Roughneck: A Payne Brothers Romance

by Frost, Sosie

  “You know what happens when you assume,” I said.

  “I make an ass out of you and me?”

  “And you don’t want to know what I would do with yours.”

  “I’d like to see you try.”

  I called her bluff. An animalistic, feral urge roared to life within me. I swept that beautiful woman into my arms, lifted her onto the desk, and invited myself between her legs. She spread them willingly, and I closed the gap between our bodies. My cock ached, and I ground that hardness against her.

  But I didn’t touch her.

  Didn’t kiss her.

  Didn’t push her back onto the desk and fucked the ever-loving hell out of her.

  Instead, I leaned close, my lips grazing against hers.

  “This is a very dangerous game, little girl.”

  Her eyes widened with an eager curiosity, but she didn’t give in. Not yet. I liked that even more. The chase was always fun, but I hadn’t experienced it very often. The sort of woman eager for me had no barriers to break or resistance to wear down.

  But a good girl, a nice girl like Honey?

  She would fight her every instinct before she submitted.

  And she was right to do so.

  Her words were soft, broken with whimpered heat. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “No one wants to be feared.”

  “Do you want to be loved?”

  I laughed. “Absolutely not.”

  “Why?” She dared herself to touch me, her fingers trembling as she twisted them within my shirt. “Worried you’ll disappoint someone?”

  The woman wasn’t armed, but she plunged that dagger right to my heart. The pain was quick. I grinned it away.

  “I’ve never disappointed a woman in my life…” I said. “At least, not when it counted.”

  “And where does it count?”

  “In bed. Let me show you.”

  “Won’t you work on my truck first?”

  I was smarter than that. “So you can drive out of town before I fuck you?”

  Honey’s laugh spun me like sugar. “You think I’m gonna trust you with my car, my livelihood, and my body?”

  “Trusting me as the stupidest thing you can do. But I can promise you one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I promise if you sleep with me now, I will break your heart.”

  Honey’s head tilted back. Her chest rose and fell in quick, desperate breaths. She licked her lips. Wanted my kiss.

  I denied her.

  But I didn’t expect her to take the initiative.

  She leaned close, her lips so tender, so pure, that her kiss desecrated me with sweetness. She nibbled softly against my bottom lip, just a moment’s touch, the slightest grace of goodness to chase away every vulgar, terrible word I’d ever spoken.

  The woman might’ve dropped me to the ground had she not slipped off the desk first.

  “That’s the problem, isn’t it?” Her words laced with gentleness. “I’m counting on you to be a mistake. A fling. Someone I can eagerly forget.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Honey smirked. “Don’t believe it for a second.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because if I give into you, Tidus Payne…” She hummed an angel’s sigh. “I’m afraid you won’t break my heart.”

  She sauntered past me, waving a hand as she reached the door.

  “Fix my truck, bad boy.”

  “You better pay up, good girl.”

  Christ.

  Screw the money. This woman would cost me a hell of a lot more.

  For the past three months, I’d avoided getting in trouble, but it seemed like no matter what I did, how I tried to prevent it, or what I did to fix it, life loved to screw me over.

  But I was nothing if not an optimist.

  At least if I screwed up with Honey, I’d love getting fucked.

  3

  Honey

  It was bad enough having nowhere to sleep but in a broken-down truck.

  Life made it worse by waking up next to Tidus Payne.

  At some point during the night, I’d acquired a leather jacket. It was heavy, warm, and certainly not mine. It smelled like Tidus—like bad decisions, whiskey, and the promise of wild nights with a wilder man.

  I should have taken his offer. At least then I would have enjoyed an evening of endless pleasures and shredded inhibitions. Instead, I’d awoken on the cold metal floor of a wrecked truck parked in a dirty garage. At least I’d been alone for most of it.

  I rolled over, greeting the most handsome man south of Heaven. Tidus’s green eyes revealed everything he wished to keep hidden. He was a devilish pain in the ass. Someone who got his way simply because he could read everything about a person and hit them below the belt with the truth.

  I stretched and sat up on my elbow. The scarf still wrapped most of my hair, and my natural curls hadn’t yet poofed into every nook and cranny of the truck. But that was about all I had going for me. Not that the wrinkled clothes, smeared makeup, and drool helped. I checked my cheek.

  No, not drool…

  A leaking refrigerator.

  Great. Another thing to add to my Honey-Do List.

  I peeked open my eyes. Tidus greeted me with a conquering smile.

  “Morning, sunshine,” he said.

  I groaned. “Is it a good morning or a bad morning?”

  He rested next to me, a polite distance away. Pretty much the length of an erection, if his confidence meant anything.

  “If you had spent the night with me, you wouldn’t have to ask,” he said.

  I’d never get the image out of my head. “If I’d spent the night with you, I doubt I would be sleeping now.”

  “You have a lot of faith in me.”

  “You talk big. Better not disappoint.”

  Tidus laughed. “You’re cranky in the morning. That’s good to know.”

  “Like it would matter.”

  “Oh?”

  “You’re not a man who stays for breakfast once the deed is done.”

  “You think so?”

  I wished I hadn’t. I sat up, passing him his jacket. “And I can’t imagine any woman keeping you in her bed once she’s had her fill.”

  “I am more than a good fuck, you know.”

  “I’m sure you have many talents, but…if a woman is crazy enough to agree to go to bed with you, she’s only got one thing on her mind.”

  He grinned. “And what would that be, good girl?”

  “Shall I draw a diagram, bad boy?”

  “I’ve got a pretty good imagination. Just say the word and I’ll share every terrible, wicked thought with you.”

  “No thanks. I’m still hoping that this is all a nightmare.”

  “Want me to pinch you? I can give you a good prick.”

  He almost made me laugh.

  Almost.

  I masked my smile with a yawn.

  “You’re such a bad flirt,” I said.

  He held his arms out. “I’m the bad flirt? You’re not even playing along.”

  “And why should I? All you want is to just get lucky. Same as all the girls who sleep with you. They want a quick tussle in the sheets before kicking your ass out.”

  “So, I’m just a hunk of meat to you?”

  “More like a pain in my ass.”

  “If anyone is causing you pain, they’re doing it wrong.”

  I didn’t know if I should be disgusted or intrigued. “I’m shocked that you’re single.”

  “I know, right?” His eyes darkened with promise. “No one’s ever called me a bad lover.”

  “What about courteous? Generous? Gentle?”

  “Life’s full of mysteries, Honey Hudson. Sometimes you gotta figure them out for yourself.”

  “Would you really let anyone close enough to find out?” I asked. “I think there’s a reason you put on this macho, playboy act. I think you’d get scared if the right woman came along.”

  He glanced
over me. “Let’s test it out. Where can I find a nice girl?”

  “Stop sleeping with the wrong women.”

  “Seems like I might get the chance to bed a good girl.”

  One more night sleeping on the uncomfortable, metal floor my truck, and I’d take him up on his offer. Provided he was serious about the bed, of course.

  “This truck is as close as you’re gonna get,” I said.

  “Wouldn’t trust it.” He surveyed the thin walls, cracking panels, the peeling floors. Sure, everything was as clean as I could get it, but nothing was in working order. “If we rock this truck too hard, it’ll probably capsize.”

  Not what I wanted to hear.

  Or imagine.

  Getting fucked so hard we’d rock the entire truck onto its side? That was the stuff of legend. Of dreams. Utter fantasy.

  He rubbed the stubble on his jaw. Thick and dark. He pulled off the scraggly look, but it was too practiced. He had that carefree toss to his hair, that just-woke-up edge in his words. But he could do better than that. Might’ve cleaned up well. In the right suit and slacks, I even imagined him as sophisticated.

  Unfortunately, fixing his image meant he’d have to look in the mirror. Tidus seemed to avoid his reflection. Not sure he liked the man peeking back.

  I stood up, reaching for my bag. I had a toothbrush, a change of clothes, and a bag of spices meant for a quick marinade. Maybe I was stuck in a tiny town with nowhere to go and no way to make money, but at least I could face the day with a little bit of pride.

  Tidus leaned against my food-prep counter as I quickly brushed my teeth.

  “You know, you’re right,” he said. “I’ve never stayed the night with anyone. It is nice watching a girl get all prettied up in the morning for my benefit.”

  For a moment, I considered the ramifications of spitting my peppermint toothpaste on the only mechanic in twenty miles.

  “If you want to take a shower, you can go upstairs with me,” he said. “Might get a little crowded though.”

  He really was unbelievable. I threatened him with the toothbrush. He took it as a challenge.

  “It’s just a bachelor pad, hardly more than a bed…” He crossed his arms. I pretended not to notice how the muscles bulged. “It’s better than a hard, metal truck floor, though you wouldn’t get much sleep there either.”

  I rolled my eyes, doing my best to spit into the truck sink without him seeing. I quickly splashed my face with a bit of water and stared at the drain.

  Clogged.

  Fantastic. Another repair to add to the list.

  I glanced at him. “Unless you can hump my truck back to life, you’re wasting your time, Tidus.”

  And yet, it didn’t dissuade him. “Humping is never a waste of time. Just gotta figure out how best to do it.”

  “I expected a man like you would know what he’s doing.”

  “Oh, I do. But what does a girl like you expect? Soft and sweet? Hard and rough? Raunchy and dirty?”

  I wished I hadn’t imagined each one of those scenarios. For the first time in my twenty-two years of life, my head was not filled with recipes and competitions, restaurants and menus. Instead, I was delighted and mortified by visions of sweaty bodies, twisted sheets, and panted breaths.

  Nothing I needed, nothing I should’ve wanted, and everything I would forever avoid.

  “Are you really trying to seduce me?” I asked.

  Tidus eyed me. “Got nothing else to do until someone pays me to start working.”

  “Want some help?”

  His smile turned wicked. “You’re giving me pointers?”

  “No. I’m gonna tell you the truth.”

  “I do love the truth.”

  Then he’d really love this. “Well, the truth is, I’ve never been seduced.”

  I expected him to fall over, eyes bulging, choking on his own magnificent luck. Instead, he stared at me, dancing his fingers over the counter as he considered his options.

  Tidus Payne was a dangerous man when he took the time to use his head. In the few minutes I’d graced his presence, I’d learned bad things happened when his mind raced and his imagination took hold.

  The man was quick on his feet, faster with his hands, and smarter than he realized.

  That made it all the worse for me.

  But at least his smile was honest.

  “I don’t know if I should be intimidated or excited,” he said.

  Neither. Because he didn’t stand a chance. “Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t have standards.”

  “Oh, of course.”

  “And that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t expect a lot.”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  “I’ve been disappointed in the past.”

  “Only because you hadn’t met me yet.”

  Perhaps. “But I know exactly what would happen if I spend the night with you.”

  His turn to laugh. “You have no idea.”

  It wasn’t that hard to guess. “You would be a risky, intense, and selfish lover.”

  He dared to hop onto my prep table, sitting in the spot reserved for my cutting board. Had the truck been in working order, that ass would’ve been on the ground so quick he’d buff the counter. I shoo’ed him away with a quick wave of my hand.

  “I take offense to that,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes. “You need pride to take offense to anything.”

  “You think I’d make sex all about me?”

  So far, he’d made everything about him. “Absolutely. You don’t just have a dick, Tidus. You are a dick. And it would take an awful lot to please you.”

  This was a man who defined himself by others’ insults. Mine only encouraged him. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m quite a generous lover.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  He winked. “I’ve got a lot of surprises up my sleeve, but I’ve got more down my pants.”

  He was so cocky it was almost endearing. I pointed at him, low. “That’s the one part of you that won’t surprise me.”

  “Really?”

  “You don’t need to try so hard. I know you’re larger-than-life down there.”

  At least he responded well to flattery. Probably because he heard it so rarely. His smile grew. Unfortunately, so did everywhere else. I interrupted him before he got too big of a head, upstairs and down.

  “A guy like you has all the confidence in the world. You must have some reason for it, especially since everything else seems so shady.”

  “You’re breaking my heart, Honey Hudson. But I do love when people talk about me.”

  No doubt. “You know exactly what I’m going to say. Your Butterpond’s bad boy. Always in trouble with the law. Drugs. Alcohol.” I crossed my arms, wondering why I even allowed this man inside my truck. It was bad enough begging him to work on it. “You know, I spent all weekend in town, meeting people, exploring the area, checking out the stores. I asked everybody about you.”

  Tidus didn’t seem worried. “What did you learn?”

  “Nobody had anything good to say about you.”

  “Maybe you weren’t asking the right people.”

  “Did you expect them to lie?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t believe in lies.”

  I doubted that. “Why not?”

  “Because the truth always hurts more. I don’t lie, and I don’t try to disappoint everyone I meet.”

  “But?”

  “Shit happens.”

  A likely excuse. “So, why do I think you’re the one shoveling it on everyone else?”

  His eyebrows wagged. “And what would a girl like you know about a man like me?”

  “I know you’re bad news.”

  “And I know you are incredibly naïve.”

  I raised my chin. “Am not.”

  “But you are.”

  Tidus encroached, taking the opportunity to admire my every curve. I shouldn’t have enjoyed his attention, but every girl like to be chased. If only it wa
s by a better man.

  “You are a very pretty, very young, very idealistic girl, just starting out on her own,” Tidus said. “On the adventure of a lifetime, managing her very own food truck and barbeque business. Awfully young for such responsibility, aren’t you?”

  I scoffed. “I learned to walk in a barbeque pit.”

  His smile cut through me. “Yeah, but that was Daddy’s pit. His restaurant. His business. Now you’re off on your own, trying to make it in this rough-and-tumble world. Tell me this, Honey, whose recipe are you using? That’s your name on the truck, but that’s not really your food, is it?”

  I stiffened. That wasn’t fair. He didn’t know a thing about me, my barbeque, or my family.

  “It’s my father’s recipe,” I said.

  And it wasn’t a secret.

  In fact, that confession would’ve brought me joy, pleasure, pride if revealed to anybody else but him.

  It wasn’t like Tidus would’ve understood why I was using Daddy’s recipe, and what I hope to achieve for him, for his legacy, with the upcoming Brawl-B-Que.

  “So, it’s Daddy’s restaurant, Daddy’s kitchen, Daddy’s recipe.” His smile turned patronizing. “And you’re just trying your damnedest to make him happy.”

  “Is that such a bad thing?”

  Tidus frowned. “Depends on why you’re doing it.”

  Wasn’t that obvious? “Because he’s my father.”

  He snorted. Dismissing it. Ignoring it. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

  And that’s what made us completely different people. “It means everything to me.”

  He scowled. So did I.

  What kind of man couldn’t understand a concept as simple as family?

  My phone buzzed. I reached for it, but Tidus got to it first. He read the emblazoned name on the screen and grinned.

  “Daddy, huh?” He waved the phone at me. “Maybe I should answer?”

  He wouldn’t dare.

  I gritted my teeth. “I haven’t slept with you yet, bad boy. You answer that phone, and I never will.”

  “What’s wrong? Don’t want Daddy to think you spent the night with a man? Or do you not want me to tell him that you snore?”

  I had no idea what was more insulting, but I dove for the phone. “I do not snore.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.” He held the phone high, forcing me to jump for it. I still couldn’t reach it. “Guess you have to sleep in a bed, prove it to me.”