by Brynne Asher
“See ya later.” I try for casual as I breeze past him, grabbing my bag and open the front door.
“Moo.”
“What the hell. These cows are everywhere,” Grady mutters from behind me.
He’s right. It’s not unusual for one or more of Addy’s cows to stray and show up on my doorstep.
“I think it’s Harry,” I say, looking at the huge beast standing between me and my car. The longer I’m here, the more I understand Addy’s fascination with her farm pets. They’re friendly and sweet, not nearly as intimidating as they were when I first moved here. They do, however, still smell like cows.
Grady ignores Harry and grabs the keys from my hand to lock my front door. Jogging down my steps he moves around Harry, who bellows another greeting. Since I can’t escape without my keys, I’m forced to follow and move around our visitor.
“Hey, give those back,” I complain when he pockets them and reaches for my hand.
Distracted by Harry, I didn’t see the huge SUV parked right next to my little car. It’s an Escalade—shiny black and chrome from top to bottom. The windows are tinted, the wheels are big and fancy, and for some reason all I can wonder is how he keeps it this clean out here on all these county roads. My tiny economy car, that I traded my practically new BMW for on my trip south, is always filthy.
Before I know it, he opens the passenger door and turns to me, expecting me to climb in.
I pull my hand out of his. “Give me my keys.”
“Moo.”
“Get in the truck,” he returns.
All of a sudden, I have a big wet nose in my ear, making me yelp. When I look over, all I see is Harry’s face. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was snuggling up to me.
I step away, not wanting to smell like a cow for the rest of the day, and yank my purse strap up my arm. “I’m not getting in your truck. Look, I’m sorry I kissed you last night. I was trying to get rid of Weston, but now I realize all I did was drag you into my mess. And my mess isn’t just with Weston. My mess is with him, his family, his work, and my mother. Trust me when I say, you do not want to be anywhere near my mess. Run, Grady. Run the other way, and fast. I’ve dealt with them for a long time—I’ll figure it out on my own.”
Grady says nothing for a moment before he takes a step, closing the distance between us. Reaching up, he tucks a stray section of hair behind my ear that escapes my pony tail on the best of days, let alone when I’ve thrown myself together haphazardly.
He lowers his voice as he cups my jaw with his hand. “You ready for me to ask you questions?”
I lift my hand to pull his away, but it doesn’t work. “No.”
“Why’s that guy such an asshole?”
I bite my lip and say nothing. Even if I wanted to answer, there are too many examples of Weston being an asshole for me to list. I wouldn’t know where to start.
“Why are you hiding out in Virginia?”
I give my head a tiny shake. I’m not ready to answer that, either.
He narrows his eyes and his voice softens. “Who’s Joseph?”
I bite my lip again to keep from showing any emotion, but I can’t control my heart from racing. In the back of my mind, I’m more worried about Joseph than myself. Especially after Weston threatened him.
“Maya?” he calls for me again.
I don’t know why I open my mouth now, after months of keeping everything locked tight. But I do, I open my mouth, giving away my only weakness, and whisper, “My brother.”
He lifts his head once as his eyes roam my face. “You have reason to be worried about him?”
“I always worry about him, but yes. More so, now.”
He nods. “Please, let me take you to work.”
I realize I’m tired—exhausted really. I think I’ve been this way for months, ever since I left and have been looking over my shoulder, afraid of my shadow.
I drop my hand from his and close my eyes. “Fine.”
He leans in and presses his lips to my forehead, just like he did last night. “Get in, I’ll take you to work. But you’d better do it fast before the cow tries to climb in after us. I know for a fact she likes car rides.”
I look over at Harry, wondering if he’s serious.
“Moo.”
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given the way Addy treats her cows, so I quickly climb up into his shiny Escalade. It’s just as clean on the inside as the outside. He slams the door, shutting me in, and I wonder what in the hell’s going on with my life.
It’s not even seven-thirty in the morning. Grady spent the night at my house, has seen me without pants, I’ve been snuggled by a cow, and now he’s coming to work with me.
I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.
Chapter 8 – Donuts and Dominoes
Maya –
“There’s one more donut. Do you want it, Grady?” Betty asks giddily, as she slowly rises to get up from her chair.
“I’ll get it for him,” Erma insists, but she’s even slower and Betty has a head start.
Miss Lillian Rose waves her hand toward the other two women as she leans in next to Grady. “They can go chase your donuts. I’ll just sit here and talk to you.”
Grady gives her a devilish grin with his bright blue eyes shining, and I swear, even after being widowed twice, Miss Lillian Rose blushes.
This has been going on all morning. Donuts and Dominoes is a popular activity and brings out the residents en masse. For one—donuts. They love their sweets. Even the sugar-free varieties we special order for the diabetics aren’t too bad. And two—they get to sit. I haven’t found a way to get them up and dancing in the middle of dominoes. Everyone’s sitting at different tables and have their own games going on. Maybe we need an intermission. All I know is Donuts, Dominoes, and Dancing has such a catchy ring to it, I need to find a way to make it happen.
The instant the ladies caught sight of Grady Cain this morning, they all argued over who would get to play dominoes with him. Not only that, but I have no idea how many donuts Grady’s eaten. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a baker’s dozen.
Hoping Grady would simply drop me off at work this morning was too much to wish for. After the short drive to the Ranch, I tried one more time to talk him out of coming in. He was having none of it, and held my hand as we walked through the entrance. I had to wave off the big-eyed interest of Stephanie, the office manager and my boss, telling her Grady would leave eventually.
Grady, on the other hand, informed Stephanie he was here for the duration of my shift, and even asked what he could do to help. That’s all it took. Faster than I could blink, he’d filled out the half-page pink form and was proudly wearing a badge with his name on it that Stephanie whipped up in no time flat, informing everyone he’s an official volunteer.
Ugh.
Even though he’s eaten a good portion of their beloved donuts, he’s the most popular new toy that has hit the Ranch since I started working here.
Betty, Erma, and Miss Lillian Rose dug their claws in him first. There was an argument that sent Dot into a fuming tizzy since she didn’t get to sit at Grady’s table. She was so mad, she nabbed two donuts, and marched right back to her apartment, refusing to participate in dominoes, but informed me she might be back for book club after lunch.
There are five tables of dominoes going this morning. I’m playing with Foxy and Butch at a table next to Grady and his harem.
“So, tell me, Grady, what made you want to volunteer here at Rolling Hills Ranch?” Erma smiles sweetly.
Grady takes his turn, sliding a tile across the table placing
it crossways since it’s a double. Before picking up his umpteenth donut, he answers, “I’m here with Maya.”
“You are?” Miss Lillian Rose looks surprised before turning toward my table and keeps on loudly. “Is this your beau, Maya? If so, you’re one lucky belle. Where I’m from, we’d call him a tall drink o’ sweet tea.”
Not that I can argue that Grady’s a tall drink of sweet tea, especially since I kissed him last night and know for a fact how he tastes, but I don’t get the chance to refute the fact he’s my beau when Foxy butts in. “I thought we were a thing. We do the dirty—bumpin’ and grindin’—a few times a week during your dance parties, and now you bring another man here? I was about to make my move on you. I’m hurt, Maya.”
I think my jaw hit the floor and look back at Foxy, who winks at me. He even raises his arms with his hands up, giving them a couple pumps toward the ceiling to raise the roof.
My eyes go big. “We do not bump and grind, Foxy.”
He narrows his, I think trying to make them sultry or something, and does a little wiggle dance move in his chair. “We could—that was my next move. Just you and me, blue eyes. I was gonna break out the Marvin Gaye.”
Butch laughs, but still has the decency to stick up for me. “The only bumping and grinding you’ll be doing is in your dreams. There aren’t enough blue pills in the Commonwealth of Virginia to push you over the top.”
Foxy finishes his dance and reaches for his cup of coffee. “My testosterone is strong, my friend. Sometimes I don’t even need my little blue friend. I got it goin’ on, as the youngins say.”
“Here’s your donut, sugarlump. It’s the last one.” Betty sets the small paper plate on top of the empty stack in front of Grady. He wastes no time picking it up and taking a huge bite.
“Grady is Maya’s boyfriend,” Erma informs Betty what she missed out on during her trip to the donut table. Erma turns to Grady. “How long have you been dating? Maya hasn’t mentioned you.”
Even though she didn’t ask me, I insist, “We’re not dating.”
Grady washes down his donut with a big gulp of milk and tips his head, ignoring me. “Long enough, even though it feels like only yesterday when she threw herself at me for the first time.”
I turn in my chair to fully face him. “I did not throw myself at you.”
He settles his blue eyes on me and winks. “If that makes you feel better, baby.”
Flabbergasted, I insist more emphatically, “I had a good reason!”
Grady turns back to his harem. “Does time really matter, anyway? Time is insignificant. Have we been together twelve years?” He looks back at me and my breath catches at his words. His expression and voice are meaningful when he speaks straight to me. “No, but even years mean nothing if they’re bad. I think when you know, you know.” He looks back to his adoring audience. “Maya will get that eventually.”
“Trust me, when you get to our age, time is nothing if not significant,” Betty confirms.
“I think you’re lovely,” Erma adds, as she looks admiringly up at Grady.
“He’s a charmer and a looker,” Miss Lillian Rose states before glaring at me. “What’s wrong with you, Maya?”
That’s it.
“Our time for dominoes is almost over,” I announce and push my chair back to stand. “Finish up and put them away, but leave the boxes on the tables. I’ll come back and collect them. You, Mr. Prince Charming,” I point at Grady, “come with me.”
Grady grins as Erma croons, “Ahh, she calls him Prince Charming.”
I roll my eyes and turn to leave the commons area, assuming Grady will follow. I quickly march through the halls until I get to the clinic. The current physical therapist is off today, so there are no appointments or anyone about.
I get to the back room and open the last door. After Grady follows, I slam it, closing us in.
Grady looks around, probably wondering what we’re doing, but I don’t waste any time. I have Wii games on the schedule and need to get that going soon. Moving to the cart parked at the side of the room, I roll it to the vinyl-covered exam bed.
Between what happened last night with Weston, Grady being wonderful yet annoying by insisting we’re something we’re not, and finally, wondering what Weston’s next move might be, my emotions are all over the place. I’ve officially lost my patience.
“Take your shirt off,” I clip.
Grady half-grins, half-frowns and immediately starts to unbutton his shirt. “If you say so.”
I do my best to be professional and not ogle Grady undressing, so I look away and snap the stickers onto the electrodes. When I turn back, he’s standing bare from the waist up, his jeans are sort of loose and sitting low on his hips where I can see the band of his underwear peeking at me. I have to exhale quickly when I see his iliac furrow for the second time. It’s so deeply defined, I could barely handle it during our first PT session, and now isn’t any easier.
Looking up from the beautiful V below his abs, I chastise him for last night. “You shouldn’t have carried me to bed. That wasn’t a good idea, you really could’ve reinjured that joint.”
He continues to grin. “I didn’t think you’d sleep well with me on your miniature couch. Maybe next time we’ll just start off in your bed.”
I bite my lip, and regret bringing it up at all, so I change the subject.
“Sit,” I demand. When he settles on the vinyl exam table, I take a step toward him and start peeling the stickers one by one. I adhere them to his muscles, framing his shoulder, and then have to bite the inside of my lip when I place three on each of his pectorals.
“Is this some sort of kinky sex game?” Grady looks up from what I’m doing and into my eyes. “Do I get to do you next?”
“Since you insisted on coming, we might as well get you on the electrical stimulator.” I don’t wait for him to say anything more and turn to the machine. It might not be nice of me, but I’m not in the mood so I don’t ease him into it. I flip the dial all the way to the highest surge before turning it back down to a moderate level.
“Fuck, Maya,” he exclaims, even though he hardly jerks from the initial shock of the strongest possible electrodes pulsing into his body.
“What?” I tip my head, copying what he’s done to me regularly over the past few days, and grin. “You’re a big, tough guy. I thought you could take it.”
“I was just shitting you the other day, but now I do think you get off on inflicting pain.”
“This will increase strength, and prevent disuse atrophy since you’re behind on your PT. It’ll even reduce the pain during therapy, if you can handle it.” I step back and cross my arms, watching his muscles jump and twitch from the stimulation.
I can tell he’s settling into it because he looks up from his bare chiseled chest and shakes his head at me. “You know this means I’m going to get even with you someday.”
I give him a smirk and only tell a half-truth. “I’m only doing what’s best for you, Grady. It’s not like I’m getting some weird satisfaction out of this.”
“Yeah, I bet.” He looks around the room and when his eyes settle back on me, he states, “You’re good at this.”
“I haven’t fixed you yet—you might want to wait on that assessment.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t mean the therapy stuff. As much as you’ve hurt me, I assume you’re good at that. I meant working with the people here. They really like you.”
I shake my head and shrug. “They’re sweet, but really I just herd them around and try to keep them active. They’re fun. I’ll miss the activities with them every day if I get to work back here. That is, if I’m still working here.”
He looks at me questioningly. “You goin’ somewhere?”
I shake my head and sigh, not wanting to talk about this so I change the subject. “Why did you let them believe we’re together?”
A smirk appears. “We felt together last night.”
“I explained that.”
Grady narrows his eyes and leans back on his good arm. “Why are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding,” I sort of lie. I’ve always thought of myself as running. As desperately as I needed to get away, the longer I’m gone, the guilt has become a heavy burden, harder and harder to bear. Weston showing up last night only made that worse.
“Maya,” he starts and lowers his voice. “It’s obvious you’re hiding. You ran away from a man who insists you’re his when you tell me you’re not. You’ve got a brother you’re worried about. From what I see, you know no one here other than the people you work with, and now you’re talking about leaving. No one talks about leaving a place where they like to work and people they like to be around without a reason. What’s going on?”
I swallow over the lump in my throat, because he’s right about all that. But I’m not about to tell him anything, so my only choice is to go on the defense. It’s worked before.
“If you tell me how you got hurt, I’ll think about it.”
This time he doesn’t look defensive at all. He pulls in a big breath and softens his voice. “Come here.”
My brow furrows. “Why?”
His hand comes up gesturing to his chest and he sounds a little frustrated when he continues. “Maya, you’re basically electrocuting me. I’m stuck to this machine or I’d come to you. Would you please come here?”
I sigh because he’s right and take the few steps separating us. When I get close, he reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me the rest of the way. He then separates his legs and pulls me close. My hands come up to his chest because he’s pressed my torso to his so we’re face-to-face.
I know I should pull away, tell him to stop, to leave me alone because my life is nothing but a bad made-for-TV drama right now. If he’s smart, he’ll want no part of it. But ever since last night, his sweet touches and affectionate ways are too much. I haven’t experienced anything like it in a long time. If I allowed myself to really think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced it.
