Lacy (The Doves of Primrose) (23 page)

“I was an idiot.”

With his final step he stroked her cheek and pressed her form against the length of his body. “You were hiding a big heart and vulnerable spirit with all that attitude.” Even though she scoffed at his observation she softened in his arms and he took his first easy breath.

“Shows how much you know, that was my push-up bra.” She struggled to keep the severe line of her lips straight while he burst out with laughter.

“I don’t recall you needing any help in that department.” He tipped her chin up with the crook of his finger, lowering his gaze to her mouth.

“You’re a terrible liar
, Kyle.”

“
Mmm, say it again.” He smiled, his lips a hair’s breadth from hers, every muscle flexed in response to her hands sliding up his chest, relishing in the rush of blood.

“You’re a liar.” Her eyes closed, inviting him in with the tilt of her chin.

Kyle brushed his mouth over hers; she pressed closer to him, weakening his control. The delectable womanly scent of her filled his flared nostrils. He had to clench his teeth. “Not that.” Their breath mingled and his hands clenched her back.

“Kyle.”

In one swift moment his hands slid to cup her bottom and lift her up while his mouth closed over hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist sinking into the kiss, giving herself over to him fully. Her hands tangled in his hair, bringing him closer, kissing him deeper and just like that he was lost in the smell of her skin, the caress of her hands, the feel of her breasts pressed against his chest.

Her petite frame locked to his was easy to maneuver. He walked with her over to the nearest leather chair and sat with her straddling him. He enjoyed a few more moments of crazy passion before cradling her head and lifting it away
to look at her. She was lusciously beautiful, cheeks pink with energy, lips dewy from his kisses and eyes hooded with desire. He couldn’t want her more at that moment and from the feel of her supple body she was willing.

He stroked her soft skin
, stirring a purr in her throat, and pushed her hair back to settle his hand on her neck. “I was thinking.”

“You shouldn’t do that. Just gets us in trouble.”

He held off her attempt at pursuing his mouth. She narrowed her brows at his earnest expression and countered with slipping her hands under his shirt, gliding her fingers over his abdomen. He closed his eyes to allow the sensation to take hold for one excruciating moment. He had to clamp down on his lip to concentrate on his next words. “As I was saying,” he grunted when her fingers ran beneath the waistline of his jeans; he had to grab her hands to gather his thoughts. “Lacy, if you don’t stop you’re going to find yourself bent over that desk.”

She cocked a smile
with glittering eyes. “Ooh, you’re so tough. Threaten me some more.”

He chuckled and grabbed her seeking hands. “Don’t tempt me.” He raised both of her hands and pressed a kiss to the sens
itive wrists. “Now, our earlier discussion.”

“Mm-hmm.”

She wiggled her hips over the bulge in his pants and his heart thumped hard.  This was torture. “I believe I told you something and then you, of course, went all Lacy on me and I still don’t know if you feel the same way.”

He could see that his suggestion had taken her
aback. He needed to hear the words. She had hinted at it with the talk of regrets and the discussion of the first time they were together, but she hadn’t come out and said it. She was obviously attracted to him, but he had had relationships like that before. The steam soon evaporated and he was left with nothing. He wouldn’t have that with Lacy. He had to know that she was on the same page.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and ran a hand over her lips. “I told you I did.”

A nervous seed sprouted in his gut with her evasion. “No, you didn’t, you jumped me instead.”

Her outraged gasp fed his apprehension. “
I
jumped
you
?!” She kicked a leg over and slid off of him. He let her go and sat up. “And I suppose those were
my
hands on my own ass lifting me up?”

“You know what I meant.” He did his best to remain calm and not rise to her outburst this time. He was used to her fiery te
mperament but this was a serious conversation and he wouldn’t allow her to storm around without answering his question.

She stopped short in her pace and glared at him. “You were the one distracting me
, not the other way around.”

“Fine.
I was the culprit. I take full responsibility.” He stood up to take her advantage away. “Here, I’m putting my hands in my pockets so I won’t be tempted to do it again.”

Her eyes darted to his hands and back up.
Damn her stubbornness!
He waited her out. With all the sass she could rally she jutted her chin and looked him right in the eye. Footsteps in the doorway drew both their attentions and a flame of anger ignited in Kyle’s chest.

“Lacy, there’s someone at the door for you.” Emmylou glanced at Kyle and his shoulders tensed. He knew what
Emmylou wasn’t saying.

“It’s three-thirty in the morning, who in the hell is coming here at this hour?”

Kyle already had the answer to Lacy’s question, but he kept his eyes trained on Emmylou even though his world was crumbling, his body was numb and his stomach was ready to heave.

“You need to come to the door, Lace.”
Emmylou was trying to send her friend a silent communication, and Kyle saw it wasn’t transmitting. Lacy was just growing more annoyed. Emmylou contorted her face and bobbed her head enough that Lacy gave in.

“Fine.
I’ll answer the door.” She turned to Kyle and he saw the semi-relief at her momentary reprieve. His heart had finally had enough; he could feel it collapse and harden with the pressure of his hope and utter disappointment. He looked away, physically tired from keeping his chaotic emotions tethered. Lacy walked out of the room with Emmylou.

Defeat filled every pore, every cell of his body but he dragged himself behind the two women. Lacy opened the door. Kyle
waited with his ears trained to the doorway. But Lacy banged the door shut again, whirled around and slammed herself against it.

“Emmy, why didn’t you tell me he was here?” Her voice was full of every irritated and scared emotion on the scale as she pinned her friend with a wide-eyed stare.

“I didn’t know how to tell you.”

With a deep breath and a look to the heavens Lacy set her shoulders and gripped the door handle a second before opening the door again.
“I’m going to give you five seconds to get off my porch before I get my gun.”

Kyle moved to the side and saw Brice’s grinning face. Had he been closer he would have smashed the smug son-of-a-bitch’s face.

“I’ve missed you, darlin’.” Brice spread his arms as wide as his grin. He might have had alligator skin to withstand the blazing fire of Lacy’s eyes.

Chapter 21

“Emmylou, get my gun!” Lacy’s entire body was rippling with shock waves. Murder was in her heart. Her son-of-a-bitching husband had a lot of nerve showing his face on her front step. She heard
Emmylou’s shuffling feet behind her and knew she was actually doing what Lacy asked.

Lacy thought her head might explode when Brice held his hands up and took a step inside the door. “There’s no call for that
darl-- Lacy.” He changed his wording when he caught her expression and clenched fists. “I didn’t know anybody would be awake at this hour.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, you’re going to have to come back another time to steal the silver. And I thought I told you to get the hell off my porch.” She advanced on him trying to block further entrance. To her satisfaction
, he actually looked scared.

“No, honey.”
His eyes shot open and he swallowed when she snarled at him. “Jesus, Lacy.” He tried using that patronizing tone she hated so much. “I’m through with all that.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Your
girlfriend steal all your money and run off with a truck driver or something?” She crossed her arms. “That sucks. See ya.” She grabbed his shoulder and tried to push him out of the house but he had grown more muscles in the six months he had been gone.

“Lacy, will you knock it off?” He planted his feet and used his hands to loosen her grip. She smacked his hands and pushed him away. His touch made her feel slimy and mort
ified. “I’m trying to explain.”

“
Aww.” She glared hard at him, her stomach clenched into a tight knot. “Send me a text.” This time her shove got him to the door but he was quicker than she remembered. He pivoted and swung back inside. Lacy wanted to stick her foot out and trip him but Brice had finally noticed there were more people in the room and, like the slimy chameleon she knew, he transformed into the charming glad-hander.

“Kyle McClintock!
” Brice held out his hand and Lacy thought she might throw up. “What are you doing back in town? And here at The Dove House?”

“I got it!” Emmylou announced, carrying the hand gun like a toy and hurrying to Lacy
. Lacy grabbed it by the butt, curled her finger over the trigger and released the safety with her thumb all in one motion as she swung her aim at Brice and squeezed, discharging a round that struck the doorway, successfully putting the fear of God into her ex-husband.

Emmylou screamed with the blast at the same time Brice ho
llered and Kyle charged her, wrapping his arms around her waist and reaching for the arm holding the gun.

“Jesus Christ!” Brice threw his hands over his head and co
wered just like the snake he was. “What are you doing?!”

“Taking care of the vermin!”
Lacy screeched. She allowed Kyle to take the gun away. With amazing precision he slid the cartridge out and pulled the chamber releasing the bullet, catching it in his hand. Brice had observed Kyle’s actions with shrewd curiosity and she was sorry she missed, even though she meant to.

He looked from Lacy to Kyle
and back to Lacy, his mouth opening and his eyes narrowing. She didn’t know why her conscience wiggled with guilt but she was certain it was showing in her face. She darted a glance at Kyle to check his response.

“Wait a minute.” Brice raised his hand
, pointing a finger between Lacy and Kyle. “What’s going on here?”

Lacy’s stomach burned with fear and panic. Never had she imagined being in this situation. She hadn’t once thought that Brice would ever be back. He was the one who had
run off with another woman, so why was she the one feeling like the dirty cheater? She could see all the evidence clicking in Brice’s brain. He looked at their filthy, wet clothing, their shifting gazes and guilty faces. How dare he come in here and take issue with her behavior!

The cynical smile curving his lips turned her stomach and ca
psized her anger enough to short-circuit her brain and paralyze her tongue. She stood there waiting for his smug diatribe.

Brice let out a huffing sigh and jammed one hand in his pocket while gesturing with the other. “Well, I guess old habits die hard, huh?”

If he was trying to confuse her with this tactic, it had worked. She tracked him as he moved further inside the foyer. His face was shadowed with stubble, his hair was longer than usual and a few stress wrinkles had creased his face. He looked a little worse for wear but the fresh air and freedom had given him a sexy edge. From the corner of her eye she caught Kyle crossing his arms, skepticism written all over his face. She loved the way he could take up the entire room just by standing there.

“I mean
, you two were together before we got married. I can see how that would happen.” His worn out cowboy boots echoed on the wood with every step he took. He got right up against Kyle. “She’s hard to get out of the system. Am I right, brother?”

“I’m not your brother
, Brice.” The tight grip strangling her lungs loosened with Kyle’s threatening tone. “Look, we’ve all had a long night, and while watching you strut around here like the biggest toad in the puddle is fun, can it wait until we’ve gotten some sleep.”

Seeing Brice deflated like that was entirely too enjoyable for Lacy.

“I can see y’all have had an ordeal. Looks like you decided to go out muddin’ in the rain.”

“Yep.
That’s exactly what we did. All of us have been out playing in the mud.”

Lacy could feel the charge of hostility between the two men. Her feet were finally able to
move and she turned fully towards them. “Brice.” She hadn’t said that name with anything other than hate until now. It took her a moment to get used to it. Both men turned their attention to her, and she didn’t like the looks on their faces or the puffed-out chests. “What are you doing here? We’re divorced. I thought you were in Alaska chasing your fortune.”

His face evened out and he swaggered away from Kyle. “I told you
, baby, I’m through with all that. I have enough money to support us for the rest of our lives.”

She laughed out loud. “I don’t care how much money you have
, you jackass. We aren’t married anymore.” She had to force those words out, hoping he understood they were true. And she also knew he was lying about the money. What she didn’t know was what he wanted from her.

“Actually, darlin’
, we are.”

Kyle’s eyes snapped to her and his jaw
tightened. Her stomach collapsed as if she had been sucker punched.  She vibrated with panic and averted Kyle’s hard stare. “Bullshit! I sent you the papers four months ago. It’s over. Done.” She studied Brice’s annoyingly handsome face, checking for any telltale sign he was lying. She didn’t see it. But maybe he had gotten better at it in their months apart.

“It’s only over when I sign the papers.” He met her glare.
“Which I haven’t.”

Anger flash boiled
, but she remained silent in favor of saying something she would regret. Brice circled and she tracked his movement from the corner of her eye.

“I’m sure you already knew that, though. And besides,” he lifted his arms and
angled his head attempting a shot at flippancy, “I assumed you were just mad. I didn’t really think you wanted to divorce me.”

“Oh, believe me
, Brice, the only thing that would make me happier would be if you were dragged over sharp rocks by a wild mustang.”

The glint in his eyes and set of his mouth told her he thought this was all a big game. She knew Kyle already hated her for l
ying to him and she didn’t want to make it worse. She wished he wasn’t standing right behind her. She could have dealt with Brice one on one, but she didn’t know how to de-escalate her predicament and keep Kyle. She cleared her throat, trying to keep the rest of what she was thinking buried.

“Go home
, Brice. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Well
, that’s the thing, darlin’.”

“Will you stop calling me that?” She pressed her lips into a f
ine line.

He
flickered a smile. “Sure.
Lacy
.”

“So what’s the
thing
?”

“I don’t have a home to go to. I went to our house and turns out you moved.
With all of our stuff.” He let out a scoff. “The guy who lives there got quite a shock when he found me in his living room drinking a beer from his fridge. It took some talking at the business end of a shotgun to convince him I wasn’t there to steal anything. Actually had to pay him for the beer.”

Lacy rubbed her face
, now completely wiped out. “Go to your mother’s then. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you’re back.”

“Can’t.
I’ve already been there. She told me to get out. In a manner of speaking. She, uh, said something about having a talk with you and now I guess she hates me too.”

Lacy dropped her head into her hands and shook it twice, rai
sing it with a deep breath. “Oh my God, Brice. Is there ever going to be a time when our life isn’t a complete circus?”

She knew her
poor choice of words the moment he perked up with a hopeful puppy look and she felt the heat of Kyle’s anger focused on her back. Instead of succumbing to her devastation, she tried to sift through the best possible location for him. “Brice, the house is full of guests.”

“I’ll sleep in the barn. I know there’s a room out there.” He wagged his eyebrows and slid a glance down her body. She crossed her arms protectively
, remembering the night she had seduced him in the barn. That was the night she had needed in order to convince him he was the father of her baby. “Fine, you can stay out there.”

Her entire body was tensed with anguish. She turned to Kyle and what was left of her heart dropped through the floor. She had lost him. He had heard and seen everything and already convicted her. She opened her mouth but there were no words. There was nothing that she could say with Brice there. She couldn’t afford
to be on his bad side, she needed him to sign those papers. And Kyle took her silence as affirmation that she was a deceitful tease who didn’t love him. And why wouldn’t he? She hadn’t the guts to tell him how she felt before Brice conveniently landed on the doorstep.

“I’m going to clean up and get to bed. I’ve got a long day t
omorrow.” Kyle gave her one last glance before mounting the stairs. Lacy watched him go.

“Are you okay?” Emmylou
as she approached Lacy. Lacy had forgotten she was even in the room.

“Yeah.”
She smiled and saw the dark smudges under her friend’s eyes. “Oh, Emmy. I’m so sorry.”

Emmylou shook her head and touched her arm. “This was my fault. I started it with my crazy idea of going to the spring. I got us into this trouble so don’t you apologize for anything.” She looked at Brice with a flint of steel in her eyes
before turning back to Lacy. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Emmylou took several steps before turning around. “I just realized it already is tomorrow. I better get to the bakery and start my day.”

“Em, go home and get some rest. Lindy can run the bakery for you today. And I can handle the set. There are enough groceries in the kitchen to get through the day.”

“No. Scarlett won’t be able to help you with her bum knee. She’s asleep on the chaise. I finally got her talked into seeing the doctor tomorrow.” She tucked her mud-caked hair behind her ear. “Looks like it’s just you and me.”

Lacy smiled, feeling
better, and watched Emmylou walk to the door.

“Goodnight, Emmy,” Brice spoke to her as she passed him.

“Drop dead.”

Lacy laughed even after the door slammed.
She didn’t know how all this chaos didn’t have every one of the guests piling down the stairs to investigate.

“Get your stuff. I’ll take you to the barn.” She couldn’t bear to look at him. She walked to the door with Brice following,
then opened
it
and shut it as soon as she stepped onto the porch. She grinned when Brice slammed right into it with a grunt and a curse. She stood at the top of the porch steps gloating when he came out the door holding his nose.

“Very mature, Lacy.”

She shrugged. “I feel better.”

She heard his heavy steps in the grass behind her as she marched to the barn. The air was crisp and cool but did nothing to ease her anxiety. The rain had stopped and only a few clouds were cantering across the sky bursting with brilliant stars. The turmoil inside of her made it impossible to enjoy what she no
rmally would cherish. The prairie after a storm was invigorating and breathtaking.

The door rattled when she opened it,
but she refrained from jerking it shut this time, allowing Brice to close it behind him. She stopped in front of the small door just inside and pushed it open, gesturing for Brice to enter.

He looked inside.
“The tack room?” Indignant, he transferred his gaze to her. “You expect me to sleep in there? As I recall, there is a cozy little room where we once--”he reached out and ran his finger down her arm and perched his shoulder against the doorframe. She recoiled. “--had a lot of fun.”