Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
G od. Did Becket think he was funny? Because he wasn’t. He was about as far from funny as you could get.
Arrogant? Yes. An asshole? Absolutely.
“Skylar.”
She stopped as her mother appeared in front of her. Not just her mother, but her father too. Shit. She’d been so deep in her “I hate Becket” trance, she hadn’t even seen them coming. “Hi, Mom and Dad. Sorry I haven’t had much time to chat tonight.”
“Oh, you’re the organizer, honey.” Her mother patted her hand. “We understand.”
Her father glanced around the ballroom. “You’ve done a magnificent job, Skylar. Well done.”
“Thank you.” She took a big gulp of her drink, hoping it would cool the anger.
Nope. Anger was still burning hot.
“Are you okay?” her mother asked with a frown.
Not even a little bit. “I’m great. Just busy. Are you two having fun?”
“We are.” Her mother glanced over her shoulder before looking back at her nervously.
Wait—Sky knew that look. It was her “I’m nervous because you’re not going to like this” look. And yes, Sky could read all of that from one expression. “Is everything okay?”
Her father cleared his throat. “Yes. Everything’s wonderful. We, um, actually invited someone here tonight.”
Her belly dipped. “Dad…you didn’t.”
“Well, darling, he’s living with us,” her mother interrupted, obviously trying to keep the peace. “And you should see him in his suit. He looks spectacular!”
“Mom—”
Her father gestured someone over.
Tony walked up beside her father. He was six feet tall with shaggy brown hair that fell into his brown eyes. Some might think he was cute. She didn’t.
“Sky. It’s so good to see you again.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and she held her breath too late, getting a big breath of onion.
Yuck.
He pulled back. “I was wondering what happened to you, since you haven’t responded to my texts.”
His texts asking for a second date? She’d responded to the first one, saying “no” as kindly and gently as possible. “I’ve been busy.”
She turned to her parents, sending an “I can’t believe you did this” glare their way. Her mother, at least, had the good sense to look guilty…while her father looked happy. Far too damn happy.
Sky gave everyone a tight smile. “I need to get back to my rounds.”
“Tony can join you,” her father piped in.
Tony stepped forward, but she retreated, the onion smell hitting her nose far too hard—again. And she could still feel his sloppy kiss on her cheek. “No.”
Her father frowned. “Skylar, don’t be rude. He’s here for you.”
Oh, the things she could say to her father right now.
“I don’t mind helping,” Tony added. “I have a background in project management. I’m sure I’d be able to assist.”
“I’m dating someone.” The words shot out of her mouth like a freight train. But once they were out, she couldn’t take them back.
Her father rolled his eyes. He actually rolled his eyes . “Skylar—”
“I am,” she pushed.
“You don’t need to lie,” her mother said gently.
“I’m not lying.”
“If you were dating someone,” her father said, frowning, “then wouldn’t he be here tonight?”
“He is.” Man, the lies were just rolling off her tongue now. But she refused to spend one more second with bad-breath, sloppy-kisser Tony, and if anything could stop both him and her parents, it was a fictitious boyfriend.
Her father raised a brow. “Okay, where is he?”
At that exact moment, like the heavens and Earth aligned—or did her the biggest disservice in the universe—Becket walked toward them.
She yanked his arm and jerked him to her side, hard.
He frowned slightly. “Uh, are you going through something, Peaches? An episode maybe?”
She smiled at him, the warmest smile she’d ever sent his way. “Hi, honey.”
He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. And yeah, she’d lost it somewhere between the gross cheek kiss and the grabbing of Becket’s arm.
She turned to her parents and Tony. “Mom, Dad…Tony. This is my boyfriend, Becket.”
The instant silence that descended between the five of them was almost comical.
Becket cleared his throat. “Uh, honey , I think we need to talk.”
“Sure. But I need a big hug first.” She pulled him close and put her mouth next to his ear, then shout-whispered. “Do this for me and I won’t put up a fence.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t do it and the fence goes up Monday.”
There was a small pause. “And you don’t mention the tree or the cameras again.”
Her back teeth ground together. She didn’t want to agree.
“Guess I’ll—”
“Fine,” she groaned before straightening.
A cocky grin stretched Becket’s mouth, and it made her want to slug him. He slipped an arm around her waist and tugged her flush against him, making her side feel all tingly.
“Hi.” He stretched out a hand in the direction of her parents. “I’m Becket Hayes. And I’m dating your daughter.”
She swallowed the acid in her mouth.
For a moment, no one took his hand. In fact, everyone’s stillness was so awkward, she squirmed.
Eventually, her mother took his hand. “Um, hi. I’m Esther.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Her mother nudged her father. “Roger. Shake his hand.”
He mumbled something under his breath before shaking Becket’s hand. “Roger. Skylar never mentioned she was dating anyone.”
“Skylar’s choice.” He looked down at her, warmth and maybe some humor in his eyes. “She tends to like her privacy. Don’t you, Peaches?”
She offered him a tight smile.
“Peaches?” Tony asked, a look of almost disgust on his face.
“It’s my nickname for her,” Becket answered before she could. “I used it once and she just loved it so much that it stuck.”
Good God.
“Sorry. I haven’t met you,” Becket said, holding a hand out to Tony.
“Tony.”
They shook hands, and Tony winced, presumably at Becket’s grip. He pulled his hand back and scowled before muttering, “I’m getting a drink.”
Mission accomplished .
“Did I just see you two fighting at the bar?” her mother asked suspiciously. “And at The Tea House last week. You two were arguing at the counter.”
“That’s what we do,” Becket said. “We argue, but we always make up when she realizes who’s right.”
Too close. He was too freaking close.
She tried to shove a bit of space between them with her elbow, but he just hauled her closer, his arm like steel.
“Yes, honey,” she said to Becket through gritted teeth. “I do realize who’s right. And it always comes as a surprise to you .”
“I’m not sure that’s accurate.”
“I am.” She smiled at her parents.
Her father just glared at them, while her mother’s frown deepened.
“I still wish you’d told us, Skylar,” her mom said.
“It’s probably partially because Skylar is a bit self-conscious about dating the town fire chief,” Becket answered, his thumb grazing her side.
She barely bit back the scoff. “Yeah, he’s kind of a big deal. Just ask him.”
“Do you attend church?” her father asked.
“No, sir. But I can assure you, I have great values and ethics.”
Yeah, because it was so ethical to cut down someone’s tree.
Sky cleared her throat. “We should get back to the ball.”
Her mother looked at Becket. “Will you be joining us for dinner at Skylar’s house on Friday night?”
Sky opened her mouth to tell her parents no and make up some “he has to work” excuse, but Becket got in first.
“Definitely. Six thirty, right?”
What the heck was he doing?
“Six,” her mother corrected.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Interesting…because he wasn’t coming.
Her mother glanced at the dance floor. “You two should dance.”
“Oh, we don’t—”
“We absolutely do,” Becket cut her off. His hand slid down, his strong fingers tangling with hers. “Come on, Peaches. Let’s dance.”
One second she was in front of her parents, and the next she was on the dance floor, pulled flush against Becket’s chest. And unlike Tony, he smelled good. Really good.
What had she done?
* * *
The silky material of Sky’s dress was so thin, he felt like he was touching her bare waist. And fuck, but her floral scent toyed with him.
She hadn’t looked up at him once since they’d stepped onto the dance floor. In fact, her blue eyes had remained fixed on his chest like it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.
His lips twitched. She pulled a stunt like that and thought she could go silent on him?
“So, we’re dating?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I mean, yes, but not really.”
He spun her, and when she returned to him, he reeled her in so close that her entire front pressed to his. “Is this because of that douchebag wearing the fake Armani?”
“How do you know he’s a douchebag?”
Becket could have laughed. “Other than the fact I’ve never met anyone wearing fake Armani who I liked…he was looking straight at your chest.”
“He was?”
How had she not seen?
She sighed. “Tony was a neighbor and part of my parents’ church growing up, and they love him. He’s back in town for a few months, and my father’s fixated on the idea of us dating.”
“And you don’t want that?”
She scoffed. “Do I want to date someone who smells like onions and whose favorite topic of conversation is insurance? No.”
Becket hadn’t smelled any onions, but then, Sky had been flush against his side, so all he’d smelled was her. “He sounds like a catch.”
“He makes you look like a million bucks.”
Becket chuckled. He did that a lot around her. “You really know how to make a man feel special.”
“Don’t pretend you like this any more than me.”
“Depends. How much are you liking this?”
She squirmed in his arms. “The only reason you’re dancing with me is because I told you I wouldn’t put up the fence.”
It was definitely one perk. Not the only one though.
He swiped the back of her hand with his thumb and swore he felt a shudder roll down her spine. “Okay, if we’re dating, we need to get some facts straight.”
“Why? This is just a one-night thing.”
“No. I’m coming to your dinner Friday night.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. I was invited.”
“No. You were asked if you were coming.”
“Same thing.”
“It is not the same thing. I’ll tell them you’re sick.”
“What if your parents come up to me after this dance and want to talk about us?”
Her frown deepened, like she knew that was a possibility. “What facts do we need to get straight?”
“How many times a week do we have sex?”
She spluttered and tried to pull away, but he gripped her waist so tightly she didn’t get an inch of space.
“My parents would not ask you about our sex life,” she gasped.
“No, but Horndog Tony might.”
He got a twitch of her lips from that one. “Fine. Three times a week.”
His brows rose.
“What?” she asked.
“You really think you could resist me four nights a week?”
She rolled her eyes. “Here I was thinking three was too many.”
He could have laughed again. Instead, he slowly dipped his head, his lips almost brushing her ear. “I have a feeling, one night together and neither of us would be able to wait very long for the next.”
There was a sharp intake of breath. “You really think a lot of yourself, don’t you?”
“It’s nothing you haven’t thought yourself, Peaches.” He spun her again. “Who made the first move?”
“Obviously you.”
“Why obviously?”
“Because of that big ego of yours. It wasn’t even a thought in your mind that I might say no. Next question.”
“Where’d we go on our first date?”
“Burt’s Pizzeria.”
He barely held in the snort. “I would never take a woman there, first date or fiftieth date.”
Burt had the worst pizza in Montana. Hell, probably America. But people in the small town kept him in business because they liked him. And yeah, Becket ate his fair share of bad pizzas to keep the guy going, but never on a date.
She frowned. “Really? I thought cheap and easy was your thing.”
He growled softly and tugged her closer. “For our first date, I took you to Blackbird Kitchen in Bozeman. You ordered the mostarda pizza, I ordered a salsiccia and we shared.”
There was a small gasp from her lips. “How did you know I order the mostarda from Blackbird?”
“I’ve seen the boxes in your trash can and took a guess on the mostarda. That’s a big drive for pizza.”
She pulled back and looked at him closely, but this time, it was like she was trying to work him out. “I’ve gotten to know the owners. Now we choose a halfway point, so their delivery guy drives halfway to me and I drive halfway to them.”
“That’s still quite an effort for pizza.”
“I like pizza. Especially theirs.”
“As your boyfriend, that’s good to know. I’ll add it to the list.”
“List?”
“Pizza. Dogs. Organizing fundraiser events. Those sweet teas that Mrs. Gerald makes.”
“You know that I like sweet tea?”
“You drink it at The Tea House. So does Clara. No idea why, the stuff tastes like sugar water.”
She was still frowning, almost looking as if she was seeing him for the first time.
“One more question,” he said quietly. “Why don’t you have a dog?”
The change in her was immediate. Her body stiffened and her cheeks paled. But it was her eyes that really changed. Any humor or happiness left them, and they almost grew sad.
Suddenly she took a big step back, tugging out of his arms. “Thank you for saving me tonight. Like I said, it was just for tonight…but I’ll keep up my end of the deal. I should go talk to some people from work.”
Then she turned and walked off the dance floor, her spine too rigid.
Why would a question about a dog incite that kind of reaction?
He left the dance floor and joined his brother, who was watching Clara and Aspen dance.
Jesse looked at Becket as he approached. “Tell me there’s something wrong with my eyes and you weren’t just dancing with Sky Williams.”
“Nothing wrong with your eyes, brother. Sky and I have turned a corner.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope.” He watched Sky as she spoke to a couple of people across the room. Her head turned, and their gazes locked. Her eyes did that widening thing, which told him one thing—she felt it too.
What exactly “it” was, he had no idea. All he knew was that he liked being around her…probably too much.