Chapter Three #2
From the ruckus in the background there was a wild time happening at the bar. It was karaoke night which seemed to always draw in a crowd.
“Someone’s got his balls in a vice,” Echo taunted.
“Hold on a second,” Bear told Aasia. There was a muted thumping sound followed by a loud grunt.
“Damn it, Bear. That fucking hurt.”
“Can you all go do something and give me a minute?” Bear muttered.
Then there was silence. “Sounds like y’all are having a good time.” She braced the phone between her chin and shoulder so she could wipe down the countertop.
“A blast.” He didn’t sound too enthused. “You know how these jackasses are. They get a few beers in them and they can’t shoot a stick if their life depended upon it.”
“Sounds like a personal problem to me.” She dumped apple peel into the trash.
“They’re like kids who don’t have a babysitter.”
“Sometimes, but I like every single one of them. They’re fun and sweet, not to mention cute.
” And she meant it. She loved hanging out at Oscar’s with the ranch crew.
They were a load of rugged, rowdy men and some were like the big brothers she never had.
Then there was Bear. She could always count on him, and she didn’t want to lose that.
But he wasn’t a big brother. He was a temptation that got harder to deny.
“You think they’re cute because you don’t share a bunkhouse with them. This morning, Sin stopped up the toilet and Grimes used up all the hot water.”
“Point taken. At least you’re not here to see the massacre of dinner in my kitchen. I burnt the chicken and murdered the apple pie.”
“It can’t be that bad,” he said with encouragement.
“Oh, trust me. It’s bad—very bad.”
“If a man’s into you, he’d eat a leather shoe to make you happy. Don’t settle for less.”
“I can’t envision you eating a leather shoe.” A flutter took root in her chest. “I’m sure there must be a dozen women in Fin’s Creek who’d love to be your girl so be careful what you say, cowboy.”
“And yet, there’s only one that means anything to me.”
How was it possible he could turn her inside out so easily? “Bear…”
“Aasia.” The tone of his voice when he said her name made her stomach quiver.
“I need to go. Can we talk later?”
“See you around.” He clicked off.
At this point, she wondered if the universe was trying to tell her something.
~*~
“When are you going to admit it to her? Yet, I guess if you can’t admit the truth to yourself first then how do you tell the woman you love how you feel?”
Bear narrowed his gaze on Echo who threw a dart and missed the center of the board by a hair’s width. “Looks to me you should focus on the board and not my relationship status.”
“It turns out I’m much better at giving relationship advice than I am shooting darts. Now, about you and following your heart.” Echo shot another dart and it barely hit the board.
“What the hell are you blabbing about?” Bear took his turn. Not doing any better or worse than Echo. He should have never called Aasia in front of them. He’d been trying to prove a point and it backfired.
“Dude, don’t act like you don’t know what I mean. When are you going to tell her that she’s got you in a chokehold?”
“Mind your own damn business.” Bear rubbed his fingers down his face in agitation.
Echo’s laughter mingled with the song from the live band.
“It becomes my business when we can’t go anywhere without you looking at your phone every few minutes to check to see if she’s texted.
You’re about as bad as Sin waiting for grub.
He gets that googly-eyed expression like a puppy after its mama’s tit. ”
“Hey, leave me out of this.” Sin shook his head and left the back room.
“You’re full of shit,” Bear said to Echo. “I’m not worried about text messages. We’re in the middle of an operation if you’ve forgotten. I’m keeping tabs on our targets.”
“Are you referring to Aasia or Fletcher?”
“Fletcher.”
“Is that why you’re spending so much time with her? All in the name of catching a killer?” Echo sat down at the high-top table and Bear joined him.
“Are you listening to yourself? When did nagging become part of your personality?” Bear had half a mind to go back to the ranch and take some frustration out on working the land.
“I might give you a hard time but honestly, I feel your pain.” Echo’s gaze flicked toward the outer room.
“Tansy?” Bear had seen first-hand how his buddy reacted every time the woman was in sight. “That wouldn’t be a puppy after it’s mama’s tit now would it?”
“Fuck you. I need to let that fantasy fade.” Echo dipped his chicken wing into the cup of sauce and popped the entire thing into his mouth.
“Maybe you should follow your own advice. Let her know you like her. What do you have to lose?”
With a slight shrug, then a frown, Echo said, “Too complicated. I’ve got enough on my plate.”
Bear stared into his beer and grumbled, “I think Aasia’s back with Fletcher.”
“Damn. That sucks, but you know that won’t last. It only takes so long before a woman sees right through the bullshit.”
Dropping back into the chair, Bear sighed. “Yeah, I already know that, but how many chances is she going to give him?”
“Look, “Echo began, “I know Aasia. She isn’t one to lead a guy on unless she sees something in him—sees potential. I’ve been around you two together and she’s wearing a smile the entire time. Have you seen her when she’s around Fletcher? She’s about as sad as if she lost her gawd damn dog.”
“You sure do make a lot of references toward dogs, you know?”
“I read something the other day that said when a man is lonely, he’ll start wanting to adopt a dog. You think that’s true?”
“Hell if I know.” Bear emptied his glass.
“What’s on your mind? You look like you’ve got the world on your shoulders.”
“Just like you said, it’s complicated. What do I have to offer her? I can’t even offer her honesty.”
Echo sniffed loudly. “The way I see it, you have a lot more to offer than Fletcher, but it probably is best you keep the lines drawn, if you know what I mean,” he said in a lowered voice.
“She has no clue you’re keeping track of her boyfriend. Women do like honesty and nothing about our lives are on the up-and-up.”
Bear swallowed against the ache in his throat.
He turned his gaze away from Echo to watch the dancers kicking up their boots high on the planked floor.
He caught a glimpse of a woman with long dark hair and a build like Aasia’s.
His heart took a leap. Was it her? Had she changed her mind about coming to Oscar’s?
The woman turned and he saw her profile.
Nope, it wasn’t Aasia. Yet, the two women looked so similar they could be sisters.
The lady caught him staring and her smile widened.
She offered him a semi-wave before she whirled around the floor.
No doubt, she was beautiful, but she wasn’t Aasia. No one compared to her.
Grimes who was sitting at a high top across the pool room had Bear in his snares. What the hell? Grimes hadn’t been himself lately. They’d once been good friends and lately they felt more like enemies.
Bear turned his attention back on Echo. “Maybe I should tell her the truth.” Bear didn’t realize he’d said the words aloud until Echo responded.
“Hey, I’d want to tell her too, but we’d only be putting her in jeopardy. I know you don’t need a reminder, but if Fletcher had anything to do with the ambush on Texas Heat things will get ugly quick. You’ll need a clear mind.”
“I think we’re headed down the wrong pipe, buddy. Fletcher’s a lot of things, up to his ears in illegal shit about his campaign, but he doesn’t have the balls to be involved with the cartel.”
“So why was his name mentioned during an interrogation?” Echo said.
“Beats me. But it’s a dead-end where our case is involved.” Bear rubbed his temples. He wished he had something, outside of campaign fraud, to bring Fletcher down.
“Too bad you need to sit on this new development. Can’t risk the case we’re working on.” Echo said.
“He’s more of a piece of shit than I first thought.” Bear wished he could wrap his hands around Fletcher’s neck.
“I guess this makes you want to intervene and tell her everything even more. I won’t stop you but make sure you do the right thing. For everyone.”
Bear could see how that could be a risk, but he also never trusted Fletcher.
The man was a dickhead and he didn’t deserve Aasia.
Bear guessed he didn’t have the right to judge because he’d been living a double life for a long time, and he’d been lying to Aasia.
To her he was just a hand at Creed’s Creek Ranch, but in truth, he was a Texas Ranger investigating a lot of suspects, including her fiancé.
Hell, he’d even investigated her at one point.
The deeper the team got to the center of the long list of criminals the more dangerous the situation became. The less Aasia knew the better.
Even Silver was taken out for what he knew and that bastard seemed untouchable.
“Don’t worry. I’d never jeopardize the team, or the mission.” Bear scraped his hand down his whiskered jaw.
“Maybe you should consider occupying your mind. You’ve been the target of her attention all night.” Echo extended his chin.
Bear glanced over at the bar where the lady who looked like Aasia was sitting. Across the length of the bar, she offered him another sweet, inviting smile. The way she looked at him made him think she might know him. Nah, he’d remember.
“I think she wants you, buddy,” Echo said with a chuckle. “They always want you.”
No denying, she could probably have just about any of the cowboys in the place, but unfortunately, Bear didn’t feel a damn thing.
Since he’d met Aasia, he’d been a broken, discontented man.
And after their kiss…he’d been acting a fool.
He’d dug deep for every ounce of control the night he saw her sitting here at Oscar’s with Fletcher.
Bear had been torn between ripping the fucker’s head off his shoulders and pulling Aasia in for a tight hug and revealing everything, and he did mean everything.
Thankfully, Bear was always a man led by logic and not emotion.
This case might have tested his will a few times, but in his defense, red blood poured through his veins and desire haunted his thoughts.
To stay close to her, he’d need to respect all the boundaries as a friend and hide that internally he was chomping at the bit to kiss her soft lips again. He craved her like an addict craved a drug, but she never had to know. Most importantly, Bear needed to protect her from Fletcher.
She’d pushed him into the friend zone from day one. Once put in the dreaded “zone” a man never got back out. Yet, what would it hurt to try?
Yeah, it would. Wasn’t he listening to himself? He was neck deep involved in a case and she needed protection from her dickhead of a boyfriend.
“Not happening,” Bear finally answered about the woman sitting at the bar. “If you’re interested, go for it.”
“I think we need another beer. I’ll be back.” Echo slid out of the chair and strode over to the bar. Several women, including the brunette, saw him approach and they didn’t seem too disappointed.
That was right up his alley. He wasn’t conceited by a long shot, but he enjoyed attention.
Once upon a time that attention would have been right up Bear’s alley too.
Times have changed. People change.
He was changing and he wasn’t mad about the evolution.
Maybe after the mission came to an end he could retire from the Texas Rangers. Start a new life. It would be a huge leap into the unknown, but this wouldn’t be the first time he ventured into the unfamiliar.