Lost in Tennessee

by DeVito, Anita

  Tom sat with his elbows on the table, his forearms curled around a plate of eggs and toast. “Ignore him, Kate. He’s just grumpy because he’s sore. There are eggs in the skillet.”

  Kate walked over to Jeb and pushed her index finger into his shoulder blade. “Here?”

  Jeb jumped. “Ouch! Goddamn it.” He threw an elbow toward Kate then winced, swearing all over again. “Don’t touch me.”

  Tom sipped his coffee. “Waters told me you were swinging the hammer. He said you didn’t do too badly for a cop.” Tom winked at Kate. “Let us know if you’re up for some demolition work. We pay cash.”

  Jeb looked at Kate, then Tom with cop eyes. He pursed his lips as if to say something then, with a heavy sigh, shook his head. “I’ll take a pass, but thanks for the offer. Did you think any more about the fingerprints?”

  “I called our attorney.” Tom leaned back in his chair, crossing his thick arms over his chest. “We don’t have to, Kate. He’s not arresting us, and we have no obligation.”

  Kate used a small dessert plate for a scoop of eggs. She ate a few bites before answering, using the time to reason it through. Her prints were in this house. She’d been living here for almost a week. Her prints were supposed to be here. “I don’t see how Jeb can prove someone is setting Butch up if he can’t show someone else has been in the house. I want to do this, because it will show there’s another person in play here.”

  “I knew you’d say that.” Tom turned to Jeb. “Do you mind if we get this done early? I’m going shopping later with Trudy.”

  “We can go now. You’ll be back in a half hour. No point waking Butch, he can come down later.” Jeb stood slowly and shuffled to the door.

  Kate set her half-full cup of coffee on the counter. She snickered when Jeb caused a traffic jam at the back door.

  “I’d forgotten how much work swinging a sledge is. Couldn’t I have kicked your desk a few more times?”

  “Venting demons takes work. Sometimes painful work.” She poked his shoulder again and snickered when Jeb swore at her.

  Butch woke to the sound of his own voice coming through his window. “Here, boy” told the stories of the adventures he’d had with his favorite dog, a black Lab named Max. He’d sung the song a thousand times, and it still made him smile. That’s how he knew it was a good song. It never got old.

  “Damn it, I know what I’m doing.” Hyde used the same voice when he lost at poker.

  “If that’s what you look like when you know what you’re doing, I’m afraid to see you when you’re clueless. Let me do it.”

  “Watch your fingers. Dang it. Will you just let me…”

  Butch huffed out a laugh. “Not your normal sound of spring.”

  “That’s right,” Hyde said, his voice suddenly smooth, coaxing. “Easy does it, girl. That’s right. Let Hyde do the work. We’re almost there. That feels good, doesn’t it?”

  Kate giggled, and a switch flipped inside Butch. What the hell was Hyde doing? Butch kicked at the sheet and nearly fell out of bed scrambling to the window. Below, Hyde and Katie laid on a sheet of plastic, their legs poking out from under the Shelby. Separately. Of course separately. What did he think they were doing?

  “It feels good to have everything in the right place, doesn’t it? I know it does. Hyde knows.”

  Butch curled his fingers into the wood of the windowsill, pressing his head against the screen in the window to see better. What were they doing? Hyde should have fixed the car before he brought it over.

  Kate said something. Hyde laughed. Butch’s brows pressed down. Hyde crawled out from under the car, Kate mirroring him.

  “She’s perfect.” Kate patted the car affectionately, running her fingers over the curves. “Want to take her for a spin?”

  “Hell yeah. Just let me clean up.”

  “I’m going to tell Butch we’re going out for a test drive. What do I owe you?”

  He handed her a bill. “Just the cost of the parts.”

  “And your time?” Kate read the paper.

  Hyde shook his head. “Any friend of Butch’s is a friend of mine.”

  “No, Hyde. I earn my way. Your time’s as valuable as mine. I’m paying you.”

  Hyde cocked his head and softened his tone to a saintly patience. “Little Red, you and I are going to have a long talk about being gentlemanly.”

  Kate crossed her arms over her stomach, shifted her weight to one foot, and tapped the other. “You’re not being gentlemanly. You’re being pigheaded. This isn’t over.” She stalked toward the house. The screen door slammed.

  Butch chuckled as he slid back into bed to wait for her. After a minute of waiting, he went downstairs to find her. “Katie?”

  Kate came out of the kitchen into the entryway biting her lip. “Did you go into the kitchen?”

  “No, not yet. Why?”

  She wrung her hands. “I set a coffee cup on the counter, and it’s not in the same place. I’m sure it’s not.”

  Butch went to her. “Where’s Jeb? Tom?”

  “Jeb’s at work. Tom and I went with him this morning to get our fingerprints taken. Tom left with Trudy a little while ago.” Her voice climbed. “Are you sure you didn’t do it?”

  “Of course I’m sure, but there are plenty of us around here. Aren’t you getting upset over nothing?”

  “You don’t think someone was in the house again?”

  He pulled her close to ease the stress that had crept in. “Because a coffee cup isn’t where you remembered? No, honey. It’s your day off. Enjoy it. Take Hyde for a ride in that pretty car of yours. When you get back, I’ll take you on a picnic.”

  Kate shook her head. “I should stay.”

  He caught her chin with his fingers. “Don’t argue with me.” He kissed her nose. “I have work to do, and you and Hyde bickering like cats and dogs won’t do much for my creativity. Go have fun with Hyde. Don’t worry about anything.”

  Four hours later, Butch wanted her home. It wasn’t that he was lonely. He’d been alone for the last year with no problem. It wasn’t that he was bored. He had a piano, his guitars, and more material in his head than he could manage. It wasn’t that he was jealous. Hyde had been his friend nearly as long as Jeb had been his brother.

  He simply wanted Katie home. He called her cell but didn’t leave a message. He called back an hour later, checking on the car, letting her know he finished working.

  He couldn’t sit still any longer.

  For the first time in weeks, Butch felt like doing something physical. He didn’t have his gym, but he had a barn full of straw that had to be stacked. He pulled a pair of heavy-duty gloves from the workbench and went about re-arranging the bales. One. Two. Three.

  Fifty. Fifty-one. Fifty-two.

  One hundred six. One hundred seven.

  Instead of calming him down, it revved Butch up.

  Kate let Hyde drive back to the garage. Under his direction, she had driven through miles of rolling county roads. Now it was his turn for a little fun. Hyde had done more than replace the tire and repair the wheel well. He’d tuned her Shelby until she purred down the road. The man did appreciate a fine piece of machinery. Kate imagined he would do the same for the right lady. “How come you aren’t married with children, Hyde?”

  Hyde’s shoulders jerked back. “Me? Aw, hell, I don’t know. I’m not very good around women.”

  “I noticed that.” Kate smiled when Hyde blushed. “You’re all tongue and thumbs around women. But around a car, you’re smooth as silk.”

  “I don’t want to be smooth as silk. I want to be as smooth as cream. Cream tastes good.”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “Fine, be smooth as cream. The point is, you should be, and you’re not.”

  “I don’t know what to say to a woman.” Hyde fingered the bill on his ball cap.

  “That’s bullshit. You don’t have any trouble talking to me.”

  Hyde pushed the hat off his head, pulled it right back on, and glanced at her
. “You’re not a woman.”

  Kate winced, and Hyde saw it.

  He took his foot off the gas, letting the speedometer fall as he apologized. “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that you’re more like one of the guys than a girl.”

  He’d hit a sore spot. Just one of the guys. Sometimes, all she wanted to be was one of the girls. Then it occurred to her she had hit one of Hyde’s sore spots. And with her usual tact, she’d jammed her finger in the spot just like she had done to Jeb’s shoulder that morning. No wonder men didn’t see her as feminine. An elephant in a tutu had more charm that she did.

  “I’m sorry, Hyde. I just mean I think you’re a great guy, and I’m surprised some woman hasn’t swept you off your feet yet.”

  Hyde downshifted to in-town speeds and soon turned into the parking lot of his shop. As the engine idled contently, Hyde struggled for words. “Well, jeez.”

  “You’re a good friend.” When Hyde blushed, Kate leaned over and kissed his cheek, her hand on his coat.

  Hyde got out of the car, then bent down to look at her. “I appreciate what you said. So, friend to friend, you and Butch got a thing, right?”

  “Something. I think. Maybe.” A tingle of excitement zipped through Kate at the idea of her and Butch “having a thing.” They’d danced. They’d kissed. That was definitely a thing. A thing she wanted more of right then. She got out, went around to the driver’s side, and got back into the car. After she closed the door, she rolled down the window and adjusted her seat and mirrors. “You have any interest in servicing the site trucks? A few are due for maintenance.”

  Hyde took a step back from the door. “I’d appreciate the work. I’ll give you a discount.”

  “The hell you will. I’m paying going rates, or I’m giving the work to your competition.”

  Hyde pressed his lips tight. “Little Red, you’re not winning on this one.”

  Kate threw the Shelby into gear and drove around him. “The hell I’m not. By the way, I paid my bill. Check your pocket.” She beat it to the driveway, watching in the side view mirror as Hyde shook a fist full of money at her.

  She kept the driver’s window down, despite the light rain that fell. Freedom was a cool, spring day and miles of pretty, open road. With the after-market radio blaring, Kate sang loud and out of tune all the way to Elderberry Farm.

  The gravel popped under her tires as she rolled up the long drive and parked in front of the garage.

  Butch walked out of the barn wearing jeans, boots, and a good, healthy sweat. His bare chest heaved as he pulled the gloves off his hands.

  Kate moved toward him, liking the look in his eyes. “What has you all hot and bothered?”

  Chapter Ten

  Butch walked right up to Kate, invading her personal space to capture that smart aleck mouth. His hands, flushed with the power of hard work, curled around her waist and pinned her to him.

  She pulled back, gasping for air. “Wow. What have you been up to?”

  “I’ve been thinking about you. All damned day.” Butch bent forward, forcing Kate back until only his arms kept her upright. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, drawing him closer. “Do you know what it does to me? Sleeping next to you? Feeling your body against mine? Smelling your sweet scent calling to me? Do you have any idea what it does?”

  Kate didn’t retreat from his need but looked him in the eye and met him with her own. “Yeah, I do. What are you going to do about it?” With a wicked grin, she broke his hold on her and ran for the house.

  Butch caught her in the kitchen, sweeping her off her feet. Kate shifted in his arms, wrapping her legs around his narrow hips. “Hurry,” she said, finding his earlobe with her tongue.

  The steps creaked as Butch carried her up the stairs. Kate used her hands, her mouth on his exposed body. Her frenzied exploration drove his need, drove his legs until then they were finally in the bedroom they shared. Butch lifted her hips, tossing her on the bed. She laughed as she landed, welcoming him as he covered her body with his own. His hands caught hers, and he held them above her head, taking her mouth. All his. The way her passion matched his, Butch hoped it meant she saw him as all hers.

  Kate spread her legs wide, cradling him in the place he most wanted to be. Her body quivered in anticipation.

  Butch pushed himself higher until he was over her, blocking everything else. His tongue captured her mouth, taking her prisoner. She followed his demanding lead, enticing him to take more.

  He held her wrists with one hand, using the other to push her T-shirt up until he cupped her breast.

  “More. I want more,” she said, brazen about her needs.

  “I’ll give you all you can take.” There were too many clothes and not enough room. He rolled, and they fell off the bed. Butch managed to land first, then he rolled her beneath him again.

  She cried out in frustration. “Let me touch you.”

  Butch rolled until she sat astride him. Her hands stroked across his chest and arms while he tore the clothing from her body. He needed to feel her soft, hot skin under his hands. He flung her bra across the room and, rising up, locked his mouth onto her breast. She arched back. Her hands clenched in his hair, holding him to her breast. Passion overwhelmed him. The urge to have her, to possess her, to consume her drove him into a frenzy. He took her other breast into his mouth, suckling hard and teasing her nipple, while his hand slid around the curve of her waist to the rivet.

  Kate guided his head back, fastening her mouth to his. She pushed him to the floor, sliding down as she explored every plane of his body. She licked his nipple. When his body jolted, she flicked it with the tip of her tongue and then sucked hard.

  “That’s it,” Butch said as warning an instant before he rolled her beneath him. His breath was fast and ragged as he peeled the jeans from her body.

  She lay in front of him, a hungry look in her eyes as her hands ran across his stomach. Her body undulated against the painted wood, her red hair spilling across the floor, wearing only delicate black panties against her creamy skin. Her skin was flushed and her mouth swollen, her chest heaved with peaked nipples. “You see what you do to me?”

  Butch had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. Need surged through him again, hard. The need to claim her, to have her. Butch bent his head and nipped at her mound through the thin material. She pushed against his mouth, her scent calling to him. The harder he nipped, the deeper he nuzzled, the more ragged her breathing became, and the faster she pushed at him.

  “Butch, please.”

  Butch tore the panties from her hips. “Sweet heaven.”

  From the fiery nest of curls rose a tattoo of a scarlet red phoenix with outstretched wings. Butch pinned her hips to the floor and bathed the mythical creature with his tongue. Her fingers pulled at his hair, urging him on. His hands moved between her legs to her core. He slid a finger into her moist heat and was bathed in her need for him.

  Butch knelt up, kicked his shoes off, and took her mouth again. He undid his jeans and slid them down far enough to free himself. He was so hard, he was going to embarrass himself soon if he didn’t do something about it. Then he froze. “I don’t have any protection. I mean I wasn’t planning…I didn’t intend…this wasn’t why…I’m clean. I just had an exam for new insurance. I have papers I can show you.” What was he babbling? He knew he needed to shut up before he ruined the moment.

  Kate placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. “It’s okay. I’m on the pill, and per my last checkup, I’m clean, too.” She spread her legs wide, inviting him into her body, a seductive smile stealing across her face.

  Butch slid into her without preamble. Kate came off the ground, and Butch belted his arms around her. She was so hot and so tight, he couldn’t remember how to breathe. Her fingers buried deep into his back, openly demanding his attention. His hips took on a rhythm of their own, finding a stride that had Kate mewing like a cat. Her helpless little sounds burned him up. Harder and harder he drove into he
r until she opened her mouth to scream, and he captured it. He swallowed the sound of her first climax with him, taking her into him for always. For always, he thought as he thrust deep into her. His own climax shattered him, challenging everything he thought he knew sex to be. Aftershocks rippled through her, and he pressed on her most sensitive spot, adding to her pleasure until his strength gave out, and he collapsed onto her.

  Butch lay in the heady haze of good, hard sex. When he could breathe again, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at Kate. Her wide eyes stared up at him. Big and blue and wide. He lowered his head and kissed her lovingly, reverently.

  “Did I hurt you?” he whispered.

  She stared at him with those eyes too wide and shook her head.

  He didn’t want to move, but knew he had to be crushing her against the hard floor. Butch let their bodies separate but, feeling a little desolate, held her head to kiss her again. He rolled to his feet, pulled his jeans back over his hips. He picked her from the floor and lay on the bed with her. Kate’s head found the niche in his shoulder, her naked body forming against his. She fit perfectly. Her head was right under his chin, and her soft breasts nestled against his chest. He didn’t try to fight the impulse to run his hands over the curves of her back and hips.

  After a moment, Butch began to worry. Kate laid so quiet, so still.

  “Are you going to talk to me?”

  Kate looked at him with wide eyes. “I think you swept me off my feet.”

  Butch buried his hands in her hair and took her mouth again. “It’s about damned time. You’ve had me ever since you held that damned wrench above your head like it was a NASCAR cup.”

  “That would be the Stanley Cup, where I come from.” Kate smiled contently. Her fingertips traced the contours of his rounded pec and flat stomach.

  “Yeah, we like that one, too.” Butch shifted toward her, improving her access. He wanted her to touch him. “You’re so beautiful.”

  Kate’s chin came up, and she blushed. “You think I’m beautiful?”

  “No. I know you’re beautiful.” The gravel popped on the driveway below, warning of impending and unwelcome company. Butch kissed her upturned mouth and pulled her up to sit. “Come on, we’d better get you dressed before our roommates come back.”