by Ali Parker
But even as I spoke, I had to admit that as he buttoned his snap shirt, I was starting to get aroused once more. Watching him get dressed was just as sexy as watching him get undressed. He was looking at me as though he knew I was saying things I did not mean, but he was going to just let it happen. He was going to let my words slide for now instead of protesting.
A few minutes later we walked out of the lab and I locked it. As we walked down the hall it was so quiet we could only hear his cowboy boots clicking on the floor. There was so much tension between us. If anyone saw us they would not think that we were two people that had just made love. Instead we looked like two people in the middle of a fight, because we weren’t saying a word between us and there was so much tension you could see it.
We walked out of the building and I locked the main door. He turned to me.
“So, I guess I’ll see you on Monday,”
“Yes, I’ll see you then. Have a good rest of your weekend, Tanner.”
He shook his head from side to side and laughed at the way we were suddenly being so formal. He walked to his truck and I walked to my car, getting in as nonchalantly as I could. He started the engine of his truck and quickly backed out of the parking lot. I pretended that I was still fixing my rearview mirror as I turned on the engine of my car. But as soon as he was out of sight, I just sat there for a time.
“Madison, you stupid girl. What have you done? This is bad. This is very, very bad.”
15
Tanner
“Eight ball corner pocket,” Connor aimed the pool stick and took the shot. “Boom. I win, again. You owe me five bucks brother,” Connor said.
I huffed and threw the pool stick onto the green felt of the table. “Another game. I’ll win my money back.”
“You sure about that? You’ve been very distracted today. Something on your mind?” Connor asked, as he chalked his stick.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Well, you usually kick my ass at pool, so yes.
He was right. I was a regular pool shark, no one could take me. Out of all of my brothers I was the best at this damn game. But today I wasn’t on top of anything. We didn’t work on Sundays, but we had this pool table in the barn. It had been our grandfather’s, something to keep the ranch hands busy and happy. It also kept them from going to the bar and getting drunk to cause trouble.
We kept the damn thing and I became really good at it. Now it was our place to quietly shoot pool and hang out on a Sunday evening. But I wasn’t on top of my game because I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened with Madison the day before. I kept seeing her naked body lying under me. I could still feel her warm body wrapped around me. I couldn’t think of anything else. But what I really couldn’t stop thinking about was how she kept denying me.
I had never been rejected in my life. Women practically threw themselves at me and my brothers. They begged to go on a date with us, and this one wouldn’t even let me take her to dinner. Not even after having sex with her. That did not make sense to me at all.
“Tanner. Tanner, hello!” Connor waved his hand in front of my face.
“Sorry, what did you ask?”
“Damn, where did you go? You really are distracted by something.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“That settles it. Come on, we’re going into town to get a beer. We could both use it.”
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I won’t take no for an answer. Come on, I’m driving.” Connor punched me on the arm. I rolled my eyes and followed him out to the driveway. We both jumped in his truck.
A few minutes later we were at the local dive bar, a small place with a few pool tables, a dartboard, country music on the jukebox, and ice cold beer.
“Here. Now tell me what’s on your mind,” Connor said, handing me a cold bottle of Lonestar beer.
“It’s nothing, really,”
“Like hell it’s nothing. It’s that hottie isn’t it? The one that came to the ranch, the blond with the nice rack and beautiful natural face.”
I gave him a dirty look.
“I knew it. You wouldn’t be giving me that angry look in response to talking about her rack if you didn’t like her. You like her, so what’s the problem?”
“She doesn’t want to date me,”
“What?” Connor slammed the bottom of the beer on the bar counter. He looked at me with shock.
“Not want you? Why every cowgirl in Safety, Texas wants a Dawson brother, but not this one? Boy howdy, you’ve got yourself a challenge. I would like a challenge myself,” he said slapping me on the back.
“I just can’t figure her out.”
“Well, that’s what you get for going with one of these smart girls. She’s smarter than you. She’s probably more complicated and you’ll never figure her out.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“So that’s why you can’t get her off your mind? Because you want to sleep with her and she won’t let you.”
“I didn’t say she wouldn’t sleep with me. I said she wouldn’t date me.”
Connor raised an eyebrow at me. “You mean to tell me that you’ve already—“
“Yes, yesterday.”
“What? I’m confused.”
“Yep, we slept together. But I have asked her on a date, multiple times and she keeps saying no. She said that this one time thing was just one time. That it’s not going to happen again. And she refuses my invitation to go to dinner. You see why I’m so confused and can’t concentrate on even a simple game of pool?”
“Damn. That is a head-scratcher. I think we’re going to need another round here,” he said to the bartender.
I laughed. “I’ve never met a woman like her. I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t understand why she just won’t go on a date with me. It has been a struggle.”
“Well, I think it’s great that you slept with her, since you like her a lot. But this whole mess of her not wanting to go on a date with you. Maybe she just wants you as her boy toy? She just wants to use you for sex.” He let out a hearty laugh.
“Oh, that’s very funny. You think you are so clever?” I said, playfully punching his shoulder.
The bartender slid two more Lonestars in front of us.
“Thank you, my brother is going to need as much alcohol as possible in his new role as boy toy,” Connor joked.
“Shut your mouth,” I said.
“Well, now that we know what’s bothering you. How about we go for another game of pool?” Connor stood up.
“Yeah, I think that I can focus now and kick your ass, just for that boy toy comment. And the comment about her rack.”
I followed him to the pool area. There were three pool tables and they were all taken, so we put down a dollar bill on the side of the table closest to us. This was what you did to claim a table after the players that were currently on it we’re done with it. Everyone did this, it was a standard rule of pool. We both nodded a greeting to the two locals that were on that pool table, just acknowledging their presence and that we were now going to wait. I personally did not know the two guys, but didn’t think anything of it. One guy was wearing a leather vest like he rode motorcycles, and the other looked like your standard cowboy that had just spent the day working on the ranch. He was wearing all black. Black t-shirt, black jeans, and a black felt hat.
“Hey, Dawson. You can pick up your dollar and put it on another table. You’re not getting this one,” the cowboy said.
“And why is that? Do you plan on playing all night until sunrise?” said Connor, turning toward him. This was not good. I could already feel the tension from Connor.
“No,” the cowboy in black replied, walking toward us.
“Well it’s standard. If you want to wait for a table, then you put your money down to hold it. I don’t see any other money here, which means no one else is in line after you. So when you boys are done with this table, we’ll be taking it,” Connor s
aid.
The two guys were walking towards us, shoulders pushed out. Connor was already in a fighting mood, I could tell. He’d already had two beers when we were at the barn, and now he’d just added two more. That was enough to get his fighting juices flowing. This was not good.
“Of course you think you’re getting this table. It’s always been like that for you, hasn’t it? The Dawson boys always get what they want, don’t they? Just taking anything they want from everybody else.” This from the cowboy in black.
“What? I’m sorry, do I know you?” Connor said.
“No. But you will.”
“Well cowboy, my fist wants to meet you right now,” Connor said, pressing a finger into his chest.
The cowboy responded by pressing his chest against my brother’s. Now they were shouting and yelling at each other. I put my hands on Connor’s shoulders pulling him back toward me and the other guy did the same for his friend, trying to pull him back.
“Come on Connor. He’s not worth the trouble we’ll get into picking a fight in here,” I said, pulling him back.
“He’s talking shit and needs to go down for it,” Connor said, with rage in his voice.
“What’s going on over there? You boys break it up or I’m calling the law, the bartender said, putting a bat on top of the bar.
“All right, we’re going,” I said to the bartender as I got a good hold on Connor and pulled him away from the table. Connor was still wanting to fight and it took all of my strength to push him out of the bar. Finally we got outside and I kept pushing him until we were beside his truck. He started pacing back and forth like an angry bull at the rodeo.
“What the hell, Tanner? Why didn’t you let me punch that guy’s lights out? He was asking for it and you know it.”
“That guy is not worth the trouble we’d get into with the law for taking him down. You really want the Sheriff to show up at the door in the morning? Again? Think of the look on Father’s face? We’re too old for fights. We’re not teenagers anymore, dammit. We’re adults and that stuff is taken seriously. Like taken to court.”
“Err,” Connor kicked the tire of his truck. He was obviously pissed and I was too, but I was in a better state of mind at the moment. Connor was an athlete at heart and playing ball had made it easy for him to crash into another man’s body with ease.
“Come on, give me your keys. We need to go somewhere where you can let out that steam before you explode.”
Connor tossed his truck keys at me. I caught them and we jumped in the truck.
“Who the hell was that guy anyway? I’ve never seen him before in my life,” Connor said.
“I have no clue. I’ve never seen them either, but then again we don’t know every household in town. All I know is that he was looking for trouble, and we ain’t going to give it to him.”
“He had a bone to pick with our family. Talking crap about us, and our family name. I need to find out who he is,” Connor said, rolling down the window.
“And we will—all in good time. For now let’s go cool off and get some of that heat off you,”
“What do you have in mind? Bull riding? I haven’t done it in years. I’d probably get killed.”
“Nope. The Heights.” I said, turning the engine on and peeling out of the dirt parking lot.
Connor smiled, and soon let out a hoot and holler. “Now you’re talkin brother. The Heights.”
I drove us through town and out into the country. It wasn’t early evening anymore, it was dark. But there was a full moon lighting the way. I went down a one-lane dirt road and the truck was bouncing all over the place. This was private land, but we always came here. Hell, the whole town did and the owners knew it. Besides, something so special shouldn’t be kept all to one owner. Something so beautiful and natural should be shared, nobody could own something like this.
“Right here. Right here.” Connor said.
I pulled the truck over and turned it off. Connor immediately jumped out. “Race ya.”
He bolted down the trail.
“You’ve got a head start, cheater!” I said, running after him.
I ran down the path behind him. The trail opened up to large flat granite rocks. Connor was standing there taking off his clothes. I sat down and pulled off my boots. Then I got up and stripped everything off as well. Connor was already completely naked. He let out a shout and jumped. I shook my head, but this was a good idea. He had already forgotten about the fight.
I ran and jumped. Falling through the air about 15 feet until I hit the surface of water. Splash! We had both just jumped off of the giant granite rocks we called the Heights. It was a quarry filled with crystal clear water.
“Yes. This is what I’m talking about,” Connor said, splashing and jumping around. I laughed and swam, getting some of my own pent up energy out of me as well. Lord knows I had some aggression built up from this frustrating situation with Madison. And those guys at the bar had pissed me off as well, but I’d had a little less beer in me, so I wasn’t the least bit buzzed, like Connor was. If I had been, the outcome could have been worse. We might both be in cuffs in the back of a patrol car at this very moment, cause nobody fucked with the Dawson brothers.
16
Madison
I drove to the lab on Monday feeling extremely nervous. I had spent all of Sunday in conflict. On one hand I was regretting what I did with Tanner, and on the other I couldn’t stop thinking about how hot it was and how I wanted more. It was absolutely distracting. This was exactly why I didn’t want to get involved with someone. Yet my body had overtaken my mind when it came to logic that day.
So now I was nervous at the reality of having to face him again in the lab. I didn’t know what I could do. I wanted things to go back to the way they were, just completely professional. But how could they when I couldn’t stop thinking about his gorgeous masculine naked body every time I closed my eyes? This day was going to be tough.
I pulled into the coffee drive-thru where I usually got myself a cup before going into the lab, but this time I thought I could use it as an icebreaker.
“Two large black coffees please,” I ordered through the window, handing the employee cash.
“Coming right up.”
My hand nervously tapped on the steering wheel, waiting for the coffee. I hoped that it took longer than normal, I wasn’t ready to see him yet. On the other hand, I was anxious to see him. I couldn’t get my head to decide which complicated feelings I wanted to go with. I was angry. I was angry at Jenna. ‘See, this is why I did not want to get involved with a guy,’ I said silently to her as if she was in the car with me. I hated that I couldn’t turn to her and talk openly with her about this. Having it pile up in my head with no one to help sort it out was hard. This was unfair.
“Here you go, two black coffees.”
Setting them in holders, I was off, driving toward the college. I drove slowly, but sooner than I was ready, I pulled into the parking space I typically used. I looked around to see if he was walking by, he wasn’t. I tilted my mirror toward me and checked my face and hair. I took a deep breath, knowing I just needed to get it over with, like ripping off a Band-Aid.
Getting out of the car with the two coffees, I headed to the building. There were lots of people around, a lot of students and employees, nothing like the Saturday when we were here together, completely alone.
I walked down the hall to the lab, and was completely surprised to see that he wasn’t outside the door waiting for me. That was strange. He was usually there to tell me that I was running late, and to give me some anecdote about ranchers rising before the sun. I shrugged it off and went inside. Putting my bag and the coffees on the counter, I reached for my lab coat.
Oh no, there it was. The counter, the same counter that he had picked me up and set me on. Suddenly my entire body went hot. A flash of him pushing his cock inside of me took hold of my imagination. It was so vivid, as though it was happening all over again. My entire body became arouse
d.
Get a hold of yourself Madison, it wasn’t that good. I lied to myself. Shaking the image off, I continued down the lab.
Walking over to check on the corn specimens, I quickly became focused.
“What? What is going on here?”
As I looked at the corn it was obvious that it was not doing well. The leaves had started to wilt and it looked like it was dying. I grabbed a water bottle and began to spray the crop. Maybe the chemical cleaner had been on too long? Maybe it needed to be washed off because it was too harsh? I could not figure out what was going on, but this was very intriguing. I couldn’t wait to see Tanner to see what he had to say about the crops at his ranch. I wondered if they were doing any better or worse.
Quickly, I went to the door of the lab and looked out to see if Tanner was on his way in. He wasn’t. Grabbing my coffee, I began to drink it. I walked back and forth in the lab, waiting for him. Again, I peeked out the door into the hallway, he wasn’t there. This was very strange, he was already an hour late, it wasn’t like him. I walked down the hall to the main front door of the building. I stepped out into the sunlight, looking around the parking lot. I didn’t see his truck anywhere. I looked toward the road, it wasn’t approaching. I pulled out my phone, there were no missed phone calls or text messages. This was very strange. I walked back into the building and to the lab. My coffee was already gone, his was sitting there cold.
With a shrug, I went back to work, writing down the new results of the corn being wilted and not responding well to the cleaner. Another hour went by and I had grown completely anxious and worried. I wondered if I should call him.
“Madison.”
I turned to see my senior advisor standing there, Mr. Phillips. He had a stern look on his face. I began to get worried. Was I in trouble? Oh no, did he know what we had done in the lab?
