by Jane Jamison
“Seriously, there’s not much to say right now. We’ve had a couple of dates, is all.”
She’s downplaying their relationship. But why?
“Uh-huh.” Maybe if she threw Stella a curve, she’d open up. At the very least, it would keep their conversation away from her problems. “So? Have you found out if they’re packing?”
“Packing? Are you asking if they own guns?”
“You know what I mean.” Krystal’s gaze dropped to a place below the table. “Are they packing or not?”
“Are you asking her about their packages?” Arizona laughed her full, throaty laugh. “That’s not called ‘packing.’”
“Whatever.” Who cared what it was called? “So are they or not?”
“That is none of your business.” Stella seemed more annoyed than embarrassed.
“Which is a big yes in my book,” added Arizona.
“Again. None of your business to both of you.”
“Aw, come on, Stella. Tell us.” Now that she’d started the conversation, why not have fun with it?
Stella opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a call on her cell phone. “Hello?” Her expression froze as she listened.
Now that’s interesting. I wonder who it is.
Stella lowered her gaze, obviously wishing she had more privacy. “Why are you calling?”
Okay. This really is getting interesting. “Uh-oh. Something tells me this isn’t one of the Lennox brothers. Ow!”
Arizona shot her a stern look. “Keep it up and I’ll kick you again.”
“I don’t care to do that,” answered Stella. More telling, she kept her gaze turned to the window much as Krystal had done.
The juicy conversation was just what Krystal needed to keep her mind off her troubles.
“You should stay where you are, Maddie.”
Krystal lifted her eyebrows at Arizona. “Who do you think Maddie is?”
“Hush. It’s none of our business,” whispered Arizona.
Krystal doubted Stella had heard them. Her friend’s grip on her phone tightened.
“No. We’re not.” Stella’s gaze jumped to Arizona then Krystal as though she’d just remembered they were still there. “I’ve got to go now,” she said to the caller. “Good-bye.”
“Is everything all right?” asked Arizona.
Krystal was dying to know. Stella’s good-bye had been a curt one.
“Everything’s fine.” Stella began digging around in her purse. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Don’t go. Whoever that was, the call’s over. Stay, Stella.” Now she wished she hadn’t been so curious. Stella had been so happy before, but that happiness was gone now. If only she’d kept her big nose out of her friend’s business.
“Sorry. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Before she or Arizona could think of any way to keep Stella with them, their friend was up and rushing toward the exit.
“What just happened?” Arizona tossed a fry back onto the plate.
“The call upset her.”
“I got that part. But why?”
Krystal shrugged again. “I don’t know. Obviously it was from someone she knew pretty well. Maybe Maddie’s a family member?” She was too curious not to ask the next question even though it might lead to Arizona asking her the same kinds of questions. “Has she ever told you anything about her past?”
Arizona shook her head and averted her eyes. “No. And frankly, I don’t want to ask.”
The normal response would’ve been to ask why she didn’t want to ask, but Krystal had her own reasons for not discussing the topic any further. “Yeah. It might seem too pushy.”
Their conversation died, lapsing into an uncomfortable silence. They picked at their food, but didn’t really eat. Krystal shifted in her seat, doing her best to stay where she was when all she wanted was to leave. She’d taken a chance leaving her apartment and didn’t want to risk it any further.
Please don’t let Denny show up tonight.
She’d already asked to take a couple of days off just so she wouldn’t have to go to work and possibly run into Denny. She couldn’t ask to take off any more time.
“Krystal, can I ask you a question?”
Alarm pricked at her skin. “Sure.” What else could she say? No?
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
She’d expected a question about her life, maybe even about her past. Arizona’s question threw her. “If you’d asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve said no way.”
Arizona locked gazes with her, her smile tightening. “What do you think now?’
“Now I do.” She hoped her friend wouldn’t ask her why she’d changed her mind.
“Yeah? But don’t you think it takes time to get to know a person before you can fall in love with them? I mean, him?”
Was she talking about the Brannigan brothers? “That’s what I used to think. But now, after seeing the people around here and how they relate to each other, to their mates”—she felt odd, yet good, using the word, but Arizona didn’t seem to notice—“I’m not so sure. I’ve heard it’s very common in Fate for people to fall in love fast. Almost as though they know the minute they meet that they were fated for each other. Shoot. Who knows? Maybe that’s why the town’s called Fate.”
“Yeah. I know what you mean.”
“So are you saying you believe in love at first sight, too? Or am I the only romantic?”
“I’m like you. If you’d asked me before moving here, I would’ve said you were being silly. But now? I guess now I’m a believer.”
Again, she wanted to ask a question that might get turned back on her. “I’m a believer, too.”
“Maybe the old saying ‘to know me is to love me’ is true for most people, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. I don’t think you need to know a person inside and out before you can love them.”
What Arizona had said hit home. Was she falling in love with Curt, Dane, and Eric? A warm glow said she was. Yet the glow dissipated soon enough. Hadn’t the men she loved said they wanted her? If so, where the hell were they? Why weren’t they backing up their words with action?
“Listen, I should leave. I want to talk to more people about my company.”
She forced herself back to what Arizona was saying. “Oh, sure. No problem. I need to get back home and do, um, some housework.”
They both pulled out money to pay for their meals and set them on the table, each of them leaving a tip.
“Talk to you soon.” Arizona gave her smile. She started for the door then stopped, a strange expression taking away the smile. “Be safe, okay?”
Caught off-guard, Krystal had to ask. “Why’d you say that?” Did she know about Denny? Was the town’s gossip mill working overtime?
“You know what? I don’t really know.” Arizona frowned. “I just felt like I needed to say it.”
“Oh. Okay. I will. Thanks.”
“No problem. Check you soon.”
Krystal remained where she was, not eager to step out into the bright sunshine where anyone could see her. If Denny saw her, she’d have nowhere to hide. Yet hiding in the café was ridiculous.
Gathering her purse as well as her courage, she made her way cautiously toward the door. She checked the street again before shoving the door open.
* * * *
Curt slammed his hand against the stall, startling not only his cousins but Killer. “I can’t stand another day without seeing Krystal.”
Dane laid the shovel against the wall. “He’s right. I was thinking the same thing. Some asshole shows up from out of nowhere and says he’s staked his claim to her and we back off? What are we? Men or pussies?”
Thrilled to have Dane on his side, Curt looked to Eric, hoping to get the same response. “What about you?”
“We’ve already talked about this.” Eric dragged in a long breath, defying the casualness of his body posture. “We don’t take another man’s woman.”
> “Like hell we don’t.” Curt wouldn’t let Eric get away with giving up. “They’re not married and they don’t have kids.”
“We don’t know that.” Eric crossed his arms, the challenge apparent in the tensing of his body. “Truth is, we don’t know much about her.”
“I know enough,” added Curt. “I know she’s hot as hell. I know I feel good around her. I know she stirs something inside me that no other woman ever has. Fuck you, cuz, I know she’s the one. What I don’t know is why we haven’t taken her yet.”
“We also know that she worked in a strip club.”
Curt couldn’t believe Eric would bring up her past job as a reason not to have her. “So what? You’ve been to enough strip clubs. Are you telling me you’re looking down on her for that?”
“If you are,” interjected Dane, “then you’re a bigger asshole than that Denny character.”
“I can’t say the photo didn’t throw me.” Eric held up his hand, warding off a verbal attack. “Not because of where she worked, but how happy she seemed sitting on his lap.”
“It was her fucking job, man.” He had to change Eric’s thinking. Nothing would keep him from having Krystal as their mate. “You know how it is. She had to act like she was having a good time.”
“Listen to Curt, man. Just because he showed you a pic of her sitting on his lap doesn’t mean they had a relationship. Hell, you’re letting him mess with your head.”
“You’re taking that jerk’s word over hers.” Curt paused. “No, that’s not right. Not over hers because we haven’t talked to her about him or about the photo. It’s only fair and right that we do.”
He could see Eric consider what he’d said. His cousin’s hard expression relaxed.
“Maybe you’re right. It would be only fair.”
“Yeah. For that reason, and the fact that I don’t want to think about you jerking off in the shower anymore, we need to talk to her.” He grinned at Eric’s scowl. “I say we head into town right now and ask her. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“The worst? She says she really is in love with that guy.”
Curt couldn’t mistake the pain and fear he heard in Eric’s voice because he felt the same way.
* * * *
If they won’t come to me, then I’ll go to them.
The idea, at least, sounded good until she was driving up to the men’s home. Suddenly, the conviction to force them to tell her how they felt faded. She parked the car, but remained in her seat.
What am I doing? What if I demand they tell me how they feel and they say they’ve changed their minds? That they were only saying they wanted me because they were trying to get me into bed? If they’d wanted to see me, they could’ve come to me. Or at least called me.
“I am so stupid.” Obviously, they hadn’t meant what they’d said. Like the men who’d frequented the strip club, they’d been after one thing and only one thing. She gripped the steering wheel and reached for the key ready to turn the engine over and drive away.
“Hey, Krystal!”
She jerked her gaze up to find a grinning Curt striding toward her. Dane and Eric were close behind him.
Curt was next to her car just as she’d regained enough sense to actually turn the key. “Where are you going?”
“Home.” The engine roared to life.
“What for? You just got here.” Dane pulled the passenger side door of her little Fiat open and slid onto the seat. “Why would you come all the way out here and then turn around and leave?”
Because I don’t think you really want me. Because I’m afraid of telling you how I feel.
She resisted the urge to take in a breath, to smell his unique aroma. Harder still, she resisted the urge to put her hand on his hard thigh. If she did, she wouldn’t have the will power to keep from sliding her hand over to cover his crotch.
Is that a bulge in his jeans? Or is it just wishful thinking?
“I changed my mind. People can change their minds, you know. Plus, it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.” She bit the inside of her cheek to stop talking.
“Did you come out here to go riding?” Eric planted himself in front of her car, crossed his arms, and cocked his head to the side. “I’ll bet Killer will be happy to see you.”
She’d love to see the horse again and to feel his power between her legs. Her attention flicked to Curt, her gaze dropping to his crotch.
Talk about wanting to feel power between my legs.
“I’d love to go for a ride.”
“So Killer’s the only one you wanted to see?” asked a smug-looking Eric.
“That’s right.” If they pressed her, she’d swear she’d come to see the horse and not them. In other words, she’d lie her head off.
“Well, come on then. I just gave him a good brushing.” Curt pulled open her door and helped her out.
She hurried past the men acting as though touching them would set her on fire. In a sense, it would. “Is he in the same stall?”
“Sure thing.”
The horse was just as beautiful as she remembered. Even better, he seemed to recognize her and be happy that she’d come to see him. He nickered, pawed the ground, and stomped his way over to thrust his head over the top railing.
“I’m sorry, boy. I forgot to bring you any treats.” She’d been so full of steam about confronting the men that she hadn’t given one thought to Killer.
“It’s okay.” Curt eased up beside her. “I’m sure he’ll forgive you. This time.”
This time? As though there would be other times? The frustration of the past days hit her, dispelling any reservation she had. Once and for all, she had to know where they stood.
She spun around, making Curt step away and the other two men to come to a halt. “That does it.”
“What’s the problem, baby?” Eric started to reach out to her, but she shot him a look warning him not to. He lowered his arm fast.
“Yeah, sugar, you’re blindsiding us. What’s wrong?”
“Has that Denny guy been bothering you?”
She stared at Curt. Was he really concerned? Or was he trying to deflect her anger from them to Denny?
She stabbed a finger into Curt’s chest. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong. First you say you want me, telling me I’m going to be yours—whatever the hell that means—and then you disappear. What am I supposed to think? Did you mean what you said that day on the porch or were you just trying to get me to fuck you? If your neighbor hadn’t shown up when he did, what would have happened?”
“Damn, you sure can get riled up.”
She whirled to face Dane. “I sure can, can’t I? But I’ve got good reason. Are you three playing me? Tell me now or I’ll…I’ll…” She searched around her and found the end to her sentence. Grabbing the shovel, she held it up. “I’ll knock your brains out and then hack off your balls.”
“Slow down, boss. Give us a second and we’ll explain.”
She kept the shovel held up, ready to take a swing. “Go on. I’m listening, but not for long.”
“Don’t go swinging that thing until I’m finished talking, okay?”
“And you don’t go telling me what to do, Curt Walton. Just start talking.”
“We were idiots.”
What was he trying to do now? Win her sympathy by calling them idiots? “I don’t disagree, but go on and tell me how you know that.”
A small smile came and then promptly left when she lifted the shovel a little higher. “Here’s the thing.” Curt stopped then motioned toward Eric. “You explain it to her, man.”
Eric paused then took up where Curt had left off. “Okay, I will. I ran into that Denny guy on the street.”
Denny. God, how I hate that man.
“And?”
“And he showed me a photo of you sitting on his lap. It looked like you were working at a strip joint.”
They knew. But what exactly had Denny told them? She couldn’t confess to anything. Not yet. Firs
t, she’d find out what they knew. Then she’d do whatever she had to do. “And?”
“You looked really happy. Happy enough that I believed what he told me.”
She swallowed, suddenly wishing she’d never come out to the ranch to confront them. “And?”
“And he said you two were a thing. That you loved each other and that you’d run off after having one of your arguments. And that you’d get back together like you always do.”
Shit. She’d only thought she hated Denny as much as a person could. But she’d been wrong. She hated him even more now. She had to set them straight.
“Listen to me.” She checked each man, making sure their full attention was on her. “Denny and I were never a thing. We never even dated. He’s infatuated with me. That’s it. It’s not mutual. In fact, I detest the man.”
“That’s not what it looked like the other day. I saw you and Denny on the street.” Dane’s vulnerable expression died, replaced by a cold exterior. “You two seemed pretty cozy together. Like a couple in love.”
“You saw us?” She finally lowered the shovel and let it fall to the ground. “He grabbed my arm and made me walk with him. I didn’t want to, but I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Is that for real?” asked Eric, his eyes sparkling with amber flecks.
“Yeah. I knew Denny in Los Angeles.” She couldn’t admit to working at the club. Not yet. It was just too much for her to talk about even now. “Like I said, he’s infatuated with me. In fact, he says he’s in love with me and won’t leave until I say I’ll go with him.”
Eric and Dane moved closer. With Curt, they surrounded her, putting her back to the stall.
“So he’s still in town?” asked Eric.
The hard glitter in his eyes, the anger in his face decided her answer. She wouldn’t risk putting them in danger. Denny was capable of anything. “No. I told him to leave and he said he would. He’s long gone by now.”
“Are you sure?” asked Dane.
She hated to lie, but didn’t see any way out. “I’m sure. You would’ve known that if you’d gotten in touch with me.” She didn’t bother hiding the hurt in her tone.
