by Lexie Davis
* * * *
“Damn, you keep long hours.”
When they arrived home, Davis waited on the front porch legs crossed and propped up on the banister. Jackson had forgotten about him coming to help out with Gallagher.
“What is that smell?” Davis scrunched his nose in distaste.
“It’s my new fragrance, blood and birthing fluid.” Autumn smiled and wrapped her arms around him even though he tried pushing her away. “Come on, it smells good and you know it.”
“I’m going to puke.” Davis choked.
She backed off and fished her key from her purse. “You always were the wimp of the family.”
Jackson shook his head knowing the brother and sisterly love was about to begin. Of the four Callahan children, Davis and Autumn teased each other the most. He said it’s because they were close in age. She said it’s because he’s the idiot of the family. Either way, the bantering was only beginning.
“I’m not a wimp. I’m sorry if you can’t handle someone telling you that you stink.” Davis pinched his nose and lifted his bag from the porch. “And why is it only you and Jackass? Is that some kind of new sex smell I want no part of?”
Autumn pushed the door open and slapped Davis on the back of the head when he passed by. “If you had a brain, which you clearly don’t, you’d understand my previous explanation. We delivered twin calves tonight. All of us smelled this way except three of us got to shower.”
Jackson tugged his shirt over his head. He was the one who got to walk the newborn around after the birth and helped it up when it fell. His clothing really did reek of the scent and it started to nauseate him. “I’m heading for the shower.”
He fumbled with his fly as he walked toward Autumn’s bathroom and away from their guests. She wasn’t too far behind while in the living room, Davis made some comment about shower sex. She shut the door and groaned.
“My muscles are killing me.” Her forehead thumped against the wood.
“Come on then.” Jackson twisted the knob, and the water squirted out full blast. It only took him five seconds to peel off his jeans and boxers and be standing in the middle of the bathroom naked and waiting for Autumn.
“No shower sex.” Autumn closed her eyes as she tugged her scrubs off. “I really need to bathe.”
As she revealed every inch of her body, Jackson’s cock hardened. Her flat belly was meant to be touched while her breasts begged for his mouth. She bent slightly to pull off her pants and panties, revealing a sweet pussy that was made for his cock. Yeah, she was perfection, if he ever saw it.
They climbed in the stall together, him after her. She simply stood underneath the water with her eyes closed as it came down around her. Jackson reached for the shampoo, deciding to work from the top to the bottom and make her come along the way.
“I didn’t mean you had to bathe me.”
He scrubbed her hair, the silky wet strands so soft against his fingers. “Maybe I wanted to.”
He worked the shampoo in and then positioned her underneath the water rinse it out. Afterward he grabbed the soap and formed a lather between his hands. He cupped her breasts, washing them with small movements of his fingers before pinching her nipples lightly. She gasped at the pleasure, and he continued to tease her.
By the time his hands moved to her stomach, she had melted to putty. She leaned back against the wall and gave him the go ahead to do whatever he wanted. Jackson reminded himself to take it slow, fighting the thrill of pleasure he got from the look in her eyes. Those deep blue pools of mystery darkened and dilated as his hands aroused her body, touching all the right places he knew she loved.
His hands slid between her thighs, his fingers finding her slick clit. She closed her eyes and arched away from the wall, giving him complete access to her most feminine parts. She moaned as he touched her, rubbing her clit between his fingers while his other hand kneaded a breast. Whether she knew it or not, Autumn was made for loving. Her body responded and begged for his touch. And he wasn’t about to deny her any longer.
She gripped his wrists in each of her small hands holding him to her. “Jackson.”
He brought her pleasure the first time with his fingers alone. Her body stiffened when he pressed inside, her slick pussy clutching around him as she came. He’d never seen anything more beautiful than Autumn’s face in ecstasy.
Cupping her head in his hands, he kissed her. Watching her tonight with the calves, knowing exactly what to do to help that heifer deliver two healthy babies, Jackson could be nothing but proud of her. He didn’t understand it at all but she was no longer the clingy child he once knew and used. She was a wonderful woman who made a great life for herself. A life Jackson felt he didn’t belong in.
* * * *
“Okay, here’s how it goes. I get the spare bedroom next to Jeff.” Davis grabbed a bowl of bean dip and a bag of chips and plopped down in the recliner.
“How about you sleep with the dogs?” Autumn smiled and grabbed a chip and some dip.
“Is that anyway to talk to your favorite brother?”
Autumn sat on the arm of the chair. “Why are you here, Davis? The clinic is clean. We should be opening for business this coming week. Why are you here and away from work?”
Jackson grabbed a handful of chips before Davis could hide them and spooned some bean dip onto the top of the container. “Because Davis doesn’t like his new babysitting job.”
Autumn glanced between the two of them. “What are you two hiding?”
Her brother smiled. “We’ll take our secrets to the grave.”
Jackson chomped down on a chip. “Trust me, it’s nothing you want to know about.”
Autumn narrowed her eyes at her brother. “Tell me anyway.”
“Okay. See there was this chick back at the base that was semi-cute, nothing much to brag about but not dirt ugly either. Anyway, I bet Jackson he couldn’t get into her panties.”
“Hold it.” Autumn held up a hand. “Jackson’s not getting into any girl’s panties while he’s with me.”
Jackson grinned. “Only yours, babe.”
Davis narrowed his eyes. “That’s not the best part. Turns out the girl was a guy. He’s a prostitute looking to get a little action from Jackson.”
Autumn snorted. “Is there anyone in this world who doesn’t want to fuck you?”
Davis held up his hand.
“You’re an idiot.” Autumn grabbed the chips from him. “And you think telling me that story is going to take my mind off why you are really here, you are highly fooled.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head,” Davis said in his best Southern drawl. “Leave the plotting and planning to the big boys.”
* * * *
Gallagher’s office was packed wall to wall with people waiting to have their animals checked. Jackson and Davis stepped inside out of the muggy heat and scanned the area.
“Can I help you?” a lady at the counter asked them.
“Uh, yes. I’d like to talk with someone about boarding my dog here.” Davis gave the woman a soft smile.
“What kind of dog do you have?” she asked.
“A Shih-Tzu,” Jackson replied before Davis responded.
Davis gave him a look and Jackson smiled. “Uh, yeah. He’s a badass Shih-Tzu, too, so he’ll need supervision around other pets and children.”
The lady glanced from Davis to Jackson. Her thoughts were displayed plainly across her face, something which only made Jackson’s smile widened. She obviously had the hots for Davis.
“What my lover doesn’t know is that children wouldn’t be back there, right?” Jackson wrapped an arm around Davis, his fingers hooking inside his back pocket. “Honey, you are just so overprotective.”
The lady frowned at them. Davis, trying his best to play along instead of ramming his fist into Jackson’s jaw, shifted from one foot to the other, hinting for him to remove his arm. Jackson could honestly say he hadn’t seen Davis squirm this much in all the time he’
s known him.
“Uh, you’ll have to fill out these papers, and then I’ll have someone give you a tour of the rooms.” She handed them a clipboard. Davis accepted it and jerked away from Jackson.
Once they seated themselves, Davis bent forward and whispered, “I’ll rip your fuckin’ head off if you grab my ass again.”
“You so deserved it.” Jackson glanced at the papers. “Where do we go from here?”
“While they give you the tour, I’ll excuse myself to the bathroom and sneak around the place. If I get caught I’ll say I got lost.” He idly filled out the papers. “A Shih-Tzu. You couldn’t say a Boxer or St. Bernard, something a bit more manly and monstrous? You had to go with Shih-Tzu?”
“It was on the poster behind the lady. Hell, just fill out the paperwork and let’s get this over with.” Jackson glanced over to an elderly lady who eyed them cautiously. Speaking to her, he said, “I still love him, even though he’s bullheaded.”
Jackson ran a hand along Davis’ thigh. The elderly lady turn her head in disgust. Davis’ hard eyes, tight jaw and red face was priceless. Jackson just grinned.
After conning their way into Gallagher’s office and having a look, Jackson and Davis arrived separately at the truck, neither one speaking until they climbed in and were on their way back to Autumn’s clinic.
“Well, the big boy wasn’t at the office today, but it’s definitely him, Jack. He’s got a picture of her on his desk and everything.” Davis turned in his seat. “He’s always considered her the competition.”
Jackson went into full marine mode. “So he’s an obsessed stalker? The if-I-can’t-have-you-then-I’ll-make-your-life-a-living-hell kind? Is that what you think we’re dealing with?”
Davis shrugged. “He has some big guns, Jack. He’s got money, his family name, a whole community backing him—”
“But he doesn’t have Autumn.” Jackson focused his attention on the road. “And as long as I’m around, he’ll never have her.”
Davis stared at him. “You love her, don’t you?”
Jackson busied himself with switching lanes. “She’s just the job.”
“You never fuck the job, Jackson. And don’t deny it. You and my baby sister have slept in the same bed for a few days. Don’t you dare tell me that you haven’t fucked her since you came back and that you won’t fuck her again. I know better.”
Refusing to say more, Jackson pursed his lips. Sometimes the Callahans could be relentless. And they were relentless every time Autumn was the topic of conversation.
“You can ignore me all you want, but you’d better listen to me right now. She’s not like the laundry list of other women you bang then leave the next morning. Like it or not, she is my baby sister. Don’t hurt her, Jackson. She’s been hurt bad enough in this life. Don’t tease her with the idea of something coming out of this thing you’ve got going if you know perfectly well nothing will. It’s not fair.”
Damn it, if Davis wasn’t right. Again.
* * * *
Three weeks went by before Jackson and Davis could finally get away to snoop around Gallagher’s place.
“Pull down that road.” Davis pointed to a narrow, hidden road barely giving Jackson proper time to maneuver the truck. “Our little friend lives back this way, if memory serves me right. Let’s see if he’s at home since it was a long shot at the clinic.”
Jackson did as Davis instructed, turning down the secluded drive. Trees kept privacy, shielding nothing short of a cabin-like mansion from anyone who cared to pass by. Dogs barked at a distance, some growling with fury.
“Are you sure we should be here? It says no trespassing.”
“Where’s your balls?” Davis scoffed. “And to think, you were a Marine.”
“Shut up. I hear those damn dogs and I’d like to keep my balls, thank you.”
Davis grinned. “You never were an animal person. Maybe I’ll pay you back now for grabbing my ass and rubbing my thigh at the clinic.”
“Do and die.”
Luckily for them, Gallagher wasn’t home. No cars in the massive four-car garage, no sign of recent activity. Wherever Gallagher was, he planned on being there for a while.
“This is almost too easy.” Davis pointed to the cages of animals.
Small puppies whimpered in their cages and the closer Jackson and Davis came, the more they realized their intentions. The puppies mothers had thin weak bodies as if they hadn’t been fed in weeks. Their cages hadn’t been cleaned, and the small animals looked as if they suffered a great deal. Jackson glanced at the dogs inside the building next to the puppy cages and found four quarantined pit bulls growling to the point spittle flew from their mouths in strings.
“Uh, Jack, is this blood?” Davis pointed to the ground.
Jackson left the quarantined dogs and looked at the ground. “Looks like it. What is he doing with these animals?”
Davis started walking, leading them both to a caged ring serving only one purpose. Fighting.
“We need to get out of here, Davis.” Jackson shook his head. “And if this sorry ass doesn’t leave Autumn alone, he’s going to be in some serious trouble.”
Halfway home Davis’ cell rang. He answered it and hung up shortly afterward. “He’s struck again. Jeff said this time it was bad.”
“What happened?”
“He torched the place. And there were about thirty-some animals inside.”
Chapter Twelve
“Ma’am, I’m not going to tell you again. Go sit on the sidewalk and stay out of our way.”
Smoke filled the air around them, fire licking at the walls of the building Autumn valued so much. Thirty animals were inside, helpless creatures that probably wouldn’t make it and it was all because of her. She’d tried several times to go inside, each time a bulky fireman pulled her back. This time though, the fireman simply dared her to disobey.
She glared at him. “Those animals are hurt and I’m a veterinarian. I need to help them.”
“Those animals are probably dead.” He shoved her aside. “Now move out of our way.”
She refused to cry. She had left for lunch with Jeffery and Kristin feeling good about their accomplishments for the day. Dodo was inside, and so was Bear, a beloved family pet of a small child with cancer. Two litters of puppies and several that simply had come in for shots while their owners were working. Autumn’s heart shattered at the thought of losing all those beloved pets. She needed to get those animals out safely, no matter what the stupid fireman said.
“Autumn, why don’t you sit down?” Kristin handed her a bottle of water and ushered her to a vacant bench in front of the clinic, away from everything.
“I need to get those animals out.” Autumn met Jeffery’s eyes. “Please. Can’t we do something?”
Her brother pursed his lips and glanced at the building. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Why is he doing this to me?” Tears gathered in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.
“I don’t know. He’s a sadistic bastard.” Kristin wrapped her arms around Autumn. “It’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is.”
Jackson’s truck pulled into the parking lot. He and Davis burst from the truck and ran over to where they sat. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“It’s him.” Autumn pulled away from Kristin. “ We went to lunch and came back to the place erupting in flames. He obviously found out he couldn’t get to me by normal means so he decides to torch the place and kill the animals inside.”
A small sob escaped her as she started to walk away from the blazing building, Jackson right behind her. “Autumn, come here.”
She tried to pull away but he was stronger. His arms tucked her against his warmth and strength even though she fought him. She hated crying in front of people. She hated the sympathy.
“There’s a dog in there that belongs to a cancer patient.” She sniffled. “His name is Bear, and he’s been helping the little girl win her fight with it. And Dodo�
�s in there. She may seem like a grumpy pit bull, but she’s really sweet and lovable. And there’s two litters if pups with their momma’s—” Her voice broke.
“Shh.” He kissed her, using one hand to keep her close and the other to comfort. “We’ll get them out. I promise. Davis is already over there with the firemen.
“It’s all my fault.”
Jackson kissed her forehead. “You are not to blame, sweetheart. Davis and I need to talk to you and the police about all this.”
She glanced up at him. If she didn’t know better, he was angry. “Where have the two of you been all day?”
“Nowhere.”
She arched an eyebrow.
“I’ll tell you about it later.”
He kissed her, holding her to him. She knew he was up to something, with both he and Davis gone for nearly the entire day. When the phone call was made earlier, she’d been frank with Jeff, instructing him to tell Jackson about the fire and that she needed him here. Autumn wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder, relishing the comfort of his scent and warmth.
“I love you, Jackson. I don’t expect you to say it back, but I had to tell you. I couldn’t go another minute without saying it to you.”
It was the truth. With all her heart, Autumn loved the man. And him being here, her in his arms and surrounded by his comfort, only made her acknowledge it more. She felt safe with him. No matter what happened in the world, being wrapped in his arms would keep her safe from harm.
“Autumn!” Jeffery yelled. “Come here!”
Autumn jerked away from Jackson, following the direction Jeffery’s finger pointed. Davis was charred with soot, a dog carrier in each hand. Two firemen followed him also carrying animal crates.
Jackson grabbed her hand and they ran to the animals. Summer jumped in examining the puppies and their mothers while Autumn examined the larger dogs. Dodo and Bear were fine. Bear had minor smoke inhalation and was coughing, but his tail wagged and his ears were alert. Dodo growled at everyone who looked at her wrong, and Autumn couldn’t help laughing at the stubborn dog.
