“Thanks, Sadie. I’ll be sure to visit the library the next time I come to town.”
“That’s excellent, dear.” She slid back behind the computer desk and plunked her nose back on the screen.
Tag opened the door and looked out then motioned to the deputies before calling the all clear.
Jake went out first then Olivia, and he brought up the rear.
They took about ten steps before she stopped again. “Those earrings are gorgeous,” she whispered and pointed to the window display.
“No jewelry shopping,” Tag said. “Let’s just get to the soda fountain, get your damn drink, and head to the grocery store. We’re attracting too much attention already.”
Hudson looked around. Sure enough, the Hex was filled with curious onlookers who were craning their heads.
“What the hell?” Jake muttered. He instantly butted up against Olivia. Hudson took up position on her right once more.
“I don’t know. It’s not like strangers are rare here, but they don’t get people out of their damn houses to gawk.”
One of the deputies opened the soda-shop door. Hudson handed him Olivia’s book bag while Jake piled on her clothes purchases to the other one. “What do you guys want to drink?”
“Chocolate shake,” Agby said.
“Make mine a vanilla malted with a splash of coconut,” Rice said.
“Got it.” Hud looked them up and down. “You boys are doing a great job. Keep it up.”
They glared at him, and Agby jerked his head. “Get inside.” He set the bag down, and Rice followed suit. As Hudson stepped inside, he saw them put their hands on their weapons.
Damn, he didn’t like this at all.
At the old-fashioned bar, Olivia was already charming Clint Howard. He was grinning like he’d won the Saturday lottery. The tall, lanky ex-football star was a good-looking guy with manners his Texas mama instilled from the cradle. He also had a genuine, booming laugh that captivated women far and wide.
Hud frowned. Maybe sodas weren’t a good idea after all.
“Yes, ma’am,” Clint said. He smoothed a hand over the walnut-and-marble countertop. The edges gleamed with brass details and were interspersed with notches that ladies had once used to hang their parasols from. “This is original. Pickens Willis had it special made when he settled here and built this place back in 1894.”
“It’s gorgeous. And so well kept,” Olivia said. She stroked the countertop, and Hudson’s abdomen rippled as though she’d caressed him.
His stomach rumbled as he walked up to the trio. “I’m hungry,” he announced. “Let’s have lunch at the Tin Star before we hit the grocery store.”
Jake and Tag both stared at him slack-jawed. “Are you freaking crazy? We can’t take her there. It’s indefensible.”
Clint looked bemused. “Hi, Hudson.”
“Clint.” Hud looked at Jake and shrugged. “It’s not that bad. Aren’t you hungry?”
“Yeah. Tag?”
“Sweet mother of mercy, you two are going to drive me crazy.”
“Why can’t she go there?” Clint asked.
Hudson ignored him.
“It’s a long story,” Olivia said. “They worry.”
“About what?”
“Nothing, Clint. Let’s go.”
Olivia straightened up and glared at him. “No.” She settled onto a stool. “I’d like to try the root beer, Clint.”
He smiled at her, and Hudson noticed for the first time all his perfect white teeth. Probably capped because he’d had them busted out during football. Hell, he probably had dentures. And bad knees.
Jake sat down next to her. “Me, too. Clint’s root beer is so famous he bottles it and sells in stores all over the Hill Country.”
Tag ordered a third root beer, and Hudson caved and pitched his, too. He couldn’t help it. Clint did make awesome drinks.
He also ordered Agby and Rice’s drinks then took them out to the men stationed in front of the door. The crowd around the Hex had swelled.
“Uh, Tag, we might have a problem.”
The sheriff spun on his seat, one hand reaching for his gun.
“Nothing like that,” Hud said. “It’s just that there are a whole lot more people out there now than when we came in.”
Tag groaned and slurped on his straw. Clint went to the window, pulled back the lace curtain and whistled. “Man, you’d think Willie Nelson was in town or something.”
His glance flicked to Olivia then the crowd then back to her. “Or something,” he said again.
“Finish up your drinks, people,” Jake said. “Olivia, are you hungry?”
“Starving, actually. I liked the Tin Star. They had good food.” She leaned close to him. “You can believe me when I say there isn’t a good hiding spot in that joint with a clear shot.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel better?” he asked.
She grinned and sucked down the rest of her root beer. Hudson’s dick spasmed at the sight of her lips pursed around the straw and the way her cheeks hollowed.
God, he wanted to feel that suction on his cock.
Jake stood and handed Clint his empty glass. “Excellent as always, Clint. Thanks.”
“Sure thing, Jake. Miss Olivia, are you going to be in town for a while?”
Hudson could feel every tendon in his neck stiffen. It made him feel better to see that Jake’s jovial smile had turned rattlesnake mean. “Come on, Olivia.”
She rolled her eyes and smiled at Clint. “I might be back in town. If so, I’ll be sure to drop by.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” he called out as they exited the store.
Olivia drew to a stop just a couple steps out the door, and Hudson rammed into her. He caught her by the shoulders and whistled. In the five minutes he’d been inside again, the crowd had grown more.
“Do you really have to eat?” Tag asked.
“Yes,” Olivia said. She leaned into Hudson. “What are all these people doing here?” she whispered.
“I suspect they’re angling for a view of you.”
She frowned up at him. “What on earth for?”
Jake took her arm and urged her toward the end of the street. “Curiosity, probably. You’re a beautiful woman. Plus,” he shot her a grin. “It’s not often that we have a woman in tow.”
Hudson noted the relief in her expression before she carefully erased all emotion away. “Ah, okay.”
They reached the corner when she uttered a soft curse. All five men closed ranks quickly, and she sighed loudly.
“Guys, relax.”
Hudson let go of her arm which he’d grabbed and looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”
Her face colored a little bit, and she shook her head.
“It’s dangerous standing out here, Livvie,” Jake said. “What’s the problem?”
She took a deep breath and motioned them closer. “I, uh, just realized that I need to go to the pharmacy.”
Jake looked puzzled, but Hudson caught on, and he figured he turned as red as Janice’s beet salad. “Oh, I see.”
“See what?” Jake demanded.
“She needs, uh, girlie products.”
Olivia gasped and slugged him. “Keep your voice down, would you? And that’s not it. Exactly.”
He frowned and crossed his arms. “Well, then, what exactly is it?”
Her jaw clenched. “I need my birth control pills. They were in the bathroom when the motel blew up.”
Hudson’s eyes widened, his gaze dropped to her stomach then to Jake then back to her. “All righty then, into the pharmacy. Tag, you can stay out here on this one.” For some reason, he didn’t want anyone privy to this private part of her life.
The sheriff looked like he was about to blow a heart valve. Jake clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll be quick, Tag.”
“Hell, what does that matter now?” Tag looked at the milling crowd. “Ought to give them truancy tickets. I swear they’ve taken their kids out of school.
What are they thinking?”
Hudson opened the pharmacy door and ushered Olivia inside. “Maybe they think she’s some sort of celebrity.”
“More than likely it has to do with you boys gallivanting all over town with a woman in tow.”
Jake and Hudson both stared at him. “Why would that generate any interest?”
Tag’s emerald eyes crinkled at the corners. “For whatever reason, the women adore you. Young and old. And damn near every one of ’em want you to settle down.”
Hudson coughed and stepped inside. He hoped Olivia hadn’t heard the sheriff’s comment. Now wasn’t really the right time to broach that sort of subject, but he damn sure wanted to.
Olivia was sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs Ken kept for customers. The wiry-haired man was behind the counter, stooped over a computer. He looked up and waved then went back to the screen. Hudson sat next to Olivia, and seconds later Jake took the seat flanking her.
“So,” Hudson said. “Birth control pills?”
Olivia nodded. “Yep.”
She didn’t say anything else.
“You, uh, on ’em for any reason in particular?”
Her black brows whipped upward. “So I don’t get pregnant.”
He shifted on the hard chair as he contemplated that. Taking the Pill so she didn’t have a baby indicated she was sexually active.
“Are you seeing someone?” he blurted out.
Jake rolled his eyes and mouthed “smooth” over her head.
She leaned forward and picked up a magazine. “Nope.”
“Then why are you taking them?”
“Lord, are you always this nosy?”
“Yes,” Jake answered for him. “And you might as well tell him or he’ll keep at it.”
She tried to hide a smile, but Hudson caught it as she ducked her head. “It’s a girl thing, Hudson. I take the pills and I don’t kill anyone. Nor do I have incredibly painful periods that keep me in bed.”
“Oh.”
She nodded. “Oh, indeed.”
“Lieutenant Martinez, your prescription is ready,” Ken called.
Olivia stood and picked up the white bag then handed him her card.
Hudson joined her. “Hey, Ken, can you do us a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Chances are someone or a lot of someones will be in here asking questions about Olivia. Don’t tell them anything, okay? Especially not her last name.”
Ken nodded. “I wouldn’t anyway. HIPAA restrictions prevent me.”
Hudson smiled. “Yeah, well some of these ladies are quite determined to outdo each other on the gossip.”
Ken rolled his dark-black eyes. “Ain’t that the God’s truth. They can be mighty sneaky. I’ll stay on guard.” He studied Olivia a bit longer. “You a celebrity?”
“No,” she said as she tucked her card back into her wallet. “I’m just a humble soldier. But no one needs to know that either.”
Ken looked back at Hudson then out toward the front of his store. “This have anything to do with the explosion and Wallace’s death?”
“We don’t know,” Jake said. “But we’d rather not tempt whoever did it.”
“Understood.”
They left the pharmacy. Tag’s face was obscured by his regulation mirrored shades, but Hudson felt the ire in them. He was losing his cool faster than ice melted in July. “Food,” Hudson declared.
Tag’s mouth flattened.
Olivia slid her arm into his elbow and started walking. “Tell me about what brought you here to Freedom, Tag. I have to say I never pictured you for a sheriff. You always seemed a little, uh, not sheriffy.”
Tag snorted. “You mean hotheaded? Impulsive? Angry? Yeah, those all fit. Still do quite a lot of the time.” His head swiveled left and right as they walked. “I’ve had more than one course in anger management over the last three years. Sometimes they help, sometimes I still end up with holes in the wall. I visited Jake a time or two and really liked the place. When I decided to come back, Old Sheriff Benson hired me as a deputy. He retired about a year and a half ago, and I was elected in his place. Nice, huh?”
She patted his hand, and Hudson clenched his in response. Man, he really didn’t like how cozy they were.
He sidled next to her and took her other hand. Why in the hell was he acting like a jealous lover?
He wasn’t normally jealous, and he wasn’t her lover.
But he wanted to be.
“Tag, we’ll eat quick and get to the store so we can go home and you boys can go about your merry way.”
“Appreciate that. The Rangers are sending me someone to help out with Wallace’s death.”
The sheriff swallowed hard, and Hudson felt a swell of compassion. “I’m sorry about him, man.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
They arrived at the Tin Star and found it ringed with people. Agby and Rice pounded ahead and cleared a path to the door. Maljib hovered just inside. He was wringing his hands and sweating, but a wide smile curved his mustache upward. “Come in, come in.”
He took Olivia’s hand and bowed low. “I am humbled by your presence, highness. Whatever I have is yours. Eat anything you wish. Anything at all.”
Jake nudged Hudson. “Did he say highness?”
“I think so. What the hell?”
Maljib pulled Olivia deeper into the restaurant. The empty restaurant. Not one person sat in the usually full dining room. Hudson peeked over the wooden barriers that separated the table spaces. “Where is everyone?” he asked.
Maljib seated Olivia and turned to him. “Out. I did not wish the princess to be disturbed while she ate.”
“Princess?” The word bounded from all the occupants of the room.
Maljib blinked. “Yes, Princess Olivia.” He turned and waggled a finger at her. “Though you should have told me who you were yesterday. I would not have charged you for your meal.”
Olivia was on her feet with palms frantically waving. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I am not a princess. No way, no how.”
Hudson sat down at the table and grabbed a menu. “Why would you think something so crazy?”
Maljib blinked slowly. “Well, Hank told Betty who talked to Sadie who talked to Clint. They all said you are a celebrity. With the men guarding you and carrying your packages, we figured you must be a royal. You are not?”
Olivia laughed and sank back down. “No, definitely not.”
Jake shook his head and pulled out a chair of his own. “That’s a good one, though. Best they’ve ever done, I think.”
Maljib had a mournful look on his face.
“What’s wrong now, Maljib?” Hudson asked.
He sniffled a little and looked toward the front door. “I made everyone leave.”
“Yeah, you said that.”
The man’s brown eyes filled with tears. “Without paying,” he wailed.
Chapter Eleven
Jake backed the truck into the garage bay and killed the engine. He grinned at his two traveling companions. “Sorry, princess, you’re going to have to help haul the groceries in.”
Olivia slugged him. “Shut up, Logan.”
Hudson’s laugh echoed in the cab as he clambered out. “Come on, that was damn funny. My favorite part was when Arte tried to pitch you his Shot Dogs idea.” He shuddered. “That just sounds disgusting.”
Olivia eased from the truck and slung her purse over her shoulder. “I’m with you. I want hot dogs whole and on the bun. Cut up in glasses sounds rather revolting.”
They grabbed the bags from the hooks and cargo bag in the pickup bed and lugged them into the house. Jake set his on the kitchen table. “Livvie, Hudson and I will get the rest. Would you mind starting to put this stuff away?”
“Sure.”
He kissed her on the cheek and patted her ass. “Thanks.”
He waited until they were back in the garage to talk to Hudson. “Remember that plan I was talking about?”
Hud’s green eyes were wary. �
�Yeah.” He leaned into the truck and snagged more bags. His muscles bunched beneath his shirt as he pulled them out.
Jake couldn’t fault Olivia for finding his friend attractive. Hudson was a pretty good-looking guy.
“Want to hear it?”
“Maybe?”
Jake shook his head and scooped out the remaining bags. They had no idea how long they’d be holed up on the ranch, so he’d opted to buy enough for a couple of weeks. God knew they had the space for all of it.
“I’m thinking along the lines of proposing an Austin kind of hookup.”
Hudson shook his head. “She’s not the short-term kind of girl, Jake. Even if she would go for taking us both at the same time, I don’t see Olivia as being the kind to just walk away.”
Jake nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
Hudson blinked several times, and his mouth opened and closed like a guppy sucking air. “What do you mean you know?”
Jake took a deep breath. “I mean that if it works out, if she’s amendable to it, I’d like to offer her a permanent home. Permanent, Hudson. Me, Olivia, and you.”
“Holy hell.” A bag slipped to the floor and a can of nacho cheese rolled out. “Are you sure? You said you’d never settle down.” Hudson frowned. “What happens if you change your mind later, Jake? If someone else comes along who—”
“Isn’t going to happen,” he interrupted. He picked up the can and shoved it in one of his bags. “I’ve wanted Olivia for a long time. After the ambush and she was gone, I kicked myself every day for not making the right moves then.” Living with regret was something he’d become damn good at. It was also something he was tired of. “I’m not going to make the same mistake again.”
Hudson studied him for several long, silent moments before nodding slowly. His wide grin dimpled his bronzed cheeks, and Jake knew Olivia wouldn’t be able to resist.
At least, he hoped she couldn’t resist the two of them.
“Agreed?”
“Hell yeah.” Hudson shifted his burden. “Let’s do it.”
Anticipation skittered along his nerves as they walked back to the house. He didn’t know if Olivia would go for their crazy idea, but he sure as hell planned on using every means he had available to convince her.
Two Cowboys in Her Crosshairs [Hellfire Ranch] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 16
