2. Catalina
Catalina
I ’m not even pretending to help. I’m sitting on the floor with my chin resting in my hand as I watch the muscles in his back flex as he bends. Dust clings to the sweat sliding down his spine. He grunts, shifts, and suddenly I’m even more horny than I was.
My phone buzzes in my lap.
Thank God because I would’ve manhandled him right here.
I open the family group chat, the girls and Reed were forced, but that’s besides the point. I snap a sneaky picture of Carter, bent over with a hammer in hand, veins popping in his arms. His hat is turned backward, hair damp at his neck.
Literal sin in cowboy form.
Catalina
ladies & gentlemen… my honeymoon. contractor cowboy porn.
Amelia
Jesus Christ, cat.
Layla
How are you not pregnant yet
Maverick
You look smokin’, Carter, for a grandpa
Catalina
excuse you
Amelia
I support her. If my husband looked like that, demolishing a bathroom, I’d be on my knees already.
Reed
…
Catalina
say something reed
Reed
He should be wearing safety goggles
Layla
Maverick
HI AMELIAAAAA
I’m still giggling when Carter straightens, glances over his shoulder, and narrows his eyes at me. His chest glistens with sweat, tattoos shifting as he wipes his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Weren’t you supposed to help me?” he says in a teasing tone, and I already know where this is going.
I flash him my sweetest smile. “I am helping. I’m supervising my husband.”
He drops the hammer with a loud clank, stalks toward me, and crouches down until we’re eye-level. His hand braces on the floor beside me, his blue eyes staring into mine, and suddenly the air feels thick enough to choke on.
“Supervising, huh?”
I lick my lips, unable to keep the wicked grin off my face. “Mhm. Making sure you’re swinging that hammer right. And—” my voice dips into a sultry whisper, “—imagining all the other ways you could use it on me.”
His jaw tightens as his nostrils flare. That’s my favorite look on him, when the gruff cowboy act starts to crack and I know exactly how close he is to snapping.
“Jesus Christ, Catalina,” he mutters, rubbing his finger across my bottom lip.
He leans in closer, crowding me against the wall until the dust sticks to my bare legs. “You think that’s funny?” His voice drops, a gravelly rumble that goes straight between my thighs.
I bite down on a smile, because God, I love poking the beast. “I’m hilarious.”
He shakes his head, mumbling something under his breath, then fists a hand in the front of my tank top and hauls me up off the floor.
My phone slips from my lap and clatters against the tile.
“Carter!” I squeal, though the sound comes out breathless, my legs already wrapping around his waist.
“You sit there, running that filthy mouth,” he growls, walking me backward until my spine hits the unfinished drywall, “while I’m busting my ass for you?—”
“You look so hot when you bust your ass for me,” I cut in, smirking against his mouth.
His breath shudders out, and then he kisses me hard, teeth, tongue, and heat, like he’s punishing me for every word I just said. I laugh against his lips until his grip tightens on my ass, making me gasp.
“Still supervising?” he mutters, voice rough.
“Mmhm.” My smile is wicked, even as he presses me harder into the wall. “Making sure you don’t miss a spot.”
“Christ, Catalina,” he groans, grinding me down against the hard line of him. “One of these days, you’re gonna push me too far.”
“Maybe that’s the point,” I whisper, dragging my nails across his shoulders.
His mouth is hot and rough on mine, as his hands grip my ass like he’s two seconds from taking me right here against the half-demolished vanity. Every inch of his cock is straining, desperate, and I know if I give him the word, he’ll ruin me in the dust without a second thought.
Which is exactly why I don’t.
I nip at his lower lip, dragging my tongue across it, whispering, “I want you to fuck me so hard I can’t walk straight, baby… but not until this bathroom is finished.”
Carter freezes and pulls back just enough to look at me, his blue eyes wild, chest rising and falling. “Catalina,” he grits out, “don’t play with me.”
“Oh, I’m not playing,” I smirk, running my nails down the sweat-slick muscles of his chest. “You want me dripping for you? Begging? Better start swinging that hammer faster.”
His jaw clenches, nostrils flaring, and for a moment, I think he might snap and take me anyway. My pulse races with the thrill of it, but then he sets me down.
“You’re gonna regret that,” he declares, towering over me.
“Am I?” I purr, straightening my tank top and picking my phone up off the floor. “Because from where I’m standing, I’ve got you right where I want you.”
He grabs the hammer again, muscles taut, mumbling curses as he swings it into the vanity hard enough to splinter the wood.
I settle back down on the hardwood floors, cross-legged, chin in my hand, grinning like the devil.
Carter continues swinging the hammer, each crack of wood sharper, louder, more frustrated than the last. His muscles flex with every hit, tattoos shifting over sweat-damp skin, and I can’t resist.
“You know,” I say, leaning back against the opposite wall, “watching you destroy things is almost as hot as when you take care of me.”
The hammer pauses mid-swing, his shoulders tightening.
I keep going, taunting him. “Bet if you put that same energy into fucking me, I wouldn’t be able to walk out of here on my own.”
“Catalina.”
I grin. “Swing harder, cowboy. Bathroom first, then me.”
He groans, slamming the hammer down with enough force that dust rains from the ceiling.
My smile widens.
God, I live for this.
I’m just about to throw in another filthy comment when the front door bangs open.
“HELLOOOOO,” Maverick’s voice booms through the house.
Carter mutters a curse, but before he can bark something back, Maverick flies up the stairs and appears in the doorway, grinning. He takes one look at Carter shirtless, dripping sweat with a hammer in his hand, then me lounging cross-legged on the floor, and smirks.
“Oh, hell yeah. Domestic bliss. Newlyweds renovating together. Love to see it.”
Before I can say a word, he plops down next to me, crossing his long legs, mimicking my exact position. “Whatcha supervising, Cat?”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the way Carter’s glare could cut steel. “Making sure your brother doesn’t take out a load-bearing wall,” I say sweetly.
Maverick snorts. “Please. This guy knows what he’s doing. He’s been building barns since he was like twelve. Doesn’t mean he’s fun to watch, though.”
I glance at Maverick. His grin is wide, but something is flickering behind his eyes, something tired and faraway. I shake it off as quickly as it comes because Maverick Hayes is never serious, but it sticks in the back of my mind.
“Fun to watch?” I echo, smirking. “Speak for yourself. I think he’s very fun to watch.”
Carter shoots me a look, sharp enough to promise payback. Maverick laughs, leaning back on his hands like he plans on staying awhile.
And just like that, my bathroom project turns into a full-on Hayes brother circus.
Boots & Bourbon is buzzing tonight, country music low on the speakers, the smell of fried food and whiskey filling the air.
Usually, I’d be focused on the menu, but Carter’s hand hasn’t left my thigh since we sat down.
His thumb keeps stroking higher under my dress, like he’s daring me to lose it in front of his brothers.
“Don’t we look disgustingly in love?” I ask, leaning back to watch Maverick gag.
Maverick groans, dragging a hand down his face. “I swear to God, Cat, one more heart-eyes comment and I’m throwing myself through that window.”
Reed sits at the end of the booth, quiet as ever, sipping his beer like he’s immune to the circus happening in front of him.
Maverick, of course, pivots instantly. “Anywaysssss, let’s talk about Amelia.”
Carter groans beside me, “Jesus Christ, here we go.”
I grin. “What about Amelia?”
“What about her? She’s—” Maverick gestures wildly, at a complete loss for words. “She’s it. The whole damn thing. Tattoos, attitude, that face she makes when she looks at me like she wants to stab me but also maybe kiss me?—”
“Sounds familiar,” I cut in, smirking at Carter.
He scowls but keeps his hand firmly planted on my thigh.
Maverick keeps going, completely unbothered. “I’m telling you, it’s only a matter of time. She’s just… ugh.” He flops back against the booth, staring at the ceiling.
“You’ve known her five minutes,” Carter grunts.
“Five minutes was enough.” Maverick points his fork at him, dead serious. “When you know, you know.”
Reed shakes his head, taking a sip of his beer. “You’re a damn fool.”
I laugh, leaning into Carter to feel him tense beside me. He’s trying to act unbothered, but the way his hand tightens higher under my dress tells me his mind is not on his brother’s delusional love life.
Honestly, mine isn’t either.
“Best family dinner ever,” I declare, sipping my drink while Carter curses under his breath.
Maverick is still rambling about Amelia, waving his fork. “—and then she smirked at me, like, this evil little smirk, and I swear to God I’ve been thinking about it for three days straight. I can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t?—”
“Please stop talking before I vomit,” Carter mutters, squeezing my thigh so hard it makes me bite back a gasp.
I should pay attention to him, to the heat in his touch, but Maverick’s ridiculous confession has me sliding my phone out under the table. If there’s one thing I live for, it’s stirring the pot.
Catalina
Amelia. Maverick is so in love with you, it’s embarrassing.
Amelia
Whatever
Catalina
This whole dinner he’s been gushing about you
Amelia
gross. tell him to stop thinking about me.
Catalina
you like it
Amelia
No, I don’t, bitch.
Layla
stop being against dating Amelia and fuck him
Catalina
LAYLA LOL
Layla
ok but more importantly… what about reed does he say anything about me?
Catalina
isn’t your hoe ass engaged????
Layla
shut up
I grin down at my phone, biting my lip to keep from laughing, while Carter leans closer, his breath hot against my ear.
“What are you grinning at, baby?” His voice is low, dangerous.
“Nothing,” I lie, locking my screen quickly.
He doesn’t buy it for a second. His hand drags higher on my thigh under the table, and I nearly choke on my water.
Across from me, Maverick is still going on. “I’m telling you, she’s it. Amelia Hamilton is the future Mrs. Hayes, you’ll all see.”
Reed finally looks up, expression flat as ever. “God help her.”
I laugh so hard the whole table stares at me, but Carter’s fingers flex against my skin, reminding me that the real danger tonight isn’t Maverick’s unhinged love life. It’s my husband, barely holding himself together.
And God, do I love watching him fall apart.