Chapter 21
“Great. This bird does like me.” ~ Rhett
Rhett
“W here are we going?” Dakota asks as we drive away from the Mermaid Motel, where I picked her up from the reception area. She grimaces as we travel over a bump in the parking lot and her cheeks pinken.
I frown. Is she ashamed of living at the motel? There’s no reason for her to feel ashamed. She’s working her ass off to pay the debts of her late husband. Debts she shouldn’t have to pay. Debts she won’t let me pay.
“Uh oh. You don’t appear happy. What’s wrong? Are we going to commit another felony? Are you worried all the animals will like me better than you?”
I reach across the console to place my hand on her thigh. I can’t stop touching her when she’s near. Even if I’m trying to hold off sex until she’s convinced I’m serious about this relationship.
I never thought I’d be serious about a woman. Not after watching my dad tell Mom he loved her before driving away to his new life with a different woman. I never thought I’d be able to trust a woman enough to be in a serious relationship. But Dakota bared her soul to me. And I can’t resist her.
“I’m certain all animals will like you more than me.”
She grins at me. “Of course, they will. I’m sweet, not sour the way you are.”
I play growl at her. “You think I’m sour.”
She shrugs. “They don’t call you Mr. High and Mighty for nothing.”
“They?” I raise a brow. “You’re the one who coined the phrase.”
“For a reason,” she sings.
“And now my brothers think it’s cute to use the nickname.”
She pats my hand. “Poor baby. Can’t handle a bit of teasing from his brothers.”
I clear my throat. “Speaking of brothers…”
“Uh oh. What did they do now? Do we need to bail them out? Is there a jail on Smuggler’s Hideaway?”
“There is a jail on the island. It’s actually quite nice.”
“How do you know?” She holds up a hand. “On second thought, don’t tell me.”
I chuckle. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“Of course not.”
“Anyway, my brothers.”
“Yes…”
“They’re joining us today.”
Her brow wrinkles. “Your brothers are joining us? If this is some kind of weird reverse harem thing, count me out. I have my hands full with one Raider. I don’t need more.”
I smirk. “You have your hands full with one Raider?”
Her cheeks darken. “You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t. Explain.”
She slaps my shoulder. “Don’t embarrass me.”
I immediately sober. “Sorry. I would never embarrass you on purpose.”
She blows out a breath. “You’re more of a gentleman than I deserve.”
“Wrong, Havoc. You deserve everything.”
I turn into the parking lot of Barnacles & Barnyards, the petting zoo on the island, and find a spot to park.
“Today is Kai’s birthday. Since he lost at poker, he has to go to the petting zoo for his birthday.”
Her mouth drops open and panic fills her eyes. “It’s Kai’s birthday? How do I not know this? I didn’t buy him a present.”
I squeeze her hand. “I put your name on our present.”
“I hope it wasn’t lame.”
“Tickets to a comedy show on the mainland.”
She nods. “Good idea.”
“But,” I prod when it’s obvious she wants to say more.
“What am I doing here?” she bursts out. “I’m not part of the family. Yes, I work for your brother. And I work with the family. But it’s work.”
My growl isn’t playful anymore. “You’re my girlfriend.” She opens her mouth to protest and I amend myself. “The woman I’m dating.”
And I want to show her how it feels to be part of a family. I want to give her a family because I’m falling in love with her.
The revelation doesn’t surprise me. It probably should, considering how much she annoyed me when we first met. But I’m coming to understand the annoyance was fear upon recognizing my other half.
Dakota squirms in her seat. “I don’t know about this.”
“I understand you’re nervous, but you know almost everyone here. My brothers, Eli’s girlfriend Paisley.”
Eli and Paisley are no longer just fooling around behind closed doors at the distillery. They’re a solid couple who are very much in love. I couldn’t be happier for him. Although I still give him shit. It’s my obligation as his brother.
“Almost isn’t very reassuring.”
I chuckle. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
She squares her shoulders. “I don’t need protecting.”
“There’s my girl,” I mutter before kissing her nose. “Let me open your door.”
I jump out of my SUV. I wave to my family as they walk toward us. I round the vehicle to open Dakota’s door, but Miles arrives and opens it for her before I get there.
“Milady.” He tries to bow but I shove him.
“Leave her alone.”
“Mom!” Miles shouts. “Rhett won’t share his toys.”
I squeeze his neck and slam him against the SUV. “Dakota is not a toy.”
He holds up his hands. “Just testing.”
“I’ll test you,” I grumble.
“I have ten dollars on Miles,” Zane says.
“Twenty on Rhett,” Dakota counters.
“I’m with Dakota,” Paisley adds.
“Boys,” Mom chides and I release Miles. I find Dakota and wrap an arm around her.
Mom beams at me. “Is this Dakota? It’s lovely to meet you.”
I keep my arm tight around Dakota. If Mom hugs her and welcomes her to the family, she’ll flee before I have a chance to explain to Mom what’s happening.
“Dakota, this is my mom and her husband, Stuart,” I introduce.
Dakota smiles at them. “It’s lovely to meet you both.”
“The introductions are done,” Kai declares. “Let’s go enjoy my birthday!”
“At a petting zoo,” Dakota mutters.
Paisley giggles. “You should have been there for the last birthday. We went to Mermaid Mystical Gardens. It was a blast.”
Eli snorts. “We got kicked out.”
Paisley purses her lips. “We did not get kicked out.”
“They asked us to vacate the premises.”
“But they couldn’t catch us to kick us out.”
Dakota giggles. “And here I thought you were some brainiac.”
“Nah.” Paisley shakes her head. “Jaxon’s the brainiac. I’m the chemistry nerd.”
“I’ll amend the distillery meeting notes to reflect the proper names,” Dakota sasses and I grin. She’s going to fit in with this group of misfits just fine.
“Come on.” Kai motions to us from the entrance, where he’s already waiting.
“I’ve plotted out a route,” he says when we reach him. “We’ll begin with Captain Cluck. Then, it’s off to visit Rumrunner the mischievous goat, Bootlegger the miniature donkey, Old Salty the llama, the mer-cows and the mer-pigs, and we’ll finish at the tortoise race.”
“What are mer-cows and mer-pigs?” Dakota asks.
“Mer-cows are cows that swam to shore from a shipwreck,” Kai explains. “And Mer-goats resemble mermaids with their unusually long, silky coats.”
“I brought my flask.” Paisley offers it to Dakota, who holds up her hand.
“I’m not much of a drinker.”
Zane sighs. “And here I thought you were cool.”
“Unlike you, I don’t need to drink to be cool.”
I chuckle, and Zane glares at me. “He doesn’t drink much either. You two are meant for each other.”
Yes, we are. But not because of some bullshit about not drinking.
Once the others finish sipping from the flask, we begin walking through the petting zoo. I hold Dakota’s hand as we stroll. I was never much for holding a girl’s hand but Dakota’s different. Touching her is an addiction I have no desire to cure myself of.
“Ta da!” Kai motions to a chicken. “Meet the seafaring chicken, Captain Cluck.”
“Seafaring?” Dakota asks.
Before anyone can answer, the chicken clucks and flies up to land on my shoulder. I try to shove him off, but he digs his claws in. “Go away, Captain Cluck.”
Dakota bursts into laughter. “And here I thought all birds hated you.”
I glare at her. “Plank is an asshole.”
My words cause her to double over in laughter. “Only Mr. High and Mighty would say a parrot is an asshole.”
“Can someone get this bird off of me?” I ask my family.
Eli taps his chin as he studies me. “I bet he can’t keep Captain Cluck on his shoulder for five minutes without losing his control.”
Zane rolls his eyes. “This is Mr. Control. He’ll make it thirty minutes.”
I glare at my brothers. “You’re all assholes.” I turn to Dakota. “You’re the bird whisperer. Can you help me?”
She raises her palms. “I don’t want to cheat. Bets have been placed.”
“You didn’t place one, so what does it matter?”
Her eyes spark with challenge. “How about this? If you manage to keep Captain Cluck on your shoulder all day, I’ll go out on another date with you.”
Kai rubs his hands together. “This is going to be fun. Jaxon, research how to bribe a chicken.”
Jaxon digs his phone out and I snarl at him. “What are you doing?”
He pushes his glasses up his nose. “I believe you would term this ‘having fun’.”
“Children,” Mom begins but Stuart cuts her off.
“Let them have their fun. They’re not hurting anyone.”
Mom sighs – the signal she’s giving in – and Stuart kisses her hair.
I mock glare at him. “And here I defended you when my asshole brothers wanted to prank you to force you to leave Mom.”
“They did prank me. Multiple times.”
“Does anyone have any snacks?” Jaxon asks.
Dakota opens her bag and digs around. “I have peanut butter crackers.”
I shackle her wrist to stop her. “Do you not want to go out on another date with me?”
She looks up at me from beneath her lashes. “Maybe I think you should earn it.”
I straighten my shoulders. “I’ll earn it.” I try petting the chicken. “Good little Captain Cluck.”
Apparently, chickens don’t enjoy being petted because he clucks and flaps his wings. I turn my head before I end up with a black eye from a chicken.
“Here you go, Captain Cluck.” Dakota offers him a bit of cracker and he eats from her hand. She continues to feed him until the cracker is gone.
“Do all animals love you?”
“Not dead snakes.” She shivers.
Damn. I didn’t mean to bring up the loan shark who’s bothering her. If I had more than a first name, I’d pay off those debts. To hell with what Dakota wants. I won’t allow her to be in danger.
“Here, Captain Cluck. Here. Here,” Miles calls. If a chicken could snub its nose, I’d say that was Captain Cluck’s response.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Zane tiptoes behind me. I try to spin around – I know better than to let a brother sneak up behind me – but Kai grasps my hips to stop me.
“BOO!” Zane shouts.
Captain Cluck clucks and flaps his wings. His claws dig into my shoulder as he jumps off.
“You cheated,” I grumble at Zane.
“Someone’s not getting another date with Dakota,” Miles sings.
“Oh no, you’re bleeding.” Dakota pulls the neckline of my t-shirt to the side to reveal two lines of blood.
“There’s a first aid kit near the goat enclosure.” Paisley points to it. “And don’t ask me how I know.”
Dakota shackles my wrist and drags me away.
“I’m okay, Havoc. It’s only a little bit of blood.”
“I know, but I don’t want to be near your brothers when I tell you you’re getting another date even though you lost the bet.”
I tug on her hand to stop her. “I’m getting another date?”
“You allowed a chicken to maul you. I think you deserve another date.”
I wiggle my eyebrows. “What about a kiss? Do I deserve one of those?”
She sighs. “If you must.”
I don’t need to ask twice. I haul her near and meld my lips to hers. Her taste of strawberry and sin hits me and I groan. I’ll let a chicken maul me any day if this is my reward. I’m afraid there’s not much I wouldn’t do to have the privilege of touching Dakota.
I’m falling for this woman and there’s no way I can stop it.
It’s possible I don’t want to.