The music filled the air as I drank my beer. I watched Cord flirt with a blonde at the end of the bar. She was putty in his hands, gawking at him. Of course my brother didn’t really need to try that hard. All of us Parker brothers never lacked in the area of attracting women; we were blessed with handsome looks from our father. Cord was almost an exact replica of Dad. Dark hair, built body and the famous Parker blue eyes.
The next thing I knew, Cord was jumping over the bar and taking her by the hand and heading back to his office. I shook my head.
“Cord has a way with the ladies,” I said to my older brother Tripp. He’d had his face in his phone since he walked into the place.
“Tripp. Are you even listening to me?”
He jerked his head up. “What? Yeah. Cord. You said something about Cord.”
Laughing, I took another drink. Tripp was the politician in the family. Once he got out of law school, he came back to Oak Springs and started forming an interest in running for office. Maybe even mayor. He was only thirty and would be the youngest mayor elected if he won.
I placed the beer on the bar. “I said, Cord has a way with the ladies.”
Tripp rolled his eyes. “Fuck, you have no idea. Mitchell’s afraid he going to pull up one day and find Cord screwing some girl in a parked car on the highway.”
Shaking my head, I said, “Damn. He hasn’t dated anyone seriously?”
Tripp nearly lost it laughing. “Cord? Our brother Cord tie himself down to one pussy? Please.”
My eyes widened. “You’re not going to win any election if people hear you talk like that.”
He winked. “Hey, I may enjoy politics and law, but I love women. I’m no different from Cord or Trevor. A nice pussy walks by and I’m going after it.”
I laughed. “There’s the Tripp I remember from high school. Whatever happened to Harley? Didn’t the both of you get caught screwing in the library? By her dad, right?”
Tripp’s beer paused at his lips before he smiled. “I haven’t seen Harley in a few years. And yes, her dad caught us. Nothing like dating the principal’s daughter then getting caught fucking her.”
I slapped the bar. “I just remember you running down the hall, your ass on full display while Mr. Harvey chased you with a baseball bat.”
Tripp laughed again. “That’s right! Bastard would have caught me if Mitchell hadn’t stepped out in front of him and made him trip.”
“That’s right! The future Texas Ranger aiding and abetting.”
Tripp laughed as he tipped his beer back. “Damn, we’ve had some good times.”
A tightness moved into my chest, followed by guilt. “I regret staying away so long.”
He slapped me on the back. “Well, you’re back now and you brought one hell of a good-looking girl home with you.”
Smiling, I took another drink of beer. “Chloe loves being in Texas. The ranch alone had her flying high. Doesn’t help that Dad has her on a damn horse every single second of day. I swear if I let her, she’d sleep in the barn. Plus, he got her a pet goat.”
Tripp chuckled. “That’s good. Get her to fall in love with horses. You remember how much Harley loved horses?”
Harley wasn’t only the principal’s daughter and the girl Tripp screwed in the library, she was also the girl he’d dated all through high school. I was pretty sure she broke his heart when she left him. He hadn’t dated anyone since Harley.
“Yeah, I remember.”
He smiled. “She loved those fucking horses. Loved them more than me. I honestly believed I would have gotten into her pants sooner had she not been so obsessed with them.”
My heart dropped. A swift panic raced over my body. “Fuck. There’s going to be boys trying to get into my daughter’s pants.”
Tripp peered at me with dread in his eyes. “No fucking way. Not with her dad and four uncles looking out for her.”
A sick feeling settled into my stomach. “I’ll kill the little bastard,” I said.
Cord appeared in front of us with a huge grin on his face. “Who will you kill?”
“The little bastard that tries to get into my daughter’s pants.”
Taking a few steps back, Cord appeared to be sick. “What! This early? They’re starting this early?”
“What?” I asked with a confused expression.
“Someone is trying to … with my niece!”
“No, asshole, I’m saying when she gets older.”
Cord leaned against the bar and dragged in a few breaths. “Damn it, Steed. Way to ruin my post sex high.”
My head jerked back as I stared at him. “What? No way.” I turned to see the blonde sitting at the end of the bar giggling with her two friends while putting her hair back up. Swinging my eyes to Cord, I asked, “You fucked her that fast?”
Cord grinned from ear to ear. “Lick her, stick her, make her scream.”
Tripp laughed. “Damn dude, I can’t get a condom on that fast.”
“She wanted fast. I gave her fast,” Cord said as he brushed his knuckles across his shirt.
“Jesus, did you even let the poor girl get off?” I asked.
“Fuck yeah I did. I always take care of them first. I can’t help it if I know how to fuck a girl and make her come fast.”
“Well isn’t this nice. Glad to see the Parker brothers haven’t changed any. Still talking filthy and treating women like sex toys.”
I froze.
Cord’s smile widened, and he clutched his chest. “That wounds me, Paxton. I would never treat a woman that way. If she asks me for sex, who am I to turn her down?”
Paxton stepped between me and Tripp. My dick instantly came to life when I saw her sweet beautiful breasts peeking out from a red dress. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun on the top of her head. A few loose strands falling out in the back had me itching to push them to the side and kiss her there. My eyes moved down her body to see black heels that made her legs look like they went on forever. I couldn’t help but smile. My sweet Paxton had moved on from cowboy boots to fuck-me heels. I knew by the way she was dressed she was trying to show me what I had missed out on over the last ten years.
I moved on the stool to adjust the growing dick in my pants. Lifting my eyes back up her body, I had to suppress a damn moan.
She was fucking gorgeous.
“Goddamn woman, you look hot as hell! Still drink Buds?” Trevor asked as he leaned next to Cord and handed Paxton a Bud Light. Trevor would sometimes come and help Cord at the bar to earn extra money; I was wishing tonight hadn’t been one of those nights.
Paxton blushed and took a drink. “Thanks, Trev. You’re looking pretty good yourself.”
Trevor’s smile grew. “Dance with me, pretty lady. You owe me a raincheck.”
My head snapped to him as Cord and Tripp laughed. What in the fuck? My own brother?
Paxton took a drink, set down the beer, and nodded. I almost fell out of my chair.
“You can’t dance in those shoes.” It was out of my mouth before I could stop it.
“Oh damn boy. You fucked up,” Cord said as Tripp shook his head and gave me a what the hell glare.
Paxton faced me. Her eyes were dark as she let them roam over my body before she captured my gaze with hers. “How would you know?”
The words felt like a knife in my heart.
Trevor jumped over the bar, hit me on the shoulder and laughed. “You fucked up, bro.”
“So I’ve been told.”
I watched Trevor wrap his arm around Paxton’s waist and lead her to the dance floor. Anger boiled in my blood as he pulled her into his arms. “I’m going to kill that little motherfucker,” I said, starting after them. Tripp jumped up stood in front of me.
“Whoa there. Steed, take a deep breath and think about what you’re about to do.”
Cord must have jumped over the bar because he was already in my face, pushing me back. “Sit your ass down. I don’t do well with people starting shit in my place and I don’t give a fuck if you’re my brother or not. You can’t expect Paxton to drop everything and fall at your damn feet because you’re back in town, Steed. Trevor’s screwing with you because he knows it’ll piss you off. Let it go. You know damn well nothing will come from him dancing with her.”
I watched as they hit the dance floor and took off. He was lucky it was a fast song.
“Steed. Are you listening to me? Steed!”
My head jerked toward Cord. “What?”
Shaking his head, Cord said, “Dude, you lost any say when you left her.”
The pressure on my chest made it hard to breathe as I took a few steps back and sat on the stool.
Cord put his hand on my shoulder. “Look, I know this is hard for both of you. But you’ve got to see it from her viewpoint. You came walking into her life ten years later like nothing happened and you brought a kid with you. I’m sure no matter how much she pretends to hate your guts, y’all loved each other and she didn’t just lose you, Steed. I can’t imagine how that must make her feel knowing you have Chloe.”
My body sagged. It seemed like the last few times I was with Paxton I couldn’t put her feelings first.
I turned and grabbed my beer, quickly downing it.
A slap on my back had me nearly choking.
“Don’t drink too much. I wouldn’t want to pull you over.”
I grunted as my twin brother Mitchell sat down next to me. The only way you could tell us apart was a small scar above my right eye I got from being hit by Tripp with a baseball bat when I was fourteen. And we wore our hair differently.
“S’up, Mitchell?” I asked with a half-smile.
He grinned and motioned for Cord’s new bartender to give him what I was drinking.
I hadn’t realized how much I had missed my brothers. We had caused some serious hell growing up. I glanced around to each of them and wondered how in the hell they were all still single. It wasn’t like we didn’t come from a good gene pool. Not one of them was even dating a girl, let alone thinking about settling down.
“You off tonight?” Cord asked, putting another beer in front of me. He’d walked around the bar this time instead of hopping over it.
“Just got off. Rough day. Found the body of a woman on the banks of the Frio.”
“Damn, any idea who it is?” Tripp asked.
Mitchell shook his head. “No. We’re checking missing persons reports. Fucking sucks knowing someone’s daughter is missing and she might be dead.” He took a drink of his beer and glanced around the place.
“Fuck me. Who is Trevor dancing with? I’d like to tap that ass… Oh hell … is that…?”
My body shook as Tripp placed his hand on my shoulder. “Paxton,” I grunted.
Mitchell jerked his head back. “That’s Paxton? Sweet innocent kindergarten teacher, Paxton? Fucking hell. Look at that body.”
He laughed, then turned to me. His smile dropped. “Shit. Sorry, Steed. I kind of forgot you were here.”
My eyes widened in shock. “I’m sitting right next to you, asshole. How could you forget I’m here?”
With a shrug, he took a drink of his beer. “I think I’ll take a walk around the place. See if there’s a girl here I haven’t hooked up with yet.”
Shaking my head, I asked, “Are all of y’all man whores?”
Mitchell shot me a smirk as he took off toward a table of young women. Each of them had their jaws on the floor, hopeful looks in their eyes.
“I’m out of here,” Tripp said standing. “I’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning I can’t miss.”
“Later,” Cord said as they shook hands. Tripp reached for my hand, and I shook it. Then he leaned down and whispered, “Go cut in, you idiot.”
I gave him a weak grin before focusing in on Trevor and Paxton. She threw her head back and laughed at something Trevor said.
Tripp started to leave before he stopped and turned back. “If you don’t, Mitchell will. He’s making his way over there in case you haven’t noticed.”
Jumping up, I made my way toward the dance floor. Trevor saw me coming and spun Paxton around so that she came to a stop in front of me.
I smiled and her grin evaporated.
“It’s about damn time,” Trevor said with a slap on my back.
Paxton chewed on her lip as I stared at her. “Dance with me?” I asked. Her eyes fell to the floor. “Please, Pax?”
Her gaze snapped back up, and she stepped closer. I took her into my arms. My entire body felt as if it had come alive after years of feeling dead. Damn, it felt amazing to hold her again. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath as I pulled her a little closer. When she didn’t say anything, I led us farther onto the dance floor.
Her head was against my chest, and I couldn’t help but remember how good we fit together. In everything we did, not just dancing. “I’ve missed you, Paxton.”
She didn’t say anything, but I felt her body tremble.
“Please don’t hate me. I can’t stand the thought of you hating me.”
Pulling her head back, she stared at me with those big blue eyes. “And why shouldn’t I hate you, Steed? You left me to deal with everything. All alone with absolutely no one to talk to. You never even called to ask if I was okay.”
A stab of pain hit my chest, and my voice caught in my throat. Her eyes swam with tears, but I knew she was fighting to hold them back. “If I could go back to that first day when you told me, Paxton, I would do everything different. But I can’t, and all I know to do is tell you why I left and stayed away.”
Our eyes were locked as we moved slowly on the dance floor even though there was a fast song playing.
“The way you looked at me that day…when you told me you hated me. I knew you meant it. I hated me too because I knew I was the reason you lost the baby.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth parted, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to deny it. I knew she blamed me, like I blamed myself.
“I was gutted when you started crying. I’d never seen you so upset, and I knew I was the reason for it. I caused your pain and it about destroyed me. I made a promise to you the first time I told you I loved you that I would never hurt you. I broke that promise and I honestly couldn’t bear to look you in the face. I have no idea why I picked Oregon. It was far away. No reminders of us. I was going to come back after summer and go to A and M, but the thought of staring into your beautiful eyes and seeing your pain was too much. When I walked on and tried out for the football team and they took me, I was honestly stunned. I took it as a sign that maybe you were better off without me.”
She let a small sob slip from her lips as she shook her head. “How could you think that?” she asked in a whisper. “I loved you, Steed.”
“I was stupid. So fucking stupid and damn it all to hell, Pax.” My forehead dropped to hers. “I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to leave you. I swear to God. Please believe me.”
Paxton grabbed at my T-shirt and dropped her head to my chest to hide her tears.
The song changed, and I couldn’t believe what started playing. Chris Bandi’s ‘Man Enough Now’ came across the speakers and my body trembled.
Paxton tugged on my shirt harder as she cried. I pulled her closer. I’d give anything to take her away from this bar and be alone with her. There were so many things I wanted to tell her. So many things I wanted to do to her beautiful body.
The song ended and the DJ announced a quick break. Paxton and I stood in the middle of the dance floor as everyone walked around us, heading back to their tables.
I didn’t want to let her go. The smell of her perfume, the same one she wore all those years ago, was holding me captive. Not to mention how on fire my body was against hers.
Finally, she pulled her head back and looked at me. I wanted to fall to the floor. I hated seeing her cry. Always had and forever will.
“You left me,” she barely said.
My eyes closed as the pain in my heart became almost unbearable.
She dropped her hold on me and stepped back.
“I was stupid.”
She nodded. “But you moved on.”
I shook my head. “No, Paxton. I didn’t move on.”
A small huff of air left her mouth as she gave me a befuddled expression. “You got married. You had a child.”
Her arms wrapped around her waist. “You had a child,” she repeated as a tear slid down her cheek.
Reaching up, I wiped it away. “I didn’t love my wife, Paxton. She knew I didn’t love her because I told her about you.”
With wide eyes, she jerked away as if she had been burned. She shook her head as she took a few steps back. Paxton spun on her heels and went back to the bar. I watched her walk away like she couldn’t stand to be near me. What in the hell just happened?
Making my way through the crowd, I came up behind her. She was drinking her beer when I put my hands on her waist. Jumping at my touch, she set the beer down and turned to me. The idea that she didn’t want me touching her made me feel ill. We were inches from each other. Paxton’s breath came faster, heavier as her eyes landed on my mouth.
Fuck I wanted to kiss her. My fingers dug into her body, and she sucked in a breath. Even though the bar was getting crowded, it felt as if we were the only two people. The heat between our bodies was growing by the second. The passion we shared for one another was still present. There was no denying it.
I licked my lips and bent closer. Her eyes never left mine. “Paxton,” I whispered.
“Tell me something, Steed,” she said, our lips inches apart.
“Anything.”
Her eyes turned dark. “How is that you didn’t want our baby, yet you wanted the baby you had with a woman you didn’t even love?”
It felt like every ounce of air in the bar had been yanked out as I fought to breathe. “W-what?”
Placing her hands on my chest, she pushed me back. “I think our conversation is done.”
She left.
My feet were frozen. I stared at the spot she’d stood moments ago as her words hit me like a fucking Mack Truck. No matter how hard I tried to say something…do something…I couldn’t.