Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lynx
Every small town in Texas seemed to have a Dairy Queen, and Embers Ridge was no different.
It wasn’t a classy place by any means, but the food was good and the people were friendly, so I was happy when Reagan agreed that it sounded better than the diner.
Not that I was all that picky about where I ate, but this was something different.
Plus, it was fast.
Which, ultimately, had been my reason for suggesting it. The sooner we ate, the faster I could get her … somewhere.
“Did you even taste that burger before you inhaled it?” Reagan asked, staring at me from across the table.
I grinned, then stole a couple of her French fries. “Yeah.”
“How do you eat so fast?”
“I’m efficient.”
Getting up from my seat, I shifted over to her side of the booth, forcing her to move over toward the wall.
“What’re you doin’?” she asked, suspicion lacing her words.
I put my arm around her shoulder while she continued to hold her burger in her hands.
Leaning in, I placed my mouth close to her ear. “I’m gonna tell you all the dirty things I have in store for you later.” I felt the shudder that ran through her. “Maybe then you’ll eat faster.”
Reagan chuckled.
“First, I’m gonna strip your clothes off,” I told her, nipping her earlobe gently.
“Lynx,” she whispered.
“Yep, I’m gonna be makin’ you scream my name when I slide my tongue into your warm, wet pussy, then I’m gonna—”
Before I could continue, Reagan’s hand landed on my mouth. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed.
“I’m finished,” she said quickly.
I glanced down at her half-eaten burger. “No, you’re not.”
“Oh, trust me. I am.”
“What the fuck?”
My head jerked over, my gaze coming to land on Billy Watson standing beside our table.
Son of a bitch.
Rather than get to my feet and confront the asshole, I remained where I was, my body tensing, muscles gearing up for a fight.
To my surprise, Reagan continued eating as though there was nothing out of the ordinary here. No asshole ex-boyfriend standing there, glaring at us.
“What’re you doin’ with this dickhead?” Billy asked, his eyes imploring Reagan.
She didn’t answer.
“This is bullshit,” Billy grumbled. “He’s fuckin’ married, Reagan.”
To give the guy a little credit, at least he hadn’t verbally attacked Reagan at this point. That was possibly a first.
“Actually,” Reagan began, wiping her mouth and reaching for her drink, “the divorce is final.”
Yep, as of yesterday, I was a free man. To celebrate, I spent the majority of yesterday in bed with Reagan.
We had agreed to hold off until the divorce was final, and for the most part, I'd held up my end of the deal except for that one little slipup at the warehouse.
But most importantly, I was happy that it was no longer an issue between us.
“Is that right?” Billy smirked, his gaze coming to rest on me. “So that means I can go back to fuckin’ Tammy and she don’t have to get all freaked out afterwards?”
“Have at it, son,” I stated, meeting Billy’s stare.
The smirk fell from the guy’s face. He’d obviously expected to get a rise out of me. It wouldn’t work. Not when it came to my ex. Now, if he went after Reagan, that was an entirely different story.
“Y’all are made for each other, Billy,” Reagan said, a hint of anger in her voice. “And good luck with makin’ that one last.”
It didn’t surprise me one bit that Billy had been fucking Tammy. And vice versa. Nor did it bother me in the least.
“Fuckin’ bitch,” Billy grumbled under his breath.
I was on my feet in the span of a single heartbeat, coming toe-to-toe with Billy. I glared down at him. “I’ll put up with a lotta shit, but you will not talk to Reagan like that. Not now, not ever. Are we clear?”
“So defensive,” Billy retorted, a gleam of amusement in his eyes.
“You’re damn right I am,” I confirmed, keeping my voice low, my tone serious. “So from here on out, you keep your fuckin’ mouth shut where she’s concerned, and we won’t have any problems. Otherwise…” I knew I didn’t need to finish that sentence.
A small hand on my arm had me glancing to the side. To my surprise, Reagan’s hand moved down to mine, her fingers linking with mine. “Come on. We’ve got things to do.”
I met Billy’s gaze once more, then nodded.
“Tammy’s better’n bed, anyhow,” Billy called from behind me.
Reagan tugged on my hand, keeping me moving forward. That was the only thing saving Billy from a beatdown right here in the DQ.
“I told you already,” Reagan said, “He ain’t worth it.”
That was the truth. However, Reagan was worth it. And that was the point I was trying to make.
“Now, I think I recall you promisin’ to do some dirty things to me,” she teased, smiling at me over her shoulder as we stepped out into the sunshine.
My dick twitched behind my zipper.
“So, what d’ya say we get to that part?”
In less than a minute, I had her back in the truck. I was about to ask her where we were headed as I pulled out of the parking lot, but she beat me to the punch.
“Let’s go back to my house,” she blurted.
I glanced over at her. “You sure?”
Reagan nodded, not looking quite as sure as she was pretending to be.
I nodded. “I’m good with that. I’m up for christenin’ that place, too.”
The blush that stole up her cheeks made my dick even harder.
Not to mention, it had my foot heavier on the gas pedal.
No sense wasting time at this point.
Reagan
I was pretty sure I'd played that one off casually. At least I'd tried to.
Part of me had wanted to yell at Billy, to ask him how it was possible that we’d spent all that time together and he didn’t even give a shit that my bar had burned to the ground.
Why I'd wondered more about that and not about the fact that Billy had been screwing Lynx’s ex-wife, I didn’t know. Nor did I care.
However, it did have me curious as to how I could’ve been so stupid for so long.
Granted, Billy didn’t matter to me anymore. I didn’t care what he did or who he did it with. Sure, it pissed me off to find out that he’d been fucking Tammy, but it didn’t surprise me at all. It was just a wonder that I hadn’t known.
Glancing over at Lynx, I frowned. “Did you know Billy and Tammy were fuckin’?”
Okay, so maybe I hadn’t meant for that to come out quite so bluntly.
His head snapped toward me. “What?”
I cocked an eyebrow. No way was I repeating that.
Lynx shook his head and turned his attention toward the road.
I waited for a response.
“No,” he finally said. “Had no idea.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Fuck, Reagan,” he grumbled. “Nothin’ they do bothers me. I don’t give a shit.”
I stared out the window.
“Does it bother you?” he asked.
“Not that they did it, no,” I told him truthfully. “The fact that I stuck around knowin’ he was steppin’ out is what bothers me.”
“Why did you stick around?”
I could hear the sincere curiosity in his tone. I laughed without mirth. “Because I’m an idiot?”
Lynx grumbled. “You’re not an idiot.”
“Then what do you call it?” I shook my head. “Never mind. I don’t even care.”
Lynx pulled the truck to a stop in front of my house. He didn’t say a word as he climbed out. Before I could get the passenger door open, he came around to my side, opening it for me.
When I turned to hop down, Lynx put his hands on my hips and stilled me.
“I don’t care, either,” he said, his eyes locking on mine. “Just so we’re completely clear on that.” Lynx’s finger curled beneath my chin, forcing my head back slightly. “They’re the past. And that’s where they need to stay.”
I offered a slight nod.
“I’m serious, Reagan,” he said, his tone firm. “The only thing that matters to me is you. That’s it.”
“Why?” I asked, hating that I sounded so vulnerable.
“Why what?” Lynx frowned.
“Why do I matter?”
He leaned his head down, his forehead touching mine. “Because you do,” he said softly. “You always have.”
I had no idea how that could possibly be true. However, I didn’t know how to argue that point, either.
“You matter, too,” I finally admitted.
His smile was both sexy and sweet. It was the sweet side of Lynx that I hadn’t yet gotten to know all that well.
Aside from our conversations ten years ago, I hadn’t spent much time with him.
And the bad boy was the only side he tended to show the world.
It was interesting to see that beneath all that tough-guy exterior, the man had a heart the size of Texas.
“Now, what d’ya say I take you inside and get to work on those dirty things I intend to do to you?”
My body instantly heated at the thought. It had been a really long time since I'd felt this sort of desire. Hell, maybe I'd never felt it. Not for anyone other than Lynx, that was.
“I like that idea,” I admitted.
He didn’t even give me a chance to get out of the truck before he had me tossed over his shoulder, his big arm wrapped firmly over the backs of my legs, holding me against him. To keep from feeling as though I would plunge headfirst into the dirt, I grabbed onto his belt loops.
“Lynx Caine! I’m gonna hurt you if you don’t put me down!”
“I’m lookin’ forward to it, girl. Do your worst.”
Oh, I would.
But pain wouldn’t be involved.
Not the bad kind anyway.