“Coming from you? I think not.” She playfully punches my shoulder. “I’m a big girl, and I’m not pining over Nash or angling to get involved.”
“Don’t tell me you’re not involved already.” I rub the heat where her punch landed and shift my weight to my other foot toward the opening. Somehow, the porch is too small, and I came out here to get away from family entanglements.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Her green eyes flash, and she leans closer to me, as if she’s going to grab the front of my shirt and fight.
I stand my ground and grin. This is one of those times to stay silent and let her interpret it whatever way she wants. I’m not here to cause trouble between her and Nash.
She bites her lip, and her mouth presses together, nostrils flaring until she regains a semblance of control. “I know what you’re thinking. Worn out single mom with two kids. What does the hottest country singer this side of Nashville see in her?”
“I don’t even dare to speculate.” I might be hard up, but I’m not letting my guard down. This woman wants something, and as much as I’d like to think she’s after my body, she could be after something else.
“I’ll tell you anyway.” She juts out her lower lip in a challenging gesture. “Nash is a good friend and my protector. I’m not out to marry him or steal his money or any of the things you’re thinking.”
“Hey, you have no idea what I’m thinking.” I’m hoping the wind chill will drop another few degrees to take the edge off this conversation.
“Fair enough.” She licks her lips, and her gaze drops to my mouth. “All that matters is I’m not in a romantic relationship with your brother. We’re best friends. My grandmother, Louise, was your grandfather’s lover. Will and Abbie spent many happy days visiting them when they lived at that independent living center. Nash played uncle, and he likes to keep it that way. He lets social media think we’re involved, and it keeps the groupies and roadies at bay.”
“You’re telling me your job is to fend off females at his concerts?”
“I do a pretty good job.” She props her hand behind her hip and draws a gun.
“Whoa. Don’t use it on me.” I can’t believe she got the jump on me. I must be getting soft being home on the ranch and believing everything’s safe out here. “What do you get in return? I mean, you must have needs.”
Sheesh. Why did I have to sound so creepy?
She puts the gun back in the holster. “My needs don’t matter. What’s important is safety. I guess I shouldn’t tell you, but those cowhands are Nash’s security detail. What I and the kids get in return is protection.”
“From who? Or what?”
She’s steely-eyed as her green gaze locks back onto my eyes. “I say I’m a single mom, but it’s not true. My husband refuses to divorce me even though he has other women.”
“Can’t you file and get him for abandonment?”
“I could, but he’d have to kill me.”
I swallow a gulp and clear my throat, this time, completely under control of my faculties. “He’s not a law-abiding citizen.”
“Not at all.”
“Does that mean Nash and my family are in danger? How can you stand here and put all these people in the crosshairs?”
“What would you have me to do?” Her breath hisses like steam, and her eyes flare wide. “Give up and let him kill Will and Abbie?”
I’m not sure if I completely believe her. This tale is too preposterous. It sounds like something I come up with to con a mark into trusting me.
Narrowing my eyes, I get into her face with a menacing sneer. “I don’t know your game, lady, but what you just told me means I’m going to be keeping my eyes on you. You try anything funny, and I’m going to swoop down on you like a giant condor over a carcass.”
“I’m counting on it.” She leans so far forward she loses her balance.
I catch her, and step forward to put her back on the rail. My hands are around her waist, and she strikes. Quick like a rattlesnake, her arms whip around my shoulders.
The kiss shocks me and stirs up a whirlwind of stuff I don’t want to think about. My pent-up body takes over, and the fury of the last few days explode with the onslaught of pure, greedy need.
It’s not like I’m in a relationship with anyone. I’m a free man and I, too, have needs.
She takes all of it in, from my probing tongue to the roughness of my beard stubble. The hard grasp of my fingers spurs her on, and she fights me. Her fingers rake the back of my neck, her lush mouth sucking and nipping, and her long mom-jeans-clad legs wrap around my waist.
Well, hell.
