“Hey, Ash,” Gray said when he reached him.
“How’s it going, Gray?”
“Good. Need to pick up some dog food for Roxy. What are you up to these days? I haven’t seen you since the wedding.”
“Besides working the fields, I’ve been training a few horses.”
“I thought you quit doing that.” Gray smiled at him as he slapped him on the back.
“I only work with a few of them. I don’t have the time like I used to before the feed took off.”
“That horse you trained for me last month is doing great.”
“Glad to hear it. How about grabbing a beer one night?”
“Sounds good to me. You want to meet at Dewey’s or at one of our places?”
“I need to get out of the damn house, Gray. How about at Dewey’s?”
“Just tell me when and I’ll be there.”
“Tomorrow night at seven,” Ash suggested.
“Yep, sounds good. I’ll see you there.” Gray nodded at him then walked toward the back of the store.
“Here’s your ticket, Ash. The boys will have it loaded for you by the time you get out there. I’ll get an order to you for more feed in a few days.” The clerk handed him a receipt.
“Thanks. Just send it over, and I’ll get it delivered. Have a good day.” Ash nodded to the clerk then walked out.
The guys were loading his blocks as he strode toward his pickup. After giving the men a wave, he climbed into his truck then drove home. All the way home, he couldn’t stop thinking of how much he’d love to see Cassidy more but with her just having gone through a divorce, he knew she wouldn’t be interested. She wanted to be alone, which was why she was staying in the cabin.
“Hell,” he muttered. “Just my luck.”
The next night, Ash sat on the barstool, turning the beer bottle around in his fingers, making wet circles on the bar from the condensation on the bottle. He was a little early but being Saturday night, he knew he wouldn’t find a seat if he didn’t get in before the crowd and claim a couple for him and Gray.
Glancing over when someone sat beside him, he mentally groaned when he saw Belinda sitting there. Raising the bottle to his lips, he took a swig then gave her a sideways look.
“That seat’s taken,” he said, redirecting his gaze back to the mirror behind the bar.
“Yep, by me.” She smiled at him.
“No. Gray is meeting me here. That”—he nodded to the stool—“is for him.”
“Really? Then, where is he?” Belinda leaned in toward him.
“I’m right here, and you’re in my seat,” Gray said from beside her.
Ash smirked. “See?”
Belinda scowled and hopped down from the stool then faced both men. “No reason the three of us can’t have some fun together. If you know what I mean,” she offered with a wink and a coy tilt of her head.
Gray laughed as he signaled for a beer. “Anyone would know what you mean, Belinda, but it ain’t happenin’.”
Ash watched as she ran her fingers up Gray’s arm. “Give me one good reason why we can’t, Gray.”
Gray’s answer came when he wrapped his hand around her wrist and lifted her hand from his arm. “As much as I love my brother, I sure as hell don’t want to see his hairy ass naked.”
At that, Ash choked on his beer. Gray grinned at him and slapped him on the back.
“The feeling is mutual, Gray,” Ash wheezed, trying to ease the burning in his throat.
“You’ll need to find some other men to go to bed with, Belinda. We aren’t interested,” Gray said as he nodded to the bartender when he put a beer in front of him, then he twisted the top off and took a swig.
Belinda stared at them for a long moment, muttered something under her breath that probably wasn’t very ladylike then turned in a huff, and marched off through the crowd pushing at folks as she went.
Ash glanced at Gray. “I think you pissed her off.”
“Who the fuck cares? I really don’t know what you saw in her. I mean, she is pretty, no doubt there but she sure gets around.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I’ve been wondering what I saw in her myself.”
“Was the sex really that damn good?” Gray asked him.
“If you like sex with a block of ice, I suppose it was.”
Gray chuckled. “You can have any woman in here, why her?”
“She came on to me, and I was horny. What can I say?” Ash shrugged.
“Well, all I can say is that you must have been damn horny.”
Ash chuckled. He couldn’t disagree with his brother’s analysis of his current sex life. Spinning on his barstool, he stared at the crowd. The place was wall-to-wall people as usual. It was a nice bar. Actually, it was the only bar and located in the town next to Hartland. Clifton was also a small town but Dewey’s always drew a crowd.
Ash wasn’t one for the bar scene. He was getting to feel too old for this shit. Cruising bars was never really his way, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t Gray’s either. So why in the hell were they here?
“We should have just met at a restaurant and had dinner. This shit just doesn’t get it for me anymore.”
“I know what you mean. I’m too old for this,” Gray said motioning to all the young bodies wandering around trying to get their attention. “But how else do I find a woman for a quick lay? I’m sure as hell not interested in a relationship. Not after Ellen,” he muttered.
“You need to move on, Gray. You only care about getting laid.”
Gray’s lips flattened. “True. I’m not interested in any other kind of relationship. Not anymore. Thought I had it once but she looked down her nose at Hartland.”
Ash nodded. He understood his brother’s pain after a bad relationship but since their oldest brother, Brayden had gotten married, Ash was beginning to wonder if a committed relationship was what was missing in his life. And as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn’t stop thinking of Cassidy.
Standing, he pulled his wallet out and placed money on the bar.
“You’re leaving? Hell, Ash, I just got here,” Gray said with a tone of disappointment and a scowl.
“This wasn’t a good idea, after all. I’m going home. You can come to the house and have a beer if you’d like.”
“Sounds good.” His expression brightened at the suggestion so Gray paid for his beer, and then the two men walked toward the door to leave.
If Gray drank too much, Ash would make him stay in the spare bedroom. Although, since Gray was the Sheriff of Hartland County, Ash knew he wouldn’t drive after drinking anyway. As they were walking out, Brody Morgan, a Clifton sheriff’s deputy, walked in so they stopped and shook hands.
“How are you, Brody?” Ash asked, smiling.
“I’m good, Ash. How are you two doing?” Brody nodded at Gray.
“We’re bored so we’re heading to Ash’s place. We’re beginning to think we’re too old for this shit,” Gray said.
Brody laughed. “Yeah, it gets old quick. You two have a good evening. I need to make rounds. I hate damn nightshift,” he muttered.
“Why are you working it?” Ash asked.
“Paul’s wife is in labor, so I have to fill in for him. Never did like this shift.” Brody touched the brim of his hat and walked off.
Ash and Gray laughed then made their ways to their trucks and drove to Ash’s house.
“Do you know Cassidy, Brian and Nora’s daughter?” Ash asked as they sat in his living room later.
“Nope. Never met her, why?”
Ash shrugged. “Just wondered.”
Gray grinned at him. “Just wondered, huh? You interested in her?”
“No. No, not a good thing. She just went through a divorce and moved back here from Nevada. Her husband fucked around on her.”
“Asshole. I don’t understand why men do that or women, for that matter. If you’re unhappy enough to want to fuck around, break it off or if you’re married, get a divorce first,” Gray muttered
.
“I know.” Ash shrugged. “You can tell me about Ellen anytime you need, ya know.”
“Nothing you don’t already know, Ash. She wouldn’t move here with me. She hated this town on sight. I’ll never forget driving through town, and I was excited about showing her where I grew up but she was shocked that there was only one stoplight.”
“I’m sorry, Gray. I know how much you loved her.”
“I wanted to marry her, but I’ll get past it. Let’s change the subject. Tell me more about Cassidy Marlowe.”
“Nothing to tell,” Ash said then took a swig of beer.
Gray tilted his head. “I think you want her.”
Ash narrowed his eyes at his brother, making Gray laugh. Ash raised his middle finger at him.
“Real good comeback there, Ash.” Gray sat forward in the recliner. “Why don’t you ask her out?”
“I’m not sure I want to just date without it going somewhere, and she doesn’t come across as being interested.”
Both men were lost in their own thoughts as a baseball game played on the TV above the mantle. Ash wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or not, in not having the chance to talk with Cassidy. With her just being divorced, he suspected the last thing she’d want was to jump into another thing with another man.
****
Two weeks later, Cassie stood in the barn, took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the moisture from her face. It was stifling in the barn today. Leaning the rake against the wall, she pulled the collar of her T-shirt out and blew a cool breath down to her breasts. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back too.
“Honey, why are you out here working in this heat?” Brian asked her from where he stood in the doorway of the stall.
“Hi Dad. It’s okay. I want to work. It gets my mind off…things.”
“I see. Okay, but don’t work yourself to death. This is what I pay the men to do. I don’t need my daughter out here doing it.”
Cassie walked to her dad and hugged him. “I want to work around here. I have to earn my keep.”
“No, you don’t.” Brian hugged her, and Cassie blinked tears away. Her parents hadn’t once said they told her so about Ross. She knew neither of them had liked him. She only wished she had listened to them before she married him. Her mother had great instincts about people, and she’d never cared for Ross.
“Brian? I’m going over to the other barn to help with stacking hay,” Everett said as he stood outside the stall.
“No, Everett. It’s too hot, and you shouldn’t be doing it.”
“Well, Wayne didn’t come in today, and Andy can’t do it alone.”
“I can help—” Cassie started forward.
“No,” Everett said with a raised hand. “Let me call in some help. It’s what ranchers do. We help each other.” Everett removed his cell phone from his pocket.
“There is no reason I can’t help. I’ve done it before.” Cassie placed her hands on her hips with indignation.
“Cassie, it’s been years since you’ve done it. Let Everett call in some help. Besides, this needs to be done too.” Her father waved his hand at the interior of the stall.
Cassie sighed because she knew he was right. The stalls needed to be mucked out every day, so the horses had clean straw.
“I hate asking for help,” she muttered.
“For God’s sake, woman, ranchers do it all the time.” Everett turned from the stall. “I’ll make some calls.”
Picking up the rake, Cassie stuck her head out of the stall to see him using his cell phone to call for assistance. She had a sinking feeling he’d call Ash. Groaning, she wasn’t thrilled about Everett calling him but she hated to admit she missed seeing him. He’d invaded her dreams every night for the past two weeks.
Her dad patted her shoulder and kissed her forehead then left the stall.
Thirty minutes later, she heard a truck pull up by the barn. She heard both doors open and close, which meant there were two visitors. Setting the rake down, she slowly walked down the aisle and looked out into the bright sunshine. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Ash striding toward Everett standing at the door to the other barn. Another man followed him. She didn’t know who he was but when he turned to glance around, she let out a gasp. What a good-looking man. When he stopped beside Ash, Cassie noticed he was the same height and build as Ash. A straw cowboy hat covered dark hair that curled above the collar of his white T-shirt. Her eyes ran down his broad back to his tight jeans that hugged his butt, and then down to worn cowboy boots. Wow!
She watched as Everett led them into the barn and after a slight hesitation, she took a deep breath then walked out into the sun and headed to the barn where they were stacking hay. The sun beat down on her shoulders and sweat trickled between her breasts. She picked up her pace to get out of the heat. After letting her eyes adjust once inside, she walked to the men standing beside the flatbed truck with the bales stacked on it.
“Hello Cassidy,” Ash said from beside her.
Startled, she turned and smiled. “Hi Ash, I appreciate you coming over to help us.”
Ash shrugged. “It’s what we do. This is my brother, Grayson. Gray, this is Cassidy…Porter.”
Wow, again. Gray was even hotter close-up. “Please, call me Cassie. Nice to meet you, Mr. Beckett.” She stuck her hand out toward him.
“Gray, please. Nice to meet you too, Cassie,” he said in a deep voice.
His eyes were the same color as Ash’s. He certainly was good-looking and all, but Ash was who made her want to take a chance on being with another man. As sexy as Gray Beckett was, he just didn’t do it for her. She saw him look at Ash and smirk, and wondered what that was about.
“Thank you, both, for helping. I need to get back to the stalls.” She gave a little wave and practically ran from the barn.
Striding across the yard, she swore she could feel Ash’s eyes drilling into her back, so she picked up her pace and entered the other barn. Returning to the stall where she was last working, she picked up the rake and got back to work.
“Cassidy?”
Almost jumping out of her skin, she turned to see Ash leaning against the stall doorjamb with his arms folded across his broad chest.
“Yes?”
“How’s the palomino doing?”
Smiling, she leaned the rake against the wall and pulled her work gloves off. “He’s doing great actually. You did an amazing job with him.”
Ash nodded. “Glad to hear he worked out for you. Well, I’ll get back to the other barn,” he said as he put his fingers to the brim of his hat.
“Ash…”
“Yeah?” He turned back to look at her.
Blowing out a breath, Cassie smiled. “I’m going to an auction next week to bid on some horses. I plan to bring some back. Do you think you could work with them? When you get a chance, I mean,” she added the last words quickly.
“Sure thing, sweetheart. Just let me know when you want me to take a look at them.” He stared at her for a few seconds then gave her a nod and walked away.
Sweetheart?
Cassie leaned against the barn wall and took a deep breath. The man was just too damn hot. Those blue eyes definitely made her panties melt, but then he’d called her sweetheart. Smiling, she pulled her gloves back on, picked up the rake, and got back to work.
Chapter Four
“I can see why you wouldn’t want to date her,” Gray said as he tossed a bale of hay onto the stack.
“Shut up,” Ash muttered.
Gray burst out laughing. “You’re really slipping lately. These comebacks of yours suck.”
Ash glanced at Everett then back to Gray. “Fuck you. How’s that for a comeback?”
Gray shook his head and chuckled. “Not much better.” He pulled his gloves off and stared at Ash. “Why don’t you go for it? She’s a gorgeous woman.”
“I told you…she doesn’t seem interested. Plus I know nothing about her.”
“Only one w
ay to find out, Ash.”
“I can’t. I hate being shot down,” Ash muttered.
Flattening his lips, he knew he wasn’t as confident about women as his brothers were and the thought of being shot down by Cassidy convinced him it couldn’t happen between them. On the other hand, Cassidy’s lips looked so soft all the time that he wanted to taste them. He wanted to taste her. Damn it.
Now his dick was growing just thinking about being with her. That was all he needed, for his brother to see him with a damn hard-on. Pushing the thought of Cassidy from his brain, he picked up a bale of hay and tossed it onto the pile.
An hour later, he and Gray were still tossing bales when Cassidy entered the barn carrying bottles of water. Both men stopped and walked forward to meet her.
“Thank you, Cassidy,” Ash said as he took a bottle and twisted the cap off. He downed half of it before lowering the bottle.
“Thanks,” Gray said then he did the same.
“You’re welcome. I could have brought you beer instead.” Cassidy smiled at him.
Gray smiled at her. “I could use one once we’re done, but this will do for now.”
Ash clenched his jaw and glared at his brother. Gray glanced at him then took a swig of water and Ash knew it was to hide a grin. When Ash lifted his bottle to his lips, he raised his middle finger at Gray making him chuckle.
Cassidy frowned at them. “If you need more, feel free to go into the house and help yourself.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gray said grinning.
Ash watched her walk away then turned on his brother. “You interested in her?”
“Well, you don’t seem to be so…” Gray shrugged.
“Fuck you, Grayson.”
Gray burst out laughing. “Okay, you’re pissed, because that’s the only time you call me by my full name. You seriously need to make up your mind. You don’t want to get involved with her but yet, you don’t want anyone else to go for it either.”
Ash: A Beckett Brothers Novel Book 2 (The Beckett Brothers) Page 4
