminal past and caused trouble, she also knew a detective that would be happy to haul him away. She started toward the car, intending to lay down some ground rules, when Hunter backed away and a man stuck his arm out, using the door to help him stand.
As he braced himself, Kane exited the vehicle.
Well fuck. The man had to be over six-foot and he was built like a football player. As Kane turned and looked in her direction, she doubted he could even see her. His eyes were both swollen from the beating he’d taken on Chris’ behalf. Kane also had a cut on his cheek, his nose was bleeding, and his arms in the white tank he wore, were full of cuts as if someone went after him with a knife. His dirt covered blue jeans were ripped on his left thigh, and he held what looked like a denim shirt in his hand.
There was no decision to make. “Hunter, help him into my golf cart. We need to get this man into a bed.”
Hunter didn’t say a word. He just placed Kane’s arm around his shoulders and guided him toward her cart. Once Hunter had him settled, she turned to Chris. “You did the right thing, though a hospital would have been better.”
“No hospital.” At the sound of Kane’s quiet voice, they all looked at him, but he didn’t say anything else.
Chris held both hands out to his sides. “Told you.”
Fine, no hospital…for now. “Let’s get you both back to your casita.” She left Chris and strode toward Hunter who stood waiting next to the cart. “Thanks for calling me.”
Hunter nodded then stepped back.
It was a clear signal he’d done his job and the rest was up to her. She appreciated that. When she’d first hired Hunter, she was afraid he’d balk at taking direction from a woman, but she’d learned his superiors in the Army had been both male and female. Of course, she also had Wade who was the resort manager, but it was good to know her employees still acknowledged her as the owner of Poker Flat and the final authority.
Looking back at Chris to be sure he was settled in the back, she turned on the golf cart and took her passengers down the ravine at a much slower pace than she’d come up. Without the moon, the only light was from the small headlights on the golf cart which illuminated a very short distance. Even so, the man next to her didn’t tense. She just hoped he didn’t fall out before they made it to Chris’s casita.
Once there, he was Chris’ responsibility. Even so, she planned to check with Lacey in the morning to see if they had any medical professionals staying on the resort. She’d like a second opinion on whether he should go to the hospital, and she would damn well find out why he didn’t want to go.
~~~~~
“One–two-three. One-two-three. Wade, there’s no four in the waltz.”
At Natasha’s reprimand, he stopped. “Sorry. It’s hard to concentrate with a beautiful woman in my arms.” He gave Kendra a crooked grin.
“Oh, no, don’t try to charm your way out of this.” Kendra’s own lip quirked up in the corner even as she shook her head. “Unless, of course, you want to be the one to tell Lacey we aren’t going to waltz for our first dance as bride and groom.”
He raised his brow. “How did we get talked into doing this anyway?”
She shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure it was something about how beautiful we’d look and how everyone would sigh and realize we were meant to be. Or some such nonsense.”
He shook his head. “If Lacey wasn’t such a miracle worker, I’d quit right now.”
“That miracle worker found your family a casita to stay in tonight, so I suggest you try again.”
“I agree.” Natasha strode over. “If you’re having such a problem counting with your fiancée in your arms, then try it with me.”
Shit, that wasn’t what he wanted. He needed to keep his big mouth shut. He glanced at Kendra as he took Natasha into his arms. His soon-to-be-wife was smiling smugly. He’d get no help from that quarter.
“Now on the one
beat. Ready, and…”
He kept the count in his head. He didn’t want to embarrass Kendra at the reception. She had enough qualms about his family. Though he’d been teasing about not being able to concentrate, it amazed him how much easier it was to focus with Natasha. He was a pathetic lump of mush when it came to Kendra.
“Okay, now move me into the turn.” Natasha nudged him by pressing his hand.
He took the hint and stepped around, moving her in a circle. As they danced by Kendra, he grinned at her.
When she rolled her eyes, he chuckled losing the count and stepping on his teacher’s toes.
“Ugh. Okay enough.”
He immediately released Natasha and stepped back. “I’m sorry.”
Natasha waved it off. “You’re not the first and you won’t be the last. Let’s stop for today.” She looked at her watch. “I’d like to leave a little early anyway. I have an interview.”
“Already?” He clamped his mouth shut. Insulting his dance teacher was probably not smart.
“Yes, though I’m not excited about the job. It’s factory work, which is fine, but it’s night shift. If I get it, I’ll have to give up teaching dance.”
He looked at Kendra, who was frowning. They had talked about Natasha, but the dance teacher hadn’t given Lacey her resume yet. Maybe she didn’t want to work on a nudist resort. “You can always interview here.”
At Kendra’s startled look, he shrugged.
Natasha put her speaker into her large over-the-shoulder bag. “If I don’t get this position, I definitely will.”
Ignoring Kendra, he decided to dig a little. “Have you ever ridden a horse or driven a wagon with horses.”
Natasha’s eyes grew round. “Oh no, I’m afraid of horses. I can’t even get within ten feet of them without breaking out in hives.” As if she recalled where she was, she forced a smile. “No offense, but if a job here entails that, I better keep looking.”
Kendra brushed past him, elbowing him in the ribs before approaching Natasha. “If you have a resume on you, leave it with Lacey at the front desk. We do have a couple positions open at the moment. After I see your resume, we can talk.”
He was in for it now. Kendra was pissed, and he had an idea why.
“Thank you. I’m going to run over and grab some lunch before leaving. I don’t want to arrive at the interview with my stomach growling. Besides, I saw Selma had fish tacos on the menu today. I love those. Been making those since I was tall enough to reach the stove.”
“You eat tacos?” Though his question sounded stupid when it came out of his mouth, he just didn’t see the thin, put together and graceful Natasha munching down on messy tacos.
She laughed, the first time he remembered her doing that since they’d met her. “I may have traveled with my career, but I grew up in Arizona. Tacos were a staple.” She threw her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As she walked out of the saloon, he turned to face Kendra. She was looking at him, no expression on her face whatsoever, her weight on her right hip. “If you’re angry, show me. Don’t use that poker face with me.”
She threw her arms up. “Fine. What the hell were you doing? You practically tripped over yourself trying to offer her a job. We have a process here. If she can’t get her resume to me first, then I’m not talking to her.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I wasn’t tripping over myself. I just know how distraught she was yesterday. We already know she’s punctual, patient, and doesn’t mind being around nudists. I just wanted to remind her that we have openings. Though I had hoped she could drive guests and their luggage down in the wagon.”
Kendra looked away. “I know. I could tell what you were thinking, but for all we know, she has excellent accounting skills or customer service rapport and could take over for Lacey. I can’t know that until I see her resume.”
He studied his fiancée. Something wasn’t right. The whole conversation, even Kendra’s quick anger wasn’t normal. “What’s wrong, and I mean what’s really wrong.”
When she didn’t look at him, he knew he’d nailed it. Dropping his arms, he strode toward her and stopped in front of her. “Look at me.”
After a heavy sigh, she finally did. “What?”
“Tell me what’s bothering you.”
She looked away again and shrugged.
“Come on, tell me. I’m about to be your husband. We can’t have secrets. Or is it the wedding that has you on edge?”
“No. Yes. I mean, the wedding stress is one thing but…”
He remained silent, but captured her waist in his hands. Gently, he squeezed.
Finally, she looked at him. “It irked the hell out of me that you could waltz fine with Natasha but can’t get past ten steps with me. What’s that about?”
He swallowed hard to keep from laughing. “I told you the truth. When I’m holding you in my arms, I get distracted. You have to understand, I have a unique view of you from here.” He purposefully looked down her buttoned shirt.
She snapped her head down and gasped. “That’s what distracts you?”
He chuckled. “Among other things, like feeling your body against mine, holding your hand, breathing in your almond-rose scent.” He could tell the minute her anger left as her body relaxed.
She ran her hand up the front of his shirt and unbuttoned the top button. When her fingers slid beneath the material, his cock responded. Kendra didn’t have the long nails or extra soft hands of the other women he’d been with. Everything about her was strong and practical and it always made him hot.
“Is this distracting?”
He pulled her shirt from her jeans and ran his hand up her smooth back. “Very.”
Her hand found his nipple beneath his shirt and as she pinched it between two fingers, his balls tightened. He lowered his mouth to hers and swept his tongue inside.
Mine. The word flew through his head. It had been happening a lot lately. Deep in his gut he was worried Kendra would create a reason to call off the wedding. While she seemed to want to get married, the actual wedding made her nervous. The only way he could think to ease them both was to show her exactly how much he loved her.
As she sucked on his tongue, his thought process ceased and his body took over. He crushed her to him, tasting her, feeling her, pressing his erection into her belly. He forced her to back up until her ass came into contact with the empty bar.
She moaned at the contact and his need to taste more than her mouth overpowered him. Leaving her mouth, he started a trail of kisses to her cleavage. Scooping his hands beneath her ass, he lifted her onto the bar, bringing her large breasts to the perfect height for his attentions.
He licked at the side of one breast as his fingers worked on opening her shirt. He’d just pushed aside one cup and lifted the nipple above the material when footsteps on the boardwalk outside reminded him where he was.
Kendra stiffened, but unable to help himself, he grasped her nipple with his teeth and sucked it into his mouth.
“Wade.” Kendra’s voice was more of an inward breath.
The steps came closer.
He sucked hard, pulling his mouth away slowly until he caught the hard nub between his teeth.
The steps were loud now and he finally let go, to face the person who had interrupted his play. His cock was rock hard and an obvious bulge beneath his jeans and he didn’t care. Since the saloon was the last doorway on the boardwalk, that meant the person was looking for them, and he planned to tell him or her to go away.
He’d barely taken one step toward the doorway when they were thrown wide and Abril, their new waitress and mother of three stormed in.
“I quit.”
That was the last thing he’d expected, so it took him a moment to refocus. “What?”
“You heard me. I quit. Your cook is loco in la cabeza. She’s back there throwing pots and screaming louder than some hyena. I need a job but not that bad. Adios.” She threw up her hands and stor
med out of the saloon.
He turned to look at Kendra. Their thought was the same. “Selma.”
“Fuck.” Kendra jumped off the bar, buttoning her shirt as she headed for the door.
He held one side open for her and joined her. “You want me to talk to her?”
Kendra’s strides were long as they headed for the main building. “Yes. We need to find out what set her off. She hasn’t thrown a pot since the first day I let her into the kitchen and Sheriff Harper butted his nose in there and started asking questions about sanitation.” Kendra’s mouth quirked up. “He never set foot in there again.”
“Maybe it’s that simple.”
“I hope so. Where’d Abril go?” Kendra looked for their waitress, obviously hoping to talk her into staying.
He scanned the area, but didn’t see her anywhere. They weren’t that far behind her for her to have disappeared so— “There.” He pointed toward the other side of the ravine at a golf cart starting up the switchbacks.
“Oh, that’s not good.” Kendra’s worry was evident in her voice.
When a pair of guests ran from the building, he and Kendra started to run.
Lacey came out after the guests. When she saw them, she shook her head. “I think she’s lost it.”
He nodded as he opened the door.
Just inside was Natasha. “I tried to talk to her, but she’s not lucid. Her emotions have completely taken over.”
“Thanks.” They ran into the dining room and stopped.
“Mom?” Kendra looked at her mother who was crouched down behind a table that had been pushed over on its side, broken dishes littered the floor around her.
“Thank God, you’ve come! That woman is insane! She needs to be locked up!”
At Donna’s raised voice over the din in the kitchen, Kendra nodded at him and he strode for the open doorway.
“Come on, mom! Let’s get you out of here.”
He walked into the kitchen and assessed the situation in an instant. Selma waved the iron skillet in her hand while screaming obscenities, reminding him of a bull he’d fallen off in a rodeo long ago, who had turned on him ready to do serious damage. Then a rodeo clown had run interference. This time, it looked like he was the clown and poor Jorge the target.
