Chapter 2
JACE
“ I ’m Maddison. Maddison MacKenzie.” The girl holds out her hand and smiles at me awkwardly. I can tell just from looking at this woman that she’s used to getting her way.
“Jace Sullivan.” I take that delicate hand and shake it firmly, appreciating how soft it feels in mine. Damn, she’s pretty, so pretty that I can’t seem to tear my gaze from those crystal blue eyes.
“Sawyer here was telling me you're looking for some help.” She seems to have lost her confidence all of a sudden.
“He was, huh?” I look at my best friend and scowl.
“I won’t lie and tell you I have experience, and I’ll be honest I’m kinda in a jam but I–”
“You’re hired.” I cut her off before she goes into her life fuckin’ story. Then picking up my hat and placing it on my head, I snatch the bottle from the bar and start making my way toward the door. I fail to hear the sound of her heels tapping after me, so I stop and turn around.
“You coming?” I check.
“Oh, you mean now” She looks back at me with those doe-fuckin’-eyes, before clumsily gathering the train of her dress, smiling at Sawyer gratefully, then scurrying after me.
“I have a car, it’s broken down and about a mile and a?—”
“Get in.” I stop beside my pickup truck and open the passenger door for her. Just the way she bites her lip and smiles at the same time when she pulls herself up into the seat, makes my dick twitch. I ignore the voice in my head that tells me this is a bad idea and quickly slam the door and round the hood to get in the driver's seat beside her.
“I can’t cook but I’ll learn, and I’ve always been good at keeping things tidy. I once rearranged my friend Kendra’s entire room in just a–”
“You talk a lot.” I point out as I pull out of the parking space and head toward home. She blushes and lowers her eyes to her lap while I hold my hand up to Eamonn Jeffries as I pass his hardware store.
“So how far away from here do you live?” She fidgets on her seat as we leave town in the dust and make our way toward the ranch.
“‘Bout a half hour.” I shrug,
“My car’s in the opposite direction. I’ll have to arrange to get it towed to the garage in town.”
“Cade’s not back till Tuesday,” I tell her.
“Yes, I’m aware.” She smiles politely, though I can tell she’s starting to get frustrated. I wonder if she looks as pretty when she's mad as she does when she’s smiling.
“So you're a cowboy, huh?” The girl seems insistent on making conversation.
“I’m a rancher,” I set her straight, focusing on the road and not allowing myself to get distracted.
“Do you have a horse?” she questions.
“‘Course, I got a horse.” I glance back across at her, what kinda stupid question is that?
“Do you have a lasso?”
“I got a rope.” I nod.
“Then you're a cowboy.” Her mouth twists into a smart little smile that makes me want to pull over and kiss it, but I manage to find some composure and continue to drive.
“The work’s not gonna be easy, the guys living in the bunkhouse expect three decent meals a day, and if you don’t stay on top of the laundry it can?—”
“Wait, I’m expected to do the laundry? And who are the guys ?” she interrupts me, looking horrified.
“I told ya, they live in the bunkhouse. And they really are cowboys,” I warn. They’re sure gonna like her, and I already know it’s gonna piss me the fuck off.
“Anything else you expect me to handle?” She laughs sarcastically.
“There’s always work to be done on the ranch. Stables to clean, fences to fix?—”
“I will not be fixing any fences.” Her eyebrows lift as she makes that point very clear.
“We’ll see.” I manage to hold back the smirk my lips are threatening to make as I drive over the bridge by the old forge.
“Are you not gonna ask?” We don’t get much further before she speaks up again.
“Ask about what?” I already know I can’t show this girl any weakness, something tells me that if I did, she could walk all over me.
“The fact I’m wearing a wedding dress and taking a job from a complete stranger.” The cute little huff she makes has me gripping the wheel a little tighter.
“Figure it ain’t my business.” I shrug, getting confused when it looks as if my answer has irritated her even more.
She remains silent for the rest of the journey, and I wonder if she senses the same tension I can as we get closer to home.
“Here we are.” I notice her expression change from nervous to shocked as I drive through the ranch gates.
“This is it?” She leans closer to the windshield.
“This is it. Home sweet home,” I confirm, driving past the corrals, and pulling up outside the main house.
“It’s…it’s beautiful.” She sounds completely thrown off and her mouth is still gaped open when I get out of the driver's seat and open the door for her.
“I was expecting a cabin and some stables, this place is…it’s huge.” She slides out the truck and continues to stare at the house in awe.
The boys in the yard stop working, slowly starting to gather and close in on us. They look her up and down as if they’ve never seen a female before, but she pays them no mind, she’s far too fascinated as she steps up onto the porch and glides her fingers across its oak frame.
“Pick your eyeballs up off the floor,” I growl at Carter under my breath before following behind her and opening the front door.
“You can get back to work now!” I call out at them all and shake my head at Lincoln in warning as Maddison moves inside. I know exactly what's going through his mind, and I don’t like it.
“Jace, I really wasn’t expecting this.” Maddison spins around as she takes in the interior of the place. Oddly, I find myself feeling relieved by her response. I like that my home impresses her and that, coming from a man who’s never really cared much about the opinions of others, feels very fuckin’ foreign.
“The kitchen’s just through here.” I lead her through the open-plan living space into the kitchen. “It was updated about a year ago, just before…” I stop myself and quickly move on. “This is the laundry room. We got an industrial washer and dryer. Things can get pretty dusty out there.” I clear my throat when I realize she’s standing in the door frame, and all I have is a very tight space to squeeze through.
“Don’t worry about your car, I’ll send one of the boys out to tow it. They can grab your stuff and bring it back here for you.” I try not to look her in the eyes as I slide back into the kitchen, they’re painfully beautiful, and having her here in my space is suddenly making me feel very territorial toward her.
“I don’t have any stuff. What you see, is what you get.” She raises her eyebrows and smiles sadly.
“Then I’ll have Kyle and Tyler speak to their little sister, Taylor, I’d say you were about her size.” I nod my head, trying to stop myself from imagining how she’d look without her pretty, white dress on. I’ve barely known this girl half an hour and already I want to find the man who deemed himself good enough to marry her so I can kick his fuckin’ ass.
“Come on, I’ll show you to your room.” I lead her back through the house and up the staircase. Hearing the way her dress rustles as she takes the steps behind me, makes me want to rip it off her body.
“I hope this’ll do.” I open one of the guest room doors, fully aware of the fact that I’ve chosen the room closest to mine. There’s a whole attic space I could offer her, but it feels too far away.
“Who else lives here?” She looks down the hall, then across the open landing at all the other doors.
“Just me, now you,” I tell her, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly. Jesus, what is this woman doing to me? My palms are fuckin’ sweating.
“It’s a big house for one person,” she points out.
“Yeah, well, it ain’t always been that way.” I leave her to get herself settled and head for my room, opening up my chest of drawers and taking out a creased-up shirt and some sweatpants. Then I march back onto the landing and knock on her door.
“Come in.” She’s looking out at the view from her window when I step inside, and for a second I allow myself to imagine that she’s wearing that dress she’s lookin’ so pretty in, for me.
“I thought you might make use of these until the boys get a chance to speak to Taylor.” I place my clothes on her bed and take a long step back.
“You can start work tomorrow. I already put an order in with Jean at the diner this morning, so the boys are gettin’ fed tonight.”
“I appreciate that.” She steps forward and lifts the clothes. “These too.” I don’t know what’s come over her since she’s been here, but instead of the sassy girl at the bar, she’s acting all subdued…almost sweet.
“No problem” I nod politely and start backing out the door.
“Wait.” She sounds a little desperate as she calls out for me to stop.
“I need some help with the dress.” Her lashes bat and her cheeks flush pink.
“Oh, yeah, sure.” I step up, and she turns around so her back’s facing me.
“It’s just a hook at the top and then the zip,” she explains as I try to grasp the delicate little hook in my big, clumsy hands.
I take some time to admire the bare skin on her shoulders once I finally release it, and my cock gets harder as I slowly slide the zip down her back, and expose more of her milky-white skin. The zip travels low enough for me to see the top of the white lace panties she’s wearing, and it makes me want to grip hold of the back of them and trail my tongue along her spine.
It’s not until I glance up at the full-length mirror in front of her, that I see that she’s watching me in its reflection.
“There, that should do it.” I shake the thoughts out of my head and quickly back away, sliding my palms over my jeans when I realize how clammy they’ve got.
“Make yourself at home,” I tell her, rushing out the door and closing it after me.
“That's so much better.” It’s a little later when she comes down the stairs, wearing my sweats and shirt, her hair’s loose now, slightly damp, and hanging over her shoulder, I wanna reach out and touch it. She spots the pizza box on the coffee table next to where my feet are propped and lifts the lid. “You saved me some?” She looks impressed as she helps herself to a slice then takes a seat on the couch beside me.
“So, what are we watching?” Her focus goes straight to the television.
“You can choose.” I hand her the remote control, there's nothing on the screen that's gonna interest me now that she’s in the room. Maddison MacKenzie looks far too good wearing my clothes for me to pay attention to anything else.
“I ended up taking a nap,” she admits, as if she feels the need to explain herself.
I don’t answer her, I just keep pretending to be interested in what's on the screen.
“My head hit the pillow and I just went out. I slept better than I have in months.” She laughs to herself. “Is that selfish? No one knows where I am, I didn’t show up to my own wedding or give an explanation to my fiancé. How could I have just slept like that?” She looks stunned at her own admission. “I’m a terrible person.” She takes the beer bottle out of my hand and helps herself.
“You should let your family know where you are and that you're safe.” I snatch it back from her.
“I can’t face them. Not yet. Everyone was so excited, they spent a fortune on that wedding. My father just made Adam a partner at his firm. I’ve made such a mess of everything.” She buries her head in her hands and I have no idea how I can comfort her. “My parents are gonna hate me, Adam’s parents are gonna hate me and Adam…”
“Why didn’t you go through with it?” I ask the question I’ve wanted to ask since I saw her sitting on the barstool in Sawyer’s bar. Up till now, I’ve managed to hold off on asking anything at all, convincing myself that if I didn’t know shit, it couldn’t hurt me. Which is pathetic considering I don’t even know this woman.
“I guess it just didn’t feel right.” She shrugs as she continues to eat her slice of pizza.
“And you didn’t figure that out before you put the dress on?” I frown at her.
“You're far too judgemental.” She takes the beer from my hand again and I growl in frustration.
“If you want a beer you just have to ask.”
“If you were a good host, you’d have offered,” she points out. My head shakes as I get up and make my way to the kitchen to grab her one.
“I’m pretty sure, as my housekeeper, you should be getting the beers for me,” I call out as I open the refrigerator door.
“I’m off the clock.” She waits for me to return before she takes the beer from my hand and winks at me.
“Happy wedding day.” I clink the neck of my bottle against hers before I retake my space on the couch.
“Believe me, this is not how I expected to be spending my wedding night.” She reaches forward to take another slice of pizza and I find it strangely satisfying to see her so relaxed.
“So what happened to your last housekeeper?” she asks, changing the subject.
“You sure are nosy.”
“Inquisitive,” she corrects me.
“She died,” I admit, feeling a sharp tug in my chest.
“You work her to death?” Maddison laughs as she licks her fingers clean.
“She was my mother,” I whisper sadly, and it makes her mouth drop open in horror.
“Shit! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine.” I shake my head.
“It’s not fine at all, me and my big mouth. I’m always saying things out loud before I think them over.” I notice the heat creep up her neck. “Do you want to talk about it?” She has that sad look of pity on her face as her body curls to face mine.
“Do you want to sit here and talk about your problems?” I question her, coldly.
“I guess we’ll see what's on T.V.” She quickly picks up the remote and starts flicking through the channels, stopping when she gets to some true crime program.
Maddison does her best to pretend to be interested, but I can tell from the way she fidgets with her fingers and bites her lip that she’s thinking hard about something.
“Adam didn’t want kids,” she blurts out, closing her eyes and taking a breath. “I always thought that he did, I thought it would be the next step. I even tossed my pills away yesterday morning. But now I think back, we never spoke about it. Which is odd, don’t you think? How can you spend six years with someone and not talk about things like that?” She shakes her head in confusion. “I only figured out last night at our rehearsal dinner how he felt. His cousin’s kids were running around the tables, and I was watching them, thinking about how rewarding it must feel to be a mom. Adam turned to me and said, “ Aren’t you glad we’ll never have to deal with that?” . I asked him what he meant, he just laughed and told me kids aren’t part of his plan. That’s when I realized.” She lowers her head and plays with the hem of the shirt she’s wearing.
“You want kids?” I smile to myself as I ask her. There have been times when I’ve thought about how it would be to have a few of them running around here. But there's a dark side to me, one that very few people see. I ain’t cut out for fatherhood.
“Of course, but it wasn’t just about wanting kids. I realized in that moment that I didn’t know the man I was marrying. Suddenly, I saw everything clearly. I wasn’t marrying Adam because I loved him or because I wanted to. I was marrying him because it was convenient for everyone else. Our parents have been friends our whole lives; my father had made him a partner. Last night, I realized I had no control over my life, and this morning, I took it back.” The excitement builds in her voice, and she smiles so proudly. “I’ve lost everything, but I’ve never felt better.” She giggles.
I like how she looks when she’s smiling, I like how she looks with her feet curled up on my couch wearing my shirt. I’m even starting to like that stir she’s put inside my chest since I first set eyes on her.