COLTON
THE FUNDRAISER IS going well, although I have one problem --- Penny is wearin' a tiny, yellow bikini. She's sittin' on top of the dunk tank, waitin' to get wet, and my cock is instantly hard every time I lay eyes on her. I have to keep goin' into the bar to calm myself down. I feel like a teenager again, gettin' a ragin' boner every few minutes over a girl I have a crush on.
But this feels like more than a crush. This feels like somethin' else entirely. I want Penny…in a bad fuckin' way. But I know I can't have her without openin' up a big can of worms. Because I know once I have her, I'll never want to let her go. And that scares me more than anything.
I could strangle Buddy with my own bare hands for thinkin' that a dunk tank would be a good addition to this fundraiser. But I have to give him credit for his reasonin' behind it, because the line is almost half-a-mile long with grown-ass men waitin' for their turn to get her wet. We're makin' money hand over fist between her pies and her bein' on top of that damn tank, but I'm not happy about it. I'm glad Shelby Rae is gettin' the money she needs, but I wish it were Buddy in that tank and not Penny.
I'm steppin' out of the back of the bar when I overhear a conversation between two guys I have seen a countless number of times in the bar. Supposedly we all went to school together; but, of course, I don't remember them.
"Did you see that yellow bikini?" Luke asks in a hushed whisper.
"I wish someone would dunk her soon. I can't wait to see her all wet," Grady says with a big grin.
They're near the back of the line to the dunk tank as I walk past, and my steps slow when I realize they're talkin' about Penny. My Penny.
"Have you tried her pies yet? My mama can't stop talkin' about them. She said they're the best in the county."
"I would love to try Penny'spie," Grady says, and Luke chuckles. "In fact, I'd love to try her pie more than once."
Anger flares through me, and I'm suddenly in Grady's face. "Watch your fuckin' mouth," I hiss at him.
He puts his hands on my chest and roughly shoves me backwards. "Back off, Colt. Last I heard you were datin' Ruby Sue, so what business is it of yours who's talkin' about Penny?"
"It's my business because ---." I pause and try to think of a plausible excuse. "Because she's my employee."
"Well, you and Penny ain't together anymore, so I don't see why you would get mad over me talkin' about her sweet…juicy…pie…that I'd love to sink my teeth into," he says tauntingly with a smirk on his face.
All I see is red. And before I know it, I have my hands wrapped around Grady's throat.
* * * * *
PENNY
THE SUN IS pounding down on me as I'm sitting --- no --- as I'mbakingon top of the dunk tank waiting for someone to put me out of my misery. The only reason I volunteered for this damn thing was because I thought I would be swimming in the cool water all day long. So far, no one has dunked me. The throws have been too short, too long or not hard enough. The damn thing must be rigged. And I'm tired of waiting for someone to push my button, so to speak, just the right way.
As a boy, who can't be older than six, steps up to the plate, I have to force myself not to roll my eyes. There's no way he's going to dunk me, and I feel like I'm on top of a barbecue pit, slowly cooking to death.
I look at him encouragingly. "You can do it!" I cheer him on.
After three tries, he doesn't, unfortunately, and I'm sighing as the hot sun continues to beam down at me.
A man steps up to the plate, and he looks promising…and muscular. He has blond hair and piercing blue eyes, and there's something about the way he looks at me that makes me think that I know him. But I have never seen this hunk of man before. Surely I would remember someone like him.
He's grinning at me with perfectly straight white teeth. I smile back, and this seems to please him immensely. He tears his eyes away from me as he sets his gaze onto the target to the left of me. Just as he's winding up to throw, I hear a commotion coming from the back of the line.
My eyes steel over to see Colton and Grady Parrish wrestling on the ground. I hold my finger up to the stranger in the line and say, "Wait a minute. I'm sorry." I scurry down the ladder, and I'm running as fast as my legs will take me to Colton.
Grady is on the ground and getting the shit pounded out of him. Blood is pouring from his nose and his mouth. "Colton!" I scream.
Colton doesn't stop. He just keeps swinging and kicking.
Grady is begging for mercy. "I'm sorry! Make him stop! Make him stop! I'm sorry for what I said!"
Without even thinking about the consequences, I jump up and grab onto Colton's fist with both of my hands before he has another chance to swing. I pull his fist towards me and look him dead in the eye. "Colton James! Stop!" I scream at him.
The look on his face is murderous. I don't know what the hell Grady Parrish said to him, but he obviously shouldn't have said it. Seething, Colton finally focuses on me and begins to relax. His muscular chest rises and falls in desperate pants as he tries to catch his breath.
"Go home, Grady!" I tell the man on the ground. I don't have to tell him twice, because he quickly picks himself up and hightails it to the parking lot.
