Chapter Thirteen
West
I walk into Wade’s domain—a giant barn where we keep the heavy machinery and the four wheelers.
He has his own house of course, but it’s not unusual for Wade to be in here late at night, pulling engines apart before crashing on a portable camp cot.
He’s been playing in the mud and grease since he was knee-high, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
The wide barn doors are open, and Johnny Cash is singing about his “Folsom Prison Blues” from a portable speaker at max volume. It rattles the old barn walls. I can’t see Wade, but I look over the shiny blue Fiat. It’s sparkling like new.
“Wade!” I shout over the music. No response, so I walk over to the speaker and shut it off.
“What the hell?” Wade hollers from the pit. There’s a tractor over head, so it takes him a bit to climb on out.
“Hey,” I say. “So, not to rush you or anything but ... do you know when Daisy’s car will be done?”
“Well, howdy to you too,” he says, wiping his hands on a rag tucked into the pocket of his jeans. “My afternoon has been lovely. Thanks for asking, brother.”
I frown. “I said ‘hey’.”
“I guess I should be thankful I earned a whole syllable. Most people just get a grunt.”
“Very funny, asshole.” I say impatiently. “So, when do you think it’s gonna be finished?”
“Hmm. You and Daisy are real tight these days. You know what I think?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re about to tell me anyway.”
“I think you like driving Miss Daisy.”
“What the fuck are you running your jaw about?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at her, West. Like she’s mama’s cobbler and you just wanna gobble her right the hell up.”
“You’re delusional.”
“Mmm-hmm, and you are in Lurr-ve,” he singsongs.
I’ve got half a mind to whoop his ass right here, but I gotta go get Daisy and—Jesus, Wade was right, I am driving Miss Daisy, but more than that, I’m harboring some stupid crush that I need to get over right quick.
She’s about to have a damn baby and I’m .
.. I’m holding onto something we can never be.
I shake my head. “It ain’t even like that.”
“Who the fuck do you think you’re kidding? My whole life, I ain’t ever seen you this hung up on a woman.”
“You need your goddamn eyes checked, brother. The only thing I’m hung up on is getting Daisy’s car back to her so I can get back to work.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s what I said, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s what you said, but it’s been ready for a week now, and at first, I couldn’t work out why you hadn’t told her, but then I saw the two of you together in her kitchen, and it all made sense.”
Fuck. “You left it sitting here a whole week?”
“No. You left it sitting here a whole week. I told you last Friday when you were running out the door for your hot date. It ain’t my fault you don’t listen.”
“It wasn’t a date,” I say through my teeth.
Wade laughs and unbuttons his shirt tossing it to the creaky floorboards our daddy, grandaddy, and great grandaddy wore through working this land. His grin is smug.
I wanna kick his ass. I’m gonna kick his ass.
“West, there’s only two things I know for certain. Daisy Mae’s been drooling over you since high school,” he says, poking a finger right in the middle of my chest. “And you’re too damn stupid to see it, but you’ve been in love with her since her damn Fiat broke down on the side of that road.”
I shove him back and sneer. “I ain’t in love with her, she’s just got no one else. It’s called being a good friend.”
“Yep. It’s just as I thought. You’re fuckin’ delusional.” He pulls a clean cloth from the stack on the workbench and wets it before lathering it up with soap. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s Friday night, and I got somewhere to be.”
“If you mean Earl’s? That’s where I’m headed. Just ride with me.”
“Don’t tell me you’re not heading to Daisy Mae’s, after all?” Wade finishes washing up and pulls a fresh shirt from a hanger above his makeshift desk. He sprays enough cologne to drown Ham and heads for my truck. “Last chance to back out.”
“Shut up and get in the car, Wade.” I open my door and climb in, slamming it behind me.
He holds his hands up in surrender. My phone vibrates and I glance at it as a text from Baby Mama flashes up on the screen. I open it quickly and stare at the gorgeous slice of yellow cake with lashings of rich chocolate frosting.
Baby Mama: So, I know you have a thing for blondes.
Me: Who told you?
Baby Mama: your past dating history. Anywhoo, I figured you might like to spend a little time with this brunette here. She’s a full-bodied yellow with glossy chocolate frosting and a dash of sprinkles.
Me: Can’t forget the sprinkles.
I smile to myself and glance up, noticing my brother glaring at me from the passenger seat with a look that says, “Told ya so.”
“Guess I’ll be driving myself to Earl’s,” Wade says as he climbs out.
“I can drop you.”
“Nah. I’d rather not have to walk all the way home when you decide you’re sleeping over.”
“I’m not gonna sleep over.”
“Uh-huh. And Wyatt isn’t gonna take that tornado hunter he’s been chasing all these years, who just happened to roll into town today, to his kinky cabin in the west pasture.
” He climbs out of the passenger seat and rests his forearms on the hood of my truck.
“Let me know when you’re done with your sleepover tomorrow and we’ll drop off Daisy’s vehicle. ”
“I already told you, I ain’t spending the night.”
“I heard you. I just don’t believe you.” He taps the roof and closes the door. “Poor old Wade, the last lonely Winchester standing.”
“Pfft. Daisy and I are just friends.”
My phone chimes again and I glance down. Beneath our texts is another picture of Daisy’s cake, this one served up on a plate beside hers.
Baby Mama: You really need to save me from eating this whole thing.
I shoot off a quick reply.
Me: But who will save my horse? I finish with a winky face emoji.
“Yeah.” Wade pulls me out of my head. “’Cause that’s what that look says. So long, brother. Your days as a single man are numbered.”
“Whatever,” I call, but he’s already headed for his truck and just shoots me the bird over his shoulder.
Me: On my way, darlin’.
All I can think of the entire drive to her house, is how I want to sweep that cake off her breakfast table, bury my face between her milky thighs and eat my fill of her sweet pussy.
My jeans get a little tighter at the thought, and before I know it, I can barely focus on the road.
I want her in every way humanly possible, spread out before me like a fucking feast, my cum dripping out of her pretty cunt, her belly swollen with my babies.
I don’t know where the hell that last thought came from, but just because it surprised me, doesn’t make it any less true.
I never imagined myself a dad, a husband—hell, I only just discovered I’m freaking in love with my best friend—but Daisy-Mae’s bringing out all my animal instincts and the most surprising yet, might just be that I have a breeding kink.
When I get to Daisy’s, I sit in the driveway, the engine running as if I’m gonna do the same. Running would be smart, but no one ever accused me of being that.
Her front door opens and her smile lights up when she sees me through my open window. “Knew you couldn’t resist my cake.”
“You got me.”
In more ways than one. And she doesn’t even know it.
“Well, are you gonna sit there all night?” She says with a smug smile as she leans against the doorframe. “Or are you gonna come inside?”
Oh god, do I want to. I’m in way over my head here.
How am I supposed to sit on her couch eating her cake and watching The Real Housewives when all I wanna do is fall to my knees and worship every inch of her?
Goddamn it. Like a chump, I went and fell in love with my best friend, and I’m too afraid to tell her in case I fuck everything up.
“Keep your panties on, ma’am. I’m coming,” I say jokingly. As if there’s even another choice.