Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Violet
My belly was happily full after the delicious meal we’d had. Instead of heading home, we drove out of town a few miles to Lake Sakakawea.
“It was the biggest argument they’d ever had,” I said, giggling. My family could laugh about it now. “Mom refused to help Dad with the boat ever again. Alder had to start backing the boat trailer up.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled at my story. “I heard my dad joke once that calving season and backing trailers up are the biggest cause of divorce in ranch families.”
I laughed as he parked by a stretch of beach in Hazen Bay with spots for tent camping. Each small, square site had a little grill ready for charcoal. No campers were around, but boats dotted the bay. The dock on the other shore bustled with pickups loading and unloading boats that headed to the deeper water of the main lake .
I kept my shoes on as we walked the rocky beach. “I remember coming out here when I was little.” I picked up a flat stone. The wind wasn’t that strong today, and the land rose to a craggy bluff ahead of us, the natural shoreline when the water crested high. Across the water was a shorter bluff.
I skipped the rock but only got one skip in before the stone plopped under the surface. “My brother Alder used to love fishing.”
“He doesn’t anymore?” Evander toed the rocks, turning them over with the tip of his boot. He’d worn jeans to our date. Between his thick arms and the way the denim teased me with his powerful thighs, I might need to jump into the water to cool off.
“He’s a workaholic. He used to be…less responsible. Then he swung in the other direction, and that’s where he stuck.” I toed the beach, hoping to uncover another skipping stone. “What about yours? Did Derek like to fish?”
He popped his head up, his eyes flashing with surprise and more than a little grief. “Yeah,” he said roughly. “Little fucker was lucky too.”
I smiled, relieved I hadn’t overstepped. Who’d been there for him when his brother had died? “Alder would say it’s not about luck; it’s a science. But it’s a science I never got.”
“Derek had a sixth sense for where the fish were biting.” He squatted and selected two flat rocks. He rose and skipped one across the water. Three skips before the rock sank. “He didn’t need to use fish finders or anything.”
“And you?”
“Fucking sucked.” A gravelly laugh left him. “He used to say I got the hunting luck.”
“Dad made us all take a hunter’s safety course.” I had almost failed. I hadn’t been interested.
“Can never have too much education about hunting and firearms.” He spread his feet apart, aimed, and let the second rock rip.
“Five skips! Nice.” I peered harder at the rocks and found a small one that might work. I skipped it and got two bounces. “Damn.”
“You got it.”
Did he know he was a natural cheerleader? “You must’ve been a good leader.”
He gave me a bemused look. “Why?”
“You’re encouraging and supportive without being coddling. My parents are like that.”
They’d like Evander. It’d taken too long for me to admit that my mom and dad had tolerated Willis. It wasn’t until I saw how they were with Eliot that I could tell the obvious difference. Dad rushed to chat with Eliot. Mom was relaxed around him, and the hugs she gave him were no different than any of her other kids. With my ex, they’d been stiff. Stilted. Uncomfortable.
He squinted across the water. “I just acted how I wished my dad would’ve. A lot of the guys I served with needed that.” He toed another rock up from the ground. The other side was flat. He picked it up and handed it to me. Our fingers brushed, and my belly clenched. “Try again.”
The spark of heat stayed with me. I pictured the throw and carried out my vision. Four skips.
“Nice.” He held out his fist for a fist bump.
Grinning, I touched my knuckles to his.
He captured my hand and tugged me toward him. “You’re a fascinating lady, Violet Duke.”
Warmth exploded through me, flowing over my mood and heating. “You’re not bad yourself, Mr. Barron.” I frowned. “Or do I have to address you by your rank?”
His deep chuckle reverberated through my body, a pleasing rumble that lit up every nerve ending under my skin. “No. I’m just Evander.”
His hands slipped around my waist, and I rested mine on his hard chest.
He didn’t lower his head to kiss me, and I didn’t want him to let me go. So I kept him talking. “What were you? Your rank.”
“I retired as a first sergeant.”
“First sergeant?”
“Top.”
“Top of what?”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “That’s what they call first sergeant. Top. We’re at the top of the company’s enlisted soldiers.”
It fit him. One syllable. Curt. Like he often was. “You were at the top?”
“No, only in one sense. Squads make up platoons, platoons make up companies, and companies make up battalions. Then you have brigades— Anyway, I had a lot of people above me, and I could’ve kept getting promoted.”
“Why didn’t you?”
The intensity in his eyes grew. I knew this look. He was speaking about things he kept to himself. Evander was a private man out of necessity. How many times had he wanted to share his life with someone only to be let down?
“I didn’t mean to ask such a personal question.” I should’ve known better. If anyone asked me why I quit Oswell, I couldn’t give a simple answer. I could’ve moved out on my own and still worked at the lab. My decision hadn’t been about promotion or location. I had just decided I was done for so many personal reasons, and any response would’ve been a glimpse into my personal life.
“No, it’s fine.” He spread his hands across my waist. “I was never good at politics, and the higher I got, the more I had to play a game and the less I was involved with the individual soldiers. More office work, less field work. It didn’t appeal to me. It was time to get out.”
He said it so simply that maybe my answer for why I quit at Oswell and moved out of California wasn’t complicated. It had been time.
“So you’re growing pumpkins.”
His eyes darkened. “Goddamn pumpkins.”
I giggled. “Why do you seem so disgruntled about the pumpkins when you dote on them?”
His lips flattened. “I do not dote on the pumpkins.”
I patted his chest. “Sure you don’t.”
“It’s not like wheat. I don’t have crop insurance. They’re just different. Pumpkins.” He slipped his hands from around my waist and linked one of his hands with mine. He started leading me toward the pickup. “They weren’t on my radar, that’s for sure. And they tie me to Coal Haven until the crop is harvested.”
“What about longer?”
“What about it?” He opened the passenger door but blocked the entrance.
“You know I’m not kicking you out, right? ”
“That’s what you said.”
I licked my lower lip, and his gaze tracked my tongue. I hadn’t been honest with him. The full truth would ruin the moment, but I had to clarify part of my story. I picked at the hem of my dress. “I can’t kick you out. Only Linda can. Technically, she’s the executor of the trust that the property is in.”
He lifted my chin with two fingers. “But you wanted me out?” he asked quietly, his voice full of challenge. If I didn’t answer honestly, I’d lose his trust completely.
“It would’ve been convenient, but I can’t go through with it. You assumed, and I went along. She refused to ask you if you planned to move before your lease was up, so I thought I’d find out for myself.”
His exhale was sort of a laugh and a little bit of a sigh.
“I can rent somewhere else easily enough,” I rushed on. Did I ruin the mood for the whole night? I let him assume. He might’ve moved because of me. “There are a few houses open and some apartments. It’ll be no problem to get another place.”
Displeasure rippled through his features.
“Are you saying you might miss me?” I teased.
His fingers dug into my hips. “I’d miss…” He worked his jaw back and forth. “I’d miss seeing you and remembering all the things we did together that night.”
Lust pumped through my veins, hot and smoky. “I’ve been having the same memories.”
My body ached for him. His little confession hit all the right places in a way that should be wrong. I’d never been more turned on in my life. My breasts were full and tender, but if he got his big hands on them, all would be right in my world.
“Let’s go home,” he said in that low, rough voice .
I bit the inside of my cheek. Did he realize what he said? Would I ever be able to tell him how much I liked it?
Evander
The drive to the house took too damn long. I had to set the cruise from the lake to town, or I’d break all the speed limits. I didn’t floor it while we circumvented town on the highway, but once I hit gravel, I got a little tougher with the accelerator.
I was all but fishtailing down the driveway. I had precious cargo, but I also had a turned-on Violet making idle chatter next to me.
I’d given her little more than grunts for answers.
What a beautiful night .
Grunt.
I’ve always loved the drive to the lake.
Grunt.
I still want to eat at Rattler’s. We could always order takeout one day.
Grunt.
I parked next to her car, not bothering to pull into the garage. I got out and was around the pickup just as she was getting out. I took her hand and twirled her toward me.
“I can’t wait until we get inside.” I pressed her against the dusty pickup, hoped to fuck she didn’t mind, and claimed that pretty pink mouth of hers.
She tasted as decadent as the steak tortellini she’d had for dinner. Rich and robust, she was a flavor that consumed me.
A little whimper left her, and she twined her arms around my neck. I invaded her mouth, taking everything I wanted, tired of holding back. I should keep not trusting her, but my brain had shut down. My dick had full control. Violet was the only thing on its mind.
I hefted her up. Her clothing scraped across the pickup’s paint, but I didn’t fucking care. She could key this whole damn pickup. I wasn’t thinking clearly until I could be buried in her one more time.
Just once. If only that was enough to get her out of my system.
She hooked a leg around my waist. Her other one slipped. I lifted it, and she clung to me, but every time I took a hand off of her, she dipped. I couldn’t drop this woman. But I had to touch her all over.
I scooted us down the box. Keeping my mouth on hers, I hugged her to me with one arm and dropped the tailgate with the other. Then I set her on the edge.
She broke from me, sucking in a big breath. “Evander? Outside?”
“Afraid of a few mosquito bites?” I lifted the hem of her shirt. If she wanted to go inside, I’d take her in. Just a nibble first.
Last time we fucked in a small motel room. The idea of taking her under the wide-open sky was even more appealing. She could scream my name and no one would hear her. This time, my full goddamn name would leave her mouth.
She didn’t answer. I flipped her shirt over her creamy tits. The mounds pushed over the edge of her bra cups. I thanked every power out there that I could witness this beautiful sight.
I tugged the lacy hem of her bra down until her nipples popped out. I caught her eye. She stared at me, her blue eyes wide with wonder, then she looked around like she was afraid someone would see us.
“There’s no one for miles, Vi.”
Her pupils dilated at the name. Did no one call her Vi? She’d probably corrected them all her life, but she wasn’t telling me.
“I feel so exposed,” she said breathlessly, but those black pupils of hers stayed wide. She liked it. A little exhibitionism just between us.
Need pounded at my temples, but I wouldn’t rush this. Three months had been too damn long. “You have pretty fucking tits.”
She took a deep breath, making her chest puff up. “You think so?”
I groaned. I could unhook her bra and get full access, but I liked the little peek. The way the band pushed her plump flesh up. “They’re begging for me.”
I dipped my head down and sucked a pearly nipple into my mouth. Her ragged moan drove right through me, ramping up the desire. It’d been too long since I’d had her.
“Oh my god, Evander. You and that tongue.”
I released the nipple with a pop. “Say it again.”
“You and that tongue?” The apples of her cheek were dusted in pink, and her lips were parted.
My desire stoked hotter. “No. My name.”
Understanding lit her eyes. “Evander.”
I licked across her tight peak. “You’re going to yell that tonight. ”
“Promise?” She arched her back into me.
This woman. I ran my tongue around her nipple while kneading the other breast. Then I switched sides to give each one attention while Violet squirmed and moaned against me. My brain fogged with arousal.
She tipped her head back and skimmed a hand over my skull. Her legs widened, and I fit perfectly right in the juncture of her thighs.
I pulled back and trailed my fingers along her abdomen. She was fuller in the stomach than before, and the reason why made my caveman brain come alive. “How wet are you for me?”
Her eyes were glazed. She rolled her hips. “I think you need to find out.”
Fuck yes, I would. Hooking my fingers over her waistband, I drew another nipple into my mouth. She started shifting from side to side to help me draw them down. Right when I reached the round of her ass, the drone of an engine reached my ears.
I snapped straight. The elastic of her shorts whacked her skin. I was tugging the cups of her bra up as I looked down the driveway. No car had come into view, but I could hear it.
Violet arranged her clothing until it didn’t look like I’d been stripping her down. Her flushed face said I’d been doing just that.
Finally, a sedan turned down the drive. Who had the worst fucking timing in the world? “Linda.”
Violet whipped her head around, and the color drained from her face.
“Why’s she here?” She scooted off the tailgate. Her sandals hit the dirt, and she pulled the legs of her shorts down and brushed her hands over her shirt. Stress filled her eyes, and tension tugged at the edges of her mouth.
“She mentioned random visits to make sure everything was okay with the property.” After being in the army so long, that didn’t strike me as invasive. I’d told them anytime. They didn’t have to call first.
“Uncle Darin’s with her,” Violet said with a groan. “Shit.”
Her reaction sent up all kinds of warning flares. What was going on?
Darin parked behind me, then backed out to face down the driveway as if they planned to do their business and then dive into the car to speed away.
“Violet?” Darin said as he got out. “I didn’t realize you knew Evander. We thought we’d do a halfway point check-in and make sure everything’s okay with the property and see if you need anything from us.”
Linda climbed out. Her long floral dress fluttered around her legs as she rounded the hood of the car. “What a surprise. Are you two getting married?”
Her words hit me like a shockwave. I barely wrapped my head around having a baby and entertaining the idea that I wanted to date Violet for real. Married? Wasn’t that out of nowhere?
Violet crunched in on herself. “Actually, Aunt Linda?—”
“You know you can’t move in until you’re married,” Darin said.
I propped my hands on my hips and faced Violet. “Move in?”
My parents thought we were dating, but unless they told the whole town’s population, what did Linda and Darin think was going on? Who had Violet told, and what did she say?
“The trust,” Linda said, her gaze jumping between us. “In order to get the house and property, Violet has to be married for a year before she inherits the place. And she can’t move in until she’s married.”
What. The fuck.