More Than Anything (Small Town Southern Boys)

Chapter 1

When JasonDavidson opened the door, he was surprised to find AveryHolcomb still on the sofa, rubbing one off. “What the hell are you doing? Have you been sitting here watching porn all day?”

“Shut the fuck up, Davidson. You have a girlfriend. I don’t. Remember?” Avery shoved his suddenly-limp appendage back into his fly and zipped it shut. “Ruin a perfectly good hard-on, why don’t you?”

“Get your ass off the sofa, why don’t you?” Jason snapped back. “And for god’s sake, clean up after yourself.” Jason picked up several dirty plates and a couple of glasses and put them into the sink.

“Yes. You’re superior to me in every way. Why don’t you just come out and say it?” Avery growled, making his way toward the kitchen. “For your information, I had every intention of cleaning up after myself. I was just going to do it ten minutes after you walked through the door.” As he fiddle-fucked around at the sink, rinsing and shoving everything into the dishwasher, he could feel Jason’s eyes on him. “What?”

Jason just shook his head. “Man, are you ever going to get your shit together?”

“If you’ll recall, I had my shit together. And somebody snatched it away from me.” With that, Avery slammed the dishwasher door closed. “If you need me for anything, I’ll be in my room―dead.”

Jason shook his head again. “Yeah. Might as well be. You don’t have a life anymore anyway.”

That’s sure as hell true , Avery thought to himself as he stalked off down the hallway to his lair.

* * *

He’d been sitting there at the bar for at least an hour, and drowning his sorrows wasn’t exactly what he would’ve called it―more like gargling with them and then spitting them everywhere. Four beers in an hour. That was a pretty good average. Not much of a buzz, but just enough that he was feeling a little better. Of course, better was a subjective thing, and his better was someone else’s not-so-great, but he’d take what he could get.

And speaking of taking what he could get, three women had already hit on him. He would’ve taken any of the three, but he was waiting for that one, the one that made him tingle when she walked into the room, made his cock stand up and take notice, made his balls bang together. Fortunately, it only took one more beer.

Sure enough, she came strolling in, a tall, leggy blond with big green eyes and a full left arm sleeve, brightly colored too. Some kind of dragon, he thought, and he wanted to see the rest of it, hoping maybe it wrapped around her torso and made itself known in all other kinds of ways. When she sat down two seats away from him, he glanced over at her to find her cutting her eyes toward him.

Bingo .

Avery plopped a fifty down on the bar top, and the bartender headed straight to him, bypassing the blond as she sat there. “Yeah, another one?”

“Sure. And give the lady whatever she wants,” he told the bartender loudly enough for the woman to hear him. She spun on her barstool and flashed him a beautiful, white smile. “’Zat okay with you?” he asked in her direction.

“That’s more than okay with me. Mind if I join you?” she asked, her southern drawl making his muscles flex.

“Come right on down here. I’ve been saving this seat for you all evening. Name’s Avery,” he said, holding out a hand.

She took it and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Shayla. And this seat’s for me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

“Obviously. I’ve let a few other girls try it out, but you’re the one who looks right sitting on it,” Avery told her, laying it on thick.

“Oh, yeah? I bet you say that to every girl who walks by,” she said with a wink.

He shrugged. “I’ve let quite a few walk by tonight. You’re the first one I’ve let sit there for more than a few seconds.” That wasn’t exactly true; two of them had sat down and talked to him, only to have another guy walk up and whisk them away. That’s what they did―sidle up to a guy sitting by himself and get him to buy her a drink to save their boyfriend’s money. He saw it all the time. “By the way, which one of these guys is your boyfriend?” Avery asked. It was getting late and he was tired of messing around. Best to just cut to the chase or he’d be going home alone.

She glanced around the room quickly, then stared straight at him. “I’d say he’s right here beside me. At least for now. It’s a temporary position. You applying?”

“I might be,” Avery was ready to take up the game. “What does it entail?”

“You’d have to find someone to bring with you. Someone big and hard who can stay up all night,” she said with a wink and glanced down at the front of his jeans.

“Not a challenge. I know just the guy,” Avery told her matter-of-factly. That really made her smile. “Just say the word and he’ll rise to the occasion.”

He watched as she squirmed on her barstool like it was on fire. God, he hoped Jason was out when he took her home with him. Or maybe they’d go to her place. He’d like that better because he could get up and leave whenever he wanted. There had been plenty of times when he had trouble getting a woman out of his bed, and he hated that. As though she were reading his thoughts, she said, “My roommate’s out of town for the weekend. Want to come to my place and entertain each other?”

“Let me finish this beer. My friend likes being fully hydrated before he runs a marathon,” Avery told her, taking another sip. “So what do you do, Shayla?”

“You remembered my name!” she chirped. And she seemed astonished that he would.

“Of course! And my name is…”

“Avery!” He nodded and smiled. “Well, I work at the army base. I’m in acquisitions.”

“Ah, acquisitions! No wonder you found me so quickly tonight!” he laughed.

“Yeah! Lots of experience finding things and reeling them in.”

“I see.” He felt his cock jump at her words. “Finish your drink. My friend is anxious to meet you.”

“Sounds good to me!” It only took her four swallows to down the liquor, and he wondered what she’d do with something besides alcohol. “Ready when he is,” she announced.

Avery caught the bartender again. “Ring me up, please.” With a ten in tip for the guy―after all, that drink had caught a live one―Avery took Shayla’s arm and led her out of the bar.

He followed her to her apartment near FortCampbell and locked his truck up as he got out. As apartment complexes near the military installation went, it was very nice, almost upscale. Some of the places around there were dives, and he’d been a little worried. But inside was as nice or nicer than outside―freshly-painted walls, overstuffed, comfortable furniture, and two very nice, very large bedrooms. Hers was painted a dark, dusty teal color with teal and gray linens and a big comfy-looking chair in the corner. And he recognized something else instantly: Tantra chair. “Oh, holy hell, I’ve seen pictures of these things, but I’ve never actually seen one before.”

“Really? Well, I suppose this is your chance to try one out, huh?” she cooed as she unzipped her dress and let it fall, giving him the full view of her long, straight spine uninhibited by a bra. That spine ended at the top of a thong, its lacy string crossing her back and another disappearing into the crack of a firm, round ass.

Then she turned, and all his fantasies were realized. The huge, colorful tattoo wrapped around the front of her torso, one of the dragon’s legs outlining a big, heavy breast, its nipple pert and hard. “Is that a fire-breathing dragon?” Avery quipped, pulling his tee off over his head and flexing his pecs.

“No, but there are parts of me that definitely breathe fire,” she said in a husky whisper. “What about you? Got a hose to put it out?”

“I’m your favorite firefighter.” Avery advanced on her, put a hand on either side of her waist, and leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were hot and soft, and his tongue had no trouble gaining access. It was like she’d been custom ordered for him, like everything about her fit everything about him, and before long, they were stretched out on the bed, his hands roaming her body, her hands looking for the only thing she really wanted from him and finding it, hard and waiting.

He was ready to take the plunge when she said, “Come over here and try this thing out.” As he watched, she waltzed across the room, still in her platform sandals, and draped herself over the high end of the tantra chair, face up.

Everything her mama gave her was on full display there, her juices glittering in the low light of the lamp on the nightstand. Avery treated both of her nipples to a hard tweak and listened to her groan, then pressed the head of his condom-sheathed monster into her slit and gave a shove. Meeting with zero resistance, it took him a split second to bury himself in her, and then he set about teasing her hard, swollen little nub until she was screaming. As soon as she tightened around him, Avery cut loose.

He pounded her relentlessly, so hard that he had to repeatedly reposition her to keep her from sliding down the tantra chair. Then he sat down in the lowest dip of the chair and told her to ride him. As well as he could recall, no woman had ever provided the friction that fireball did as she bounced up and down on him, first facing him and then in reverse cowgirl. Watching that ass lift and fall on his cock was almost more than he could stand, and yet he held off, wanting to try as many positions on the chair as he could. It was like a theme park ride for horny adults, and Avery had never had that much fun in bed, or rather, a chair. But eventually he bored of the furniture and, pressing her up against a wall, he lifted her under her legs and powered into her, pinned there as she was, listening to her cry out and beg for more.

He filled four condoms before he was done with her, and by then it was three in the morning. They lay side by side in her king bed, arms and legs tangled in the sheet, and he let her cuddle up against him. “God, that was some wild shit,” she mumbled, still panting.

“Yeah. It was awesome,” he muttered back. He just had one question.

If it was so awesome, why did he feel so shitty?

Avery waited until five o’clock and then looked over at the sleeping woman. She hadn’t moved in twenty minutes, so he felt it was probably fairly safe to say that she was soundly out for the rest of the morning. He gathered up his clothes, then put everything on in the living room and checked to make sure he had his wallet, phone, and keys. Everything seemed to be in order, and he took one more peek into the bedroom.

She lay there, naked and fine, the sheet barely covering her pelvis. That dragon seemed to be winking at him, and he wondered if it had a name. Her wavy blond hair was all over the pillow, several strands snaking across her face, and he smiled. Shayla. He’d never see her again, but he’d remember her name. And that might not be true—if he went back to that bar, he might run into her again. If she wanted to fuck him, he’d probably take her up on it. But that temporary boyfriend position was the only one he’d ever want. After Shannon, he didn’t have the courage to try that permanent thing again. He didn’t think he ever would.

With the silent stealth of a soldier, Avery sneaked out the front door and locked it behind him. He had everything, including one of her business cards from the military. If he’d left anything behind, he could call her. He could also call her if he wanted to go out. Or maybe for a booty call. But nothing more. Ever. His truck was quiet and the tank had three-quarters showing on the gauge. Life was good.

He got home just in time to turn off the alarm clock, but it didn’t matter. He’d give a lousy thirty percent at work because he just didn’t care.

Nothing really mattered anymore.

* * *

The bell rang and Avery threw down his leather gloves, then stalked off to the break room. Thirty minutes for lunch really wasn’t enough, but he’d take what he could get.

“Boy, my ass is dragging,” Robert said as they stepped into the large room, its industrial steel picnic tables waiting for them. “Some nights I have nightmares that every time we get caught up, more comes in.”

“That’s not a nightmare, dumbass. That’s real life. It’s called job security, so we’d better never get caught up or we’ll be out of work,” Marty told him. “Hey, Avery, you got change for a twenty?”

“Yeah. And I’m using it. Get your own.” He knew his tone was shitty, but he didn’t care.

“Asshole! Just because you’re miserable doesn’t mean everybody else has to be, does it?” Robert called out.

“Go fuck yourself, Reynolds,” Avery snarled. He put his money into the machine and out fell a premade sandwich. He moved to the next machine and got a bag of chips, and then the next one to get a soft drink.

“Look what my wife packed for me today. Roast beef sandwich, pickle spears, and homemade potato salad,” Marty said with a smile.

“Lucky dog. Mine sent me with lite tuna salad, carrot sticks, and vitamin water,” Robert countered.

They both turned and looked at Avery. “What’s up your ass?” Marty snorted.

Avery sneered at them. “Just wondering why a couple of pussies can’t pack their own damn lunches.”

“Yeah, well, you let me know when you have a woman to pack your lunch for you and I’ll dance on the table naked,” Robert snapped. “You see I’m really worried about that possibility, huh?”

“Fuck you.” Avery shoved a potato chip into his mouth, his eyes hardening.

They kept eating and ignoring him. It got harder to be there every day. And just when he didn’t think it could get any harder, she walked right past the breakroom window. “Ah, look at that! Mrs.Shannon Holcomb. My oh my, she’s a looker, isn’t she, Avery?” Marty cooed.

“Yeah, Avery, she’s a real beauty. But you would know, wouldn’t you?” Robert goaded.

Avery just picked up his lunch, threw it in the trash, and headed back to the floor. Ten minutes later, he was standing at his station, torch in hand, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Ben standing there, suit and tie spotless. God, could the day get any worse? “Yeah? You need something?”

“I’d like a word with you in my office.” Ben turned and headed back toward his ivory palace, and Avery turned off the torch and followed, wondering what kind of fresh hell was about to descend on him. As soon as he’d stepped into the office, Ben turned to him. “Shut the door and have a seat.”

Avery took the chair nearest the door. “I’m your older brother. You don’t get to order me around. What’s this about?”

“Here, I’m your boss, so I get to do whatever the hell I please. It’s about your attitude. Everybody’s complaining about it, and frankly, I’m sick of hearing about it.”

It took him two seconds to get his pissed-off on. “My attitude? Why doesn’t everybody just stay off my back?”

“Nobody’s on your back,” Ben countered.

“Yeah? I can’t go in the breakroom without somebody making wisecracks. It’s not funny, at least not to me. Never has been,” Avery muttered.

“Is this about Shannon?” Ben asked.

“It’s ALL about Shannon!” Avery shouted. “It’s all about Shannon, and me and Shannon, and you and Shannon! And how she was mine and now she’s yours! How the fuck can you even ask me that?”

“You need to calm down or I’m going to have to send you home,” Ben warned.

“Then why the fuck don’t you send me home? You’ve taken everything else from me. Why not that too? Take my job! Hell, take my fucking life! It’s miserable anyway!” Avery was screaming so loudly that other employees out on the floor were staring.

“Why the hell do you think she’s with me instead of you? I’ll tell you why! Because you’ve got no ambition, no drive, and no sense! God damn it, Avery, do you really think Mom would want us at each other’s throats like this?” Ben shouted.

“Well, hell, I don’t know, little brother. Did she approve of you fucking my WIFE?” Avery yelled.

“She’s not YOUR wife! She’s MY wife!” Ben yelled, shaking with rage.

“Well, she sure as hell wasn’t when you started fucking her, now was she?” Avery dropped his voice and glared at his brother. “You know what? Fuck you. Fuck this job. Fuck it all. I’m leaving. You can give it to one of those limp dicks out there who have their wives pack their goddamn lunches. I quit.” Avery turned and yanked the door open, then strode out into the shop and almost ran headlong into Shannon. “Excuse me,” he mumbled and brushed past her.

“Avery?” Her soft voice got to him every time. “Avery, we’re family. We should at least try to get along.”

He spun and let out an exasperated sigh. “We’re not family, Shannon. You and that husband of yours are just people I’m unfortunate enough to know.” Without another glance, Avery practically stomped his way out of the building and straight to his car.

There had to be a way for him to get out of Clarksville. He’d had all he could take.

* * *

“Is it mine or is it not?” Avery snapped into the phone.

His mother sighed. “It’s yours. But what do you think you’re going to do with it?”

“I’m getting the hell out of here.” As they talked, Avery was packing bags, boxes, anything he could find to stuff things into. “I’m leaving here and I’m not coming back.”

“But honey, you’ve got a job here and…”

“No. I quit.”

“Avery, your dad built that company from the ground up. He wanted you and Ben to run it together.”

“Oh, yeah?” Avery threw some books into a box. “You know what, Mom? He wanted Ben to run it. Just like you wanted Ben to run it. You had no intention of letting me into that circle; neither of you did. Ben’s in the office and I’m doing the same grunt work as half the damn workforce there. I’m a nobody.”

“Oh, honey, it’s because you wouldn’t apply yourself,” she said, sighing again.

“Apply myself? I was applying myself. I ran the shipping department and did a great job, but the first time Ben laid eyes on my wife, he moved me out to the floor on third shift so she’d be alone at night and he could just waltz right in.” Avery tossed two more books into the box, then threw one in the trash can. “So I’m taking my money and leaving. I’m done.” Before she had a chance to say another word, Avery hung up the phone.

He had everything packed in thirty minutes; hell, he had virtually nothing anyway. Everything he’d had left had pretty much fit in a shoebox by the time Shannon was done with him. And the worst part was, she didn’t even want it. She’d managed to get the house, only to sell it and pocket the money, like she needed it. She had access to all of the company’s funds because of Ben, and why she needed to take the only thing he had, he wasn’t sure. But that was what she’d done. Broken his heart and taken everything away from him.

Well, he’d show them all. As soon as he’d packed everything into his truck, he headed downtown to the bank. Boy, they’d be pissed when they discovered he’d put all three million of his trust fund money into a checking account somewhere else, but that’s exactly what he planned to do. If he kept it in that bank, their minions would be able to track him. No. He wasn’t going to have that.

Once the transfer was done, Avery got three thousand in cash and headed back to the truck. He started to pick up a map, and then decided against it. He didn’t know where he was going and he didn’t care.

As long as it wasn’t there.

* * *