Maggie

Coming out of the house to see my brother who I hadn’t seen in several months, I was caught off guard by the disheveled stranger getting out of my father’s truck. He was dressed in a pair of suit pants that were covered in road dust with shoes that probably cost more than a year of me working at the farm down the road. His black hair had been covered in sweat and messy. I pictured him running his fingers through it as he tried to deal with the heat. His hands were thick and strong, sending a shiver of desire up my spine as I pictured him touching my bared flesh.

Even slumped over he looked taller than Billy, a lot taller. When he looked at me, I felt something I’d never felt before. It was a foreign sensation, but I knew exactly what it was…lust. The tiny panties covering my pussy were soaked. I wondered if it showed through my shorts.

I’d kissed a boy or two over the years, but they never made me feel a fraction of what this raggedy looking stranger did. Something about the hint of scruff starting to appear on his face made my body burn and ache for him to rub it against my skin.

“Get him something to drink, doll,” my daddy said.

I hurried to do what he said because the stranger needed it and I needed to cool my body down. “Sweetheart, why are you rushing in here like you’re being chased by a herd of buffalo?”

“Daddy and Billy are back and they brought a man home with him,” I blurted out. Hearing my own words and hearing my pathetic implication, I added, “And he looks like he’s been in the sun too long,” I explained as I ran around the kitchen preparing lemonade. I still had to go to the farm next door and prepare supper for the crew there, but staying here was a better idea.

“Where did she go?” I heard him say as the screen door slammed against the frame. I grabbed the tray and walked back to the living room, trying to keep it steady. I wasn’t doing a good job, lemonade spilled over the rim until my brother took the tray from me. “I got this,” he whispered, understanding my reaction to the stranger and not caring for it.

“There you are, beautiful.” I could see both my father and brother looking ticked off.

“Nah, I believe the sun has gotten to ya. Here’s some lemonade.” Grabbing a glass off the tray, I handed it to the weary traveler.

He took the glass from my hand, our fingers grazing slightly and my body instantly felt alive and craved more contact, so I stepped back and away from the dangerous man in front of me. He drank it down, gulping every drop out of the glass. I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed, loving the power I could feel coming from him even in his weak state.

“Don’t you have to go?” Daddy’s eyes narrowed on me with a subtle shake of his head. I nodded and returned my gaze to our guest. “Get well, sir.”

I scurried out the door, only to find his suit coat on the ground outside of the truck. I walked it back inside to find him passed out on the sofa. My dad and brother were looking at him with a razed brow.

“Do you think he needs a doctor?”

My mother was taking a cloth to his forehead and I jealously wanted to swipe it from her. It was my responsibility. “We’ll see. I don’t believe so, but we’ll keep an eye on him.”

“He dropped this.” I said, handing him the suit coat just as a piece of paper fell out. It read From the Desk of Maxwell Mason, Sr. The memo was passed around and they all looked at the man.

“Oh my. This man is from the buyer’s company,” I gasped.

“He is the buyer. He said his name was Maxwell. I doubt he’s the Sr., but I should have let him rot in the road.”

“That’s not kind of you, William,” my mother scolded.

“It’s not, but we’ll be all working for the Sanchez Ranch soon because of him.”

“We’ll be just fine. Maybe we can strike a deal with the man,” my mother added.

I couldn’t hear any more of my mother’s optimism and my father’s anger. The clock on the wall told me I didn’t have long to get my butt over to my job. The mysterious man on the sofa would be safe in their care, despite who he was. I knew my daddy wouldn’t do anything to Maxwell because it wasn’t who he was. I wondered if he liked to hear his name screamed out as he took a woman. Would he like Max or Maxwell? My body and mind were out of control. I shook my head out of those thoughts. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go,” I said, taking one more look at the dusty, heartbreakingly, handsome man who planned to kick us out of our home. My heart inexplicably hurt knowing he was the enemy.

“Hold on, Magpie. I’ll give you a ride,” Billy said, snatching the keys off the hooks by the door. He cupped the crown of my head, giving it a shake, then holding the door open for me. “Let’s go, kiddo.”

“Thanks, Billy. It’s kind of hot to ride my bike over there.”

“You don’t say?” He cracked a smile on his handsome face.

“You know what? You’ve gotten a lot more distinguished looking since the last time I saw you. The new scruff works. Is there a special someone? Hmm?” I stared at him with a gleam in my eyes. My big brother was twenty-six and now a veterinarian.

“No one yet. It’s called I was in a hurry to visit before having to head back for an internship.”

“Wait, you’re going to be staying in Austin?” My emotions couldn’t take another blow. This day couldn’t come to an end sooner.

“I’ll be there for a couple of weeks. I was already interning there, but since they needed extra help, I said yes. That’s what frustrates me about all this. I had no idea dad was hiding all this.”

“He didn’t want you to worry, but if it makes you feel better, he kept it from me, too. If I hadn’t seen the letter myself, I wouldn’t have known until we were out on our asses. That’s why I took a job at Sanchez’s.” That ranch was booming out of control and they needed more and more hands.

“How’s it working for them?” Billy curiosity screamed concern. I was the only female there.

“It’s not so bad. I don’t care for the owner’s nephew. He eyes me like I’m on the menu, but he’s only around once a week.” I shrugged it off when in truth he made me really uncomfortable, scared uncomfortable.

“Tell him your big brother is home and I’ll deal with him if he doesn’t keep his eyes shut where you’re concerned.” The sternness in his voice wasn’t something I’d seen since my ex-boyfriend tried to take more liberties than I was ready to give.

“Thanks, Billy, but I just ignore him.” We pulled up to the stellar remodeled ranch, and a thought crossed my mind at the same time as Billy’s. “Why the hell is he doing so good but Pops is struggling?”

“I’ve been thinking the same. They have the same account manager, but I don’t know anything about those things.”

“I’ll make some calls and maybe the suit could help us figure it out. It’s the least he could do for us saving his hide.” I rolled my eyes because I didn’t think he’d do that. He didn’t come down south just to give the property back to us. “Don’t look like that, baby girl. I’ll make him see reason or I’ll leave him outside with the rattlers.” I swatted his arm and gave him my toughest scowl before giggling.

I hopped out of the car. “Thanks, Billy. It’s great to have you back. Even if it isn’t for long.”

I waved my brother off as I climbed the steps of the main house. He pulled out as I opened the door and immediately slammed into a large frame. It was Rico, the owner’s nephew. “Why, what a pleasant surprise bumping into you.”

“I doubt you were surprised considering my father’s truck can be heard coming up the road. Excuse me, Rico, I have to get started on dinner.”

“One day, I’m going to get you all alone and teach you what a real man can do to a good girl like you,” he purred. I gave him my signature eye roll and moved past him into the kitchen. He wasn’t supposed to be here today and that ticked me off. First, the rich suit had to activate my girly bits with just one look before stealing my home. Then, in walked Pervert Pete here to prey on my innocence.