* * * *
“She’s a jumpy little thang, ain’t she?” Lewis stated as they watched Stacy leave the parking lot.
“She sure is,” Max added.
“And hot, too, with that red hair and those big green eyes. Man, she’s a looker, huh?” Lewis asked.
Eric and Max nearly snarled at him. “She sure is. Maybe I should go help her unload that stuff at Marie’s?” Eric stated toward Max.
“You have to get those fences mended. I’ll take a ride by. I need to check up with Ron anyway. He said he’s missing some things from his shed.”
Lewis waved good-bye and headed back inside.
“So what do you think?” Eric asked Max.
“The poor girl was scared. It took everything I had not to rip Gutry’s head off for bothering her,” Max answered.
“I know what you mean. I felt the same way. I’m just glad we were over here when we were. He was going to try and make her get into his truck,” Eric stated, sounding outraged.
“Asshole. He better stay away from her.”
“She’s real pretty, ain’t she?” Eric asked his brother.
“Those eyes of hers are stunning, but I was real concerned over her reaction to the situation. What did you think?” Max asked.
“There was definitely something there. I know she felt an attraction to us. She was shaking like a leaf, and man, did I want to hold her in my arms and feel that body against me. She is built perfectly.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. The way she felt leaning against my back while I was trying to get Gutry to retreat and leave her alone. It was hard to stay focused.”
“My dick is still fucking hard just thinking about it,” Eric replied then chuckled.
“The way she took off, I think she’s going to be hard to get close to. It may take some time.”
“Oh, I want to get close to her. I want to learn everything there is about her. Hey, I thought you were going to ask her about cooking?”
“We got sidetracked, remember? I’ll take care of it when I stop by Marie’s.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tonight.”
Max watched Eric leave, and then he looked around the town streets. He clenched his teeth when he saw Gutry standing on the corner watching him. Max returned the look just as Wyatt pulled up in the sheriff’s truck. Max would let Wyatt know what went down and make sure he kept an eye on Stacy when she was in town. He didn’t like Gutry at all.
* * * *
Stacy pulled up to the cottage still feeling shaky after the incident in town. She wasn’t sure which situation made her more nervous, the two Cantrell brothers or the creepy Gutry guy. As she got out of the truck, she began to grab the bags first and load them onto the front deck of the cottage. Just as she headed toward the back of the pickup truck, she noticed the sheriff’s patrol truck pull up the dirt driveway. Damn, she hoped he was going to see Marie about something. Oh crap! She hoped he wasn’t going to tell Marie about the incident in town. The older woman would never let Stacy out of her sight. She suddenly felt herself getting angry. How dare he treat her like some child. She was a grown woman, and she would have handled Gutry.
The closer Max drove up the driveway in the patrol car that led to her cottage, the faster her heart pounded in her chest, and damn it to hell, she was feeling that quivering from her belly to her damn pussy. How easily this guy and his brother set her body on fire was disturbing to her. She cleared her throat and gripped the top of the tailgate. She was like some naive city girl who couldn’t handle the sight of a few sexy real-life cowboys, boots and all. She just kept reminding herself about the men at Mercer and other businessmen she met in the year she worked there. These guys weren’t any different.
Oh hell, who am I kidding?
She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the deputy as his vehicle turned right instead of going straight to Marie’s place. He parked the vehicle, and she pulled down the tailgate to the pickup truck.
* * * *
“I hope you don’t think y’all are going to pull that piece of machinery down all by yourself,” Max stated with attitude as he approached the truck.
He watched as Stacy crossed her arms in front of her chest in an attempt to appear annoyed at him for showing up at her place. But damn, did she look adorable. He wondered if she knew that she pouted.
“What are you doing here?” she countered.
He raised his eyebrow in question to her tone, and she lowered her eyes a moment but quickly recovered as she exhaled in annoyance and reached for one side of the power washer.
He quickly rushed to her side.
“Let me help you with that.”
They both grabbed a side, and he was surprised at how strong she was. Then he wondered if her anger was feeding that strength. They placed the machine down on the ground, and as Stacy bent, he got a nice view of her cleavage from the V-neck in her T-shirt. She apparently caught his eyes’ direction because she crossed her arms in front of her chest and took a few steps away.
“Thank you for the help, deputy. You can leave now.”
He chuckled at her tough attitude. The woman had a chip on her shoulder.
“Listen, I’m not trying to cause you any trouble. I just stopped by to help you get the power washer out of your truck.”
“Isn’t that above and beyond the call of duty, deputy?” she countered, staring at him as if she could read his mind or were trying to find a hidden meaning about coming to her aid.
“It’s the kind of man I am, ma’am, and I was trying to be neighborly.”
Man, this woman was proving the stereotype that redheads had fierce tempers.
She thought about his statement a moment, and she undid her arms, giving him a better view of her abundant breasts. Even though they were covered, he could tell she was built.
“I appreciate your help. Both in town and here, but I really just want to get things started on the cottage. As you can see, I have a lot of work to do.”
He walked closer to the cottage, following her to the front porch and the door leading to her home.
“Whatcha planning on fixing first?” he asked, leaning his hands on his holster and his belt.
She released another annoyed sigh, and he had to hide his grin. He found her irresistibly charming and unlike any other woman he’d ever met. Women basically threw themselves at Cantrell men, but this one wanted nothing to do with him or his brother. He liked that about her.
“I’m planning on power washing the house, then fixing some of the shingles and gutter before I repaint the whole place.”
He swung his head back at her in shock.
“Reshingling and fixing the gutters? You’re not planning on climbing up there on a ladder and doing this all by yourself?” He allowed his upset to show, which truly wasn’t like him, but damn, if he was going to stand by and let his woman take a chance like that.
“You could break your neck.”
“Only if I fall off the ladder,” she replied sarcastically. Only a second ago, she looked like she had daggers in her eyes when he questioned her capabilities of doing such work herself.
She stomped up the steps and opened the front screen door as she carried some of the bags inside.
He couldn’t believe she walked away from him like that. The woman showed no respect. Not even an ounce for the uniform at least. He blew out a long breath then decided to open himself up for more punishment. The sight of her ass wiggling up the steps as she carried items into the house was all the encouragement he needed.
He grabbed the box and two last bags then entered the house behind her.
“I don’t like the idea of you doing this work by yourself. Never mind climbing up on a ladder and prancing around the roof.”
She swung around, obviously surprised that he followed her into her house but also that he reprimanded her.
“Listen, deputy, I don’t really care what you think. This is above and beyond the ‘call of duty,’ and I’m a big girl and can handle it myself. So if you don’t mind, why don’t you go back out to your patrol truck and head back into town.” She glanced at her watch and added, “It’s probably just about time for a donut or something, isn’t it?”
He nearly lost his control at her statement but reined it in.
He took a slow step toward her, eyeing her from her cute little white sneakers, up her long, sexy thighs to her breasts, then her gorgeous green eyes.
“Do I look like I eat donuts, darlin’?”
She glared at him as her eyes looked him over. His cock grew harder at her stare. He smiled, and she blushed, giving away her mutual attraction to him.
“I’m going to forget that you said that, Stacy. I’m also going to be sure to stop in and check on you.”
Her eyes widened, and then she actually stomped her foot. It was getting difficult to not sweep her into his arms and kiss her breathless. Those red, plump lips glistened with some sort of lip gloss, not lipstick, and they were tempting him.
“That won’t be necessary. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot to do.”
Max winked at her then gave her one of his debonair smiles that always made the ladies melt. To his surprise, Stacy scowled at him then followed him as he exited her home.
“I’ll be seeing you around, Stacy.”
“You all want to stay for lunch, Deputy Cantrell?”
Both Max and Stacy turned around to see Marie and Ron walking toward them.
“No, he has to get going. He has a whole town to patrol,” Stacy stated sarcastically.
“You all trying to impress New York here or somethin’, Max? He has time for lunch. Come on over to the house,” Marie stated firmly.
Max chuckled at the look of pure frustration across Stacy’s face. This was going to be fun. If only Eric were here, then they could double-team her and she wouldn’t know what hit her. The thought aroused him more than he expected.
“It’s good that Max is here. Maybe he can come on over with his brother Eric tomorrow and help you out on the roof work. You’re off tomorrow, right, Max?” she asked as they all walked in unison toward the main house.
One look over his shoulder at Stacy’s shocked expression and he realized he may not need Eric to double-team Stacy with teasing when he had Marie Lemorte.
* * * *
Stacy listened to the conversation between Ron and Max. It appeared that someone had stolen some tools out of Ron’s shed. Max wasn’t certain who the culprit could be but promised to patrol nearby in the evenings. Knowing that the deputy would be prowling around at night in the near vicinity of her cottage made her nervous. She thought about that while she made the grilled-cheese-and-bacon sandwiches Marie insisted she cook for Max and Ron.
“This is great that you know how to cook, Stacy. Marie’s not that great in the kitchen,” Ron remarked then ducked as Marie threw a dish towel at his head. Max and Stacy chuckled.
“Not one word out of you, New York, ya hear.” Marie pointed at Stacy, and Stacy pretended there was an invisible zipper in front of her mouth and closed it. Max and Ron laughed.
“You hear we all are losing our cook at the Triple C?” Max stated.
“Y’all mean Tex is finally heading up to Wyoming?” Marie replied.
“Afraid so. I mean I’m happy for him, and I know he really misses his daughter and wants to see the grandchildren. But now we have no cook.”
“There’s got to be someone looking for work. What type of hours y’all need?” Ron asked.
“Ah, we were just looking for lunch and dinner to start, but if it works out then breakfast, too.”
Stacy cringed, hoping that this conversation would not go in the direction it appeared it was going in.
“I hear you’re a great cook, Stacy. Maybe you would be interested in working at the Triple C?” Max asked.
“Oh, that would be great,” Marie replied.
Stacy turned around just as she placed the last pieces of bacon on the sandwiches. She calmly turned off the stove and begged her mind to find an excuse. There was no way she could be around those men.
“I can’t. I’m sorry, but I’ll be working with Marie and the campers.”
“Oh, nonsense. You just about got all the paperwork done this morning. It’s just the first day that I’ll need her, and then she’s all yours. The camp doesn’t start for another two weeks, so she can help you out when Tex leaves. When is he leaving?” Marie asked, and Stacy stood there with her mouth open in shock. Marie was basically dictating her life. This had to stop.
“Don’t I have a say in this?” Stacy asked.
“It will be good for you. Millie and Anna said to make sure you engaged in activities that you truly loved so that your mind would be taken off of—”
“That’s enough! That is my business, and they don’t need to know about it.” She waved her hand toward Ron and Max. Max’s eyebrows crinkled, and he looked at her.
“Get over what about, New York?” Max asked.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Listen, I will think about the cooking job. I don’t need you or your brother’s help tomorrow, so don’t show up. Let’s just eat lunch because I am hours behind now.”
“Hey, Max, do you think that Gutry had something to do with my missing tools?” Ron asked, and Stacy nearly dropped her glass at the mere mention of Gutry’s name.
She swallowed hard and stared at her plate until she felt the warm, masculine fingers touch her hand and hold it.
She looked up into Max’s concerned eyes, and she nibbled her bottom lip. Damn, he looked so possessive and in control.
“I’m not sure, Ron, but my cousin and I will be keeping an eye on Gutry and especially after today and the situation with Stacy at the hardware store.
She tried to pull her hand away from Max’s, but he held it firm. “Please don’t—”
“What happened? Did he try something with Stacy?” Marie asked, looking angry.
Max began to explain what happened. The whole time he held her hand and squeezed it as she tensed with every detail. It brought back memories of the assault in her office and the circumstances that led her here to Texas. Truth of the matter was that she found herself leaning closer to Max and absorbing his strength. She’d never had a man to lean on or count on, and she’d never wanted one either. But somehow, with Max sitting beside her and being insistent on spending time with her, she thought about what it would be like.
“Do you think he’ll bother her again?” Marie asked then covered Stacy’s free hand with her own. She held her gaze, and Stacy knew that Millie had given Marie every detail about her boss stalking her and assaulting her. She silently begged Marie to not speak a word of it to Max or Ron.
“I’m fine, Max. You and Eric were there, and it was fine really. There’s no need to get Marie all worked up. You do know she’s really ill, don’t you?” Stacy teased, trying to lighten up the lunch atmosphere.
“Sick?” both Ron and Max asked, but Stacy thought that Ron seemed way more concerned than Max. Interesting.
Max finally released Stacy’s hand and listened to Marie explain Stacy’s statement.
Ron looked relieved, and Stacy finally had some space between her and the deputy.
Before long, they were eating lunch and discussing the details about the camp.