“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Hailey muttered, totally disgusted. “Why did I even come here? I’m not interested in joining the revolution, Patton. I’m just trying to figure out what to do about Kyle.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re already in the revolution. Look around this town, Hailey. There is a war going on, and we’re losing women left and right.”
“That include you?” Hailey asked pointedly.
Just the small reminder of Patton’s position brought a satisfied smile to her friend’s face. “I’m fighting the war from the inside.”
Hailey snorted. “I’ll bet you are.”
“Look.” Patton dropped her spoon into her yogurt container before meeting Hailey’s gaze head on. “I chased my men. I got my men. You, on the other hand, are being chased. If you don’t wise up and start taking control, you’re going to be playing Kyle’s game—with his rules—and trust me, you’ll be screwed both inside and outside the bedroom.”
Hailey scowled because that’s just what she’d been thinking all week long. It would have made her life so much easier if she could just forget about him. Barring the reality of her accomplishing that goal, Hailey still floundered for a real plan.
“Let’s just say I’ve totally lost my mind and would listen to your advice. What would you tell me to do?”
“Well,” Patton pondered that as her spoon fell into her empty yogurt container. “I guess the first thing I’d say is you have to test his position.”
“His position?”
“You can always tell who holds the power at this stage by which one is willing to follow.” Patton shrugged. “It’s the same as in high school when we used to move around a room or go outside and see if a boy follows you. Then you have the lead.”
She knew she’d regret asking. “I don’t think that really applies here, Patton.”
“That’s because he has the lead,” Patton shot back. “And you should be ashamed of yourself for letting him take it.”
That had Hailey bristling. “I didn’t let him take anything, Patton.”
“No, you just wigged all out when it felt like something more than sex.” Patton’s grin disappeared in an instant as she leaned over the counter. “But you got to stop thinking every man is like your dad, Hailey. They don’t all leave.”
Hailey flinched back from that. “That’s not fair, Patton. This doesn’t have anything to do with my father. Kyle’s not interested in me for me. This is some kind of game Cole’s set up.”
Patton honestly appeared to consider her response. When she leaned in across the counter, Hailey expected a sincere, if not even compassionate, comment.
“Do you know what the definition of paranoia is?”
“Oh, screw you, Patton,” Hailey snapped. “I’m not paranoid. Cole is out to get me. He said it himself. Game on.”
“Eh,” Patton waved that away. “That man’s got a boner for you a mile long. The last game he’d play is where you ended up sleeping with his best friend and not him.”
“Exactly.” Hailey pounced. “That’s why this thing with Kyle isn’t just this thing with Kyle. They’re trying to lure me in, Patton.”
“Why you say it like that?” Patton scowled. “So what if they are? If you’re not tempted, then…oh, you—”
“Shut up, Patton.” Hailey didn’t want to hear it, not even the rolls of laughter that came tumbling back out of her friend.
“You want to fuck Cole Jackson.”
Hailey glared at her grinning friend, feeling almost betrayed. “Why you got to go there, Patton? You know how much I hate Cole. He’s an absolute pig and only the lowest class of low class women would ever crawl into his bed. You think I’m that sad?”
“I think you protest a lot for a woman who’s not interested, and you kind of tried to steer me as hard away from Cole as you could.”
“Because I was trying to save you,” Hailey shot back. She could feel the heat seeping into her cheeks and hated the tell-tale trait that always gave her away when she tried to lie to Patton.
“Yeah, but if you didn’t want him, you wouldn’t be so worried about resisting him.”
“I do not want Cole.”
Hailey laid the lie down like a gauntlet. Straightening back from the declaration, Hailey waited for Patton to challenge her. She didn’t but just sat there patiently, smiling as Hailey’s blush consumed her face and she finally broke.
“Okay, fine. I might have some…primitive interest in certain parts of his body. That certainly doesn’t change the fact that I can’t stand the man.”
“I’m just saying maybe you don’t want things to be more than just sex with Kyle because if you actually had a relationship with him, you might also find yourself getting closer to Cole.”
“You’re insane.” Hailey shook her head. “Like some deranged cupid.”
“I’m right and you know it.” Patton’s chin rose, and Hailey could feel her heels digging in. “Now if you’re smart, you will actually listen to me this time.”
“Oh, really? And what does the ever-so-wise oracle have to tell me today?”
“First, I would advise you to be kinder to those giving you advice.”
Hailey gave Patton a sharp look for that smart comeback but held her insulting response in.
“Second, I would tell you to stop worrying about Cole and relationships. You worry too much, Hailey. Just enjoy life a little bit and let this thing with Kyle grow on its and in its own way.”
Hailey arched a brow at that easygoing philosophy coming from Patton. “And of course, that means manipulating him, but how?”
Patton made a face at Hailey’s obnoxiousness but gave her a sincere sounding answer. “Okay. Here’s your next move. Go eat dinner at the Bread Box.”
The sudden change threw Hailey. “What?”
“I’m telling you it’s the follow rule.” Patton’s hand chopped through the air, highlighting her point. “You go to the Bread Box and park your car out front around the time Kyle’s shop closes. That way when he gets off from work, you’ll know he’ll see it. If he comes in, then you have the power. If not,” Patton shrugged. “Well, then we have a lot more work to do.”
“That’s just stupid.” Hailey didn’t care if Patton took insult at her response. “I’m not eight years old, Patton. I’m not going to go sit in the Bread Box and see if Kyle comes running. That’s just…immature and stupid.”
* * * *
So I’m immature and stupid.
Technically though, she was here for her friend, even if Rachel hadn’t shown up. Hailey hoped that didn’t mean Killian and Adam found her, otherwise Rachel would never show. Without Rachel, Hailey didn’t have proof of her legitimate claim that she was at the Bread Box to see Rachel and not spark any confrontation with Kyle.
Sure, she’d suggested the Bread Box to Rachel, but that was only because Heather owned the place. Given Rachel had thrown Killian and Adam out of her house, she would need her friends.
For fifteen long minutes that Hailey repeated those facts silently to herself, ready to spew them forth should Kyle come walking through that door. If Kyle arrived before Rachel, the gig would be up, and her dignity would be in total tatters. Hailey’s chin hit her palms as she stared gloomily down at the table.
I should have just called him and said I needed a quickie.
That defeatist attitude rankled as much as the good cheer swelling all around her as the dinnertime crowd grew. Slowly, the Bread Box packed in with locals cramming in around all the tables in search of some of the best fried chicken in Alabama.
Only Rachel’s breakup let Hailey hold on to a four person booth. Otherwise Heather would have kicked her butt to the counter, friend or not. Only getting here pathetically early had secured her a parking spot out front not but a road width away from the edge of Kyle and Cole’s shop.
He wouldn’t come. If he did, it would probably be just to gloat. Then it would probably be her turn to go down on bended knee because his ego would
certainly have him holding out even more. Hailey didn’t think she could take it.
God, but she ached and even if her hand would never be better than good enough, it would be a hell of a lot more stable of a relationship than going through this torture. Why had she ever listened to Patton? These things never worked out, and, worse, they tended to explode all over the place.
Groaning at the mere impossibility of being able to come out of this with dignity intact, Hailey’s head hit the table. She really should leave, but she wasn’t going to.
“It can’t be that bad.”
Cracking an eye, Hailey frowned at Rachel’s look. “At least not as bad as it is for you today.”
Chapter 12
Kyle peered out the little window in the shop door before shoving it open. Cole, Aaron, and Jacob were all lingering around, having an end-of-the-day beer. Not that unusual, but that they weren’t out back and they were all staring across the street at the big, green Studebaker parked like a flag at the top of a mountain in front of the Bread Box.
Hailey had finally come. He wondered how long she’d make him sweat it out, but this? If the little woman thought he’d play along with the game, she had it all backward. He wouldn’t let her duck out of giving him his victory, much less let her manipulate him into giving her one.
He knew. She wanted him to follow, to show just how desperate he was to get a glimpse of her by rushing across the street into the bakery. Let the little woman wait. He could afford to be that confident because she followed first.
She’d shown up, and just how close that meant Hailey had come to caving made Kyle a very confident and happy man. Instead of being ashamed to gloat over his victory, Kyle reveled in the moment of satisfaction. He earned it.
He collected more cuts, nicks, bruises, and even a burn mark thanks to being distracted by the angry tyrant in his jeans demanding he give over every minute for these past five days. It hadn’t just been the unrelenting ache in his balls keeping him off focus while trying to work.
Kyle honestly missed Hailey, missed all the little sharp comments and dry retorts. He missed watching her nose crinkle as she concentrated on something or the way she muttered to herself while she worked. Even the scent of cinnamon haunted him. He just wanted one more deep breath.
Kyle’s eyes drifted closed as the need that almost had him calling her a million times a day rolled through him again. Like the wind of a hurricane, it made him wobble slightly. This time he bore it with the cool certainty that it would be one of the last times. Hailey would cave soon.
Real soon.
First, though, he had to go put a leash on Cole. GD kept Cole good and distracted for over the past month. Kyle certainly appreciated it, but the disaster that took place five days ago left Cole a little too alert and attentive. In a way, Hailey’s tantrum helped cool the spark of tension between Cole and him back to normal.
That didn’t mean Cole wouldn’t accidently relight them by taking up the pursuit of Kyle’s woman. If only Hailey liked Cole, that would have made Kyle’s life so much easier. Sure as shit Cole wouldn’t have left her bed cold and empty for five straight days. He’d have righted Kyle’s stupid blunder.
Life didn’t work out that way, and as he locked up the door, Kyle gave up hoping it ever would.
“I know.”
Catching Aaron’s confident tone as he sauntered up behind the small group of men, Kyle’s curiosity peeked. “What do you know?”
“That Hailey Mathews would sooner spit on Cole than smile at him,” Aaron drawled out with a smirk.
“Hailey.” Kyle kept it cool with only a hint of interest as he turned his gaze on Cole. “I didn’t know you were interested in her.”
Typical Cole, he shrugged at that as if showing any real interest in a woman would be owning up to a weakness. “I’m not interested in the woman. I want to fuck her. There’s a difference.”
“Hailey ain’t the type of woman you just fuck, Cole.” Despite knowing he should keep that reaction to himself, it shot out of Kyle with a reflexive instinct to protect his own.
Cole smirked. “You would know?”
“Kyle doesn’t know more than a dog when it comes to Hailey,” Jake responded.
“Hailey would sooner kick a dog like Kyle than she would smile at him.”
Kyle would have rolled his eyes at Jacob’s sense of humor, but Cole had trapped his gaze. He could feel his friend considering the severity of Kyle’s comeback, weighing it for all that it could mean. One thing Cole had always been was predictable.
Whether the challenge attracted him, or if he thought he might be able to distract Kyle from his Miss Pink Panties, Kyle didn’t know. He did know his response just solidified Cole’s intent to prioritize Hailey’s seduction. There wasn’t any point in trying to hide from that fact.
“Stay away from Hailey, Cole.”
“You her man or something?”
It physically hurt to answer that one. “You know I ain’t.” But he damn well should be.
“Then you don’t have the right to tell me what to do.”
“She deserves better than you.”
“There ain’t nobody better than me.”
“There’s me.”
“So that’s the way it is, huh?”
“Yeah.” It felt good to have it out in the open. “That’s the way it is.”
“Don’t you think it should be up to the little woman to decide who is man enough to make her a real woman?”
“She’d never choose you,” Kyle assured him, grinning at just how bad that would backlash onto Cole.
“Well, then.” Cole grinned. “Let the games begin.”
* * * *
Before Kyle could come back to that taunt, Cole turned and strutted across the street, feeling very enthusiastic about the coming confrontation. Sure, he’d put off chasing after Hailey for many good, sound reasons, but now he had an even better one for going after her.
This is for Kyle.
He’d face the hounds of hell for his friend. One little spitfire wouldn’t intimidate him. He needed Hailey’s help to save Kyle, and if that meant dooming both her and him, then so be it.
Whatever insane pussy Kyle sank himself into, his little Miss Pink Panties had withdrawn the past few days. Cole didn’t trust that the crazy lady wouldn’t be coming back. The crazy ones always did. There was only one thing that would fortify Kyle’s defenses enough to see just how crazy Lady Crazy was—a better screw.
Cole couldn’t imagine a better one than Hailey. Taking Hailey to his bed might end up destroying both his life and his sanity, but at least Kyle would be safe. Cole carried that vow through the Bread Box’s door. It didn’t even take him a whole second to locate Hailey tucked into a booth. If she thought she could hide from him in that corner, she made a fool’s mistake.
The little brunette sitting across from Hailey caught sight of him coming in their direction. Rachel something or other, he recognized her as the woman that had taken Killian and Adam off the market. That meant she knew quite a bit about the Cattleman way of doing things, and he could see that concern working from her eyes to her lips.
Not that she got a chance to get her warning out. Cole made fast work of the short distance, and he managed to catch Hailey completely off guard. Pushing into her, he slid her ass into the corner of the booth as his landed down on the seat.
Just like that, he had her caged against the back wall. A fact that drained a lot of color out of Little Miss Hailey’s cheeks. It rounded her eyes quite nicely, too, and Cole couldn’t help but grin as he purred. “Hey, Hailey, been a long time since I seen you around here.”
That pointed reminder to just how the last time ended kept his tone gloating. Cole especially enjoyed the way her features hardened. Gaze narrowing, jaw tensing, the little warrior growled at him.
“Cole.”
“Hailey.”
“Get out of my booth.”
“I don’t think so, darlin’.” Stretching an arm along the back
of the booth, he brushed the hair back from the side of her face. She flinched away, her face going read and Cole didn’t think it was half as much from anger as Hailey would like to pretend.
“Don’t touch me.”
“But you like it when I touch you. Don’t you? Just a little?”
“No.”
“You’re a liar, Hailey Mathews.” Following that growl with a hard slide closer, Cole pressed Hailey flat against the wall. With her breasts bulging against his chest, he gave her a little rub as whispered out a truth he knew she wouldn’t like hearing. “It’s those hard, little nipples, darlin’. They give you away.”
Before she could hit him or bite him, given as close as they were, Cole slid back and turned his full attention to the brunette who had the wide-eyed look of disbelief on her face. Intentionally trying to frustrate Hailey as much as humanly possible, he just started talking.
“I think maybe you need to leave us alone, darlin’.”
That had Rachel’s head cocking as her features tightened up. “Excuse me.”
“There is no excuse for him,” Hailey snapped from his side, shoving at him as she tried to force him out of the booth.
“I’m beginning to see that.”
“Now why you two got to be so mean? Huh?” Cole asked. “And you…you don’t even know the story, but you going to stick with Hailey just ’cause she’s a woman, right? It don’t matter at all that this little darlin’ here almost got my ass beat. Three against one, that’s the odds this little girl set me up against.”
“You deserved it,” Hailey retorted. “And you better get your ass out of my booth before I call up the Davis brothers and get them to issue another invitation to the dance.”
Cole turned to give her a response to that threat, but his head snapped back as Rachel went flying cross her seat. Like a semi-truck flattening a compact, Kyle smacked into the booth. Without even seeming to recognize her presence, he slid into Rachel and bumped her down the bench.
Hailey's Game Page 12
