Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Callie
W aking up in Archer’s arms was weird-- but in the best of ways.
After making love again, we took a shower together. Archer's been talking non-stop about moving me into as soon as possible while I try to make breakfast.
I can't believe this will be my kitchen now. Is-- is my kitchen now-- according to Archer.
"After we eat, we'll go pick up your car at the Tollhouse."
Archer gets in my way, hovering behind me to steal kisses or slide his hands over my ass as often as he can manage.
"Do you want me to follow you in the truck?" His arms wrap around my middle, his chin resting on my shoulder while I flip pancakes on the griddle insert of his five burner stove top. "We could pack up more things that way."
He nuzzles my neck, at the top of my shoulder, copping a feel of my boob at the same time.
"You better keep my shirt, and make sure to button it all the way."
His fingers lift to trace the mark he left on my throat last night.
Right now, the flannel shirt I stole from him after our shower is unbuttoned dangerously low, giving him access to just about all of me. Since all I have is the skimpy red halter top I wore last night, I'll be wearing his shirt until I can change into something else.
Well that, and because I love the way the worn cotton smells like him and the way it's so big on me that I had to roll the sleeves up four times to be able to handle the spatula and it hangs down to my knees and makes me feel like I'm all wrapped up in Archer.
Later, I'll tie it at the waist and button all the buttons so no one notices the love bite.
I'm hoping it stays long enough that I get to show it off. I'd love to walk around town, proudly showing off Archer's mark on me, but we both know we need to break our news to our parents-- not my biggest worry-- and Rowan, first.
The thought puts a lump in my throat.
I honestly don't know how he's going to react. I mean, sure, my brother is over-protective, but then again, I've never actually introduced him to a boyfriend before. I've always expected that he'll behave better with a guy he knows I actually want him to be nice to...
The fact that the first man to test that theory is ten years older than me and happens to be his best friend?
"Are you sure want to tell every one today?" I ask nervously as I slide the last of the pancakes on a plate.
"I don't want to sneak around, Cal. I want to kiss you when I want, and hold your hand in public. I aim to put a ring on that finger as soon as you tell me which one you want, and I don't want you to have to hide it from anyone."
"Maybe we could just tell our parents and let the news sort of trickle down?"
"It'll be fine." Archer promises me around a forkful of pancake. "But if it makes you feel better, we can do it here at the ranch. I doubt he'll punch me too hard in front of Ma. And my brothers will all be here too."
I give him a worried look. Not sure it's such a good idea.
"I don't know, Arch, from what you said, it sounds like your brothers might take Rowan's side."
Worry shadows Archer's features momentarily but quickly gives way to determination.
"No one's keeping me away from you now, Cal. Mom won't let the boys kill me and your brother and I will work things out somehow. It might take a while, but he'll get used to it."
Speak of the devil himself.
With just one knock for warning, the front door swings open and we're caught.
"Arch! You home?"
There's only a few feet of wall behind the front door that separates the tiled entry leading into the front room from the country kitchen just beyond it.
It's enough to give me time to button up, but there's no hiding the fact that Archer's shirt is all I'm wearing. Well, that, and my panties. Thank God I put my panties back on.
Archer is hardly any more dressed than I am, standing shirtless at the kitchen island in nothing but a fresh pair of sweats and a trickle of syrup at the corner of his mouth that I had just been about to lick clean for him.
At my brother's intrusion, I jump clear of Archer, even as he steps closer to me.
"Oh hey--" Rowan rounds the wall and immediately sees us, our breakfast plates side by side on the island counter with us standing behind them.
Like always, Row's phone is in one hand and his eyes barely flicker between me and his friend before he returns his attention to it to tap out a short message.
Archer's left hand dangles at his side, his fingers reaching out to brush mine below the counter and out of Rowan's sight.
"Cool, you're here. Rowdy called this morning asking if you were okay today. Said something about you showing up out at the Tollhouse? What the fuck, sis?"
Rowan pulls out one of the stools on the other side of the island and slides my plate across to him.
"Mom and Dad said you still weren't home, and neither of you assholes were answering your phones. Figured maybe Arch must have dropped you off with Ginger or something."
"Thanks for taking care of her, man."
I feel like I don't know him. I just stand next to Archer and watch my brother shovel the rest of my breakfast into his mouth like he hasn't even noticed the fact that he walked in on us together.
Arch and I exchange a confused look. Then Archer shrugs his shoulders and we both relax some.
"These are good. Did you make breakfast for Arch, Cal?"
"Yeah, she did." Archer answers on my behalf. "And why the fuck does Rowdy Ralston have my personal phone number? You know anything about that?"
Rowan shakes his head. "No man, I'd never give out your personal, you know that. Glad he does though, if he'd called me, I'd have torn that dump of a bar to the ground. What the heck were you thinking, Calla Lilly? I've told you before to stay out of that place."
"I--" But Archer interrupts again.
"Why the fuck does Rowdy have your number?"
Rowan shrugs, slipping his phone into his back pocket.
"Business, man. The Mayes got no history with the Flying R. They grow damn good alfalfa and they sell it for a reasonable price. They pay their invoices on time when they need something in return. I'm not gonna turn away good business over old news."
"Damn. Mom and Dad must be worried about me then?"
It suddenly dawns on me that my phone must be dead, I haven't gotten any notifications this morning and last night...well. I wouldn't have noticed if it went off.
Rowan looks annoyed by my question.
"Nah, they reminded me that you're a grown woman and told me to mind my own business," he grumbles.
Beside me, Archer smirks.
"Ralston said you left your car out there?" Rowan slides off the stool and picks up his plate, casually heading toward the sink on our side of the counter.
As he rounds the island, I tense, realizing he might not have been able to see that I'm only wearing Archer's shirt and expecting him to come unglued.
Instead, he rinses the sticky syrup off the plate and checks the dishwasher to see if it's clean or dirty.
"Well, go get dressed and let's go get it. I sold those heifers this morning and I need to square things out at the farm so I can have the calves I bought brought in."
From this side of the room, Rowan can plainly see that neither of us are dressed.
Is he really taking it this well?
There's no way he hasn't put it together yet. He's usually so quick to jump to conclusions when it comes to me with any guy in the same room.
Is it possible that he's not phased? Even a little bit?
My eyes lift to Archer's, testing our new couple telepathy in a silent question. Are they really that good of friends? That maybe my brother figured out who Archer's secret love really is? Especially after he got the story about Archer driving out to Keller's Ferry to rescue me?
"Your things are still in my room." Archer tells me, plainly testing the waters.
Rowan leans on the counter in front of the kitchen sink and glances between the two of us, then he motions at me to hurry up, so I head back to the master bedroom to put on more clothes.
Archer
"Thanks for taking care of Cal," Rowan pushes off the counter and helps himself to one of the energy drinks in my fridge just like he did to Callie's breakfast.
Things between us seem cool.
"Of course, man. Cal's everything."
My buddy glances down the hallway where his sister went down to my room to get dressed, then sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair.
"Yeah. I'm glad she's got you, buddy. I was starting to worry about her, you know?"
Damn, am I confused.
"Worried how?" Now it's my turn to stare in the direction Cal went.
"You know, she doesn't date. Ever since her friend met that guy up in Moonshine Ridge, Cal's been acting-- off . And Jesus! Tollhouse? On her own? I can't thank you enough for going out there after her, man. Can't imagine what could have happened to her."
Seeing Rowan's face redden with anger at the thought, I decide it'll be a long time before I tell him the situation Cal was facing when I walked into the bar last night.
I'm going to count my blessings that he's handling the fact that he just walked in on me and Callie barely dressed in my kitchen like it's no big deal.
"I'll always keep Callie safe." I assure him. "Don't give her too much shit for it, okay? She and I already had a good talk about it."
Rowan looks at the clock on his phone and back down my hallway.
"What the hell's taking her so long? I've got shit to do today and we gotta go get her car."
"Go do your shit, then. I'll take her to get the car."
"You don't mind?"
Row clutches his phone and his keys in one hand and gives me his standard handshake hug with a clap on my shoulder as he starts for the door.
"Of course not," I tell him. "We were planning on getting it after breakfast, on the way back to your folks to get her things. It's no big deal."
Rowan pauses on the porch as I walk him out, turning to shoot me a confused look, but doesn't say anything.
"I'm ready."
Callie comes up behind me, her hand brushing my ass as she pushes past me where I'm blocking the door.
"Arch says he'll take ya," Rowan tells her, already stepping off the porch, headed for his truck.
"So, you're really okay with it?" Callie goes after her brother, sounding about as skeptical of his behavior as I'm feeling.
Row turns around and gives her a look like he's the one who's confused here.
"You hanging out with Arch? Yeah. Of course I'm good with it." He shoots a look up at me like he expects me to find her question just as odd as he seems to.
I shrug, but it's not supposed to be a dismissal of Cal's question-- it's more of a "I want to know the same thing" kinda shrug.
Rowan and I have been buddies for fifteen years, we've been about as close as guys get to their friends out here for at least the last few of those. I expect him to know how to read my damn body language.
"Heck, as soon as I figured out who Arch's secret love was, I figured it'd only be a matter of time till we'd have to start sharing him. Might as well let you have him while you can."
Callie turns to look back at me and it's pretty easy to pick up on her unspoken message: What the fuck?
Suddenly, the confused look on Cal's face gives way to a bright smile as she throws her arms around her brother's neck and pulls herself up on her tip toes to hug him when he doesn't bend for her.
"Oh my God, thank you, Row! I thought you were going to be so mad."
Over her shoulder, I get another confused look thrown my way before he finally laughs and wraps his arms around her.
Rowan pulls Cal's feet off the ground, returning the hug and laughing more when she plants a hard kiss to the side of his cheek before he drops her back to her feet.
"Off," he mouths at me as he climbs into the flat bed pick-up while Callie jogs back to me.
The diesel engine roars to life, but I'm not paying attention to Rowan anymore; I'm busy catching my girl as she flings herself into my arms.
Then I'm busy kissing her every bit as hard as she's kissing me.
Then I'm busy pushing Callie back through the open front door to safety before she can get caught between me and her brother's fist.
"What the actual fuck?!"
Rowan's shouting over the sound of the engine of his truck left idling in the driveway. When he gets to me, my back is turned to him because I'm trying to convince Cal to stay in the house and wait this out.
A hard hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me backward off my porch, making me damn glad it's only a one foot slab and I put down the new sod back in spring. Because I'm completely off balance and I land on my ass pretty hard.
"Rowan!" Cal comes shooting out of the house like her hair's on fire, running straight at her brother without concern for consequence-- like getting in the way of his fist as he swings for my head.
"Goddammit, Cal! Get off me!" Rowan yells, stumbling sideways and hitting the grass with one knee as Cal wraps her arms around his neck and clings to his back, screaming at him to calm down.
It gives me a chance to get back on my feet, but all Callie's screaming only seems to be making him madder. Despite her attempts to hold him back, he comes at me, arms outstretched, either to push me down again or strangle me-- probably depends on if he can get a grip on me.
"You said you were okay with it," I dodge his advance and step backward. My foot lands on a sprinkler head buried in the yard. Like stepping on a damn Lego-- sharp pain radiates through my bare foot.
I'm not dressed for a fucking fight. Hell! I'm not dressed at all.
"I'm okay with you watching out for her, asshole! Not making out with her."
Thanks to Callie's hand over her brother's eyes, I manage to dodge another punch, but Rowan's boot manages to connect with my shin in a side swipe that takes me back to my knees.
"You said you knew you were going to have to share him with me! Stop it, Rowan! Let go!"
Rowan manages to pry Cal's hand loose and twist out of her grip.
"I meant we , Cal! We were going to have to share him-- with Allison , not each other!"
The name Allison stops both Cal and I in our tracks as we both wonder who the hell Rowan's talking about.
"Who the fuck is Allison?" I don't move fast enough and Rowan's fist glances off my chest.
"Allison Miller, man! The girl you were telling me about yesterday."
"I was talking about Calla! Why the fuck would you think I was into Allison Miller?"
Rowan rushes me, grabbing me around the waist and taking me back to the ground. I manage to get in a kick to his gut before he can land on top of me though. It sends him stumbling backward and landing on his ass for a change.
"Her grandmother hates you and your brothers!"
Speaking of my brothers, I notice Lance running up the road out of the corner of my eye. He's on his phone, shouting something, but I can't get distracted by that now.
"Allison doesn't even live in the valley anymore," Cal reminds him as she gets herself between us before he has a chance to get his balance back.
"Exactly," Rowan rubs his side where I kneed him earlier. "And her daddy's real proud of the fact that she left and got a fancy job in the city. He don't want her moving back just to marry some cowboy out here and make babies."
"There is nothing wrong with being a wife and mother!" Callie's spitting mad now, standing toe to toe with her brother in a stance that has me thinking I should be more worried about Rowan than myself at the moment. "If that's what she wants."
Cal folds her arms, knocking Rowan in the chest.
"You are not having babies with my best friend, Calla Lillian!"
"Arch? You guys okay out here?" Lance calls from a safe distance at the end of the yard. Up the road, I see one of our side by sides haulin' ass with a dust cloud rising up behind it.
Rowan's stupid enough to have leaned down so he's eye to eye with Cal, because as soon as he tells her she can't have my babies, she clocks him.
Row immediately puts his hand to his cheek and before I can move, she knees him in the balls with a force that's enough to drop Rowan like a sack of grain while me and the two of my brothers who've arrived on the scene involuntary flinch with sympathy pain.
"I'll have babies with whoever the fuck I choose to, Rowan Elliot !"
The emphasis Callie puts on Row's middle name hurts almost as much as the knee to the balls-- he hates his middle name.
Just to make her point, she kicks his thigh with the toe of her boot-- because Row's still on the ground with his hands locked between his thighs.
"You idiot! "
The fist landing on my jaw catches me completely off guard.