Always On My Mind: A Bad Boy Rancher Love Story (The Dawson Brothers Book 1)

by Ali Parker

  "Good. I'm thinking about taking a quick trip to New York. My mother's birthday this weekend, so maybe I'll pop in and surprise her."

  "That sounds lovely."

  "It's going to suck cock." Lisa shrugged and walked around the desk.

  "Never mind then…" Trisha stood up and followed Lisa, the sound of her slippers sliding across the old wooden floors almost comforting. "Do you need me to look up flights and hotels?"

  "Flights, yes, but I plan on staying with my folks, or this really hot guy I know."

  Trisha paused outside the door of Lisa's office, a smile on her thin lips. "Anything else you need from me?"

  "Just check the appointment book and cancel anything scheduled over the weekend for me."

  "Mr. Carrington is scheduled to stop by this morning to finish up signing the papers for the white mansion. You still good with that?"

  "Yes. Just tell him to come back to my office when he gets here."

  "Will do. He's a looker and he's rich. Might want to dig to see if he's taken. I could do that for you?"

  Lisa looked up and laughed. "No, don't do that. I'm not interested in him."

  "Shame. He's a sexy one."

  Lisa shook her head and pulled a few papers from her briefcase before working through her e-mail.

  "You want coffee?" Trisha yelled from down the hall.

  "Hell yes. Mine was horrible this morning. Not too much sugar please."

  "I know how you like it. I've been with you for more than a month now." Trisha set the steamy mug down, a kind smile on her mouth.

  "True. Forgive me. Long week already."

  "Congrats on the sale to Mr. Carrington."

  "Thanks. He was easy... most men are." Lisa looked up and smirked.

  "When do you want to fly out for New York?"

  "I have a few scouting projects to research today, so how about tomorrow morning early."

  "It's about a forty-five minute flight, so should be easy to get you on the eight am and have you come back Sunday night around..."

  "The earliest flight on Monday morning actually." She turned her chair, reaching back to grab her coffee.

  "Business or pleasure?"

  "Put it on the business account. I'll have lunch with a prospective client or something." She took a quick sip and flipped through the paper in search of homes for lease. Nothing better than making a quick flip by talking a landlord into selling instead of leasing.

  Dealing with tenants sounded great until you were doing it. People were a collective pain in the ass. She had her speech down perfectly and had yet to walk away from a lease to sell flip without success.

  She leaned back to pick up her pen and started to plan out her schedule for the afternoon.

  ***

  A few hours later a soft knock at her door pulled her from her concentrated search. She looked over her shoulder to see Trisha standing quietly.

  "What's up?"

  "Mr. Carrington is here. He wants to take you to lunch." Trisha smiled and bit her lip, wagging her eyebrows.

  "Oh brother." Lisa checked her computer for the time and stood. "All right. Go tell him I'll be there in a few minutes."

  "What I wouldn't give to be a young fox like you."

  "Let's trade. I'm tired and want to crawl in a hole." Lisa chuckled as the older woman gave her a motherly look and turned to walk back to the front of the small shop. Her voice was sweet like sugar, her greeting of the man almost humorous.

  Lisa walked out, the clicking of her heels comforting. It was a sound she had gotten used to. Rarely did she leave the house without heels on. They made her feel like the dominant woman she was, plus, it seemed to warn men of the same.

  "Ms. Parks," Michael stepped up, his suit perfectly pressed. He reached for her hand, leaning over and kissing her fingers. His hair was beautiful, silky and thick. Lisa itched to slide her fingers through it and tug a little.

  "Mr. Carrington. It's miss. I'm not married." She looked over at Trisha, the older woman's face highlighted with pink blush. "I'll be back in an hour. Print out my tickets and cancel those visits for me."

  "And they say chivalry is dead." Trisha stood up, nodding and turning her attention back to Lisa. "Of course. Have fun."

  "Always." Lisa moved past Michael, pulling her sunglasses from her purse and slipping them on. "I'll meet you there. I need to make a few stops after."

  "The Junction on the square. It's my favorite," he called after her. Lisa turned and nodded, enjoying the lean structure of his athletic physique. Maybe her hormones weren't locked up in Marc after all. She got into her car and turned up the radio, trying to drown out the sound of her subconscious fighting the thought of everyone being Marc.

  ***

  Lisa sat down across from him, Michael standing as if he were going to help her. She lifted her hand.

  "I'm good. Thank you, though."

  "You look beautiful. I'm not sure how you pull it off. Stealing my breath last night more than once and then again today." He pulled his napkin into his lap.

  Lisa sat back, following suit before ordering a glass of red wine from the server. "I must just be your type of girl."

  "I think you're right. I've been searching long and hard for my type." He leaned forward, pressing his arms to the table. "Let me take you out tonight. Come with me for the weekend after that. I have a yacht rented to go out and skim the small islands off the coast. I want you with me."

  "I wish I could." She swallowed her surprise, almost shocked that he would be so forward. Did everyone want to settle down and have miniature versions of themselves? She shuddered at the thought.

  "Why can't you? Does it have something to do with Marc?" He sat back, the pinch of his eyebrows giving a clear indicator that he wasn't pleased with her answer.

  "I'm flying to New York. My mother is turning fifty. No idea who Marc is. I groan the word more a lot during sex. It’s a coaching technique to get you to intensify your thrusting."

  "Damn woman. The one weekend I'm here and you're flying to New York?" He laughed. "What shitty luck I have."

  She picked up her menu, pointing to the small dinner salad. "No croutons or cheese please. Oil and vinegar on the side."

  He ordered fish and vegetables, handing his menu to the server before turning his dark gaze back on her. "Go out with me tonight."

  "I'm leaving tonight."

  "When will you be back?"

  "Monday morning. When are you leaving for New York?"

  "Sunday night." He pursed his lips together, breathing in deeply and letting it out as he watched her. "Yesterday left me needing more of you, Lisa. I won't be denied. It's not my style."

  "I should think not. You're handsome and young, rich and powerful. I would want the world to bend over and take me full force too." She picked up her glass and licked her lips just before taking a sip.

  "You're teasing me."

  "Of course I am. Don't forget that. I'm not interested in a long-term commitment. I enjoy being young and free. I want to fuck the world and leave my nail marks on its back." She smiled as his eyes widened. He was far too easy.

  "I'm fine waiting on the commitment. Come home with me and let me spend the afternoon with my tongue pressed to every part of you."

  She sucked in a quick breath between her teeth, her body tensing at the thought. "That sounds like bliss. I just can't today. How about this... the next time you're in town, come get me and I'll drop everything."

  "And you'll be mine for the day."

  "For the whole day."

  "To do whatever I want to do?" He smiled, his face more intriguing due to the expression.

  "Quid pro quo, Mr. Carrington."

  "I'm all yours, baby. You can take all you want and leave whatever marks you feel necessary. I just want to hear you come again."

  "Then you shall."

  Chapter 4

  The flight was far too early. She had packed the day before, her afternoon filled with rushing around town making appointments to meet wi
th various lessors for the upcoming week. Her mom was more than thrilled to hear she was coming into town and had promised to send a limo to pick her up from the airport. She grabbed her bags from her room and walked into the kitchen, stopping to fill up her mug before hugging Kari and Sicily.

  "Did you text Marc?" Kari asked, moving to hold the front door open.

  "No. I'm not sure I can see him, Kari. I'm just starting to feel like maybe this Michael guy might be good for me. Maybe he can help me push past this."

  "Maybe you're not supposed to push past it." Kari reached out and pulled Lisa into another tight hug.

  "I'm with Kari. I think you owe Marc a visit." Sicily moved beside Kari, reaching over and tugging at a long strand of Lisa's hair.

  "I'll think about it on the flight."

  "Need one of us to take you to the airport?" Kari motioned toward the cars.

  "No, I'll take mine and just leave it there." Lisa picked up her bags again and moved out into the cool summer morning, the sun rising high in the sky.

  "Be safe and let us know when you get there." Sicily moved out on the porch, Kari beside her.

  "I will. Hold the fort down and no spilling pasta sauce in the kitchen. I'll not be here to blame it on when Jake comes unglued." She winked and moved to the car, throwing her bags in the back. Her friends laughed, the sound warming her. Her boy troubles would work themselves out eventually. It was just nice to know that when they did, Kari and Sicily would support her no matter the outcome.

  She got into the car and pulled out, her phone buzzing on the seat beside her. She picked up the phone and checked it, a short text from Marc popping up.

  Marc: When do you arrive?

  Lisa: Today.

  Marc: Can I see you?

  Lisa: Of course. I have lunch with my folks. Dinner?

  Marc: Perfect. Have a safe flight. Can't wait til you’re here.

  She dropped the phone in the seat beside her and let out a long breath. The truth was that she couldn't wait to see him either, but a friendship with him would never work. It was his name she moaned every time she masturbated. His face she imagined on every date she went on. His hands and deep thrusts yesterday as Michael gave her release.

  "Fuck..." she grumbled and turned the radio up.

  ***

  The flight was fast and before she could finish her gin and tonic they were landing at JFK airport. Lisa moved off the plane with the rest of the anxious crowd, most of her companions wearing business attire. With such a short flight it was no wonder that people would work where the money was and live where there was more space and some semblance of serenity to be offered.

  The thought of seeing her mother sent shivers down her spine. The woman was a perfectionist and nothing Lisa ever did measured up. Her dad was a coward and let the monster of a woman run all over him. There hadn't been a day in Lisa's younger life that she wasn't left feeling inadequate. The path to destruction had been laid young, Lisa giving up on trying just before entering high school. Acceptance would be found in the arms of the next boy. Simple, really.

  She pulled her arms around herself as she walked from the airport, the air comfortable, but approaching warm. A line of limos sat to her left, Fredrick, her mother's butler, waving at her. She waved back and walked toward him, the older man moving to give her a quick hug.

  "Miss Lisa. How are you, kiddo?"

  "I'm great, Fred. Thanks for coming to get me."

  "Of course." He moved back and opened the door as Lisa got in, the familiar smell of leather and peppermint rushing up to greet her. She buckled up and sat back, the ride nothing more than thirty minutes or so. Fred got into the front seat and started the car. He adjusted the rear view mirror so that they could see one another.

  "What's new in your wild and exciting world?"

  She laughed and set her purse to the side. "Nothing really. Maine is quaint and quiet. The real estate market is booming out there, but for a piece of paradise, most people are willing to spend a fortune."

  "I would be somewhere with less people and more space if I could too." He smiled and turned to curse at a cab that cut them off.

  Lisa chuckled and pulled her phone out. "Good to be home."

  ***

  The house was filled with people by the time she got there, her mother well known from her thriving law firm and years of being one of the top defense attorney's in the state of New York. Lisa moved through the crowd, most of them twice her age. They smiled and nodded kindly, most likely wondering what a young woman like herself was doing in the midst of old money.

  "Mother?" Lisa moved up to her parents and stopped.

  "Oh, Lisa. Good to see that you made it. It would have been nice if you would have taken the earlier flight." Her mother's sad excuse for a smile faded quickly. She reached out and patted Lisa's arm as if she were a silly child.

  "Hi baby." Her dad moved up and hugged her. Lisa returned the gesture as she began to make her get-away plans. She could handle a few hours at best and then she would have to find a reason to leave or consider jumping from the roof.

  "Hi Dad. I'm going to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Good to see you both." She turned and walked back through the crowd, pulling out her phone and texting Marc with her address and a plea to come and get her.

  Slipping into the kitchen she spotted her first boyfriend. His mother was a maid in their house and Johnny was always more than a handful. They had spent the summer before their freshman year playing 'do you trust me'. She touched his back and smiled as he turned, surprise spreading across his face. He wasn't as regal as Michael or nearly as sexy as Marc, but he was familiar and kind.

  "Lisa!" He pulled her into a tight hug, his lips touching the side of her neck. "I didn't know you were coming home."

  "Just for the weekend." She pushed at his chest softly, his embrace a little too intimate. "Mom's birthday and all."

  Johnny moved back and chuckled. "Yes well, she's been in rare form. You're lucky you got here when others were around. She seems to behave a little better when the world is watching, but only slightly."

  "Where's your mother?"

  "Oh, she fell ill about a month ago. The doctor has her on bed rest to gain her strength back. I'm taking her place so that your mother doesn't hire someone else." He shrugged, the emotion on him heavy.

  Lisa reached out and touched his arm, the navy jacket he wore rough to the touch. "She said she would replace Maria?"

  "Not those exact words, but something close to it. It's all good though. I took a leave of absence from my construction job and this is a vacation compared to that." He laughed.

  Lisa's lips lifted in a smile, old memories assaulting her. The sweet man in front of her had been her first kiss, the first guy she let grope her. He smiled shyly, his thoughts obviously slipping to where hers were.

  "Well, good to see you. I'm in search of food that hasn't been fingered by a thousand people." She winked and moved past him, saying her hellos and picking up a plate and various bits of food.

  It took forever to move through the familiar faces of their servants. Everyone wanting to know what she had been up to. She grabbed a bottle of champagne and moved to the stairs at the end of the large hall, walking up quickly to disappear.

  Her mother knew she was there. That was all she needed. To spend time in the bitch's presence wouldn't be good for anyone. Lisa had disassociated herself mostly from her family during college. Her mom and dad paying for her business degree begrudgingly. She was supposed to be a lawyer and it was a profession she might have chosen if it wasn't expected. She was a disappointment, or so her mother would remind her often.

  She laughed at the thought. If her mother only knew of the countless men Lisa had used to try and fuck away that thought. Swallowing the sadness that pushed against her senses, she slipped into her old bedroom, the front window looking out onto the property.

  She slipped off her cream-colored heels and kicked the door shut. Setting down her food, Lisa opened the close
st window and moved to watch for Marc. He hadn't responded, but surely he would hear the desperation in her text.

  They might not have sex yet, but they had spent hours talking about their childhoods, both the good and bad. She worked to get the champagne open as the sound of someone driving up caught her attention. The old beat up truck needed work, but she was thrilled to see it. She put the bottle down and moved to stand by the window, hoping to get his attention.

  He got out of the truck, his hand lifting as his fingers brushed through his hair. His blue jeans were ripped at the knee and his t-shirt presenting a rock band of some sort. Lisa laughed and snorted at the look that would be on her mother's face if she saw him. He wore sunglasses, but by the tilt of his head, Lisa could tell that he was looking in her direction. She reached down and opened the window further. Leaning down she smiled so hard she thought her face might crack.

  "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" she yelled toward him.

  "I think we should work on making other parts of you sore. Your eyes are much too beautiful to mess with." He pulled the glasses from his face and slipped them in his pocket. "Would your mom flip her shit if I climbed the trellis?"

  "Um yes." Lisa laughed and watched him closely. Every cell in her body lit on fire, the sexy way he moved, the deep confident tone of his voice. She had been around some of the most powerful men in the world and no one hit her like Marc Martin.

  He stopped at the bottom of the house and looked up, the smile on his wicked mouth growing wider. "Pull the screen out. I'm coming up."

  "No the fuck you're not. My mother will..." She stopped and he reached up and started to climb the side of the wall. "Oh for fuck’s sake."

  Working quickly she pulled the screen into the room and moved back as his head popped up, a soft chuckle leaving his perfect mouth.

  "You look hot." He moved a little more before throwing a leg over the windowsill. Lisa moved up to help pull him in, laughing.

  "You look ridiculous." She took a step back to give him space to stand. The quirky smile she received from him caused laughter to bubble up in her chest. He could burn her insides with need and yet make her laugh like a schoolgirl caught in a naughty joke.