Unwelcomed Greeting: A Riverton Crossing Novel

by Savannah Maris

  “Stop it, you nut.”

  When they reached the door, Mitchell moved to take Ginger’s bag. “Ginger, this is the love of my life, Mitchell Riverton. Mitch, this is Ginger Monroe. She lives down the mountain from me, and we’ve become very good friends.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Ginger.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you as well. I’ve heard a lot about you, but somehow I don’t remember Kayla describing you as quite so hot.”

  Mitchell flashed Kayla an evil grin. “So you didn’t tell her I was hot?” She elbowed him in the gut and took Ginger’s bag from him as she followed her friend into the house.

  “Right this way, Ginger. I’ll show you to your room then introduce you to Evan.” When she looked over her shoulder, Mitchell was rubbing his abs and laughing at her. Serves him right. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her, and she knew it.

  Since the door to Ginger’s room was open, Kayla waved her in. It wasn’t very girly, but had a simple elegance. “I don’t think the boys knew what to do with the guest rooms after their mother died. I added a few things to make it a bit friendlier,” she said with a smile.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Let me introduce you to Evan since the boys have things to do this afternoon.” Kayla held her friend’s hand. “Just so you know, he doesn’t mind a fling, but don’t expect more than that, okay?”

  “That suits me just fine. With my job, I never know where I’ll be. If we can see each other, great. If not, that’s fine too. I just need an escape, and I’m willing to be his,” she said with a wink.

  They linked arms and started down the hall, giggling like school girls. Cat and Ginger were going to love each other. These boys didn’t know what was about to hit them.

  They found the guys in the family room, lounging on the huge sofas and drinking iced tea. “Hey babe.”

  Mitchell walked to meet them while Evan stayed where he was sitting. “Hey, baby. Ginger, is your room okay?”

  “It’s beautiful. Thanks for inviting me down.” She spoke to Mitchell, but her eyes were on Evan.

  “Ginger, I’d like you to meet Evan, Mitch’s brother.” Ginger’s face was a little flushed as they stepped toward each other with outstretched hands.

  “Hi,” Ginger said demurely.

  “Hi. Kayla says you’re a freelance writer and editor?”

  “Yes, I write stories to try and sell to publications, and I edit a variety of document types. Sometimes, a magazine will contract with me to write something specific for them. Working on a freelance basis gives me the freedom I want, and the travel I enjoy.”

  “That sounds interesting. Do you travel in the U.S. or internationally?”

  “I stay mostly in the continental United States. I’ve been out west some, but try to stay close to home.” Ginger said nonchalantly.

  “Really? I’ve lived out west for the last five years.”

  “What brings you back here?”

  “Between work assignments. Plus, I haven’t seen my brother in a while.”

  “What do you do?

  “I’m a federal agent.”

  “Oh. So you can’t tell me what you do.”

  “I could, but then I’d have to kill ya,” he said with a grin.

  “You sound like trouble, Evan Riverton. I’m going to have to watch out for you.”

  “I’m only the good kind of trouble, darlin’.”

  Just then, Mitchell clapped his brother on the back. “I hate to interrupt, Evan, but you and I need to go take care of some things while Mak and Ginger have some girl time. We won’t be long.”

  “That sounds great. Thank you.” Kayla kissed Mitchell before they left.

  Evan acknowledged Ginger as he walked out. Once they were out of the room, Kayla looked at Ginger, who was fanning herself. Kayla laughed at her reaction. “Holy hotness! Damn, girl, how can you stand being here with both of them?”

  “Because I’m in love with just one of them.”

  “I’ll be more than happy to entertain Evan so you can wear out Mitchell,” Ginger said through her laughter.

  “Shh I don’t know if they’ve left the house yet.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Kayla heard the door close. “I’m going to take a shower while you unpack. Don’t let me forget to tell Cat that I made up a bed if she and Thomas decide to stay, too.”

  “Okay.”

  “Want anything to drink while you get settled in?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll wait on you.”

  She pointed Ginger in the right direction while she headed for her and Mitchell’s room. Their room.

  12

  Mitchell pushed Evan out the door before the girls caught him trying to overhear their conversation. They jumped in Mitchell’s truck and drove toward the spot where the car left tire marks the night before. “So, what do you think of Ginger?” Mitchell asked.

  “I think she could be fun. Apparently, she’s not looking for anything long-term and neither am I.”

  “You think you can handle a redhead? I hear they’re …passionate.”

  “I can handle her. If she’s a little feisty, it’ll just be that much more adventurous,” Evan said with a chuckle. A smile spread across his face, as if he were already imagining the two of them together.

  Mitchell pulled the truck to the side of the road when he saw the tire marks. After checking for oncoming traffic, Evan squatted in the middle of the road to closely examine the tracks while Mitchell stood nearby and watched for approaching vehicles.

  “I’ll take some pictures and send ‘em to my Cap’n. The guys in the lab can tell all kinds of shit from looking at tire marks. About the only thing I can tell right now is the car has some horses under the hood to leave this much rubber on the road. I know it was dark last night, but could you tell from the shape what kind of car it was?”

  “Not really. If it was the same one that was in the parking lot, I’d say a Challenger or Mustang, definitely not a Camaro.”

  “Where were you and Kayla? Where did y’all stop?”

  Mitchell pointed to where they had stopped as they walked about fifty yards up the road toward the opposite side. “See where the grass is torn up? That was us. Once we swerved, Mak let off the gas and locked up the brakes. That’s where we fishtailed. I know this much – from now on, we’re taking Shelby when we go out at night. I’m not getting caught without my own horses under the hood again.”

  “Mitchell, you know that’s just gonna bring more attention. Hell, you don’t know what they’ll try next time. God, don’t make things worse by doin’ somethin’ stupid.”

  “I might’ve already done something stupid.”

  “Why? What’d you do?”

  “When I came out of Jimmy’s garage today, Dick was harassing Mak. I beat his ass and made him apologize to her. Might not be good if he tells his friends what happened.”

  “Shit, Mitchell, I wondered what happened to your hands! Let’s hope ATF or DEA finds somethin’ soon. This is gonna blow up in our faces…I just know it. Let’s head back to the house before someone sees me.”

  As soon as they returned to Mitchell’s truck, Evan’s phone rang. Climbing into the passenger seat, he took the phone out of his pocket and answered, “Riverton.”

  While Mitchell drove toward home, he tried to figure out who was on the other end and what they were saying, but all he could hear was Evan’s side of the conversation and that wasn’t telling him much. “Yes, sir,” Evan continued.

  “Okay.…Yes, sir.…Well, you can tell ‘em where to look for their car.…I agree.…What would a corporation that’s supposed to construct commercial buildings or retirement communities need with a Challenger?…Yes, sir, Carlos Santiago is here. He was groomin’ me in Nebraska so, even cleaned up, he may know me. At the very least, he’d suspect.…Do you still have a tracker on Nathan?…Yes. It was my brother’s girlfriend’s SUV.…She’s fine. We got the car to the mechanic before she had any issues. They’re keeping it locke
d up for my brother.…Does DEA still have an agent inside?…Okay. Who’s runnin’ Nathan’s cover team?…Yes sir, I know Russell. He’s good. I’ll figure a way to make contact.…I don’t know how much I can help since I can’t be seen….” Evan looked at Mitchell this time. “Yes sir, my brother can handle himself.…Thank you, sir,” he finished.

  By the time the conversation ended, Mitchell had already parked the truck back at the house. “Do I even want to know what all of that was about?”

  “Some of it you do, some you don’t. Too bad, you’re gonna hear it all, though.”

  “Let’s talk while we clean the back deck. I don’t know what time Thomas and Cat are getting here.”

  Evan talked as they walked around the back of the house, “First of all, that license tag you took a picture of belongs to a Challenger that’s registered to Masterson Investments in Arizona. They reported it missin’ about a month ago, but no one is really lookin’ for it. So unless he gets stopped for a traffic violation, no one is gonna know.”

  Mitchell replied, “That’s about the time we started seeing more visitors around here. Obviously they weren’t tourists since there’s nothing to see here. They could’ve been passing through, but we’re too far from the interstates for that. A couple of them wore suits. I remember because they just didn’t fit in. Bankers and lawyers are the only ones who still wear them around here, but these guys didn’t look like either.”

  Evan nodded. “That’s about the same time I was tryin’ to get out. Anyway, Cap’n asked if Carlos could recognize me. I don’t know, maybe. Nathan’s listenin’ device picked up Dick nickin’ Kayla’s brake line the other night. They didn’t know who the vehicle belonged to, but they needed to know if anyone got hurt so they could add it to the charges. Nathan’s tracker had him around your apartment three times while Kayla stayed there. Twice was in a car. I don’t know if Carlos suspects somethin’, but they haven’t let Nathan or the DEA agent, Sam, work too closely together. My Cap’n wants me to let Nathan’s cover team know I’m in the wings if they need me.”

  “So we know that Dick is doing more than souping up their cars. I’ll see if Jimmy’ll tell me what he’s been buying. Why did you tell him I could handle myself?”

  “He suggested you get into a bar fight with Nathan,” he grinned. “I told him I’d figure a way to make contact.” Evan’s brain was running scenarios.

  “I’m going to take a shower and hold my girl for a few before the festivities start. You good?” Mitchell checked.

  “I’m right behind ya. I don’t want Ginger to think I sleep in a barn.” He shoved Mitchell’s shoulder as they walked inside.

  It had been a long time since the Riverton Ranch house had been filled with laughter and music. Everyone had drinks before dinner, so Mitchell was opening a bottle of wine as he scanned the room. Kayla was tossing the salad. Thomas and Cat were still dancing around their attraction, just as he and Mak had done for years. Had it been this painful for people to be around them? They had to find their own way but, damn, he wanted to shove them in a closet until they resolved things. Evan and Ginger seemed to be getting along well. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginger lay her hand on Evan’s arm as she was speaking. Evan looked at her with a smile on his face. God, Mitchell hadn’t seen him look this happy in years.

  Mitchell wrapped Kayla in his arms and kissed her neck just below her ear. “The wine is breathing,” he whispered. Touching her was the only way he could stay rational after what Evan told him that afternoon. At least Roger didn’t find anything wrong around the ranch yesterday. That was one positive thing.

  She tilted her head to look at him. “Are you okay?” She asked.

  “Yes, I just need to touch you, that’s all. Do you have a problem with that?” He said in a way that wouldn’t worry her.

  With the grill started, they moved the party outside. Mitchell plugged Evan’s iPod into the docking station. Who knew what was on it, but the music flowed inside the house and out.

  The first song that came on was “Hold On Loosely” by 38 Special. Mitchell felt more at ease now. “Did you leave us room to dance?” Cat asked as she shook her ass at Thomas. He caught her hips before they got too close. “Come on, Thomas, loosen up!” She was on a roll. That could be fun.

  Kayla and Cat had learned to shag at the beach during high school. Now they were trying to teach Ginger. They’d had enough to drink to make them a little tipsy. “Give Me Just A Little More Time” by The Chairmen of the Board was playing. Since Mitchell was on the grill, Evan and Thomas watched to ensure the girls didn’t fall and break something. The giggles got louder and Kayla was counting, “One and two, three and four, five, six. Don’t you feel it?”

  “Kayla, are you the boy or am I?” Cat asked.

  “Mak is definitely not a boy,” Mitchell yelled over his shoulder.

  “I don’t need to hear that shit, Mitchell!” Thomas yelled back.

  Mitchell heard Evan laugh. “Dude, he’s a doctor. He knows where to stab you so you die in minutes.”

  Mitchell had a shit-eating grin on his face as he tilted his glass of wine to them. They knew he didn’t care what they thought. “Dinner’s up,” he yelled as he walked toward Kayla. Her eyes widened when she saw him coming. He walked her back to the railing on the deck and kissed her hard. She braced herself since no other part of his body touched her. When she reached for him, he backed away. He heard the whimper that left her mouth. That’s right, baby, just a preview for later. “Come on, let’s eat.”

  “Seriously, Mitchell,” Thomas said.

  “Get used to it, man. I’ve been with ‘em for three days. They’re killin’ me!” Evan chimed in.

  As dinner wound down, they all moved to different seats. Evan snuggled with Ginger on the swing with his arm around her. Thomas and Cat were on the love seat. They weren’t snuggling, but his arm draped across her legs. Mitchell was sitting with Kayla in his lap sideways, with her legs across the arm of the chair. There were three empty wine bottles on the table, and they were working on their fourth. “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Barry White came on, which was what Mitchell expected from his brother’s playlist. Kayla squirmed in his lap, so he let her go. “Please dance with me,” she begged. She was so cute; how could he tell her ‘no’?

  “Okay. I’ll twirl you around on the dance floor, baby.”

  When he got her on the dance floor, twirling wasn’t what she wanted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed. The next thing he heard was her softly singing, “Never, never gonna give you up. I’m never, ever gonna stop.” Ah, hell. He wrapped an arm around her waist and started to move.

  “I’m never giving you up again, baby,” he whispered in her ear.

  The song changed to a slower one. This must’ve been Evan’s make-out playlist. Mitchell thought about copying it. Dierks Bentley’s “Come A Little Closer” played next. This time, he sang to her, “Come a little closer, baby. I feel like laying you down.” He couldn’t get her close enough as it was and this song was killing him. He heard three pops in the distance, but was so wrapped up in Kayla that he ignored the sounds. Then another one. He heard conversation in the background, but only half listened to that, too.

  “Snakes must be out early this year. Either that, or Mr. Hamilton’s caught one of his daughters in the barn with some boy,” Evan remarked.

  “The only one left at home is Elizabeth, and she’s about seventeen. I bet you it’s Daniel…the boy that works here after school. Y’all may be out an employee tomorrow,” Cat said.

  “He’s a good kid. He wants to be a vet, so he’s earning money for college,” Evan added.

  Mitchell pulled his head back from nuzzling Kayla’s neck. She tilted her face up, so he cupped her cheek and let his tongue plunder her mouth. By the time the third song came on, he didn’t think they were even moving anymore. “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” by Billy Currington began to play, and he couldn’t wait any longer to be skin-to-skin with her. His hand clo
sest to the group held his wine, so he wrapped it around her. The hand that was away and shielded by their bodies snaked down from her cheek to the side of her breast. He let his thumb graze over her nipple as he eased his hand to her back. He was a little buzzed, but his cock stiffened. He needed to get her to their room.

  Mitchell heard Evan’s voice. “I think he’s hit his limit, folks.” Mitchell held Kayla’s hand as he led her toward the house. He set his glass on the table as he passed, not saying anything to anyone; he was a man on a mission. Thomas stopped him with a hand on his shoulder just as they got to the door.

  “Where do you think you’re going, Mitchell? I can’t watch y’all dance like that, knowing what’s on your mind, and not say something.”

  Mitchell was completely caught off-guard. He thought they had handled that this afternoon. What the hell? They were adults and they loved each other. Mitchell’s eyes widened and his brows rose in surprise. “Thomas, I love your sister. As soon as we finish with all of this shit, I’m talking to your dad. I’m not disrespecting her, I’m loving her.”

  Kayla stood at his side and faced Thomas. “I love him, Thomas. Please don’t do this.”

  Mitchell heard his brother approach. Evan stayed back, but addressed Thomas. “Man, I’m not gonna say I know how you feel because I don’t have a sister. Other than tonight, you haven’t seen them together, but I have. I told you they’ve been here for three days together. I don’t think he lets her out of his sight except to use the bathroom, and even then I think he times her. They’ve been together since high school, Thomas. You know they belong together. Hell, the whole town knows they belong together.”

  Thomas addressed Kayla. “You love him?”

  “Yes.”

  He then looked at Mitchell. “You love her?”

  “You know I do.”

  “You going to talk to my dad?”

  “Yes.”

  “I will use my sharp knife.” Thomas looked directly at Mitchell with narrowed eyes.

  Mitchell picked Kayla up and carried her, bridal style, to their room. Without saying a word, he set her down and started pulling her t-shirt over her head. With her hands still in the air, he dropped her shirt and twined their fingers together. As he brought their hands down and wrapped them around her back, he bowed his head and kissed from her jaw to her ear. She tilted her head back to give him better access to kiss from her neck down to her breast. He kissed her along the cup of her bra then across her chest. When he arrived at ample flesh he bared his teeth and gently bit. A moan left her lips as he slowly licked the spot he just left. Mitchell released her hands and motioned for her to turn. With her back to him, he unfastened her bra, slipped the straps down her arms, and pushed it to the floor. He cupped her breasts and squeezed while he bit her shoulder harder than her breast. Her eyes closed, her body surrendered, and she tilted her head. He heard her breath release when he softy said, “You’re mine, Mak.” He felt like the king of the jungle, and she was his queen.