by MISSY HARPER
“And Rylee didn’t put her fist in your face?” Rory asked, shocked by the lack of reaction from his little sister.
“Damn it, Rory! I hurt her, alright! I insulted her and left her cryin in the hallway after she spent her Friday night takin care of my fuckin father! All she wanted to do was comfort me, and she was willing to give me anything I needed and I…” Ethan slammed his fist down on the table. “I hurt her. It was the right thing to do, but I hurt her.”
“Rylee’s tougher than she looks, Ethan. And ya did the right thing turnin her down.” Tanner assured him. As much as he’d like to take a swing at his best friend at the moment, he knew he couldn’t possibly make the guy feel any worse about what he’d done to Rylee. Ethan looked like he was about to puke, as it was.
“I’m not blind or stupid, Tanner! I can tell she still has feelings for me! I know it now just like I knew it back when, except now it’s… different. I felt it this afternoon when I kissed her. I’ll tell ya something else, what she was willin to offer me tonight… she ain’t never offered to anybody else.” Ethan raised his voice, more aggravated with himself than with Tanner.
“Then why the hell’d ya do it, Ethan!” Tanner yelled back losing his temper a bit. “Why didn’t you just walk away? Why’d you have to rip her up like that!”
“I don’t know!”
“Don’t fuckin lie to me, Ethan! You could have just told her. You’ve always treated that girl with kid gloves. You didn’t have to stab her in the damn heart! So why’d ya do it!” Tanner demanded.
“Because I panicked!” Ethan yelled back. “Because she scares the shit out of me, alright!” Ethan slammed his fist down on the table. “She makes me feel things I don’t fuckin understand… things I don’t want in my life and never have… all of a sudden I want them and I want them with your sister!” Ethan yelled back then sank down into his chair. Tanner’s eyes narrowed on his friend.
“Whoa, are you tellin me you’ve really got a thing for our sister?” Rory asked. “I mean I know you got all freaked out this afternoon, but…” Rory looked at his former traveling partner and remembered, with horror, all the women they had been through. The man was legendary!
“All I know is that little Runt is under my skin like no one’s ever been before, and I don’t have a damn clue what to do about it.” Ethan admitted with defeat, knowing he’d never be good enough for her.
“It ain’t like you to hurt somebody, especially the Runt.” Tanner pointed out in a cold tone. “You’ve always been an ass, but a likable ass… until now.”
“Yeah, how many times growin up, did you kick my butt cause I messed with her?” Rory reminded them.
“You think I don’t know that!” Ethan stared back and forth between the two men hoping one of them would throw a punch that would knock him out.
“Not that I’m sayin what you did to Ry was alright, but maybe you just wanted someone to hurt as bad as you did? Maybe this is more about your dad and not Rylee” Rory said, as the voice of reason, when he noticed his brother flexing his fists on the top of the table. Tanner looked up at him and seemed to calm a bit once he considered this information.
“I’ll call her and make sure she’s okay.” Tanner said with a sigh. It was obvious he’d rather plant his foot in his best friend’s ass and then call his sister to tell her all about it.
Ethan shook his head and finally took a sip of his drink. He knew the likelihood of Rylee ever speaking to him again was slim to none, and that hurt more than it should have. A hell of a lot more than he could handle without a little whisky. Rory reached over and took his glass from him.
“This ain’t gonna help your troubles any. Besides, I want ya to remember how sorry your ass feels right now. This is the last damn time I’m gonna talk Tanner out a kicking your sorry ass, and I’m only doing it because of that shit that went down with your dad tonight. You stay the hell away from my sister!” Rory warned as he turned the glass up to his own lips and drank away Ethan’s escape.
“I’m tryin, Partner.” Ethan mumbled and looked even more miserable than before.
“Look, it ain’t nothing personal against you. It’s just we know how you are when it comes to women. You just can’t ever seem to find a woman that satisfies you for more than a night and Rylee deserves better.” Tanner said as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“She alright?” Ethan asked. Tanner looked off into the distance and then began to shake his head.
“She wanted to know if I’d found you. Didn’t say much else.” Tanner reported. Ethan shook his head, realizing she still hadn’t spilled the beans to her brother about what he’d done to her. That just made him feel like a tick reduced to feeding off of a mangy old dog!
“Well, if you two ain’t gonna kick my ass like ya ought to, then I reckon I’ll go find your sister so she can do it for ya. I owe that little lady one hell of an apology, and the pound of flesh I’m sure she’ll be more than willing to take from me.” Ethan said as he stood up and adjusted his hat.
“I’ll drive.” Tanner informed them as he stood and dropped a few more dollars onto the table.
“I ain’t drunk and I’ll behave. There’s no need for you to come.”
“Yep, I know, but you’re forgettin two things. I know where she is and watching her kick your sorry ass will be a hell of a lot better than me doin it for her.” Tanner grinned as he headed for the door without so much as a backward glance.
“Think he’ll ever forgive me?” Ethan asked.
“You just admitted to wanting to sleep with our sister.” Rory eyed him hard and shook his head. “It’s not likely.”
“Hell, I want more than that, Rory. That’s the problem.” Rory’s response was a simple glare.
Chapter 9
First Dates
Bart held the door open for Rylee as they exited the truck stop. They had been there for over two hours, and the time had flown by. Rylee was surprised she had enjoyed Bart’s company as much as she had. Truly, she’d never given much thought to spending time with any man other than Ethan.
Through the years, she’d never allowed herself to let any man get close to her. In the early years she’d still been stupid enough to think someday Ethan would come back for her, so she had pushed every guy away from her. When she finally grew up and realized he was never coming back for her, she’d still kept men at arms length because she knew it wasn’t fair to encourage them. Ethan may not love her, but she still loved him, so there was hope.
That had all changed tonight. She may still love him, but he’d made it perfectly clear he had no interest in, or even a use for, her. It was time for her to move on and allow herself to have a life for a change. It felt good! Her heart was still broken, and she knew she would cry into her pillow for many nights to come, but she also knew there was a chance for her to be happy… just not with Ethan.
She had enjoyed talking with Bart. He was funnier than she could have ever imagined, and he seemed to understand exactly what she needed tonight. He’d made her laugh when she needed to laugh, and then kept her talking about random stuff when she started to drift to that depressing place in her brain know as Ethanville.
She felt his hand grasp hers as they walked toward his truck. She didn’t have a desire to pull it away as she always had with any other man she’d ever gone out with. Of course, all her other dates had been to prove to everyone else she wasn’t still in love with Ethan. Bart was different. He didn’t have anything to do with Ethan. She was letting him hold her hand because she liked the way it made her feel and nothing more.
The truck stop, being the only place that served something other than alcohol at this time of night, was a hot spot in the area. The parking lot had been full when they got there so they’d had to park out a ways from the building. The air had chilled by the time they left and Bart took advantage when he noticed Rylee shiver. He released her hand and slipped his arm around her, pulling her close as they walked through the open parking lot.
“I’ve enjoyed gettin to know ya better, Rylee.” Bart said as he pressed her back against the passenger side of his truck. Rylee didn’t seem to resist so he moved a step closer to her.
“I had a really nice time, too, Bart.” She told him as she smiled up at him with those beautiful tiger striped eyes.
“I feel like I’ve been waitin forever for the chance to take you out.” He said as his fingers found her cheek. “Have you decided where we go from here, Rylee. I told ya I’d feed ya and get to know ya a little better, then I’d let you decide where we went from there.” His smile was purely male. “So where am I takin ya, Rylee, back to the nursing home or back to my place?” His question wasn’t laced with sexual pressure as one would have expected it to be at this point. He was sincere. The choice was really hers, and he would honor whatever she chose, but she still stiffened at his bold request.
“Bart…”
“Shh.” He placed his finger over her lips and smiled at her innocence. “It’s okay. I don’t want you to feel pressured. I just had to ask, Darlin. Just tell me if I’m ever gonna get the chance to take ya out on a real date or not.” He said as he shifted closer still to her.
“I think I’d like that. I just don’t… you know.” She shrugged as pink colored her cheeks.
“I understand, but do ya kiss, Rylee?” He asked as he leaned his head closer to hers. She never got the chance to answer his question because his lips found hers and silenced any hope of a protest.
His kiss was soft and warm. He was gentle and patient with her as he took her mouth and showed her what a man expected when he kissed a woman. He didn’t hold back, but he did take it slowly and she found she enjoyed his kiss very much. It didn’t, however, stop her from wondering how it would compare to Ethan’s kiss. Bart’s kiss was wonderful, but it didn’t do to her what Ethan’s kiss to her neck had done earlier that day.
“Am I still takin ya back to your jeep?” He asked when he pulled away and looked into her eyes.
Tanner pulled his truck into the parking lot of the truck stop, but no one saw Rylee’s jacked up, bright yellow jeep, complete with a big nasty black jack mounted on the back bumper and a winch mounted on the front. Her love for that jeep proved that no matter how many pairs of heels the girl owned, she was still a country girl at heart.
“Maybe she already left.” Rory said as he looked around for his sister’s jeep.
“Nah, it’s a big place, she’s here somewhere. I just talked to her.” Tanner said as a tanker truck pulled out of the parking lot.
“There she is.” Ethan told them in a strained voice that made it sound as if someone had just punched him in the stomach. They followed his eyes just in time to find Rylee standing beside Bart Kyle’s truck. They watched as the man they’d known all there lives leaned down and kissed her as if she belonged to him. Ethan slammed his fist into the side of Tanner’s truck interior and tried to contain the roar that was raging inside him.
Tanner’s stomach clinched as he watched Rylee in the cowboy’s arms. It’s never easy for a man to watch any cowboy possess his sister as this one was, but he knew she was much better off with Bart than she would be with his best friend. Sad as it was to admit. He hated that Ethan was having to see it happening, though. It was plain as day the guy had feelings for her, but unless Ethan was willing to change everything about how he treated women, things were as they should be.
“Maybe she did have a date tonight after all?” Rory whispered as he watched his little sister kiss a grown man.
“No, she was prepared to stay with pop tonight if he was givin the nurses hell again.” Tanner sighed as he assured them.
“This is my fault.” Ethan said from the back seat of the truck. He sounded aggravated with himself and pained like a wounded animal. “I told her I didn’t need her sweetness, that I needed a woman that could take care of a man. A stiff drink and a hard fuck, I believe were my exact words.” Ethan confessed as he solemnly continued to watch Rylee. He never dreamed it would hurt this much to watch her in another man’s arms. Anger and rage began to boil inside as another wave of helplessness crashed over him.
“The hell with this! Are ya just gonna sit here and let him do her up against the side of his truck!” Ethan exploded as he started shoving against the door in the back of Tanner’s truck. The only problem was the back doors of the truck couldn’t be opened unless the front doors were opened first.
“Open the fuckin door!” Ethan yelled as he looked up to see Tanner glaring at him in the rear view mirror.
“She’s plenty old enough to make her own decisions, even if they have been influenced by you.” Ethan glared at his friend, but eventually realized the man was right and slumped back against the seat. Fear, regret and rage warred within him as his father’s words came back to haunt him. You had better be watching yourself, son. You reap what you sow, boy.
Tanner, Rory and Ethan watched as Bart pulled away from Rylee and opened the passenger door. Rylee climbed in and Bart jogged around the front of his truck after closing her door. That got points in Tanner’s book. He wanted the best for his sister and if Ethan wasn’t willing to step up to the plate, then Bart looked as if he might do just fine.
“Follow them!” Ethan demanded from the back seat. Tanner glared at him in the rear view mirror but put the truck in gear to follow Bart’s truck out onto the highway. Ethan began to bang his head against the back glass in frustration. It felt like something was inside him, trying desperately to gnaw its way out. He was finding it hard to even take a breath.
Knowing it was all his fault didn’t help matters in any way. Thinking back over the things he’d said to her, he realized he’d all but dared her to climb in bed with this cowboy and prove herself as a woman. The thought that she’d give something so special to this guy just because he’d been an asshole was killing him. It hurt way more than he ever imagined it would, or could. It also proved he had some feelings he had no business having for his little Runt. He was pretty sure he was a day late and a dollar short where she was concerned, but he’d be damned if he was gonna let her waste her innocence just because he’d been an insensitive ass to her tonight.
“Looks like there’re goin back to the nursing home.” Rory said as he watched them turn ahead of them.
“Yeah, I can see Rylee’s jeep from here. Hopefully he’s just dropping her off.” Tanner added. Ethan saw him clench his jaw tight. “If I have to follow my little sister out to Kyle’s ranch and pull her out of his bed, I’m gonna kick her ass and then yours.” Tanner told Ethan as he pulled into the other entrance of the nursing home’s parking lot.
“Pull in behind her jeep.” Ethan demanded. Tanner’s eyes met his friend’s in the rear view mirror again, and he realized there was no use in arguing with the man. He’d come over the front seat and go through both of them if they didn’t let him out.
“I want to talk to her, Tanner.” Ethan insisted.
“It’s your funeral, man.” Tanner mumbled as he steered the truck to a stop behind Rylee’s jeep.
Chapter 10
Pushing Rylee’s Butons
Bart walked Rylee over to her jeep, taking her keys from her hand to open the door for her. Before she could climb in, he grabbed her hips and pinned her against her jeep with his body. She felt how much he wanted her when he leaned into her, and she took in a quick breath.
“I’m not gonna hurt ya, Rylee.” Bart assured her softly as he kissed her forehead. He trailed his kisses down the side of her face until he once again found her mouth.
“I just wanted to make sure you knew what you did to me, Darlin. I’m a little bit crazy about cha, in case you hadn’t noticed.” He said against her lips. “Good night, Rylee.” He said pulling away from her. She smiled back at him, and it was more than he could handle. He pushed his body flush against her’s and took her mouth with a possession that would rock the loosest of buckle bunnies.
One minute Rylee felt his body pressed against hers with his hands in her hair
. She could feel all of him, and she could taste him in her mouth. The next minute there was nothing but cold air and angry male voices all around her.
“You get your damn hands off her you mother….” Rylee’s eyes blinked open when she heard Ethan’s voice. Seconds later, she heard the sound of a fist hitting hard flesh.
“Don’t you ever put your hands on her!” Ethan growled at Bart as he stumbled back dazed and stunned by what had just happened. Bart’s eyes narrowed when he realized he’d been jumped from behind, and he started for Ethan with a growl of his own. Tanner grabbed Bart and Rory grabbed Ethan to hold them apart.
“Let’s take this down a notch.” Tanner calmly said behind Bart’s ear. “Rylee’s gonna be upset enough, already.” Hearing her brother’s words, Bart settled down, but he wasn’t happy about it. He’d wanted a piece of Ethan Hawkins for a long time now.
“You stay the hell away from her, Kyle!” Ethan yelled, still trying to get away from Rory. “You’re not worthy of her and you know it!”
“You alright, Rylee? He didn’t hurt cha did he?” Ethan asked, looking at Rylee for the first time since pulling the cowboy off of her.
Rylee looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. She stared at him for a few moments and his heart stilled. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, but when he looked at her swollen lips, everything changed. Rory, sensing the fight between Ethan and Bart was over, at least for the moment, let go of him and Ethan headed straight for Rylee.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Rylee?” Ethan yelled down into her face.
“Me!” Rylee shot toward him, but he stopped her and held her against the jeep. “What the hell is wrong with you? Where do you get off interfering with my date and then punching him? And get your hands off me!” She yelled right back at him. It infuriated him that she was standing up for the other cowboy, but at least she was fighting back. He knew what to do with this Rylee. The one he’d left crying in the hall was a different story.
