Chapter 4
FOUR
Paxton
My brothers continue to talk with Hartford and surround her like she’s either their prey, or their goddess. I do love that my family loves her. However, right now, I’m on the outside of this circle around her and I’m not having that.
She’s my best friend.
I push through and stand in front of her. “I’m sure you all have work to do.”
“I don’t,” Tripp says, hopping up on a stool.
I playfully nudge him away, eliciting laughter from the crowd as he regains his footing. “Well, if you don’t have any tables to bus, then find something to do. Hartford and I need to discuss a project she’s writing for work.”
“What are you working on?” Brock asks, his eyebrow arching in a subtle display of curiosity, his voice carrying a hint of intrigue.
A delicate blush rises to color her cheeks, and she steals a quick glance in my direction, her eyes shimmering with bashfulness.
“She’s writing an article about all the ways to kill your siblings without getting caught. I’m giving her all the best ideas.”
“I know you’re joking, but I don’t doubt you have a list,” Tripp says, shaking his head as he walks away.
“Like he could get us before we got him,” Brock says as he follows Tripp. Callum chuckles as he slaps their backs as they get back to work.
Hartford sighs, glancing up at me. “Thanks. I couldn’t think of anything that fast.” She reaches for her bag, pulling it up onto her lap. “So, I wrote down the rules we need to discuss.”
I take her hand, halting her movements, and her eyes lift to mine. I raise an eyebrow with a slow grin. “You think I’m going to discuss this with you out here in the open with all my brothers around? Have you forgotten how intrusive they can be?”
She shakes her head gently, her hair falling across her face, her gaze now fixated on the wood floors. “I wasn’t even thinking about that.”
“It’s fine. We’ll go into the back room. We’ll have privacy there.”
She steps into the back room, and I swiftly close the doors behind us, shutting out the cacophony of sounds from the bustling bar.
Moving toward a table, I gently pull out a chair for her, to which she responds with a grateful nod of her head.
Taking my seat opposite her, I gesture with my hands, signaling for her to start at her own pace.
As she retrieves a folder out of her bag, my phone dings on the table. I see it’s the group text I have with my brothers and open it.
Brock: Daring, big brother. Bringing Hartford into a room with a door that doesn’t lock. I like your style.
I roll my eyes and put the phone down.
“So, I wrote up the rules that I think are important,” she starts.
Ding.
Tripp: Is it really daring when he blows his load in less than two minutes?
Christ, these idiots. They all think I have a thing for Hartford. They can’t understand how, after all these years, we are still just friends. I’ve tried explaining to them it’s not like that with us, but they just don’t get it.
Ding.
Callum: Poor Hartford.
“Pax, really?” she asks, annoyed with my phone constantly going off.
I turn off the phone and toss it on the table. “I’m sorry, it’s off now. You have my full attention.”
She straightens herself, appearing more confident, as she opens her folder. It’s cute how official she’s being about this. She pulls out the paper and clears her throat as she runs her hand across it, removing the nonexistent wrinkles.
“Hart, relax. It’s just me. Read to me what you have,” I say, grinning at her.
She nods, her auburn hair falling into her eyes as she takes a deep breath. “All right, rule number one.” She lifts her light brown eyes to me and says, “No kissing.”
“Of course,” I say, crossing my arms as I lean back in the chair. “Kissing is much too intimate.”
“Yes, it is.” She puts a check by it on the paper and I hold back a laugh. Sometimes she’s overly organized and putting a check next to the rule is her way of saying we discussed it and I’ve agreed.
“Rule number two is no eye contact.”
This time I chuckle and she snaps her head up to me. I hold my hands up in defense and nod. “All right, fine. If you don’t want to make eye contact, I won’t.”
“Eye contact is what couples do and we aren’t a couple.”
I reach across the table and place her tiny hand in mine. “I know that, Hart. No eye contact. I agree.”
She grins, giving me a brief nod before putting a check next to it. “Rule number three.” She chews her bottom lip, keeping her focus on the paper.
“What?”
“Rule number three is no actual sex,” she rushes out, and a crimson blush races across her cheeks.
I’m stunned because I never thought about what all this would entail. Fuck, I’ll get to be intimate with her. Touch her? My mind swirls with endless possibilities. But I push those thoughts away and make a joke to deflect, “Damn, count me out.”
She sighs, tossing her pen down. “If you aren’t going to take this seriously, I’ll just do it on my own. We need to be like a real couple while doing this. Because this article has to be in depth, and I think if we pretend we’re all in while doing this…” her words fall away.
“Oh, come on, I’m joking. Of course, there’ll be no actual sex. I know this is about your article, nothing more. I’m teasing you like I always do. Keep going.” I pick up her pen and hand it to her.
She snatches it from my hand and puts a large check next to rule number three.
“Okay, rule number four is we keep our underwear on at all times.”
“Yeah, that helps to make sure rule number three doesn’t happen.” I smirk, and she responds with a narrowed gaze. “It’s a good rule, Hart. I’m totally down with it.”
She blows out a breath. “This isn’t easy for me, Pax. Part of me wants to give up the assignment because I’m not comfortable with any of this.” Her eyes search mine.
It hurts to see the uncertainty reflected in her eyes. She doesn’t give herself the recognition she deserves. I wish she saw herself the way I see her—strong and confident.
By the end of this, she will. This can be the perfect opportunity for her to push her boundaries, with rules of course, that will allow her to see how amazing she is.
“I know it’s challenging, but you got this. And I’m here to help. So keep going because your rules are effective and well thought out. We’ve got this.”
A small smile hits her lips, and she nods, turning her attention back to the paper. “Rule number five, the last one.” She glances up at me, keeping her eyes locked with mine. “The minute things get weird for either of us, we shut it down immediately.”
“Hell yes. That should be the number one rule.”
I don’t anticipate feeling uncomfortable, but she might, and knowing she can shut it down will help a lot.
I won’t lose her as a friend.
“How about a safe word?” I suggest.
“Oh, yes. I like that idea.” She bites the end of her pen, searching my eyes. “What should it be?”
“Well, considering that strawberries are your ultimate food obsession, how about we go with that?”
She writes the safe word as if she needs to go home and study it to remember it. “Perfect.”
“Hart, this is going to be fun. We’re going to have some laughs, learn some new things, and you’ll write the best article ever. Your boss will be blown away.”
She leans back in the chair. “I do appreciate this, Paxton. It’s just weird and completely uncomfortable.”
“A little fucked up too,” I say, causing us both to laugh.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a little fucked up.” She squeezes her hands together on the table as she looks behind us at the closed door.
“No one is coming in,” I reassure her.
“So, I was researching, and I think we need to go to a community munch.”
“Community lunch?” I ask, dipping my eyebrows.
She groans, shaking her head. “Munch with an M. It’s a place for people who are into BDSM to meet up and talk or something.”
I nod, running my hand down my mouth. “Like an appetizer before the entrée?”
She shrugs. “I guess, but no one can see us. The rumors would be unfixable.”
She’s right. If my brothers saw us together at something like that, they would torture me endlessly. Magnolia Ridge is much too small of a town. Everyone knows everyone. They also know everyone’s business, and gossip spreads faster than wildfire in a dry forest.
“So, we can go to Saint Pierce,” she says. “I’m sure in that big city they have community munches all over the place.” She looks down at her paper and back up at me. “This isn’t the stupidest idea ever, right?”
I grin, shaking my head. “No, it’s not. The stupidest idea ever would be if someone else were helping you.”
“Yeah, like I’d ever let that happen,” she says, putting her paper back into the folder. “Okay, we got a lot covered. I need to get home and do the laundry I’ve been avoiding. I have no clean panties.”
Why did she have to mention her panties? And why am I picturing what color she has on right now?
No, this has to be about the BDSM article and nothing more.
I clear my throat and use the only defense mechanism I know. I make a joke, “Well, you better get them all washed, because I’m not doing this with you if your panties are dirty.”
“Shut up.” She smirks at me.
We stand and I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and wrap her in a tight hug. Her body feels good against mine. I breathe in the scent of her hair—raspberries and cream— and I honestly don’t want to let go. “It’s going to be fun, Hart.”
She nods against my chest and pulls away, grabbing her bag. Just before she opens the door, I flip my phone back on.
Ding.
Ding.
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
“They’re ruthless,” she says, grinning as she leaves the room.
Tripp: What’s going on behind closed doors?
Brock: Pax is finally getting his dick wet. We always knew his first time would be with Hartford.
Callum: Pax isn’t a virgin. I remember him fucking that Stacy what’s-her-name after high school.
Shepherd: What am I missing? I hate being out of town. Somebody fill me in.
Brock: Pax has Hartford in the back room.
Shepherd: Mysterious.
Tripp: You think they’re kissing in there?
Brock: Definitely. Maybe she’s finally sucking his cock.
Tripp: Pretty soon we’ll get to call her our sister.
Callum: Okay, guys, get back to work.
Tripp: Wonder if Pax will be the first to get married. I’m never getting married.
Shepherd: Yeah, no girl would ever marry you.
Tripp: Just how I like it.
Brock: Careful what you wish for.
Shepherd: Yeah, with that type of talk, you’ll be married before us all.
Tripp: I’m never getting married. Mark my words. Paxton will be married to Hartford first.
I type back…
You all are a bunch of assholes.
And then I shut my phone off.