“Not sure why you'd want to,” Ethan said, looking confused.
“Branna has Macy put stuff aside and I buy it for her. Makes gift giving a whole deal easier.”
“And you didn't think to share that idea with your friends?”
Buster looked at Ethan, who in turn was glaring at Jake.
“Not my fault you two can't form a thought without help.”
The bickering continued and Brad inhaled, glad that the focus had fallen off him.
“So, getting back to you and Macy, TJ?”
“There is no Macy and me, Sheriff. She's a friend, we helped each other get out of that situation at the Buchanan place. You can't go through something like that and not form some kind of link,” Brad said, giving the explanation he thought most plausible.
“Okay, yeah that actually makes sense. But there's that rumor about you and her on that metal death trap you ride, at the wedding.”
“It’s a Harley Davidson, Sheriff. Sure thought a man like you would know that.”
“Know it, and still don’t like it. Now, about those rumors.”
“You know rumors, no grain of truth,” Ethan said, looking at Brad. “Now stop picking on him, and pass me another beer.”
“Oh hell no, you did not just stand up for your little brother.” Jake smiled.
“Haven't done it for a while, have to say it felt good.”
Brad looked at the top of his bottle. It did feel good.
“Aww hell, my beer just went sour. You're not going to weep now, are you? I hear you Texans are good at that shit.”
Everyone laughed at Buster's words, and Brad felt himself relax again as the talk turned general. He didn't feel anything but friendly with a ton of lust chucked in for Macy Reynolds, but still, he didn't want these Neanderthals noticing that.
He thought about going to see her tonight. Was it the right move, considering the conversation they'd just had?
Hell yes it was. They were consensual adults, and allowed to scratch any damned itch they wanted to.
He waiteduntil the town was cloaked in darkness, and during that time he’d decided against going, and then in favor, so many times his head hurt. He knew Macy was innocent in so many ways. Knew there was a possibility she may invest a great deal of emotion into an affair, if that was where they were heading for the few days he had left here. The hell of it was, he couldn't stop himself from wanting her. That one night they’d shared had left him reeling.
It probably spelled trouble for both of them, especially as they were pretty messed up already, but then again, maybe it was what they needed, and by the end of it they would both be happier and able to walk away from each other still friends.
Brad knew now this was a place he wanted to come back to. It wasn't just his brother that would draw him here, it was the town and people who lived in it too.
Climbing onto his bike, he headed back into Howling. Once he hit Macy's drive, he shut off the engine and pushed the bike up, parking it around the side of the house.
Big and ugly, it wasn't an inviting house, he'd noticed that yesterday. In fact, it looked cold and isolated perched up here looking down on the smaller places beside it. There were no gardens or trees, and he wondered what was with that. Where the hell did Billy play? Was there a yard out back? He was shaking his head as he reached the front door, and it was then he heard the sound of the vacuum cleaner.
Who the hell vacuums at this hour, he thought pulling out his cell and looking at the time; 9:30 p.m. Had she spilled something?
He knocked, but as Macy was still vacuuming, he tried the door and let himself in. Brad found her in the dining area. She wore a sundress with no straps. The soft aqua fabric caressed her breasts and then fell to her knees, and he wanted his hands on her, but first he had to shut that noise down.
Brad located the power and switched it off.
“Oh.” She spun to face him.
“Hey.”
“You scared me.”
