Chapter 7
Maverick
Seeing Kat and her dad was an unexpected treat.
Larry and I had spent many afternoons out back on my range and shooting targets at his place.
Larry was a good guy, and after my dad passed, we spent even more time together.
I hated what was happening to his mental health, but that’s how it went sometimes.
I was glad to see his daughter finally show up to help, though if I’d had any idea how hot she was, I’d have suggested that years ago.
I offered Larry a fair price for his gun and ammo and placed them in the storage room in the back. I’d clean it and do the paperwork for resale later, but I wasn’t worried. Larry always took care of his stuff. Or he used to.
“Larry, when’s the last time you took an inventory of your complete stash?”
“Inventory? You trying to take more from me? I only agreed to one.”
I held up my hands. “No, sir, you know we’re all about the second amendment here.
” I winked at Kat. “I meant for insurance purposes and whatnot. It’s good to have a list of each gun you own and the serial numbers, that way if someone steals one, you can file a claim and get your insurance money.
Or report it stolen and not have to worry if it’s found at a murder scene. ”
Kat made a grab for her necklace. I’d never been attracted to a pearl clutcher before, but I was starting to see the appeal.
Especially if she had nothing but pearls on, and I was the one who got to clutch them.
I blinked back the image of Kat on all fours and turned to Larry.
“I got some new pieces this morning, wanna try them out?”
Larry rubbed his hands together and his eyes lit up. “Oh yeah? Fresh from the box?”
“You know it!”
He turned to Kat, his eyes electric. “Come on, Katie girl. You’re going to love this.”
“That’s debatable, but sure.”
I let Larry take the lead. He knew the place well enough. I fell in step with Kat as we followed. “How is it that your dad acts like he fell straight from the wild west, but you’re skittish around guns?”
Kat snorted. “Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if he slept with one under his pillow.”
She thought she was joking, but most of the men I knew slept with their favorite gun. I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her through the door to the range.
“Thanks.” She smiled, meeting my eyes briefly before looking down. Yeah, I bet she didn’t get many doors held open for her in the city. “My mom hated guns. Her uncle was killed in an accidental shooting when she was young, so she couldn’t handle being around them.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. She refused to allow any guns in the house. Probably why their marriage didn’t work out. I guess she passed that fear on to me.”
I nodded. “Makes sense, but you know, the best way to conquer a fear is to meet it head on.”
The shooting range consisted of several firing lanes. I taught gun safety courses here on occasion, but mainly it was to allow people to test out the guns before buying them. When it was slow, sometimes the staff and I would compete.
Larry put on a pair of earmuffs and grinned. “What you got for me, big guy?”
I laughed and pulled out a brand new Sig Sauer P356.
It was lightweight and small. Larry would hate it.
He’d shoot it, but there was no danger of him wanting to take it home.
And that would keep him preoccupied while I talked to Kat.
I placed a pair of electronic muffs over her ears, letting my fingers trail down her neck.
Her breath hitched. Yeah, she was feeling this, too.
With these muffs, we could hear each other speak but the louder noises would be muffled. “The reality is, you are living in a house with guns. You need to know how to handle them.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m good.”
“Kitty Kat.” My voice lowered as I looked into her eyes, “I’m not letting you back into that house without some basic safety instructions. That gun I found in the bathroom was loaded with the safety off.”
“That sounds… bad?”
“A gun should never be left like that. Imagine if Noodle had gone in there chasing her tail. She could have knocked that gun on the ground and then stepped on the trigger. She wouldn’t be the first dog to shoot her owner.”
Her eyes widened. “Jesus.”
“But I’m going to show you how to release the chamber and remove the bullets.” I placed my hand on her shoulder, rubbing her softly with my thumb.
She swallowed hard and nodded once. “Okay. You’re right. I need to learn.”
I smiled, pride welling inside for this woman I hardly knew, but desperately wanted to. “And while we’re here, you can take a few shots at the target. Just to get a feel.” I squeezed her shoulder and stepped back to grab something for her to shoot.
“Oh, I don’t know about that part.” She jumped and turned her head as Larry fired three quick shots. She let out a long breath and turned back to me. “I don’t think—“
Larry fired another two shots. Kat stilled but didn’t jump. Progress.
“Woo hoo, Katie girl! I got one right in the chest.”
She gave him a thumbs up and some well-faked enthusiasm.
Larry smirked. “Yeah, you’d probably suck at this, being an office girl and all.”
Kat’s eyes narrowed and she cocked her head. “Excuse me?”
I took a step back and bit my knuckle to hide my laugh.
“Hey, there’s no shame. I’m sure you could beat me in a typing contest. Why don’t you sit over there on the bench and look pretty? You can watch me and Mav do men’s work.”
I took another step to the side and turned my head. Hopefully she wouldn’t notice my shoulders shaking. Larry might be confused some of the time, but he definitely understood his daughter.
“Sit down and look pretty while you two do men’s work? Are you kidding me right now?”
Larry shrugged. “It’s okay, sweetheart. That’s why God made big strong men like us. To protect the little womenfolk.”
I snuck a glance at Kat and saw the fire in her eyes. Bingo.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Mav, hurry up and show me all the safety shit so I can shoot something.”
Kat was a quick learner despite her initial discomfort. I walked her through a crash course in gun safety. Loading, unloading, handling. And then she was ready.
She stood with her arms outstretched and a semi-automatic Glock in her hand.
“Like this?” she asked, her head turned toward me.
Fuck, she looked good. Her jeans hugged her tight curves.
Her hair was in a long braid, and I had half a mind to give her a couple of leg holsters to complete the Lara Croft vibe.
I closed my eyes, loving the image. If nothing else, this woman would supply me with enough spank bank to last the next decade.
“Your aim is a little off, let me help you there.”
I pressed my front flush against her back, relishing her soft intake of breath. I lowered my mouth to her neck.
“Like this, Kitty Kat.” She fit nicely in my arms. I was tall at 6‘2″, but she was a little shorter than me at maybe 5′10″. I liked a tall woman. I knew some men liked petite and delicate. Hell, the only way Bear could love Pixie more is if she’d fit inside his pocket.
But not me. I liked a woman who wouldn’t blow away in a strong wind, and who wouldn’t give me a neck cramp every time we kissed.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice breathy. “That’s, um… helpful.”
I smirked, though she couldn’t see me. “Yeah, my aim is pretty spot on. When I set my eyes on a target, I rarely miss.”
She nodded again, her braid brushing against me. “Got it. And how’s my stance?” She turned her head to smirk. “Am I in a good position? Am I—” she wiggled her hips, and given our close proximity, rubbed her ass right across my cock, “—hitting the target?”
I groaned, taking a step back to adjust my dick. “Let’s find out.” Because watching her shoot would totally calm my dick down.
Kat fired several rounds, and about half of them made it onto the target paper. She was not a happy girl as I showed her how to remove the magazine and inspect the chamber.
“I’ve got my guys running the shop most days, but any time you want to practice, you let me know. I’ll make sure I’m here.”
She huffed and crossed her arms. “Dad has those hay bales I could shoot at, but until my aim is better, I’m worried about shooting off into the woods.”
I could have appeased her concerns. Her dad’s hay bales were nearly impossible to miss, even if she didn’t hit the target. But if that kept her coming back to me, I’d keep my mouth shut.
“Larry, you know it’s Thursday. You should take Kat over to the club for lunch.”
Larry’s head tilted. “Eh, I’m not sure if that’s Katie’s scene. She’s a little,” he looked at his daughter, “fancy.”
“Ugh, enough!” Kat exclaimed. “I am not fancy.”
I tried to cover my snort with a cough. She was wearing pearls. That she literally clutched earlier.
She raised an eyebrow. “You got something to say?”
My cock twitched. I couldn’t wait to have this woman in my bed.
“Nah, sugar.” I dragged my bottom lip with my teeth. “I like that you’re fancy. I’m a plain country boy. Maybe you can teach me a few things.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” She threw her arms into the air. “Dad, we’re going to the club. If you like it, I’m sure it’s fine. Do you have your card with you?”
“Card?” Larry asked.
Kat’s eyes darted to mine before she turned to her dad. “Yeah, Dad. Your membership card. To get into the club.”
I burst into laughter and Larry followed.
“No, Katie, we don’t need a card.”