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

by Heather Rainier

  “Hi,” Maizy said as she caught her breath.

  “Hi yourself,” he murmured in that silky smooth voice of his as the guitar and drum rhythm of the next song started. “I’m on a break now. Dance with me?”

  “Yes. Did you like my dance?”

  A sexy smile curved his lips and she heard him growl in approval as he pulled her close. “I think the name of the song said it all. Dayum, baby.”

  She laid her head against his chest. “Thank you. I’m glad you liked it.”

  “I wish I could show you how much, baby,” he murmured as he maneuvered her through the crowd to Thomas Rhett’s “It Goes Like This.” “Cody told me that you were thinking about coming home with us to talk. I hope you do.”

  “I don’t have my vehicle so someone will have to take me home. It may be really late.”

  “Late? You mean I might miss my bedtime?” he asked in a shocked tone before he grinned. “Late doesn’t mean much to me, baby. I keep what hours I need to keep, and I wouldn’t mind if it meant getting to spend a little more time with you.”

  She reached up to touch the blond scruff on his jaw and Heath caught her hand and gently pressed it to his thick pectoral. “Cody mentioned that until we talked it’d be best if we kept the public displays of affection to a minimum.”

  “Pooh,” she pouted and then giggled at the comical look he gave her.

  “Pooh?”

  “A potty mouth is not a good habit for a kindergarten teacher to develop.”

  “Good point. Pooh, indeed. I don’t like it either but at least we get to dance together, which is tempting enough by itself. So you behave yourself. You’re tempting me too much with all this mouthwatering sexiness of yours,” he said quietly as he angled them away from the crowd in the corner and nuzzled her cheek and gave her a quick kiss before turning.

  “It felt good to belly dance a little.”

  Heath snorted. “It felt good to watch, too, baby. That was even sexier than the first night we saw you.”

  Maizy looked up at him and didn’t care if anyone saw as she reached up and stroked the nape of his neck, her fingertips tickling against his close-cropped blond hair. “I was dancing for the three of you this time, to please you.”

  The heat in his gaze made her tingle and she snuggled up to him. The chorus of the song played again and she smiled at the lyrics. Was he writing his name on her heart? Were all three of them? Maybe.

  He squeezed her and murmured, “This is our song from now on.”

  All she could do was smile as she looked up at him. Her heart was full.

  “Did you ride your motorcycles to work tonight?” she asked as he walked her back to the table after the song ended.

  “No. Cody thought you might want to talk if we got to see you tonight, and the Twisted Bull being what it is, we knew that wouldn’t happen until later after work. We were being positively assumptive and brought Spencer’s truck since it has four seats.”

  “I wouldn’t mind riding with one of you.”

  “We didn’t want your first motorcycle ride to be in the wee hours of the morning when you have no protective clothing. I know it’s warm but you’d get cold on the ride back to Divine. Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “You still have your belly dancing costume?”

  Maizy giggled. “Yes. It’s in my closet at home, along with a couple of others.”

  “Good.” His voice was practically a purr as he drew out the single syllable.

  “Does that mean you’d like to see me in it if everything works out?”

  Heath nodded eagerly and gave her his best panty-dropping grin. “In it. Out of it. Pretty much, yeah.”

  She smiled up at him and drew him down to whisper, “I hope it works out, too. Thank you for that.”

  “For my horndog honesty? That’s a first.”

  “That’s not what I’d consider being a horndog. You’re just being honest. I danced with the intention of you enjoying it. I like being appreciated that way.”

  “Honey, any man who wouldn’t is a blind idiot. We’ll be watching out for you, baby.” He kissed the top of her head as he pulled out her chair for her.

  “We thought we’d seen the last of you, Maizy,” Grace said as she sipped on a soda and Lucy and Jayne enjoyed another round of drinks. She pushed a fresh glass of sangria in front of Maizy, too.

  Maizy let out a soft sigh as she watched Heath stalk toward the front before turning to the girls. “I’m going home with them. To talk.” Grace nodded, along with Lucy and Jayne.

  To talk? Yeah, keep on telling yourself that, girl.

  “That man could not take his eyes off of you while we were dancing, girl,” Lucy said as she lifted her glass to her lips.

  Jayne nodded in time with the music. “That’s how they all were last Halloween, too. Mmm-hmm. Hey, did Lucy tell you that you tied with Seth and me for the costume contest?”

  Maizy gawked at Jayne. “No, she didn’t! How cool is that!”

  “Yup,” Jayne said and then licked the margarita salt from her lips with a smack. “We dressed up like Neo and Trinity from the Matrix movies.”

  Maizy was sure her surprise showed. “Really? Wow!”

  Lucy nodded and pulled out her phone. “Oh yeah, we have pictures, see?” She showed her a picture of Jayne clad in a black patent bodysuit with the shades and boots and everything, and Seth was a very compelling Neo, too.

  Maizy said, “Those are wickedly cool costumes.”

  Lucy got big eyes as she flipped through the pictures in her phone. “Oh, if you think those were wicked cool, you should’ve seen her in her red leathers back in June at the ROT Rally.”

  Grace groaned and said, “And yet again, I wish I’d decided to go, instead of babysitting for everyone. Next time you girls go, I’m going, too.”

  Maizy had to ask. “What’s a ROT Rally?”

  Jayne finished a sip of her drink and said, “Republic of Texas Bike Rally. It’s in Austin every summer. This past June was my first. Seth did a tattoo exhibition and Lucy and I visited with anyone who came by to ask questions. He got me the sexiest, softest red leathers ever, so I could show off my tattoo.”

  Maizy’s eyes must’ve bugged. “Can I see your tattoo?”

  The girls snickered and Grace stopped Jayne when she began to lift the hem of her top. “Whoa, Miss ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Come Off.’ I think your tattoo’s a bit too large to show off in the club. Let Lucy show Maizy one of the pictures instead. Tell you what, Maizy. Come over to my house sometime when we’re all getting in the pool and Jayne can show it off for you then.”

  “You don’t mind?” she asked of Jayne.

  “No,” Jayne said, shaking her head until she wobbled a little in her chair. She pointed to the side of her right breast and drew her fingers down her ribs. “It goes from here, all the way to here,” she drew a diagonal line across her midriff and down her left thigh.

  “It’s beautiful,” Lucy said. “Roses and poetry in script lettering. Seth created it especially for her. Look.” She handed Maizy the phone so she could see the picture of Jayne dressed in a red leather halter and matching red leather pants that revealed a lot of leg on the outer seams. Her tattoo was gorgeous.

  Jayne sighed dreamily. “Your brother is so romantic, Lucy. But you know what, Maizy? If you think that’s something you should’ve seen Lucy at the ROT Rally.”

  “What’d she wear?” Maizy asked and Lucy choked on her drink.

  “Well, she started out in a leather corset and miniskirt but later on she took her top off.”

  Maizy’s gaze swiveled back to Lucy. “She did?”

  Lucy laughed and shrugged. “Hey, what happens at the ROT Rally stays at the ROT Rally.”

  Jayne waved her hand. “She wasn’t the only one either. There were lots of topless women and some nekkid ones, too. And even people having—” Lucy and Grace sputtered on their drinks and started laughing. By the time they were done telling her all about
it, Maizy was as interested in going to the next bike rally as Grace was but she didn’t think she’d ever take her top off. Not in a million years.

  “You girls doing all right over here?” a deep voice said close to Maizy’s ear.

  Maizy turned in her chair so she was face-to-face with Spencer. “Hello, handsome.” It was possible the sangria was loosening her tongue, same as Jayne.

  He gazed at her and whispered, “Hello, beautiful. I hear you’re coming home with us tonight.”

  “Yes. To talk, if that’s okay…”

  His eyes never left hers as he nodded and just like before, she found that all she wanted to do was just curl into him. She could imagine herself cuddling up with him on a big couch on a rainy day and watching a movie or taking a nap together…or making love. “I’m glad you’re coming over to talk. I’m even more glad you’ve given us a chance.” He stroked her hair from her shoulder, smiling as he touched it. All three of them seemed to really enjoy her hair and she was glad she’d changed her mind about cutting it at the beginning of the summer.

  “Can you take a break?” she asked as she glanced back at the girls, who all watched with avid curiosity and smiles.

  “That’s why I’m here. Would you like to dance?”

  “I’d love to.”

  He held her hand as she slid out of the tall chair and looked up at his broad, muscular back as he led her to the dance floor. He emanated such strength. Everyone around them seemed oblivious that she was dancing with him after dancing with the others and then she giggled to herself. Ding-dong, it’s a nightclub. People dance with each other. Big shocker. She wished real life was as easy to explain.

  Tyler Farr’s “Redneck Crazy” was just finishing as they reached the dance floor. The opening chords of the next song registered and she wobbled inside a bit, recalling her conversation with Grace from a couple of weeks before. The four of them had gotten together to have supper and work on plans for Lucy’s wedding. The same song, “Crash My Party” by Luke Bryan, had been playing in the restaurant and Maizy had agreed with the girls about loving it. She’d wondered out loud what it would be like to have a man who’d drop everything just to spend time with her, as the lyrics of the song suggested. Someone for whom she’d be the high priority for a change. At the time, she’d been thinking of the way her ex had treated her and now here she was with Spencer.

  Maybe it was like the girls said. The bears had believed they’d find her. Maybe she could believe that it would work out. She looked back at Grace and her friend gave her a nod and a thumbs-up. She must’ve remembered, too.

  On the dance floor they turned to each other. She wrapped both arms around his waist, not caring about proper two-stepping form as she snuggled close to him. His scent was a combination of his own essence, something woodsy, and laundry detergent. She couldn’t seem to get close enough as she breathed him in. She felt his deep chuckle as he squeezed her tight.

  His fingertips absently stroked her curls as they danced mostly in place, just swaying together. She let out a long, happy sigh and smiled when she felt his warm lips on the top of her head. She felt positively tiny wrapped up in his arms. Swaying with him, she could feel the solid strength in his muscular thighs and the sizable bulge at his groin.

  She looked up at him but couldn’t speak as he gazed into her eyes and finally said, “Keep looking at me like that and I’m going to kiss you. I don’t care what Cody said.”

  Maizy was held a willing captive by Spencer’s warm golden-brown eyes as she said, “I wish I could have your kiss right now, too.”

  “Does that mean I get kisses later?”

  She nodded with her cheek against his chest again. After a minute, she said, “This is our song.”

  Another chuckle reverberated in her ear. “It’s a good choice.”

  When the song ended and he returned her to her table, the girls were just vacating their seats. Grace said, “I’m taking the party girls home, Maizy. You still planning to go with the guys?”

  Maizy nodded, and Spencer kept hold of her hand. “I am. They said they’d get me home.”

  Lucy hugged her and whispered, “Call me if you need me, okay?”

  “I will. You go home and get some rest. I had fun tonight.”

  Lucy grinned and the other girls said good night and made their way out of the club. She turned to Spencer and he stroked her hair as he said, “Let me take you to Cody. We have chairs up front. I don’t want you sitting by yourself over here.”

  “I won’t be in the way?”

  “We rarely sit while we work. The club is too busy. And you’ll be right where he wants you, I’m sure.”

  “Has it been an eventful night for the three of you?”

  “Pretty typical, work-wise, but having you here has been nice.”

  “Can I ask you about something?”

  Spencer glanced at her as the crowd parted, moving out of his way. “Sure.”

  “Who in the hell is that hanging all over Cody right now?” she said pointedly as she stared at the blonde rubbing her boobs against Cody’s arm while he carded a group of people who had just come in the door.

  Spencer looked up front and then groaned. “Her name is Presley Ann. She used to be a regular at the Dancing Pony but since she found out we work here she’s been coming in…a lot. Her sister is sweet as pie but that one…She’s persistent. I think she saw us with you and she’s giving it her best shot. She left her sister, Leah, to sit all alone,” he added with disgust in his voice.

  “Presley Ann Woodworth?” she said, tugging at his hand to stop him. “Doug Woodworth’s daughter?”

  “Yeah, that’s her last name, I think.”

  “I don’t like the way—no, I hate the way she keeps rubbing on him but I can’t go over there, Spencer. Her father is on the school board. I don’t know him but—” A spark of panic ignited inside her.

  Spencer immediately changed direction and tugged her with him toward the bar.

  “I’m sorry,” she said as the crowd thinned and she could walk beside him.

  He looked down at her and frowned. “Don’t be. I’ll take care of it. I wouldn’t want you to get caught in a confrontation with her regardless of who she is.”

  “I guess tearing her fake boobs off would be a good definition of a confrontation.”

  Spencer’s eyebrows shot up and the look in his eyes was a combination of surprise and admiration. “Cody will love it when I tell him that.”

  “You’re going to tell him?”

  He gave her a full smile and chuckled. “Hell yeah. Stay with Heath for right now.”

  Spencer shared a few words with him and Heath helped her into a seat at the end of the bar near his post and smooched the top of her head. “Watch Spencer work, baby.”

  Spencer stopped at a table and then returned to the front. Looking irritated, Cody turned when he saw Spencer, with the blonde barnacle still firmly attached to him. Spencer, seeming suddenly very sociable, struck up a conversation with Presley Ann and distracted her so she actually let go of Cody. Two of the guys from the table he’d stopped at came over and they drew her into conversation. In less than a minute, they had her moving toward the dance floor. Maizy also noticed that a couple of other guys went over to the table Spencer had pointed out earlier, where Presley Ann’s sister Leah sat all alone sipping from her drink. That was nice of him, she thought.

  Curious, she turned to Heath and saw that she’d guessed correctly earlier. He was watching a row of security monitors. He motioned to the new bouncer, Ryan, and used brief sign language to communicate to him, and the tall, wiry guy made a beeline for the back entry to the club where the restrooms were located. Heath grinned at her and she said, “I’m curious about something.”

  “About what?” he asked as he motioned to one of the bartenders.

  “Spencer doesn’t strike me as the overtly sociable type, yet he just walked into that situation and dealt with her like he was…” She smiled when the bartender set a glas
s of soda in front of her.

  “A pro?” Heath asked. “He is. He detests chitchat and standing around socializing but he’s also very good at his job. He didn’t like seeing you upset. If you’d been over there, you’d have been able to tell he wasn’t really engaged in that conversation. Presley Ann irritates him even more than she does Cody but we’re careful to not show how we really feel about her attention. We don’t offend the ladies if we can avoid it. She’s just a little slow on the uptake. Some of them are like that. You were getting a little possessive there, huh?” She could hear the curiosity in his voice.

  “I don’t…I’m not normally like that.” She was a fairly confident person and it didn’t make sense that she would feel that way. She never had before. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’d feel the same way if a guy was hanging all over you.”

  She’d imagined confronting that young woman and had embraced the sensation until she’d realized who she was. Then she’d felt a little powerless because she knew she couldn’t go over there, much less confront Presley Ann.

  A little while later, as it neared closing time, Cody came and got her himself. He gave her a lingering kiss and led her back to the front after speaking briefly with Heath.

  His hand was warm as it slid around her waist and he drew her close. “Did you have a good time tonight? I wish we could’ve spent more time with you.”

  “I understood. You had to work. I still enjoyed myself.”

  “You seem a little more settled,” he said, glancing back over the crowd for just a second and smiled a little when he looked in Heath’s direction.

  She giggled but didn’t look. “He’s doing something silly, isn’t he?”

  “You guessed it. He’s giving me the sign language for ‘kiss her.’”

  “You have ‘work’ sign language for ‘kiss her’?”