Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Teller
“I’m going to be late for work,” Madison gasped.
“You’d better come, then.”
Her legs were splayed on either side of my head as she was pressed into the corner of the spare room on the cot she’d been sleeping in at the bar. She arched her back and pushed her pussy against my face, and a blast of heat hit as she came. Fuck, yes. I lived for this moment. When she climaxed, there was nothing on her mind but how good she felt, and I was the one giving it to her.
She pushed at my hair, and I rose, licking my lips. Then I drew one exposed nipple into my mouth. A shiver racked her and her tits jiggled.
Her eyes were hazy, but she smiled. “You’re so naughty.”
I grinned and pushed up, taking in her long, nude body. Full breasts, strong hips, and a stomach that I had a hard time keeping my hands off.
She eyed the push of the erection at my jeans. “I can take care of you.”
“I’m a man of my word, Mads. I don’t need the pleasure.”
She frowned and grabbed her underwear from where it had landed on the pillow. “But why do you need the pain?”
I sat back on my knees and nearly slid off the cot. I twisted to sit on my ass. If I watched her dress, I’d keep taking each article of clothing off. “It’s not about pain.” It was putting her first. Always. The way it should’ve been for much of her life. It was about showing her she was more to me than a good time, but if I told her that, she might start building a wall between us, brick by brick.
Her phone pinged. She crawled over the cot to peek at her phone. She had her bra and underwear on and was shrugging into her scrub top. When she saw who had texted, she yanked up her phone and growled. Then she tossed it back on the storage bins moonlighting as end tables.
Her frown deepened as she wiggled into her scrub bottoms. “I’ve gotta clean up before work.” She popped up, stuffed her feet into slippers, and turned. “That was Wendi.”
My ex’s name took care of my erection. The blood reversed direction, retreating to keep from having anything to do with Wendi. “Not good news?”
“Is it ever with her?” We shared a smile, then she glared at her phone. “Logan’s too busy this summer to come visit me.”
In other words, Wendi was controlling and likely jealous of her former sister-in-law. She might sense Damien still had some feelings for Madison. Or she might be jealous that Logan would be excited to see his aunt. Either way, it hurt Madison. “That’s fucked up. I’m sorry.”
“It is fucked.” She rubbed a spot between her brows. “I told her I could drive out there. But nope. Too busy.”
She disappeared. Moments later, the sound of a toilet flushing filled the silence. Then water running. Several minutes later, she returned, her hair in a refreshed braid. “I’m going to wake up early tomorrow since this is my last night for a week.”
I’d be happy to have her to myself for a while. “Maybe we can grab something to eat when you get up.”
Other than the cookies she’d made as part of our bet, I’d eaten like shit since she’d been working her six-day stretch of twelve-hour shifts. When she was off, she made oatmeal taste good with brown sugar and toasted pecans. For meals, she had tossed in roasts or cooked steaks. I’d thought Mama spoiled me. Madison took it to a new level. I could pay her back in more than orgasms.
“There’s nothing to grab but a coffee,” she said.
“We could go to Curly’s.”
She paused, grabbing her purse. “Like a date?”
“No,” I said quickly, and she drew back. Shit. We were messing around, but she balked at the thought of being official. The sting to my ego gave way to logic. I couldn’t assume with her. She was guarded for a reason. “It’d be more casual. We can ask Tenor and Ruby or something so it doesn’t look like a romantic night.”
She pursed her lips. “Wouldn’t want that.”
The more I was around her, the more I was certain that we weren’t a fluke. This thing between us was significant and real. Like nothing I’d ever experienced. Was she starting to feel the same? “It’s not that I don’t want that. Things didn’t work out with Wendi—thank God—but every girl after, it was the questions. How serious were we? Someone heard there would be a summer wedding. I heard I bought at least three engagement rings over a two-year span. The girls I was seeing would listen to rumors and get excited. Next thing I knew, I was in an argument about how callous I was.” I didn’t need those rumors getting back to Madison and muddling her thoughts about me, about us. There was an us. I was sure of it.
Her expression softened. “Sorry. I didn’t know it got that bad. I’d like to go to Curly’s. I haven’t been out in...” She frowned. “Well, a long time.”
She’d been scrimping her pennies. “Tomorrow. Let me know when you wake up.”
“I’m also going to meet with Sal.”
Another bite of hurt. She hadn’t told me. “What does that asshole have to say?”
“I don’t know yet.” She lifted a shoulder, but a mysterious smile lifted her lips. “I figured it was time to start asking questions about the sale and any conflicts of interest that could be benefitting him.”
I reclined on her makeshift bed. The comforter smelled like her fresh-linen scent. Why was it so hot that she listened to me? “I seem to recall saying something like that.”
“Did you?” she asked innocently. “I don’t remember.”
“I’ll spell the conversation out with my tongue next time.”
“Promise?” She kicked a hip out, looking cute and sexy in her scrubs. I’d never had a nurse fantasy after what my ex had done, but I was developing a CNA fetish.
She grinned and grabbed the lunch she’d packed, stopping to frown inside. “Did you buy me more jelly beans?”
“Red apple.”
This time, her smile was as sweet as the cookies she baked. “Thank you.”
Then she was gone. I had the bar to myself, which was fine, but I couldn’t walk through the place without memories of us stamped into every surface. Her open to me on the pool table. Against the back wall. Then there were the more tender moments. When I’d said the nickname she hated over and over until her pupils dilated and the pulse at the base of her throat fluttered. When I’d wanted to hold her so bad after the bricks smashed the windows.
So much of her was in the bar and it wasn’t even done. Once the cabinets, booths, and bar were installed and I finished the bathrooms, she’d be ready to open. By some miracle, we hadn’t had delays other than the windows, which were scheduled for installation in a couple of weeks.
I picked up my tool belt and got to work. After a couple of hours, there was rapping on the front door.
“Police! Open up!”
“Nice try, Cruz,” I called back.
More than one guy laughed on the other side of the door. I unlocked it and found Lane and Cruz Foster staring back, giant grins on their faces.
“We’re here to kidnap you,” Lane said. His dark hair was slicked off his face and he had sunglasses on despite the sinking sun.
When I’d first met the guy, he’d worn grease-stained jeans and ratty T-shirts. His hair had been longer, and he’d probably trimmed it himself. Cruz hadn’t been much different. He still wore his hair stylishly long, but their clothing had a Western flair. Gone were the heavy biker boots. They wore cowboy boots, dusty jeans if they’d been working, and T-shirts that had holes from work, not because they couldn’t afford more clothing.
Cruz rubbernecked around me. “Damn. It looks the same but different. Can we see inside?”
I stepped aside. Madison probably wouldn’t mind. Cruz and Lane weren’t from Bourbon Canyon. When Myles had returned to win Wynter back, he’d learned he had brothers who were already young adults. Mama had taken the two brothers in, and my siblings and I had shown them the ranching ropes. In turn, Lane and Cruz worked for Bailey Beef and Lane had saved us a ton doing mechanic work for us on the side. All billable hours. Tate had made sure of it.
Lane sauntered in, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets. “Flatlanders resurrected, huh?”
“Almost.” I ushered them in and locked the door behind us.
The tour only took a few minutes. I stayed away from Madison’s room, and I didn’t mention that she’d been staying here. “I was just going to mount a urinal before you showed up.”
Cruz made a disgusted sound. “Don’t need to know your personal life, Teller.”
I shot him a glare, barely holding back my snicker.
Lane appraised me. “We’ll give you a hand if you let me grab a bottle of Original for us for the evening.” A sly smile spread across his face. “I heard you’ve been trying to mount something else. A pretty little bar owner.”
This time, I turned serious. “Who’d you hear that from?”
“As if bringing a woman to a family gathering wouldn’t make the rounds.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Why not?” Lane crossed his arms and his biceps bulged a whole lot more than they had before he’d worked on the ranch.
“It’s just not,” I said, irritated. It was like they were cracking open the door to my private time with Madison. She might run out if it opened too far.
Cruz’s grin told me I’d get even crankier. “It’s absolutely like that. What’s going on? She friend-zone you?”
A friend wouldn’t have done what I had earlier. “No.”
They stared at me.
I would use Madison’s tactics. “It’s none of your business. Either of you.”
Cruz’s smile only widened. “Hot damn. You’re into her.”
“So into her.” Lane smirked. He wandered toward the boarded windows. “Tenor said the windows got busted, so she’s staying with you. For safety.” I didn’t respond, so he continued to pace along the exposed brick, running his fingers over the cool stone. “I’ve seen her around. She’s quiet for someone who grew up here.”
I worked my jaw back and forth. “She didn’t have the best childhood.” I wasn’t giving away her secrets. All of Bourbon Canyon had known what her parents had been like. “Things weren’t easy for her. Neither were people.”
Cruz grimaced, clicking his tongue. “She’d identify better with us than the loving Bailey crew?”
I nodded. “And now she’s got this bar to try and earn a living from. She doesn’t need people around town speculating about us.”
“They already do.” Cruz shrugged when Lane shot him a glare. “What? It’s true.”
“We stopped in at Copper Summit to see Tenor,” Lane added. “Hit up a couple of girls we thought were tourists, but they were just home for a reunion. They were mourning that all the Bailey men were off the market. Tenor’s getting married and you’re hooking up with Scooter’s sister.”
“She deserves better than just hooking up,” I said vehemently.
Both guys studied me.
“So it’s like that,” Lane said.
“The Bailey brothers are all off the market,” Cruz parroted.
There was a ring of truth in what he said. I’d already been off the market for a few years, but because of Madison, I didn’t ever want to go back on it.
Madison
Teller: Let me know when you’re up and we’ll go to lunch.
I stretched in bed. A few hours of sleep on this quality mattress was better than nine hours of crappy sleep on that cot in the bar. I rolled up and pushed my hair back.
We were going to Curly’s, but I craved making bread more than I did eating it. I missed the process of mixing and kneading. When I had my own place, I’d make another sourdough starter. I ought to have enough time to do it at Teller’s, but we were busy all through the day.
The new bathroom partitions were supposed to arrive soon and the cabinets for the bar were due the week after. Once the windows were installed, I could do a soft open, start bringing in money, and refine how the bar would run. I could even make some goodies, like cupcakes, cookies, and my homemade caramels.
No. Flatlanders was a bar. It was known for rough edges and strong drinks. But desserts might distract patrons from noticing the mixed drinks were actually mixed.
I rolled out of bed and took a few extra minutes in the shower. The warm-water-and-high-pressure combo was still a treat. After I was done, I grabbed my jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt. I stepped into the pants but stared at the top while I zipped and buttoned the jeans. I had brought the rest of my clothing. Did I have a better shirt?
We weren’t going on an official date, but I could look like I cared a little more. I’d already braided my hair. Doing anything else would be a big ol’ signal that I had my hopes up for more. I wasn’t ready to show him that I cared. He could do better than me, but I didn’t have to make it more obvious to everyone than it was.
I found a shirt with minimal wrinkles that was cream-colored with a bright sunflower on the front. It was too short to tuck in. To anyone else, it’d be a normal top. To me, it was like wearing a dress. Bright and girly.
I shrugged into the shirt and tugged the hem down, staring at the sunflower. I’d shown it to Damien after I’d bought it. Not really your style, is it? That was all he’d said and I hadn’t worn it. But I also hadn’t given it away.
Downstairs, I found a coffee from Mountain Perks in the fridge with “Mads” written on it. Smiling, I pulled it out and tossed it in the microwave for a minute. I wouldn’t need to make food. More room for Curly’s buns.
How’d he get them so soft? Someday, I’d have the space and time to refine my own recipe.
I took a sip of the warm coffee. I had the house to myself. We’d been coming and going, and in between, we’d been messing around. The chance to snoop hadn’t presented itself. I loved the vibe of the place and wanted to see the rest. Were all the rooms as welcoming and cozy?
Before I poked around, I shot a message off to Teller. I’m awake. Thanks for the coffee.
I took a drink and wandered through the living room. Hands down, this was my favorite spot. The square footage was almost as big as the house I’d grown up in, except for the garage Mom and Dad had converted into an all-seasons rec room so Dad could watch football and drink beer. No girls allowed.
I found the main-level bathroom I’d heard Teller use that first night we’d been together-ish. There were two more doors in the hallway. One must be the office Teller had mentioned.
I opened the door closest to the bathroom and laundry room and poked my head in. Yep. An office. “Nice.”
It could be a bedroom, but the way he’d decorated it was a work of art. Crisp aluminum prints of Copper Summit hung on the walls over a moderate-sized streamlined desk. No large hunk of wood for Teller, which surprised me. This room was like him. Rugged but modern.
A large window took over the longest wall. Copious sunlight streamed in and there was nothing but trees and green grass for a view. So gorgeous. I closed the door and went to the next one.
It was a bedroom, very similar to the guest room I was using. The artwork was softer, canvas prints of the Bailey family ranch with the rolling hills and the tree-filled mountains in the background.
I leaned my head against the doorframe and took another sip of my coffee. Teller loved his home. He loved his job. His family was his priority. Any one of those would be special, but to have all three? I’d never met anyone like him, and if I had, they hadn’t wanted anything to do with me.
The front door opened. I closed the door and beelined for the entry that connected with the mudroom.
“Hey.” Teller wiped his boots off like it was a habit. There was no mud and he hadn’t been working at the ranch. He wore a black polo with the copper logo of the distillery embroidered over his left pec. “I like that shirt.”
Pleasure infused me, sudden but hesitant. “Thank you.” I tensed, preparing for the but . It never came.
Instead, he crossed to me, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pressed a kiss to my lips. He didn’t take it further, pulling back almost immediately. “I’m not going to be able to drink coffee without your flavor in it anymore.”
“I was snooping.” The confession shot out of me like a bullet. “I know you said you’d give me a tour, but I was curious.”
Humor crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Find anything incriminating?”
“Another bedroom. Why didn’t you put me there?”
“I wanted you closer to me.”
A lasso looped around my heart, and he was holding the end. If he kept saying things like that, the depth I was falling for him would be bottomless.
“Ready to go eat?” he asked.
“I can drive. You’re already taking so much time off.” I could’ve met him there.
“Cruz and Lane stopped in at the bar last night, and we got the urinals done, and most of the toilets. You mind?”
Alarm hovered, waiting for permission to rise. Two strange guys had been in Flatlanders? They’d been customers before, from what Scott had said. He’d grudgingly let them stay without tossing them out like he would a Bailey. Claimed their money spent the same, but it was likely that the Foster brothers also attracted more women to the bar.
I hadn’t officially met Lane or Cruz Foster, but they hadn’t caused trouble with my family, though surely someone had filled them in about the Townsends. “No. It’s fine.”
He narrowed his eyes like he was inspecting my “fine” to determine if it was very much not fine.
“Really,” I stressed. “They seem like good guys.”
“They are. And they’re as good with porcelain as they are engines.” A teasing smile lit his eyes. “If you’re going to admit to snooping, I’m going to confess to bringing Copper Summit under Flatlanders’ roof.”
I let out a mock gasp. “Did the walls shake?”
“No, but it gave us a chance to use those urinals. Cruz and Lane practice-flushed every toilet.” He spread his hands apart. “With their help, I’m done until the partitions arrive. They’re helping out at the ranch while they’re here until Tenor and Ruby’s wedding, and tomorrow, we’re running to Billings to get the light fixtures. We’ll get them wired in a full day quicker than I could do alone.”
An old pressure squeezed my ribs. “I can’t reimburse them.”
“Trust me, Mads. They’re good guys, but it’s best if they’re not idle. They didn’t have the tamest upbringing and sometimes the wild sneaks out.”
Now I liked them even more. “Okay. But I’ll buy the bourbon next time.”
Teller swayed closer. “We don’t have to buy bourbon, darlin’.”
Warm tingles spread over my skin. He had access to all the bourbon he wanted, a lot of money, and... me. “Show-off.”
He winked and cocked his elbow out. “You can finish your coffee on the way.”
“I have to meet Sal in a couple hours.” Sal didn’t know I was stopping in. No more excuses.
“Then I’ll be your getaway driver. I can wait in the pickup.”
I didn’t want Teller with me. Sal would be on guard, but I also needed to handle it myself. I needed to be taken seriously, but I’d like knowing he wasn’t far away. “Deal. Let’s get some buns.”