River Road (River's End Series, #4) (20 page)

“Except we had lots to talk about.”

“No, you did, and you do, Kate. Not me.”

He peered at her for a second and caught her biting on her lower lip as if in concentration. “But then I didn’t leave and stopped it. I stopped our sex.”

“Yeah, I’ve suffered from that decision.”

“But that’s what you wanted. Because you thought you could retain control. If we were having sex, then we were just like your wild, misbegotten youth. I was just another woman. Because you understood sex. You don’t understand what’s going on now, do you? That’s what’s inside you. I wasn’t sure. I thought this would make you happier with me, living by the stuff you believed in from the church. But that wasn’t it. You don’t have the first clue how to sustain any kind of relationship, do you?”

She was talking to herself. As she stared down, she realized she was explaining AJ to herself.

She shook her head. “But then why would you? No one ever showed you how to.”

“I just thought you’d leave. Two weeks. That’s all you were supposed to be here.”

“And who can get hurt in two weeks?” She lifted her face to his and her nails stroked his cheek. “That’s what you counted on. You live your entire life avoiding relationships beyond those directly related to your work because you think that’s all you have to offer.”

He pushed her hands off his face, combing his hand through his hair and leaning back to avoid her. “Stop it, Kate. The mini psych lesson? I don’t need that.”

“Am I wrong?”

He grabbed her waist and hauled her against him so she could feel his immediate erection. “Yes. The hesitancy in church? All I could picture was sliding my hand up your skirt and thinking you’d most likely let me. When I should have been praying, keeping eyes closed, my heart open and all that, I was staring down at the part of your thighs. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I wanted to take you home and mount you.”

Her breath caught and slowly released as he shoved his face into hers, letting his tongue delve deeply inside her mouth. Her hands threaded through his hair and pulled back his head, separating their mouths, so their eyes were staring right into each other’s. “Except you don’t have a home. You don’t even know what a home is. Especially this one.”

Her words were like a razor threatening his dick. Everything deflated and he quickly released her. “No. I haven’t. And it’s not.”

“But you
can
talk to me, and you like to talk to me. That’s what’s so different about us, isn’t it? You don’t know how to talk to anyone else. But you can easily express yourself to me.”

“You’re spinning circles here. Are you turning me down or not? Insulting me or not?”

“You don’t think anywhere is your home, and you think no one wants to talk or interact with you. But you do with me. You have a connection with me. That’s what we’re talking about. Not just two weeks.”

He closed his eyes and had no idea what she saying; much less how to respond. He didn’t get it.

But he kind of did.

He opened his eyes.

“I’ll be back. When I go home, I plan to come back. That’s what you got so mad about. You realized it might mean more than two weeks. You don’t know what to do with that.”

“Do you?” he countered.

Her lips tipped into a tiny smile. “Touché. Good point. Maybe not. But there is no two-week limit. So I guess we have some figuring out to do. I couldn’t get a handle on what you were like at church and afterwards, compared to being here. Then I remembered the first few times I saw you and it was often like that. My first impression of you was that you were shy. But then, no, that doesn’t totally fit either. You’re quiet. Yes. But then, I think you must have a lot to say.”

“And that starts now?” He eyed her and her smile brightened.

“Yes. I think it does. I’d like to understand what church does for you, since you don’t say a word to anyone else.” He pressed his lips together and dropped his arms before nodding. Then she added a smile. “But tonight? You can come into my bedroom and properly seduce me. And for once, let’s make a note that this was
your idea.
”

The smile that spread across his mouth was one only Kate could have drawn so spontaneously from him.

KATE HEARD FOOTSTEPS AND THUDDING. Confused as to what was going on, she slipped out of bed and softly crept towards the kitchen. She stopped dead when a man’s form materialized near the refrigerator before he opened it.

“Who are you?” Kate asked nervously.

The man whipped around, a few inches shorter than she, and nearly jumped at the sound of her voice.

“Joey. Who the hell are you? We didn’t start renting this place out, or did we?”

“Joey Rydell? Jack’s brother?”

His smile was a cocky half grin on a face that could’ve been featured on a movie screen. “Yeah, again, who are you?”

She smiled back, holding out her hand. “Kate Morgan. Jack’s sister.”

Joey’s smile slowly faded. “Jack’s what? What the hell did I miss?”

She laughed and muttered, “A lot. I take it you don’t contact home very often.”

He shrugged and turned, grabbing a couple of small glasses from the glass-fronted cabinet, and the neck of a bottle of booze with the other hand. He brought them both to the table with a thud. “This deserves some alcohol. Care to partake with me, Kate, Jack’s sister, while you explain to me how my brother could have a sister I’ve never heard of?”

She nodded in the affirmative and Joey splashed some brown liquid into each glass. Sliding it towards her, he raised his glass in a mock toast before swallowing a large gulp. Kate sipped hers and backed up slightly to lean her hip against the kitchen counter.

He made a face and smacked his lips. “Okay, so Jack’s sister, why are you here?”

“I take it no one knows you were coming here today?” Kate replied.

He smiled with great pleasure. “My house, Sister Kate, I come and go as I please. Didn’t expect to find a pretty woman sleeping in here though.” His eyebrow waggle was predictable and the ensuing wink was insufferable, although she had to laugh out loud.

“Jack’s mom, the evil villainess I’m sure you’ve heard of, who ditched him and River’s End, was my mother. I only learned about Jack when she died. I came here to check it out.”

“Hmm, and big brother probably didn’t take that very well.”

“Well, no, because I screamed the truth at him right after I insulted Erin.”

Joey cringed, backing up and leaning on the kitchen table before pulling his leg up under him. “Oh, big mistake. Seriously. You never mess with Erin. Why though? What could you say that insulted her?”

“I didn’t know she was dyslexic. I handed her something to read and when she refused to take it, I assumed it was because she feared Jack.”

Joey choked on the liquor in his throat. “You assumed Jack was beating Erin?”

“That’s about the sum of it. Plus, I hung around here, pretending to be a guest for two weeks, so I could poke around anonymously and Erin thought I was after Jack.”

Joey threw his head back, laughing, his teeth flashing, and his blond hair seeming even whiter under the lights. “Oh Sister Kate, I wish I’d been here for all that. You are a girl after my own heart. How’d you end up staying after that fiasco? You’re lucky you didn’t end up with tire tracks on your back.”

Kate sipped her drink. “Erin locked the main gate, so I couldn’t leave. I had no choice.”

“Ah, that girl gots a temper. Gotta love her sometimes. That’s why I slept with her.” He shook his head with a shit-eating grin. “Well, I don’t usually go there much anymore. Erin and I hooked up long before Jack entered the picture. It didn’t go over too well, and I almost had tire tracks on my back. But that was years ago, and tons of water has flowed under the bridge since then.”

“Wow. You’re an interesting addition to the ranch. Are you staying long?”

He lifted his drink to his lips, keeping his gaze solid on hers. “Might just have to now, Sister Kate.”

She held his flirtatious, sex-me-up gaze. Yeah, he was pretty. Hot. Handsome. The entire package. But it was a placid observation from Kate’s end. Kind of how she evaluated Jack, who was a good-looking guy too. “You already slept with Jack’s wife, don’t expect to sleep with his sister.”

Joey let out a surprised laugh. “You’re a bit outspoken like him. I like that.”

There was a scuffle behind them. Kate turned and found AJ standing there, scowling at Joey, his arms crossed over his muscle-bound chest, and the tension in his neck muscles visible. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of jeans to hide his nakedness.

Joey, in the process of pouring more liquor into his glass, dribbled some on the counter when AJ startled him. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t AJ Reed.” His grin brightened. “In the main house. Never thought I’d see you in here. Jack’s sister, huh? Does he know?”

“Hello, Joey,” AJ said, his tone low and easy. His hands dropped to his sides, unflexing his fists eventually. AJ used the same respectful tone he always did with any of the Rydells.

“Well, you always claimed to love the Rydell family, so why not the Rydell sister?”

“I’m not a Rydell,” Kate jumped in. Joey seemed to miss the odd stance of AJ. He was thinking hard about pouncing on Joey, but the stupid idiot didn’t realize it.

Joey resituated himself. “So you finally found a way in. This guy…” Joey waved towards the silent, glowering AJ, “was always so respectful toward Jack. He would have kissed his feet, eh, AJ? Now look at you. Inside Jack’s bedroom at long last.”

Kate set her glass down on the counter. “Joey Rydell, have you failed to notice this man outweighs you in muscles alone by a good twenty or thirty pounds? And he has was arrested for breaking a beer bottle over another guy’s head and sending him to the hospital? Do you really think you ought to stand there ribbing him at two in the morning, especially after propositioning his girlfriend? He’s not happy about our little talk just now, in case you couldn’t tell by the scowl on his face. But I can. Now be a good little boy, Joey, and toddle off to bed before AJ Reed proves he is more man than three of you and much scarier. I don’t know if I’d care if he slammed his fist into those pretty teeth of yours. And right now, I think I am the only voice of reason he’d listen to. So don’t insult him again, or talk to him like he’s an inferior. He is not a servant for you to kick around for your enjoyment. Just because you’re a stupid little shit who comes and goes to his family’s rich ranch without any notification, some people aren’t so lucky. They work for a living. And AJ is respectful of his employers and his
employer’s family
because he has good taste and a proper sense of manners and integrity. None of which you possess. I have a feeling Jack wouldn’t stand for your little retort to AJ, so neither will I. Now run along, you idiotic little shit, before you get seriously hurt and find me applauding it.”

Joey’s mouth half opened at her unexpected speech. She kept her voice even and sweet and her smile remained bright. He swallowed, glancing toward AJ, who stood stock-still, glowering, fisting his hands. Joey’s smile instantly vanished and his eyes narrowed before he seemed to reconsider his rudeness toward AJ.

“That’s right, little brother, no more treating AJ like that,” she added softly.

Joey visibly swallowed before smiling quickly and nervously. Standing up, he collected his bottle of liquor and the two glasses. “Sure, of course. No harm meant, AJ. I am always just kidding around. I won’t bother you anymore. I mean it, man. Kate… er, Mrs. Morgan. Good night.”

“Goodnight, Joey,” she said, biting the inside of her lip as Joey nearly ran off. He was twenty-four years old and still had a lot to learn. A lot to be humble about. No longer would AJ hang around this fucking ranch like an overly grateful, illegal laborer who falls on his knees and lets people whip and abuse him with their words or just their sheer carelessness.

“You probably shouldn’t have done that. Jack is barely your brother and holds no loyalty to us over his own brother. Joey is the brother he raised as his son.”

Kate shrugged, pushing off the counter. “Yeah? Well, he could have done a lot better job with his brother-son. Maybe by teaching him the value of those who work for their living, and support their lifestyle. Jack not only should be teaching that, but he needs to demonstrate it too, by his actions.”

“He does. But didn’t we talk about not interfering in my relationship with the Rydells?” AJ crossed his arms again, one eyebrow rising as if he were the school principal, scolding Kate for writing on the bathroom walls.

“Joey? I’m sure he won’t tell anyone about tonight. He comes out looking the ass and besides, he’s young enough not to want anyone to know what a sissy he turned out to be. And I know he would not want Jack to hear how he speaks to you. No one ever knew that until now, because you never said anything, did you?”

AJ shook his head. “But it’s not right, as Joey correctly pointed out, for me to be sleeping pretty regularly in Jack’s bedroom with his sister…”

“Jack could care less. You’re the only one who thinks he should care. You’re the one who doesn’t value yourself highly enough and all the services you provide for Jack, this family, and the entire ranch. You have to realize that you’ll keep undervaluing yourself and letting young, entitled shit-asses like Joey insult you. I was once entitled and privileged. All my schooling was paid for. Private school from K through twelve and then it was university all the way. But I never once addressed anyone who was doing work for me or hanging around me like that. I didn’t act rude to anyone because I was raised not to be, and neither should Joey.”

“You know, I wouldn’t actually do anything, no matter what he said or did.”

Kate had a secretive little smile as she stepped toward him. “Well, I know that. I’m not so sure he did though.”

“And he didn’t know about my stint in prison.”

“Oh. Maybe. I’m sorry. But it effectively illustrated my point.”

“Which was?”

“Not to mess with you. Look, I might have gone a little too far, which I often do, but you shouldn’t let anyone talk to you like that. A broken beer bottle to the head might be going a little far, but a stronger tone in your voice is okay to use in situations like that. No one should ever insult you. You don’t deserve it. And I don’t want you to put up with it.”

She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he released her from his embrace. “You know you were flirting with him.”

She shrugged. “I also do that. I don’t believe you find it too shocking. You also know it’s completely harmless. Why? Were you actually getting mad about that?”

His shoulders moved up and down under her hands. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t enjoy finding you in an eye lock with a guy like Joey. Especially knowing you’d probably have fallen for his brand of charm if you’d met him first.”

“First of all,” she said, moving her hand to his jaw and making him look at her directly in the eyes. “I might flirt, but I would never cheat. I’d let you know if I wanted to have sex with anyone else. Okay? I do not cheat. Second, I don’t fall for any guy’s charms. I saw his little act a mile away. I just know how to play him. You know? Like playing along. Men often flirt with me. You might have to restrain your massive arms here and there, or whenever it happens. I don’t even notice when I do it. I’m outgoing and sometimes men consider it flirting, but I don’t see any harm in it. And last of all, Joey is not my type.”

“How can you say that? He seems exactly like your type. He’s outgoing, playful, and flirty, and he’s much easier to talk to than me. He’s all the things you are.”

“Yes, and handsome too.” AJ scowled and she laughed as she kissed the corner of his mouth. “But, AJ, his ego rivals mine. Can you imagine the two of us together? We’d both be vying for the center of attention! You allow me that. Joey, on the other hand, thrives on having all the attention. We would never work.”

AJ’s lips slowly tilted up into a smile. “You’re something else, Kate.”

“I am. But I hope you see that you are too and start acting accordingly. I agree, you probably can’t go around intimidating all the jerks whenever you feel like it, but you can stand up for yourself. It’s a matter of common decency. Even if I might have had a bit of a fantasy of you going all caveman after me and fighting for my honor. ‘Cause you could so take on Joey.”

AJ kissed her, nuzzling her neck as he muttered, “I could take on most men, Kate.” She giggled at his surprising statement. He rarely admitted how strong and manly he was to her. He lifted his face from her and smiled, “The thing is, so can you. You don’t really need me.”

Roaring a loud laugh, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was grinning as broadly as he was. AJ was no big, brash brute when he found her flirting with Joey, even if everything about his appearance said he would be. She loved each layer about AJ that was so the opposite of how that layer appeared. And perhaps why he could hold her attention when no man had ever totally captured it before. Not like AJ Reed had.

****

The next day, when AJ walked into the kitchen, he was fully dressed. Joey was already there pouring coffee, his hair spiked up, and red sleep circles under his eyes. He was still in his pajama pants.
What a sissy. Wearing pajamas like a girl.
AJ sneered internally. AJ always slept in his fully naked glory. So did Kate. He really loved that about her too.

Sometimes, she walked around in small, silk shorts and something she called a
camisole
. AJ wanted to ask her not to wear it around the house anymore, now that she basically lived with another guy, but he knew better. She’d probably wear it on purpose if he asked her not to.