33. Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-three
Blue
“ Hop in, buddy.” My wrist drapes the steering wheel as I watch Clay struggle to climb up the running boards into my truck.
“I can’t move that quick yet.” He settles into his seat, then tugs at the belt.
When it pops free, a pair of Libby’s yellow panties hang from the buckle.
She was looking for those this morning.
Clay starts chuckling. “Jesus, Blue, you old dog. Teach me your ways.”
“If you only knew.” I grab the silky garment and stuff it in my pocket.
He leans slowly, pushing himself against the cushions.
“Fuck, I just can’t wait to get healed up.
I think I’ve been driving Lib crazy. Once I can start driving again, maybe I can start palling up with you when you hit the bars?
” He glances at me for the first time. “It’s like a weight has been lifted without the responsibility of the dairy. ”
“Have you thought about what you’re gonna do now?” I try to push the subject away from carousing.
That’s the last thing on my mind. My priority now is to spend every second with the girl I love.
My fingers drift to her underwear, remembering the moans she gave me when she came.
Was that really less than an hour ago?
Seems like days.
Clay lets out a long sigh. “Heal up first. Then one of my Army buddies invited me to a car show in Reno. I’m tempted to buy this ‘68 Mustang I’ve had my eye on to drive out there.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun. You should do it.” It’d keep him occupied and out of Libby’s hair.
I pull the truck into one of the last parking spots at Val’s Hilltop Bar.
“Shit. It’s busy today,” Clay mutters as he slides out. “Hope we can find a table.”
“I think we’ll be fine. Let’s head to the back corner where we usually sit.” I herd him ahead of me, dropping my chin to tip my cowboy hat to Ford as I pass him.
He winks, dropping a sly grin and tilts his own back, then pulls April onto his lap.
I’m so fucking happy he found someone. She’s been amazing for pulling him out of the dark cloud he’s been in for years .
He even understood when I told him I wouldn’t make it to Italy next month for his wedding.
It’s hard to travel after spending the kind of money I did on a dairy farm.
Completely worth it.
“Hey, Mason. Sawyer. This must be the wife?” Clay pauses at their table, reaching out to shake Mason’s hand.
Libby said he hasn’t seen the new brands yet, otherwise I bet his attitude would be a little different.
“Clay. Yep, this is Lori.” Mason wraps his arm across her lower back, his thumb moving in a broad circle.
She’s closer to popping than Char is. I think their baby is due any day.
That makes me antsy.
I’ve still been careful not to lose myself in Libby. Yet.
“How’re you feeling? Glad to be out of the hospital?” Mason makes easy conversation with Clay while giving me a fast side-eye before returning his focus.
My phone vibrates in my pocket.
Libby: I need you
Me: Where are you?
Libby: By the bathrooms.
“Mason, can you order us a couple of beers, please?” I pull out one of the chairs for Clay. “Have a seat, buddy. I gotta hit the head, but I’ll be right back. ”
“Huh? Okay.” Clay lowers himself slowly, turning again to Mason.
Pushing through the crowd of familiar faces, it doesn’t take me long to get to the narrow musty hallway that leads to the restrooms.
My hand is just raising to knock on the women’s door, when a hand darts out, covering my wrist.
“Hey.” Her sweet voice pours like high octane over me, amping up every molecule in my body.
She’s a new woman since I saw her last. Her golden locks are framed around her face, with a white sundress decorated with tiny cherry blossoms hugging her sexy frame.
“Hmm, baby. I missed you.” Wrapping my palms around her waist, I press her to the wall.
“It’s been an hour,” she giggles, locking her arms behind my neck.
“Fifty-nine minutes too long.” My lips press against hers, then I tilt my head to find the fluttering pulse of her arching throat.
My cell buzzes with a text, but I ignore it.
She’s my only focus.
“Is my dad here? He wasn’t sure this morning if he’d go through with it.” She nibbles on the lobe of my ear.
Words slip away from my access as my groin tightens.
“Yep,” I grunt, diving back to find her hungry mouth again .
“Hey, Blue? There’s some sort of shindig, so maybe we should—Shit. I didn’t take you long to find a girl this time, did it?” Clay’s voice makes us both freeze.
Shadowed by the brim of my hat, Libby’s eyes widen.
I peel my head up at a snail’s pace, then meet his grinning face.
But his expression flattens.
“Libby?” As the recognition dawns, anger draws his brows down into a dangerous “V”.
“Dad, look, I can—”
Stars burst in my eyes and my nose pops from the sudden punch.
“What the ever-loving fuck are you doing kissing my daughter?” He yells, raging seeping from his words.
Blood gushes from my nostrils down my clean pressed shirt.
“Clay, I—” My palm covers my mouth as I pinch at the geyser erupting from my nasal passages.
“Don’t fucking ‘Clay’ me. I know how you are. If I was healed up, I’d beat the shit out of you,” he growls, his fists balling in front of his chest.
“Don’t you dare.” Libby steps between us, facing him. “I love him, daddy.” She keeps one hand on my sleeve, but stands defiantly.
“No you don’t,” he grits. “He’s gonna fuck you and leave like he does all the rest.”
Oh thank God .
Dixon and Ford appear behind Clay, both dropping their heavy palms on Clay’s shoulders.
“I told you making it a surprise would be a bad thing.” Ford shakes his head.
“Let go of me. He’s the asshole here.” Clay tries to shake them off, but in his weakened state, fails miserably.
“No, daddy. He’s the groom. ” Libby jabs her finger into his chest.
That sets him on his heels. “The what?”
“It’s true, Clay.” My voice sounds funny with a broken nose. “I love your daughter.”
He scoffs, his glare flicking between Libby and I. “You don’t love anyone.”
“No one but her,” I correct him. “I bought the farm, Clay. I’m the asshole who wants her to do what she loves for as long as she wants.” Fuck, my nose won’t stop bleeding.
Dixon strides past Clay and raises my chin, clinically appraising my aching face. “You’ll have black eyes, might be a little crooked now, but you’ll live.” He disappears into the men’s room and comes back with a wad of toilet paper. “Stuff that up there.”
“I, I don’t understand.” Clay’s arms drop, the red in his cheeks paling as he looks at his daughter. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Gosh, Dad. Look at this and you tell me why?” Her knuckles land on her hips. “Go ahead and lie to me and say that you’d have been fine with this. You never listen to what I want. You’d have found some damn way to try and stop it because it isn’t what you want.”
She backs up, and takes my hand. “We’re doing this. That’s why you’re here. So you can either sit down, shut up, and smile, or I’ll ask someone here to give you a ride home.”
Damn, I love her.
I give her fingers a reassuring squeeze.
Clay’s shoulders droop. “Oh, Lib. I’m sorry. I just always wanted you to have a better life than I had.” He rubs his temple, then looks at me. “Did you really buy her the dairy?”
I nod. My upper lip is already starting to swell. “I’d do anything for her.”
The music from the main room drifts over us as we all watch Clay.
Tears well in his eyes. “I should be happy, my best friend joining the family?” Then his arm raises to point at me. “Just know, if you ever break her heart, I’m gonna find you.”
“Yea, get in line.” A small smile tugs up my cheek.
Dixon laughs, with Ford joining him.
“Don’t worry, we all made him the same promise.” Dixon moves his large frame between us. “Clay, if you’d come with me? I think these two need a moment to clean up. ”
Ford lingers behind. “You alright? Want me to bring you a shot of whiskey?”
I wave him off. “Nah, I’m good. Maybe once the pain sets in.”
Libby’s cool fingers stroke my jaw. “I’m sorry, Blue. I was really hoping that would have gone better.”
“Can’t blame him. I’ll probably pull out a shotgun if I ever see our daughter necking with an old scoundrel like me.” I pull her with me to the bathroom, handing her my Stetson so I can see the damage.
The nasty soaked plugs go into the toilet, so at least I’m not having two red tails hanging from my nose. It seems like the worst of the bleeding is past.
My shirt is fucked.
“Then maybe we should have all boys?” She offers me fresh tissues for my nose, her blue eyes twinkling in the reflection.
“As you can see, boys also have their own issues.” I gesture to the mirror, and the stains down my front.
But then I turn to her, pulling her into my arms. “Are you ready for forever, rebel?”
She drops my hat on my head, adjusting it with pursed lips.
Then she stills against my chest, nestling her cheek into the hollow of my neck. “I am.”