Naughty by Nature

by J. M. Madden

  “Now, smile and show him how much you enjoyed my company today.”

  She grinned and he was taken aback at her enthusiasm.

  “I am enjoying myself today, Sheridan, more than I ever could have imagined.”

  A ripple of unease rolled through the crowd, and Sheridan could almost feel the collective inhale as Sophia’s door opened. The bell on the door jangled harshly, as if it had been jerked open.

  They were perpendicular to the door, and several rows back. Sheridan didn’t even glance at the opening. He knew Patterson had an eyeball on Wade.

  Wade surprised him, though, and headed to the counter over near the kitchen. And when he sat at the stool, he gave them his back.

  Cheyenne’s eyes were wide with fright, but she’d allowed her hair to fall forward, shielding her expression. Sheridan gave her props for thinking smart as he watched her gain control of her emotions. She’d seen him in court, but that had been when he’d been in jailhouse orange and shackles. Now he sat less than twenty feet away from her.

  “Look at me babe.”

  Her eyes flitted up to his. “You’re doing great. Remember you’re doing this for your kids. And you. You can’t keep living like this.”

  She panted and nodded, visibly reining her anxiety in.

  “What did Grace do today to get in trouble? She came up and apologized for making a mess in my kitchen but I didn’t see anything.”

  Redirecting Cheyenne’s focus worked. A smile crossed her lips. “She, uh, pranked her sister with Mentos in a Coke bottle. It spewed everywhere.”

  Reaching for her phone, she showed him the picture of his kitchen. Sheridan winced and laughed. Damn…

  Sophia came over and offered dessert. Sheridan looked at Cheyenne, brows raised.

  “Yes,” she said firmly. “I want a piece of the white chocolate raspberry cake.”

  “Two please, Sophia. Thank you.”

  Sophia turned away, heading for the sweets case. In just a few minutes, she was back, setting the plates and forks in front of them. “If you all need anything at all, you just give a holler.”

  “Maybe you can take Paul a piece of something.”

  Sophia blinked and abruptly colored, her olive skin going pink before darting a glance at the Captain against the back wall. “Yes, Sheriff.”

  Cheyenne’s mouth was hanging open as she watched Sophia leave. “Well, that was interesting.”

  Sheridan grinned. “I wondered if they didn’t have something going on for a while. He was in here almost every meal for a while.”

  She grinned, Wade completely forgotten for the moment. “I think they would be cute together. He’s really good looking and she is too.”

  Forking up a huge bite of cake, Sheridan shrugged. “Maybe.”

  Sighing in bliss, Cheyenne took her own bite of cake. “I don’t know how Alison gets this cake so light.”

  Even after Wade came into the diner, she still had a good time with Sheridan. She’d been panting with anxiety, but he’d known how to put her at ease as he redirected her attention to the kids. It had totally worked. She’d known she was being manipulated, but it had been for her own good, and she knew that.

  But now, as they paid the bill and got ready to walk out the door, the relief was making her jittery. Unable to help herself, she glanced at Wade.

  Dark, malevolent eyes stared at her, but he smiled and tipped his head at her. His lips spread into a smile full of dangerous promise. Forcing herself to not waver, she smiled back at him, slipping her arm through Sheridan’s and exiting the restaurant.

  Sheridan had to practically carry her across the street. Shifting, he looped an arm around her waist. From the outside looking in, it would have looked sweet, like they were walking together hip to hip. Sheridan was strong enough physically that he probably could have just picked her up and carried her this way, but he didn’t. He made her look like she was handling all this better than she actually was.

  They were almost to the truck when her name was yelled across the street. Her heart sank. No. She couldn’t do this.

  She thought about the venom that had spewed from Wade’s mouth the night he’d attacked her and left her for the town to see. They were words that she would never in her life repeat, but they had fallen from his mouth so easily because he had used them so many times before. The things he’d called her children… his own flesh and blood…

  Fury ignited in her belly as she thought about all the sleepless nights she’d had, pacing the floors as she worried about supporting a family of four on her teacher’s salary, and providing a life her children would love. On making it up to her parents for marrying such a beast. Protecting her children from men like Wade. Protecting herself when he got out of prison. The endless string of worries had never ended.

  But that end was in sight, if she could just … get the man to leave her alone.

  Sheridan had put her behind him as soon as he’d sensed danger, but Cheyenne squeezed his arm. Catching his eye, she shook her head. “I have to do this.”

  He stared at her for a moment, before he shifted slightly to the side, arms crossed over his massive chest. Now he faced Wade, but she had room to talk to her ex.

  “What do you want Wade?”

  Cheyenne forced herself to keep her chin up. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and planted her feet. With the Wall of Sheridan in front of her and Captain Patterson coming out through Sophia’s door, she had no fear for her physical safety.

  “I just want to talk to you, doll. That’s all.”

  Once upon a time the handsome smile he gave her and the endearment would have been enough to make her come running, but that had all faded away years ago, replaced with memories as corrosive as acid. Wade was still a not-too-bad looking guy, but prison had added a hard edge to his body. He looked stronger and the expression in his eyes seemed more cunning than it used to. The limp was still evident, but even that seemed to have eased a little.

  “Then go ahead and talk,” she said, staying exactly where she was. Crap on a cracker, her voice shook.

  Wade glanced at Sheridan and she could see a simmering anger in his eyes. “I’m not talking in front of the … him.”

  “Well, I’m not going anywhere with you, so you either talk here or leave.”

  Cheyenne was proud of herself. She’d controlled her voice better that time.

  A considering light entered his dark eyes. “Are you sure you want to talk about this in the middle of the street? Where everyone can hear?”

  Shrugging, she looked around. There were a few cars, but not a lot of traffic. “You made them a witness to our destruction already. Go for it.”

  “How are my pretty girls?”

  Cheyenne could have lit a furnace with the fury that blazed through her. “MY girls are fine. Excellent. They’ve flourished since I got them out of the toxic environment you created.”

  Wade shook his head, grinning. “Nah, I didn’t create that. You did.”

  Cheyenne breathed out her anger. There was no reasoning with the man.

  “It doesn’t matter now. It’s done and over years ago. I’ve moved on and you need to, too.”

  Wade gave Sheridan a considering look. “So, how long did it take you to move in on my wife? You saw her all spread out and had to have her, huh? She was a nice piece when she wasn’t bitching at me all the time.”

  Suddenly Cheyenne was the one holding Sheridan back. “No, don’t,” she cried. “Sheridan!”

  Quicker than a flash, there was a group of men surrounding them. Captain Patterson faced off with Wade, forcing him back, Deputy Hampton at his back. Brock and another man she only vaguely recognized from the Blue Star blocked Sheridan from moving forward.

  “Sheridan, this isn’t helping. Sheridan,” she snapped.

  Finally, he looked down at her. His face was flushed with exertion and she could see how incredibly pissed he was. Reaching up, she cupped his face in her hands. “Don’t let him sour our day. He’s nothing. L
ess than nothing.”

  Wade was laughing in the background. “You pigs can’t do anything to me. I haven’t done anything but talked to my wife.”

  “Ex-wife, Wade,” she called, looking at him. With a look at Brock to watch Sheridan, Cheyenne took a few steps across the street toward Wade. “You signed the paperwork, remember? And you signed the paperwork relinquishing all parental rights to the girls. Do you have any idea how much child support you got out of Wade? Probably close to a hundred grand. Do you have that kind of money, considering you just got out of prison? Because if you try to insert yourself into their lives again I can guarantee you I will take you to court and sue for all the back child support you’ve missed. You’ll be paying me back for the next thirty years.”

  Wade had gone quiet as he stared at her over Patterson’s shoulder. Finally, something was beginning to sink into his hard head. “What are you talking about?”

  Cheyenne found the first chink in his armor— money. “It’s easy. For years you said those kids weren’t yours, then you literally signed paperwork to not…claim…them. Now you want to claim them? Then it’s like land taxes. You’re going to owe.”

  Cheyenne didn’t actually think he would owe if she took him to court, but it sounded plausible. There had been a reason why she’d always been the one to do the bills in the relationship. Wade had been pretty at one point, but the finer points of handling money escaped him.

  Cheyenne waited to see what he would do. If he thought he would be on the hook for such an astronomical amount…

  “Would the feed store give you more hours if the county garnishes your wages?”

  Wade glowered at her over Patterson’s shoulder and it took everything she had in her not to smirk, to act concerned. She sensed victory.

  “I think you’re lying, bitch,” he snarled suddenly, calling her bluff. “I think you’re scared shitless I’m going to demand to see my kids. If I do, I guarantee you I’m going to take really good care of them.”

  With a smile promising pain, Wade turned away and stalked toward his truck. Cheyenne watched him go and wished he would just get swallowed up by Hell, where he needed to be, but it didn’t happen.

  Sheridan rested a hand on her shoulder and she turned to him, dry-eyed. “I think I need to sit down before I fall down.”

  With an arm around her waist again he walked her to the truck and lifted her into the passenger seat. He hit the remote button on the key fob to start the vehicle and lukewarm air started blowing. He stared up into her eyes, humor lightening the green. “Look at you, little badass. Standing up to him like you’ve been waiting to do exactly that.”

  “I have been,” she admitted. “You know how you always replay conversations in your mind, and reword things so that you win the argument? I had years of that built up,” she told him ruefully.

  Sheridan cupped her face and as natural as breathing, she leaned into him for a kiss. Just a light one. Then she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

  She didn’t cry— she wouldn’t let herself. But she did absorb as much of his support as she could. “I don’t like arguments like that,” she whispered. “It’s one thing between kids, it’s a natural growth stage, but adults shouldn’t resort to violence like that. It takes too much out of me to argue like that.”

  “I agree,” he sighed. “And I’m sorry that I almost lost my temper. It’s not the way a man should act around a woman, and especially not the way the county sheriff should act. I’m glad Brock and Sean had a good hold on me.”

  They laughed together lightly, and she pulled back to look him in the eyes. “Wade always knew how to push my buttons. If he has any talent in life, that’s it. Don’t feel bad about it. I appreciate that you were trying to protect me.”

  “I promise you that I will always do my very best to protect you, Cheyenne.”

  Her heart shuddered at the words, and they smiled at each other.

  “Let me talk to my guys for a minute and we’ll go home.”

  Cheyenne pulled her skirt in as he shut the truck door, and she tipped her head back against the rest. Home. Yes, they needed to go home.

  Chapter 15

  Sheridan shook Brock’s hand, then Sean’s. “I thank you for coming in when I asked, and I especially thank you for helping me keep my shit together and not pound the asshole into the dirt.”

  “When I heard him say that about Cheyenne, I almost helped you,” Brock admitted. He lifted his hat, ran his hand through his dark hair, then resettled the hat. “How do we get rid of the fucker once and for all?”

  “We have to wait,” Patterson said, slapping Sheridan on the back. “He’s a hothead. It’s only a matter of time before he screws up and we can get him on violation of his parole.

  Sheridan leaned against the truck. “Yeah. He won’t get the kids, though. There’s no judge in the state that would give a convicted rapist access to them.”

  “No,” Patterson agreed. “But he’s probably going to do everything he can to harass her. Make her second guess everything. Don’t let her get too wrapped up in herself.”

  Sheridan nodded and heaved a deep breath. “I won’t. I appreciate you guys helping out.”

  Brock grinned at him. “You know, it was hotter than Hades out here, but we tolerated it. Looked like things were warming up inside, too. I’m glad to see you and my sister getting along so well, Sheridan.”

  Laughing, he took the ribbing, knowing it was meant with affection. “Me too, Brock.”

  With a final wave he headed around to his side of the truck and climbed in. Cheyenne had her head tipped back against the seat and she barely moved as he shifted the truck into gear. She’d already stretched the seat belt across her chest, so he didn’t have to worry about that. It wasn’t until he pulled into his driveway that her lashes finally fluttered open.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” she whispered, lifting her head. “Sorry I sacked out on you. I was a little wrung out. Delayed reaction, I guess.”

  “I could tell. That’s completely fine.”

  He parked the truck in the garage and turned off the ignition. Circling the hood, he opened her door and helped her down. Cheyenne didn’t say anything as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her into the house.

  The girls were outside, obviously. They could hear squeals of laughter and splashing. Sheridan’s boots stuck on the floor a little as they walked through the kitchen and he had to chuckle.

  “She’s going to have to clean it again,” Cheyenne murmured.

  “I’m not worried about it.”

  Sheridan guided her to the bedroom she’d taken for herself and walked her inside. Then, nodding his chin to the bed he motioned for her to sit down. He knelt on the floor in front of her and removed her sandals, one at a time, setting them precisely beneath the edge of the bed. Then, tugging the light quilt back, he motioned for her to climb inside.

  Cheyenne stared at him for a long moment. “I’m okay. I probably need to…”

  “You don’t need to do anything for a bit,” Sheridan corrected her gently. “Take a nap. I’ll keep the girls occupied.”

  Cheyenne didn’t really have the energy to fight him. She laid back against the pillows and closed her eyes.

  Cheyenne woke disoriented. The room was dark as were the windows outside. It took her a moment to remember where she was. And what had happened that day.

  Wade had showed up, and proven himself an ass yet again in front of most of the town. He had a special knack for doing that. But Cheyenne had actually stood up to him.

  Maybe it was because she knew she was surrounded by back-up, or maybe she was just tired of all his drama. For whatever reason, she stood up to him.

  And it had backfired.

  Not completely. Hopefully wherever he was, Wade was stewing about coming up with child support. It wasn’t the strongest argument Cheyenne had, but maybe it would work on him like sandpaper.

  In the rodeo days, mone
y had flowed like water. In one hand and out the other. Wade had always thought they had an endless supply. After he’d been hurt, he’d learned the hard way that it did have an end.

  Cheyenne reached for her phone on the bedside table. Oh, jeez! It was after ten. Standing from the bed she padded out into the hallway. Everything was quiet. Something moved out by the pool and she almost squealed, then she had to stare.

  Sheridan had just lifted himself from the pool, water glistening in droplets as it ran down the long line of his back. Cheyenne tried to draw her gaze away, but she really couldn’t. Her eyes traced his body from the slicked back hair, down his not-too-furry chest. He wore a pair of dark trunks that reached his thighs, but Cheyenne couldn’t see much more than that.

  She moved a couple of steps toward the wall of glass. Sheridan seemed to sense the movement and looked up at the window, pinning her to the spot. She watched him cross the tile to the back door and stick his head inside. “Get a suit on and come on out. The water is perfect right now.”

  Cheyenne cringed. She wasn’t sure she wanted to bare herself that much for him.

  She glanced back at the sight of his body. Payton would be screaming at her to walk out there and have her wicked way with the man.

  Returning to the room, she started digging through what she’d brought with her. A bathing suit hadn’t been on her worry list, but there might be one in the bag. Ripping open the side zipper, she reached inside. Yes!

  The blue one-piece was more functional than flirty, but it fit her like a glove. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she tried not to be critical of the weight she still carried around her belly from her pregnancies. Not a lot, but it was definitely one spot she was sensitive about. Her legs were still nice, though, and her boobs were good enough, she supposed.

  Peering through the other bedroom door, she glanced inside. Yep, there were her three girls. Sleeping so peacefully, none-the-wiser of what had gone on earlier today.

  She grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed out toward the pool. It had been so hot today, cooling off sounded like a dream.