The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection

by Alexis Winter

  He climbs out of the truck, looking all nice and cleaned up in a fresh pair of jeans, a fitted navy blue T-shirt, his boots, and a baseball cap. I can’t help but notice the way his biceps bulge in the tight sleeves of his shirt. He walks over to a red car, directly to the driver’s side door. It opens and a hand lands in his—a woman’s hand. He helps her out, and suddenly, my lungs freeze. It’s the waitress from the diner, the one that kept staring at me. No wonder she was so curious about me. I’m sure he told her about working with me on the bed-and-breakfast.

  He told me he wasn’t married, but he never mentioned being with anyone either. The way she wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him close tells me that this isn’t a first date. They’re close. I’m not sure why, but jealously hits me right in the gut. It’s stupid of me to even feel this way. I barely know this guy, and other than catching him checking me out, he’s not vocalized that he even likes me.

  I shake my head at myself and push down on the gas pedal a little harder. It only takes minutes before we’re back to the motel, and Bryce immediately goes to take a bath. With him in the bathroom where he can’t hear me, I sit down and call my lawyer. She’s the only person who knows where I am.

  “Lidia Howell,” she answers.

  “Hi, Lidia. It’s Autumn.”

  “Hey! How you doing?” she asks, sounding relieved to hear from me.

  I nod. “Really well. Have you heard anything from Glenn?”

  She laughs. “Oh yeah. He threatened to sue me if I didn’t tell him where you are. I politely explained that the law doesn’t work that way.”

  I shake my head. I can only imagine the things he’s said to her. “I’m so sorry if he’s causing you problems.” I hang my head out of embarrassment. Most of the people in my life back home have no idea how Glenn really is. In public, he’s the nicest, sweetest guy around. Our marriage looks too good to be true. Only a few close friends had their suspicions, and that was only because I couldn’t always hide the bruises he left. Lidia will be the first one, besides me, to see his rage—to see the real him.

  “Don’t worry about it, Autumn. It’s just part of the job. I threatened to call the police and he left and hasn’t been back since.”

  “Do you have any idea if he signed the papers or not?”

  “He did not. In fact, he ripped them up right in front of me and threw them in the air. Poor Abby had to pick up all the shredded paper from the waiting area.”

  My entire body is flooded with embarrassment. “God, I’m so sorry,” I breathe out.

  “The important part is that you and your boy are safe. I can handle him.”

  “So what now?” I ask, feeling as if this is never going to end. I mean, I can keep having papers mailed to him, but that doesn’t mean he’ll sign them.

  “I’m having Abby mail him a set of papers this afternoon. I wanted to give him time to settle down before I brought it up again. I’ll give him a week and if we still haven’t heard anything back, I’ll have the papers delivered by a police officer. We just have to take this one step at a time.”

  “Okay,” I nod.

  “So, how’s country life?”

  I smile. “Great. We’ve been working on the-bed-and-breakfast. It’s still going to need a lot of work, but I’m happy to have finally gotten started on it.”

  “And Bryce? How’s he liking it?”

  “He’s having a great time. He’s started a local daycare until school starts this fall. I couldn’t exactly bring him into a construction zone, but he really likes the daycare. He’s met a few kids he’s going to be going to school with, and he’s done nothing but talk about his new friends.”

  “That’s great. I’m happy to hear that you two are finally getting the life you deserve. You just worry about getting up on your feet and I’ll worry about everything back here. Deal?”

  I smile with her words. “Deal.”

  I drop Bryce off at daycare bright and early the next morning. I pick up two coffees and a dozen donuts and take them back to the house. When I pull into the drive, I find Clay’s truck already there. I smile to myself, excited to get to see him again today, but then quickly remind myself that I need to cool it. He’s with someone.

  I walk in and find him with a paint brush in hand. He’s up on a ladder, painting along the top trim. His arm is raised above his head and his shirt is pulled up slightly, just enough that I can see his lower back. He has two little dimples on either side of his spine—Something I’ve always found sexy. He looks over his shoulder with a casual smile. “Morning.”

  At the sound of his voice, I jump, hoping he didn’t notice me checking him out. My face flushes. “I brought breakfast.” I hold up the box of donuts a little higher.

  He starts down the ladder. “Cool, thanks.” He reaches out and takes the box.

  He sets it down on a makeshift table he has set up. It’s nothing other than a couple of sawhorses with a board placed over the top. He opens the box and checks out the selection. “Which is your favorite?”

  I move to his side and set down the coffee. “Cinnamon sugar swirl,” I answer. “What’s yours?” I take a sip of coffee and hand him the other cup. His hand gently brushes against mine for only a second, but it’s enough to set my body ablaze. Our eyes quickly connect. I see a glimmer in his eyes that’s probably reflected in my own.

  “I’m a glazed man,” he answers, picking up a glazed donut and taking a bite. I’ve never in my life seen something so erotic, and he didn’t do anything but take a bite out of deep-fried dough.

  A small whimper escapes my mouth when I see him lick the glaze from his sexy lips. His eyes jump to mine.

  “I’m starving,” I lie, needing an excuse to cover my whimper. I quickly grab a donut and take a bite, then let out an “mmmm” sound that sounds more like a moan than I want it to. At that sound, his jaw flexes and his blue eyes darken. There’s a charge between us. I can feel it bouncing between us like electricity, making every one of my hairs stand on end. His body shifts toward mine slightly. Automatically, mine does the same. The pull between us is getting stronger. I don’t know how I’ll resist it…but I have to. Clay is a good guy and doesn’t deserve to be brought into my mess.

  I clear my throat and turn to look at the wall he was painting, shattering the moment between us. “Lo—looks like you’ve got a lot done,” I stutter and hope he doesn’t notice.

  He nods and takes another bite like he suddenly remembered it was in his hand. “Yeah, I’ve been here a while. Didn’t get much sleep with the storm last night.”

  “There was a storm?” I ask, completely unaware. Apparently, all the work yesterday wiped me out. I don’t think I moved at all once my head hit the pillow.

  He laughs. “Yeah, it probably wasn’t that bad in town, but living on the top of a mountain in a little cabin, you hear everything and feel every shift of the wind.”

  My eyes double in size just from imagining it. “That must be scary.” I stick the last bit of my donut in my mouth and wipe my hands on my shorts—not very ladylike I guess.

  He notices because his eyes fall to my hands and then the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile. “It’s not bad…usually.”

  I pick up my coffee and take a sip, needing a distraction. I begin walking around the room, wanting to put space between us. Even with him a good five feet away, he still makes my body buzz. “What’s the plan for today?”

  “Well,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest and looking around the room. “I just finished the second coat of paint in here, so if you want, you can start shining up the wood on the fireplace, and I can start painting in the entry way. If we get the painting done completely, we’ll be able to start on the floors tomorrow, but the paint needs to dry completely before we start sanding the floors.” I can tell by the way his eyes won’t meet mine that he’s trying to avoid me as well. It’s clear that we can’t avoid each other completely, but we can put as much space between us as possible and try not to look one anot
her in the eye. It seems futile, but it’s worth a shot, especially if it keeps this buzzing in my body away.

  “Sounds good. Mind if I put on some music?”

  He nods as he turns and starts taking some painting supplies into the entry way, leaving me alone in the living room. When he’s gone, I let out a deep breath. Finally, I feel like I can breathe again. I don’t know what it is about him that puts me on edge like this. I’ve never had my body betray me so badly before, not even when I was young, and Glenn and I were getting together.

  Feeling almost defeated, I grab the oil and the rag. Applying a little oil to the cloth, I rub it over the wooden mantle. The wood goes from dark and dull to vibrant and shiny. There are reds, yellows, and a slight orangish color where the other two colors meet. This is mind-numbing work. Even though I am excited about finding the hidden beauty, it gives me plenty of time to think about Clay and all the bad things that could happen if I allowed myself to get close to him.

  Bryce could get hurt if he grows attached and leaves. What if Glenn ends up finding me? I know Clay will get into the middle of our mess. This is supposed to be my new start. Falling in love with another guy wasn’t part of the plan, and it would only hold me back. If I fall in love, he could break my heart. I mean, how far could it even go? He already told me marriage isn’t in the cards for him, not that I’m looking to get married when I’m still technically married.

  But, ugh, he’s so sexy. He works hard, and I know he would be a good provider, not that I need providing for—but it would be nice to have things like security, understanding, trust, friendship, and love for once. Real love, not what Glenn and I thought we had.

  I’m completely lost in my own thoughts. I just keep applying layer after layer and wipe until my arm is sore. But the mantel is intricate with all its carvings of leaves, swirls, and flowers—I completely lose track of time between my work and my thoughts. I nearly jump when Clay comes into the room.

  “How about a lunch break?”

  “Yeah, okay.” I put the oil and rag down.

  “Wow, that shined up really good.” He walks over and runs the tips of his fingers across the surface. I feel my face heat up when I imagine him running those fingers over me in the same soft way. He turns and looks at me, and I feel like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.

  I smile and nod, hoping he doesn’t pick up on my sudden awkwardness. My breathing picks up again, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

  “Come on, let’s go out and get some air.”

  Or maybe he did notice…

  Eight

  Clay

  I take a seat on the front porch step, and the warm breeze blows against my sweat covered skin. Being stuck inside a house with no air conditioning and half the windows painted shut in the middle of summer is total shit. I’m not a pussy who needs constant air conditioning, but this is a little ridiculous. Autumn takes a seat next to me and the breeze blows her scent my way. I can only imagine what I smell like—probably like a pig. But her, she smells like freshly baked sugar cookies, something sweet with just a touch of spice. It nearly makes my mouth water.

  I reach into the cooler and pull us both out a sandwich. I set the bag of baby carrots between us. “I need a little crunch with my sandwich.” I shrug.

  “Much healthier than chips,” she says grabbing one and popping it into her mouth with a loud crunch. “Wow, that’s really good. Are these organic?” she asks, pointing to her lips as as they turn up in a breathtaking smile.

  I nod. “Yeah, I grow them in my garden.” I grab one and pop it into my mouth with a loud pop.

  Her mouth drops open. “Seriously? I’ve always wanted a garden. Maybe when this place gets up and running, you can give me some pointers.”

  I nod. “There’s really nothing to it. You’ve kept a child alive this long, I think you’ll do fine with a garden,” I joke.

  She giggles and wipes the sweat from her brow. Her loose pink tank top is clinging to her sweaty chest, making her tits even more prominent. I try not to stare, but damn, I fail miserably.

  “What else do you grow in your garden?” she asks, looking out over the yard.

  “Potatoes, green beans, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon,” I answer.

  She eats her sandwich, still refusing to make eye contact. “That’s what I want to do. I don’t know why, but I have this urge to be completely self-sustaining. I don’t want to have to go into town for little things.”

  “You’d love my place then. I have solar panels and a water filtration system. I live completely off the grid.”

  Her eyes double in size. “That’s amazing. You need to take me there sometime, give me some ideas.”

  I know she means it innocently, but my mind goes to one thing, and one thing only: having her alone in my house—in my bed. My body suddenly feels hot, too hot. I stand up and look down at her.

  “It’s too damn hot today. I’m going for a swim. Care to join me?” I shoot her a smirk before turning and walking away.

  “Wait!” she calls after me, but I don’t stop. Right now, I need to cool down before I do something stupid. I yank my shirt over my head as I approach the pond. I kick off my boots and pull off my socks. Lastly, I empty my pockets of my keys, wallet, and phone. Seconds later, I’m running in until the water is deep enough, then I dive. The cool water feels like bliss on my overheated skin. It takes my boiling blood down to a simmer.

  When I break the surface, I find her standing on the edge, hands on her hips.

  “Come in! The waters great,” I tell her.

  She wrinkles her nose. “What if there are snakes?”

  I laugh. “You’re a country girl now. Can’t let a little wildlife scare you,” I tease, then splash some water in her direction.

  She takes this as a challenge. She quickly kicks off her flip flops and runs toward me, kicking at the water and splashing me in the face. I laugh and close my eyes, blindly splashing back. Her giggle, the splashing of the water, and my pounding heart is all I can hear. I quickly open my eyes to find her. Without warning, I reach for her, pulling her deeper into the water.

  She laughs and fights me off, kicking and splashing the whole way. She jumps up out of the water and pushes my head under. I fight my way back to the top and do the same to her. When she surfaces, she’s laughing and panting for breath. The splashing dies down as we focus on getting the oxygen we need.

  My eyes find her face. Her dark hair is clinging to her cheeks and neck. Her green eyes are bright and shining, and her lips are parted with her heavy breathing. Our eyes lock and this calms the both of us.

  “What are you staring at?” she asks softly, biting down on her lower lip.

  “You’re beautiful,” I say, nearly a whisper. I lean forward, capturing her lips with mine. The moment we touch, it’s like a blind man seeing color for the first time. Suddenly, every kiss I’ve ever had can’t compare to this. When her tongue darts out and grazes mine, I pull her flush against me. Her arms wrap around my neck and her legs wrap around my hips as she deepens the kiss. Fuck, she feels good pressed against me. My body comes to life.

  Her hand moves upward, fingers threading into my hair. She gently pulls, tugging at the root. When she nips my lower lip, my eyes open and lock on hers. This seems to break the spell because she pulls away, breaking our kiss. Her bottom lip starts to quiver. “I’m…I’m sorry,” she mumbles, pushing away from me and starting toward land. I stand there, chest deep in water, staring after her.

  Fuck. How could I be this stupid? It occurs to me that I don’t know anything about her past. She could be mourning her dead husband or something, and I took it upon myself to kiss her? What the fuck is wrong with me? I stand in the water, watching her go and waiting to get my body under control. When she rounds the corner of the house, I finally walk toward land. I stop and grab my things but don’t bother putting them on. I carry everything back to the porch where I find her sitting. She’s resting her elbows on her
knees, hanging her head. Her hair is falling between us like a curtain.

  I sit beside her and take a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Autumn. I just…” I shake my head at myself. “I wasn’t thinking.” I look down at her hands, and her fingers are knotting together. It’s only now I see the tan line from her wedding ring. Fuck. I really fucked this up.

  “It’s fine, Clay.”

  “No, it’s not. I should’ve kept things professional. You’re a client. I never should have suggested we go swim. I was just hot and then we were having fun, and you just looked so beautiful…” I stand up, feeling too anxious to sit.

  “I mean, no.” She stands up and steps toward me. “It’s not okay. Aren’t you with that waitress? I didn’t think you were that kind of guy.” Her brows are pulled together. Anger clearly marring her face.

  That takes me aback. “What? How do you even know about that?” I hold my arms up at my sides.

  “I saw you.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Last night. I picked Bryce up from daycare and then we went to get dinner. I saw you on our way back to the motel.”

  I wave off her concerns. “That was nothing. We’re not together.”

  Her brows arch. “It didn’t look like nothing. She hugged you pretty tight.”

  “Autumn, I swear. It was nothing. We’re not together.”

  She shrugs. “Still, we,” she motions between us, “aren’t a good idea. We need to keep things professional. It’s for the best…for everybody.”

  I can’t disagree with her. She’s right. I’m not a family man. I would be no good coming into her son’s life, knowing that one day, I’ll leave it. Not to mention, she’s hiding something. I can see it in her eyes. Hell, I can see it on her finger plain as day. She has a past, and probably a dark one. I can’t fix her. I can’t even fix myself.