Forget Me Knot (12 page)
Authors: Lori King
Weekend Surrender
By: Lori King
Rachel slammed the closet door behind her as she emerged dressed in her sexiest, country cutie clothes. Her stonewashed blue denim miniskirt barely covered the bottom curves of her ass cheeks. It was paired with a man’s red and blue plaid dress shirt, and the shirttails were tied just under her perky B-cup breasts. She left the buttons open so her tits were clearly visible rising out of the top of her blood-red satin pushup bra.
Her tanned midsection was completely bare except for the crystal belly ring that dangled in her belly button. From the back she knew the view would be of the half dollar size daisy tattoo she had gotten when she turned eighteen, just above the top of her black belt. The hand-tooled leather was clasped between her hips bones, with a large belt buckle in the shape of a star. On her feet were a pair of black cowboy boots with silver embellishments, and her long, slim legs were bare.
She was dressed to kill with every intention of causing a few heart attacks tonight. Her chestnut brown hair hung down to the middle of her back in large wavy curls, and she ran her fingers through it carelessly as she walked.
Her makeup was applied with precision so her oversized chocolate brown eyes were nearly as prominent as her blood-red lips. She had always hated the fullness of her lips, but men seemed to love them. Mitch always called them dick sucking lips.
She hated Mitch now.
Mitch deserved Connie Sanders. The bleach blonde tramp had been trying to sink her claws into Mitchell Edwards for more than six months, and she had finally gotten her way.
Well screw them both
. If plastic boobs, and a spray-on tan was what Mitch got off on, then he deserved Connie.
Rachel was going to go out and find a man to fuck her heartbreak away. She wanted raw, dirty, raunchy sex. Not the soft, gentle missionary sex Mitch seemed to favor. She wanted to be shoved against a wall, or held down by her wrists as a large muscular man devoured her completely. That’s why she created this plan.
It was a Friday night, and that meant a packed house at Robin’s, the local bar that Rachel had waited tables at through college. She had met Mitch there, and he would no doubt be there tonight playing darts with his cronies, while Connie giggled and preened over a watered down margarita. So in order to prove to the world that Rachel Lia Morgan was completely and utterly over her ex-boyfriend, she was going on the prowl on his turf.
There were usually dozens of hot men at Robin’s on the weekends. All of the local ranchers and ranch hands from the outskirts of Stone River usually hit the bar on Friday night looking for some action. Never before had Rachel considered indulging in a one-night stand, but tonight was her night.
She spritzed a little bit of her favorite perfume on her throat, and then grabbed her small purse. On her way out the door she noticed her cell phone was blinking with a missed message. She climbed into her silver Ford F150 as she hit the play message button.
“Rach, I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I want to apologize. I didn’t mean for you to find out about Connie like that…Rach? Please call me so we can talk this out. You can’t just throw two years out the window. I made a mistake, damn it—”
The voice clicked off as she hit the delete button, and dropped her phone back into her purse. Mitch could beg and plead all he wanted, but she had already made her peace with their breakup. She wasn’t interested in his excuses anymore. She turned the volume up on her truck radio, so Miranda Lambert’s tune “Mama’s Broken Heart” blared out the windows into the night, and headed toward her freedom.
The bar’s parking lot was packed with work trucks. With exception of only a handful of cars that probably belonged to the female patrons of the bar. Rachel backed her truck into a small parking stall at the back edge of the lot, right next to a black Dodge Ram Quad Cab that looked like it had rolled off the lot and onto the ranch just a few hours ago. Realizing she had parked rather close to the truck, she carefully opened her door, and slipped out into the small space.
A large masculine hand covered hers, where it rested on the top edge of her truck door, and she gasped.
“Sunshine, if you nick my new truck with your door, I’m going to have to spank that cute little ass raw.” The voice in her ear sent a shiver over her skin, and she flushed at his words.
She turned her head to see who was behind her that would have any right to speak to her like that, and she nearly groaned out loud when her brown eyes met those of Parker Brooks. Parker Brooks was one of the four Brooks brothers who owned Brooks Pastures-a local cattle ranch. The four brothers shared two things in common, their love of ranching, and their smoking hot good looks. Dark hair, dark eyes, long lean muscular cowboy bodies, all tucked up under a cowboy hat. It made Rachel’s blood sing just thinking about the four of them.
Holding her breath she dropped her gaze from his dark eyes down to his sexy mouth, and she felt her own tongue dart out to wet her lips unconsciously. His raised eyebrow told her that he noticed, and she shook her head slightly to clear her lust fogged brain.
“I’m sorry, Parker. I did park a little close there, but no worries, I was careful,” she said with a smile she hoped would distract him from the increase in her breathing, and the rise and fall of her breasts.
It clearly didn’t work, because his eyes shifted from her lips directly down the front of her shirt, and then they dragged lower. His gaze drifted from her golden colored abs, down to her booted feet, and then he reached out and tugged her hand free of the truck door. Surprised, she followed his lead when he turned her around so her back was to him again. A long, low whistle had goose bumps forming on her arms, but the finger stroking over her tattoo in the small of her back was what had her creaming her panties.
“Holy shit, sunshine. Who let you out of the house dressed like that?” he asked in a gravelly rough voice that nearly knocked Rachel’s knees out from underneath her.
The meaning of his question sunk in, and her irritation overcame her libido. “Last I looked in the mirror I was a grown woman, cowboy. I don’t need anyone’s permission or approval of my wardrobe.”
Parker let her go when she tugged her hand out of his. She slammed her truck door and started to move out from between the two vehicles. “You might be grown up, but wearing a skirt like that is asking for trouble.”
She paused and looked back over her shoulder. “Maybe that’s exactly what I wanted,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
His slow, sexy smile made her mouth go dry, and she swallowed hard. “If you want trouble, little girl, all you need to do is ask.”
Trying to cover up her nerves at his deliberately seductive invitation, she snorted out a laugh, “If I decide I want your kind of trouble, I won’t need to ask.” Tossing her hair back over her shoulder, she headed for the door of the bar.
Before she could pull it open, a large hand reached around her for the door handle, and another equally large hand settled on her hip. Whipping her head violently, ready to give Parker Brooks a piece of her mind, she froze in place when it was his brother, Hudson’s face only inches from hers.
“Hey, honey,” he said with a quick smile, and a wink, “Let me get the door for you.”
“Thanks, Hudson,” she responded, sighing with relief that that was all he said. She wanted a wild fling, but the Brooks brothers were out of her league for multiple reasons.
They were all at least ten years older than her twenty-four years, and they were all wickedly sexy men. The rumors around town were the four brothers shared their women, and right at this moment, looking into Hudson’s heated cocoa-colored gaze, she would have believed it. She had an inkling he had heard her interaction with Parker, but she wasn’t going to tempt fate by asking.
Instead she tipped her chin up and turned back to the door, only to realize that it wasn’t Hudson’s hand on her. Sawyer Brooks stood on her other side with his hand resting lightly on the curve of her hip, and the rest of his body leaning nonchalantly against the door jam.
“Rachel,” he said softly, and her pulse took off racing. Okay, the idea of having a sexy one-night stand had merit, but now that she was surrounded by large muscular men, she wasn’t so sure she could go through with the reality. “No need to rush off. How are you tonight?”
Blinking in surprise, she answered automatically in a snotty tone, “I’m fan-fuckin-tastic, Sawyer, thank you for asking.”
His eyes darkened with irritation, and his lip curled up in a grimace. “Don’t use language like that, you’re a lady, and ladies shouldn’t curse.”
Rachel couldn’t help it. She burst into a roar of laughter. Not giggles, or chuckles, but large loud belly laughs. “Are you kidding me? Sawyer Brooks, I have seen you compete in the local rodeo, and heard the nastiness that spews from those luscious lips. Do you really think you can tell
me
not to curse?”
Sawyer focused in on the one phrase from her whole little speech that he liked, “Luscious lips, huh?” Those sexy lips curved up into an equally sinful smile that had her pussy tightening, and her thighs clenching.
She forced herself to roll her eyes, even as a blush covered her cheeks. “Whatever. I’m going inside to get a drink, dance a little, and maybe play some pool. Excuse me, gentlemen.” She reached again for the door handle, only to have a new set of hands settle on her shoulders and tug her backwards until she stumbled. Instead of falling on her ass though, her plump butt cheeks settled against the rough denim of a man’s Levi’s, and a heavy arm banded under her ribs holding her upright.
“Apologize, Rachel, you were rude to Sawyer, and he was just trying to teach you a few manners,” Parker’s voice rumbled against her ear, and she bit her tongue hard to swallow her moan of lust.
“No. Let me go, Parker, this isn’t funny,” she ground out, and she began to struggle to get out of Parker’s strong grip.
“Stop it. You’ll end up hurting yourself. Now, Sawyer and Hudson deserve a sincere apology, and then I want an explanation as to what you’re doing at Robin’s dressed like a two bit hooker on fight night?” Ice coated his words, and she stilled in his arms. A wave of hurt and embarrassment went through her. Did she really look so bad? She had put on the clothes that made her feel the sexiest.
“I apologize if I’ve offended anyone, but I have plans inside the bar that include a bottle of tequila, and a few spins around the dance floor. You are currently delaying my plans. I have no intention of prostituting myself, because I’ve never in my life felt the need to ask a man for sex. I’m dressed in clothing I picked out, and like. I don’t personally give a damn if you approve or not, Mr. Brooks.” She focused all of her anger on her words, and when he finally released her she sighed heavily, “Thank you. Have a lovely evening, gentlemen.”
Hudson tugged the door open, and Sawyer stepped back from the doorway allowing her to saunter past him. Once she was safely in the bar, she let out a heavy, shaky breath and made her way across the room directly into the bathroom to settle her nerves. It might take more than a drink or two to wipe the Brooks brothers from her fantasies tonight.
Excerpt from
Forsaken
(The Found, Book Two)
By Caitlyn O’Leary
Chapter One
“Put on your clothes. You disgust me.” Seth was beyond tired, and seeing his wife on his bed, naked and spread for him made his bile rise.
“Carson, I need you, remember how it was?” She tried to entice him by playing with her breasts.
Seeing her gown on the floor, he picked it up and tossed it on top of her. “That’s the problem Portia, I don’t remember anything, let alone it ever being any good.”
“That night together was the best night of my life. It could be like that again if you’d just try, dammit.”
“Get out of my room,” his voice deadly. Her eyes widened and she scrambled off the bed.
“Fine, but don’t think this is the end. You are going to make me pregnant again. Daddy wants a grandchild.”
“Oh cut the bullshit, there was never a baby in the first place. You dragged my ass to the altar under false pretenses.”
“Carson, you got me pregnant that night. You believed me before, why don’t you believe me now?”
The million dollar question. He knew from the moment he laid eyes on her she was a criminal and likely involved in drug smuggling with her father. He intended to put her behind bars, and instead he had married her to protect his unborn child. A child that likely never existed.
“Get the fuck out, Portia, before I do something we both regret.”
She slung the gown over her shoulder and left his room, uncaring if the servants saw her naked or not. His wife was quite a piece of work.
Seth…Carson, whatever the fuck his name was, Hell he was beginning to question his own identity. Yanking at the bowtie of his tuxedo it knotted tighter instead of opening.
“Good, maybe I’ll choke.” He was sick of living the double life. Finally he pulled, ripping it apart at the seam. “God damn motherfucker!” He did the same with the cuffs of his shirt, satisfied when the cufflinks flew across the room. They were gold with diamonds. Maybe the maids would steal them. “Good for them.”
Fuck, he needed to shut the hell up, it was a bad habit to talk out loud. He knew his room was bugged. There was a damn good chance of video surveillance too. Once when Portia was high she said she hoped there was, that it added to the spice.
Not that he would touch her. He warned her when they started this travesty of a marriage it wouldn’t be consummated, but she hadn’t believed him. Hence the weekly ritual. Sometimes she’d bring in some kind of sex toy, one night he’d found her tied spread eagle to the bed. He didn’t even want to know who had helped her into the position.
He pulled off the rest of his clothes, hoping they would tear as well, but they didn’t. At least one of his dress shoes left a dent in the wall. They could report he had a temper tantrum for all he cared. It had been an ugly fucking night and Portia was the cherry on top. He needed a long hot shower to erase the stench of the scum he brushed up against.
God, he hoped it would help his headache. Grabbing three ibuprofen and some Rolaids he chewed them all down, praying it would help his head and his stomach by the time he finished the hot shower.
He often wondered if they had audio and video in the shower too, it wouldn’t surprise him. Nothing surprised him about these bastards. Had he ever had such a bad headache? It was the woman at the party, she reminded him of his Annie, and then he had to listen to Lobado’s men talk about their new source of income. The pulse of pain in his head was so bad his eyes started to water.
What the fuck had he gotten himself into?
****
Annie reminded herself to be happy. She escaped from the people intent on kidnapping her baby, but all she could focus on was her baby’s father. Somehow she managed to drive Seth away. She took out his letter, went to her desk, and pulled out the tape. Carefully she taped the seams where it was coming apart because she had unfolded and folded it so often.
“Annie,
I won’t be coming home after this assignment. Things have changed. I have changed. I have decided on a new life. I deeply regret the promises I made to you but will be unable to honor.
I won’t defile our time together by speaking of it now, only know this, you are loved.
I am entrusting this letter with my father, so you can tell him if you need anything. I can no longer claim the name Natani, but you will always be cared for by the family of Natani.
Seth”
Annie pushed the paper flat against the desk. She didn’t know why she wanted to look at it. The letter had almost killed her when Rafe Natani, Seth’s father, had handed it to her almost a year ago.
****
Seth’s parents had found her at her apartment not far from the college in Farmington, New Mexico where she was spending a lot of her time. She was working on her doctoral thesis in Archeology based on the Anasazi, and using the college campus library.
“Miss Newman, you don’t know us, but we’re Seth’s parents. Would you allow us to come in?” Everything dropped away as Annie looked at the middle aged Native American couple on her porch. Dear God, Seth had died on assignment with the DEA. Annie grabbed her swollen abdomen and fell to her knees, staring up at the caring faces of Seth’s parents.
“Quick Rafe, let’s help her inside.”
“Seth, is he? Did he? Did he suffer?”
“Oh honey, no. He’s not dead. We’re handling this badly. Let us help you. Seth’s not dead. He’s fine.” The Natani’s helped Annie into her cooler apartment, and settled her on the couch.
“What can I get you to drink?” the woman asked as she hurried towards the kitchen.
“I don’t need anything. Where’s Seth? Is he hurt? Is he finally home?”
“He’s not hurt. He’s not home. My name is Rafe, the woman currently rummaging through your kitchen is my wife Wanda.” Annie looked at his hand holding hers over the large swell of her tummy. They both looked up at the same time.
“Am I going to be a grandfather?”
“I’d prefer to tell Seth he’s going to be a father first.”
“I brought you some lemonade. I also found some graham crackers, I thought they would suit.” Wanda sat down on the other side of her husband after handing her the glass and setting the plate on the coffee table. She squeezed her husband’s shoulder. “She’s so young.” She whispered to her husband, but Annie heard her.
“I’m twenty-four.”
Seth’s mother gave her a long considering look, Annie was used to it. She knew she had a baby face. “Do you want to see my driver’s license? I’m actually working on my PhD. I’m going to be twenty-five in three months.” She watched as Wanda relaxed.
“I’m sorry honey, I worry for you. I hate to see babies raising babies.”
“So do I, but I’m a grown woman, and I want my baby very much. Please tell me why you’re here, this is killing me.”
“Are you pregnant with our son’s child?” Mr. Natani persisted. Annie looked him in the eye, and was struck by the lack of family resemblance between Seth and his parents and then remembered the strange circumstances surrounding his adoption into the Natani home.
“I beg your pardon, but why are you here?”
This time Mrs. Natani spoke. “Annie, we need you to stay strong,” she looked down at her belly. “Especially now.” She opened up her purse and pulled out a letter and handed it to her husband, who in turn handed it to Annie. “Seth sent us a letter, with this letter enclosed. He said we needed to be here when you opened it.”
It was the first time she read those words. She didn’t say a word, didn’t cry, and showed no emotion. She was used to rejection. She didn’t know how she had managed to drive him away, but she had. It was the story of her life, she had done something so wrong her mother abandoned her all those years ago. The first foster home she lived in gave her back after two years.
She took small comfort in the fact he bothered to lie and say he had loved her. She would cope, she always coped, no matter what her age, she coped. Only this hurt a million times worse. But she wouldn’t give into the hurt, she had her daughter to think about. She stroked her tummy and murmured reassurance to Nell as she kicked in agitation. Her baby felt her Mommy’s upset.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” Annie crooned.
“We’re having a granddaughter, Rafe!” Wanda cried out ecstatically, and Annie burst into tears.
“You need…You need to leave.”
“Miss Newman, we’re not leaving. May I read the letter Seth gave you?” It fell out of her numb fingers and fluttered to the floor as Annie tried to hand it him. Picking it up, he read the note and then handed it to his wife. Wanda took longer to read it, and when she finished she stifled a sob.
“You’re coming home with us Annie,” the woman said when she stopped crying.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur. There was no way on God’s green Earth Annie would have thought her apartment in Farmington would be packed and she would agree to move to Shiprock with Seth’s parents, but it’s exactly what happened. Wanda Natani was a force of nature. Her husband was the steady wind behind the force, just steadily pushing, ensuring everything moved forward.
Annie didn’t have to lift a finger. Somehow packers and movers showed up out of thin air within hours of the Natani’s arrival. One of the moving men said he would drive her car to Shiprock, which is when she came out of her stupor.
“I’m more than capable of driving.”
“We never said you weren’t,” Rafe smiled easily. Seth had the same smile, and it always meant the same thing, she was going to lose an argument.
“Then please give me back my keys.” Annie held out her hand. The whole day was surreal. It was a month before she was due to deliver. Her thesis was a week away from being done, and it felt like her life was over. That kind of thinking was unacceptable. She needed to take control. She had her daughter to consider.
“Sure, Miss Newman, you can drive. But the roads from here to Shiprock are icy. Are your tires studded? We want you to be safe.”
Damn, he made sense.
“Annie, you need to call her Annie, Rafe. She’s our daughter now.” Wanda said as she came up and wrapped her arm around Annie’s shoulder.
“No, I’m not, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t panic, we’re not kidnapping you, this is totally your decision. But know from this day forward we consider you our daughter. We would have whether you were carrying our granddaughter or not. We don’t understand the choices our son has made, but he has much love for you, and therefore we have much love for you. You are part of our clan, our family, and our hearts.” She studied their faces and read the truth in what she said. For the second time Annie started crying.
“Miss Newman, I mean Annie, please don’t cry.”
“Hush Rafe, these are good tears. She knows she finally has a home.” Wanda pulled her into the warmest hug she could remember.
Annie rode in the Natani’s car to Shiprock. When they got to their modest adobe home, the moving truck wasn’t there. Instead an older woman was standing in the doorway, looking very elegant in a long caftan and boots.
“Mom. What are you doing here?” Rafe called out.
“A good question, since my son didn’t see fit to tell me he was bringing home my granddaughter and great-granddaughter.” The woman ignored her son and hugged her daughter-in-law before standing in front of Annie.
“Welcome Annie Newman. My name is Shilah Natani. I am your grandmother.” For the second time Annie was engulfed in a pair of loving female arms. This time Nell kicked out, surprising her and the older woman. Shilah broke away, and rested her hand on Annie’s belly. “And you little one, welcome. What is your name?”
“Her name is Nell.” Annie smiled, loving the fact Shilah treated Nell as an actual person, because in her eyes, Nell was a person, she just hadn’t come out to meet everyone yet.
“Welcome Nell, I am your great-grandmother.” Annie felt her baby kick in obvious excitement. It was like when she ate a piece of chocolate, or the few times she had gotten lost in a daydream about Seth. Nell was extremely sensitive, just like her Daddy. Tears formed for the third time but she willed them away. She was
not
going to ruin the joy her daughter was feeling at that moment.
“Granddaughter, it is going to be all right. This too shall pass.”
Annie looked into the eyes of a woman who though related to Seth by blood, really seemed to be his grandmother. Maybe there actually was hope.
“There is reason to hope. Trust me.”
Nell kicked again against this woman’s hand, as if she too was telling her to believe. Annie’s tears dried up.
“You are right. I am blessed.”
“You don’t believe it yet, but you will. You are strong my granddaughter. We don’t understand everything, but you need to know my grandson loves you.”
“I can’t Grandmother. I can’t hold onto that, it will break me. But I can believe in all of you. I can believe in Nell, and I can believe in myself.”
