Shadow Maverick Ranch Box Set

by Parker Kincade

  The way Tammy had flirted to get his attention. At first, he’d found her cute and fun. Later, he’d realized she’d flirted too hard, had been too focused, as though she’d targeted him.

  The way she’d smiled on their wedding day, as though he was her knight-in-shining-armor. Her knight with a bank account, more like it.

  Staying in the bunkhouse, being close to his family, had kept him sane, connected. They’d surrounded him, kept him busy, refused to allow him to be swallowed up by anger and grief.

  There was no withdrawing within the Mathis clan. Even Gavin had called him from London every goddamned day to make sure he was doing okay. Pax was grateful, now that his anger had dissipated, but at the time those calls had pissed him off.

  Gavin had meant well, just as Clay had today. Couldn’t really fault them. Pax would do the same, if the situation were reversed. Family first. Always.

  Clay’d been right about one thing, he was tired. His energy to stay angry had been expended.

  “What’s going on in here?” Pax asked as he entered the kitchen, although it was obvious based on the bowls piled in the sink and the cooling cookies that seemed to cover every available surface.

  Erin pulled a baking sheet from the oven and his mouth watered. Chocolate chip, his favorite.

  “Cookies!” Amber squealed and scampered toward him, arms outstretched.

  Lauren was parked on a stool at the island and sitting next to her … it looked as if he wouldn’t need to ask Lauren for Reese’s number after all.

  Reese turned on her stool and Pax almost missed a step as her gaze went liquid, crystal blue glittering as bright as the lazy smile she wore.

  Damn, she looked good. Hair pulled back. Black, sleeveless top that hugged her breasts. Denim shorts that showed a delicious amount of her crossed legs. Sexy gold sandals with straps that wound around her ankles. He didn’t miss an inch as he took her in from her head to her sinfully red-painted toenails.

  Tearing his gaze away, he scooped up his two-year-old niece before she head-butted his kneecaps. “Cookies?” He pulled back and gave Amber a suspicious look as she squirmed in his arms. “Do we have a cookie thief around here? What happened to all the cookies we had last week?” He slid a glance to Reese. Her eyelids fluttered shut, a pretty flush darkened her cheeks.

  Tiny palms flattened against his cheeks, drawing his attention back to Amber’s grave expression. “All gone,” she informed him.

  Pax did his best to keep a straight face. “Then it’s a good thing you’re making more.” He kissed her cheek, then blew a raspberry on her neck, causing her to kick and cackle with glee. “Okay munchkin, now that you’re all covered in sweat and dirt, go sneak me one of those yummy cookies before your momma kicks me to the shower.” A quick kiss to her forehead, and he set the giggling child back on her feet.

  “Dang it, Pax. I should’ve kicked you to the shower before you picked up my child.” Erin scolded in a playful tone that lightened her words.

  “Quit complaining. We both know you’ll toss her in the tub before bedtime anyway.” He moved to the sink to wash his hands. He smiled at Lauren. “Being a rancher’s daughter and now a rancher’s wife, you’d think my sister would be more tolerant to dirt.”

  “Pax, you know Reese Jameson, don’t you?” Lauren asked as she pulled Amber onto her lap. “Gavin said the two of you went to high school together.”

  Pax decided to have a little fun. “Sure, I remember Reese.” He extended a clean, dry hand across the counter that separated them. “Paxton Mathis. You remember me, don’t you?”

  She slid her hand in his. So soft and warm. He’d thought about touching her all damned week, so he took advantage of the opportunity to do it now. His fingers wandered, his thumb brushing the back of her hand, his index finger grazing over her wrist to feel her pulse jump with the intimate caress.

  She didn’t seem to mind, and she returned his caresses with an arched brow. Oh, he liked a woman with sass. Good to know Reese’s was still intact.

  “Hmm. Your face is familiar. Paxton, huh? Did we have any classes together?”

  He barked a laugh, deep and sudden. It felt so good, he held onto the smile that followed. Just like that, his mood lightened, and the feeling of exhaustion that had plagued him since he’d left Midas at the barn washed clean away.

  “Okay,” Lauren said, eying them. “What’d I miss?”

  Reese dropped his hand. To stop himself from reaching for her again, he snatched a cookie instead. He threw Amber a wink, who giggled when he shoved the whole thing in his mouth.

  “We ran into each other last week when Reese was here,” Pax said around the food in his mouth, again delighting his niece. He swallowed. “Didn’t we, Reese?”

  Reese nodded. “We did. It’d been a long time since we’d seen each other though.”

  “How is it that I’ve never met you?” Erin asked.

  “Gavin hadn’t either,” Lauren added. “He said he’d heard Pax talk about you, though.”

  Reese’s head tilted to the side, a curious gesture that exposed her neck, and threatened to make him hard. “You talked about me?”

  Shit.

  “Easy, ladies,” Pax raised his palms in defense against the three sets of eyes pinned on him. “Erin, you and Gav were out of high school by the time Reese and I started hanging out. You didn’t know most of my friends.”

  Erin’s brow creased as she propped a hip against the counter. “That’s true, I suppose.” She curled her fist and chucked him on the arm. “Then again, you and Patrick spent so much time together, I guess I didn’t realize you had other friends.”

  Reese tensed. A slight tightening of her muscles he’d bet no one but him noticed. He hated that she’d blamed herself all these years. Hated even more his part in why she felt that way.

  “Who’s Patrick?” Lauren asked. “I haven’t met him, have I?”

  “No, he was killed in a riding accident.” Damn, he and Reese had talked about this. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her again, but she needed to understand he didn’t blame her, or himself.

  Lauren’s hand pressed against her chest. “Oh, no. I’m sorry.”

  Amber, sensing a serious adult conversation, wiggled from Lauren’s lap and scampered over to the pint-sized play kitchen Erin must have brought with them.

  Careful to keep his expression passive, he moved around the island and placed a gentle hand against the curve of Reese’s back. He liked that she didn’t jerk away, but instead, arched against his touch. A subtle move, meant only for him.

  Pax acknowledged Lauren’s sentiment with a quick nod. “It was a long time ago.” Warm affection filled his chest as he thought about his friend. “I’ve never seen a man more comfortable on a horse than he was on his own feet. That was Pat. We used to joke his butt came out of the womb saddle-shaped. Nothin’ he loved more than the freedom of being on horseback with room to ride.”

  He slipped his fingers under the hem of Reese’s shirt, using his body to shield the movement from wandering eyes.

  Reese tilted her head, looked up at him. “He would’ve ridden to school too, had they let him.”

  Atta girl. Stay with me. Remember the good times.

  He grinned down at her, trailing his thumb across her silken skin. “You know he would have.”

  He wanted to kiss her. Jerk her head back and crush his mouth to hers. Slowly peel her clothes from her body. Feel every inch of her against him, all warm and soft. There were so many things he wanted to do to her. With her.

  Things he couldn’t do with an audience.

  Lauren cleared her throat and slapped her hands against her thighs. “Hey, Gavin and I are going to Slick’s for a drink and some greasy bar food. I’ve managed to talk Jade into babysitting so Erin and Trevor can come too. How about you, Pax? You up for some family fun?”

  “You got Jade to babysit on a Friday night?” Pax shook his head and stepped away from Reese before he embarrassed both of them.

 
; “Don’t get excited,” Erin told him. “Amber is staying here tonight, so don’t be alarmed when she jumps on you at three in the morning and wants breakfast.” Her gaze darted to Amber and back, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t spoil this for me. I’m paying good money for a night alone with my husband.”

  “I’m getting paid?” He dodged the towel Erin snapped his way. “I’m in for a couple of beers. As for the other…” Pax stopped to ruffle Amber’s ebony curls. “Uncle Jared makes a much better trampoline than Uncle Pax, right squirt? We’ll be fine here all night, won’t we?”

  “Cookie!” Clearly, Amber had inherited his sweet tooth.

  He handed her a cookie and looked up to find Reese watching him, a strange glimmer in her eye.

  “What about you, Reese? Want to join us?” He remembered what Clay had told him about seeing her with someone and a knot formed in his throat that he cleared away. “If you don’t have other plans, that is.”

  Her gaze darted between him, Erin, and finally, Lauren, as though his invitation made her uncomfortable.

  “We’d love to have you join us, Reese,” Lauren assured her. “No wedding talk, though. I won’t have you working while the rest of us are having fun.”

  “You should come, Reese,” Erin chimed in. “You can tell us all the dirt you have on Pax.”

  “Oh no, you don’t,” he warned Reese with a mock glare. “No telling secrets, you hear me?”

  Reese’s husky laugh went straight to his groin. “Sounds like a challenge. In that case, I’d love to come.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

  Sexy little firecracker.

  Two can play that game.

  He leaned down and put his mouth against her ear. “Oh, you’ll come all right. I’ll make sure of it,” he whispered. He gave her a loud, friendly kiss on her cheek, unconcerned about what Erin and Lauren would make of the gesture.

  He straightened to find two sets of delicate brows raised, the question in Lauren’s expression as clear as the shock he saw in Erin’s.

  Let them wonder. This thing, whatever it was, between him and Reese wasn’t their business.

  “Guess I better get cleaned up.” Pax grabbed another cookie. Not the sweet morsel he wanted, but it would have to do.

  For now.

  * * *

  A low country tune mixed with the sound of boots shuffling against the scuffed wooden dance floor. The distinct click of pool balls ricocheting off one another could be heard from where they’d pushed tables together to accommodate their party of six. The smell of beer, beef, and grilled onions filled the air, making Reese’s stomach growl.

  Slick D’s, or Slick’s as the locals called it, hummed with the energy of the new weekend, but not so much that conversation was out of the question. Hardcore Friday-nighters were more apt to go to the larger saloons and nightclubs that dotted the landscape. Not this out-of-the-way, small-town, watering hole that catered to the local ranching community.

  Reese hadn’t been in this bar for years, and here she was, for the second time in a week.

  When Todd had called her last weekend and begged her to meet him for a drink, she’d relented. She’d ended their relationship several months ago, but he hadn’t been quick to accept her decision. She’d hoped a final face-to-face would do the trick. Let him see for himself the sincerity in her words when she told him, yet again, she wouldn’t be his wife. She’d assumed wrong. The man was as thick as a brick.

  If she’d had any doubts before—she hadn’t, but if she had—seeing Paxton again had proved she wouldn’t be Todd’s wife. If she’d loved Todd, she wouldn’t have jumped into bed with Pax. Not that they’d ever made it to an actual bed, but the point remained—Todd wasn’t the one. He deserved the opportunity to move on, just as she wanted to do.

  There was a small problem with the whole moving on scenario: in trying to get Paxton Mathis out of her system, she feared all she’d accomplished was to make his mark on her more permanent.

  And then, as though things couldn’t get any more complicated, Pax’s brother Clay had seen her and stopped by to say hello. In an openly possessive move, Todd had dropped an arm over her shoulder and tried to pull her close. Instead of throwing him off, she’d jumped to her feet to give Clay a hug, aware to her toes the look the two men had shared.

  What was it about male posturing, anyway? Who the hell were they, sizing each other up when she didn’t belong to either of them? She didn’t belong to anyone. Yet her heart had pounded as she wondered if Clay would mention seeing her to Pax. What would Pax think if he knew she’d been out with another man the night after they’d … hell’s bells. Could she make a bigger deal out of nothing? They weren’t kids anymore. Pax didn’t want anything from her. Of that, he’d been crystal clear. She needed to quit pretending last week meant anything to him.

  Her phone buzzed her pocket. She checked the screen.

  Todd.

  Jesus, couldn’t the man take a hint?

  “Hey beautiful, why the frown?”

  Pax’s baritone flowed like smooth honey down her spine. A shiver followed. His gaze darted to the hardening points of her nipples, and one side of his mouth twitched up.

  Reese didn’t try to hide her body’s response. She kind of enjoyed the idea of him knowing he’d turned her on. Maybe she’d even return the favor.

  She re-pocketed her phone. “I didn’t realize I was frowning.”

  “Everything okay?”

  She lowered her eyelids to half-mast, unwilling to let Todd, or the thought of Todd, ruin her night. “Everything is great.”

  Pax set a pitcher of beer on the table. Gavin followed suit, setting a full pitcher next to Pax’s, before sinking into the chair next to Lauren.

  Trevor had his fists full of icy mugs. “If you want something other than beer, we can order it when the waitress comes by to get our order. That okay?” He asked no one in particular as he started filling mugs.

  Pax relaxed into the chair next to her and leaned until their shoulders were touching. Lord, he smelled good. The cuffs of his dark blue button up were rolled back, exposing his heavily muscled forearms. She imagined peeling the shirt from his shoulders, watching every undulation as she discovered each muscle.

  “That was definitely a frown. What’cha thinkin’ about so hard?”

  “That giant burger I’m going to order,” she hedged, unwilling to share the intimate direction of her thoughts.

  Pax laughed and took a mug from Trevor and placed it in front of her. “Beer, okay? I can get you something else, if you’d rather have wine, or something with more zing.”

  His sudden uncertainty tugged at her heart.

  She laid her hand on his jean-clad thigh. “Beer is fine. Thank you.”

  Powerful muscles tightened under her palm. Pax jerked a nod. “Okay, then.” He leaned closer, his palm pressed into the back of her hand as he entwined their fingers. “And unless you are prepared to leave with me this minute, stop drawing those circles on my leg.”

  Chapter Eight

  Pax waited while the bartender poured up the next round of pitchers. The last round for him. After finishing all of his burger, and half of Reese’s, the exhaustion that always seemed to plague him this time of the week dogged his heels.

  Gavin sidled up to him. “So, you and my wedding planner, huh?”

  Pax faced his brother. Arms folded, he propped a hip against the bar. “We were friends long before she became your wedding planner.”

  “Is that what you are now? Friends?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” He sure as hell hoped so.

  Reese had a sharp wit and an infectious laugh she was quick to share. Without even trying, Reese made everyone around her feel comfortable. Her sapphire eyes sparkled, showed every emotion whether she knew it or not. She fit in well with his family, holding her own, tossing barbs with ease, adding a familiar camaraderie he hadn’t realized he’d missed.

  And her sweet drawl, hot damn. He wanted to hear his name melt
from her tongue as he had the taste of her on his.

  Reese had kept her hands to herself after his warning, but he hadn’t. A subtle shift and their thighs would touch. Another shift and the back of his hand feathered the side of her leg. She’d shivered on that one and bumps had erupted all over her skin. Then he’d draped his arm over her chair, a casual move that allowed him to caress the back of her arm without the prying eyes of his family catching on.

  He wouldn’t care if they had. He enjoyed keeping those fascinating little bumps alive on her flesh. He liked touching her, liked sharing the private intimacy with her while they were surrounded by other people. Her reactions, no matter how hard she tried to hide them, made him want to take her to bed. Secure her hands and feet so he could touch her at his leisure. To draw every ounce of pleasure from her body before he took his own.

  “You’re treating her like your date.”

  Snapped from his fantasy, Pax tried not to look guilty. “How would you know how I treat my dates?”

  Gavin didn’t pull any punches. “Last I knew you didn’t date. At all. You’ve had more of a blow-and-go kind of thing going on. I’m curious if you’ve changed your stance.”

  The bartender eased the full pitchers across the bar and accepted the cash Pax handed over. “Blow-and-go? That’s a little crass, don’t you think?” Not to mention unflattering to his character.

  Gavin snorted. “Call it whatever you want. Meaning doesn’t change. You’re in and out. No over-nighters. No relationships. No commitments.”

  “There a question in there somewhere?”

  Gavin’s lips thinned. “Don’t fuck around with her, Pax. I mean it. Reese is a nice woman, and Lauren really likes her. You fuck this up and make her quit, I’ll have your ass.”

  “Contrary to what you might think, I’m not a total asshole.” The air left Pax’s lungs in a rush, his chest deflating as fast as his irritation. “I should tell you to mind your own fucking business, but for the fact you’ve got a point.” As much as it pained him to admit it.