Mastering Her Curves: A Curvy Girl Romance

by Piper Sullivan

  Not at all.

  “No time to worry about that,” I sang cheerfully as I slid from the bed and took a quick shower before heading to my shop. Sleeping in wasn’t a luxury I allowed myself too often because making Pretty Feathers a success was my main goal. It would keep me here in Tulip, instead of heading back to Mississippi with my tail tucked between my legs, a thought I refused to even entertain. Daddy would just love that and I would never hear the end of it.

  Luckily the shop was more successful than I could have ever imagined and if business kept up, I would be operating in the black in sixty days or less. Sure, I could use my trust fund money to help out but I wanted to do this on my own. I wanted Pretty Feathers to succeed because I knew how to pick the right designers, the perfect way to display their clothes and the right technique to market to the different customer bases. Not because I was some rich girl with too much money to fail.

  Skipping coffee, I flew out the door and walked the short trip to my shop in my favorite pair of green and white espadrilles. They were comfortable and easy to walk in, which only enhanced the joy I felt when the shop came into sight. The awning above was a deep purple color and my logo, the swirly cursive writing in a rainbow feather print, always brought a smile to my face. It was bright and flashy. Unforgettable.

  And it was all mine.

  There was still an hour before the shop opened, which gave me time to update the spreadsheets for each of my designers. I made sure to keep the percentages fair for both of us, while allowing me to increase my profits enough that I won’t have to dip into my trust fund. That meant I needed to keep detailed records of what sold well and what ended up on the clearance racks. Between updating the books and tidying up the store after my hasty exit last night in preparation for Nate’s visit, I spent the entire hour busy. Moving around and not at all thinking about that look on Nate’s face when he stormed out of my house last night.

  Hurt. Somehow, inexplicably, I’d hurt the gruff Hometown Hero’s feelings. But I couldn’t, no I wouldn’t let my soft heart be swayed by his temporary fit of emotion. It would pass, I knew that.

  His past behavior predicted it so I shook it off and grabbed a bottle of sparkling water to settle my stomach, regretting that I consumed far too much of the dinner Nate brought over. Enchiladas for two, devoured by one was not a good idea. Not for my stomach or my waistline.

  I was slowly sipping from the bottle when Bo strode in, her purposeful stride seemed different today and I sat up a little straighter behind the counter as she approached. Today Bo wore the same outfit she usually did, a pair of jeans that sculpted her muscular legs and a blue General Store tee that showed off her small waist and perky boobs. But her blue eyes were intense as she smacked her hands on the counter, no regard for the fact that I’d just washed the glass. “What did you do to break Nate?”

  I blinked in confusion at her question and then laughed. “You must have me confused with someone else, honey, because I don’t have the power to break that man.”

  “Then explain why he came over to my house last night, interrupting what would have been some pretty amazing sex, and got drunk. Really damn drunk, Mikki, and complaining about you. The. Entire. Time.” Bo was mad and not her generally grumpy mad self, but genuinely mad.

  My shoulders fell as I just realized what people meant about small towns being super small. Nate was family and if she had to choose, Bo would choose him over me. Just like Mitchell and Charla. Just like Daddy. And Mama. Oh well. I couldn’t change what was about to happen so I shrugged. “There’s nothing for him to complain about, not when he got exactly what he wanted.” And the more I thought about that particular fact, the angrier I became. It was so typical of a man, especially a player like Nate. “He’s just upset because I’m not clinging to him and begging for more than he’s willing to give me. Men are, very rarely, satisfied when they get exactly what they want.” Mitchell was a prime example of that, deciding he wanted Charla when all he’d ever wanted his whole life was to be a big important man. Guess Nate is cut from the same cloth.

  It was too bad, really, because the sex was fantastic and I wouldn’t mind a repeat. Without the drama, of course.

  Bo didn’t look all that convinced and with her arms folded and those dark brows arched in question, I knew who’s side she was on. “I think it was more than that.” The accusation was clear, I must have done something wrong.

  I shook my head in denial, knowing it was pointless. “It wasn’t and even if it was, I refuse to let him toy with me and my emotions just to make himself feel better, Bo. If that makes things weird for you, then I’ll just stop coming around. Okay?” I closed my laptop and turned away, taking my time tucking it into one of the privacy lockers for the customers so I could get my emotions under control. It wouldn’t be the first time a sour relationship had impacted other, more important ones. Won’t be the last either, it seems.

  She was frowning when I turned back to her. “You’d do that?”

  I shrugged. “There’s nothing to do, Bo. Nate is family, if not by law yet then by all the other ways that matter. Of course he’d come first.” Even if it hurt and even if it was totally unfair. I had the things I wanted most, my shop and my freedom. It was enough. It had to be.

  “Dammit, Mikki.”

  I wasn’t in the mood to be on the receiving end of one of Bo’s tirades so I held up a hand to stop her. “Listen, Bo. I get it, okay? We don’t need to make it into a whole big thing.”

  “No dammit, you listen. I don’t like many people and I like you, but this thing with you and Nate can’t possibly end any way but badly.”

  “Then it’s a good thing there’s nothing to end. That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Bo. It was sex, nothing but sex. Great sex, sure, but that’s all it was. I know that and Nate knows it too, but his ego is bruised. He’ll find another woman who ignores his warnings and thinks she can change him and then his ego will be soothed once more. Trust me.” I ignored the pang that came from thinking of Nate with another woman, because I had no claims on him. Hell, I didn’t want any claims on him or any other man. Not for a long damn time.

  Bo stared for a long time, like she was trying to figure out if I was lying to her or myself. Eventually she got her answer because she shrugged and took a step back. “I hope you’re right, because I don’t want things to be awkward when we’re all together.”

  “They won’t be,” I told her honestly, because I would do my best to minimize the awkwardness for everyone. The same way I had for the people I used to care about back in Mississippi. “I won’t let them.”

  “That sounds ominous as hell Mikki and I don’t like it, but,” she glanced down at her watch. “I gotta get to the store. We’ll pick this up later.”

  “Nothing to pick up,” I told her cheerfully and waved her off. “Go on and do what you gotta do.” I held my smile until Bo was gone and I was alone, again, shoving aside all thoughts of Nate and the amazing sex, Bo and the awkwardness that meant I would have to pull back from a friendship I already cherished dearly.

  Luckily, being a small business owner meant there was no such thing as down time, which meant I had a productive day of folding, ordering new inventory and fulfilling online orders for pickup tomorrow, all in the name of avoiding thinking about anything or anyone else.

  Nate

  “You’re in a bar, bro. At least try to look like you’re having fun.” Jase clapped me on the back wearing the wide smile of man who got laid on the regular and knew what it was to have the love of a good woman.

  “I’m having a great time,” I grunted at him and motioned for Buddy to give me another beer. “Add a shot of bourbon to that, would ya?” Buddy nodded and reached for the Jim Beam. He was a man of few words, which I respected. He didn’t often offer up unsolicited advice, unlike some others. Like my brother. “Should I wear a goofy ass grin like yours?”

  Jase only nodded and took another sip from his draft, leaving a foam mustache across his upper lip. “Maybe
you should. I’ve always got a reason to smile.” His gaze slid to the same table I was like hell to ignore.

  The table where Mikki sat with Hope, Max, Nina and Bo. Laughing and having a good ol’ time and doing her level best to ignore the hell out of me. Or maybe it wasn’t her best, how the hell should I know when she hadn’t looked my way once. Not one damn time. “Right,” I grunted at my brother even as I wondered what the hell Mikki’s deal was. I hadn’t seen her since the night I was a grade A asshole to her, and for her part she hadn’t sought me out to demand an apology or to slap me across the face, both of which I had coming.

  Jase let out a knowing laugh and bumped my shoulder. “She really got to you, didn’t she?”

  “Nope.”

  “Liar. You forget I saw you drunk and I listened to every damn word you said, big brother. Every word,” he emphasized which had my gaze swinging to him.

  “What did I say? Exactly, Jase.”

  That little fucker had the nerve to grin and shrug. “I promised you I would tell a soul any of it, and I kept my promise.”

  “Now who’s the liar?” He and Bo were close as hell before they went and fell in love so there was no way in hell he kept this from her.

  “I didn’t. You made her sit, listen and then give you her take on the whole scenario.”

  “I didn’t.” Luckily Buddy chose that moment to slam the shot and the beer bottle down right in front of me. “Thanks,” I told Buddy who simply nodded and shuffled off to a couple cowboys at the other end of the bar. “Please, tell me you’re kidding.”

  “Wish I was. So what’s happened since your drunken confession?”

  “Not a damn thing.” And not for lack of trying, well not trying really so much as trying to bump into her accidentally. On purpose. She didn’t show up to Ry and Penny’s barbecue over the weekend, which wasn’t that surprising since she and Penny weren’t close. But I expected her at Bo’s Monday fish fry and she hadn’t showed up there either. “It’s like she only comes out to go to her shop.”

  Jase made a sound that was almost a grunt only there was something else behind it. “What?”

  “What do you know?” He was a terrible liar and the fact that he couldn’t even meet my eyes, told me what I needed to know. Mostly.

  Jase shrugged. “Nothing. If you want to know something, go talk to her. She’s right over there.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got eyes Jase, thanks.” The thought of going over there, with a table full of women who probably knew exactly what an asshole I was, and wouldn’t hesitate to rip me apart, one shred at a time.

  Mikki sat at the table looking sexier than she had a right to in a pair of ass hugging jeans and one of those sexy sweater sets the color of an Easter egg, and I knew if she turned I’d get an eyeful of cleavage. I watched her on and off for the past fifteen minutes and not once did she look my way, or any way for that matter. As if nothing in the bar but her friends mattered to her.

  Least of all, me.

  A hand landed smack in the middle of my chest. “Just go talk to her, man. You’re being creepy as hell and honestly, it’s sad to watch.” His lips curled into a mocking grin. “Never known you to be afraid of a woman.”

  He was taunting me. Goading me into doing the one thing I told myself I wouldn’t do. Bother Mikki. “Not afraid, just respecting her wishes.”

  “So she told you to leave her the hell alone? Interesting.”

  “No,” I grunted. “Not exactly but if she wanted to talk, she would do something like smile at me or wave me over, right?” That was a pathetic excuse and we both knew it.

  “Never known you to sit back when you want something,” he said, throwing down the gauntlet once again as he strolled to the table where the women sat and ran his fingers through Bo’s hair.

  Asshole. I was about to follow Jase when Mikki stood, laughing as the table shouted things at her. Then she turned and made her way towards the bar. Towards me. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, the way those jeans hugged her, just as I knew they would. But it was that light purple sweater with just two little pearly buttons clasped under her breasts and the deep line of cleavage that peeked from the tank top that had my mouth watering. And the shoes, the woman must have at least fifty pairs and tonight’s were at least three inches high and the same color as her top. When her gaze slid carefully past me, I stifled the urge to roll my eyes and leaned in the moment she put her elbows on the bar. “Evenin’ Mikki.”

  “Nate,” she said without so much as a glance, waving to get Buddy’s attention as if we were complete strangers.

  “You’re looking as pretty as a picture tonight.” Women loved compliments and I knew this would give me my opening.

  “Thanks,” she said, again without looking. When Buddy made his way over, she rattled off five drink orders with a polite smile.

  “Comin’ right up.” Buddy got busy with her order and Mikki looked everywhere but my way, making me smile.

  I leaned forward so that I was all the way in her space and impossible to ignore. Her gaze met mine. “You’re not avoiding me, are you Mikki?”

  When her hazel gaze swung to mine, all I could see was her lush pink lips, pursed in mild irritation. “What reason would I have to avoid you, Nate?” It was a good question, but it was also a trap, designed to ensnare me and I refused to take the bait. Mikki, though, she took my silence in stride, grabbing the tray of drinks and walked away. Without a damn word.

  Watching her walk away, I was more confused than ever. She didn’t seem mad, not at all, but what else would explain her sudden absence from social events?

  Maybe she just doesn’t want to be around you. It was a thought that came all on it’s won and as much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t. That was the common denominator, me. I was there and she didn’t want to be around me. “Struck out, huh?” Despite his sympathetic tone, Jase wore a satisfied grin when he approached with a wide grin.

  “Nope. Just sayin’ hi.” I shoved my beer in his hand and made my way to the bathroom to clear my head, because Mikki had a way of screwing with my thinking. All night, I was more focused on her and her laugh, than I was on the trivia, quickly helping to get our team eliminated for my efforts.

  “Get your head out of your ass before next week.” Ry’s words held no heat but I knew what he was doing, giving me an opening just in case I wanted to talk.

  I didn’t. “Yeah, thanks Ry.”

  He shrugged at my short answer and scanned the bar for his woman. “Then I’m outta here. Got a four foot dinosaur puzzle in 3-D I promised to help Mike start on tonight. Later.”

  After the winning team, The Matchmakers, which consisted of Ry’s mom Betty, Antonio’s mom Elizabeth, Will’s mom Helen and Scott the vet’s mom, Eddy, was announced, most of the teams slowly headed towards the exit. The women had made no secret of their intentions as far as the Hometown Heroes was concerned, and I planned to keep as much distance between them and myself as possible.

  My gaze landed on Mikki and I planned to get some face time with her before the night was over. As soon as I hit the head. It was my own damn luck that she was gone when I returned and I knew I had no right to feel disappointed, but I did. So I took my ass home where I cold beer that was much cheaper than Buddy’s stuff and it had the benefit of not being crowded with people. Nosy people who wanted to know everything.

  I needed to face facts and the fact was that Mikki clearly wanted nothing to do with me and I needed to respect that. No matter how damn hard it was. But even as the thought occurred to me, I picked up my phone and sent her a message.

  I’m sorry. The little dots appeared right away, indicating she’d read the message but it took forever before she hit send.

  No need to be sorry. About anything. We both got what we wanted. That was it. Succinct with no damn emotion and I couldn’t help the huff of laughter that escaped, because Mikki truly believed that’s what I wanted and I had no one to blame but myself. I’d given her no reason to believe otherwise because for t
he most part, it was true.

  I knew I should have been ecstatic that a woman was, for once, not asking, pushing or begging for more than I was willing or able to give her. But I wasn’t, dammit. Fine, but I am sorry that things are awkward between us now. I could never regret my time with Mikki, it was too incredible to regret or forget, but I hated that it might have ruined things for good.

  They aren’t awkward and they don’t have to be.

  I didn’t even know what the hell that meant and I was pretty sure that even if I did, I wouldn’t like it much. But it feels awkward, I wrote back, silently commanding her to explain her words.

  That’s because you think I’m hurt over some perceived slight. Rest your pretty little head that I’m fine, Nate. Totally fine.

  I didn’t believe her, but those words played in my head in that sweet southern twang she had that wasn’t like any accent in Texas and I couldn’t help but smile. You think I’m pretty?

  You know you’re gorgeous, Nate. I’m sure plenty of women have told you so before now. Good night.

  It was yet another reminder of who she thought I was. Of who I was when it came to every woman I’d ever gone on a date with or took the bed. Until now. What made the rich girl from Mississippi different, I had no damn clue, but I went to sleep with a smile on my face anyway.

  Mikki

  Garbage. That was the first word that came to mind as soon as I woke up this morning. The first thing I noticed was my scratchy throat which I, of course, attributed to spending a few hours in a smoke filled bar. But I wasn’t worried because it happens sometimes and I’m not as young as I used to be. Then I stood and snapped my eyes shut as pain lanced behind my eyes and a wave of dizziness made my knees wobble. “Ugh, I hate being sick!”

  Hoping a hot shower would help, I stumbled into the bathroom and cranked the shower to the hottest setting and stepped under the spray, willing the dizziness to pass and trying desperately not to think about my encounter with Nate last night. What was his deal, anyway? I was keeping a low profile in town, showing up at Big Mama’s diner or Texican’s for lunch just to keep the tongues from wagging, but otherwise keeping mostly to myself. I’d even begged off a barbecue at Penny’s house and another gathering at Bo’s. All in the name of keeping the peace.