After Gina walked off with her daughter, Steed pointed to Amelia. “What in the heck was that?” Then he looked down at Chloe. “And why did you say Paxton and I liked each other?”
With a huge grin, Chloe giggled. “Cause Aunt Meli said you two liked each other. A lot.”
My cheeks heated as my gaze met Steed’s. We both looked at Amelia.
“What? She asked me if y’all liked each other still. Do you deny it?”
Pushing his fingers through his hair, Steed groaned. “Amelia. You’ve got to learn to keep some things to yourself around Chloe.”
“Really? Is that how things are going to be? How long are the two of you going to lie to each other. To yourselves?”
Chloe gasped. “Daddy! It’s not nice to lie!”
Steed looked exasperated. “I didn’t lie, pumpkin. I’m not lying.”
Amelia’s hands went to her hips as she flashed Steed a doubting smirk. My head was spinning. I wasn’t ready to admit anything to anyone, let alone myself. We’d barely just scratched the surface last night. There were so many things we needed to work out.
“Paxton, do you like my daddy?”
The air caught in my throat and burned, unsure of what to say or do.
Steed gazed at me with pleading eyes, just like last night. “Um, excuse me. I really need to go check on a few things.”
I spun on the heel of my cowboy boots and walked away. Covering my mouth with my hand, I attempted to keep myself in check. It appeared I was not only good at pushing people away, but I was great at running away as well.
“Do you know what we need?” Corina asked.
Looking up from my book, I asked, “What do we need, Corina?”
“A night out. Like a night out dancing and having fun. Let’s go to Cord’s Place.”
I chewed my lip. I doubted Steed would be there.
“Come on, Paxton. I need to rub up against a dick or two.”
My mouth dropped in shock. “Oh my gosh! Corina!”
She giggled. “I just want to do some silly flirting. Feel a guy’s hands on me. Please. It’s been forever.”
Her puppy dog eyes made me laugh. “Fine. I could use going out.”
We were soon ready. Our hair and make-up was done to perfection. I chose a mid-thigh, black, curve hugging dress, my favorite pair of black cowboy boots finishing out the look. Corina was wearing a light purple dress she had found in my closet. It was slightly low cut and showed the perfect amount of cleavage. Luckily, we wore the same size both in clothes and shoes. She rounded out the sexy look with a pair of teal cowboy boots. As we walked into Cord’s Place I felt eyes on us. I scanned the room and couldn’t believe how packed it was.
“Ohmygawd!” Corina said as she elbowed me ten times in excitement.
“What?” I asked.
“They’re here. Well, a few of them are. The Parker brothers.”
My breath stilled. “Who? Where?”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. I don’t see Steed. I only see Cord, Trevor, and Mitchell.”
I panicked. “How do you know it’s Mitchell and not Steed?”
She laughed. “Please. Yes they’re twins, but they wear their hair different and Mitchell is hot as hell.”
I huffed. “They’re all hot as hell.”
“Touché.”
We walked over to the bar, and it didn’t take long for the three of them to notice us. I got a polite smile from each, and Corina got heated stares. The kind that said they wanted to see her naked and bent over. Damn men.
“Hey, Paxton, Corina. How you ladies doing this evening?” Trevor asked while sliding two Bud Lights in front of us.
“Could be better,” I stated as Corina grinned.
“We are doing great! Totally in the mood for dancing,” she said as she drank her liquid courage.
Mitchell took that as his cue. “Then let’s go cut a rug.”
Corina’s eyes narrowed in confusion. It was cute how she was thrown off by some of the things folks said and did down here. Being from Chicago she was used to a fast and crazy lifestyle. Here in small town Texas things moved slower.
“Cut a rug?” she asked, her nose crinkled up. I couldn’t help but notice the way Mitchell smiled at her. Dear lord, don’t tell me he is attracted to her. I may not have been around the family much the last ten years, but there was one thing I knew for a fact. Every Parker brother was a player. None of them were the least bit interested in settling down with one woman. I’d heard the rumors and even found myself listening to a few conversations in the coffee shop of some of the Parker men’s one night stands. They usually hooked up with tourists, but a few of the local women had been the flavor of the week a time or two.
But the way Mitchell was laughing with Corina had me second-guessing that stereotype. Maybe Mitchell was ready to set down his wild ways.
Mitchell took Corina’s hand. “It means let’s go dance, Corina from Chicago.”
Tipping my beer back, I watched them make their way to the dance floor, almost choking on my beer when I noticed how close Corina let Mitchell get. His knee was damn near in her vagina!
“Wow. Mitchell’s not wasting any time is he?” I said with a chuckle.
Trevor laughed. “She’s hot as hell, and I’m afraid she’s got Mitchell’s eye as well as Tripp’s.”
I glanced over to Cord. “Really?”
Trevor sighed. “Yeah, the two of them were arguing over her all the way back to the ranch. I was fucking sick of hearing about your friend by the time we got back.”
Resting my chin on my hand, I asked, “What were they arguing about?”
“Who got to go after her.”
“Seriously? Go after her? What does that even mean?”
“It means they both like her. So if they both like her, they have to figure out who is going to go after her and who isn’t. Brother code and all.”
I laughed. “Brother code? Seriously? Y’all have that?”
Trevor made a martini and gave me a serious face. “Fuck yes, we have that. Dicks before chicks, especially when the dicks are related.”
There was no way I could hide my smile even if I wanted to. “They do know I’ll kill them if either one of them hurts her. Corina’s not a stick and leave kind of girl. She doesn’t do random hook ups.”
Trevor smirked. “Yeah, I got that impression, and that’s the reason I backed out right away. Not worth it for me.”
“You’re still young.”
He winked. “Fuck yeah, I am and I like pussy way too much to settle with just one.”
I should have winced, but this was Trevor Parker. All the Parker boys talked that way. Even Steed. The countless times he’d whispered dirty things into my ear nearly drove me over the edge. Yet, at the same time they treated woman like princesses. Whether it was a girlfriend or a random hookup. At least, that’s what I had heard. They also spoiled their sisters and would die to protect them.
Oh yes, the Parker brothers were a rare breed. Smart, strong, sexy, and not afraid of anyone.
The guy next to me laughed, pulling me from my thoughts. Trevor set a drink in front of him and moved down the bar to help someone else.
The guy lifted his drink and drank it almost in one go. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to place him. I’d seen him before, but I couldn’t think where. He must have felt my stare because he turned to me. My cheeks heated, and I gave him a polite grin.
When he smiled back, I couldn’t help but notice how nice it was. Then his eyes roamed my body, and I focused back on watching Trevor behind the bar.
“You’re not tired, Trev? I mean working on the ranch all day and then coming here?”
He laughed. “Nope. Cord does it too.”
“Yeah, but you work on the ranch full-time right?”
Nodding, he replied, “Yep. It’s been nice having Steed back. I can tell he’s trying to get back into the swing of things, but the extra hands are nice.”
Cue the guilt. Steed’s plans were to go to college for business management and then come back and start learning the business end of the ranch. I wondered if that was still his plan.
“Does it bother your dad that not all the boys are involved with the ranch like you are?” I asked while taking another drink.
Trevor handed one of the waitresses a few drinks and looked at me. “I don’t think so. I mean, they all still come and work. He gets that they all had their own dreams they wanted to follow. But for me, the ranch is what I breathe. Nothing will take me away from it.”
“Why do you work here?”
Trevor stopped and studied me. “Seriously, Paxton?”
“Yeah.”
He leaned against the counter and tossed a white rag over his shoulder. A cocky grin moving across his handsome face. “Free beer and endless pussy. Need I say more?”
Little Trevor who used to run around and chase the chickens was now all grown up and talking about pussy and beer.
I snarled. “No, you don’t need to say anymore.”
When I glanced over my shoulder, Corina and Mitchell were spinning around the dance floor, and she was laughing.
“At least one of us is having fun,” I mumbled under my breath.
Finishing my beer, I held it up for Trevor to give me another. The guy who was sitting a few seats down stared so hard I shot him a look. He smiled, and I returned the gesture.
Corina’s voice filled my thoughts. “Harmless flirting will do us good.”
“You’re not from here,” I stated.
His eyes lit up. “No. Here on business.”
Okay, he was cute. Really cute. Maybe some harmless flirting was what I needed to forget about Steed for a bit.
“You?” he asked.
I laughed. “Born, raised, and will most likely die here.”
He got up and moved to the seat next to me. Sticking his hand out, he flashed me that nice smile of his, but this time it was wider and showed a dimple on his right cheek. “Mike Ryan.”
Taking his hand, I replied, “Paxton Monroe. It’s nice to meet you, Mike.”
He kissed the back of my hand. “The pleasure is mine.”
“What brings you to Oak Springs, Texas?” I asked, taking another drink.
“I work for an accounting firm in San Antonio. Hoping to pick up a rather big client.”
Laughing, I asked, “Here?”
“Ranching. Makes for good money.”
I grinned. “That it does if you know what you’re doing.”
“And this ranch knows what it’s doing. The Parker ranch. Cord here was kind enough to show me this place after I spent the afternoon with the owner.”
“John Parker,” I said.
His eyes lit up. “Yes. Do you know him?”
Laughing, I replied, “Well everyone knows John. But yes, dated one of his sons a long time ago.”
Mike pointed to Cord then Trevor with a questioning look. I chuckled. “No. His name is Steed.”
His smile faded. Oh gesh. That must mean he had met Steed.
“Ah, yes, Steed. The prodigal son who has returned home,” he said. I lifted my brow. “I met him this afternoon and introduced myself. I have to say, he’s making things a bit difficult for me.”
Rolling my eyes, I took a long drink of my beer. “Sounds like him.”
Mike stood and held his hand out. “Dance with me, Paxton?”
A part of me needed to say no. But another part needed to have a bit of fun and that was exactly what I was going to do.
“I’d love to dance with you, Mike.”