Bayou Bishops Box Set: Books 1-12

CHAPTER 10

Tegan woke up feeling hung over. She sat up in the bed and looked around. Patches bed. Right. But he didn’t sleep with her as planned. Something about Ethan and needing to check on him. She still didn’t ask details about it and he didn’t offer. Had he come back at all? And if so, where did he sleep?

She couldn’t help her fears and doubts as she found her phone and his number then hit it.

“Morning sleeping beauty.”

The sound of his deep voice around those words was some kind of breakfast. “Morning. Where are you?”

“Headed to get your brother. Jek couldn’t bring him.”

“I feel lost. What happened last night?”

“I had to stay with Ethan while Lesion finished helping Nitro get settled.”

“Really.”

“I left a message on your phone.”

“You did? When?”

“Was around midnight when I realized getting back was a lost cause. Why? You couldn’t sleep without me?”

She grinned a little. “I did wait, and not sure how I missed your text.” She shuffled to the bathroom and closed the door, eying herself in the mirror. “How long before you get back. Oh my God, you gave me a hickey,” she cried, looking at her neck in the mirror. “Are you trying to get us in more trouble?”

“Oh damn,” he chuckled. “I meant to give it somewhere more private.”

“Sarah is already suspicious.”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” he said.

“Well, I know I would be.”

“That’s because you’re obsessed.”

She snorted. “Maybe so, and so is she.” She had to smile at his sexy laugh. “I miss you.”

“Mmmm, fuck, not as much as I miss you.”

The hunger in his voice wrecked into her hormones. “So is your uh…brother okay? Ethan?”

“He was stable when I left this morning. Awake too.”

“Glad to hear it. And your meeting went okay?”

“Yes.”

She looked at her phone. “My brother’s calling. Am I supposed to be doing something here while you’re gone?”

“Besides miss me, you could eat breakfast and stay out of trouble.”

“That should be easy without you here. Where are you?”

“At the dry dock waiting. Your brother is a couple minutes away.”

“Crap, I need to call him back. How long will you be?”

“Hopefully back in an hour.”

She hoped so. He was crazy not to see or think Sarah wasn’t suspicious. “Good.”

“You can eat breakfast with Grand Pier and visit the lone mother.”

“And risk making him choke to death?”

“Awww Ma Petite Texas, you still worried about that?”

“Yes! I don’t wanna accidentally kill the thing you love the most.”

He laughed. “I have other things I love the most now.”

Her heart darn near exploded in her chest at that. “I know, my ass,” she teased, smiling.

“That is surely ranked near the top.”

Her smile grew bigger. “What’s at the tippy top?”

“Mmmm, that’s such an unfair question. Your smile, your lips, that fucking cute twang in your words. Your pussy is—”

“These are all body parts!” she laughed. “What about my heart and my gorgeous mind and soul?” she giggled.

“Well, I’m sure I would love those things too if you had them.”

Her laugh burst out so very unladylike. “You crack me up, you know that? Oh, did you see where that bag of clothes went from that nice lady?”

“I think I saw it next to the couch with your purse.”

“I wish I had known my brother was coming, I’d have told him to bring me more clothes.”

“Dig through my things, I’m sure you’ll find something you can fit in.”

“Pfff, have you seen my ass?”

“I fucking have, yes. So, don’t piss me off.”

She laughed. “How would I piss you off.”

“By making me think of it while I can’t have it.”

“I can see Sarah’s face with me in your clothes,” she muttered, shaking her head. “You’re gonna get us so caught. Shit, I think somebody’s knocking. Better not be Sarah.”

“Just go be yourself, you’ll be fine. See you in an hour, Texas.”

“Bye,” she whispered, loving when he called her that. “Swamp cowboy.”

She hung up and hurried to the door, stopping halfway. She could not answer it. She realized whoever knocked knew somebody was in here. And likely that Patches was gone. “Coming,” she called. She had a right to sleep somewhere, and Patches hadn’t slept there the night before. No harm no foul.

She hurried to the side of the couch finding the bag.

“I’ll be right out,” she called, digging through the items and pulling out something yellow. Another field of flowers, geeze they loved dresses, didn’t they?”

“It’s Sarah, I was hoping you’d be out soon, I had some friends I wanted you to meet.”

She paused, immediately suspicious with that sweet tone. “Alright. I’ll be up in fifteen minutes.”

“Good! See you then.”

Geeze, that tone. She sure sucked at acting. Tegan did not want to meet anybody, specially not no more swamp ladies that hated out-of-towners trying to get their man. She realized the yellow outfit wasn’t a dress but a romper. That went way up her ass. For the love of leather and lassos. She hurried back to the bag and snatched up the only other item. A china blue material with more flowers. And a dress. At least her ass wouldn’t be screamin’ at everybody. She swapped the outfits, realizing her bra straps showed in the new one. She removed the bra and realized the way the material gathered along with the dark color hid things just fine. She stuffed her clothes and bra back into the bag and hurried to the mirror she’d seen in the workout room, pulling her hair around her neck to hide that hickey. She needed to get to those band aids she’d seen in the supply closet upstairs asap.

Tripping and tugging on her cowgirl boots, she hurried to the door then raced back to the bathroom for her phone. She found her brother’s number and leaned against the sink, listening to the ring.

“Babygirl,” he answered, making her roll her eyes at the childish nickname.

“Where are you?”

“Just now pulling up at something called the Dry Dock. Your Patches is fetchin’ me.”

“He ain’t my Patches,” she whispered. “And don’t be callin’ him that in front of people.”

“Why?” he laughed.

“They have women here who already think I’m after their men and they don’t like out-of-towners moving in on their territory, you know how it is.”

“I heard women in all that. Now, what’s the problem?”

“Oh shut it, ya’ll try to hurry. Lord, I bet he’s getting you on his swamp dragon.”

“His what?”

“Lordy mercy Tater, they have these boats that fly on the water and sound like an airplane.”

“Whooowee, sounds like a good time. Hey,” he called. “I’m Tate.”

“Patches,” she heard in the background, his sexy voice scattering her pulse.

“I’ll let you go, bye!”

She pressed the phone to her chest for a second then checked the dress for pockets. She gasped at finding some, nice and deep too. “Practical,” she muttered. “Nice. Very nice.”

She looked at her hair once more, tucking it behind her ears and spreading her bangs over her forehead. She really should put on makeup. But she was out of time.

She hurried out the door and ran up the stairs, opening it a crack and peeking around. She spied Sarah at a small table with two other women. Wow, they were sure pretty ones. Prettier than Sarah. She looked at the hall she needed to reach for those band aids. She could shoot for it. They might not see her while yackin’.

She darted out, not looking in their direction.

“Oh, there she is! Tegan!”

Horseshit. She turned with a big ole surprised smile and made her way over.

“I wanted you to meet some of the swamp ladies,” Sarah cooed. “This is Geraldine and this is Martha.”

Tegan nodded, giving her finest Texas smile. “Nice to meet you, ladies.”

“Ohhh,” the one called Geraldine said with wide eyes. “That’s some drawl you got there. Cute.”

“Ain’t it?” Sarah said, mimicking her accent then laughing. “Did I sound like her?” she asked the women.

“Not at all,” the Martha one said, to which they all laughed before trying to do the accent.

Tegan waited a few seconds and announced, “Well, it was so nice meeting you girls, I was going check on Grand Pier.”

“Oh, he’s on his morning nap,” Sarah said. “You slept late. I’m guessing Dr. Patches wore you out yesterday?”

The innocent question was anything but. “Nah,” she said. “I’m used to working from sunup to sundown on the ranch.”

“Oh, what do you do on the ranch?” Geraldine asked with her fake Texan accent.

“I babysit mostly,” Tegan said with a smile.

“You have children?” Martha asked, eyes hopeful like that would ruin her reputation good.

“Yeah, three hundred and fifty head of cattle.” She tossed her thumb behind her. “I need to go check on Becky, it was so nice meeting you ladies!”

“Oh, Becky is finally napping,” Sarah cooed once again.

“Well, dang. Then I’ll grab some breakfast.”

“Oh honey, so sorry, but Justine saved all the breakfast and is on to lunch. You can grab some fruit. Good for energy and low on calories.”

Holy hell.

She gasped. “Oh my God, I did not mean it like that.”

“Like what?” Tegan said, not about to bite on that one.

The girls laughed. “Miss perfect waist is always worried people think she’s digging on their weight.”

“Which I’m not,” she assured. “Having meat on your bones is healthy.”

“Nah,” Tegan easily laughed. “I know I got a fat ass. I quit tryin’ to lose it when I realized it was one of my finer assets. Get it?” She gave a big Texas laugh and made her way to the kitchen, ready to chew nails and spit lead.

She blindly grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and spotted an exit in the kitchen. Hallelujah.

She found a spot on the opposite side of the large house and sat in a rocking chair where she had a view of the bayou. She couldn’t remember where the dock was they’d parked at before from where she was. There had been a dock, she was sure, and there wasn’t one on this side that she could see.

She froze at hearing voices and shot off the rocker. She got five feet and detoured to the rail, leaning on it, not about to run from these bitches. She took a big bite of the apple and aimed a smile at them.

“So, tell us, Tegan of Texas, you have a boyfriend?”

“Oh, now look who’s digging,” Sarah said all innocent, sitting on the steps like a side-winder while the other two girls flanked her left and right.

“Nope,” she said. “Haven’t found the right cowboy yet.”

“Awww, that’s too bad,” Martha said.

“Did you hear about The Twelve getting married over here in the swamp?”

“I sure did,” Tegan decided to say. “Exciting times for you ladies?” She eyed Sarah. “I believe Nurse Sarah here is paired up with our Dr. Patches.”

“She is!” Geraldine said. “And so are we!”

She took a bite of her apple to hide her shock, managing a “Wow,” while nodding. “Good to see you all playing so nice with the competition.”

“Well, he’s taking us each on a date,” Martha said.

“And we each get our fair shot at winning over the sexy doc.”

The lust in her tone soured her stomach.

“I already know I’m gonna win him over,” Geraldine bragged. “You know when I come for my yearly, I can tell he likes me by how gentle he is. I never said before but once I nearly had an orgasm while he checked me with those long fingers.”

“Funnest part is that our poor Nurse Sarah has to stand there and watch,” Martha laughed real big.

“Well, you’re not the only vagina he’s explored in these swamps,” Sarah assured, bringing a cramp to Tegan’s sick stomach. “He even helps some of the poor wives with their orgasm.”

Tegan was gonna be sick as she hurried for the door.

“Tegan?” Sarah called. “What’s wrong?”

She heard stifled laughter as the door shut and she made her way blindly to the apartment. Racing down the stairs she went in and shut the door, locking it. She paced back and forth with her eyes closed, everything shaking on her.

She pulled her phone out and dialed him.

She hung it up.

She wouldn’t ask him that on the phone. She wanted to believe they were lying, just trying to hurt her but then he was the frickn’ swamps only doctor!

He helped poor wives with their orgasm.

She pulled her phone out and dialed him again, pacing. “Hey, I’m on the dragon,” he said over the racket. “Five minutes out. You okay?”

She fought to unhinge her jaw.

“Tegan?” he called.

“I’ll talk to you when you get here,” she said, hurrying to the room in case that bitch was listening at the door.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Do you…are you…a gynecologist to the women in the swamp?” The three second span of silence brought her, “Oh God you are.”

“I do everything, Tegan, yes. And why are you asking that?”

“Oh, I bet you can guess.”

“Actually, I can’t. Where are you?”

“Hiding in the apartment, away from Sarah, Geraldine and Martha. Ring any bells?”

“What the fuck are they all doing there?”

“That’s a good question,” she muttered. “Besides telling me how gentle you are when you finger them, they’re mocking my accent.”

“Fuck,” he muttered. “Stay put, I’m calling Sarah.”

“Do not fucking call her!” she shrilled, panicking. “Do not!”

“Fine, I’ll wait till I talk to you. I’m a doctor Tegan, it’s what I do, but it’s nothing like what they make it sound like, that’s for damn sure. It’s the one part of the job I detest doing.”

“How the hell are there no women for that! You can be so very sure you will not be ever doing that again.”

“There are nurses who do it, but so do I when I need to. Tegan, I see vaginas all the time, I deliver babies, it’s a job.”

“Well, it ain’t no job you’ll be having!”

“So, you’re a vagina doctor too?” Tegan heard Tater ask.

“Do not tell him it’s me!”

“Uhhh.”

Shit, he already said her name. “Dammit!”

“We’ll figure it out when I get there,” Patches said.

She hung up, back to pacing and fuming. She stormed to the door and opened it, heading back up the stairs.

“Well, if it ain’t Juliette, the gawjus Bayou Bishop.”

Juliette was there?

“Hey ladies, what you all up to like that? Hey Miss Sarah, Patches around?”

“No, he had an errand, how can I help you?”

“What about Tegan, she around?”

“She’s inside,” Sarah said.

Tegan waited, then took off toward the door, not about to hide from anybody. “Hey Juliette,” she greeted.

“Just the little lady I wanted to see,” she said. “How’d all that bat stuff work out?”

“Went perfect,” Tegan said.

“And I heard you were with Patches when that Viking circus happened? I wanna know everything!” She walked toward the other side of the porch and Tegan kept up. “You know I’m still shocked to learn they’re even for real and not a legend. I thought that’s what they were all these years, I mean I heard about them when I was like seven.”

“I was pretty shocked too,” Tegan said, sitting in the chair next to her. “Never heard of Cajun Vikings.”

The three stooges made their way over now. “We were just telling Teagan about The Twelve getting married. Miss Juliette, you signed up?” Martha asked.

“You might want to before an out-of-towner snatches another one of our men,” Geraldine warned. “You know what I mean?”

Bitch didn’t just drawl.

“I think she knows what you mean,” Tegan said. “You gotta watch those, they’ll swoop in and fell a man in a single night. Kinda like the way I fell a heifer when roping.” She pretended to throw her rope. “Shooop, down in two point five seconds. They don’t know what hit ‘em till I’m wrapping them up real tight between my thighs.”

Tegan watched all that fake sugar melt off her face, revealing a hateful sneer. “That might work in Texas, but out here in the swamps, it won’t,” Geraldine said. “Nobody looks nicely on marrying outside their own.”

“Is that a fact?” Juliette wondered now. “Cause my brother married a Northerner. You might know her? Your Belle Eveque?”

“Oh, we know her,” Geraldine said. “Don’t mean we gotta like or accept it. Which we surely do not. Nor do we like those who betray their own.”

“Oh, I see what’s going on here,” Juliette muttered, her tone sweet. “You’re picking yourself a fight with this lil Texas lady. But I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”

“Nobody here gives a damn about Texas,” Geraldine assured.

Juliette gave a single chuckle. “You might wanna tell that to Patches.”

“Don’t think just because you’re a spoiled Bishop that you’re above our ways. You ain’t,” Geraldine assured, her voice going deeper.

Juliette gave a shit’s getting real laugh. “Oh, I don’t think anything like that, Geraldine.”

Martha joined with, “We still can’t believe you took up for her in a public bat-tie.”

Geraldine added, “Then her deranged sister hurts one of ours, and nothing is done about it”

“One of ours? That stupid bitch that hurt my brother?”

“Blood’s thicker than water in these swamps!” Geraldine snapped.

“Alright, ladies, this is going too far,” Sarah finally piped up.

“Too far?” Martha accused with challenge. “You’re the one who called us over here to help you with the Texas tramp trying to get in Patches pants.”

“Ha!” Juliette said, slapping her leg.

“All I know is, she better not get in my way,” Geraldine warned, pointing at Tegan, “I’ll Bat-tie that little bitch all the way back to Texas.”

Juliette stood up. “Well, you go right ahead. I’d love to see her beat your fat ass like Belle Eveque beat that swamp slut.”

“She thinks she’s so good, roping her dumb cows,” Martha shot out. “There ain’t no cows here, bitch, there’s gators. I’d like to see you rope one of those.”

“I’ll rope any damn thing you want me to,” Tegan said. “If that’ll shut your big mouths about me.”

“Oh, you wanna make this official, bitch?” Geraldine said, coming closer.

Tegan stood, not about to get attacked sitting down. “Damn right I do, whatever to get you off my ass.”

“Your fat ass,” Martha muttered.

“Well, Patches likes it,” Tegan drawled.

“You got yourself a deal,” Juliette said. “If she ropes and ties a gator, you’ll get off her ass.”

“And she’ll skin it for my boots,” Tegan added, ready to throw down on that porch.

“And if she can’t rope it, she leaves,” Geraldine said.

“Oh, I’ll rope it,” Tegan swore, nodding. “Name the time and place.”

“What the hell is going on?”

They all turned to Patches walking up behind them with Tater’s grinning face in tow.

“Seems like we’re missing a swamp rodeo, Dr. Patches,” Tater muttered, stopping next to Geraldine who was looking him over real good. And there was plenty to look over in his fitted black t-shirt and cowboy hat with blue jeans that hugged all his Texas sized goods, front and back. He caught the perusal and held his hand out to her. “Name’s Tate. Who might you be?”

“That’s Geraldine,” Tegan said. “She’s here to make sure I don’t take any of their swamp men.”

“Hey, we’re good,” Geraldine said all sweet now. “We have an understanding.”

“We have an agreement,” Juliette clarified.

“What kind of agreement,” Patches demanded.

“Talk to you gal’s later,” Geraldine sang sweet as can be in her mocking Texas accent as she headed off the porch with her side-slut Martha and Sarah following.

“Was nice meeting you Geraldine,” Tater called before eyeing Juliette now. “Tater,” he said, holding his hand out. “Tegan’s brother.”

“Oh, well, well, well, another Texas doozie visiting the swamps. Maybe you can hang around a bit and distract some of these women for us.”

He humbly put his hand on his chest while Patches gaze bore into her.

“However I’m needed, I’m here to help. As long as I can,” he added, looking at Tegan. “How you doin’ sugar?” He opened his arms, and she hugged him.

“Could be better,” she muttered, surprised with his affection and how much she could like something he usually never gave.

“It’s just another rodeo, Babygirl.”

The soft coo took her off guard and she suddenly couldn’t let him go. “Thank you for coming.”

“Juliette,” Patches said, his tone darker than she’d ever heard it. “You mind showing Tate around while I have a word with Tegan?”

“Not at all. Come on, cowboy. Let me give you the grand tour of our swamp rodeo.”

He waited for them to walk off before he moved to stand before her. “What agreement?”

“Oh, that first?”

“Yes, that first. What happened here?”

“Those three heifers happened here. Your precious Sarah called them over to kindly harass me and tell me about how good you are with your fingers.”

“What agreement was made,” he pushed.

“That I would rope and tie an alligator and she’d get off my ass.”

“What!?” His anger shot her pulse up. “You’re not roping a fucking alligator!”

“If I’m gonna stay here, I damn sure am,” she assured. “I ain’t puttin’ up with that BS and I sure hope you weren’t expectin’ me to.”

He closed his eyes and turned, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they’re doing this. Well, at least that got them off my date list but that means I have to find three more.”

“Why?” she cried before shooting her hands up. “No, no, forget I said it. You had your thing going on here before I came and stepped all up in it. I’m backing up. Way up. I think you need to do your thing and get er’ done and I’ll wait on the sidelines.”

“Don’t do that,” he muttered, eyeing her. “Don’t let them do this to us.”

She eyed him back, trying to figure out what the heck he wanted from her. “So let me understand. You pickin’ me, but you want to pretend like you ain’t and date three women with hands-on plans to get you to choose them. Maybe I should help with the charade and date a couple of guys to make it look legit.”

She stared at him, trying to figure out what that look on his face was. Anger, offense, hurt? Whatever it was had her stomach sick. She wanted to take it back, but her tongue was tied up with everything.

“So, you want to, what? Call it all off?”

“I never said that,” she snapped.

“Do you?” he demanded, his face like stone.

“No! I don’t!”

“Then what’s your plan, Texas? Mine’s still the same. You in or you out, I have to know that.”

She crossed her arms, looking off to the right. “Not like I have a choice in the matter.”

“You always have a choice,” he assured too quietly.

She snapped her eyes up to him. “Not with you I don’t. I’m in whether I wanna be or not. You already have everything I could ever give a man and there ain’t no ungivin’ it. So, yeah, I’m stuck. But if I gotta deal with you gettin’ felt up by these swamp whores, I won’t survive. And I ain’t layin’ down to die out here like that.”

His stare got so brutal she couldn’t breathe. He snatched her hand and pulled her with him into the front entry and walked them past a million staring eyes. He continued with her down the basement stairs, not stopping till they were in his apartment with the door shut and locked.

He turned and before she got a word out, he had her against the wall, kissing her, his hand holding her jaw tight. She gasped when his leg pushed hard between hers and his other hand owned her breast with a greedy lust that had her weak and dizzy.

“You gave me everything, Texas?” he shuddered right in her mouth.

“Yes,” she said, pulling his hair and riding that perfect pressure between her legs.

He gave a harsh groan, and she heard his zipper. He yanked the top of her dress down and the material caught under her breasts while his hungry mouth went from one nipple then the other.

“Patches,” she shot out, holding his head as he found his way under her dress and yanked on her panties. She squirmed and kicked her way out of them, and he yanked the dress all the way down, till it fell at her feet. His hot eyes bore into hers as he removed his T-shirt. Next, he removed his underwear, and the sight of his huge cock had her body convulsing with need and fear. What was he doing?

He pressed his body against hers again, lifting one leg high as he kissed her, his lust coming in harsh, growly breaths. He slid the head of his cock along her clit and pulled back, watching it. “Look at my cock on your fucking pussy.”

She did and gasped at the impossibly delicious sight.

“This is my pussy,” he swore, his mouth back on hers.

“Yes,” she barely managed around his demanding tongue.

He pulled back again, watching himself, his chest heaving. Then his gaze rose to hers as he pressed himself at her opening, bringing colorful moans flooding out of her.

“Patches,” she whispered, looking between them as he moved his hand up the wall, lifting her leg even higher.

“I want you to watch as my cock takes what’s mine.”

“Oh God,” she blasted as the thick head filled her opening. “Yes, yes.”

He seethed as he moved the tip in and out of her entrance. “My sweet Texas pussy is so fucking tight,” he accused, punishing her with a kiss as he groaned and barely pumped. “You know what it means when I put my cock inside you baby? It means I’m giving everything to you. You want that?”

“So much,” she gasped, emotion overwhelming her. “I want everything.”

“You already had it,” he said, pushing his cock in slowly. “But this makes it binding before God and nobody can break that, you understand?”

“Yes,” she said, her breath bursting out with a cry when he shoved to the very bottom of her.

“Patches!”

“No,” he gushed, grabbing her jaw harder this time while keeping his mouth right at hers. “Forrest,” he said around lusty groans. “Forrest Nolton Monroe.”

“Forrest,” she cried right as his thrusts turned so mean and he forced her mouth open with his. Soon her sharp shrieks met his vicious grunts, like he was hungry for exactly that, her very loud confession that the whole hospital could hear and surely did.