Chapter 2 #2
“Nothin’s in my craw.”
“Bullshit. I hear it every time you open your mouth. I see it in your face. You have a major conflict. You’re as attracted as hell to her, but she holds the power of oil and gas over you. Ouch.”
Levi summed it up perfectly.
Rake had been unable to think of much else after his encounter with Jorja.
He could not remember experiencing such an immediate and intense reaction with a woman.
But he was also fiercely protective of the Carpenter land, which brought out the best and the worst in him.
Jorja had gotten a taste of the worst—a bad-tempered sonovabitch with a shotgun.
The idea of having to cave to a descendent of the man who had fucked over his great-grandfather rankled him to no end.
His entire body tightened in response.
What a quandary. Did she know the entire story?
She had to.
“Don’t worry about that,” Rake said with a smug grin.
“I’ll lay on the charm.”
“You can be a real bastard.” Levi pulled his phone from a hip pocket and glanced at it.
“From Nettie. It’s trivia night in the bar. She’s snagging a table. Let’s go check in with them. Maybe join.” He poked Rake in the chest, his lips drawn into a hard line.
“Don’t fuck me over with my woman. Got it?”
“Got it.”
N ettie dragged Jorja toward the bar area.
“We’re playing trivia. Damn, it’s filling up fast. Oh,” –she pointed and fast-walked toward the back of the room— “there’s a table.”
The women claimed a high top with two stools close to the stage.
Jorja hitched her hip onto a stool, rested her elbows on the table’s thickly lacquered wood top, and admired the beauty of the vintage hand-carved back bar.
Beugy’s was nicer and more fun than she had expected.
And the food was delicious.
Similar to the restaurant side of the business, her friend’s design—industrial rustic—subtly balanced and elevated the decades-old establishment.
Her eyes locked with Nettie’s across from her.
“Can I tell you again how proud I am of you?”
Nettie’s eyes sparkled.
“Thank you.”
“How long does trivia last?”
“A few hours. It gets really competitive and rowdy, which will help me not think of Levi playing pool in the other room with his friends.”
“Oh, girlfriend. You’ve got it bad.”
“I told you, Jorja, I really think he’s the one .”
“Later you’re going to have to fill me in on the details, beyond how you met at the market, which is so cute … him picking up the escaped lemons when the handle on your bag broke. We got so absorbed in the movie and then?—”
“You” –Nettie fixed Jorja with a stare— “conked out halfway through it. That latte certainly didn’t do its job. I was sure you’d be up a lot later.”
“In my defense, you plied me with divine pizza and great wine and provided snuggly blankets for viewing. I think the preparation and anticipation about yesterday’s meeting took more out of me than expected. It has the potential to be a mega-deal. And I had too much to drink.” Add the tumble.
And the heat. And the exhaustive craving for the panty-melting rancher.
Her system was in overdrive.
Despite her best efforts, she spent the time at the spa in her head when not slipping in and out of naps.
“Tonight I’m rested and up for some friendly competition.”
“And maybe more?” Nettie elbowed Jorja good-naturedly.
“I texted Levi to let him know we’ve got a table.”
“Possibly …” Jorja hedged.
“You picked up dinner, so the rest of tonight is on me. I’ll be back with our beers.” She edged off the stool just as a graying older man stepped onto the stage.
“Good evening!” The mic carried his words over the crowd.
“For those of you who haven’t been here before, and those who have, welcome. I’m Wade Chisholm, one of the owners of Beugy’s Bar and Grill. Some housekeeping before we begin trivia night. If you’re hungry, the last orders for the kitchen are at nine o’clock. That’s a hard stop. Our cooks work hard and need time off. Back to trivia. Teams are limited to four people. You could end up playing people you never met. To quote Yeats,”—he directed the patrons to the large lettering on the wall to his right— “‘There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't yet met.’ So, get yourselves acquainted, situated, and be prepared to have a lot of fun. We’ll begin in fifteen minutes.”
Jorja returned with four long necks in a bucket of ice, handing one to Nettie before scooting onto the stool. “Thought I should get backups since everyone began lining up during the announcement.” She helped herself to a bottle and tapped it to her friend’s. “Here’s to us.” She sipped, then added. “Sorry I slept through his arrival last night. I want to meet your Levi.”
“No worries. You’ll meet him shortly. Not sure if any of his?—”
“Hey, babe.”
Jorja’s college roommate grinned from ear-to-ear as the tall, good-looking man placed himself in between the women and delivered a wallop of smooch. Her friend was a goner. Nettie’s enthusiastically returned the kiss. They should just find a room, or a dark corner. Never one for PDA, Jorja rolled her eyes and glanced away, connecting with the man in her dreams: Rake Carpenter.
What the actual hell? No. She stiffened, squeezed her eyes shut, and turned toward her friend, who was finishing a blistering kiss with the guy who had to be Levi.
Jorja pulled Nettie toward her and sniped in her ear. “Explain.”
Flushed and wet-lipped, Nettie stared at Jorja with confusion. “You know I don’t just kiss anyone,” she said, not comprehending her friend’s behavior and giggling through the introductions. “Jorja, this is Levi. Levi, Jorja, my bestie.”
“Nice to meet you, Jorja.” The sandy-brown haired man smiled kindly and acknowledged his wingman. “I understand you’ve met my best friend, Rake.”
“You met Rake? When?” Nettie gasped, narrowing her eyes and nodded slowly as understanding dawned. “Oh … Oh … It all comes together ... Your edginess. The evasiveness.”
Nettie’s questions and her knack of understanding irritated Jorja. The gorgeous mercurial rancher was Levi’s best friend? Aw, hell. What are the chances? Apparently, one hundred percent. Shit. What a mess.
“This is a pleasant surprise.” Rake’s voice rumbled through her, elevating her pulse and unleashing a kaleidoscope of butterflies that centered in her stomach and fluttered throughout her body. That same glint she noticed at the ranch shone in his eyes. And what appeared to be a knowing smile.
A pleasant surprise, my ass.
“Babe, will you stay? You and Rake can complete our foursome.” Nettie encouraged. “It’ll be fun. Where are Hank and Brady?”
Levi’s attention moved from Nettie and settled on Rake and Jorja. “They were wrangled into a darts competition.”
“Sure. We’ll stay.” Rake drawled, leaning in and helping himself to one of the beers. “I enjoy games. Gettin' to know you better, Jorja … I’d like that.”
Gone was the mercurial alphahole she met yesterday. In his place was a charming, confident man who oozed sex. Goosebumps chased over Jorja’s skin as his breath caressed her cheek, temple, and ear. Her hand tightened around the bottle’s neck, and her sex clenched, sending the butterflies into a frenzied state. Help.
He grinned wickedly. There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes, which were focused on her as he sealed his lips over the bottle’s mouth and drank.
Mesmerized by the movement of his Adam’s apple, her breath stuttered. She was unable to look away. Willing to disappear with him should he ask. Pissed off by her body’s reaction to his hypnotic, sexy energy, Jorja emptied her beer, trying to wash away the thoughts accumulating at lightning speed:
Rake capturing her mouth, hungry and forceful at first, and then tender and seeking.
Leisurely feathering his fingers over her skin and tasting it as he slid off her shorts, then growing impatient and ripping her panties.
Murmuring, “You’re heaven” while he thrust in and groaned in her ear, setting the pace. “Meet me, honey.”
Her hands flailing about, unsure what part of him she needed to explore first. Then giving up and dragging her nails over his broad back as her body adjusted to his, encouraging him to take her harder. Deeper.
Epic fail. An uncomfortable warmth spread over her chest, neck, and face. Shit, she was had to be glowing red. Rattled and close to the edge, Jorja’s hand shook when placing the bottle on the table with unintended force. Not prepared for this, she needed distance. A few minutes of time. “Excuse me.”
Jorja stood and headed toward the door, picking up her pace as she neared the exit. As she reached out for the crash bar, a hand closed on her shoulder, encouraging her to turn. She knew who it was from her body’s reaction—the urgent pulsing hunger of her dreams.
“Hey. Where’s the fire?”
How was it possible that his lashes were a natural black fringe that was impossible to duplicate with mascara? Jorja swallowed. “I?—”
“Let’s talk.” Rake gently guided her to the left, into a dimly lit private hall.
“I—”
“C'mon.” He moved closer, a hand still on her shoulder, and lowered his voice. “I don’t bite, unless you want me to.” He stroked a finger down the column of her neck. “Do you?”
With a will of its own, her body leaned into the lover’s caress and shivered.
His blue eyes filled with heat.
The ache in her core blossomed and her panties lost the war. Tongue-tied, trembling, and breathing heavily, she said nothing but swallowed again.
“This hunger we have, it needs to be addressed, honey. Can I kiss you?”
Fuck yes. She could only nod.
He leaned in, dropping the hand on her shoulder to her hip, pressing her into him so that she felt his desire. His lips—feather-soft and leisurely—trailed over her temple, the shell of her ear, and along her jaw line. His rapid and shallow breathing matched hers. It was just them in their private bubble. Sounds and everyone else fell away.
He looked deeply into her eyes before slanting his mouth over hers. Again, taking his time to explore. She did as well, enjoying how he tasted, smelled, and moved, sure that if she ground into him she would come.
He deepened the kiss.
Wanting so much more, she surrendered to it, until reality surfaced through the euphoria. It was ridiculous. She was not some teen groping a guy in a secluded hallway. She was an adult.
What was he thinking?
What am I thinking? She broke the kiss. “I’m stepping outside,” she said flatly, battling the raging battle within herself, flashing the best ‘fuck you’ look she could muster before escaping.
“Hmm. It’s definitely gotten hot in here.” He chided, stepping back with a wink accompanying the smile tugging at his lips. “You can summon the spitfire in you when necessary. Sexy.”
His words annoyed her. That she had lost control, and with him of all people, irked her even more. She had to find a modicum of control around Rake Carpenter and hold onto it, or the craving vibrating through her would ignite and burst into flames.
T he evening was comfortable, but it did nothing to ease the soupy mixture of emotions roiling in Jorja. She glanced upward. The orange-pink sunset had surrendered the last of its splendor to the approaching night. Pinpricks of light glittered above, scattering like moon dust across the sky. Normally, she would have stopped what she was doing to enjoy nature’s beautiful tapestry. But not tonight.
Her cowboy boots pounded the sidewalk as she considered the predicament. Heady, all-consuming desire. Mounting frustration. The unfortunate and contentious history between her family and Rake’s, which dated back to before the Depression. Yes, she knew all about it. Rake had to know all about it, too. The two of them were forever linked by the decisions of their forebears.
She ended up at the small park near Nettie’s and dropped onto one of the metal benches framing an area with a softly lit water feature made of large boulders. Additional uplighting painted the landscape of mature trees, shrubs, and flowers. It was lovely. The tranquil burbling and splattering soothed her mind. Jorja closed her eyes. Just for a moment.
Insistent gentle shaking roused her. “Hey sleepyhead.”
She bolted awake and peered into Nettie’s brown eyes, which thankfully, appeared amused. “Guess I conked out.”
“Mm-hmm. More than conked out. It’s after ten. I checked your location when you didn’t come back. You could have gone to my place. I gave you the code.”
“I’m sorry.” Jorja stretched slowly, like a cat, and sat up. “I screwed up playing trivia with you.”
“No worries. Ulen is a safe town, and we still had fun without you. Found a random player and ended up placing second. Won a bag of chocolate goodies from our incredible local chocolatier and a two-hundred-dollar gift certificate to Simple Harmony Spa, which would have been nice to have today. We’ll use it next time you’re here. Levi, Rake, and I gave the chocolate to our new friend … um—” She snapped her fingers. “Leon. A kind elderly man who was recently widowed.”
Jorja felt slightly better about her grand faux pax of rushing out but still felt the need to explain. She never ran from anything, but Rake Carpenter had a way of making her feel disoriented and unbalanced—wholly new experiences for her. What are you going to do about it? “I meant to return but the sound of the fountain drew me in. I didn’t realize how tired I was. Add half of that delicious fried chicken and a lot of beer … A day of pampering …” She shrugged, gave her friend a sheepish look, then gazed at that sky.
Nettie hip-checked Jorja’s shoulder and sat next to her. “You went on a walk. Why?”
“Like I said, yesterday caught up with me—had to be because of the mellow day at the spa. Tonight … I don’t know. I just got into my head, and I needed to walk off the alcohol. But I’m awake now. Refreshed and ready for part two of our evening.”
Nettie faced Jorja with a half-smile and studied her. “You are skilled at so many things but lying is not one of them. Not to me, anyway.”
“I’m not lying. I’ve got a second wind.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. You ditched us, because you needed to walk off what you are feeling about Rake Carpenter.”
“No,” Jorja said, vehemently shaking her head.
“Yes. You are totally into him. I get it. He’s off-the-charts hot . Strapping hard muscles and handsome as hell. Single. And if the rumors are true … There are always grains of truth in rumors, right? Exceptionally gifted in the intimacy department.”
“He’s an asshole. His face is plastered right under the definition. Drop it, Nettie,” Jorja said with more force than intended, wiping the smile off her friend’s face. “I’m not into him.” She jettisoned to her feet and paced.
“Really? My friend doth protest too much.”
“Drop the Hamlet. It’s really simple. I don’t like him, at all.” Liar. “I find him repugnant.” Liar .
“You” —Nettie held her stomach, her words spaced out by the waves of giggles— “are full of shit. It was the Carpenter Ranch where you had a meeting at yesterday, right? And where you took a spill? In front of him? Dressed to impress? No wonder you’re so uptight. It’s interesting that you sized Rake up as an asshole when the two of you barely spoke. You can try to deny it, but you did look at him tonight, more than a few times. He did too, at you. Those combo lingering-and-darting looks. Your I’m-totally-interested-meter blew its gasket.” She paused before speaking again, then said slowly, “Rake has slipped under your skin.”
“Nettie-e-e.” Jorja whined, wanting to shake her. “Drop it.”
“Let’s go. Since you’ve got a second wind, we’ll watch a movie. I’ll make nightcaps.”
“Fine. Just promise me that the topic of Rake Carpenter won’t come up again.”
“You’re kidding me. The attraction between you two is like, intense. Fireworks are on the horizon. Where’s my curious and fearless friend?” Nettie unlocked the door and flipped on a light. “By the way, he’s the one I thought you should hook up with.”
“Not happening.” Liar. “Your curious and fearless friend is frustrated as hell. There’s a larger issue. My great-grandfather bought the majority of mineral estates from Rake’s great-grandfather and refused to sell any back. He made a killing during the oil boom and founded Ogden Oil, now Ogden-Keller Oil. There’s bad blood between our families.”
“Oh my … How interesting.” Nettie’s eyes narrowed and a shadow of a smile appeared. “This is juicy stuff and explains a lot. I want to hear more. Go get your pjs on. I’ll meet you in the loft with our nightcaps and refills.”
“Net—”
“Uh-uh.” Nettie pointed toward the loft. “Go. I’ll see you in five or so. Then we’re going to watch … mm … your choice. The Wedding Planner , Pride there’s a theme.”
“Right. Rom-com.”
“Enemies to lovers, girlfriend. Or we could watch Titanic .”
Dammit. Her friend was too intuitive. Jorja paused at the first step and turned; arms crossed over her chest. “Seriously? No. I’ve experienced enough of a disaster between yesterday and tonight.”
Nettie side-hugged her. “Aw, poor Jorja. Whatever you wish.”
J orja placed the small tray of vegetables, hummus, and crackers on the table in front of the comfy couch. The basket of plates, napkins and utensils went next to it. “I can’t even believe I’m hungry after eating half of a chicken and drinking roughly the equivalent of a pitcher of beer.”
“Your emotions are burning up the calories.” Nettie arranged the pitcher of iced water and the two whisky ginger cocktails next to the food. She handed one to Jorja, wrapped herself in a quilt, sat, and picked up her drink. “Levi said Rake admitted he might have been slightly unwelcoming when you showed up at the ranch and tried to discuss a lease. He didn’t give a reason.”
“He was expecting someone else. Rake thought he had an appointment with a man named George. His niece got my name wrong.”
“Hey, it happens. Skye, Rake’s niece, is a wonderful young lady. Did you meet her?”
“No. Slightly? He said, slightly?” Get the fuck off my property . “He was downright rude.” Jorja growled. “Unbelievable. He was a total douchebag.” But holy hell, can he kiss.
“Carpenters’ is one of the few remaining massive ranching operations in Texas. It’s very profitable.”
“I know that. It’s part of my job to know.” Like her friend, Jorja was a trust fund baby, too, and worked because she enjoyed it. “I also know that drilling has been going on there for decades.”
“Sometimes I forget about your depth and breadth of knowledge since you rarely talk about it.” Nettie settled into the plush cushions. “Levi said Rake has greatly improved the ranch’s bottom line. I bet he’s worried about future projects and how they impact the land and agribusiness. Aside from cattle, breeding Quarter horses, and crop farming, the Carpenter Ranch allows for seasonal recreational hunting. Given what you just shared about the intertwined history, showing up at the ranch dressed as you were, was gutsy as hell. But that’s so you.”
“I’m aware of his drive for preservation and innovation. Hell, I respect it. In hindsight, I may have overplayed my visit. Two of our other landmen tried to meet with him and were run off by shotgun, so I devised a plan to throw him off his center after researching his reputation. He’s a womanizer, Nettie.”
“The womanizer piece isn’t exactly true. He appreciates women. Levi says he’s particular and tries to keep a low profile regarding romantic interests.”
“Sure he does.” Jorja scoffed, thinking of the beautiful blonde he was with earlier. “I presume Rake is concerned about the ranch, but I didn’t even have the chance to talk to him before he kicked me off his property. He will come to the table, and we will address everything. I left him a message yesterday after my soak in the tub. And, if there are still sticking points in the lease, which I don’t expect there will be, we’ll mediate. Better that he deals with me. We can keep it in the families, so-to-speak. The lease will happen regardless.”
“Just remember that he enjoys a challenge. He’s competitive and strategic, but then so are you. It seems that that the two of you got off on the wrong foot. You need a deep talk.”
Jorja countered. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Seriously? I disagree. Find the common ground. You and Rake … It’s a female-male thing. The attraction between you deserves to be explored. It’s palpable, Jorja. Electric. Levi and I both felt it. I mean, how long has it been since you and Johnny split?”
“Over a year.”
“What happened between your family and Rake’s was practically a century ago. Time to let bygones be bygones, don’t you think? How long do you want to carry that water? It’s got to be exhausting.”
“It is. I just want to let go of it somehow.” Jorja groaned and pulled a quilt around her.
“Let’s watch a movie.” Nettie pointed the remote at the TV. The Wedding Planner filled the screen.
“Thanks for all of this. For being you. Being my bestie. Being honest.” Jorja sipped the drink. “Oh, damn. Yum.”
“I love you, too.” Nettie handed Jorja another quilt.
“I adore these quilts. They’re like a grand hug.”
Buried under several of Nettie’s grandmother’s quilts and full of food, their bodies humming from deep tissues massages and pampering, the women were asleep before the movie finished.