by Lori King
Tanner snorted, “Are you surprised? Dalton’s flirting was legendary. There’s no way Africa could change him that much.”
Zoey dropped the subject as they stepped out into the sunshine and Dalton relieved her of her armful. Tanner might think Dalton had all of the flirting skills, but he wasn’t giving himself enough credit. He had been doing a number on her body ever since she was thirteen and she spotted him and Lindsay Self making out in the back of Dottie’s ice cream shop. How she was going to survive even a couple of weeks in the same house as these two was anyone’s guess.
*****
The scent of food drifted on the air as Dalton stepped into the living room, and his stomach growled. How long had it been since he had eaten a home cooked dinner?
Watching from the end of the hallway, he looked Zoey over. She had certainly grown into a stunning woman. Her curvy body was on the shorter side, but she far made up for it with her big personality. She was sexy as hell, and his cock took note as her long black hair swung down her back with her movements. Her back was to him as she worked at the stove, and if he wanted a better look at her perfectly round ass, he would have to move closer.
“Something smells delicious,” he said as he walked across the living room. Her head came up and she turned those enormous blue eyes on him with a million dollar smile.
“Tanner doesn’t keep the kitchen very well stocked, so I’m making do tonight. I found a beef pot roast in the freezer and I made up some egg noodles. There’s corn bread in the oven, would you mind setting the table?”
Dalton smiled back at the easy way Zoey made herself at home. The girl hadn’t even had time to unpack her stuff, and yet she was scrambling around the kitchen making noodles from scratch. She was a gem. “You got it, pretty lady, and believe me, I’m not a picky eater. If you knew some of the things I’ve eaten during the last ten years…” He shivered and shook his head making her laugh. The husky tinkle of her giggle went straight to his nuts and the moment her back was to him, he adjusted himself.
It had been months since he’d had sex, and his dick was as hard as a wooden fence post just being close to a gorgeous woman. Her scent was a blend of almond and honey and he wanted to lick her skin to see if she tasted that way too.
“So how does it feel to be back in the US?”
“Weird. It’s just as hot here, but it’s a lot cleaner. I miss the work, and I miss the people, but I’m beginning to wonder if the world is trying to tell me that I needed to move on.” Dalton had the table set pretty quickly, and he moved back to the kitchen to watch Zoey again.
“You’ve been gone a long time. Give yourself a few days to adjust,” she responded easily as she bent over to pull the bread from the oven.
A groan slipped from his throat at the sight of her perfectly heart shaped ass, and she stood quickly. He could see her cheeks turning red and he sighed. “I’m sorry, Zoey. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. You have to know how beautiful you are, and I’ve been out of the dating scene for a long time. Forgive me.”
She waved a hand at him, “There’s nothing to forgive. Just forget it. Can you let Tanner know that dinner’s ready?”
“You just did.” Tanner appeared from the direction of the living room and by the glare he was giving Dalton, he had heard their conversation. “Smells fantastic, Zoey. Anything I can do?”
“Nope, just take a seat at the table. I’ll bring it over in just a second.” She bustled around collecting various things and bringing them to the dining table as he and Tanner both took their seats. It felt too good to have her there, serving them dinner at their mothers table, and Dalton had to check himself.
He had barely been back and he was already considering making a play for a woman that his brother clearly had his hat set for already. What kind of an idiot was he? He forced his thoughts back to dinner and making polite conversation, trying hard to forget the lovely bit of female who sat across from him. Did she know she made a sexy O with her full lips when she blew on her spoon of noodles? Would she look that hot with his cock in her mouth?
A flash of heat shot down his spine and his cock throbbed in his jeans. Fidgeting to find a comfortable seat, Dalton turned to Tanner instead. “Heard anything out of Clint?”
“No, and I didn’t really expect to.”
“But he turned thirty last week, I would have thought…” Dalton’s voice trailed off and he looked back to his bowl.
“Thought what? That he would actually stick to his word and come back to the ranch?” Tanner snapped. “Yeah sure, and I’ll grow a tail and start braying like a donkey too. Clint won’t do anything he doesn’t want to.”
Zoey stared at the two of them, and a small worry line creased her brow. “I’m missing something.”
“Our baby brother made a promise to our mother that if he didn’t have a great acting career by the time he was thirty he would come back to the ranch,” Tanner said with a snort. “Other than a few commercials, the last I heard he was working for a lawn care service in L.A. Sorry, Professor, but I highly doubt he follows through on that promise.”
Dalton sighed with frustration. This was how it worked between them. Tanner was cynical, Clint was flighty, and Dalton played mediator. “I sent him an email to let him know I was coming home, maybe he will get in touch and at least let us know he’s okay.”
“You guys don’t keep in touch?” Zoey’s question wasn’t so much odd as uncomfortable. Dalton had never liked the fact that he had drifted so far away from his brothers, and having her point it out made him feel like an ass.
“Not really. We’ve all been busy.”
She took a sip of water and shrugged. “I always wanted siblings when I was a kid. Rachel is pretty much my sister, and until she had Juliet and got busier, we talked every other day. I can’t imagine not making time for your brothers.”
“Do you talk to your mother every day?” Tanner asked softly and Dalton frowned when Zoey’s face went pale. There was more to that question, and his protective instinct jumped to the surface when she fumbled with her spoon.
“Shut up, Tanner. She was just making an observation, and she’s right. Even if you don’t like it.” Dalton turned back to Zoey with a small smile, “Dinner is wonderful, pretty lady, thank you for taking the time to cook it for us. Tanner and I will clean up to show you how appreciative we are.”
She smiled but it was still shaky, “You’re welcome. I love cooking, but I haven’t had much of a chance to do it with just me to cook for. Any favorites I should add to the menu?”
He brightened at her question, “Do you know how to make fried chicken?”
She rolled her eyes laughing, “I’m from Texas. Of course I know how to make fried chicken.”
“Marry me,” he said, playfully sighing and grabbing her hand from across the table. When she laughed and shook her head, warmth filled his chest. He was looking forward to hearing that sound from her more often.
“I can’t marry you, you don’t have a job.”
Dalton reached out and tweaked her nose with his fingertip, “Well I’m calling dibs on it when you change your mind. As long as you cook for me, I will promise you all of the hot sex you want. Any time, any place.”
Zoey’s cheeks turned pink and she laughed, but Dalton could tell she was turned on. Her lush pink lips parted and her eyes sparkled with a fire that he hadn’t noticed before. It hinted at a deep well of passion that Dalton’s cock absolutely wanted the chance to explore.
Hmmm…coming home might not have been such a bad thing. Tanner intervened and changed the subject. No amount of superficial chat altered the course of his fantasies though, and by the end of the evening, Dalton hurried up to his apartment with the sole intention of alleviating the hard-on that was mashed against his zipper.
Living with Zoey Carson might prove to be his undoing.
*****
From the kitchen sink, Tanner watched as Zoey settled onto the sofa, tucking her sexy feet under her. She always seemed to
be hiding her feet for some reason and it made him want to laugh. Laughing was not going to help the throbbing erection in his jeans though. He wanted to strangle Dalton for all of his flirting and teasing throughout dinner.
Every time he mentioned sex and Zoey in the same breath the temperature of the room seemed to shoot up, and Tanner’s jeans got tighter. It didn’t help that Zoey seemed interested. Her grapefruit sized tits seemed to lift up and reach out for attention with their hard nipples.
He couldn’t resist mulling over what color the tempting tips would be. A lush pink like her lips, or more of a dusky rose color or maybe a soft brown to match her honey sweet scent?
A plate dropped from his hands, shattering in the sink and taking a tiny chunk of his thumb with it.
“Fucking hell!” Before he could move, Zoey was at his side and reaching for his hand. He snatched it back, earning a hard glare from her gorgeous blue eyes.
“Oh stop it. It’s just a little cut. Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up, and then we can clear away the glass.” Her small hand grabbed his forearm and tugged him along behind her until they reached the hallway bathroom.
“What is it about men and injuries? Do they think just because we’re women we can’t see them bleed?” She crouched down wading through the miscellaneous medical supplies in the cabinet under the sink and before he knew it, she was gently cleaning his injury. Her sexy lips pursed as she blew on the stinging flesh before wrapping it with gauze. “Well, thankfully you won’t need stitches. The cut is probably too wide to stitch shut anyways. You should be more careful.”
Tanner felt the blow to his pride and he huffed, “The plate slipped out of my hand. It’s not like it attacked me.”
“Maybe not, but the next injury could be worse.” She bent over in the tiny space to put the supplies back, and Tanner sucked in a breath. They were in a small room and she was in front of him, bent practically in half so her heart shaped ass was in a direct line with his aching cock.
“At this rate I’ll need stitches in my cock,” he grumbled. Zoey stood up so fast she swayed on her feet, and the shock on her face made his blood run cold. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, damn it.
“What?” she whispered, and he felt a flush of embarrassment rise in his cheeks.
“Nothing. I was just commenting about what time it was. I still need to do a few things in the barn after I clean up that glass.” Tanner spun on his heel and stomped down the hallway, eager to put some space between them.
Zoey didn’t seem to feel the same way as she followed him closely and grabbed his arm when he reached for the broken dish. “No, you go take care of whatever you still need to, I’ll clean this up.”
“I said I would do the dishes, and I meant it. It was just an accident and a little cut.”
“Yes, but you need to let it heal. Sticking it back in that water isn’t the way to do that. Besides, I could use a little quiet time to think. You two gave me a lot to think about tonight. Go on out and get your chores done. There are only a couple of dishes left anyways.”
She was so damn amenable. Why couldn’t she be the bitchy woman he’s avoided for the last few years? The one that seemed to loathe him with a never ending well of angry passion.
“Fine, whatever.”
He was marching his way out to the barn before he could even think through what she had said. What had they given her to think about, other than sex? His gut tightened. This was turning into a mistake of epic proportions. His dream woman was going to be sleeping in a bed not fifteen feet away from his own king size bed, and now he knew for a fact his younger brother wanted to sleep with her too. What would he do if the two of them hooked up?
Fuck that.
There was no way in hell he was going to let Dalton flirt his way into Zoey’s pants. Zoey Carson was off limits, and tomorrow morning he would make that fact crystal clear to Dalton because if he didn’t…well…living with Zoey might just be his undoing.
Chapter Five
Zoey spent Sunday making herself at home on the Triple T. The house was comfortable, and the kitchen well stocked with every utensil imaginable. She had even found a second freezer full of meat in the laundry room, but there was barely a scrap to be found in the cupboards.
She was making a list of groceries she needed to get, when Dalton came in from outside. His cheeks were flushed red and his blonde hair was windblown. Wearing snug wranglers and borrowed boots, he had slipped back into the Texas cowboy role with ease, and her libido took notice.
“Whew! Fall is on the air today I think,” he said as he ran his long fingers through his shaggy locks. “Smells good in here, what are you making?”
“Cinnamon bread to go with the chili for dinner tonight. Is it cold outside?” Zoey tapped the pen against her lips before realizing his eyes were zeroed in on the phallic item against her mouth. She frowned and dropped the pen to her lap.
“No it’s not cold, but the wind is strong today. Whatcha doing?” He plopped down next to her, snatching the paper from her lap and throwing one arm behind her across the back of the sofa.
“Hey! I’m making a grocery list. Tanner apparently only eats meat, so there is barely anything in the kitchen to cook with. I found the cinnamon all the way in the back of the top cabinet and it had never even been opened.” She tugged the list out of his hands, and smoothed it out before applying her pen to it again. “Is there anything you can think of that I should add to the list? Anything you need?”
Dalton brushed a piece of her long hair back over her ear with a small smile on his face. “At this moment, nothing I need or want can go on that list.”
Zoey’s stomach clenched her panties grew damp at the subtle hint. He was way too close for comfort with his big body pressing against her side. The blended scent of man and the outdoors filled her nose, making her mouth water. Her hand was shaking a little as she capped the pen and started to stand.
Dalton grabbed the belt loop on the back of her jeans, surprising her and throwing her off balance so she tumbled down on to his lap. “Whoa!”
“Easy now, I just didn’t want you to run away from me. You act like you’re scared of me, Zoey love, and I would hate for you to be scared of me.” He looked down at her with a pair of the sexiest blue bedroom eyes Zoey had ever seen and she shivered.
“I’m not scared of you, but this is inappropriate.”
He looked taken aback, and his eyebrow lifted in question, “Why? You’re a gorgeous woman and I’m a lonely man. We’re both single, so what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that Zoey is here under my roof and my protection. So you will not be hitting on her or making her uncomfortable, Dalton Keegan.” Tanner’s voice was hard and cold, and Zoey let out a small ‘eep’ of surprise before scrambling off Dalton’s lap and across the room so she stood an equal distance from the two men.
Tanner filled the doorway to the living room, tapping his heavy leather gloves against his thigh in irritation. His jaw was clenched and the dark look on his face was currently directed at Dalton. She had seen that look before.
One day four years ago at Robin’s bar. She was out with Rachel, and a couple of other friends from college celebrating the end of midterms when she spotted his large body slouched at the bar downing a beer. In her slightly inebriated state she felt sexy and strong and she took it upon herself to offer him a night of pleasure.
To her horror and shame, he turned her down flat, barely even looking at her as he broke her heart and bruised her pride. She had been mortified and from that moment she swore she would never offer herself to another man, much less Tanner Keegan. And yet here she was, sitting in his brother’s lap, considering letting Dalton seduce her clothes off and show her what a good time he could give her.
Tanner’s interruption was the splash of ice water on her face she needed to regain her composure. “Its fine, Tanner, he was just playing around.”
“No I wasn’t, but I didn’t realize that big brother had staked
a claim on you already. My apologies,” Dalton said with a nod in Tanner’s direction. When Tanner nodded in acceptance, Zoey got pissed.
“What? Staked a claim on me? You two have got to be fucking kidding me! Neither of you has any right to stake a claim on me. I’m my own person.” She stomped over to Tanner and shoved her index finger into the center of his wide chest. “You! You turned me down, not the other way around, buster, so don’t even think you stand a chance of staking a claim on this piece of ass.” Tanner’s eyes widened but his dark look didn’t change at all. Spinning around, she pointed at Dalton who threw both hands up in the air, “And you! I haven’t seen you in a decade, so don’t you dare start throwing out sexy words and flirting. I don’t give a crap how lonely you are, you can go back to Africa and fuck a rhino because neither of you are going to seduce me or claim me anytime soon. Got it?”
Her breath was coming in pants as adrenaline rushed through her veins. Who the hell did these two think they were? She wasn’t living here to be a temporary lay for a couple of cowboys. In fact, if that’s how this was going to play out, she was going to get her stuff and head for her car. She would rather sleep in the backseat for a year than be taken advantage of.
The silence in the room was suffocating, but slowly the tension slipped away with her anger. When she felt a little more in control, she threw her shoulders back and lifted her chin in challenge. Dalton’s grin skittered over her nerves, but she didn’t snap.
“We got it, Zoey. You aren’t interested. Now, we’re all going to forget this ever happened and go back to whatever we were doing,” Tanner said quietly from behind her. A tingling sensation coursed down her spine at his low and slow cowboy drawl.
“Thank you,” she said, letting her head drop slightly. “I am going to run into town to the Mercantile for groceries. Is there anything you want to add to the list?”
“I’ll drive. I need to stop by Brooks Pastures to pick up the saddle Mack was fixing for me, and get some fertilizer from The Garden Hut.” Tanner turned to look at Dalton pointedly.
