Chasing Delia

by Aubrey Cara

  Kat turned and walked toward the back saying, “What better way to get over your woes than a girls' night? We’re only twenty-five, we need to live! What better way to live than beer and burgers at Bucks?” She said this and paused in the swinging door smiling at Delia.

  “Wait,” Delia called out. “I don’t drink, and I’m twenty-nine!”

  A mock look of shock and horror crossed Kat face. “Oh God, it’s more serious than I had thought. We’re going to need much more than mascara before we go to Buck's.” With that ominous statement in the air and a waggling of her eyebrows she came back to grab Delia by the wrist and drag her to the back.

  “Wait,” Delia said trying to pull back to no avail. “I thought you hated Bucks?”

  “Nope, just hate the hillbilly’s and hicks that go there.”

  “I’m a hick”

  Kat stopped pulling for a moment and grinned, a wild and crazy glint in her eye. “Del, you are a special kind of hick, sweetheart, and tonight we are going to embrace our hillbilly bone. Time to cowgirl up, Del. We’re goin' country!” Kat said this with a country drawl, a wicked grin still on her face and Delia knew she was done for.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Jake felt like he was going to climb out of his skin if he didn’t see Del soon. He had kept his distance the past two weeks knowing he had affected her and she had sure as hell affected him the last time they talked. He didn’t want Steven being mad at him, but the kid was on his own now.

  He had given him two weeks. Two torturous weeks in which he was only allowed brief glimpses of her through the window of the bakery, or after waiting in line just to let her hand him coffee and a pastry. He was starting to feel like a stalker. Plus he was going to have to start hitting the gym more if he kept eating those Two Tarts pastries and donuts.

  His best friend from Texas was in town for the weekend. They had grown up together and joined the military at the same time, but when Jake got out a single father, Caleb stayed in. Now Caleb did special ops and was in and out of the country constantly.

  Caleb was supposed to be meeting Jake here at Buck's, but still hadn't arrived. He hoped throwing back a few beers with an old friend would help him get his mind off Delia Myers for a while. Steven certainly wasn’t helping matters yammering on every night about all the women at the bakery. It just made him feel even more an outsider looking in, wanting to be a part of Del’s world. He wasn’t used to the feeling and was damn prickly about it.

  A hootin hollerin of catcalls went up at the front of the bar and he looked around to see what was causing the commotion. His jaw momentarily dropped as Delia and another woman walked in through the ruckus of men. She was wearing a cowboy hat pulled low. He almost didn’t recognize her. She had on a tiny scarf tank top that clung to her breasts and came down in a V, showing off her midriff. Her jean mini skirt clung to her swaying hips as she strutted to one of the high tables in cowboy boots. An automatic vision of her wearing only cowboy boots and that hat, while she was riding him, flashed through his mind, making his pulse pick up.

  He shifted. His cock was saying giddy-up in agreement, making his pants uncomfortable. He hadn’t had this kind of reaction to a woman since he was sixteen and if she was having this effect on him he could only imagine what the other men were thinking. He didn’t know he was standing until he heard his chair scrape back and he fumbled to catch it before it fell. Slamming it back in place he made a beeline straight for the scantily clad source of his frustration.

  *** ***

  Delia was going to kill Kat. Why she let her talk her into this she didn’t know. She felt horribly exposed. The only thing covering her breasts was a securely tied scarf. The denim mini skirt and boots were her own, but never would she have thought to wear them together. Kat also wore a cowboy hat, scarf-shirt and cowboy boots, but she at least got to wear jeans. When Del had mentioned the unfairness of this, Kat said she needed the slimming effect of pants and Delia needed to show off her young sexy legs. While she did feel young and flirty, she also hadn’t ever shown this much skin in her life. Now she looked like the sexed up hussy she had tried so hard for years to be the opposite of.

  The second they had walked through the door they had the attention of every man in the bar. Having guys bark crude remarks at them did not make her feel any better. She slunk to a table with her shoulders hunched, trying and failing not to be noticed.

  She and Kat barely ordered beers and burgers before she heard, “What the hell are you doing?” Jake stood with hands on hips glaring at her. If he was striking in the ugly police uniform, he was beyond sexy in a black t-shirt that pulled tight over his chest and shoulders, old jeans snug on his thighs, and steel toed boots.

  She was so wrapped up in soaking in the sight of him that it took a moment to comprehend what he had just said to her. When she did her brows pulled down. “Excuse me?”

  “Could you show any more skin? Do you wanna start a riot!?”

  “Not that it’s any concern of yours,” Kat said. “But we are having a girls' night, so why don’t you mosey on cowboy?”

  Delia was not about to let Kat fight her battles. The old her would have sat cowed not knowing what to do or say but that Delia was gone and buried, and this new Delia’s hackles were raised.

  Standing up proved to just make her even shorter than when she was sitting at the high bar chair. Even in her heeled boots she was a head shorter than him. That didn’t stop her from looking down her nose at him, squared off ready for battle. “Who do you think you are,” she said. “Charging over here like the outraged boyfriend? You’ve barely said a word to me in two weeks. How dare you!” She punctuated this with poking him in the chest. “What the hell gives you the right to question anything I’m doing or wearing? If I want to come in here wearin' my birthday suit and pass my favors to everyone in Bucks, that’s my right!”

  Saying this there were more than a few whistles and shouts of encouragement going around the bar. Jake looked like his eyes was going to pulse out of their socket, his face going red. She noticed his hand clenching and unclenching at his side.

  Feeling angrier than she had ever been, her rage quickly replaced any self consciousness she may have felt, emboldening her to continue. “In fact, maybe I’m meeting someone here tonight. You know how long it’s been since I’ve gotten laid Jake? It’s been a while, and maybe I just wanna feel like a well loved woman!”

  The whole bar went silent at this announcement. She could have sworn she could hear crickets for a beat before a clap rang out turning into a huge roar of shouts, whistles, and applause. She didn’t even feel like she was in her body anymore, but a spectator in the bar, in as much shock and disbelief as everyone else. She was sure her heart was going to beat out of her chest, adrenaline washing through her. She must have been channeling shades of her mother. From the corner of her eye she saw Kat still sitting at the table her mouth hanging open so wide her jaw almost scraped the table. Jake, she noticed, looked a bit pole axed himself. His astonishment thrilled this new defiant Delia.

  Just then a man just as tall as Jake came up to stand next to her. “Did I miss something?” he said. Dressed much like Jake, with t-shirt and jeans low slung on his hips, he had hawk-like features and a shock of short black hair. He smelt like pine and outdoors and was slightly taller than Jake, but wasn't as pretty. He was intriguing in a dangerous way.

  Delia’s lips curled up in wicked intent as she turned to press herself boldly against him. In for a penny, in for a pound, she thought. Tripping her fingers up his chest she bopped his nose with her pointer finger before purring, “No darling, you didn’t miss a thing.” Then she gave him a wink, feeling bolder than she had ever been in her life.

  The newcomer chuckled down at her and managed a “Well hello there,” right before Jake grabbed her arm, ripping her off of her prey.

  “Don’t even think about it Caleb,” Jake said to the newcomer.

  Her mouth turned down. Just her luck that they were friends. Some of her
new found bravado diminished on this insight.

  “Delia this is my friend Caleb from back home. He’s in town for the weekend. Caleb this is Delia, and she’s mine.”

  She stiffened before she pulled away. “Get bent Jake!”

  Coming to stand next to her in a wall of female solidarity, Kat said, “Why don’t you take your Neanderthal ass over to that table in the back and catch up with your old friend there. Like I said before, we are having a girls' night and I think you’ve caused enough trouble.”

  “And who might you be?” Caleb said giving Kat a heated glance. Kat rolled her eyes looking wholly unimpressed.

  “Your worst nightmare, Tex. Go scratch that itch somewhere else,” Kat said. Caleb just stared at her, grinning like a loon.

  To Delia’s relief their burgers were brought out to the table, diverting the tension humming in the air. The girls sat down, Delia took a big swig of beer. Now eating, she and Kat pretended the men weren’t there until finally the guys got the hint. Caleb walked away first practically dragging a fuming Jake behind him. As soon as they were out of sight Delia breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still wound tight. Shaken by the altercation, she ordered a round of whiskey shots. Kat raised her eyebrows at this.

  “Hey,” she said defensively. “We’re only twenty-five once, right?”

  Kat groaned, but then a slow smile spread across her face. Shaking her head in disbelief, she said, “I’ve created a monster. I had no idea what I was setting loose on the unsuspecting town folk.”

  *** ***

  An old waitress plunked down two beers as the guys sat down at a table in the back. “I thought you might need a drink after that,” she said as way of explanation before slapping Jake upside the head and walking away, shaking her head muttering, “Young fool men.”

  Caleb chuckled, “Jake, you sure do have a way with women. Though the way I remember it you were the one trying to get away from the crazy women you dated, not the other way around.”

  “I’m not actually dating her, and she’s not crazy,” Jake mumbled taking a swig of beer. Mine, Jake had said. It still rang in his ears. He didn’t know what made him say that. He felt like such an asshole. He also felt like throwing her over his shoulder, taking her out to his truck, pushing her skirt up around her waist and spanking her sassy ass, right before plow... he shook himself, bringing his head up out of the gutter.

  “Wait,” Caleb chuckled into his beer. “You mean to tell me you just pulled a caveman on a chick you’re not dating?”

  “I didn’t pull a cave man, and this wouldn’t have happened at all if it weren’t for Steven.”

  Caleb raised a brow, “Blaming your kid for this one, huh?”

  Jake sighed. He really didn’t want to explain how he was torturing himself out of some misguided honor to his kid. For some reason he was sure Caleb would find a lot more humor in the whole situation than he was in the mood to deal with.

  “I really don’t want to talk about it. Could we change the subject?” Jake felt uncomfortable under Caleb’s discerning stare. Luckily Caleb was happy to change the subject.

  “Fine, who’s your firecracker’s partner in crime over there?” He nodded his head in Kat’s direction. “The redheaded she-devil,” Caleb said smirking.

  Jake frowned watching the girls take a shot of what looked like whiskey. “From what Steven has told me I’m going to assume she’s Kat. She and Del work at the bakery, and I think I remember seeing her there. Steven's got a job there taking out trash and doing dishes after school. Nothing official, since he's too young for a worker's permit. Basically he does some chores, and they give him free food while he does his homework.”

  “I always knew that kid was smart. Free cake and donuts and working with hot women.”

  He had never thought of it that way, but Caleb was right. Maybe Steven was a lot smarter than he had been giving him credit for. He smiled into his beer, suddenly quite proud of his kid.

  They sat and talked but he remained distracted while Caleb carried most of the conversation. Caleb filled him in on his last visit to Texas, talking about the ranch and Jake's parents. “Your mom misses Steven something fierce, Jake. When was the last time you visited?” Having spent most of his childhood at the Forresters' his mom treated Caleb like her own son, demanding a visit whenever he was in town.

  “I know, it’s been a while, I’m working on it.” He took a swig of beer hoping to change the subject. “So how are your parents?”

  Caleb made a pained expression.

  “That good huh?”

  “No, they’re fine. Well, fine for them. Dad’s back in prison for skipping parole and mom is still mom. Stilettos, leopard print leggings, and a cigarette hanging out her mouth. She’s a peach. Still making lawn ornaments, still thinks she’s some kind of spiritual medium.”

  Jake chuckled. Caleb’s mom was a piece of work. “How’s your sister?”

  Caleb’s older sister had left the house by the time he was twelve, so they hadn’t been that close. Still Caleb’s expression softened, his shoulders relaxed at the mention of his sister.

  “She and her husband live in Georgia now. Her husband got a job at Gulf Stream. She’s pregnant again. Number five. She’s doing well. Supposed to go down there for Thanksgiving but we’ll see.”

  After that they got to telling favorite stories of mischief they had as kids and young men. Laughing and sharing old jokes, it would have been just what he needed, had he not been so agitated all night by a certain blonde. Who, by the looks of her, was getting drunker by the minute.

  “This place reminds me of the Rusty Spur. You remember that place?” He heard Caleb say this but was preoccupied with watching Del let some guy put his arm around her while she examined what looked to be the karaoke song book. His jaw clenched.

  Caleb turned to watch along with him as Del pushed the arm off of her. She headed through the throng up to a little makeshift stage where the deejay presided to play a mix of country, classic rock, and hard pulsing heavy rock. It was the usual for Buck's. Their deejay was one of the bartenders. He had on a flannel shirt with sleeves cut out, it hung opened down the front to show his Metallica t-shirt underneath. His trucker style ball cap read “u got a perdy mouth”. His whole persona gave the same effect of Buck's as a whole. Just walking in the door, you couldn’t help but lower your expectations.

  Del stumbled on her way up on stage. One young buck grabbed her waist and gave her hiney a little shove to help her up. Jake stood, his eyes narrowing, but Caleb pulled him back down laughing as Jake shot him a fierce look.

  “Let her have her fun Jake.”

  She leaned over and talked to the degenerate deejay. Straightening, she stepped up to the mic just as the thumping hard rock song cut off. A razzing tambourine drum beat kicked up with a guitar and fiddle mix. Caleb was looking at the Karaoke screen and laughing so hard he was wiping away tears. Jake, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of Del, looked up to read, Carrie Underwood-Cowboy Casanova, just as Del started to sing.

  Her words slurred, her voice pitching up and down so off key Jake that winced. She didn’t exactly sound like an angel, but she had a face and body of a siren, swinging and swaying her hips as she sang.

  “He’s a good time cowboy Casanova leaning up against the record maaaaachine, the devil in disguise a snake with blue eyes, and he only cooomes out at night. He gives youuu feeelin you don’t wanna fight, you better run for your liiiiiiiifffe.”

  “Well,” Caleb said. “At least you know you’re giving her feelings she doesn’t want to fight.” Caleb chuckled enjoying himself. “Do me a favor though. If you have kids with that woman, don’t let her sing them to sleep. The poor things will have nightmares.” Jake punched him in the arm, but Caleb still chuckled at his expense.

  He got the point. He knew she was singing to him, but he was no longer listening to the words or hearing her voice. A voice that was causing more than a few people to cringe. All he could hear was the rushing of his
own blood pulsing heavy behind his ears, seeking all exits from his brain, heading directly south.

  She was sexy as hell, her body swaying with a little multicolored spot light on her. Her movements brought glimpses of flesh into the light as another part of her moved into shadow. Her belly flashed and rolled into a peek of hip, her thigh and knee swung in and out with her seductive dance, scooping her body down and rolling up, starting with her little shoulder.

  Jake watched every move she made. Memorized every peek of flesh. It flashed through his vision in slow motion. Completely mesmerized, saliva pooling in his mouth, Jake swallowed hard at the same time Del did a rather vigorous hip thrust that caused her to pitch off balance. Arms flailing, she teetered on the edge of the stage a second before two guys reached up to swiftly catch her. Right then a hard rock song started up. Boxing in a very drunk Delia they danced with her sandwiched between them, quickly bringing him out of his trance.

  He surged out of his seat, stomping onto the area turned dance floor and made a grab for Del. One of the guys protested shoving him back. Jake didn’t hesitate decking the idiot in the face. The crunch of bone he felt under his fist was gratifying. He quickly grabbed Del as the bloody nosed guy came back around swinging. Jake moved out of the way, watching as the man’s drunken swing connected with his buddy's face.

  The unsuspecting friend charged forward. His body rammed into bloody nose guy, sending them crashing into a table full of guys, sending beer and spirits everywhere. In a split second an all out bar brawl ensued.

  Jake scooped a dazed Del over his shoulder. From the corner of his eye he saw Caleb reach for Kat, who turned with a right hook, punching Caleb square in the jaw. Caleb barely flinched at the hit before scooping Kat over his shoulder and giving her bottom a hard smack, then shot Jake a huge grin. He grimaced, of course Caleb was enjoying himself immensely.

  They made their way out the door. Caleb went out first with a cursing Kat hitting his back. Without acknowledging the blows, he turned to Jake and lightly punched him on the shoulder. “You sure do know how to show a fella a good time.” Before Jake could reply, he continued toward his black sedan rental.