by Sosie Frost
With no other option, I snuck from the house and ducked into the woods at the far side of the property, following a fresh path worn through the mud by Quint’s four-wheeler.
My brothers’ cruelty extended beyond the feud. Beyond fighting. Beyond childhood pranks and accidental vandalism.
Duke and Marquis were out for blood, and they planned to take the only thing the Paynes had right now.
The farm.
Each other.
And by destroying them, we would lose ourselves.
My shoes sank into the deep mud, and I yanked hard to dislodge my heels from the sticky pit. I lurched. Got stuck. Tried again. Managed to make it only a few feet before trapping myself in a pile of mud surrounded by deep puddles. Fortunately, the sky had darkened, and I was far enough from the house that any clandestine meeting would go unnoticed.
I was no stranger to humiliating myself in front of Quint. But this time was different.
What the hell would he think of me now? Of my family?
How was I supposed to tell him what my brothers had planned?
The mud crept over my ankles. I texted him, my hands unsteady as I nearly toppled into the underbrush.
I need you. Meet me in the woods behind my house. Now.
My screen flashed within seconds.
Little early for a booty call.
I instantly regretted the text.
Of course he’d make this about sex.
It’s an emergency.
I added a frowny emoji. Or, at least, I thought I had. I squinted.
A winky face? Really?
Quint responded immediately.
You must want me bad.
This man treated texts like he was Bruce Wayne answering the Batsignal—every message was thrilling, mysterious, and would invariably end up with someone wearing skin-tight leather in the middle of the night.
Are you coming or not? I asked.
I got a rule – I don’t come until you do first. Just a professional courtesy.
I huffed. I’m serious.
Do you doubt my generosity?
Unbelievable. My patience had worn out at dinner. Last thing I needed was Quint acting like a fool too.
A mosquito buzzed around my head, and I smacked it away, accidentally fumbling over the screen. I was in too much of a hurry to worry about misspelling the word smart, but I’d sent the message before checking what AutoCorrect thought I’d intended.
Just get your sexy ass over here.
Shoot.
His response came quick. I like a girl who takes charge.
Somehow, he’d found a Tiger emoji and sent a dozen in record time.
Good God. As long as it got him moving, he could believe what he wanted.
With the promise of a booty call, it took only a few minutes before the rumble of a four-wheeler echoed through the woods. The mud-speckled quad burst from the trees, tearing up the rocks, roots, and grasses to speed to my aid.
I always thought that one day I’d suddenly “get over” my crush on Quint and find myself a suitable man. A doctor from money with an intelligent sort of smile, matching astigmatism, and a huge student aid package.
Boy, was I wrong.
A rough-and-tumble sort of man was the only fantasy that kept me up at night.
The quad delivered Quint but had splattered him with dirt. He hopped off the back of the four-wheeler and onto the murky path, his work boots sinking into the mire. Hard worn jeans clung to his muscular legs, and a black T-shirt stretched hot over his broad shoulders. He shook his hair, shaking loose bits of leaves and twigs.
His wolfish grin came so easily within the dark woods. This man was at home in the outdoors. Probably belonged there too, dog that he was.
But damn it if he didn’t look good.
He teased me with a wink. “I knew you couldn’t stay away.”
If only he knew how hard I’d tried. “We need to talk.”
Quint edged closer, his steps unhindered by the mud. “I’m sure that’s what a nice girl like you has to say. But it’s just you and me, Ladybug. No reason to play coy.”
“No. I legit need to talk to you.”
His disappointment practically shadowed the woods. “You can do much better with those lips.”
Probably. I wasn’t brave enough to imagine that yet.
“I had to meet you alone,” I said.
“Oh, we’re plenty alone out here in the deep, dark woods.” His words threatened pure temptation. I was only a quarter-mile from the house, but God only knew what a man like Quint could do with such isolation. “You know how many terrible things can happen to you out here?”
I nodded. “Even more terrible things can happen on your farm.”
That gorgeous smile was reason enough to ruin a perfectly good pair of shoes in the dank and dirty muck.
“Never imagined a girl like you would want a romp in the hay,” he said. “But I can take you to the barn if you want.”
He didn’t give me a chance to explain. Quint grabbed me around the waist and tugged me tight. I flattened against his chest, my hands pressed hard on his shirt and the heated pecs beneath. So close I could feel his heart beating as quickly as mine.
But just as I fluttered my eyes closed, Quint hoisted me out of the mud and deposited me on the firm, grassy ground.
“Better?” he asked.
Not. At. All.
Sure, I was free, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t captured every other part of my heart, soul, endless fantasies…
His shadow chased me through the dark. My back brushed against a tree, pinned between the thick oak trunk and this man’s pulsing, lean body. I stared up at him, my lips already parting, breath lost.
“Why are you so desperate to meet me tonight?” His heat enveloped me in thick, suffocating bliss. “Or should I figure it out on my own?”
His fingers tipped my chin up, and my eyes closed. The hot, wicked brush of his lips against mine cast shivers over my weakening body. My knees buckled. My hands scraped the rough bark of the tree. And his teasing, nibbling kiss stole every ounce of inhibition from me.
If he wanted me, I was his.
If he demanded anything, I would’ve done it.
If he promised me everything, I would’ve taken it.
But the guilt slammed into me harder than the kiss. I pulled away, my whisper trembling into the night.
“Duke and Marquis are going to offer to buy the farm.” I closed my eyes. “And if your family doesn’t agree to the sale, they’ll sue the Paynes for the fire in the market.”
Not a lot of things could cripple this man’s libido.
That secret was effective.
Quint staggered backwards, his voice hoarse. “The fuck are you talking about?”
Cool air cascaded over my flushed body. I had finally earned his perfect, heart-stopping kiss, but fate yanked it away. I nearly crumbled to the ground.
“My brothers talked about it at dinner tonight,” I said. “They’re going to approach Julian soon.”
Quint rarely lost his temper, but this complication unsettled him. He ran a hand through his hair, twice. His words sharpened.
“That’s not how this works. The farm was left to the whole family, equal shares. Julian and I are the only ones working in the fields, but the land belongs to all of us. We had a chance to sell it over a year ago, but we worked through it. The whole family is committed to the farm now. No one is going to leave.”
I hated to be the one to hurt him. “Then my family is going to sue, and they’re going to take it anyway.”
“Jesus Christ.”
Quint swore. It was hard enough to make this man sit still for any serious conversation, let alone one that promised absolute heartache. He paced, kicking through the mud as it dared to slow his steps.
“If we don’t stop this feud now, everything will be ruined,” I said. “You have no idea what happened at dinner.”
He snorted. “Yeah. Your family tried to destroy mine.”
“Even worse. We destroyed ourselves. My sisters were absolutely livid. When they heard that Duke and Marquis expected them to help pay for the cost of the farm, they lost their minds. If my brothers go through with this, my sisters aren’t just leaving Butterpond, they’re leaving the family. We’ll all fall apart.”
Quint quieted. “And my family just started getting along. It’s taken years, but everyone’s happy. I can’t let anyone take that away.”
“We don’t have a choice. We have to end this feud.”
Despite the circumstances, Quint smirked. “Sounds like you want to be partners again.”
“If you’ll take me back.”
“I’ll be any sort of partner you want. Name your price.”
“More like picking my poison.”
“Too bad we don’t have time for foreplay,” he said. “Aren’t you leaving for Europe soon?”
I’d already completed the online check-in for my flight. I sighed.
“How can I leave now?” I asked. “I’ve never seen my family so angry with each other. And not just about dinner tonight, but all the time. Duchess and Duke are at each other’s throats. Contessa and Regent back her up, but Marquis stirs up more trouble. It’s like my brothers have no idea the damage they’re causing, and my sisters are so desperate to start their bakery that they're forgetting what they have right here in Butterpond.”
Quint nodded. “What are you gonna do?”
I didn’t really know. “I can shave some time off of my trip. Rearrange some dates. It would only mean a little delay, I’m sure. Once everyone realizes how crazy they’re acting, I can hop on another flight to Paris and start my grand adventure in a week or two.”
“Face it,” he grinned. “You don’t actually want to leave Butterpond.”
He couldn’t have been more wrong.
“I need to get the hell out of here for more reasons than you could understand,” I said. “But the last thing I want to do is leave everybody behind miserable and angry.”
His glance fell over me with a newfound appreciation. “How the hell can you be this sweet and a Barlow at the same time?”
“I’m special that way.”
“You’re telling me.”
My stomach twisted. The tree did a decent job offering me support, but it was time to grow my own backbone and face the feelings I’d been trying to deny.
I owed him an apology, an explanation, and probably the truth.
But how much was I willing to give?
All of it?
All of me?
I wanted this man just as badly as I wanted to forget him. But that did nothing for a girl’s psyche, heart, or panties.
“There really is something else I should talk to you about,” I said. “Something that might explain why I acted the way I did at the church.”
This drew him closer, and those dimples reemerged. “Don’t worry about it, Lady. I already figured it out.”
A flash of warmth flooded my body.
Was it relief? Fear? An aneurysm?
“You did?” I asked.
He laughed. “Why do you think I’m trying so hard? I’m dying here, Lady. I’ve never struck out this bad in my life.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“It’s exactly what I think,” he said. “You’re a good girl. And I know you’re out of my league.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’re off limits. Hurts my pride a bit, but I’m grateful you let me down gently.”
“I—?”
“You’re a Barlow girl. I’m a Payne boy. It’s fun to flirt, but I know where I stand. Right now, I’m just glad I get to spend some time with you.”
My smile nearly revealed everything. “You like being around me?”
“I’d like to do more, but I’m not that lucky.”
“What if you don’t need to be lucky, just persistent?”
He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I’m gonna let you in on a secret, Lady. I know I chase a lot of girls, but I don’t have many girlfriends. I mean, friends who are girls.”
“Why not?”
“Because I sleep with too many of them.”
I awkwardly laughed. “And you can’t be friends with them after that?”
“Christ, you really are a virgin.”
I ignored the implication. “Are you serious?”
“Of course. It’s why I don’t stick around in the mornings.”
“You’re a real charmer, Quint Payne.”
“Why fix it if it ain’t broken?” He grinned. “Besides, the girls that I take home don’t care about anything real. We don’t talk family and futures and dreams. We just fuck, and it works out perfectly. The simplest human interaction is one that doesn’t take words.” He quieted, and he simply gestured towards me. “And then there’s you.”
I straightened, biting my lip. “What about me?”
“And then there’s a girl like you. One who won’t open her damned legs but promises to help me out in other ways. Never had that before.” He stared into the woods, avoiding my gaze. “It’s like…I can trust you. You know that it’s not just about our families. It’s everyone’s happiness, everybody’s future, the entire town on the line. And it feels like we're in this together.”
“We are,” I said. “I’ll do anything I can to help.”
“Then I know better than to chase a girl like you.”
I bit my lip. “It’s not that, Quint. You don’t understand.”
“Believe me, I should just go for it with you,” He said. “If you gave me the chance, I could do things to your body your innocent mind couldn’t even imagine.”
A shiver teased through me. “I’ve done a lot of imagining. Believe me.”
“Better to do than imagine.”
“I agree.”
“Better to feel it for yourself than wonder for the rest of your life.”
My breath tangled in my chest. “I’ve always been curious.”
“Nothing like the real thing,” he said.
“Nothing like you?”
“I’ve had no complaints.” He shifted closer. “But I bet a girl like you could teach me some things too.”
A new heat coursed through my body. “Like what?”
“Like to take it slow.” His mischievous eyes flashed with promise. “To enjoy what I’ve been given. To consume all those delicate, perfect areas that no one has tasted before.”
“There’s quite a few,” I whispered.
“Saving it for someone special?”
I could barely nod. “Always.”
His expression twisted with frustration. “Then what sort of man would I be if I took advantage of that?”
“A lucky one.”
He snorted. “I’d be even more of a sleaze. Can’t do that to you, Lady.”
“Won’t know until you try.”
“I already know what would happen.” He set his jaw, though his fingers gently brushed my cheek. “I’d ruin everything. Any shot we had at fixing these problems.”
“Good thing I can multi-task.”
“I can’t.” His smile enthralled me. “I’ve got a one-track mind, and you’d be my only obsession. Your lips. Your body. Your warmth. But…both of our families are making the worst mistakes of their lives. I can’t ruin this opportunity by blowing your mind with a night of toe curling, soul rending, body quivering sex.”
And, just like that, a lifetime’s worth of fantasies, dreams, and sinful desires absolutely shattered.
“Yeah…” I nibbled on my lip. “Who needs sex when we could have a partnership instead.”
“Nice and platonic.”
“Absolutely no funny business.”
Quint stared at me, his voice hoarse and hungry. “No touching.”
“No kissing.”
He moved closer, his body towering over mine. “No stripping.”
Every part of me trembled. “No embracing.”
“No pleasure
.”
“No surrender.”
He pinned me against a tree, his arms at my side. Our bodies nearly touched, desperate and eager.
“No taking you in every way, burying myself inside you. No holding you tight as you come again and again on my cock, begging me for more as I burst inside you.”
I’d never heard such words in my life, and I hated even more that I was forced to deny myself his delicious promises for something bigger, greater than both of us.
“No, none of that.” I swallowed the bitterness from my voice, desperately resisting the urge to grind as his body pressed hard against mine. “Who needs sex when we can both just be…”
His forehead pressed against mine. We both sweated. Twisted. Ached.
Quint sucked in a frustrated breath.
“Who needs sex when we can just be friends.”
6
Lady
The easiest way to fall into love with a man was to just be friends.
Friendship was the dumbest rule imaginable. It benefited no one, tormented us with thoughts of what could be, and denied everything we desired.
It was, without a doubt, the stupidest decision I’d made since returning to Butterpond, and that had included attempting to eat a coronary cheeseburger from Lou’s.
I’d invited Quint over to the guesthouse late at night, hoping that, under cover of darkness, we could keep our eyes on the prize and hands not on each other. After the disaster with the knitting clubs, we couldn’t take any chances with uniting our families. That meant a real plan. One that included books, dry erase boards, note cards, and every highlighter I’d packed away for college.
The level of detail quickly overwhelmed Quint, especially when I told him that only birds were allowed to wing anything. But I’d prepared for his resistance. I bribed him with dinner. Grilled chicken. Roasted broccoli. Sugar-free cookies for dessert, specifically baked so Quint wouldn’t need to worry about balancing healthy choices and manageable blood sugar.
And what did I get for my efforts?
Torture.
Awkward conversation over dinner as we struggled to talk about anything except the sexy words that were whispered in the woods. Delighted shivers as I sat next to him on the couch, our knees touching, hands brushing, bodies so close every time we moved I could even smell the man.
