Gage, Ronna - The Search is Over (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Ronna Gage

  “Where’s my coffee? Where’s breakfast?” Roy demanded.

  Minerva looked over her shoulder at the coffeepot. “It’s over there on the counter. I’m not your servant.”

  Roy jerked up out of his chair like a shot. He looked at Jesse. “If this isn’t the damnest thing. Two goddamn women live here and both of them think they are above catering to the men of the house.”

  Jesse bobbed his eyebrows but said nothing.

  This will be easier than I thought. “Excuse me, fucker.” Roy stopped in his tracks and looked at Minerva in surprise. “I’m not your maid, you are not my boss, and I am not your wife. Get your own fucking coffee.”

  Jesse snickered.

  She turned to look at him. “Jesse, starting tomorrow, you will be covering the day shift for the next two weeks.” Minerva expected a fight for such an abrupt change.

  “Why?”

  She looked at Roy and then at him. “I am considering making this your new shift except for weekends. I don’t want yours and Candi’s personal lives interfering with the bar’s business.”

  Jesse gave her a wry smile. “I have no problem with that.”

  “Good. It’s set then. Another thing. I think it’s time you went on with your plans to leave Texas and be done with it.”

  Jesse’s wide-eyed expression didn’t faze her one bit. “Dad said I could stay until September.”

  She looked at Roy, whose noisy return didn’t go unnoticed. “Oh, really. And, while you’re at it, you can take your father with you.”

  Roy glared at her. “What the fuck?”

  “You heard me. I don’t want you anymore. I’m tired of you badgering me, Roy,” she looked back at Jesse, “and I’m tired of you badgering Candi. For both of your information, she is a nice girl. She is working to put herself through school. You have done nothing but manipulate her and twist her guts around since you left her to be with that girl at your mom’s.”

  She stood up from the breakfast table. “Now, you have two weeks to get your shit together and leave.”

  “What is this about? You have some stud on the side?” Roy asked. His sarcasm grated on her last nerve.

  “As a matter of fact, I do. He’s a real cowboy who is interested in seeing me. He worships my body like a temple, and it’s the way I want it worshipped.” The very thought of him loving her caused goose bumps to break out over her body. She could feel his strong arms on her thighs, his tongue washing her pussy until she soaked his face, and his cock inside her, filling her every lonely need. Since that night she met Chad, she couldn’t stop smiling to herself. Love was in the air, and she was going to get some while she could.

  “He’s probably some drug addict looking for a way to make a few dollars to fuck someone who thinks she’s got money.” Roy laughed out loud.

  “May be, but even this addict is a better man than you’ll ever be.” She walked out the door, leaving Roy and Jesse in their fit of uproarious giggles.

  Minerva stepped into the driveway just as Rafe was getting out of his car.

  “I see you’ve been detailing your car again.”

  “Yes.”

  “You are so meticulous. I wonder if you will apply that same attention to all details in your life.”

  “What do you mean?” Rafe asked with a slight confusion to his gaze.

  “Okay, we’ll act dumb for now.” Leave it alone.

  Rafe smiled, but was quiet as he leaned against his car. A few seconds later he looked down at her. “Minerva, could you keep Candi busy Saturday afternoon?”

  “Lately, you two have been inseparable. What’s going on? You got a hot date?” she teased as she leaned on the fender of his car.

  “You could say that.”

  Minerva’s face was crestfallen. She turned to stare at him. Surely, what she was hearing was a mistake. “But I thought…”

  Jesse walked out of the house and didn’t look at or say one word to either of them. Suit yourself, daddy’s boy.

  “I’m going to the lake with those two chummy boys over there.” His chin pointed in the direction of Jesse and Jack who sat on the porch talking. “Suddenly, they want to hang out with me.”

  Minerva looked at Jesse. An uneasy feeling in her stomach built up immediately. “What do you make of that?”

  “I don’t know, but I don’t want Candi anywhere near it.”

  “I agree. She doesn’t need the interference right now.”

  Minerva’s big toe played with a small stone on the graveled driveway. “What’re you thinking?”

  Rafe didn’t hesitate giving her an answer. “I think it’s time Jesse realizes that he’s lost her and she isn’t going back to him. I also think it’s time he moves on to that Stephanie chick.”

  “Yeah, I thought so, too. I told him and Roy that they have two weeks to vacate.” Minerva looked at the door to her trailer, knowing Candi was inside studying before their shift at the bar. “I’ll schedule Candi to work all day on Saturday. She could use the overtime.” Minerva turned to face him. “I have to know something. Do you plan on hurting her?”

  “No. I don’t plan to hurt her. To do so would be hurting me. I love her.” Rafe finally admitted the reason for his feelings. “I think I’ve loved her since the first time I saw her.” The thought of that first time repeated in his memory, causing tenderness deep in his heart.

  “That night at the picnic tables?”

  “No, I used to sit and watch her hang out clothes everyday for two weeks before that night we actually met.”

  “Rafe Sines! I’m shocked. You never cease to amaze me.” Minerva gave him a light punch to his chest—right above his heart. “I’ll talk at you later.”

  A bout of laughter caught their attention. He turned to see the two chummy friends using sticks as swords. He looked on with interest as Jesse defended himself. He would return the attack, letting his guard down, only to be stuck in the chest with the stick. Rafe came to the most obvious conclusion. He looked at Minerva. “Jesse can’t fight for shit.”

  “Nope, never has been able to, either.”

  “I’ll talk to you later,” he said to Minerva.

  “Yep, and take care of that girl.”

  “With everything I have.”

  Minerva walked to the trailer door. She took one last look at Rafe. “I will hold you to that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “There’s no better way for men to bond than a day at the beach,” Jack announced, excitement oozing in his voice. He and Rafe placed the large cooler in the bed of the truck.

  Rafe envisioned him, Jack, and Jesse laughing it up at the beach. “Hell yeah. We have all we need. A cooler of beer and sunblock to last the whole day…”

  “And all day to do it!” Jesse interrupted.

  The three loaded Rafe’s F-150 truck with three lounge chairs and then took off to the lake. At ten o’clock, the sandy shore had a decent gathering of people. Rafe stepped out of the truck and looked around. Sunbathers lay around lathed with cocoa-butter-smelling oil. He looked at Jack and Jesse, who salivated at the array of women in bikinis, cutoff shorts, tube tops, and thongs.

  There’s enough eye candy to help a man go blind.

  “Now this is what I’m talking about,” Jesse commented.

  “I’ll get me some of that,” Jack agreed while he looked at a woman in a black bikini.

  Rafe chuckled. “Ya’ll are like two kids in a candy shop wowing about this treat or that one, but can’t decide which one to pick. Sheesh!”

  Jack looked at him with a confused look. “I can’t take samples of them all?”

  Rafe hung his head down, shook it, and chuckled more. “No.”

  “So which one do you want to sample?” Jack asked Rafe.

  Rafe looked around. “Not sure!” He looked to the sky and found some comfort in the collecting clouds. “At least those tiny clouds will block out the blaring heat if we stay out here all day.”

  “Well, let’s check out what’s on hand.”
Jack pointed in the direction of a brunette lying in a lounger reading a book. “How about that lady there? She seems to be educated, career motivated, and has ta-tas the size of melons.”

  Rafe laughed out loud at the comment. He eyed her for a second, acting like he considered the offer, and then it occurred to him that he may actually know her. “Samantha?”

  The woman looked in his direction. “Rafe!” She stood up and walked to the truck. “My goodness, it’s a small world.” She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “What brings you out here today?”

  “Nothing much. My friend, Jack,”—he pointed to him—“and I are showing our neighbor, Jesse, the sights.”

  Samantha looked from Jesse, to Jack, and then back to Rafe. “I see.”

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, more out of manners than real interest.

  “Studying mostly. I have a final on Wednesday, so I thought a nice day at the lake would be a change of pace.”

  He gave her a simple grin. Her smile grew larger. “Would you like water or a beer?”

  She looked at her watch. “It’s a little early for a beer, but I would love a rain check if that’s all right.”

  “Sure, I’m not going too far. Shout when you’re ready.”

  “I will. Hey, I’m going over to my chair and do some more reading. Come on over if you get bored.” She turned to Jack and Jesse. “It’s nice to meet you. Have fun.”

  The two chums watched her walk away. Jack looked back at him and bobbed his eyebrows in a knowing male gesture. “I think I’ll get a snack.”

  Rafe laughed.

  “Where did you meet her?” Jesse asked, salivating at the mouth.

  “She came into the shop with her car. A Mustang, I think.”

  “Dude, you have the pick of the litter out here,” Jesse shouted. “Why are you standing around here?”

  Rafe looked at him steadily and then took a drink of his cold beer. “Playing the game, dude.” He shrugged off the real reason. “The more you ignore them, the more they want you.”

  Jesse stood before Rafe with his arm across his chest. “Why don’t you stop the bullshit?”

  Jesse’s defiant stance ignited Rafe’s anger. “All right.” Rafe stood away from the truck. In one step, he stood face-to-face with Jesse. His chest bowed up, undeterred by Jesse’s size. “What do you want from Candi?”

  “Candi?” Jesse immediately went on the defensive. “I don’t want anything from her. I have a girlfriend in Ohio.”

  “Great. Then you won’t mind if she and I start dating.”

  Jesse tried to show indifference. “No, like I said, I have a girlfriend.”

  Rafe nodded. “I want to make it clear, to get it right. You have a girlfriend in another state?”

  The question obviously caught Jesse off guard by the way he shifted from one foot to the other. “Yes.”

  “You’re out here today to find a piece of ass to tide you over.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Jesse smiled wolfishly as he looked at Samantha. He licked his lips.

  Rafe lifted his sunglasses off his face and set them on his head. He looked Jesse in the eyes, and his expression went from inquisitive to serious. “Good. I think you need to leave Texas and head on to that Stephanie chick. If you come around Candi again and cause her any more confusion or pain, I will kick you so hard you’ll fall on your ass.” Rafe stood his place. He didn’t show a single gleam of jesting as he stared down his opponent.

  The boldfaced threat forced a wave of shock to widen Jesse’s eyes. He looked Rafe over once. “I won’t tolerate a little, wimpy-ass, cocksucker like you to make idle threats.”

  “What does the badass Marine not like? Having lessons taught to him?” Rafe asked his voice low.

  “I would like to see you try to kick me and knock me on my ass,” Jesse challenged.

  In one swift move, Rafe made a 360-degree circle in the air and kicked Jesse on the left cheek with his right foot, knocking him to the ground.

  * * * *

  In the distance, Jack watched his two friends square off. I’d like to be a fly on the wall and hear what those two were saying. He didn’t have to imagine what they were talking about. The body language spoke volumes to the level of intensity around them. Brawn against brains. Jesse did have the muscles, but what Rafe had that Jesse didn’t have was agility. Jack heard of his ability to twist his body to get out of a hold. As if Rafe read Jack’s mind, he made a roundhouse kick and connected one foot to his opponent’s face. Jack could feel the sting of the slap from where he stood.

  “Ahhhh, man!” Jack turned to the two girls he escorted back to his camp. “Ladies, would you give me a minute?”

  The two girls looked as Rafe stood over Jesse, and then with a white-toothed smile, they turned to Jack. Each girl kissed him on the cheek. “We’ll be waiting at the concession stand.”

  “I’ll be right there.” A soft giggle gave him the answer he anticipated. He watched the two girls walk away, their firm buttocks swaying with each step.

  I love the playground equipment at the lake.

  Turning to the two people he came with, he stalked over and pulled Jesse up onto his feet. A small trickle of blood oozed out of the corner of his mouth. He spit a big wad of it onto the ground. “I can’t leave you two alone for five minutes, can I?”

  “Just getting a few things straight.” Jesse looked at Rafe. “No hard feelings?”

  “None at all.” Rafe kept the harsh expression on his face and continued to stare Jesse down with a leveling glare. The tone of his voice whispered in grated anger. “Just as long as we have an understanding?”

  “Understood.” Jesse dug into the cooler and grabbed a beer. He popped the top. “Better you than me, that’s all I have to say.” He raised the opened beer to Rafe in submission and then took a long drink.

  “I’m not kidding, Jesse. I gave you a chance to come clean. If you said you still wanted her, I would’ve backed off.”

  Jack and Jesse looked back at him, surprised by his statement. “Are you going to give her to me now?” Jesse asked.

  Rafe shook his head. “No, you had that chance and told me you had a girlfriend. I made sure those were your true feelings. I still mean what I said. She’s mine now.”

  “Like I said, better you than me.”

  Jesse turned to Jack, wiped the beer from his swollen lip. “So, where have you been?”

  Jack eyed Rafe and Jesse carefully. Certain no more drama would erupt between them, he looked toward the snack shack. “See those two blondes in blue suits?” Jack pointed to the two girls that turned and waved at him.

  “Yes!” Jesse returned the wave.

  “Well, they want to play with our equipment,” Jack said, voicing his earlier thought. “They have a terrific swing set in back and a tunnel of love in front. Interested?”

  Jesse clapped his hands together in greedy anticipation. “Which attractions should I try first?”

  “Take the one on the left.” Jesse took a step and then turned back to Rafe. “You interested?”

  Rafe smiled but shook his head. “Did you forget? I’m sort of interested in someone else.” He sat in a lounge chair.

  Jack shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  “I am.”

  Rafe fished in the cooler until he found a beer.

  “You guys go on. I will be fine.” He looked at his watch. 10:30. “It’s going to be a long day.”

  Jack laughed. “Can’t wait to get back to your girl?”

  “Nope, you better go on, before I forget our friendship and leave your ass here.”

  “You won’t leave me here to fend for myself. What kind of roommate would that make you?”

  “One who has a girl waiting for him.”

  Jack had nothing else to say. He simply left Rafe alone and went in search of his own girl-for-the-day.

  * * * *

  “I talked to Jesse this afternoon,” Rafe announced when he met Candi at the door.

 
“And?” She scraped her bottom lip with her upper teeth.

  “He’s informed me that we have his blessing. He won’t bother you anymore.”

  Relieved of the stress, Candi threw herself into his arms. “What does that mean?”

  He set her away from him and looked into her eyes. “We are free to build on the exclusive relationship we started.”

  “You mean simple building blocks, greeting one another every day and showing interest in each other’s work.”

  “Okay, we can start there. I figured we could start today.”

  Candi didn’t understand. “Did you want to go out?”

  “Nope, I figure we could work on your homework.”

  “Oh, that would be awesome. You were so helpful to me the other day.” She paused. “I thought about that day just this morning and wanted your help again.”

  “Here I am! What do you need help with?”

  She handed him her anatomy homework. “This.”

  He looked at it. Reproductive System. “Honey, can’t you tell a boy from a girl?”

  She grinned and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Don’t go there.”

  He laughed. There seemed to be a lilt in his voice. Her stomach fluttered with excitement. “How about I cook something for us to eat?”

  He stepped closer. “Sounds good.” He swallowed hard. His Adam’s apple moved. “I’ll look this chapter over and make a few notes to the points of interest.”

  Her chin notched upward at this choice of words.

  “No pun intended,” he defended with a quiet laugh.

  “That’s better.

  After dinner, they sat and talked for hours. Studying the guide for her class, he applied the hints he learned in the military to make the connection from her class work to real life usage. They enjoyed one another’s company, happy to be free to date and not wonder about the possibility of hurting anyone else.

  Jesse walked into the door, interrupting their break. “Oh, how cozy.”

  Neither of them said anything. They watched Jesse pick up the phone, take it to the back room, and leave them in peace.

  “Has he harassed you since we got back from the lake?”