It Was Always You (2 page)

Cora Sunderland was a childhood friend who’d gone into nursing and had employment at the hospital in town.

“Nawh.”

Zoë unzipped her coveralls. “So it was a quickie then?”

Cora fluffed her hair and grinned wickedly. “I wish. I just got off shift.”

“Hungry?” She stepped free of them and tossed them in the hamper to be washed.

“Girl, you don’t know the half of it. I about scared some patients with the growling my stomach was doing. You up for it?”

“I’m game. Last time I ate was four this afternoon.”

“Excellent.” Cora spun on the heels of her sensible shoes.

“Hey.”

“Yes?” She drew out the word and pivoted back.

“Care to trail me to the Rocking K so I can return the truck?”

Her eyes lit up. “Is it Cade’s?”

Zoë rolled her eyes. “Don’t know why you don’t just ask him out. No, before you try to get in there and snoop around or grind on his seats, it’s not his.”

“I’m only curious.”

“Right,” she drawled.

“It’s not Nate’s truck.”

“Correct. It’s Zane’s,” she said opening the door.

Cora grinned. “Ohh, awesome. A story for the meal.”

“Get moving,” she ordered with another eye roll.

Zoë tried to remain professional as she drove his truck. The big diesel handled like a dream. She attempted a good many things to keep from recalling her infatuation of Zane Kendrick. All of them were complete and utter failures.

She slowed as she pulled into the drive to the Rocking K. At the house, she parked by the garage and hopped out once she’d killed the engine. Leaving the keys in the ignition, she strode to Cora’s car. Together they headed back to town and the all-night diner, Bethany’s Burgers & More.

They strolled in and headed for their usual back corner. “Evening, ladies.”

“Hi Bethany,” they called out simultaneously.

After their burgers arrived, Zoë reached for the ketchup.

“Now, tell me what you did when you found out Zane had returned.” Cora curled her lips around her soda straw and drank.

“Do? Nothing. I was lying there on the floor staring up at him.”
Wouldn’t have minded lying on the floor with him on top of me, though. Or me on him. Or against… I have got to stop this.

“How’d he look?”

She squeezed the bottle then reached for the salt. “Besides incredibly sexy and hot? Empty.”

Cora ate, mulling over her words. “What do you mean?”

Zoë licked the salt from her lower lip after she ate one the fries on her plate. “I don’t know how to describe it. Something about him looked different.”

Cora drank some of her milkshake. “It’s been nearly two decades and he was in war.”

“I’m just telling you what I saw, Cora.” She removed the onions from her burger.
Charlie’s on the grill. He always puts onions on my food.
Sucking ketchup from her thumb, she put the top of the bun back, patting it slightly.

Cora asked when she took her first bite, “So are you going after him?”

Zoë nearly choked. “Go after,” she sputtered once her mouth was empty. “No. Why would I?”

Her eyes twinkled. “Oh, I don’t know. All those pages of you writing Mrs. Zane Kendrick.”

“Stop,” she hissed. “That was years ago.”

“But he’s home now.”

“And I’m still a little sister.”

“Because you allow him to see you that way. Lose the coveralls or baggy clothing. Show some skin. Refuse to let him view you as that little sister to his friends. Back that fine ass of his into a corner and lay one on him. And I don’t really know how you can say he views you as a little sister. He’s not been around acting like one of your brothers. For all you know he may view you as you are. A hot woman he wants to fuck.”

She flushed, heat skidding up her face. “What do I know about that? The dressing sexy, not the other. I doubt he’d ever view me in a different light.”

“Absolutely nothing.” Cora’s response was instant.

“Thanks.” She uttered her word in a monotone and flipped Cora off.

“But,” she drew out, “luckily for you, you have me. And believe you me, we’ll knock his socks off and show him you’re not that little kid anymore.”

“Morning,” Nate said as Zane entered the kitchen. The sun still hadn’t crested the horizon. He filled himself a cup of coffee and walked to the table. “You’re up early.”

“Don’t sleep much,” Zane said. “I can help around today, I just have to get my truck from Duncan’s.” At least the nightmares were minor and I got some shuteye.

“No you don’t.” He forked some eggs into his mouth.

“Cade and I—” He closed his mouth when Nate pointed. Cracking his neck, Zane padded to the door where he hit the outside switch and went to his truck.
I’ll be damned.

He opened it, the light illuminating the keys dangling from the ignition and the sheet of paper on the steering column. Zane snagged it and read the words printed there.

Welcome Home

“Thanks, Zoë.” He swiped the keys and backed out before shutting the door. For a moment there he wasn’t sure she’d even cared he’d returned as distant as she’d been.

“What time did she drop it off?” He posed his question as he poured himself some coffee.

“No clue. It was there when I woke. Help yourself to some food.”

Zane did. He must have been exhausted if he hadn’t woken when she arrived to leave it there. “Where’s Cade?”

“Gassing up the gators.” He drank some coffee. “Don’t worry, he’s doing one for you as well. We were going to wake you.”

“With a bucket of cold water, no doubt.”

Nate grinned. “No doubt. Glad you’re home, bro.”

“Thanks.”

***

After working the ranch until the afternoon, Zane showered and got in his truck. Not much later he pulled into Duncan’s Garage. Parking, he made his way inside where rap played loudly.

“Well fuck me sideways and beat me with a wooden spoon, look what the cat dragged in.” The male voice rang with welcome and happiness. “Heard you were back.”

Zane looked across the room. “Thomas. Good to see you man.”

“Matt and Eric will be back soon. I know they want to see you.” They hugged and stepped back. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks.” He forced a smile aware Thomas spoke the truth.

“Something wrong with the job she did on your truck?” He gestured with the rag in his hand.

“Not at all. I came to pay.”

Thomas stroked his goatee before smoothing a hand over his cornrows. “She didn’t charge you?”

“Nawh man. I dropped it off for a tune-up. It was out front of the house this morning.”

“That’s odd. She will usually leave the bill if she drops off. There was nothing there?”

“Just a sheet saying ‘welcome home’ but nothing else.”

“No charge, man. She’s right, welcome home.” He held up a hand. “You want to argue, she’s in the office. I’ll be out here with the music up loud so I can’t hear her read you your rights.”

“Zoë? No way. She was always so quiet.” She was sweet.

He snorted. “Times change and so do people. You know all that military training?” Zane nodded. “Keep that in mind. Good luck.” Thomas strode away. “Because she’s in some kind of fucking mood today.”

The music blared as he pushed through the door and made his way behind the counter in the waiting room and on to the hall leading to the office. The garage music faded slightly as he continued on his way. He knocked briskly on the door.

“Anyone here?” He stuck his head in.

Zoë sat at the desk, fingers poised at the keyboard. Big brown eyes stared at him.

“Zane,” she said. “What are you doing here?” Her gaze darted left then right before staring back at him.

“Have a minute?”

“Sure. Just shut the door so I don’t hear that—never mind, leave it open. What can I do for you?”

He left the door cracked an inch then sat opposite her. She had on a ball cap with Duncan’s Garage on it along with another shapeless pair of coveralls. Still, her thick lashes framed her eyes in sultry manner.

He shifted on the seat, screeching that thought to a swift halt. She watched him, a bit of nervousness in her expression.
Why is she nervous around me?

“First, thank you for fixing my truck.”

She shrugged. “It’s a garage, it’s what we do.”

“Now, about payment. And why are you shaking your head?”

“Because it was on the house.”

“No.”

Her gaze hardened. “This isn’t up for negotiation. Duncan’s Garage is not charging you.” There existed no room in her tone for discussion on the matter.

“Dinner as a thank you?” He tried to grin but it felt rusty.

Her expression closed down and her eyes turned arctic. “I don’t need to do favors just to get a meal.”

He furrowed his brow. “Now, hang on, Zoë. That wasn’t my intent at all.”

She put her hands flat on the desk. “Just because your brothers and mine scare off most men, I’m not a charity case and I don’t need the great war hero Zane Kendrick to do me any favors.” Her gaze gave him frostbite and her lush lips were pressed in a tight line.

Wait. Why am I thinking of her mouth as lush?

“I don’t need your sympathy any more than I need theirs. Get out.” She fairly ended on a scream.

Zane rose partly when she shot up from her chair. She stomped by him muttering something along the lines of skewering all men.

Thomas entered the room after she vacated it, laughing. “I see you weren’t spared her wrath.”

“I don’t know what I did.”

Thomas sat behind the desk. “You spoke to her. She’s been moody. We caught her at The Roadside with some guys we didn’t approve of.”

“We?”

Thomas grinned. “My brothers and I were out with yours.”

Zane nodded, clarity sinking in. “Gotcha. And does she go there often?”

“Don’t know. We were shocked to see her there. Not a place we frequent.” He slapped his hands on the desktop. “Anyway, ignore her. We need to go out and catch up.”

Zane rose. “Definitely. I’ll see you around, Thomas.”

“You got it, bro.”

Zane knew where he was going tonight. Her fire intrigued him in a way he wasn’t sure he wanted to delve into yet.

***

She hadn’t been at The Roadside as he figured but he recognized her Subaru Outback in another bar’s lot farther from Springwood.

Trader’s was the name. The parking lot overflowed with a mixture of bikes, trucks, and cars.
Good place as any for a drink.

Booming hard rock met him as he strode to the door. He stepped in and scoured the crowd. He didn’t see her. But he heard her. Her laughter snaked through the air to him. The crowd parted and he had a direct line of sight to the side where the pool tables were.

The reality of what—or rather who—was before him didn’t register right away. For the time he had been mesmerized by an extremely sexy and sensual woman in the midst of all those men.

Her white, ribbed, off-the-shoulders, three-quarter-length sleeve shirt was in stark contrast to her dark skin. It was a lacy and ribbed material offering hints at the unknown lying beneath. A skin-tight candy-apple-red leather skirt barely hit her mid-thigh and the white fuck-me stilettos completed the ensemble.

His cock went rock hard in seconds.
Whoever is taking her home is a lucky son of a bitch.
She tossed her head, causing her curly hair to allow him to see her face as she leaned over to line up her shot. Half the people there were trying to look up her skirt.

In that moment, it hit him who he was panting after like the rest of the men in attendance. Zoë. On the heels of his lust rose raw possessiveness. He struck out toward her, yanking a man up by the shirt on his chest and growled, “Eyes off.”

“Man, have you seen that ass?”

“Look again and I will make it the
last
thing you ever see.” He launched him away with a single motion of his arm.

“Zoë.”

She gazed back at him, tongue swiping her lips adding instant shine to them. “Oh shit.” She gathered herself. “Hello, Zane.”

That’s right, baby. It’s me.

***

Zoë wasn’t sure if she wanted to sink below the floor or run. Zane’s expression would have scared an angry grizzly.
Dammit, I’m a Duncan and we neither run nor hide. Plus, it’s not his business where I am or what I’m doing. Why can’t these guys just leave me alone to get on with my life?

She turned up her lips to a full smile. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
In any way.
Facing the table, she bent to line up for her shot. “Excuse me,” she muttered, nudging him with her hip.

Zane moved enough for her to slide by but not enough for her not to continue feeling the rough of his jeans along the backs of her thighs. She ignored the yearning burning in her gut and took her turn.
Perhaps Cora was onto something here. Maybe this night of test running an outfit like this can be put to use.

His large hand landed on her waist, the moment she stood. “We need to talk.”

“Nothing to say. If you’re here to act like your brothers or mine, just turn around and leave.”

“Now, Zoë.” His tone was hard.

“Oh for— One moment guys.”

“He bothering you, Zoë? We’ll kick him out.”

Zane drew her back so they were pressed tight to one another and glared at the man who’d uttered those words. His fingers dug possessively into her flesh. “You can try.”

The words rumbling from his throat were drenched by danger. While the rest of the room proceeded as a typical night in a bar, Zoë was well aware that tensions had accelerated with the speed of a bullet train.

Seven men stepped closer. Zane, in the space of a heartbeat, had put her behind him. “This isn’t a situation you will win.” Zane’s tone smacked with his confidence in personal victory. Not arrogantly. Matter-of-factly.

“Guys, let it go. This is another one who thinks he’s my older brother. I’ll be right back.”

“The fuck I think of myself as your older brother. Answer something for me. What the hell are you doing in a place like this?” he demanded when they were off to the side slightly. “And wearing”—he gestured at her attire—“this?”