Hailey's Game

by Hailey's Game (lit)

  “Look.” Hailey took a deep breath as if she were heavily burdened by this issue and began slowly. “I’m the one having to come up with two out of three meals a day.”

  “That isn’t fair,” Kyle objected around a mouthful of food. “We chip in.”

  “Money, not time,” Hailey snapped. “I’m the one who always has to go get everything and then clean it all up. That’s sexist. I’m not your waitress, Kyle.”

  That had his jaw stilling in mid-chomp. Looking down at the half eaten chunk of sandwich in his hand, he glanced back up uncertainly as he held it out to her. “I think maybe you need this, princess.”

  “I think maybe you’re asking to get hurt,” Hailey retorted in a calm voice, letting him know she didn’t find any humor in his attitude.

  Kyle got the message and labored under it as he finished chewing. Deciding it might be best to put down the sandwich and start groveling just a little, he dropped the sub to clap his hands free of crumbs.

  “Okay, I got an idea. Instead of just going into porno night tomorrow, I’ll cook you dinner.” Bringing his plate around to the sink, he paused to offer that to her as a humble apology.

  Hailey looked skeptical as she turned to watch. “What about the pizza and the tradition?”

  “Screw the tradition.” Kyle shrugged, highly doubting Cole would object.

  “I’m not talking microwave dinners here or warming up Chinese food.”

  That had him thinking again before he offered, “I can grill.”

  “Gee, that’s a shock.”

  “Nah, seriously, Hailey. I’ll go by the grocery store after work and get some ribs, then stop by Henry’s Market and get some corn and little red potatoes. Hell, I’ll even swing by the Bread Box and get Heather to make up some corn bread so that you don’t have to…” The narrowing of her eyes at where that comment led had him backing off. “I mean, to finish out the meal. We could even watch some movies.”

  “You’re talking about a date, Kyle.”

  Yeah, he was. “So?”

  “Don’t you think you should ask your partner first? I think he kind of likes porno night the way it is.”

  For some reason, she just couldn’t seem to let the issue of Cole go. Leaning against the counter, he shrugged off her comment even as he considered its significance. “If Cole’s so obsessed with porn, then he can go jack off on his own, and we’ll join him after our date.”

  Hailey snorted at that. “Easy enough to dismiss the sire when he isn’t here, isn’t it?”

  “Is that what’s got you all sour today?” Kyle grinned, thrilled at the idea. “You missing Cole, Hailey?”

  “No.” She shouldn’t have said it so fast because the speed made a liar out of her.

  “I think you are, princess.” Kyle laughed, pushing off the counter to close in on his pissy little princess.

  “Don’t get all giddy now, Kyle.” Hailey held her ground, that chin rising up. “I’m just saying you might want to consider asking Cole before you promise him to anything.”

  “Ah, come on, Hailey.” Kyle wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her in an intimate press of hips. “Why don’t you just admit you like Cole? Or don’t you think I haven’t noticed the way you stare at him? Kind of reminds me of the way you stared at me back in high school.”

  That had her stiffening up, her eyes going wide.

  “You didn’t think I noticed?” Kyle guessed, given her look. “The way you stare and get all wistful looking, it’s these eyes that give you away, Hailey.”

  He followed that comment with a gentle sweep of his fingers across her cheek as he tucked the hair back behind her ear. Lingering, his palm slid down until he cupped her head. Using his hold to keep her captive, he backed her around to the edge of the counter even as he kept her pelvis pinned to his.

  “You know they go all chocolaty when your aroused and little lightning bolts of green shoot through them when you’re mad, but when you get that wistful look, they get all muddled and gentle looking. That’s when I know you’re thinking about sweet things, Hailey. Sweet things you don’t ever want to own up to.”

  With the gentle brush of his thumb over her cheek, Kyle leaned down to whisper against her lips. “All you have to do is say the words.”

  He could almost feel the truth brushing back against his mouth. “I’d love to have sex with you, Kyle.”

  With a groan his head lifted. “Why you gotta be so difficult, princess?”

  “Why do you?” Hailey’s hand slid in between them to curl around his erection and give him a little tease. “Come on, Kyle. All the other kids are doing it.”

  That had him wrenching back before she managed to talk him out of all his good sense. “You’re evil, Hailey Mathews, just evil and you know what? I’m going to enjoy what you got coming to you in six days.”

  That sharp reminder of Cole had her smile fading and her gaze getting lost over his shoulder. It shouldn’t surprise him, but it did when she went back to what obviously worried her too much.

  “Why does Cole want Bavis’s Fastback so bad?”

  “What?” That question caught Kyle off guard. “Why you asking about that?”

  “Well,” Hailey shrugged, but her tense muscles betrayed the casual gesture, “everybody knows that Cole’s always panting after it and, so I just thought, with the way he ran out today…”

  “What? That Bavis had yanked his chain?” Kyle snorted at that, before releasing her to turn back to the plates. He didn’t want to be accused of any more sexism. “Trust me, Hailey, if Bavis gave Cole any reason to hope, he’d have been crowing it from the roof tops, but I take it you’d like that to be the answer.”

  “What?”

  “I get it, Hailey, but you don’t honestly need to be worried. If Cole had some interest in another woman or anything going, I’d know about it.”

  “And you’d tell me.” Hailey laughed outright at that.

  “Actually,” Kyle straightened up as he closed the dishwasher door as his cell phone went off. Adam’s number flashed on the screen, but Kyle hesitated before answering to finish reassuring Hailey.

  “I would. I wouldn’t like being caught between the two of you. There ain’t no lie about that, but I wouldn’t let Cole hurt you anymore than I’d let you do the same to him. Trust me, Hailey, there isn’t another woman.”

  Chapter 28

  “I ain’t messing with that woman no more, Cole.”

  The Picnic Table had emptied out of its lunch time crowd, leaving just a few stranglers. Big barreled garbage cans overflowed with paper plates and plastic silverware as Doug and his family began going from table to table, dumping almost everything left into the trash.

  Jacob and Aaron had been insistent that they eat and he pay before they coughed up the reason for this impromptu meeting. As if Cole hadn’t already guessed. They wanted more than twenty-five percent, and he should have seen this coming.

  “What’s wrong, Jacob? Did the pretty, little Kitty scare you?”

  “She’s crazy, man.” Cole might have been kidding, but Aaron wasn’t. “I’m talking full on feminine Nazi kind of psycho.”

  “You want a woman like that playing with your balls?” Jacob snorted.

  “I sure as shit don’t,” Aaron answered for Cole.

  One week until both the Fastback and Hailey were his, and his cousins knew he was vulnerable. They had leverage and Cole knew exactly what Jacob and Aaron would do with the precious commodity. “Okay. Fine, she talks to ghosts. What percentage gets you over that hump?”

  “Percentage?” Aaron scowled, looking for guidance from his brother.

  “He thinks this is about money.”

  “It’s always about money with you two,” Cole cut in, not interested in taking the long way to the point. “So how much?”

  Jacob and Aaron shared a look. Cole could almost hear their silent communication as they assured each other on the number. When Jacob turned to meet his gaze, Cole could tell by the set of his jaw tha
t number was high.

  “Let me ask you something, Cole. How much would you charge to let some woman tie you up and paddle your ass?”

  “What?” Cole’s head bent back slightly as he scowled down that statement.

  “I’m just asking, what percentage you’d take to suffer that humiliation.”

  “Ain’t no woman tying me up, Aaron,” Cole growled. Not for any amount of money or even a damn car would that ever be happening. “Now you telling me that’s the kink Miss Kitty Anne’s in to?”

  “That’s just the start,” Jacob snorted. “I not shitting you here, Cole. The woman’s involved in some kind of club where they tie the men up.”

  “Well.” Cole blinked, not at all certain what to say to that. “Have you suggested maybe a porno date night?”

  Now it was Jacob’s turn to give him an exasperated “What?”

  “I mean, so she has some kinks. We all have some, but that don’t mean we always give in to them. Just charm her into the old missionary and get it done with.”

  “You ain’t listening,” Aaron growled.

  “This club,” Jacob glanced around at the empty tables but still leaned in to whisper. “Men pay to have sex with the women, as in pick the woman and by the hour. You know what that is?”

  Yeah, Cole knew exactly what that meant, and it was good news, too. “Well, hell, Bavis called her a whore, but I thought he was just being a prudish bastard.”

  “He wasn’t.” Jacob settled back. “And I ain’t getting involved in nothing like this, Cole.”

  “Not for no twenty-five percent, right?” Cole had to admit, his cousins had a right to want more.

  “Not for a hundred fricken percent, you twit. No means no,” Aaron shot back sounding like he meant it.

  “Oh, come on.” Cole had enough of this. They couldn’t back out on him. Not now. “You don’t have to go to the damn brothel or whatever. Seduce her the old fashion way in the back of your pick-up.”

  “She doesn’t do it for free. Okay?” Jacob snorted. “And we ain’t paying for it.”

  “But just think how good this is,” Cole pleaded. “I mean, hell, it don’t matter now if you do the deed or not. Bavis wants something to chase her off his nephew, and what would be better than proving that she’s actually whoring?”

  “And how you gonna prove that?”

  “How did you figure it out?” Cole shot back at Jacob.

  “I used my noggin, okay? I’m telling you, the girl’s in the trade.”

  “But you don’t have proof,” Cole concluded for him.

  “We don’t need it,” Aaron retorted. “This isn’t no court of law. The only jury here is my gut, and it says the girl is up to no good.”

  “Spare me lectures from your gut,” Cole snapped. “You can’t back out now.”

  “Why the hell not?”

  Cole growled. Even if he didn’t want to say it, but he didn’t have much choice. “Hailey—”

  “That’s what I thought.” Jacob leaned back. “You so damned whipped, Cole.”

  “I ain’t whipped! I just have six more days and then—”

  “Your deal with Bavis expires in six days because little Miss Kitty will be walking down that aisle.” Aaron’s hand lifted to give his best impression of a beauty pageant wave. “Say bye-bye to the Fastback.”

  “This isn’t just about Hailey,” Cole shot back. “It’s about Kyle, too. If I choose the car, then I screw him up. So I gotta choose Hailey no matter what I want.”

  “Yeah, that sucks for you,” Jacob agreed as he stood. Digging into his pocket, he flipped a business card on the table. “If you don’t want Hailey but choose her anyway, you’ll eventually screw Kyle over anyway. If you don’t want Hailey, just tell them both and then go get your damn car yourself.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “It is if you don’t want Hailey,” Aaron grunted, shoving back in his own seat. “Either way, it’s your problem now. That’s Kitty’s number.”

  With that fatal shot, his cousins lumbered off, leaving Cole completely screwed. He had less than a week and didn’t know a single man who would be willing to let some woman tie him up just so Cole could get his hands on a car. Not to mention the whole paying thing.

  Staring at the number Jacob left, Cole wondered just how far he’d have to go. Bavis hadn’t actually said he had to sleep with the woman. He just had to break up her pending nuptials. If he could get proof that she turned tricks, that would be more than good enough.

  Hell, if her fiancé didn’t dump her then, at least he’d go into the marriage knowing the truth. Cole would be sort of doing a good deed. All he really needed was to get her propositioning him on tape. It would have to be good, leaving nothing to doubt, for Bavis to come off that car.

  The worst he might have to do is kiss the woman and maybe a little petting, but that really wasn’t that bad given the rewards. As a much as Hailey loved that Daytona, she’d understand that he had to flirt a little to get the Fastback.

  No, she won’t.

  Understanding and Hailey didn’t really go together. As much as she might like to think of herself as a rational, sane person, Hailey’s emotions ruled her reactions. It made her unpredictable in so many ways but this one.

  He’d be lucky if she didn’t rip his nipples clean off. Not that she’d have any right. After all, she made it quite clear she expected him to cheat. The damn woman slept with him while still betting against the fact that he couldn’t be faithful, and how insane was that?

  He thought about it the whole distance from the table to his truck. Nothing Hailey did or said gave him any reason to think she’d ever feel anything more than sexual attraction and friendship toward him. He’d be an absolute fool to let another woman cost him another Fastback.

  Serena…and look how that battle had ended.

  Cole tried to fight back the memories for the past three weeks, feeling the rush of an old fate crashing in around him. He couldn’t avoid it anymore. It stared him in the mirror as he slid into his seat.

  He’d never really loved Serena. He’d been obsessed with her beauty, but that hadn’t been what had driven him to sell his Fastback. No, he sold it for their child. When she told him she was pregnant, Cole’s whole world exploded with amazing possibilities for his future.

  Possibilities that snapped out in a blink and left him grieving for somebody he didn’t even know. His child. Cole sucked in a deep breath at the thought. In all the years he let himself focus on Serena because it had been easier than facing the truth. His baby had died and he’d never stopped grieving.

  The idea of another child, another woman felt worse than betrayal. Being that vulnerable again filled Cole with fear. Somehow, though, the idea had started to slip in. It came in moments when Hailey would give him that look, and he could almost see it on the face of their child before she said “Daddy.” Said it in a way that expressed absolute annoyance and total impatience with him.

  Sometimes he and Hailey would share a smile behind Kyle’s back, a quick roll of their eyes, as they worked together to intentionally drive the most even tempered one of them into a fit. He could feel the future where that would be their kid, Cole sinking down to the juvenile level as he teamed up with a young, punk version of himself to help torment the responsible father.

  He could so easily see them staring back at him. Little hellions that savaged the world with too much attitude. They’d wear him out. Keeping the boys alive to their eighteenth birthdays and the girls from popping out any babies of their own would be a full-on, non-stop ride.

  Hell, his daughters never would be old enough to have sex. It would be kind of fun to teach that lesson to the young bucks who would come sniffing around. Cole so wanted to go on that trip, but he knew he wouldn’t be getting there in the Fastback.

  He would be getting there, though. Sitting and staring at his own reflection, Cole realized he had it all backward. It didn’t matter what Hailey felt. Hailey could spit, hit, and cuss all she
wanted, but she belonged to him. That’s all that counted.

  Cole’s daddy taught him that. There was nothing his mom could have ever done to break his father’s love for her. Nothing Cole could, either, because his father loved unconditionally.

  To that moment, Cole feared that side of himself, feared the pain that kind of emotion could cost a man. Being afraid didn’t make Cole any less of a man, but letting that fear turn him into a coward—there was no excuse for that.

  Certainly none existed for letting that fear be the justification for hurting the woman he loved. Cole looked down at Kitty’s number and watched as he balled the little sheet up in his fist. He’d told Hailey once, but now he meant it clear to his soul. Game on, princess.

  * * * *

  Cole’s happy moment came to a stop along with his cocky swagger as he stepped into the office and found Kyle waiting with one of Pittsview’s finest. Seeing the deputy didn’t automatically raise Cole’s alarm, but the tension in the air he could read well enough. Something had happened. Something big. Kyle was smiling.

  “Hey, man, have a good lunch?” The good cheer in Kyle’s voice only made the dread thicken in Cole’s stomach. Always up for a good time and letting laughs roll easy enough, Kyle knew the line. The Trojan on the other hand ignored it. That bastard gleamed out of Kyle’s gaze and Cole had to wonder who unleashed the beast.

  No. He didn’t have to wonder. Sighing, he asked the most obvious question. “What did Hailey do?”

  Kyle didn’t deny she’d done something, but instead nodded at the door. “Why don’t you close that and have a seat. Adam’s got an interesting story to tell.”

  “I get a feeling I might like to take this one standing,” Cole commented as he shut the door and waded into the incoming disaster he could sense unfolding.

  “Probably.” Adam nodded. “But if you’re not sitting then you won’t be able to jump up and stand when Kyle tells you his half.”

  “His half?” Cole settled into the metal chair set off next to Adam’s and gave Kyle a dirty look. “I can’t wait to hear that part.”