“Bullshit, Hulking Mountain…and just to warn you, you’ve got less than ten seconds.”
“Well then, let’s get down to business,” he said, dropping the jovial attitude. “If nothing else, I truly do believe you got a keen mind, and because of that, I know you’re more likely to be swayed toward logic sooner than the average woman.”
He drew up his knees and rested his elbows on them. “Now, Lynx has called you over five times since you left Mama’s House and I know y’all have talked well over thirty minutes on some of those occasions, which kind of makes sense; Lynx can be chatty. What he can also be is vulnerable to falling for the wrong kind of women. I’m here to tell you, Stormy Redmond, you’re absolutely the wrong kind.”
She didn’t react negatively to his opening salvo. No, she was cool as an icicle in a snowstorm, that’s why he flinched at her calm words.
“So, are you two fucking? You here to stake your claim on his very beautifully formed ass?”
Lynx did have a beautifully formed ass, but the idea of… His throat tightened, bile surging up from his gut at the idea of boundaries being violated. Lynx was like a brother to him. He clenched and unclenched his hands, fighting off the cold by moving blood forcefully through his veins. Calming his body’s reaction, he took a deep breath and gazed back up at Stormy; the calculation in her gaze told him she was looking for a reaction.
“That right there, darlin’,” he said with dead-eyed calm. “That little mind-fucking game you just played is the very reason I won’t let you have him.” He spread his hands wide and smiled. “But I didn’t come armed without a bit of incentive, Sienna Red. I know how scary it must be to strike out on your own after fifteen years of working at the same job. I mean, you make decent money as a partner in Red’s and got a decent retirement package, but let’s face it, nothing you own is really safe when you make enemies out of folks like me, not even that big house you won in the divorce settlement with your ex. And why exactly is he still depositing money in your account after all this time? For the life of me, I can’t figure that one out. No matter. Ultimately, I want you to understand how essential it is for you to turn Lynx away when he comes visiting today; gently, mind you—don’t need to be unnecessarily cruel.”
He’d thrown down his gauntlet. Hard. Now all he needed to do was watch her fold.
Time passed slowly as Stormy Redmond sat there observing, silent. He knew this game, that was the only reason he resisted the urge to do anything but stare back. Thing was, his Grams once told himif you threaten all a person holds dear and they don’t bat an eye, something is real wrong with them.He was starting to get that feeling about Sienna Red. Then she averted her eyes and with a slight tremble in her hand, began to rifle through her bag.
“Mighty River—,” He narrowed his gaze, ground down on his molars. “You just can’t seem to stop insulting and threatening me. You come in here, inform me that you’ve violated my personal spaceon multiple levels, just so I will stay away from the most kind, fun, and sexy man I have met in years? Do you know how unhinged you sound?”
He nodded, understanding that his actions went beyond what may seem rational to her, but the situation more than warranted it. “Except for the sexy part, sounds like you got a real good handle on the situation, sweetness.”
When she stood, pulled a taser out of her bag, and pointed at his groin, he conceded that hemight haveoverlooked some pertinent information about her mental health when he executed his search. The women he usually interacted with always put their financial well-being over everything else.
Big Country wanted to rub a weary hand over his face but was wary of moving. With the high voltage in that particular brand of taser she could burn a hole through his balls, and turn Big Bubba into a grotesque stain in his pants.
He never should’ve printed the photo of her dancing on that table Saturday night. Never should’ve taped it on the wall near his computer monitor. It distracted him from the important things,shedistracted him.
And what the hell kind of woman walked around with something like that in her big-ass bag in the first place?
“You keep underestimating me, Tall Tree—”
“Look here, woman, I’m about good and goddamn tired of you intentionally mangling my handle. Now, if you’re so hell-bent on using a name, have the grace to call me by my given name. Call me Lucas.” He took a deep breath and held it, wanting to get back to the issue at hand. “Now be reasonable, darlin’. The last thing you want for this place is to have a mangled dick lawsuit attached to it. That’s gonna affect your bottom line in a real bad way, plus, no crazy person in their right mind is gonna wanna open up to a woman who electrocutes innocent, well-meaning, virile good ol’ boys whose only aim is to give a spot of life-changing advice.”
She had the gall to turn her lip up in contempt as if he weren’t acting from the kindness of his heart. “You don’t scare me, Lucas…” She waved the taser, urging him to complete the sentence.
“Beaumont.”
“Lucas Beaumont. In my line of work, I’ve had my life threatened by people who seem a bit more depraved than you.” She held up her weapon. “Hence this.”
“I hear ya, Stormy, I do. Just last night I told my buddy: ‘Buddy, one day real soon now, running a dick emporium is gonna be the most dangerous job in the world, worse than any battlefield we’ve ever fought on.’ He didn’t pay me no never mind but after I tell him about this here—,” he said, waving his hand between the two of them, “—he’s gonna think I’m a fucking prophet.”
She aimed the taser as if preparing to shoot it.
Instinct and lightning reflexes had Big Country covering Bubba with both hands and clamping his thighs together.
Stormy pursed her lips, turning her head to the side as if he couldn’t see that she was trying not to laugh at him. “Look here, woman, that shit ain’t funny.”
“Oh, but it is,” she said. The smile she flashed at him was blatant and undisguised, her dimples so tempting he had to press down on Big Bubba to stop him from making himself a bigger target. “Who would’ve imagined that the big dangerous country stalker-boy would be so delicate and trembly when his itty-bitty man parts were threatened?” she said, resting the taser gun on her desk.
A few things became clear to Big Country real quick. One: she wasn’t going to shoot him, didn’t even seem towantto shoot him anymore so he spread his thighs as wide as flexibility would allow and adjusted his crotch, daring her. Two: he was gonna have to fight to regain the intimidation factor…if he ever had it. And three…well, three he could rectify right now.
Planting his hands on the floor, he stood and unbuckled and unzipped his pants, pulling them down far enough for Bubba to spring out and wave about in a friendlyhey,how do. Bracketing his hands on either side of his pelvis, Big Country showcased Bubba for Stormy’s viewing pleasure.
“I’m called Big Country because everything about me is big, sweetness. Big mouth, big ego, big bank account, big intellect, and most important, Big Bubba.” Her eyes were heavy on his crotch, lips slightly parted in what he liked to imagine was unrestrained awe. “Now ifnothingelse happens this morning I want you to give my friend his due. He works hard for his lovin’ and deserves respect… and as you can see, he ain’t nowhere near itty-bitty.”
Stormy contemplated Bubba for a few seconds before storing the taser back in her bag. In a few strides she was a hairbreadth away from him, her scent pressing him farther into the wall.
Shocking the sweet Jesus out of him, Sienna Red reached out, took hold of Bubba and squeezed so hard he thought the head would pop off.
