Jasper (Cloves County Cowboys Book 2)

by Amelia Shea

  “You smell so good, like tulips. So damn sweet.” His face nestled against her neck and his hands dug into her back.

  She froze. Push him away and get him in bed. The voice in her head practically rang in her ears, and then it sounded again. Carpe diem. She wasn’t sure if seize the day applied to this situation. Fuck it. She relaxed into his body, tugging at his waist, bringing him closer and wrapping her arms around his back. Even through a layer of clothing, she could feel his muscled back, tight and strong. The scent of bourbon wafted past her nostrils. It usually made her gag with the intense smell, but coming off Jasper it was a sweet aroma. She pulled him a little bit closer, and his hands curled into her waist. One embrace, it was all she wanted. Hell, I earned it.

  It lasted barely three seconds before she came to her senses.

  He paid his dues, let him go. She quickly angled her body and pushed lightly. This time he backed up, and she led him to the bed, guiding his way onto the mattress, lifting his legs onto the bed. He instantly turned to his side, tucking the pillow under his chin. Then his light snore filled the room. She walked to the door, taking one last look before closing it behind her.

  “Night, Jasper.”

  »»•««

  “Oh hell.” The stench of bourbon coming from his pores was enough to drive him straight to the bathroom, heaving into the toilet. What was he thinking last night? Nothing, you ain’t used your brain in weeks. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and fell to the side, leaning against the wall near the toilet. His head rested back, and he closed his eyes.

  She’s not worth it.

  He spent the last month like a workhorse on the ranch, up before the sun and staying out far past quitting time. Anything to keep his mind off her. The nights were the hardest, and the bottle seemed to solve the problem, but only temporarily. His head pounded while his stomach churned, threatening to unleash more of last night’s bad decisions. He evened his breathing, trying to batten down the rise of vomit from his chest. Bad decisions.

  She’s not worth it.

  His head knew better than his heart did. Abby Cartwright had come home. It should have been Abby Fords. Even thinking about her made him angry. He had loved her for so long, he couldn’t remember a day not thinking she was his everything. They had started dating freshman year of high school. By the time they graduated high school, he knew exactly how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. On the ranch with Abby.

  She had other ideas. Her wanting to go to college hadn’t been too much of a surprise, but her desire to go out of state had come as a shock to him. Either way, Jasper didn’t want to hold her back. They had made plans. They would talk every day, she could come home on long weekends, and he’d visit her when he could. They would make it work. When everyone told him it would never last beyond her leaving, he paid no mind to them. What they had was special. He had been so naïve and young back then. They had stayed together for the first three years. It was hard, but he knew the outcome would be worth waiting for. She’d get her degree in teaching and come back to Cloves County.

  They had talked about it, and they were both on board, until she wasn’t. Her senior year of college she stopped coming home on holiday weekends, and the calls took longer to return. On their anniversary, he drove all night to surprise her. He was in for a surprise himself. Her in bed, naked with another man. Never once had he felt the rage and betrayal he did walking in on that scene.

  A better man would have walked away. Jasper Fords was usually that type of man, but not that day. He beat the guy so bad campus security had been called, along with the local sheriff’s department. He was carted off to jail and waited a day until his brother, Greyson, came to bail him out. Some schmoozing must have been done on the side because all charges were dropped, and he vowed never to speak of that day again.

  He expected his father to give him hell. “A man’s reputation is his core being,” he used to tell them when they were younger. His father gave him no punishment or lecture when he arrived back in Cloves County. He gave him a slap on the back and said, “Sometimes, an ass whooping is necessary. But it ends here, son.”

  It did end. He refused to hear anything Abby had to say, though she tried with endless calls. He had his number changed twice. Eventually, they lessened until they stopped. There was nothing she could say or do to justify her betrayal.

  It was six years ago, though it didn’t seem that long. It took time, but he’d moved past Abby. The best advice came from Greyson.

  “Better to find out now who Abby really is than ten years down the road, married with children. I know it don’t feel this way now, Jas, but it’s a blessing you walked in on it.”

  He knew his brother was right, though it took a long time for the words to ring true with Jasper. When word came she wouldn’t be returning, he was relieved, and when he heard she was getting married, he got his closure. In time, he mourned less the loss of his first love and more for the future he thought had been planned out for him.

  However, now she was back. In the last month, he’d managed to dodge her calls and make it known if she came to the ranch, she wasn’t welcome. His family was on board. They, too, had felt a certain betrayal by Abby.

  He pulled himself up from the floor and splashed cold water on his face. He toweled off and stopped, struck by the image staring back at him in the mirror. His eyes were sunken, and the dark circles showed his exhaustion. Even the small lines on his forehead seemed to stand out.

  He looked exactly the way he felt, like hell. He ambled his way through the door into his room. Stripping down, he was halted by the sound of footsteps. The padded feet were light and careful. If it had been his dad, he’d make no bones about calling for him.

  He cursed. “Tripp.” He continued to get dressed. The last thing he needed right now was to deal with his youngest brother. If ever there was a man with Peter Pan syndrome, it was Tripp Fords. He was always coming in unannounced and uninvited, staying on his couch or raiding his fridge. He was the only brother who still lived in the main house with their folks. While Grey and Jasper had worked and saved their money to build houses on the ranch, Tripp pissed his away with booze, women, and bad decisions.

  No throwing stones today.

  Jasper donned a clean pair of jeans and a white T-shirt and headed down the hall in his bare feet. He noticed how warm the floor was, which angered him. Leave it to Tripp to take it upon himself and adjust the heat to his liking. He was set to raise hell over his little brother. Jasper came down the stairs which opened up into the living room. He sucked in a breath, and his lips parted.

  That was not Tripp.

  Across the room was a woman bent over his couch, adjusting a pillow, in nothing more than a tiny top and a hot pink thong showing off her glorious ass. What the hell happened last night? He stood dumbstruck, watching her straighten, her back to him. Her long brown hair fell down her back, and he couldn’t help but scan her body. He’d never seen a figure with perfect curves like the one standing half-naked in his living room.

  His stare was set on her ass when her legs shifted, and he was left with an equally beautiful front view. Long tanned legs led up to nothing more than string holding up the tiny patch of a pink cloth triangle covering her. A tiny sparkle centered in her belly button, and she wore a shirt so tight it hugged her breasts. His breath hitched at the sight of her hardened nipples poking through the thin material.

  “Oh my God!” she screeched. He flinched in surprise as the sound rang through his ears. It was a high-pitched shrill beating in his ears. A blanket covered his view, and he looked up to the face of the mystery girl.

  Holy shit.

  “Kellie?”

  Her hands shook as she tightened her grip on the blanket draped over the front of her body. Her face was as red as a cherry pie, and her lips parted. He wondered if he looked as surprised as she did. She was giving her best imitation of a deer caught in headlights.

  She looked around the room in a panic. He followed her gaze wh
en it landed on the chair closest to him. Her jeans were slung over the arm of his recliner, a large-cupped, lacy black bra lying on top. He glanced up at her. He didn’t think it was possible for her to turn a darker shade of red, but her face flamed.

  What the hell happened last night?

  This was too strange. Kellie Mitchell was standing half-naked in his living room. He couldn’t lie, this scenario had played in his head once or twice. Oh, who was he kidding? More than twice, probably in the double digits. She had the most amazing set of legs which would have any guy fantasizing. In fact, according to rumors, a majority of those men didn’t have to fantasize like him.

  He banished the thought from his head. He inched forward, grabbing her clothes, and walked to the couch. His thumb slid across the smooth surface of the bra, and his heart pumped harder. When he reached out to hand her the garments, she ripped them from his hand, and in turn, had the strap of the bra tangled around his finger. The lacy bra dangled from his finger, completely on display.

  “Oh God, could this be more embarrassing?”

  He was beyond confused as to why she was standing in his living room in the morning. Unless? Her hand grazed his finger as she quickly grabbed her bra and stepped back. He didn’t think of Kellie as the kind of woman to blush, but her face was as red as an apple. She bowed her head down at the floor, her hair forming a curtain around her face.

  “Uh…what are ya doing here, Kellie?”

  She jerked her head up, and her eyes widened. “You don’t remember?” When he didn’t answer, she shrugged. “Yeah, you were pretty out of it last night.” She drew in a breath and hugged her clothes to her chest. She peered up and smiled. Her bottom lip quivered anxiously.

  Kellie was a beautiful girl, but she usually hid behind too much makeup and overly provocative clothes. Everyone noticed Kellie, but not too many men could tell him the color of her eyes. Jasper could, though. Mossy green, almond-shaped eyes surrounded by long lashes.

  He stared at her, making her shift from foot to foot. He was making her nervous, he assumed.

  “I’m sorry, last night…it’s a bit of a blur.”

  She released a heavy breath and chuckled. “I bet.”

  A thought raced through his mind which pounded his beating heart rapidly. “Did we?”

  “No. No, we didn’t do anything, don’t worry.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and lowered her chin to her chest. “You were very…um, intoxicated, so I drove you home.” She jerked her head. “I was going to leave and park your truck back in the lot, but Patty called and practically threatened me with bodily harm if I got back on the road in the snow. I’m sorry, she said it got really bad, and it was dangerous.” Her words were rushed.

  He dragged his hands over his face in utter disgust with himself. He had gotten so drunk this poor girl had to drive him home? He couldn’t even remember anything, including how he’d gotten into bed. His face heated in fury with himself. This wasn’t him. This was something Tripp would do, not him. He gripped his jaw hard and looked over at Kellie. Her lips were pressed into a straight line.

  “I’m sorry, I guess I should have left.”

  She was mistaking his quietness for disapproval that she stayed. The only person who should be apologizing was him. He balled his fists, tempted to punch himself for even putting her in this position. She was clearly misunderstanding his mannerisms. She glanced down at his hands and surveyed his stance.

  “I’ll just call and see if I can get someone to come get me.” She backed up a step and waited for him to respond.

  He shook his head and clenched his jaw. “Kellie, I’m sorry you had to drive my drunk ass home. This is embarrassing on my end.” He scanned the room. “I’m not your responsibility, God, I am so sorry.” What kind of grown man did this? His hands gripped his hips, and he cursed. “Damn.”

  “It’s okay.”

  He jerked his head and caught her smile. It was small and almost sympathetic.

  “No, it ain’t,” he snapped. “I’m standing here scowling and making ya all nervous. I just can’t believe I’d do something like this, and put it on you to bring me home. I’ll drive ya home.”

  “You don’t have to. Garr can send someone for me.”

  “Kellie.” She jutted back a step, and again he found himself cursing. He drew in a breath. “I want to drive you home.” She raised her brows as if she was shocked. “And thank you for last night, bringing me home and all.”

  Her lips curled in an uncertain smile. “You’re welcome.” She glanced around the room. “So, I’ll just go to the bathroom and get dressed.” Her face pinked again, reminding him she was barely clothed under the blanket draped around her. He gazed down the length of her body.

  “I planned on getting dressed before you got up.”

  His eyes flickered to hers which showed obvious embarrassment. She shrugged. “The jeans are tight and super uncomfortable to sleep in. I thought I’d be up before you.”

  Jasper drew in a harsh breath at the thought of her half-naked body lying across his couch. He could almost envision it, and the visual was too much to take. His jaw tightened. “I’ll give you some privacy and make some coffee.” He smirked. “It’s the least I can do for you. And I’ll drive you home. No calling anyone, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said shyly.

  He lifted his chin and turned around, walking through the hall to the kitchen. Damn him. What kind of man falls apart, gets drunk, and has a woman clean up his mess? Certainly, not the type of man Jasper had been raised to be. Of all his brothers, he was the quietest and most refined in temperament. It took a lot for Jasper to lose his temper, and even when it did happen, he usually kept his wits about him. Except finding Abby with another man. It had ripped him in ways he didn’t think possible.

  He grabbed the pot, filling it with water to start the coffee. Glancing out the window for the first time since waking, he uttered a curse. In the light of day, the snow had slowed down from the predicted storm, but there had to be over three feet on the ground. He arched his neck to see the barn down the hill. The snow had been cleared from the gates, but only one truck was parked near the entrance. This would be a long day. Most of the ranch hands lived in a rented house a mile down the road. The Fords owned the small parcel and used it as boarding for the help. It came equipped with four wheelers for nasty weather, but this might be too much for the all-terrain vehicles to make it to the ranch, at least for today.

  This was a problem.

  He smelled her presence even before she cleared her throat. Kellie had a distinct scent. A sweet flowery mix. It was rare for him to get close enough to smell her, but when he did, she always smelled like butter-sweet tulips. He finished filling the pot and turned to face her.

  She stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame. She was fully dressed in her jeans and tight, low cut tee. It was the usual casual uniform all the waitresses wore at Steers. However, no one pulled off the look quite as well as her. He kept his eyes focused on her face, not trusting himself to linger too long on her cleavage.

  Her face was freshly cleaned, without a trace of makeup. He’d never her seen her without a face full of color. Settle down, Jas. He swallowed a breath and smiled. He waved his hand in front of his face.

  “You look different.” It probably wasn’t the best choice of words. Beautiful would have been a better description. Without the makeup, she looked younger and sweet with light freckles peppered across her nose.

  Her eyes widened, and he sensed she took his comment the wrong way. “Oh yeah, I usually carry makeup in my bag for touch-ups during my shift but I was in a rush yesterday.” She slid her hand across her cheek, pulling a strand of hair over her shoulder, shielding her face. She definitely took it the wrong way.

  “It looks nice.” He tightened his lips and cringed. Nice? That was the best he could do?

  Her lips pressed together, and she shifted her gaze around the room, looking everywhere but at him. It was no secret to him or anyone
else, Kellie had harbored a crush on him for years. His friends teased him back in high school and beyond. She constantly stared at him, and her face blazed when he caught her. Back in school, he thought it was cute, her being younger and all. He never gave her too much thought though; he only had eyes for Abby back then.

  Even after it all went to hell, and he was constantly approached aggressively more times than he could count, Kellie kept her distance. Still staring and being sweet, but never openly coming onto him. It seemed strange since her reputation spoke differently. He never played into the rumors and spread them further than the conversation he was in. He didn’t partake in assumptions of her sexual escapades like others did.

  Hard to believe the so-called town tramp and the woman standing shyly in his kitchen were one and the same. She folded her arms across her chest, hiking up her breasts. He was sure she didn’t even realize what she was doing, or maybe she did. Either way, Jasper turned around, walking to the coffee maker, and proceeded to make the coffee.

  “Are Britt and Grey getting back this weekend?” she asked.

  “Yeah, probably roll in on Sunday.” His soon to be sister-in-law and his eldest brother had been away at an auction out of state. He pretty much figured she was asking to make small talk. Britt and Kellie had become close since she moved to Cloves County. While most women steered clear of Kellie, Britt went out of her way to be kind. Like Kellie, Britt was an outsider. While Kellie had lived here all her life, she was blackballed a long time ago. Britt, on the other hand, was blackballed when she inherited land and decided to take up residency in Cloves County.

  He grabbed two mugs from the cabinet, setting them down on the counter. “You hungry?”

  She didn’t have time to answer before the front door creaked. They had a visitor, and he knew exactly who it was. Only one person alive barged into his house without giving concern to his privacy.

  Shit.

  Chapter Three

  I’m standing in Jasper Fords’ kitchen.