The bastard had just crossed the line. Before my brain could kick in, I shoved, pushing Cyan back a step. I realized it was a bad idea as soon as I did it, but some habits were just hard to break. Unfortunately, the dick was as solid as he looked and didn't stumble. He just pushed back, grabbed my arm, and twisted it, moving me until my face collided with the side of my own damned truck.
"Give up, cowboy." Cyan hissed beside my ear. "Pull your head out of your ass and put it back on your shoulders. You think Violet is gonna fall for some asshole who settles his debates with a fist? Think again!" He pushed one more time, proving the point. "She ruins men like you."
"But not like you, huh?" I heaved my weight back, hoping to get the upper hand and force this asshole off me. Unfortunately, the guy acted like he'd been in a few fights. He held me there, putting me right back against my truck without even straining.
"No," Cyan assured me. "Because I know exactly what she is. Under all that beautiful is nothing but venom. The question is whether it'll get you high or take you out. Violet knows every button to push, and she already has you half in love. By next week, you'll do every single thing she asks - and beg for more." He let his eyes shift to the toolbox. "Or maybe she already has you in her pretty little grip."
I stopped struggling, doing my best to focus. "What do you mean?"
"I'm saying you aren't the first man to fall in love with her, and you sure as shit won't be the last." Cyan finally released his grip, but he didn't step back. "If you want to stick around for more than the latest task - or fuck - then get your jealousy under control. It won't impress her, because she has no intention of being owned. She'll never be yours. You'll be real lucky if you can be hers. And fucking her doesn't mean shit."
"Don't talk about her like she's easy," I warned.
Cyan just scoffed. "Fuckin' hillbilly idiot. You think a woman's value can be measured by how many men she's fucked? That's bullshit. It's nothing more than a tool for the patriarchy to control women." He grunted, clearly unimpressed. "Fuck, I forgot how much I hate small-minded people. I told her this town was a bad idea."
I had no idea where half of that had come from, but my pride wouldn't let me back down now. "So you just showed up here to sponge off her or something?"
Cyan slowly shook his head. "Nope. I came here to take care of her and make something out of Southwind. She's moving me in to take care of me. That's how it works in the real world. Now get ahold of your testosterone, caveman. I'm just here because she needs a shrink to get the place open."
Letting a frustrated breath fall out, I let my head drop in shame. He was just a friend. One more of her too-good-looking pals that she'd grown up with. I had to trust her, but fuck if it wasn't against all the rules I'd grown up being taught. Still, I could do this. Iwould.
One thing still didn't add up, though. "Why are you telling me this?" I asked.
Slowly, Cyan lifted his hands and stepped back. "Because the pretty little snake doesn't act like she hates you, and she hateseveryonein this damned town. That means I have a pretty good idea who you are." Shoving a hand into his hair, he almost shrugged. "Because she really doesn't want to start shit in this town. She wants this to be her real home." Stepping back, Cyan wiped at his mouth, letting his eyes run across my body. "And because I owe her my life. That woman taught me how much it matters to have someone willing to listen. She's the reason I became a psychiatrist. She also has damned good taste in men, and I'm not gonna fuck that up for her."
Then he just turned and walked to the house, leaving me staring after him, wondering what the fuck had just happened.
It wasn't just that the arrogant bastard had shoved me against the truck so easy. Yeah, that sucked, but I could get over it. Mostly, it was that last comment. Never in my life had I heard a man talk to another like that. Good taste in men? What the actual fuck?
Was he gay? Granted, he didn't look like any gay guy I'd ever heard of, but those things weren't really talked about out here. Those were problems for places like Dallas, not a sleepy town where church was all but a requirement. No one would dare admit to being gay in a place like this. They probably wouldn't make it out alive.
Which was why Vera hadn't said a thing. Oh, I'd known. Granted, it had been an accident, me finding out, but I knew and didn't care. And sure, I went to church, but mostly because it was easier than not going. Half the time, I dozed through the service. So maybe that was what Cyan was trying to say? But it still didn't make sense. The whole meet and greet didn't makeanysense.
Not a damned thing made sense ever since Violet came to town, 'cept that I needed to make sure we could cut the fucking hay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
As soon as I saw Luke puffing up, I decided to let Cyan deal with it. I knew that cowboy was trying, but his rules were different than mine. I also wasn't worried about Cy holding his own. If those two decided to throw down, Luke would get his ass kicked, and then Cy could put him back together. But that didn't make waiting easy. I kept listening for them to start yelling.
Hoping to keep my hands busy, I decided to make the bed. Then I sniffed, checking to see if my room smelled like sex. Deciding to hedge my bets, I headed to my dresser and lit a scented candle, then started worrying about how I looked. Nothing fancy, today. Just a little to hide the creases starting beside my eyes, and I really had to do something with my hair.
I'd just finished my mascara when a shadow appeared in my doorway. A second later, a light rap at the frame proved that it wasn't Luke. I grabbed a rubber band and turned to smile at Cy while working my opal hair into a ponytail.
"Things go ok out there?" I asked.
"You fucking him?" Cy refused to beat around the bush.
"Yep." And I gestured to the bed. "Sit, relax. Take those boots off or whatever."
He did all of it, leaving his boots by the door before he dropped onto the bed and sighed in contentment. Then he beckoned me closer, holding out his arm for me to snuggle up against him. That was all I needed. I curled up beside him and hugged him as tight as I could.
"I missed you," I breathed.
"You look amazing," he promised. "How you holding up?"
"I'm ok," I assured him. "What about you?"
"Fuck." He laughed to make it clear that was a silly question. "Babe, I crashed and burned. Like, not even a little spin out. We're talking a total loss."
