Down South (Southern Hospitality Book 1)

by C. M. Steele

  “Okay. Well, the bank already owns your property. I have until Friday to purchase it or it goes back on the market. I’m going to buy it. I have a couple of suggestions, but right now is not the time to talk about it. My head is still throbbing and I need to get clean. I feel like I was at the gym too damn long.”

  “Here you go, Mr. Mason.”

  “Maxwell,” I said kindly. Maggie’s mother was a beautiful older woman, and I saw Mr. Davidson slide his hand around her waist and pull her close to him. I took a drink and tried not to laugh.

  There was a beep outside. “That was really fast.” I stepped up to the window, putting my cup down on the entry wall table. “Come on outside, please.” They followed me out with a few gasps.

  “What the hell?”

  “Mr. Mason?” A large man with his ten-gallon hat approached, another smaller man behind him, and a third person waiting in their car.

  “Yes, that was really quick.”

  “We just need a few signatures and these puppies are yours, of course, if they’re to your liking.”

  “Mr. Davidson, is there one you like in particular?”

  “They’re both beautiful.”

  I didn’t say another word; instead, I signed the papers and took the keys from the men with a handshake. They walked away with a wave and congratulations.

  “Boy, what are you doing? I told you I wasn’t selling my little girl.”

  I counted to ten because I was ready to fucking snap. What was it with these people? Was it because I was rich? A New Yorker? They seemed to think I bought my way through life.

  “I will not repeat myself to you. I don’t have to buy your daughter. This is a gift for the both of us. I almost died today. If it wasn’t for you two, I would have. I saw your beat up truck and thought you could use a new one. I assure you my father and mother would consider the truck nothing for my life.”

  “We didn’t do it to get something.”

  “I know you didn’t, but I am more than grateful. You can’t put a price on that. So please, have your pick. Whichever one you don’t take, I’ll be using until I leave, then it’s yours, Billy.”

  “What? That’s nuts.” His eye bulged out in shock. He gave me a look like I’d lost my mind, but I had my own vehicles that I didn’t get to use very much back home.

  Sometimes with smart stubborn people you had to play on their ego. “Aren’t you going to be a vet? You’ll need a ride.”

  “Thanks. I’m sorry I was such a dick to you.” I saw the embarrassment on his face and heard it in his words.

  I raised my hand and stopped his apology. “If I had a sister, I’d feel the same way.”

  “Damn right, and don’t think these trucks give you the right to hurt her,” he reminded me.

  I hadn’t even really known her, but I knew myself. “That’s something you don’t have to worry about.” I longed to see her again. We had so much to learn about each other, but there was nothing that could change my mind. I didn’t get hard at the sight of a beautiful woman and I sure as fuck didn’t fantasize a life with a woman. I saw her and everything I one day hoped for played in my head. I believed I had convinced her parents and brother. Now it was a matter of getting her to fall into my arms because, once she did I, wasn’t going to let her go.

  “Don’t break her heart. She’s a good girl.”

  I gave them a nod, then said my goodbyes. I had to shower and change to go pick her up from work. They gave me the information and I told them I would scoop her up and drop her off. Billy told her to call when she was ready and he’d pick her up, but it was going to be me. No other man was going to be taking care of my woman.

  Driving my way back into town, I stopped at my broken-down rental and took my things out of it. Then I was off to the hotel to take a shower and get some more information on Sanchez.

  6

  Maggie

  I made spaghetti with sausage and peppers and some homemade garlic bread. The group of rowdy hands cheered and sang my praises. There was a new guest sitting at the table as well. She seemed to have Alex’s complete attention, and I couldn’t take my eyes away from the way he made her blush. When any of the men even looked at her, a low rumble followed by a threat to keep their eyes in their head past his lips.

  Thoughts of Maxwell started again. If things weren’t strained and damaging between him and my father, maybe he could act on the wicked thoughts I saw playing in his eyes. It was probably my imagination anyway. The man was suffering from heat stroke or something close to it. More than likely, he was just confused. Well, it didn’t matter since nothing, not even another glance, would change our situation. I would just have to live my life knowing that I wasn’t completely dead inside when it came to men. I was still very young, but those teenage hormones hadn’t kicked in until Maxwell’s eyes met mine.

  Santos, one of the ten hands at dinner, nudged me out of my Maxwell world. “Hey, Maggie. You’ll find a man like that one day. Sorry she came in and snatched him up.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I just work here, but thanks for looking out for me. Please excuse me, I have to get this all cleaned up so I can go home.”

  “Do you want some help?” Santos asked as the rest of the table looked at me.

  “We got the dishes, Ms. Maggie. This meal was insanely delicious,” Jack added, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his stomach.

  “Thank you,” I replied, blushing brightly. It was nice to be really good at something. I needed to get more cookbooks when I had some extra money. After directing them on the clean-up job, I said my goodbyes and went to the living room to call my brother.

  “Hey, Billy, I’m ready.”

  “Okay, give me five,” he said, hanging up quickly. I decided to wait outside for him because the guys would stop me to bullshit. In truth, I was hoping Maxwell was still at the ranch and it was all a huge misunderstanding, and he’d take me over and over again as we grew old together. Damn, I needed to get off the ridiculous fantasies. They weren’t going to do me any good when I was all alone. I stepped out on the porch, taking in the cooler night air. I hopped down the stairs, eager to get close to the entrance so Billy wouldn’t have to pull in, but I wasn’t that fortunate.

  “Hey, where you going?” Rico asked, sitting next to his brand-new, top of the line truck. I didn’t know what he even did, but that truck cost at least fifty thousand. The man thought it would please me to see it.

  He stepped in my way, so I pushed around him. “Home, excuse me.”

  “I’ll take you,” he said with a forceful tone, stepping in front of me again. I was starting to feel trapped, but he didn’t know my brother would be here any second and he was due for a set down.

  “I’d rather walk,” I muttered with a hint of disgust in my voice. This man made me nauseous and he didn’t know when to quit. I wondered if he would ever push the limits and take what he wanted violently.

  “There’s dangerous animals out there.” The lecherous look in his eyes told me the danger was much closer. I wouldn’t be intimidated by him because he would win.

  “No more dangerous than the one in front of me. Rico, leave me alone and go stalk someone else.” I gave him another shoulder bump as I passed him by.

  He grabbed my arm forcefully, spinning me back to him. Adrenaline hit me then. Where the fuck was my brother? “I don’t want no one else. Come here, chica. You’re going to be mine.”

  I heard the roar of an engine, and a large F-250 pulled into the drive. The truck was barely in park when Maxwell jumped out of the huge vehicle with a sinister look on his face. It wasn’t directed at me, though, but at Rico.

  Rico let me go immediately and Maxwell took my hand in his. “Come on, Maggie. It’s time to take you home.” The feeling of pure lust shot straight up my arm and down over my breast and to my core, hitting me hard. He kissed my hand as he took me away from Rico.

  “Thanks,” I said, secretly thanking the stars I was safe, but I was in another terrible p
osition. My body would revolt against my brain if Maxwell gave me the slightest inkling he wanted me. He walked me around to the passenger side, opened the large doors, and boosted me up into the seat, his hands on my hips.

  “Buckle up, babe.” He closed the door, and instead of walking around to his side, he stormed up to Rico. I couldn’t see what he said, but it was enough to scare Rico away. He hurried into his truck with his tail between his legs.

  Maxwell smiled at me, then winked before hopping into the truck. “Thank you,” I said. “You’ve seemed to have done a 180.”

  “No, but fuck if I was going to let one of these fucks drive you home,” he bit out, his eyes trained to Rico. The warning in his expression was deadly.

  “How did you know when I would be out?”

  “I’ve been sitting in the truck waiting for your brother to call me when you got out.”

  “I think you’ve had too much sun. That was a silly thing to do.”

  “That I have definitely had, but it’s dark out, Maggie. And your lemonade did the trick.” The edges of his mouth tilted up into a salacious smile. Damn, my panties were soaked. This man had charm down to a tee.

  “Why are you smooth talking me?” My brows arched, wondering how he would respond.

  “I’m not smooth talking you. When I do, you’ll know. It’ll be when I’m stripping you naked and kissing all over those sexy curves.” He was lethal to my will.

  “Excuse me, but you’re about to take my family ranch. Nothing you can say will get me naked.”

  “How about I let your family keep the ranch?” Suddenly, my moral compass didn’t point north anymore and did a straight about-face down south.

  7

  Maxwell

  I hadn’t meant for it to come out like that. Well, I didn’t mean to say it, but it was the truth. After talking to Billy then Mr. Davidson, I found something fishy in their dealings. I told them I would look into it over the next few days while I was in town. I wasn’t feeling one-hundred percent, so I needed time. Besides, I wanted time to get to know my sweet Maggie. They knew what I wanted from her, but they didn’t expect me to keep my word.

  “I see I took you by surprise. Don’t worry, I’m not that perverted fuck. When you come to me, you’ll be begging for it.”

  “You’re so sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t like to lose, Maggie. And you’re the greatest treasure I could ever hope to win. So as it goes, I’m going to do what I can to get you under me.” I didn’t tell her that it would be every night until I died because I didn’t want to freak her out, but it was looking like that. She’d been gone five hours and I slept one of those five and still missed the fuck out of her.

  “Where did you get the truck?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “I made some calls, some damn angry calls, and threatened lawsuits galore.”

  “Why were you in the sun earlier?”

  “That rental said it had a full tank of gas, and ten miles from where your Dad and brother found me, it hit empty.”

  She gasped, her hand on her chest and her pretty lips parted, stiffening my cock even more. I needed to adjust it, but she was staring at me and I didn’t want to come off like that fuckface who would get his jaw reconfigured if he looked at her again. “You walked ten miles in that heat? You’re lucky you’re not in the hospital.”

  “I’m lucky to not be dead. And I’m sure lucky to have met you.” She blushed brightly, even in the darkened road. Her sexy thighs brushed against each other as she fought the desire I had created.

  Suddenly, she was staring out of the window. I called her name, shaking her from her thoughts. “You’re a charmer, aren’t you? You help my father with his land issues and you can do whatever you want to my body,” she tossed out boldly. That was a punch in the gut.

  Instead of being turned on, I was pissed. I could tell the family was close from the moment I walked through those doors, but the thought of her selling herself to save the property bothered me. Would she make that jackass the same offer? I pulled over to a side road between the two properties that was covered in large brush. I put it in park and turned off the engine.

  She got nervous quick as I leaned over the center console. My stare was predatory and my anger was palpable. “What’s the matter, love? Don’t want to give me a taste?” I asked, raising my hand to her face and brushing my fingers along her jaw.

  “I was just playing,” she exclaimed, biting her bottom lip, nearly undoing my anger, but I wanted her to beg me because she needed me to the point that it was unbearable to be without me inside her.

  I jumped out of the truck and huffed to the other side. I wanted to teach her that I wanted her to give herself to me freely and not for a tradeoff. Joking or not, I was still irritated from her family accusing me of trying to buy her. I opened the door a bit aggressively, then undid her seatbelt and pulled her from the cab.

  Pressing her body against the side of the truck, I placed my hands on the frame, caging her in with my body. Her eyes widened and she had them locked with mine. She was so damn beautiful, I wanted to take her lips with mine, but I still had a fucking point to make. “Maggie, you never play with a man. I don’t want your body in exchange for the fucking ranch. The thought of you giving it to me for something so worthless has me seeing red. Would you offer it to anyone willing to get the property back?”

  “No,” she sobbed. Fuck, I didn’t mean to make her cry. That wasn’t my plan, but the thought of that sleezeball or someone else on that ranch getting a chance to make a deal sent me into a jealous rage.

  She ducked her head, but I couldn’t have that. Standing straight up, I reached out and placed my hand under her chin, lifting it up. “Look at me.” She raised her eyes and I hated that I did this to her. Never again. “Don’t cry, Maggie. I’m not going to hurt you, but I easily could have.” She sobbed harder. I wrapped her up in my arms, cradling her head to my beating heart. “I’m sorry, Maggie. I don’t want you to give your body for some land.”

  “It was more than that,” she muttered with her chin to my chest. “I’m a stupid girl.”

  “No, you’re not. Naïve, a bit - yes; but if I’d been someone else, that offer would have been forcefully taken.” I tipped her chin to get her to look at me again. She was stunningly perfect. I used the pad of my thumb to wipe her tears away, then I pressed it to my lips, tasting a bit of her. And that’s when I saw it. Longing was written on her face as she watched me.

  “If you were anyone else that offer wouldn’t exist. I’m…” She lost the nerve to finish her words, but she didn’t have to; the electricity between us could power this town.

  “Attracted to me. I can see it, babe. That’s good, really good,” I murmured, lowering my head down to hers. With my hand sliding into her hair, I took her lips in a kiss that shot straight to my heart. “Mine,” I groaned against her mouth. I pulled back before taking it any further. I didn’t have the control tonight. Resisting my cock’s throbbing, I managed to grunt out, “It’s time to take you back now.”

  “Okay,” she stuttered, her eyes hazy with need.

  “This isn’t the place I want to spend our first time together,” I confessed, pressing my mouth against her forehead. Her lips were too potent for me at the moment.

  “You’ll be gone when we move,” she mentioned, slipping out of my hold. I sensed her sadness, but now wasn’t the time to tell her the truth. There was much to be done and I wanted her to come to me because she couldn’t control herself and not in gratitude.

  “Don’t worry about that.” I helped her back into the truck and drove us back to her parents’ house. I didn’t want to leave her there, but I promised her dad that I’d take it a little slower than hyper speed and I wouldn’t be the one to start something. But hell, I hoped I never had daughters because I would be worse than her family. Boys wouldn’t get in a word edgewise before I strung them up by their balls.

  As soon as she was inside, I left for the hotel ro
om I had booked in town about twenty miles away. Immediately, I missed her. She was going to be the one I spent the rest of my life with and I couldn’t wait to get on with it. Tomorrow, though, I couldn’t make any promises about.

  First thing’s first – I had to look into the matter with the account manager. It was the reason I was down here to begin with. I had a plan in my head and it would all play out very soon. I called in for a background check on Sanchez. Having friends in the right places came in handy on occasion, and this time it was instrumental to making Maggie happy which made me happy.

  I had questioned what was going on the moment my father handed Andie the purchase file. He doubted it, too, but planned to hire an investigator. My father believed in karma and was as honest as they come. I dialed his number. “How’s it going, Maxwell?”

  “Dad, I’ve had one of the most fucked up and wonderful days of my life. I need you and mom to come down here in the very near future because I’m getting married.”

  “What?” I could see his face in my mind. He was probably running his fingers through his thick hair, trying to keep it together. He was a very thoughtful man. Outbursts were few and far between, so I knew he was calming himself down as he waited for an explanation.

  “I’m marrying Maggie Davidson. It may take a couple of weeks, at the latest, but it’s going to happen.” The steel determination in my voice even surprised me. Nothing was going to dissuade me and I wanted him to understand that upfront.

  “I don’t get it. You know she’s not included with the property.”

  “Dad, I don’t care about the property. She’s mine and I dare a soul to tell me different.”

  “There you go, my son. When you’ve wanted something, no one could stop you. But I have to ask one question. Are you sure she’s not using you?”

  “She’s not trying to use me. Maggie doesn’t have an ounce of deception in her body. She has a constant blush whenever I look at her.”

  “Blushing every time? How old is she?”