Winters Heat (Titan) (34 page)

“Well, Winters, welcome to my range. I can’t believe Cash never brought you here before.”

“I don’t bring anyone here, Sugar,” Cash said. “Haven’t you noticed? You’re my not-so-guilty secret indulgence. I’m not one to share.”

She batted her thickly-painted eyelashes and nodded to Winters. “So, what’s the special occasion?”

“He’s in need of a distraction.” Cash laughed.

Winters growled. “Christ, Cash. Mind your goddamn business.”

“Aw, Winters, don’t be so harsh.” She licked her pink tongue over her very cherry bottom lip. “I happen to specialize in distractions.”

This stunt was borderline ridiculous.

“I think we better just pound out a few rounds.” He paused, no idea how to address her. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“Sugar’s my name, but Honey, Dollface, that’ll work, too. Call me whatever you want. If you like it, I like it. But you already have my laser-focused attention.”

No appropriate name popped to mind. He eyed Cash hard and ran a hand from his beard to his nape.

Cash jumped in and ambled to the hall. “Okay, Sugar, we’ll just take a couple of lanes. Put it on my tab.”

Winters followed, not wanting to spend any alone time with the woman. Her exotic perfume hung thick as they walked to the range.

“Think you could have warned me, man?”

“About what? She’s your type, and you need a distraction.”

“And what’s my type?”

“Aggressive, vampy, and without strings.”

“I don’t need a prostitute.”

“Well, Dollface back there isn’t a pro. She’s just a few kinds of fun.” They entered a ready room that narrowed to the lanes. “Hell, they’re all fun.”

Winters looked around at the range. Typical tactical team types practiced shots, and a few range grunts focused on the targets. But there were women. Women like Cash’s
Sugar.
Sexy leather pants, too-tight shirts, strapped with guns.

“What the hell is this place?”

“Something of an invitation-only gun club.”

“And all the women?”

“What? You’ve never seen a lady in the lanes before?”

“This is sex on display.”

“Sugar knows how to run a profitable business. Nothing out of line. Just gorgeous gals who have our type of fun and know their weapons. What’s hotter than a woman wearing a belly shirt, holding a grenade launcher? She’ll find you one if that’s your fancy.”

“Christ, Cash. So this is…” He wasn’t sure how to ask him if he was mixed in a hooker ring.

“It’s no different than you nailing some broad from a bar.” Cash stood in front of a lane but didn’t step forward. Winters moved adjacent to him, feet from the starting line.

“Cash, man, I don’t need a special invite to those bars.”

“It’s a social club, not a bunny ranch. Dude, what’s your deal? I’m not trying to lure you into some seedy, VD bordello. It’s a gun range that quality females with special interests frequent. If someone catches your eye, do something about it.”

He turned from Cash and stepped into the cubbyhole. After he ejected the empty clip, he loaded the rounds and donned protective glasses and earplugs.
Do something about it
. Cash was off his rocker if he thought a piece of leather-wrapped tail would do something for him right now.

He owed it to Mia. She’d never know, but that wasn’t the point. Sugar wasn’t appealing. Winters jumped his gaze from one lady to the next. Hell, none of them were interesting. Maybe his taste in women had changed.

Winters slammed the clip in and blew out a heavy breath. He pinched his eyes, then focused on the target twenty-five yards away. He squeezed the trigger and absorbed the kickback.

Yeah, he needed that.

He cocked another round into the chamber and fired again, and again. The kick was a relief. A constant. Something comforting that happened with every trigger-pulled blast.

“Winters,” Sugar said, almost purred, seconds before he was overpowered with her perfume.

He didn’t need to look behind him, but he did. Sugar wrapped herself around the edge of the partition.

Go away.

But she didn’t. He took off his protective shades, took out his earplugs, and gave her a nod but didn’t offer a response. Instead, he punched the button, and his shot up cardboard target raced forward on the track and came to a stop, swaying. Each gunshot landed where he’d intended. His precision was a work of black powder beauty.

“Hey, champ. That’s your everyday carry?”

He nodded, curt and not friendly. “You’re here to make small talk?”

“Look, we got off on the wrong shitkicker. I’m far past outrageous. I get that. Cash told me you thought I was…offering more services than I actually do.”

He closed his eyes so she didn’t see them roll. Cash was earning his ass kicking. “I didn’t mean—”

“Of course you did. But don’t sweat it. I threw myself at you. And Cash rightfully assumed I would, which is why he brought you here. I can be a distraction, I know. So, you’re doing okay?”

He watched her take small steps closer. Her hips swung more than they needed to, and she flipped her now-down hair over a shoulder.

“And you’re distracted from whatever you need distracting from?”

“Guess so.” Firing off each shot cleared his mind. It was a first since he woke up in that hospital bed.

“So here’s the deal. I’m not a pro. Nor am I insulted you thought so. You, Winters, you have a body to jump. I’ll distract the hell out of you, if you’re interested.” She stepped close, ran a finger over his pec, and stood on tiptoes to reach his ear. “I promise you, whatever is weighing heavy on your mind will wash away.”

She flicked a tongue onto his earlobe. He flinched.

“You’re keyed up. I can do something for you, baby.”

Her hand dropped further, cupping him.

He grabbed her hand off and dropped it. “Not interested.”

She ignored him and crushed her body onto his. “It’s your circus. I’m just here for the rides.”

“Not interested.” The muscles in his neck tensed, and he leaned away from her mouth. If she kept rubbing him, disinterested or not, she was going to get a reaction out of him. And he was, without a doubt, not interested.

She pulled back, her tongue dancing over her lips again.

“If you change your mind, I’ll be in my office.” She pointed down a hall at the end of the lanes then trailed her hand across his bicep. “This time. Next time. Whenever. I sense my kind, and darlin’, you’re my kind. It’d be fun for both of us. Think it over.”

She winked at him and turned away, swinging her ass in those tight pants. He really should’ve thought about it. He needed his old normal. Sugar was his style and didn’t ask for a morning after. That was exactly what he liked in a woman.
Right
? He shook his head, confused. He didn’t know what he liked anymore.

He was tired and cranky and empty. It made him wish Mia was waiting for him at home all the more.

Winters dropped the clip from the gun, reloaded, and holstered the piece. It was time to head home. Whatever Cash was up to, he could finish later. Sugar lurked within eyeshot, and he wanted to get away.

He spotted Cash, signaled to go, and headed to his truck. The door was unlocked, and he hopped in with Cash hot on his heels. Cash jumped in, threw it in reverse, and traced their return path.

“Sugar didn’t do it for ya?”

“You told her I said she was a pro. That wasn’t an awkward convo.”

“I didn’t say pro. I said madam.”

Winters glared at him. “Big fucking difference.”

“So she’s not your type anymore?”

“I don’t have a type.”

“And I call bullshit on that one. Leather, fake tits, ready to—”

“I got your point.”

“No, you’ve completely missed my point.”

“And that is?” he said through clamped teeth.

“My point is she’s not Mia.” Cash stared from under the low-set brim of the cowboy hat.

“So today was to screw with me. Great. Thanks. I really needed it.”

“You’re stupid. Connect the dots. More than willing female. Your stereotypical fuck. But you didn’t care. The Winters I know wouldn’t mind blowing off some steam with the likes of Sugar.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“No, brother, you’ve just got Mia Kensington on your mind. And you should deal with it.”

“I’ve dealt with it. End of discussion.”

They pulled up to the front of his house. Winters grabbed his rifle and jumped out with Cash laughing behind him. Winters walked through the front door, threw the door shut but caught it just before it slammed. No need to wake Clara if she slept and make both of them miserable. He was doing it well enough for two.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Mia zoned out in front of her computer. The screensaver was blank, except for the lonely square bouncing corner to corner. A Magic Mike highlight reel could’ve played on repeat, and she wouldn’t have noticed. Instead, she twirled a pencil between her fingers. Her last patient cancelled, and she was left with empty time.

She drank so much coffee that the next step would be mainlining espresso. That wouldn’t do. Coworkers were already whispering. After the professional inquisition from her coworkers about her bruises and scratches, she decided all the cover up and foundation wasn’t hiding the tired eyes and sad smile they really wanted to know about. It was too bad the frown was here to stay.

She stared at her coffee cup, debating the drawbacks of the shakes. A jittery caffeine headache would kick this defective day over to the pointless category. She held her hands out to ensure her fingers didn’t tremble.

Someone knocked on her closed door. She should have turned out the lights. Disruptions weren’t welcome. Her next appointment wasn’t for at least another hour, so whoever it was could find someone else to bother. If she didn’t move, they might leave her alone.

The door clicked open. She cringed, disinterested and annoyed. But then an infant gurgled, offering a slew of nonsensical words. Her heartstrings quivered, wanting to see the baby, needing to see Colby. She inched round in her chair, heart punching into her throat. Disappointment exploded in her chest.
Not Colby
.

“Judith.” Her throat stung. Mia failed a happy smile. It was more of a smeared grin. Of course it wasn’t him. Why would it be? She hated herself for even hoping he’d show his face. The man had no reason to, but as much as it pained her, she was so desperate to hear from him. Pathetic. She was steps beyond pathetic. “What are you doing here? I mean, I’m glad to see you. But, is everything okay?”

She stood, fidgeting with her shirt.
Oh…no. Something happened to Colby.

Softness creased Judith’s face. Clara knotted her hands into the woman’s hair, then, excited and flapping her arms, offered Mia a conversation of sounds and syllables.

Judith waited for Clara to stop. “Hi. How are you?”

Not a big fan of lying, she shrugged. “Would you like to sit down?”

Judith seemed to hesitate. She took one slow step, then another, finally relaxing onto a leather couch.

“I’m not the interfering type. But…” Clara reached for her, and a piece of her heart broke. “I’m sorry, Mia, would you like to say hi to Clara? Hold her?”

Mia closed her eyes against the hot tears that threatened to wash away her cover up under her eyes. She blinked twice. “It’s okay. I don’t think I should.”

I can’t, because I’ll fall apart.

Judith fidgeted, toying with Clara’s hand. “I just want you to know, Colby is... He’s just not right in his head. I don’t know what you two went through, but he’s never come home shell-shocked before. Beneath all that bravado, there’s a guy who’s just scared of losing everything.”

“We went through a lot. I just… thought things were different than they were.”

Judith shook her head as if disappointed in herself, or maybe in Colby. “I’m meddling. I know I crossed the line. I shouldn’t be here.”

“You’re not meddling, Judith. Don’t worry.”

“It’s… I’m sorry, Mia. I saw a shine in my son when you were around. He was different, and it was special. I’d hate to see him lose you because he’s an ass.”

“He is special. I hope he’s doing okay.”

“You care about my son?”

“I do.”

“I’m sorry you’re hurting.”

Mia shrugged again. She couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t magnify the hurt. And Clara. Sweet Clara. She wanted to hold that baby as bad as she wanted to smack Colby and hug his mother.

“He’s hurting, too. His fault, but he is.”

“I don’t know what to do.” Her voice broke. She couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud.

Judith was off the couch in a second, wrapping a motherly hug around her, with Clara giggling in the middle.

This is what a hug from a mom should feel like.