10 #2
Rafferty blinked at the green face peering over the sectional. “Olivia?”
The girl laughed and jumped to her knees. “It’s beauty night!” she yelled and draped her upper body over the back of the couch, her ponytail swishing from side to side.
Amelia, also sporting a green face and ponytail, moved out from behind the kitchen island, a bowl of popcorn in each hand. “Hi, Raff.”
“Mimi!” Olivia straightened and peered at her sister, the green mask crinkling over her forehead. “Why are you calling Mr. Lawson Raff ?”
“Because he said I could.”
“Cool.” Olivia aimed a blinding smile at him. “Can I call you Raff?”
“Sure.”
“Preston, too?”
“Welcome to my estrogen infused world,” Preston muttered.
Rafferty couldn’t help his spurt of laughter. “I hear you, bud.”
Amelia walked past him, the bottom of her loose cotton pants dragging on the floor. It reminded him of the reason he came here. “How’s your leg, Mimi?”
“Mom blistered Dad when she heard what happened,” Preston supplied.
Olivia scowled. “He apologized , Preston.”
Preston snorted. “After he acted like a dick.”
“Cut it out,” Amelia snapped, shoving a bowl of popcorn at her sister before answering Rafferty. “My leg is okay. Mom used her magic horse liniment.” The smile she offered was weak. Rafferty figured her leg might be healing, but her battered soul would take some time.
Speaking of Brandy-Lyn … “Where’s your mom?”
“Soaking in the tub.”
His mind blanked.
A crystal-clear image of Brandy-Lyn lying in a bath formed. Russet hair tied up in a messy bun. Water lapping at her skin. Her naked lush body—
A bump on his arm jerked him from his fantasy. “Raff?”
He shook his head, the vision still teasing him. “Huh?”
Get back on track, Trick.
Brandy-Lyn’s unavailable. Verboten.
Always was. And always will be.
But …
Soaking in the tub.
“Wanna watch Fast and Furious with us, Raff?” Preston asked.
“We’re having a marathon!” Olivia added.
He focused his eyes on Preston. “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. Fast and Furious ?” He’d heard of the movie franchise. Just never watched any.
“Yeah. Best movies ever. We’re watching five and six.”
“I’ve never seen a Fast and Furious movie.”
Three pairs of eyes goggled at him.
“Never?” Olivia gasped.
“Nope.”
The twins spoke at the same time.
“It’s got lots of action and car chases,” came from Preston.
“And family drama!” Olivia exclaimed.
“Guys!” Amelia cried. “Five is set in … Brazil .” She whispered the last word.
“Yes! Brian and Mia break Dom out of prison and go after a drug lo—” Olivia slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes saucers. “Oh. Oh .”
Yeah. He wasn’t sure what to say either.
Movement from the doorway to the left of the fireplace caught his eye.
Brandy-Lyn, clad in black-and-white striped pajamas dotted with hot-pink stars, stood staring back at him. “What …” She cleared her throat before continuing, “What are you doing here?”
All rationale fled as he focused on the way the soft flannel molded her body; her breasts, those glorious mounds swaying with each move; her hips undulating as she walked—
She clapped her hands, snapping him from his lustful inspection. His eyes shot up, meeting her inscrutable gaze. Her lips thinned before she turned her attention away from him. “Girls” — she jerked a thumb over her shoulder — “time to rinse your faces.”
In an unspoken acknowledgement that their invitation to stay and watch a movie was now moot, both Amelia and Olivia said goodbye.
But as Amelia passed him, she stopped, reached onto her toes, and placed a kiss on his cheek, murmuring, “Thanks for listening today,” and followed her sister through the doorway their mom had just emerged from.
Brandy-Lyn moved closer, rounding the couch, bringing the scent of something flowery with her. It smelled heavenly.
“I’ll see you out,” she said, moving past him. She grabbed a long cardigan from the hall stand and opened the front door.
Rafferty gave Preston a wry grin. “Thanks for the movie invite. Maybe another time, yeah? If your mom agrees,” he hastily added. It was more than likely he’d be asked to steer clear of her kids. Which was wise.
Preston nodded. “That’d be cool.”
With a nod to the boy, Rafferty walked out the front door and pulled it closed, taking a moment to study the woman wrapping the woolen garment around her torso. She moved to the wooden railing and stared out into the dark.
A gentle breeze whispered through the shrubbery, bringing with it a whiff of dry grass.It was too dark to read her expression, but her folded arms and stiff figure spoke volumes — her unspoken turbulence a sharp contrast to the peaceful night-time atmosphere beyond the cabin.
“Have I crossed a line? Coming here, I mean. It’s just …
I was worried about Amelia. She took quite a knock this morning …
” Mentally and physically . He angled his head and rubbed his neck.
It was Amelia’s unhappiness that concerned him the most, but he focused on the other.
“But if I hadn’t approached her, she’d never’ve gotten injured, and for that I am truly sorry. ”
Brandy-Lyn turned outward, dropping her arms. Hands braced on the railing, she lowered her head and exhaled a long, weary sigh. “You’ve done nothing wrong.” She gave him a side-glance. “We both know where to lay the blame.”
Moving away from the door, Rafferty stopped just short of her, the narrow beam of light from the gap in the drapes cast a glow across the wooden planks, creating a natural boundary.
Any closer and he’d haul her into his arms and make her forget her name, never mind the hurt and anger toward her jerk of an ex.
“Your ex is a douchebag,” he muttered, fisting his hands.
It would be so satisfying rearranging the schmuck’s arrogant features.
She gave a raw laugh. “No shit, Sherlock.”
“What happened today?”
It took a beat for her to answer. “He drove into town last night, stayed over at the hotel, but didn’t bother to tell us.
After arriving here, security escorted him, which is normal protocol for first timers because the ranch is a maze of buildings, but it annoyed him to be treated like a common criminal.
When I told him the twins were at practice, which he would’ve known if only he’d fucking called ahead , he accused me of keeping his kids from him.
It deteriorated from there, during which Amelia stormed out. ”
There was so much to unpack in her rant, but two things struck him. One, the underlying pain and bewilderment in her tone (not unlike Amelia’s), and secondly— “How long have you lived here?”
“A year.”
“And today is the first time he set foot on the ranch?” he asked, incredulous. “Is he so far up his own ass that it took him a year to see where his children, his own flesh and blood, live?”
Pushing back from the rail, Brandy-Lyn straightened. “Yep.” The “ p ” hung between them. “The last time he came here, they met in town.”
“Why’d you marry him, Red?” he whispered, taking a half step closer, the tips of his boots breaching the shaft of light. This near, her flowery scent teased his nose, stirring his libido.
Danger, danger. Time to go, Trick.
Instead of hauling his ass off her veranda, away from her far too alluring presence, he leaned his hip against the railing and folded his arms.
Twisting, she mirrored his stance. “None of your damn business.”
He sighed and looked down, and the sight of her bright toenails (gleaming in the light beam and perfectly matching the stars on her pajamas) peeking out from the open-toed black cotton slippers brought a quirk to his lips. He’d never had a thing for toes but …
He recalled the gravity of the situation and hauled back his thoughts from veering into carnal lust. This …
thing he had for Brandy-Lyn was futile. And he was becoming far too invested in the lives of her kids.
But he couldn’t stop himself from continuing the conversation. “Maybe. But I’d like to know.”
“Why?”
Why, indeed? She was off-limits. His brother’s ex . Taboo. Yet at that moment, none of that mattered. “Because I like you, Red. And I like your kids. What I do not like is seeing any of you upset.”
“We are not your responsibility,” she whispered.
She’s right. Just walk away, Trick. Now.
But his feet remained rooted to the floor, flouting common sense. “Today he involved me. And Red, the thing is … I want to be involved.”
His declaration hung between them, laden with an underlying meaning, an invisible thread reaching out, seeking a favorable answer from her.
The darkness could not hide the answering heat in her shimmering stare.
His heart leaped.
But then she shook her head. “This” — she gestured a hand between them — “is not happening. You need to go.” She spun away and stomped to the end of the veranda, once again staring out into the night with her hand braced on the wooden rail.
“Red—”
“You’re Sullivan’s brother . There can never be anything between us.”
She’s right.
Yet he lingered, loath to walk away.
“Just go,” she muttered, urgency lacing her words.
Listen to her, Trick, old man. You’re tainted goods. An addict . Brandy-Lyn deserves everything good in her life, and not another moron bringing her nothing but sorrow.
“You’re right,” he said, backing away. He reached the steps and made himself walk down. Instead of choosing the shorter route back to the Main House that would take him past her, he turned right and walked off into the dark.