by Paige Warren
“I’m afraid I don’t have bubble bath,” he said.
“It’s okay. I ran out the other day. I’ll be fine without it.”
“We’ll run in to town tomorrow and pick some up for you, along with anything else you might need. We need to pick up some things at the grocery store anyway. It’s just pure luck that we have some things in the house to eat. We’ve spent most of our nights at the diner or at The Spare Rib. Breakfast is about the only meal we’ve eaten at home most days, and we’ve kept sandwich stuff on hand for lunches.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to have breakfast at the diner the other morning. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have met.”
He smiled. “I’m glad, too.”
Beck turned off the water and helped Elodie into the tub. She sank down until the water lapped at her breasts, then leaned back and rested her head against the back of the tub.
“This feels so good.”
“I’m glad. You stay here as long as you want. I think we have some steaks left in the freezer. I’m going to defrost them and get dinner going. Beau will be in before long.”
“Just give me a few minutes and I’ll come down and help you.”
“No, baby. You stay up here and relax. I don’t want you worrying about dinner or anything else right now.”
She sighed. “All right. I’ll let you pamper me, for now.”
With a smile, Beck left her in peace. If he’d thought about it, he’d have cut the lights and lit some candles. He had some scented ones stashed in a box in his closet. His ex-girlfriend had bought them, but he’d never used them with her, or anyone else. He’d never felt overly romantic, until now.
Hurrying into his room, he stripped out of jeans and donned a fresh pair before heading downstairs to cook.
* * * *
Beau used his forearm to wipe the sweat out of his eyes. The stalls were clean, the horses fed and watered. All he wanted now was a shower and a change of clothes. Dinner sounded pretty good, too. He figured his brother would have something ready by now. At least, he hoped it was Beck who was cooking. Elodie had no business trying to take care of them right now. He grinned. Unless it was in the bedroom. She could take care of him there any time she wanted. Just the thought of her lying in bed, waiting for him, had him hard.
Pulling his shirt over his head, he used it to wipe the sweat from his neck and chest. He really should have pulled it off a half hour ago to cool down, but he hadn’t wanted to stop for even a second, wanting to get done so he could return to Elodie. He had no doubt his brother had tried to get in her pants by now and he wondered if Beck had succeeded. Not that it bothered him if he had. It wasn’t like Beau had tattooed his name on her or anything. In fact, the thought of sharing her with his brother really turned him on. He couldn’t think of anything hotter than watching Beck fuck her. That was definitely something they’d have to explore, and soon.
He made his way to the house, stopping at the foot of the porch and kicking the horse shit off his boots. Beau toed them off and set them beside the door before stepping into the kitchen. The smell of tomato sauce hit his nose and he saw his brother stirring something in a big pot. He’d thought they were having steaks, but it looked like that hadn’t worked out.
Beck looked over his shoulder at him. “Steaks weren’t sealed well and had freezer burn. We’re stuck with spaghetti. Hope Elodie likes sauce from a jar.”
“After what she’s been eating the past week or so, I’m sure it will be fine with her. Where is she, anyway?”
“Upstairs. I convinced her to soak in the tub for a bit. Thought it might do her some good.”
Beau grinned. “And did she have a good reason to get cleaned up?”
“You mean aside from you getting her dirty earlier?” Beck snorted. “My dick didn’t get anywhere near her, but we did play around some. She found your porn collection.”
Beau’s grin widened. “You lucky son-of-a-bitch. You watched porn with her?”
“Yeah, it was her first time.” Beck’s lips twitched. “I think it had a lasting impression on her.”
“Did she tell you she’d never been with a man before?”
The spoon clattered on top of the stove. “The hell you say! You took her virginity?”
“Not exactly. I mean, yeah, I was the first guy she’d ever been with, but she’d been using a vibrator for a while.”
“You must have done something really right for to her let me play around earlier.”
Beau smiled. “Was there ever any doubt?”
“Jackass.”
“I’m gonna go grab a shower. I smell like horse shit.”
“Yeah, that definitely won’t endear you to Elodie. She’s soaking in my tub so the hall bath is free.”
Beau nodded and headed for the stairs. When he reached the top, it was just too damn tempting to go check on Elodie and sneak a peek at all that lovely naked skin. He crept into Beck’s room and peered around the bathroom door. She had her left arm braced on the side of the tub, her shoulder out of the water. With her head tipped back and her eyes closed, she soaked in the water. Beau licked his lips as he looked at her hard nipples and he moved further into the room.
He dipped his fingers in the water and winced when he felt the chill. Obviously she’d been soaking for a while if the water had gotten so cold. Not wanting to startle her, he gentle stroked her cheek, watching as her eyes fluttered open. She looked disoriented at first, but smiled once she focused on him.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi, yourself. I think it’s time to get out of the tub, princess. That water is a bit on the chilly side.”
She pushed herself up, rocking forward onto her knees then stood. Water cascaded off her body and Beau groaned, wanting nothing more than to lick every drop off her. He grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her as she stepped out onto the bathmat. He drained the water in the tub and fought the urge to reach for her.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he said.
“No one thought so until your brother and you came along.”
“Then they were blind fools. I want so badly to hold you.”
She took a step toward him, but he held up a hand. “Honey, I’ve been cleaning out the barn and you’re all nice and clean. I need a shower before you get anywhere near me.”
“If it weren’t for my shoulder, I’d get in with you.”
“Now there’s a tempting idea. We’ll save it for later. Have to have something to look forward to, right? Besides, I hear Beck and you had a little fun not too long ago. We don’t want you to get sore from too much exercise today.”
Her cheeks flushed.
“Why don’t you get dressed while I clean up and we’ll head down to dinner? Beck is making spaghetti, hope that’s okay.”
“It sounds great.”
“Beck was worried you wouldn’t like the sauce, since it’s just the store bought kind you get in a jar. Our mom never really taught us much about home cooking. We know how to grill steaks, bake potatoes, fix spaghetti and heat up frozen stuff, but that’s about the extent of our culinary genius.”
She smiled. “Well, we can’t have the two of you starving like that. If you’ll give me a little free rein at the store, I can fix fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuits tomorrow night. Maybe a meatloaf the following night?”
Beau groaned. “Honey, that sounds like heaven. You’ll have us fat as little pigs in no time.”
Elodie laughed. “Beau, you couldn’t get fat if you tried. I’ve been up close and personal with all of those muscles of yours. It would take more than a few home cooked meals to change those ripples to blubber.”
He flexed for her and she ran a finger over his bulging bicep. “Is it bad that I can’t wait to feel your arms around me again?”
“Only if it’s bad that I can’t wait to be inside you again,” he replied. “I’ve thought of little else this afternoon. My dick’s been so hard it was damn near painful to bend over and scoop horse shit.”
“If you don’t stop saying things like that, I’m going to tear those jeans off you and tackle you to the floor.”
He grinned. “I’m going, sweet thing. You might want to go downstairs before me. I have a feeling I’ll be in the shower a while.” He waved a hand at his cock. “I have to do something about this monster before I can put on another pair of jeans.”
She flushed and smiled at him as he backed out of the room. Damn but she was pretty when she did that. He wasn’t lying either; he was definitely going to have to give his cock a little attention. You’d think fucking Elodie twice would be enough, but no, his dick had other ideas. It wanted the sweet woman again. And again. And again. Hell, he didn’t know if there was such a thing as enough when it came to Elodie. He could probably have her six times a day, every day, and he’d still be hard.
He pushed the bathroom door closed and stripped out of his clothes before starting the shower. If he thought cold water would get rid of his raging hard-on, he’d take the iciest shower in the history of showers, but he knew that wasn’t going to work. Instead, he cranked the hot water until steam billowed out of the shower stall. He stepped in and hissed in a breath as the hot spray hit his skin. Beau scrubbed his hair and body, getting rid of the sweat and grime of working in the stables before taking his dick in hand.
He’d masturbated more times than he could count since moving to Grizzly Pines, but as he stroked his cock, it just didn’t feel as good as it normally did. He gripped his cock tighter and played with his balls as he jerked his hand up and down the shaft, but there was no relief in sight. It seemed his dick wanted Elodie and only she would do. He’d never had this problem before and was a little pissed that it was happening to him now. A man should never be so hung up on a woman that he couldn’t jerk off. They’d just met for Christ’s sake.
Resting his head against the shower wall, he sighed. Yeah, they’d just met, but he had to admit that Elodie was one hell of a woman. There wasn’t another like her in all the world. And he should know, considering how many women he’d been with, and he’d been with all types, from prissy librarians to nymphomaniacs who begged to have their asses spanked. Elodie seemed to fall somewhere between the two. She wasn’t overly reserved like he’d first thought her to be, but he didn’t think she would be into BDSM, either. Of course, he’d never know if he didn’t ask. Worst case, she’d think he was a freak and tell him no.
He jerked on his cock a few more times and then gave up. He’d just have to confine his dick as best he could. Dinner was going to be decidedly uncomfortable. If Elodie wasn’t so new to sex, he’d make her dessert, but that wouldn’t be fair to her. Not tonight anyway. Now tomorrow, tomorrow, all bets were off.
Chapter Five
Sunlight filtered through the window, as Elodie looked out over the rolling fields of the Circle B ranch. Beck sat beside her, acting as her chauffer for the day, or more accurately, he was allowing her to tag along. Beau had opted to stay behind and take care of the ranch, claiming a never ending list of chores. She’d been a little disappointed, but at the same time it gave her a chance to spend more time with Beck.
The truck bumped along the dirt drive before he turned sharply onto the black paved road into town, the front tire spitting gravel as it dipped into a pothole. The movement jostled Elodie’s shoulder and she winced, but tried to hide the grimace from Beck. She knew he would feel responsible, even if he hadn’t been the one to pave the local roadways.
Whatever was she going to do with him? Beck, ever the gallant knight, had talked her into this trip, deeming it necessary for her to have some button up shirts so she wouldn’t hurt her shoulder getting in and out of her clothes, so the first stop was the general store on Main Street. If they didn’t have what she wanted, then she didn’t need it. Beck had tried to talk her into going to Halston’s Western Wear, but she knew everything in there would be pricey, at least compared to what she was used to paying for clothes. She’d never paid more than ten dollars for a shirt in her life, and she wasn’t about to start now.
He’d insisted on treating her to lunch while they were in town and had asked if she wanted to eat at the diner. At first, she’d thought to decline his kind offer, but then she changed her mind. There was no reason she couldn’t sit in the diner and enjoy a good meal. No, she didn’t want to line Elliot’s pockets, but she wasn’t one to hold a grudge, either. Besides, it might be nice to be a paying customer for once.
Beck pulled into a parking space in the middle of Main Street and shut off the engine. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel before turning to face her. She couldn’t read the expression in his eyes and it worried her. He seemed reserved, more so than what seemed to be the norm for him. As much as she wanted to ask what was wrong, she decided to bide her time and allow him to speak his mind when he was ready.
“It’s not going to go unnoticed that you’re in town with me, that I brought you here; and people are going to comment on Beau being with you when you picked up your check yesterday,” he said after a moment.
“What are you trying to say, Beck?”
“I know your reputation in this town isn’t the best, and we’re outsiders, an unknown around here. I just want you to be prepared if there are any snide remarks or nasty rumors spreading. Regardless of what’s said, hold your head up and ignore them. It’s not easy for me to hold onto my temper, especially if you’re being maligned, but I’m going to damn well try.”
Oh, how sweet! He was worried about her. Well, he’d been worried about her from the beginning, but he was worried about how people saw her and that they might hurt her feelings. It just endeared him to her even more. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be head over heels for him. She had a feeling she was already on the way there. He’d pretty much had her the moment he’d smiled at her, same with Beau. How did that song go? “You Had Me From Hello.” Yeah, that pretty much summed it up.
He popped her seatbelt before easing out of the truck. “You wait right there.”
She watched him move around the front of the truck, smiling a little at his swagger. There was nothing hotter than a cowboy in tight Wranglers and boots. His black Stetson cast his face into shadow, but the sun’s rays caressed the thick growth of whiskers on his chin. She’d teased him that morning about his lack of shaving. It hadn’t gotten past her that he’d left his razor in the bathroom she was using. All he had to do was go in and retrieve it, but for whatever reason the man had opted to get a little fuzzy instead. Admittedly, fuzzy looked damn sexy on him.
Beck opened her door and assisted her out of the truck. With an arm around her waist, he closed the door, set the alarm and guided her up onto the sidewalk. Elodie tucked her hand into his back pocket, unable to resist the urge. She’d wondered if his ass was as tight as it looked, and now she knew. Yep, you could bounce a quarter off it! Giving it a squeeze, she looked up at him through her lashes and smiled.
“Tease.” His lips twitched and mirth flashed in his eyes.
Movement down the walkway drew her attention and her eyes widened when she saw Sheriff Crawford bearing down on them, his jaw set in grim determination. He drew to a stop in front of them and narrowed his eyes at Elodie.
“Miss Mitchell, as I’m sure you’re aware, your case is an on-going investigation. Which means I need to know how to reach you at all times. When were you going to tell me you weren’t working at the diner anymore? Or that you’d shacked up with the Davidson brothers?”
Davidson. So that was their last name! Elodie fought back the blush rising to her cheeks. It wasn’t like her to be intimate with someone without really knowing them, but things just felt right between the brothers and her, so she’d just jumped in with both feet. Not that she regretted it.
“I was going to stop by your office while we were in town today, Sheriff Crawford.” She met his gaze head on.
“I stopped by the diner last night to tell you someone saw your car just outside of town at a gas station. Funny thing though. When
the car pulled out of the station, it wasn’t heading away from town. It was coming back to town. Now what business would Casey have in town after shooting a woman?” the sheriff asked.
“You know he doesn’t fear the law. Let’s face it, his daddy will get the judge to dismiss any charges and he’ll be free by morning, if not sooner. There’s no reason for him to stay away.”
Beck frowned. “Wait, he had to leave town for a reason. I’m thinking his return isn’t a cause for celebration.”
“I’m going to agree with Mr. Davidson on this one. Whatever Casey’s reason for returning, when he finds out you’re still alive, he isn’t going to be happy. A dead woman in an alley can’t say anything, but a live one…well, you can cause some trouble for him. I doubt a judge is going to look the other way when it comes to attempted murder.” The sheriff tipped his hat back. “I think you should be extra vigilant until I know for certain he’s left town again. I’ll call out to the ranch when I know something.”
Beck extended his hand. “Thanks, Sheriff.”
Sheriff Crawford clasped the proffered hand and gave it a shake. “I’ll be in touch. You might want to cut your trip to town short today. Just to be safe.”
Elodie watched the sheriff saunter down the walkway. “He seems really worried about Casey. The guy’s a criminal, sure, but he’s never caused any real harm before.”
“You mean before he shot you?” Beck asked.
“I’d like to say he didn’t mean it, but he had that gun in his possession for a reason. If he hadn’t intended to use it, he wouldn’t have pulled it out. I think if I hadn’t argued with him about the car he would’ve just let me walk away.”
Beck pressed a kiss to her temple. “We’ll never know, baby. I can tell you one thing, though, I’m going to take the sheriff’s advice and get you out of town as quick as I can. So let’s wrap up our errands, grab a quick bite and head home. I’ll feel safer when I have you on the ranch. At least there, we’ll have the dogs as an alarm if someone’s creeping around.”
