Maizy the Bear Charmer [Divine Creek Ranch 16] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Heather Rainier

  Heath replied, “That’s okay. We’ll reserve a table for you and make sure you’re taken care of.” He bent down so he was face-to-face with her. “May I?” His intent was clear in his gaze.

  She nodded and saw the triumphant sparkle in his eyes before she closed hers. He cupped her jaw in his palm and his kiss was gentle, nearly chaste, until he brushed his tongue between her barely parted lips for just a moment. Her whole body vibrated with unfulfilled tension as he drew back and smiled at her. Left her wanting more.

  As Heath moved back, she looked up at Spencer. He bent down and gave her a gentle kiss, too, less pushy than his friend but so very like him. Cautious. Hopeful. And she wanted more. When he started to draw back, she leaned toward him, taking just a little more. His smile was her reward when she opened her eyes, not realizing she’d closed them. Her face felt flushed as she then looked up at Cody. So tall. So masculine.

  I’m so done for.

  Chapter Seven

  Cody smiled down at Maizy, enjoying the dazed look in her eyes. He couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t damned relieved that she was giving them time to win her over. He hadn’t considered the ramifications to her job until Heath brought the point up the night she’d called. He’d been prepared for her to tell them she just couldn’t take the chance.

  He stroked her arm, thinking again how beautiful she was. The jacket gave her a gypsylike quality with her tousled, curly locks. From the moment he’d seen her in it, he’d pictured her in a flowing skirt of the same nearly sheer material, the jacket, and nothing else. He’d imagined being able to see teasing glimpses of her nipples and the shadowy apex of her thighs through the gauzy material and his cock had tingled to life and been in need of containment ever since. Her delicate fragrance, not perfumy, just a blend of her clean skin and soap, had filled his senses with…her. The fact that she was taking the chance with them intensified the sensations.

  An ongoing conversation nearing their spot made her eyes flash open from their aroused, half-lidded state, and he frowned. She tilted to look around him and a look nearing panic came over her face. Looking up at him with sincere regret in her eyes, she climbed into her car. Cody glanced at Heath and Spencer who were both frowning and nodded at them.

  Heath bent down so he could see her in the Bug. “Be careful today, Maizy. We’ll see you tonight.” She nodded at him and Spencer when he echoed Heath’s words before they walked to the bikes.

  The group slowed and Cody didn’t recognize any of them but noticed that two of the women in the group were staring at Maizy’s car. The older of the two glanced at him and his departing brothers and she frowned and arched her eyebrow, making her opinion clear in her expression.

  He made eye contact with Maizy as he squatted down and didn’t know what to make of her panicked expression. She put her hand over his on the doorframe and whispered, “I have to go. Please forgive me for cutting you off like this. I wanted—” The remorse in her eyes made his heart clench. Was she changing her mind now? “Can I explain when I see you tonight?”

  “We’ll still see you tonight?”

  She glanced at the group, obviously noting the way both women still stared, blanched, and then turned to him. “Of course. I just need…it’s complicated. I still want my kiss.”

  Cody didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath. “All right. But when I kiss you tonight, it’ll be on my terms.”

  The unfocused quality came back to her eyes as she whispered, “I understand. I’ll see you tonight. Be safe.”

  She started the Bug. Recalling her words from during lunch, Cody thought that while she might know her worth as a teacher, she didn’t know her worth as a woman, with rights to a life outside of the school and her job.

  The group finally moved toward the entrance of the steakhouse and Cody stalked over to Heath and Spencer.

  “Everything okay with her?” Spencer asked. “She didn’t change her mind, did she?”

  Cody gave a small shake of his head. “I think those people were from her school or something.”

  “That would explain why she got all skittish,” Heath said. “Did you get your kiss?”

  “No.” He didn’t say anything else as they climbed onto the bikes. He watched as her little red Bug zipped out of the parking lot.

  Was it fair of them to expect her to just fall into their plans for a ménage regardless of the consequences to her job? A job she clearly loved and felt called to do. Maybe the best thing to do would be to have an honest talk with her tonight and nail down whether a ménage would work for her or not. It might not matter what they wanted because he wasn’t going to ruin what she’d worked so hard for in the process.

  He smiled, thinking she still owed him a kiss. She needed to at least have a clear picture of what she’d be missing out on if by chance she decided to walk away. He ignored the ache that thought inspired in his gut.

  The feeling still hadn’t left him hours later as he stood at the front door, checking IDs. Heath was at the bar, watching the monitors from there and Spencer was at the back door dealing with a delivery driver who was running late.

  As Cody greeted a group of regulars, he kept his eye on two single girls at a nearby table who were being hit on by a couple of drunk cowboys. He made eye contact with Heath across the club and then looked at the girls. Heath nodded back. This was one of the reasons why the guys worked well together. Nonverbal communication was vital in this business.

  When he worked, he mentally filtered out the loud country and Western and hard rock mix that usually pounded in the club to observe nuances in the crowd. As long as club goers looked and sounded happy he was relaxed.

  The cowboys gesticulated with their beer bottles in their hands at the dance floor, nearly clocking another guy standing nearby. The girls, Tammy and Tracy, glanced at each other and then shook their heads at the cowboys. The men kept talking to them, leaning closer, and the sign he’d been watching for was there as both women sat back in their seats and the sparkle left their eyes.

  Heath made eye contact with Cody and nodded. They headed toward Tammy and Tracy from opposite sides of the club. They needed to intervene or the girls would likely leave and then have a worse problem if the cowboys followed them into the parking lot. Unhappy female customers were bad for business. Plus, he just didn’t like seeing women unhappy for any reason.

  Cody leaned in between them so they could hear him over the music. “Girls, you okay here or would you like to move?”

  The more sensible of the two girls, Tammy, turned to him. “Don’t throw them out, Cody. They were nice but I think the last round of beers was one too many.”

  Heath was having a conversation with the two cowboys which wasn’t going quite as well, as one of them shrugged off his friend’s staying hand and said, “No. I came here to dance. We were polite to the girls,” he said as he waved his beer bottle in their direction again, splashing beer on the table. Cody gestured for the girls to get up before one of them got conked in the head with the beer bottle. “Come on,” he said, “Just until Heath gets them settled down.”

  The girls followed him and made themselves comfortable at the front table reserved for the bouncer’s use. Cody grinned when he overheard Tammy speak to her friend. “Wipe that grin off your face, Tracy. Cody didn’t ask you to join him because he’s interested. He doesn’t date girls who come in here.”

  “Whatever, girl.” In his peripheral vision he saw Tracy check her lip gloss and had to chuckle.

  After a few minutes Heath made his way to the front to help Cody as a large group entered. They were at about seventy percent club capacity and the night was still young.

  Heath nudged him and pointed at the bar. The two cowboys were involved in a conversation and seemed to have sobered up a bit. Cody nodded and pushed that concern to the back burner as he scanned the crowd, wondering for the hundredth time when she’d show up. He’d never had trouble focusing on the job like he was tonight, imagining her again in that sexy little gypsy
jacket and a matching skirt slung down on her hips…and nothing else.

  Several more couples and groups streamed into the club entry. The combination of perfume, cologne, and the cooking scents from the steakhouse next door filled the air.

  Ryan, the new club bouncer, came forward through the crowd when Cody gave him the signal and lifted his chin in silent acknowledgement as he watched the crowd.

  “Are there any tables left?”

  “A few, including the one you reserved.”

  “Can you help Tammy and Tracy to one of them? A couple of overzealous cowboys were hitting on them earlier and wouldn’t leave them alone.”

  Amusement glimmered in Ryan’s eyes as he slid the ladies a look and winked at them. “Sure. They look like they were just getting comfy-cozy in your chairs.”

  Cody chuckled. “I don’t want for our lady to walk in, see them, and get the wrong impression.”

  “Sure. When your company gets here, if you guys want to take breaks I’ll cover for you.”

  Ryan was in his early twenties but he was proving to be quick to observe, slow to react, and decisive when action was called for. Now he was proving to be thoughtful as well. They’d made a good move when they’d brought him on.

  Other guys had worked for them but hadn’t stuck because they didn’t understand Cody, Heath, and Spencer’s philosophy, one which Camilla and Sylvan, the nightclub manager, shared. The single ladies were the hub of their business. If they felt safe within the Twisted Bull’s doors, they’d return and bring their friends. The more single ladies that came in, the more men would come in. Business was good. When those women walked through the club doors, they weren’t on their own to fend off creeps or drunks. The security team didn’t wait for situations to get out of hand or for fights to get started before acting, therefore the Twisted Bull and Chantilly’s had developed a solid reputation in the community.

  With Ryan helping Tammy and Tracy to another table, Cody turned to the entry as the front door opened. He cringed on the inside when Presley Ann Woodworth and her sister, Leah, entered the club. Leah looked like she was already worn out and ready to go home as Presley Ann kept up a stream of chatter…until she set eyes on him. She licked her lips like a tiger looking at a juicy chunk of raw meat.

  “Well hello, Cody Welsh,” she drawled out in elongated syllables as she hugged his arm, rubbing her breasts against him and stroking his biceps. He quickly moved on to greet her sister, who smiled at him apologetically.

  “Hi, Presley Ann. Hello, Leah. How is business at Stigall’s?”

  “Well,” Leah said with a grin. “It keeps me busy and with sis starting her new job there next week, it’s sure to be interesting.”

  Presley Ann gasped and rolled her eyes, tilting her head back as if the tragedy was too much to bear. “I wish you wouldn’t even talk about that, Leah. I can’t believe Daddy’s making me work in that store. Cody, you would not believe it. I’m all—Dad, I can’t work there, and he was like—You’re gonna get a job so you can take care of yourself, and I was all—Daddy, I can’t find a husband if I’m working in Stigall’s, and he was like—Honey, you’re going to have to learn to be responsible. Pffft! I just want to party tonight.” He blinked as he tried to process what she’d just said and gave up trying. One thing was clear. Presley Ann was already well on her way to tomorrow’s hangover.

  Cody had to stop himself from bursting into laughter. Old Man Woodworth must’ve finally had enough of his gold-digging daughter if he was making her work in one of the family stores. He felt a little sorry for Leah, since she managed the store.

  He turned back to the front and caught his breath as the woman he’d been waiting for came through the door with her friends.

  She scanned the entry and her smile lit him up on the inside as she made eye contact. That wasn’t the hesitant smile of a woman trying to formulate a rejection. No, that was a “come here and get me, big boy” smile if ever he saw one.

  “Maizy!” Heath bellowed as he returned to the front and crowded in for a hug while Cody greeted Grace Warner, Lucy Carter soon-to-be Owen, and Jayne Carter.

  Grace’s eyes twinkled as he gave her a quick hug and she said, “You found your belly dancer, didn’t you? I’m not surprised to find out she was under our noses all this time.”

  “Me, neither,” Jayne said as she returned his hug and in a low voice added, “She’s so sweet, Cody. Don’t you dare break her heart, okay?” Sincerity shown in her eyes and Cody had to hug her a second time.

  “Don’t worry, Jayne. We’ll take very good care of her.” Maizy was in good shape with such loyal friends.

  “That’s bossy of me, isn’t it? But I also think she lives up to the legend.”

  Lucy came over to hug him, too, and practically vibrated with excitement. “You found her! I’m so happy.” She smiled up at him and softly added, “Now you just have to keep her. We put in a good word for you, by the way.”

  “Thanks, Lucy. How are your men?”

  “They’re at home with PJ playing video games. If you can point us in the direction of our table, we’ll leave you to greet Maizy.”

  He was in dire need of delivering a kiss to a certain sexy woman, if Heath would ever stop mauling her. He nudged his brother and asked him to show the girls where their table was. Once that was done, he turned to Maizy and looked her over.

  “Remember what I told you before you left this afternoon?”

  Maizy bit her lip and nodded. Her cheeks were flushed and she darted a gaze around.

  He didn’t care who watched as he took her hands and pulled her up against him. He did it slowly, enjoying the sensations as he wrapped his arms around her voluptuous curves. She returned the favor, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him with glowing honey-brown eyes.

  In no hurry, he nuzzled her temple and growled softly, enjoying the shudder that rippled through her. Her scent ignited all the memories from earlier in the day. When he was ready, he lifted his hand to her jaw and cradled the back of her head with his fingertips as he tilted her chin up to him with his thumb. Her rosy lips parted and her eyelids slid closed as he brushed his lips against hers in a playful tease. His cock hardened instantly at the trust she gave to him, gently pushing back, returning the gesture.

  She sighed against his mouth and her body relaxed into his as he increased the pressure and rubbed his lips against hers, licking at the fullness of her upper lip until she let him in. Her fingernails lightly scored his back as she stroked him. He shuddered in reaction and then ruthlessly plundered her mouth, tilting her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss and drink his fill from her. She gave him what he wanted, clinging to him and kissing him back. She flexed her hips, rubbing her body against his erection, a subtle acknowledgment that he was hard for her.

  “Damn, that’s hot,” Heath murmured up close to them.

  “Figured it would be,” Spencer replied, close by as well.

  Cody opened his eyes as he continued to kiss her and that was when he saw that Heath and Spencer were side by side, watching them but also providing a bit of privacy from the crowd.

  “Oh, yeah, they’re staring all right,” Heath said through a chuckle. “That’s okay, you just enjoy yourself there.” Maizy’s body rippled with a giggle and Cody finally lifted his lips from hers to find her smiling up at him. She pressed her fingertips to her lips.

  “Wow,” she murmured. “Happy to see me?”

  Cody gave her a lopsided grin. “Very. But then, you already know that,” he added, taking a chance as he slid a hand down to her ass cheek and pulled her against the steel shaft in his leathers. She made a purring sound and his libido did a pole vault as she scratched his back again. He made a mental note to ask her to do that some more later, preferably without any clothes on.

  He let out a deep breath as she took a step back and looked him up and down and then repeated the favor for Heath and Spencer. “Damn.”

  Cody smiled, seeing the lust in her eyes. He�
��d seen that look a time or two when women got a look at him and his brothers in their leathers but coming from her it had true potency. Teasingly, he asked, “What?”

  She giggled and whapped his arm lightly. “You know what! The first time I saw you, I thought you were a little grungy. Sexy, but grungy. Then earlier, you were dressed in jeans and T-shirts and I liked that just fine, but in these leathers and boots, and all black, too. Dayum. You’re hot guys,” she said and then an adorable blush crept into her cheeks and spread to her chest, making her darkly tanned skin glow.

  Cody bent forward so that he could nuzzle her cheek. He cast his gaze up to Spencer and Heath and they nodded, so he said, “Since I had to wait all day for my kiss, I’m taking you out on the dance floor…if you’d like.”

  “If I’d like? I haven’t danced in forever. I’d love to. But one thing first?”

  Cody nodded and then smiled when she turned to Spencer with soft eyes. “Hi. How are you?” She had no idea how adorable she was standing there looking just a little tentative. Heath had hugged her earlier but that was it, and then Cody had gone all supernova with the hot kiss, and she was still unsure how to respond to Spencer, but it was important to her to include him. Maizy was investing emotionally in all three of them. That wasn’t a guarantee that everything would work out between them but it was a good start.

  Cody could see the effect her gesture had on Spencer. His eyes were half-lidded as he wrapped his arms around her and held her as though she was the most precious thing in the world. She had them eating out of her hand already.

  When she looked up at him, Spencer gently stroked her jaw with the backs of his fingers, as if he feared she might disappear before his eyes. “Hi,” he said before he wrapped her up in another gentle hug and kissed the top of her head. “You smell nice. I’m glad you came.”

  She smiled up at him. “Me, too.”

  Heath gestured with a thumb at the dance floor. “We got this, Cody. Go have fun.”