When she released him, Patrick gazed down at her and whispered, “Hey, little tiger.”
A pink flush filled her cheeks and she chuckled softly. The seductive sound hardened him even more. “Hi.”
“I hope I’m not butting in on your afternoon.”
Lucy shook her head and walked through the door as he held it open. “Not at all. I finished work at lunch and decided to try Camilla’s class. Are you done for the day?”
Patrick nodded. “So you’re free?”
Lucy stopped and turned to him. “What did you have in mind?”
Wow! There was no mistaking the intent in her eyes. This was a side of Lucy he wasn’t used to but wanted very much to be. “Come to my house,” he whispered as he stroked her palm while others filtered past them to the parking lot. “Stay the night.”
She swallowed but didn’t hesitate. “I need to change and get showered.”
“Bring your things to my place. I’ll pick up Patrick from Maizy and get supper on the way home.”
She gazed up at him for seconds that stretched into an eternity and then smiled. “All right. You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
This time he took charge and gently grasped her upper arms and drew her to him for another kiss, a gentle, but insistent caress of his lips and tongue against hers. She sighed softly as she looked up at him. “I’ll see you at your house.”
Patrick grinned as he walked to his car with a swagger in his step, looking over several times to watch her as she did the same. The change in her wasn’t just a trick of the club lighting. Somehow she seemed even taller, more confident, and more tempting. The sway of her hips and the curves of her body fanned to life the flames that had been burning inside him for the last few months.
Beck came to mind. Maybe it was overconfidence on Patrick’s part. Maybe it was impatience. Whatever the cause, he knew it was time to make a call.
“Lucy?”
She turned and looked at him with question in her eyes. “Yeah?”
“I’ll call Beck.”
She came to a full stop and then nodded slowly, her eyes on his. He could see the vulnerability in her eyes. “Okay.”
* * * *
Standing in his kitchen, feeling like he’d been hit by an eighteen-wheeler, Beck cringed as his cell phone began to ring. His body had recovered from the flu symptoms but the instant he’d been able to move around the house without passing out, he’d gone back to work. Anything to keep his mind off of…stuff. Losing Chloe. Hurting Lucy.
He’d known it was too soon to go back to work and he’d slowed his full recovery. On top of that, he’d been plagued by tension headaches. But work needed to be done, or at least that was his excuse. Between preparing for the upcoming honey harvesting season and carpentry work for his online beekeeping supply business, he was busier than he’d ever been.
He knew he needed to call Lucy but every time he thought of it, his heart ached for the way he’d treated her and he was filled with embarrassment. So far, he’d put that call off and now it was the middle of March. She was probably furious.
The headache he’d awakened with that morning, which had hung on for several days, was better but it still felt like razor blades in his ears when the phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and accepted the call as he lowered himself into one of the chairs at the kitchen table.
“Hello.”
Road noise came over the line as Patrick said, “Hey, it’s me.”
“Hey. What’s up?”
“How’re you feeling? Did you take something for your headache?”
“Yes, Mother,” Beck growled as he rinsed the empty cereal bowl in the sink and reached for a glass to fill from the tap. He popped a couple of Tylenol while he was at it so he wasn’t lying outright. “Calling to check up on me?”
“I know the last few weeks have been hard. The other day I could tell you’re losing weight.”
“You tell that to Lucy?”
“No. I don’t want to worry her any more than she already is. I just saw her a minute ago.”
“Oh yeah? She ask about me?”
“No.”
No?
“She was distracted by me.” Beck heard the edge in Patrick’s tone and wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Where’d you see her?”
“Twisted Bull. She was at her class.”
“Class?”
“Striptease class. Remember?”
Beck vaguely recalled listening to the girls talking about their dance classes Valentine’s night but he’d forgotten all about it after what had happened later that night at the club. He tried to shut it out of his mind because he was sick of hurting. “So she decided to give it a try?”
Patrick chuckled. “She’s doing more than giving it a try.”
“Doing good?” he asked as he shuffled back to his bedroom. He was sick and fucking tired of feeling like an old man. Moving like he was ninety years old. He had shit to do. A miniscule smile came as he imagined what Lucy would say to that. “Well, then stop acting like an old fart and piss or get off the pot.” That was what he liked about Lucy. She told it like it was, sometimes when he least expected it. An even bigger smile crossed his face as he imagined her giving a go at doing a striptease. As sassy as she sometimes was, he’d bet she would be good at it.
Patrick snorted. “Good? Yeah, I’d say she’s a natural.”
Of course she is. She’s good at just about everything. “What were you doing in Morehead?”
“Meeting with a client. I happened to run into her. Listen I wanted to let you know she’s coming over tonight.”
“Oh yeah? Pizza and a movie?”
“No. Chinese, a bottle of wine, and then bedtime.”
“What? What about Patrick Junior?” he asked to cover up his surprise that Patrick was telling him this. The guy wasn’t the type to brag. He didn’t even know they’d become intimate.
“I’m on my way to get him from Maizy right now.”
“And Lucy is staying over?”
“She is. I’m calling you because I wanted to let you know you’re welcome to come over, too.”
“Nah, man. If you’re planning to spend some time alone with her after Patrick hits the sack you probably don’t want me around. I’d be like a third wheel.”
Patrick sighed deeply on the line. “Beck?” Frustration was clear in his voice.
Confusion filled him at Patrick’s tone. “What?”
“Do you think you’ll ever be able to move on from Chloe?”
Beck sighed wearily. It was a fair question. He just didn’t know why Patrick asked.
“I don’t know, man. Sometimes I feel like I’ve had a limb amputated. Other times…” Maybe I am ready to move on. “I don’t know. But I don’t want to get in your way. I know you have strong feelings for Lucy and you’d probably rather be alone once the little man is asleep. I’d just put a damper on your evening.”
Beck groaned and winced as he sat on the bed, his head aching. His shoulders and back had tightened up on him and it was downright painful to turn his head in either direction.
“You okay?”
“Head still aches. My neck and shoulders are stiff.”
“You should go see Lucy. Her new place is opening in a couple of days.”
“What new place?”
“When was the last time you spoke to her, Beck?”
“Valentine’s night.”
Beck’s guilt grew deeper as Patrick made a sound of disgust. He really had neglected someone he genuinely cared about. “You’re her friend but you don’t have any idea what’s going on in her life right now. Call her, or better yet, go see her at her little spa downtown. She left Madeleine’s to open her own place. Get her to work out your neck and shoulders. It’d probably help you feel better faster. That flu really knocked you on your ass.”
Patrick’s words stung but Beck refused to even consider it. Chloe had been—was—a massage therapist. Anytime she’d ever massaged h
im they’d wound up making—Don’t go there, idiot! Sweet brown doe eyes flickered in his memory, along with a sweet smile.
No, he couldn’t go see Lucy for a massage. He’d likely have an inappropriate reaction and then she’d be even more pissed at him. If that happened, he’d agree with her that he was a self-absorbed dick.
“How are the girls?” Patrick asked, changing the subject.
“I went out there yesterday. Two hives were abandoned over the winter but the rest were fine. I’m backed up as hell on filling supply orders.”
With so much time on his hands the summer before, he’d found a reasonable supplier of cypress wood and had begun building quality beehives and parts to market on the Internet. It had helped to keep his mind off the loneliness. Duke Rivers and Gage Randall had set up a website for him the previous fall and his orders had steadily grown. He’d worked long hours the last couple of weeks trying to put the fresh pain behind him.
“Back to the reason I called. I’m inviting you because Lucy would like it if you stayed overnight, too.”
“What?” He sat up to attention so fast his head spun for a few seconds. What the fuck?
“You don’t have a clue, do you? You really don’t.” Patrick’s tone dripped with the unspoken accusation. Self-absorbed dickhead.
Beck made eye contact with himself in the mirror and noticed how gaunt and haggard he looked. Why would Patrick and Lucy want me there? His beard was unkempt and his hair was longer than it’d ever been. He hadn’t had it cut since the last time Chloe had done it for him. He wasn’t even sure where in Divine to go to get it done. The painful knots in his neck and shoulders tightened a bit more.
“Because you haven’t answered, I’m taking that as a no.”
Beck cut him off before he could speak further, unsure why he was unwilling to hear the next thing out of Patrick’s mouth. “I appreciate the invitation, man, but I’d just put a damper on things. I feel like hell and…”
“And?”
“I need to talk with Lucy privately. Need to make some things right. Maybe I’ll pay a visit to her, like you suggested.”
“Come just for supper. You can get alone with her and talk then. Patrick Junior would like to see you.”
“How’s the kid doing?”
“Fine. So you’ll come for a little while?”
A long, slow breath left Beck’s lips. The headache had even dissipated some, taking away his excuse. “Yeah, I’ll come for a few minutes. I’ll take a shower and be over there a little later. But I probably won’t stay.”
“Understood. Lucy will be happy to see you, man.”
Beck ended the call and got into the shower wondering if he should cut the beard off and then shave or if he should hurry up and get over there. His heart ratcheted up its rhythm as he looked forward to an evening doing more than staring at the walls.
Pathetic dumbass.
Chapter Five
Lucy’s fingers trembled as she pressed Patrick’s doorbell.
A few seconds later the door opened, framing Patrick’s comforting presence. He stood grinning at her and then gave an “oof” as he was clipped from behind by his preschooler crashing into him.
“Lucy! Hey!” Patrick Junior hollered as he looked around his father’s legs from behind. “Dad said you were coming for supper. We got plenty!”
Patrick chuckled and moved aside for Lucy to step over the threshold as his son ran back in the house and chattered to her from the kitchen, just off the living room.
Patrick laid a hand on her waist and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, his scent filling her nostrils. “How many times do I have to tell you that you don’t have to knock or ring the doorbell? Just come right in.”
Lucy shook her head. “I know. I just feel funny about doing that. What if one of your family members was here and I just walked in like that? I haven’t earned the right to do that.”
Patrick gazed at her and murmured, “I don’t care what they think. You’re mine and I’ve given you the right.”
Lucy paused for a second. Was she his? No, not yet. But she wanted to be and she hoped that evening represented a change in their relationship status. Her pussy quivered and leaked at the thought. His. Theirs?
As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, Patrick said, “Beck’s coming over, too.”
Patrick was easygoing but there was a steel core in him that got things done. She liked that about him, most of the time. If it sometimes led to him being bossy, well, she didn’t mind that so much. She snaked a hand around Patrick’s waist and said, “Thank you. How is he doing? I still haven’t heard from him at all.”
Patrick looked over her shoulder and gestured with his chin. “You can ask him yourself. He’s pulling in now.”
Lucy turned and she let out a slow, calming breath. It would probably put Beck off if she seemed too excited to see him.
“Why don’t you take a few minutes and go greet him and I’ll get Patrick situated with a plate at the table?”
She nodded and noticed that he closed the front door, giving her privacy with Beck. She watched as Beck reached over to the passenger seat of his truck and lifted a bag up before climbing from the truck. She walked slowly over to the driver’s side and smiled at him when he turned.
He seemed reserved as he glanced at her, his eyes taking in the overnight bag hanging from her shoulder, and then he looked down. The pregnant pause hung in the air and lengthened. She was about to speak and break the silence when he beat her to it.
“Lucy, I’m sorry I haven’t returned any of your calls.”
She waited but that was all he offered. “Are you feeling better?”
“A little. I’ve been working—or at least trying to—because I was going stir crazy.” His lips curved into a slight smile, which did a number on her heart rhythm. He rubbed his bearded jaw as he shifted the grocery store bag containing a six-pack of beer and another of wine coolers from one hand to the other and reached up to lightly touch her cheek.
He opened his mouth to speak right as her phone went off in her purse. Seth’s ringtone was loud and demanding as she shut it off then remembered that he’d known she had plans that night. He wouldn’t be calling unless it was important.
Beck nodded as she glanced apologetically at him. She put the phone to her ear and a chill went through her as she heard Toby squalling in the background and multiple voices speaking all at once.
“Hello?” When there was no response, she raised her voice and Beck frowned and concern filled his eyes. “Hello? Seth!” She bit her lip as she heard her sister-in-law’s voice and then muffled noises and finally Jayne came on the line.
“Lucy?”
“Jayne! What’s going on? It sounds like mayhem.”
Jayne let out a long breath. “We’re at the emergency room. Can you come?”
Fear shot through Lucy like a lightning bolt and real concern came into Beck’s eyes as he reached for her. “Of course I can come. Are you at the hospital in Divine?”
“Yes. Seth has injured his hand. We think he severed a tendon.”
“What?” She could hear Seth speaking calmly in the background but couldn’t understand because of Toby’s wailing.
“It’s his left hand, thank goodness, but there’s a lot of blood and Toby was there with us when it happened. I can’t get him settled down. He only wants Seth to hold him and he can’t use his hand so it’s…”
“Crazy. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“See you then.” The line went dead.
“I have to go,” Lucy said, looking up at Beck with regret. Whatever he’d been about to say was lost as he put steadying hands on her shoulders.
“I’ll move my truck out of your way. What else do you need?” His obvious sincerity made her heart ache. Whatever their problems were, he was still there for her.
“What’s wrong?” Patrick asked as he joined them with the front door left open. He must’ve been keeping an eye on them from the kitchen window.
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“Seth and Jayne are at the emergency room. He injured his hand. They need me to come pick up Toby. I think…” She hated to say it.
“They need you this evening?” Patrick asked, his voice laced with empathy.
“They do. I’m sorry.”
Patrick clasped his arms around her. “It’s one of those things. When family needs you, you go. Is there anything we can do?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when I get there.” She looked up at him and smiled as he leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips. Concern warred with need as she kissed him back, regretting that it was probably the end of the evening for them instead of the beginning.
She turned to Beck and slid her arms around his waist and snuggled close, wishing she’d had time to talk with him before the call had come in but time just didn’t permit.
He put the bag on the hood of his truck and gently squeezed her back. His muscular arms felt so good around her shoulders. She took comfort from his familiar, spicy scent and his body heat.
For a second he looked as if he had something to say but he wound up simply taking his keys from his pocket. They’d have to have their talk another time.
“I’ll call you when I know what’s happening next.”
Both men nodded and she went to her car and slung her overnight bag back onto the passenger seat. So much for turning the corner in their relationship.
* * * *
The next morning, Beck considered Patrick’s suggestion from the evening before as he put the small box on the front seat of his truck and then rubbed at his stiff, painful neck and shoulders. Disappointment at not being able to talk to Lucy like he’d intended had added a new layer to his discontent.
The air was brisk, blowing through his truck as he drove through Divine with the windows down to the shopping center where Clay Cook Jewelers was located. A bittersweet feeling swept through him as he pulled into a shady spot next to the building.
Lucy's Revenge [Divine Creek Ranch 15] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7
