Chapter 12
Rory
The Plan
Memories of the night before flooded my mind as soon as I opened my eyes.
After my bath, Rafe bent me over the bathroom counter and took me from behind.
I wasn’t some blushing virgin, but sex had always been satisfactory, at best. With Rafe, a man I barely knew it was…
fuck… there were no words. And then again in bed after a long debate about Star Wars.
A sliver of light streamed in telling me it was later than I usually woke, but not so late it would impact my day.
I frowned as I turned to Rafe’s side of the bed.
He wasn’t there and the cold pillow said it had been a while since he’d left.
A pink sticky note on his night stand drew my attention. I reached over and read it.
Checking the West Ridge. Coffee’s made. Stay inside. - R
Smiling, I stuck the note back on the nightstand. I appreciated the coffee, less so telling me what to do. He probably thought he was being protective, but I had work to do. The animals needed feeding and I couldn’t very well do my chores from inside.
Of course, I didn’t have any clothes. My overalls and Tshirt were still in a damp pile downstairs.
I was sure I could find some sweatpants, though.
I threw the covers off me and swung out of the bed.
I picked one of Rafe’s black T-shirts off the chair in the corner, and pulled it over my head.
I inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of him.
The shirt reached my mid-thigh, and the sleeves fell well below my elbows.
As I made my way downstairs, I noticed the small signs of Rafe’s personality.
There were no pictures on the wall but there were a few frames on the table under the staircase.
There were pictures of his parents, who I knew were both dead, and his brother who he rarely spoke about.
There were several of him and Calvin and one with Calvin and Allie, the night of their engagement.
I got the distinct impression, Rafe took the picture.
I stepped into the kitchen and the smell of coffee was enough to hypnotize me. The pink polka dot mug I bought in town the week before sat next to the coffee machine. Rafe’s Vierra Ranch mug sat on the opposite counter, still about half full. “Guess the West Ridge was more urgent than I thought.”
I poured my coffee and went in search of my clothes.
They were not in the hallway where I’d left them nor in the downstairs bathroom.
I walked through to the mudroom and sure enough, my yellow boots sat waiting for me alongside the whirring of the washing machine.
I cocked my head to the side squinting at the items spinning in front of me.
Blue Jeans, and something khaki. Those had to be my overalls, black clothes too, but I couldn’t make out what they were.
I thought back to when I pulled Rafe’s T-shirt over my head, none of our underwear was still on the floor.
Nope, there it is. The black lace caught my eye, and heat rushed to my cheeks. Thank goodness it wasn’t underwire. He and I would need to talk about putting bras in the washer.
The rumble of his truck sounded outside. It approached too fast and stopped too suddenly. I walked through to the living room and peeked out of the window. The driver's door slammed shut and he stomped my way.
I knew that scowl, though I was almost certain I hadn’t been the one to put it there. The door opened, and the moment his eyes landed on me, his scowl softened.
Damn. That gesture shouldn’t feel as good as it did. His eyes roamed up and down my body. His shirt didn’t hide much, but it covered all the things it needed to. Still, the heat in his eyes had my nipples perking up. Like they were saying hello to him and only him.
“I like you in my clothes.” He stalked toward me, taking me in his arms. He planted a soft kiss on my lips before smiling. “I could get used to this sight when I get home.”
My arms went around his waist. “Well, it’s not like you left me much of a choice. All my clothes are in the washer.” I pulled back and looked up at him. “What happened at the West Ridge. That’s close to my cabin right?”
“Too close.” His thumb dusted my cheek and he stepped back. “City, I’m full of mud—”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. What do you mean ‘too close’?”
“The fence was cut, not torn or broken because of the storm, but cut less than five hundred feet from the cabin.” Then Winston had to put out a small fire next to the barn.”
My head tilted to the side and my fists pushed into my hips as I stepped back. “Which barn?”
“The one with the animals.” He couldn’t meet my eyes. “I don’t even want to think if it was you feeding the animals instead of Winston.”
I was so concerned about what would’ve happened if the fire had reached the animals that it took me a moment to catch what he said. My frown deepened. “Why was Winston feeding the animals, anyway?”
He rolled his lips and I could tell he was stifling a smile. “Uhm, well your clothes are in the washer. And as much as I love you in my shirt, I don’t need the rest of the men seeing what an adorably sexy woman I have.”
“I don’t think adorably sexy is a thing. And I had every intention of finding a pair of your sweats before I went outside.”
“And now you don’t need to.” He pulled me back into his arms. “City, please don’t argue. I’m not sure I could handle a second argument with you today.”
It made absolutely no sense. “What? This would be our first argument.”
“Wait for it.” His chin rested on my head and he let out a sigh.
“What?”
“I was thinking, maybe you need to move in here.” He moved us to face each other.
His grey eyes filled with determination as he dragged his hand down his face.
“I mean I wasn’t too thrilled about you leaving anyway.
Then with the fence breach so close to your cabin and the fire at the barn.
I would prefer you closer.” His hands cupped my cheeks, but no smile.
“It would make morning sex a hell of a lot easier, too.”
“So, one night together and you want us to shack up already?” My lips lifted into the smallest smile. I understood the fear, and I appreciated the offer but I didn’t think it was a solution. “Mr. Vierra, what makes you think I wasn’t looking for one night of fun.”
He pulled me against his chest, cupping my scalp. “Don’t toy with me, City. Not about this. Your safety is my top priority after...”
“After what?”
His heart beat faster against my ear and both arms held me closer. “After your happiness. You, safe and happy is all I want right now.”
It was my turn to squeeze harder. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Will you accept it’s all I want for you, too?”
“You in my bed…”
“Rafe, I’m serious.” I moved my head to look up at him. “If we’re going to give this thing a try then it needs to work both ways.”
He nodded. “It’s just… I don’t think they were after you.
If someone was going around town asking questions, it would draw attention.
But the fact they were so close to your cabin and your barn, had me worried.
But I do think it was a message to me. I cannot prove Vance had anything to do with it.
The storm last night was brutal. He had to have cut it before, or maybe early this morning.
And the clearing next to the barn would've been damp. So, he’d have to have used an accelerant. "
“Trying to find proof is only going to have us spinning in circles.” I walked down the hallway toward the office, indicating for him to follow me. “But I do have an idea.”
His footsteps sounded behind me. “Does this idea have you safe and sound in this house? Because I mean it, City. I am not too thrilled about you being out there on your own.”
I chose to ignore his concern. Practically, I could understand it and I even appreciated it. But there was also the little matter of the two of us starting something new. Something real. I didn’t want to jeopardise it because we were forced to move faster than either of us were comfortable with.
“I’m not going anywhere today. As for tomorrow? I’ll think about it.” I went straight to the top drawer of the huge desk and pulled out the drive I had left there. “I want to check if there is anything on here that can help you.”
Rafe’s eyebrows raised to his hairline. “I will not have you expose yourself for this. We will find another way.”
Stubborn man. But that was not my plan. “I heard you the first time, Grouchy. But there is a lot of information on here.” I pushed the drive into the socket on the laptop and navigated to the list of payments.
My dad kept the records, and he had a pattern.
He was as pedantic as I was about making sure he knew what each line was for.
“I’m guessing that if Argent bribed and blackmailed officials in Kentucky, then they likely did it everywhere else. ”
Rafe raised a brow. “You from Kentucky, City?”
I nodded. It was the first time I had told anyone where I came from, but I knew without a doubt Rafe would not tell anyone. Not even Calvin “We own a breeding farm outside of Hollow Creek. Just south of Lexington.”
“Now I understand why you got upset about my City Girl comment on day one.”
And yet when he called me City, I liked it. It was intimate. Something only him and I shared.
I examined the documents the group had sent Rafe. I smiled at him when I found something I could use close to the bottom of the list. “Look at that. The sign-off on the water survey matches a name on the list.”
“Fuck.” He stared at the document then at the laptop screen. “Cal and I went to school with this asshole. I thought he was a good guy.”
I dropped my head, took a deep breath, then faced Rafe. “He probably was, and made one mistake. Argent likely blackmailed him. It’s what they did with my father.”
“Okay. I see how that works in the long term.” He leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. “But unless they reinstate the water contract, I won’t have the money for the taxes.”
He had a point. Everything hinged on the water contract.
I brought up the pdf copy of the county’s bylaws I had downloaded earlier in the week.
“According to this, land can only be sold if it has a viable connection to water, power, and access to the main road. So, we make them sell. If I’m right then they currently have no viable connection to water.
It solves two problems. They have to reinstate the contract.
And with them gone I stay safe for a little longer. ”
In fact, I was willing to bet if their investors pull out, they wouldn’t be back in the area for a very long time.
His lips twitched, his face softened. “And how do we make them sell?”
“Details.” I waved my hand at him because I hadn’t quite thought everything through yet. “For starters. We’re going to host Calvin’s end of harvest event. We’ll call it the Coastal Crush. Get it. Because we’re crushing grapes at the coast.”
The small smile was barely there. “Yes, City, I get it.”
“You will be the major sponsor.” Her eyes turned glassy as she spoke.
I frowned at her. “Sponsorship implies cash. The one thing I don’t have, remember?”
“Yes, but you’re providing the venue.” The ideas of how to run the event started forming in my head.
“We invite the right people and the event could become an annual thing. Remember, Grouchy. I do two things well. I can follow a money trail, and get us the information we need. And I can host a party, and get us exactly what we want.”
He pulled me out of the chair and tightened his hands on my waist before lifting me onto the desk. “As I recall, there are other things you do really well.” He sat in the chair and positioned us so he was between my legs. “Now lean back on your elbows. I haven’t had breakfast yet.”