Hard To Love (5 page)

Stepping into the dark smoky barroom, Ella spotted Liv and Gabe standing by the bar well. Two more hot looking guys were standing close to Liv, holding beers in their hands.
Figures.
Men flocked to Liv like toddlers to candy.

“Damn, sister, I didn’t know you had it in you. You look
hot
.” Liv said, handing Ella a cold shot of cinnamon whiskey. “Here’s to the men that get to land in our bed. Don’t cry when we fuck with your head,” Liv said, tilting her head back and swallowed the shot.

Clinking her glass to Liv’s, Ella swallowed down her shot as well, squinting as the heat hit the back of her throat. “Another,” she said, slamming the shot glass on the counter. Immediately, the bartender handed her two more shots.

“Hell yeah, big sister came to play,” Liv hooted, as she took down the next shot.

“You better believe it,” Ella smiled at the two handsome fellows gawking at her exposed bare skin. “You boys wanna dance?” she asked, as “Country Girl, Shake It For Me” started to play.

With a different man on each arm, Ella sauntered out to the dance floor while Luke Bryan’s voice echoed through the bar. Ella began swaying her hips, as one man stood in front of her, and one behind. They seductively stroked her skin, and rubbed their groins against her, as they sandwiched her between them. Sweat glistened on her skin as she gyrated her hips against the good looking blonde grinding behind her. Suddenly dropping to her haunches, she wiggled back and forth, making her way up the legs of the dark haired man in front of her. She was having a blast.

Entering the bar, Carter could hear whooping and hollering coming from the dance floor. Intrigued, he pushed through the crowd until he saw the scene before him. There was Ella, sandwiched between two men, wiggling that sweet ass of hers against them. She was wearing a tight black leather mini skirt, with a sexy little red crocheted tank top tied around her neck, exposing her back. The blonde had his hands all over her hips, and the black leather mini skirt she was wearing was riding up her thighs. Anger shot through him, as he saw red. Before he knew it, Carter was stepping on the dance floor toward Ella and the guys. She winked at him as she saw him approaching them. He was pissed. The little vixen was taunting him. Just as he started to speak, Gabe grabbed him by the arm.

“Hey brother, nice of you to join us.” Gabe and Liv were dancing by Ella and the two dudes. Carter took a deep breath as he turned to look at Gabe, who was staring him down. “Come’on and dance, let off a little steam. You look a little hot under the collar.”

Liv danced toward him, putting her arms around his neck, as Gabe moved in behind her. They began putting on a show of their own, although Carter couldn’t keep his eyes off Ella and her two Magic Mikes.
Dickwads!
Why was he getting pissed anyway? Ella wasn’t his. Hell, he didn’t even want a woman. But he did want to be between those long legs of hers, with them wrapped around his middle while he fucked her senseless. Thinking of one of those douche bags with her pissed him off all over again. He wasn’t having any of this. Carter Dawson was a man who took what he wanted, when he wanted it, and right now, he wanted Ella Reid.

“To hell with this,” he hissed, as he pushed Liv from him, and headed toward Ella’s little dance scene again.

“Carter, what is up with you?” Gabe called through the loud music.

“Back off Gabe, let me handle my business,” Carter yelled back, as the song was ending.

“Your business?” Gabe asked surprised. “Since when did that woman become your business?”

“Gabe, god-damn-it…” Carter warned, as his name was called from the stage.

“Carter Dawson is in the house ladies and gentleman. Let’s give him a big Moonshiner’s welcome.” A heavy set man with a beard and straw cowboy hat on his head said into the microphone.

“Go handle
that
business brother, that’s what you’re about.” Gabe said, slapping Carter on the back, pushing him toward the stage.

Snapping his head toward Ella, he glared at her as she strolled off the dance floor, with both men’s arms wrapped around her. He wanted to go after her, drag her in one of the back rooms he often used, spank her ass again, and fuck her over and over. But the crowd was cheering him on, pushing him toward the lit stage. Carter climbed the three steps that led up to the stage, and donned his guitar. Maybe singing a song would calm him down right now. Watching Ella flirting with those two assholes was burning through his skull.

“I’d like to dedicate this song to all those pretty little ladies out there driving us to drinking.”

Carter strummed a couple of chords on his guitar, as the band began to play along. Ella’s heart thumped with the beat as his voice washed over her. The song was a new one she couldn’t exactly place at first. His voice was deep and smooth, consuming her, as he sang the chorus and she realized it was Big and Rich’s “Look at You”. As if no one else was in the room with them, he sang to her and her alone. She felt his eyes on her, and was drawn to the stage like he was the pied piper. This wasn’t how she had played this out in her head. She was supposed to go home with one of those guys, maybe both in the frame of mind she was in. Let them make love to her so good she’d be thinking Carter who? Not letting him call to her in a song like a damn siren in the sea.

Carter felt the stress leave his body as he watched Ella walk toward to the stage, leaving the two whore dogs standing by the bar. She was beautiful, her reddish brown hair swinging as she swayed to the melody, those green eyes shining like a lost treasure. He felt something when he looked in her eyes, something he had only felt once before, that first night he met her. He had known something was different about her. Many nights he had dreamt of her sweet, spiced-vanilla scent and her soft hair dragging over his skin as she rode him that night, coming apart before his eyes. He had only been twenty-one at the time, and hadn’t been with that many women. Every time he had seen her since, he had wanted a repeat of that night.

Carter’s blue eyes sparkled in the light as he sang to her. Feeling him caress her through his words, she wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her. Feel the heat of his body laid against hers as they moved together as one. She wanted to take him in her mouth and taste his saltiness as he relieved himself on the back of her tongue. So into the moment, Ella didn’t realize the song had ended until the beat of the next song began and the other patrons bumped into her on the dance floor.

Chapter Five

Snapping out of her trance, Ella looked up in time to see one of Carter’s fangirls rubbing all over him as he was stepping off the stage. The copper haired bimbo, with red cowboy boots and hat, giggled so loudly she was heard over the music. Carter smiled at the bimbo as he tapped her on the behind directing her to the bar
. What could she have been thinking
? Carter Dawson was a man whore. Turning on her heels, Ella headed back to the two hunks standing at the bar grinning at her like possums eating shit. Needing desperately to release some sexual tension, Ella was ready to take them both home.

Saddling up to the bar, she ordered two more fireball shots and swallowed both down before turning back to the guys, kissing one then the other.

“So, what were your names again?” she asked, rubbing her hand down the blonde’s chest.

“I’m Ricky and that’s Jackson,” he nodded toward the tall dark haired man. “You sure know how to shake that ass darlin’.’”

“Thank you Rick. Let’s go shake it some more, how ‘bout it Jackie?” Ella grabbed each of their hands and headed back out to the dance floor as Dierks Bentley’s, “5-1-5-0”, blared over the speakers.

“It’s Ricky and Jack,” they laughed.

As they made their way to the dance floor, Liv was passing them by. Ella grabbed her little sister’s hand too. “Come on little sister, let’s shake that ass!” she yelled over the music.

“How many shots have you had?” Liv laughed.

“Not nearly enough,” Ella answered.

Carter watched Ella drag the men out to the dance floor, after kissing them each at the bar. His blood was boiling. Had he not made himself perfectly clear about what his plans were for her tonight? Brooding as he drank his beer, Carter sat at the bar and made small talk with the bartender as he watched Ella and Liv rub themselves all over the two men. He knew she was just trying to make him suffer. What he couldn’t understand is why it was actually working? His dick twitched in his pants as he thought of an appropriate punishment for her little show. She didn’t know what she was in for.

Dancing through two more songs, they finally decided to head back to the bar. Ella ordered four more shots, two for each of them, swallowing them down quickly.

Within minutes, Ella felt like she was on an amusement park ride gone bad. The room began to spin, everyone’s voice sounding distant and the music began to get louder and louder, roaring in her ears.

“Damn, it’s hot in here,” Ella yelled toward Liv as she headed toward the door. “I need some fresh air.”

As she opened the door, the cool night air hit her at the same time the last two shots did. The noise from inside faded into the background, and she became dizzy.
Whoa.
She leaned against the storefront wall next to a garbage can. This was new. Not that she drank a whole lot anyway, but those fireballs were potent little suckers, she giggled to herself. Or so she thought it was to herself.

“You find something funny, sweetness?” Carter asked, as she bent over laughing.

“Oh my god, do you ever stop?” she laughed.

Carter rolled his eyes, walking past her. He did not chase women, which included Ella Reid, no matter how much his dick twitched for her. This thing, whatever it was, was ending right now. He’d just go find Kandi to help fix what ailed him. She was looking hot as hell in those ridiculous red boots and cowboy hat, and she was into the slap and tickle thing as much as he was, maybe even more.

“You’re an asshole, Carter Dawson,” Ella slurred. As he walked on, he heard her gag, stopping him in his tracks. She may think he was an asshole, and maybe he was, but he wasn’t about to leave her out here in this condition.

“Come on Ella, I’ll take you home,” he exhaled in exasperation. What was it about this woman?

“No. I don’t need you,” she spat, as she jerked from his grip. “All you want to do is torture me. Get me all fucking hot and bothered then leave me hanging. To hell with that.” Turning to walk back to the entrance, she threw over her shoulder, “I’ll just go find Rick and Jackie to fuck me”

“To hell you will,” Carter growled. Picking her up, he threw her over his shoulder and stomped off toward the parking lot.

“Put me down asshole!” she squalled.

“Oh kitten, I love how you play hard to get.” Carter swatted her hard on her ass. “I think I’m going to take you to my house, tie you to my bed post and fuck you sober.”

“To hell with you. I’m too old for these damn childish games, Carter,” slurring her words as she said them. “Now let me down.”

“Childish games?” he asked. Sitting her down on her feet by the passenger’s side door of his Ford pick-up, Carter pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’m the one playing childish games, huh? I got news for you sweetness, that little seductive dance in there wasn’t for those two assholes, and you know it.”

“You think it had something to do with you? Ha!”

Carter rolled his eyes, “Hey Gabe. Yeah, it’s me. Let Liv know I’m taking her drunk-ass sister home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“You, sir, are not taking me anywhere. I am perfect-ed-ly,” trying to say the right word, but her inebriated state prevented it. “Perfect-ly capable of taking myself home.”

“You were a much nicer drunk six years ago,” Carter said, more to himself than Ella. She was cute when she was drunk, annoying as hell, but cute all the same. “How do we always end up here?”

“Cause you’re a god-damn stalker,” she slurred, slumping against his chest as he opened the truck door.

“Okay sweets, I’m a stalker. Whatever you say with that dirty mouth of yours.” Hoisting her up over his shoulder, he stepped up on the running board of his truck and tossed her on the seat.

“Mother fucker,” she squealed. “Stop manhandling me!”

“Manhandling,” Carter chuckled. “That’s twice today you said that to me.”

“Yeah, you’d think you’d take the hint.”

“Maybe I need to show what
manhandling
really is, Ella.”

********

It was a long drive to Carter’s cabin on the lake, but by the time they made it, Ella had gotten a nice little nap in. However, she was in no better mood.

Rolling her head slowly to the side, Ella’s eyes widened as she saw Carter opening the truck door to help her out.

“Ugh…” she groaned.

“Nice to see you too, sweetness,” Carter snarled.

“Carter, where the hell are we?” she asked.

“We’re at the Hilton, darlin’,” he grinned.

“
Why
are we here?” Ella asked sarcastically. “I want to go home and I don’t want to be anywhere near you,
ever
again.”

“Oh now, kitten, that hurts my feelings.” Carter said wickedly. “The more you fight me, the harder I get for you, Ella.” He growled in her ear, as he bit down on her neck.

Ignoring the throbbing growing deep between her legs, she snapped at him. “I don’t care if it gets so hard, it breaks off, Carter. I’m finished with all this. You need to grow up. And I need to stop daydreaming about what happened in the past. The night we shared should’ve never happened in the first place.” Ella shoved him away as he tried to unbuckle her seat belt. “It’s the biggest regret of my life, outside of marrying an asshole.”

Well that stung.
Carter had to think about this for a minute. Many nights he had thought about their night, and not once had he ever thought of it as a mistake. Never had he had to try so hard to get a woman interested in him. They usually threw themselves at his feet. Pride got the best of him, and he was going to do something to change her mind.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, sweetness, but tonight, you’re all mine. Kick and scream as loud as you want, there’s no one around for miles,” he said, spreading his hands out to show her what he meant, before grabbing her head and stilling it to stare in her eyes. “But I have a feeling, by morning you’ll be begging me to give you more.” Carter pulled her face to his, kissing her ferociously, taking her bottom lip between his teeth and tugging hard.