420 Bride Street: Cherry Falls, Book #16

by Cole, Jagger

  I don’t stop or slow, and I suddenly crash into her. I groan as one hand grabs her hip, the other snaking into her long dark hair. I pull her into me, and she falls against my chest. My mouth lowers, and my lips crush to hers. Tansy just moans as she kisses me right back.

  Fuckin’ fireworks go off. I know nothing but the feel of her lips and the taste of her mouth—the heat of her almost bare body pressed against me. I growl and shove us both back until she’s pressed to the wall behind her. I snarl into her lips, kissing her deeply as she eagerly whimpers for more.

  One of her legs rises, coiling around mine. I growl as my hand slides from her hip up her thigh, gripping her as I press against her. Her body undulates eagerly into me as our tongues dance. We gasp into each other’s mouths as I grind my thick bulge against the tiny slip of blue against her center.

  But then suddenly, it’s like we’ve both been hit by lightning. It’s not even her pushing me away or me pulling myself away. It’s both of us springing apart, simultaneously.

  I stumble back away from her, until I’m fully back at the front door, gripping the sides of it. Tansy’s got her arms around her chest, half turned away from me. Her face is red, and those big blue eyes are wide and wild.

  “Hell,” I groan.

  “Shit,” she hisses.

  “That… uh…”

  “Too many beers,” she blurts.

  “Right, exactly.”

  “I’m sorry,” she winces.

  “No, don’t…” I frown. “That was me.”

  “Okay.”

  I frown. “Right, okay. I’m leaving.”

  “Okay,” she nods quickly. “Uh, thanks.” Her face blooms. “For the towels, I mean.”

  “Yeah, any time.”

  I cringe. Smooth, dipshit.

  “Alright, night,” I mumble.

  “Night,” she fumbles back.

  I turn, yank the door shut behind me, and stumble back across the yard to my house. I leave the dishes, and I don’t stop until I’m in my bedroom. The door slams behind me, and I groan as I slump down to the floor against it.

  Whatever the fuck just happened, it can’t happen again.

  That was wrong. That was messed up. I groan and glance down. That also made me hard as a fucking rock.

  Hurricane Tansy has officially made land fall. And here I am scrambling to find something to hang on to.

  5

  Tansy

  Part of me wants to think it was a dream. Or hopes it was. But the feeling still pulsing through my core when I wake up is a reminder. Last night happened, and it was very, very real.

  The kiss happened. His hands gripping me with an urgency and a desire I’ve never once felt before happened. His masculine groans rumbling through my core happened.

  And then me gasping into my pillow with my hands between my thighs happened probably ninety seconds after he walked out.

  I groan, my reflection flushing in the bathroom mirror. I quickly rinse off, get dressed, and take a breath. It was just too many drinks, that’s all—no one’s fault. Or maybe both of our faults. Bottom line? I kissed my boss. Or, got kissed by my boss; it’s actually a little vague in my head who did the first part of that kissing.

  Either way, so what? I kissed my boss. I mean, worse shit has happened. This is hardly a Lewinsky-level scandal. And besides that, Colt and I are both adults, right? I take a deep, cleansing breath. This won’t be a problem. Both of us are mature enough to look past the mistake of last night.

  Right?

  My confidence, though, starts to wan as I walk over to the stables. Before I even get there, I spot Colt messing around with Harley outside. I feel a rush of heat throb in my core. For a second, I fantasize about rushing over and throwing myself into his arms and picking up where we left off last night.

  But then I imagine a different sort of fantasy. And in that one, I’m turning and running as fast as I can away from Colt Patton and my embarrassment of kissing him.

  As I get closer, before I can bolt, Harley spots me. He barks excitedly and ditches Colt to rush over. Instantly, he rolls onto his back for tummy rubs, right on my feet.

  “Disloyal little shit,” Colt mutters. I look up, and our eyes lock. I tremble with heat. The air seems to get sucked out of my lungs. My legs feel unsteady. I can’t do this, I think. I really can’t face—

  “So you wanna come take a look at my horse’s cock or what?”

  Instantly, I burst into laughter. Colt grins, having successfully just broken down the awkwardness.

  I laugh as I drop down to rub Harley. Then I stand and look back at Colt.

  “Um, so, last night…”

  “Pretty good steaks, huh?”

  I blush. “Yeah.”

  Colt folds his arms across his broad chest. “Last night was an overstep, by me.”

  I frown and shake my head. “No, that was me. Or at the least, both of—”

  “Take it off your plate, darlin’,” he growls quietly. “Let me take this one, and we can move on.”

  I blush as my lip catches in my teeth. I nod. “Okay.”

  “Perfect. Now let’s go figure out what’s not doing it for ole’ Chance.”

  I stare at the animal. I swallow, fiddling with my hands as the anxiety washes over me.

  “You, uh, wanna come over?”

  Colt’s already in Chance’s stable, hunched down next to him.

  “I…”

  Chance neighs and snorts loudly, stamping his huge feet. I swallow another lump in my throat. Once again, I think about bolting.

  “Oh, don’t let him scare you. That’s just him saying hi. And don’t worry, if he gets ornery, he’s harnessed up pretty good in here.”

  Colt’s not wrong The huge stallion is standing in a device especially made for veterinary horse exams. But still…

  When I don’t move, Colt stands with a frown. “You’ve, uh, worked with horses before, right?”

  “Right, so, about that…”

  His brow furrows. “Are you joking?”

  “I’ve been told they’re just like big dogs?”

  He groans. “Fuck.”

  “Look, I know the anatomy, and I know what I’m doing, mostly. I’m just—”

  Chance snorts again, and I gasp as I jump back a foot.

  “Please don’t tell me my new horse vet—who apparently has never actually been a horse vet—is also scared of horses?”

  My mouth twists.

  “Tansy?”

  “Well do you want me to tell you that, or lie?”

  He drops his head into his hand and sighs. “Okay, let’s take this slow. I’m going to hold your hand and guide you in here, okay?”

  “Colt—”

  “He’s not going to hurt you, Tansy.” He steps out of the paddock and holds a hand out to me. “C’mon, I promise.”

  I eye the huge animal staring at me. Then my eyes slide to Colt’s strong-looking, outstretched hand.

  Screw it.

  I reach out and take his hand. I tremble when it closes around mine. He guides me in, next to the horse. My anxiety is pounding in my head, and I’m convinced the horse is going to suddenly break free and crush me to death or something. But then Colt takes my hand again. I gasp as he pulls it forward and places my palm on Chance’s side.

  “Wait, Colt—”

  “Just be still,” he says gently. “Listen to him. Feel him breath under your hand. He might be a big animal, but I swear, you can feel the gentle in him.” He turns to eye me. “Just feel it, Tansy. You don’t need to be scared of a big pussy like Chance here.”

  The horse neighs softly, and I smile nervously. But I keep my hand on his side, feeling the warmth and the softness. The horse breathes in and out, flexing his ribs against my palm.

  “See? You’re not wrong, actually. They’re just big goofy dogs.”

  I giggle. But damned if my anxiety isn’t melting away. Five minutes later, I’m feeling normal. Ten minutes later, I feel totally at ease with Chance.
<
br />   After a pretty thorough check-up though, at least with the limited instruments Colt has on hand, I’m kind of at a loss.

  “So he won’t mount the mares, or just can’t ever get erect?”

  “Both. The first probably because of the second.”

  I frown. There’re no immediately obvious stressors out here on the ranch—I’ve seen animals who live close to highways or in loud environments develop anxiety issues. But it’s a horse’s dream out here.

  “Any change to his diet?”

  Colt shakes his head. “Nope. Same feed he’s been eating since I bought the place.” He nods at a few bags of horse feed on the far wall that are labeled “Mare-Mate.”

  “What’s Mare-Mate?”

  “Horse feed chemically designed to help mares conceive and viably carry foals.”

  I nod. “Wow, bet that made someone a nice chunk of cash.”

  “Sure did.”

  When I turn back to him, Colt’s got a smug grin on his face.

  “Hang on, you?!”

  “Before I was the ruggedly charming prick who stands before you, I had—still have, actually—a degree in chemistry.”

  My jaw drops. “Colt, that’s incredible!”

  He shrugs. “Satan took the company in the divorce. But I keep a pretty big stake stock-wise.”

  I smirk. “Satan, huh?”

  He winks.

  “Is it commonly used?”

  “Oh, deficiently. It’s the number two horse feed in the US right now, number three in Latin America, and number one Dubai.”

  “Holy shit!”

  He shrugs. “It keeps the lights on.”

  I giggle. “Yeah, I bet it…” I frown suddenly and turn back to the stack of bags. “Wait, Chance eats that too?”

  “Yeah, but it’s completely safe for stallions. That’s part of the molecular structure. The additive is encased in an enzyme that only mares can digest.”

  “You’re sure about that?”

  “Positive. I mean, I made it.”

  I frown, tapping my finger against my chin. “Hmm.”

  Harley starts barking outside. I glance up through the big doors and see a big white SUV barreling down the driveway. Beside me, Colt groans under his breath.

  “What is it?”

  He sighs heavily. “Are you religious?”

  “Not really?”

  “Good, maybe the hellfire will leave you alone.”

  “Huh?”

  “That,” he grunts, jabbing a finger at the SUV as it comes to a stop outside the stable. “Is Satan.”

  That same mad jealousy from the bar comes welling up inside of me. I glare at the SUV, instantly hating the woman inside of it. But then I catch myself and try and shake the feeling away.

  No, I am not jealous of Colt’s ex-wife. Because I don’t like or want or feel anything for Colt. Right?

  But the self-affirmation feels empty, even when I say it a second time to myself.

  “Let me go deal with this shit,” he grunts. “You might want to stay here.”

  I nod, still seething with that jealous feeling. Colt slips past me and walks out of the stable towards the car. I pat Chance gently and then slip out of the paddock. I edge along the walls until I’m basically hiding behind the doorframe.

  I mean, like hell am I not going to eavesdrop on this.

  The passenger door swings open, and a glittery, strappy-sandaled foot steps out. The woman that follows almost makes me laugh out loud.

  There’s a saying people have that money can’t buy class. And Colt’s ex, Deirdre, looks like the living definition of that. She’s dressed like Shakira, if Shakira was on safari and had a thing for diamond-studded clothing.

  Her face is the tight, gaunt look of someone who likes botox and not eating as much as they should. She’s buried in makeup and her hair barely moves even when the wind blows a little. And she looks utterly disgusted to even be here.

  A douchey looking guy steps out of the driver’s side in a suit and alligator shoes. When he spots Colt, he seems to shrink a little.

  “Little early in the day for Armageddon, isn’t it, Satan?” Colt grins.

  Deirdre rolls her eyes. “I’m just here to try and imagine what my new golf course and condos will look like, Colt. Go back to your horsies.”

  I frown. Golf course and condos?

  Colt’s mouth thins. But he just shrugs and turns to the guy. “How’s it hangin’, Baby Dick?”

  The man scowls. “Listen, Colt. There’s no need we can’t all be adults here. I mean it’s been five years—”

  “I’m not mad at you, Lorne,” Colt shrugs. “I just can’t get over how fuckin’ tiny that dick of yours is!” He grins. “I mean shit, man, do you pee sitting down?”

  Lorne turns a dark shade of red. He sputters angrily as he glares at Colt, while I do my best not to laugh.

  “That was five fucking years ago, Colt! And while I regret what you walked in on—”

  “Your peanut of a penis in Satan’s mouth?”

  I stifle a snort. Lorne fumes.

  “I can assure you, whatever you saw was a trick of bad lighting.”

  Colt roars with laughter. “Whatever you say, peanut.” He leaves Lorne fuming as he turns to Deirdre. “No but really, what the fuck are you doing here?”

  “I told you, checking out my new property.”

  Colt tenses. She smiles.

  “I mean with just one month left, and…” she glances around. “Well, I don’t see any fiancée, Colt. Where are you hiding her?”

  He scowls.

  “Ahhh, that’s right. You don’t have a fiancée. Which means per our contract, in one month, your property becomes all of our property. And since it just takes one co-owner to force a sale?” Her lips curl wickedly. “As I said, it’s going to be a lovely golf course. Maybe you should start working on your short game.”

  I blink in shock. Holy shit. If she wasn’t “Satan” for cheating on him—with this guy Lorne, no less—she certainly is for this crap. If Colt doesn’t have a fiancée in a month’s time, she gets to sell his land? I mean what the fuck is that?

  “You know my lawyer is going to fight that,” Colt grunts.

  His ex-wife laughs. “Well, good luck with that. Heir clauses only work if you have a kid, Colt. Or at least even the first steps towards that. And again, I don’t see a fiancée, do you?”

  I quickly yank my phone out to google whatever the hell an “heir clause” is. A second later, my jaw drops. Holy shit, it’s actually a thing. It seems it’s a legal thing where a forced merger or sale is null if the primary partner has an “heir” to inherit the item or property being argued over.

  In non-legal-mumbo-jumbo, it means if Colt had any kids, or at least a wife or fiancée, he could stop Deirdre from forcing the sale of his property. But he doesn’t, obviously, and apparently the clause ends in a month.

  In one month, Satan here will swoop in, force a sale of his amazing ranch, and turn it into a freaking golf course. I frown. And with that goes my free place to live.

  “Where is your fiancée, Colt?” Deirdre laughs. Even pathetic Lorne starts to chuckle.

  “I mean honestly, where is she? Do you have her chained in the barn—oh Colt,” She put on a fake sympathetic look. “You do know you can’t legally marry one of your horses, right?”

  I tell myself it’s because I desperately need a free place to stay and don’t want to lose that. I try and convince myself that what I’m doing is just because I hate bullies. Or that since I’ve recently been cheated and screwed like Colt was, that I’m extra sympathetic to him being raked over the coals like this.

  It’s not because I want him. It’s not because when I look at him, butterflies flutter around inside of me, and my core clenches with heat.

  Certainly not. Definitely not those things.

  But whatever lies I tell myself, what happens next happens. I don’t think, I just act. I march out of the stable and head right over to the three of them.
<
br />   Colt spots me first, and his brow furrows. “Tan—”

  “Who the fuck is this?” Deirdre snaps, interrupting.

  She turns to glare daggers at me. I just smile and walk right over to Colt.

  “Colt!” she shrieks. “Who the hell is this?!”

  He frowns. “Who I spend time with is none of your concern, Deirdre.”

  “It damn well is!” She hisses. “Who is this little tramp?!”

  Like I said, maybe it’s that I’ve been fucked over as hard as Colt has. I try to be adamant with myself that it has nothing to do with being horribly attracted to him. Or that I can still feel his hands and lips on me.

  “Tansy,” I jut my hand out, glaring her right in the eye. “Colt’s fiancée.”

  The whole scene goes deadly silence. I can feel Colt whipping his head around to stare down at me. But I don’t look at him. I just smile in Deirdre’s face.

  “What?!” she screams furiously. “His what?!”

  Colt is still starting at me, frowning slightly. But when I glance at him out of the corners of my eyes, I spot a grin starting to tug at the covers of his mouth.

  “It’s just…” I sigh whimsically, smiling as I slink against him. I tremble inside as my hand slides around his waist. I turn, ignoring the thumping of my heart as I kiss the bare skin of his arm, beneath his t-shirt sleeve.

  I’m milking it to fuck with her, of course. But seriously, she deserves to be fucked with.

  “It’s just been a dream,” I gush. “We know it’s fast but…” I smile and look up at him. “What can I say? It was love at first sight, right honey?”

  He’s still just staring at me in a mix of shock and amusement. But he catches on quickly. “Uh, yeah,” he smiles. “First sight.”

  “I mean, sometimes you see someone for the first time, and it’s like they’re just…” I smile. “Bare to you. You know?”

  Colt snorts next to me.

  “Just no games, no armor…”

  “No clothes,” he grunts.

  I smile at her as she scowls back. “Yeah, just like that. Plus…” I put on my biggest shit-eating grin. “I mean, the sex is amaaaazing.”

  Deirdre says nothing. Her botoxed lips thin as much as they can. Her eyes narrow at me.