27. Nice Guy
NICE GUY
Oliver
The sun crested over the mountains, finally lending a brief hope that it would send even a little bit of warmth towards us on this cold morning.
“You know we should’ve asked one of the ranch hands to do an extra shift for us since we knew we’d be up all night for Ivy’s party,” Rowan muttered from beside me as he threw another bucket of feed into the bin. He’d been doing small bouncy jumps in place as he attempted to warm himself.
Even at twenty-seven years old, he was still a giant baby sometimes.
I shrugged. “Should’ve, would’ve, could’ve. They’ll be here later. I figured we could use the early morning call. Go get everyone some coffee.”
“Oh, smart. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Your brain is still in bed with your fiancée,” I muttered, the words more to myself than to him. “Let’s get everyone fed.”
The morning passed quickly as we checked on the cattle and horses. Everyone was out to roam and happy once more to bask in the sun’s rays that were much higher in the sky now.
“It’s almost seven thirty; let’s get the coffee before the girls all wake up.” I shoved the key in my truck's ignition, turning the heater up to thaw my hands.
“And our brothers. I know my big brother has a one-track mind over there, but there are two more people sleeping on my living room floor right now.” Rowan smirked as he rubbed his hands together and clicked his seatbelt across his chest.
“Whatever.”
The drive to Buns of Delight was quick as we opened the door, and Jade, one of Ember's full-time employees, stood behind the counter, a happy smile thrown our way.
“How was the party last night?” she asked in a way of greeting.
I didn’t bother speaking as Rowan went into a full regaling of our evening at The Raven and how the party girl danced for hours.
The party girl.
The image of her twirling around the floor in that pink dress would haunt me for ages to come, but not nearly as much as her in those soaked pajamas as she leapt into my arms in the middle of the rainstorm.
The feeling of her pressed against me, her lips to mine, her fingers clawing through my hair, would be on my mind every day for the rest of my life.
“Okay, you’ve got the guys, Aspen, Payton gets a tea, you know Ember’s. Shit. I need Ivy’s order.” Rowan's voice dragged me from my internal rampage.
“Medium coffee with a dash of the caramel macchiato creamer and coconut milk. Whipped cream on top.”
Both of their gazes turned to me, but Jade broke it before my brother could. “Yeah, that sounds right. I can never remember the coconut milk part. Thanks, Oliver.”
We grabbed two of the cup holders from the counter and waited for Jade to make all the drinks, tossing a few pastries in the bag as well. I knew he was waiting until we were alone. The questions sat on the edge of his lips while she finished.
Once they were all made, the cups in their carrier, I paid, and we walked back to the truck. Ignition on, belts buckled, drinks situated, he finally turned to me.
“Bro.”
“Shut the fuck up.” I navigated us back onto the road and started heading for his house.
“You know her kinda complicated coffee order. And whipped cream? I didn’t even know that.”
“It’s a new development,” I mumbled.
He shook his head, a smile still across his face.
“Oh, that is amazing. A new development. Any more new developments?” When I didn’t answer, my eyes glued to the road, he continued.
“You know, Theo had an interesting comment last night when he came back inside. It was just before Ivy came back in, soaking wet, and ran upstairs. Any guesses?”
“Do I have to?”
“Nope. I’ll tell you. He said, ‘damn what a moment to interrupt’. Any ideas on what that could’ve meant?” I could feel his eyes digging into the side of my head as I continued to ignore him, now more determined than ever to change the subject.
“Fine. I’ll ask Aspen about it then. I mean, my fiancée did sleep in there with her best friend last night. Or I could ask Wyatt. Ember ended up there, too. Or our sister. I’m sure she knows. Girls’ night up there. All the guys on the damn floor.”
“For fuck’s sake, Rowan. A bunch of fucking gossipin’ old ladies. That’s what my siblings are,” I huffed, my hand hitting the steering wheel before I rubbed my jaw, the frustration mounting. “She kissed me.”
He said nothing. No laughs. No comments. Nothing.
“Now, you shut the fuck up,” I muttered and shook my head.
“I don’t even know what to say. Wait, she kissed you? But she has?—”
“I know. Hence the problem,” I interrupted.
“Ah. Well. I guess we can’t kill him. He’s a local, so people would more than likely notice and then see you two together, so dots would be connected.”
“Rowan, I don’t need to kill?—”
“No, listen. It’s fine. We’ll come up with something, I’m sure.” His hand came across the truck and smacked my chest. “You’ve got a girl. Fuck yeah!”
I shook my head, unsure what else needed to be said as Rowan rambled on miscellaneous ways we could get rid of Ivy’s boyfriend, all of which I tuned out. I had my own thoughts on the matter, none of which involved homicide. At least, not yet.
“Here. Make sure you take this tray. It has her coffee in it. She’s not a morning person at all, so maybe you holding her coffee will make her like you more.
” He handed me the tray after I turned the truck off, and I tried not to roll my eyes at his dramatics, even though I knew he was at least half right.
Maybe me handing her coffee would reminded her of last night and—I wasn’t even sure.
We walked up to the front door, Rowan unlocking and opening it for us.
“Oh, family! The hard-working cowboys have returned with breakfast!” he hollered through the house.
Theo was still passed out across the couch, a blanket pulled over his head. Wyatt was slowly getting up. Pulling a hoodie over his head, he ran his hands over his face a few times.
Aspen was standing at the kitchen island, a smile on her face as she gave Rowan a kiss and took her coffee. “The girls should be down in a few. Late night and all.”
“Oh I’m sure. Girl time is always a late night,” Rowan replied. “Did you hear?—”
“Rowan,” I growled. “Don’t start.”
He gave me a wide-eyed look as if I were insane.
“Don’t start what? I was going to say, did you hear Ivy likes whipped cream on her coffee now? Too much time with you, little angel.”
Aspen nodded, a knowing smile. “I had heard that, yes. I am quite the influence.”
Soft footsteps from the steps had us all turning to watch as the remainder of the women in the house came down. Payton smiled as Aspen handed her her hot tea. Ember grabbed hers and Wyatt's to take over to him, but that left mine and Ivy’s sitting before me.
She was the last to walk in, and while I expected everyone to go on about their business where they were, they all dispersed into the living room instead.
An emerald-green pajama set hung along her curves, her feet bare, but the thing that stood out was her hair.
The normal long blond waves that reached almost to her butt were now chopped to her shoulders.
She was still wiping the sleep from her eyes, but they finally rose and met mine.
There were a great many things I wanted to say right now, but only one came to mind. “Your hair looks beautiful, and I reminded Jade to add whipped cream.”
I handed her the cup. She took a small sip and nodded.
“Stop being nice to me. Please,” she whispered.
I nodded. “No more nice guy. Got it.”
She had whipped cream on her top lip, and I didn’t think about what I did next. I reached up, wiping the cream away with my thumb, only to pop the digit in my own mouth, sucking the sweet foam away. She stared, her lips now parted in shock, but I only shrugged.
“Only nice guys ask permission, baby doll.”
Turning to my family, I waved bye, reminding them I had to go pick up Hudson and get some work around the house done today.
If Ivy Tinsley didn’t want me to be nice, I wouldn’t be.
But she’d still be mine when all was said and done.
It was Monday evening. The workday had flown by—not because of how busy I was, but because I’d done nothing but think about that kiss and the following morning. The moments between moments burned into my mind as if they were tattooed into my brain from beginning to end.
What she’d asked of me also flowed through my mind a great deal.
Stop being nice to me.
Yeah, I wasn’t sure how to do that. But a plan had started formulating in my mind, and I was convinced it was just crazy enough to work. I wouldn’t be nice, but I sure as fuck wasn’t going to stay away from her. It wasn’t only unlikely, it was impossible.
Unlocking the front door, the smell of chocolate hit my nose before anything else, and pop music flowed from a speaker, if the volume was an indicator.
Kicking off my boots, I walked in to find Hudson covered in some sort of icing, his head bobbing to the music, and Ivy pulling what looked to be dinner from the oven while sliding in whatever pastry they were making in its place.
“Dad!” He sprinted over to me, and I held out a hand, my palm resting against his forehead, keeping him an arm’s length away from me with a chuckle.
“Absolutely not. Go get cleaned up for dinner, little man.”
Hudson let out a giggle. “Next time I’ll try a sneak attack.”
He ran up the stairs, his door swinging shut behind him. I walked down the hall and into the kitchen. She was busying herself with the dishes from whatever chocolate concoction they’d made.
Her hair was pulled back with a white clip. A tight pair of black leggings hugged her thighs, and a baggy black T-shirt hung midway off one shoulder. I could just make out her humming beneath the sound of the music, her hips swaying slightly as if she couldn’t not dance to the music.
She’d done a solid job ignoring me since I’d walked in, but I was over the game already. Walking up behind her, my arms on either side of her body, I leaned down into the crook of her neck where her shirt dropped down, inhaling her scent like it was what held me together for days at a time.
“Hello, baby doll,” I whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her shoulder.
Her entire body froze beneath me, the bowl covered in chocolate still clutched tightly in one hand, a soapy sponge in another.
“Oliver,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”
“Taking what I want.” I pressed another kiss to her shoulder. “Do you know what I’d do to you if my son wasn’t upstairs right now?”
She shook her head, the rest of her still frozen.
“I’d bend you over this counter, pull these leggings down, and bury my face in that sweet little cunt of yours.
I’d have you coming before dinner cooled.
” I reached an arm around her, the side of my hand grazing over her breasts, her nipples already hard beneath the material.
“And then I’d wrap a hand around this pretty throat of yours and squeeze while I fucked you until you coated my cock in your cum. ”
Her breath hitched and the bowl slipped from her hand, clattering in the sink just as Hudson’s footsteps came running down the steps.
“Think about it, baby doll. I know I will,” I whispered. Turning back towards Hudson, I smiled. “What are we listening to?”
“Sabrina!” Hudson replied.
“I can turn it—” Ivy began, but stumbled to a stop when I looked over my shoulder at her.
“Nope. I’m finding I like Sabrina.” A faint blush dusted her cheeks as I smirked and turned back to Hudson. “All ready to eat?”