Sweet A
LLURE
Nikki Winter
Copyright © 2011 by Nikki Winter
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing,
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written permission from the authors or holders of the
copyright.
This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to
locations and historical events; however, names, characters,
places and incidents are the products of the author’s
imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is
either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service
marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are
the property of their respective owners and are used herein for
identification purposes only.
Published by
Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC
PO Box 61
Colfax, NC 27235
www.beautifultroublepublishing.com
Editor: Cindy Davis,
http://www.fiction-doctor.com/
Proofreader: Novellette Whyte
http://authorgurunovellette.blogspot.com/
Formatter: Savannah J. Frierson http://sjfbooks.com/editing/
E-book Conversion: Jim & Zetta,
ISBN: (e-book)
978-1-61788-129-9; (print) 978-1-61788-130-5
Sometimes in life we have to fight with and for what
we love. This story rooted from that very idea. That,
and the fact that Jayha made me do it, which backfired
since Bigger Me Dréa got dibs on Archer instead of
her. (sigh) You guys, the battle on that one was EPIC.
Anyway, this one is for Bigger Me and all my people
who love arguing, but love the victory afterward even
more. —Nikki
N
OTE ABOUT E
B
OOKS
eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling,
sharing or giving away eBooks is a copyright
infringement. No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means without written permission of the
author or Beautiful Trouble Publishing.
C
AVEAT
This work of erotica contains adult language
and sexually explicit scenes, which are smoking
hot. This book is intended only for adults, as it
is defined by the laws of the country in which
the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the
hands of under-aged readers.
Just Because
P
EOPLE
She left the airport terminal, dragging her carry-
on and thanking the good Lord she hadn’t committed
a massacre in the sky on her plane. Badass kid that
wouldn’t stop kicking her seat? Check. Loud as hell for
absolutely no reason chick? Check. Guy sitting next to
her that wouldn’t stop getting up every five minutes?
Check. Oh, and of course, she couldn’t forget the
perverted old dude who couldn’t seem to keep his
hands to himself every time she walked past him in the
aisle.
At this point she was exhausted, annoyed, and
her ass had been pinched enough that one section of
her left cheek was sore. Yeah, ten minutes more on
that plane and the captain would’ve been calling in a
mayday, but now she was exactly where she belonged,
happy and healthy and…
“Wow, your ass has taken on a life of its own
since the last time I saw you. What a difference a year
can make.”
For one brief moment she considered what kind
of legal problems she could have from killing someone
in an airport, and whether or not it was worth it until
that voice registered. Then she was dropping her bags
and launching herself at her best friend, beyond
Nikki Winter
12
ecstatic to hear that bored tone and the insult that
came along with it.
Lena Ramos pulled back from the hug. “I should
fuck you up on principle alone for even suggesting I
ride a plane. Do you have any idea the bull I just got
finished dealing with?”
Normally cold, Paige Matthews’ green eyes
actually sparkled with amusement behind the lenses of
her glasses. The bitch was laughing at her! “No, but
I’m sure you’re about to spend the next hour in the
truck doing the nagging spouse routine and bitching
about it.”
“You’re damned right. Just be glad I don’t put
my foot in your ass right here, right now.”
Paige smirked. “Save it for later, crouching tiger,
you can’t hide that wide ass. We have to go get your
bags and make our way to the ranch before Felix has a
frickin’ coronary.”
Rolling her eyes, Lena grabbed her carry-on
again. “Ah, my wonderful big brother is tap dancing on
your last nerve again, I see.”
Paige stopped, faced her and said deadpan, “He
has line danced, square danced, and congaed on my
last fucking nerve over the last few hours. If you don’t
hurry and remedy that by letting him know you’re here
in one piece, and safe, I will be forced to exterminate
him by way of slow torture.”
Sweet A
LLURE
13
“So I take it you’re a bit annoyed?”
When Paige turned and walked off Lena called,
“I thought we got those anger issues under control,
Paige! Don’t walk away mad! It’s not healthy!”
Even with the way Paige flipped her the bird and
people stared like she was insane, Lena still grinned
because she was home and there was no place better.
***
“Speaking of Archer…” Paige started.
Lena opened her eyes to look over at the other
woman from her passenger’s seat in the truck.
“Nobody said a damn thing about Archer.” Although
the giant ornery bastard had been on her mind since
the night before, Paige didn’t need to know that.
“You just did. See? Now that the subject is
open…”
“It’s not.”
“Are we gonna need a twenty-four hour security
detail around him? You know, to prevent assassination
attempts from you,” Paige asked, never once taking
her eyes off the road. They were probably a good hour
away from Damon, and Lena had been trying to take a
small nap since she had no peace on the plane. So
much for that dream.
Nikki Winter
14
“If the asshole stays outta my way and says close
to nothing to me, then you will have no worries.”
“So basically we are gonna need a twenty-four
hour security detail to stave off assassination attempts
from you?” Paige queried again.
Lena leaned back in her seat, her eyes closing
again before she replied, “Pretty much.” She couldn’t
particularly explain why she and her brother’s best
friend rubbed each other the wrong way. Maybe it had
something to do with the fact that Archer thought she
was a spoiled brat—black sheep of the family—fuck-up
extraordinaire. While she was convinced he was an
egotistical, know it all, asshole with a death wish since
he continuously fucked with her. Yeah, they had
issues. From the first day she’d met Archer as a ten
year old kid he had a penchant for pissing her off.
Her mom had just married Felix’s dad, which
meant their lives were melded. Lena had been
introduced to her new brother’s best friend after
coming in from playing touch football with some of the
boys in their neighborhood. Apparently pretty little
princesses like her weren’t supposed to roll around on
the ground and get dirty. Archer had expressed as
much with the most condescending tone he could
muster, and she had known then that he was, in fact,
the all-time champ at being an asshole. From that day
on, a line had been drawn in the sand. She and Archer
Sweet A
LLURE
15
would never be friends. Hell, while she was in Texas
he’d be lucky if she didn’t cut off his balls and use
them as a hood ornament.
***
“If you keep pacing, you’re gonna mess up those
nice new, shiny, pretty-boy boots of yours,” Archer
Davis stated, slightly amused as he watched his best
friend of twenty odd years pace the front porch of the
ranch house.
Felix Ramos didn’t hesitate in replying with a,
“Kiss my pretty-boy ass.”
“Now, hoss, I know I’m difficult to resist these
last few months, especially with you now living in the
same space as me. Having to smell my manly aroma
and bask in all my perfect ways has to be hard on you,
but I only like you as a friend.”
Felix stopped and smirked. “You’re such an
asshole.”
Archer shrugged. “It’s my role and I accept it.”
“Speaking of that, could you try to not be an
asshole while Lena’s here?”
Archer was sure his face took on a look of
someone actually thinking about something before he
replied, “Um…no.”
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16
Felix tossed up his hands. “What is with the two
of you?”
“She’s a brat and, as everyone enjoys pointing
out, I’m an asshole. This isn’t a good mix, hoss.”
“She’s not a brat.”
“She’s Queen and ruler of all things spoiled and
brat-like.”
Blinking, his friend asked, “Did you just say that
with a straight face?”
“Yeah, I did. It’s a part of my charm. When I
insult people, I like for it to be known it’s an insult.
That can’t very well happen if I’m smiling at the time
now, can it?”
Felix rolled his eyes and went back to pacing.
“Why are you so edgy anyway?”
“This is her first time back in Texas in almost
twelve years. Add that to the fact that it’s her first time
on our ranch, period. I want her to be impressed;
proud of me.”
Archer sighed and walked closer to his friend.
He clapped a hand on Felix’s shoulder. “As far as the
brat’s concerned you’re the greatest person alive,
Super Felix.” Doing a poor imitation of a falsetto,
Archer added, “My big brother is the most awesome
dude to ever walk the planet, and he will continue to
be the most awesome dude even after he dies because
Sweet A
LLURE
17
the only person in heaven more awesome than him
created him…so there.”
When Felix’s mouth curled into a grin and
laughter rumbled from his chest, Archer smiled. Lena
may be a pain in the ass, but her love for her older
brother was very much real and palpable. When she’d
moved to Florida to work her dream job as a car
engineer at a very well-known shop that brought old
school cars back to life, it had hit Felix the hardest.
Archer hadn’t been surprised. Lena had hotwired and
raced enough cars in her lifetime to be amazing under
the hood of one legitimately. Now the brat had gone
and made something out of herself—and opened her
own garage.
Archer wondered if she was still that same little
tomboy with a penchant for touch football that he used
to know. It had been a long time since he’d come face
to face with her. The only reason he was seeing her
now was the fact that he and Felix had managed to go
half and half on the asking price of Malone’s ranch.
The little bastard had sold it due to a massive amount
of debt. If it weren’t for that, he’d avoid her like the
plague. Lena was trouble; lots and lots of trouble.
He heard the truck at the same time as Felix.
The only difference was that he didn’t jump the railing
to the porch and run like a nutcase toward the
driveway as Paige’s truck finally pulled up. Amused,
Nikki Winter
18
Archer went down the steps and watched Felix fling
open the passenger’s door, but his smile faded at the
sight of the woman stepping out.
Long,
smooth
sienna-brown
legs
were
showcased from mid-thigh to ankle due to the jean
short shorts she was wearing, her ass sitting high and
round like it was carved by an erotic artist. A slim
waist and what had to be—yes, he was guessing here—
at least double D-cups, were very obvious in the grey
tank covering her upper half. But when he finally
managed to pull his eyes from her torso…he almost fell
over. No, that was not the face of a tomboy. Tomboys
didn’t look like that. They didn’t have a pair of the
most gorgeous lips he’d ever seen on a woman, or
bone structure that’d make even the most beautiful of
models stop in their tracks just to stare. Their hair
wasn’t that thick and beautiful, cut into a shaggy style
that looked like she’d just been ravished.
And when his eyes met the thickly lashed, soft
brown orbs of hers, all Archer could mutter was,
“Well, shit…”
Claim to
H
ATE
Y
OU
Was it wrong that Lena almost, almost jumped
Archer right there on the porch to the ranch? She
didn’t know what the hell happened to the gangly
limbed, big footed kid she used to know, but the man
he was now was fine. No, fine was too mild. He was
breathtaking,
will-bending,
foot-stomping,
leg-
shaking, and hand clapping—gorgeous. How one
person could be so damn pretty, she didn't know. She
just wanted to get her hands on him for one night and
ride him until she broke him because, damn. Just
damn.
Okay, wait, no. No, she couldn’t go there. She
would not go there. She refused to think about those
wide light brown eyes, or that thick chestnut hair with
just a hint of premature silver at the temples. Her
mind couldn't afford to focus on his “I was made for
making others feel good” mouth. She wouldn't give a
second thought to that six-foot-nine body made of
two-hundred and fifty pounds of pure rock hard man.
Those big hands and feet couldn't be focused on for
too long, and she was so not interested in the way he
was staring at her.
Liar! her body screamed, and mentally she told
it to shut the hell up before she decided a full-on ice
Nikki Winter
20
bath was in order. That did the trick. Or so she
thought—until she got just a few feet away from Mr.
Broodingly Handsome. Every fiber of her being started
to hum one single tune. “We want Archer! We want
Archer!” Then the giant—and apparently still—ornery
bastard opened his mouth.
“Well, well, well if it isn’t the brat. I’m surprised
you didn’t hotwire another Camaro and make your
way here all on your own.”
Well, if that wasn’t like a bucket of ice water over
her head, she didn’t know what was, but she could give
as good as she got. Lena froze and grabbed her
brother’s arm. “Oh my God, Felix!”
He stopped at her panicked tone. “What? What’s
wrong?”
She looked back over at Archer and stated dryly,
“Somebody must’ve left a stable door open again
because you’ve got a whole horse’s ass on your front
porch.”
Archer’s eyes narrowed while Felix and Paige
made themselves busy staring off and trying not to
laugh. They were doing a good job of it until Lena said,
“Why is tall, dark, and extremely assholish here
ruining my day with the sight of his face?”
Paige threw her hands up and headed into the
house, yelling, “I give!”
Sweet A
LLURE
21
“Ah, Lena it’s so nice to have you home. When
will you be leaving?” Archer looked down at his watch.
“In the next fifteen minutes, I hope.”
To that she had one thing to say. It was the same
response she gave him twenty-odd years ago, and it
seemed to fit so well right now. “Suck me, Archer.”
Her brother’s willpower finally broke, his loud
chuckles booming around them. Getting himself under
control, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“When you get done tearing him a new one by way of
greeting, come in the house so I can feed you.”
“I’m not hungry,” Lena said to Felix’s back,
knowing he wouldn’t listen.
“You’re a twig. What’ve you been living off of—
nuts and berries in Florida?”
“I weigh one hundred and sixty five pounds and
my boobs are a double D. How is that anywhere near a
twig?”
“La la la la. I didn’t just hear that!” he tossed
back before disappearing into the house.
His gaze burned into her. She rolled her eyes at
her brother’s antics then turned toward her arch-
nemesis. “What’re you looking at?”
There went that stare again. It was
disconcerting, to say the least. “I see you finally grew
into that head and those knobby knees,” Archer
replied.
Nikki Winter
22
“And I see you’re still holding the title of World’s
Biggest Douche Bag.”
“Do you kiss Miss Mona with that mouth?” he
questioned, mentioning her mama.
“No, but I’d kiss your daddy with it. He’s still
divorced, right? I always thought he was damn good
looking.” When that tic jumped in his jawline, she
knew her work was done. Reaching out, she patted
him on the shoulder, ignoring how solid and warm it
felt. “Don’t fuck with me while I’m here, Archer. Felix
maybe, probably, kind of, possibly, just a little bit
might miss you if I kill you.” Not bothering to look
back, she headed into the house.
***
“If she finds out you’re playing matchmaker,
that’s your ass. You do realize this?”
Felix danced around the kitchen to the beat of
Latin drums as he cooked. It had been a long time
since he’d been able to do this. Work usually kept him
pretty busy—that and trying to get Paige under him,
over him, or bent over for him. But he knew Lena
would appreciate it. Growing up, their house had
always been filled with two things, good food and
amazing music.
Sweet A
LLURE
23
When Mona Jacobs and Alejandro Ramos
married, bringing their makeshift family together, life
had never been better for Felix. At a young age, he’d
lost his mother to cancer and had never had the
opportunity of experiencing what it was like to have a
Mãe (mother) until Mona. Along with his new mother
came a sister. At fifteen Felix hadn’t exactly been sure
how he felt about that considering girls at that age to
him were…well irritating.
That was until he met Lena. A small somebody,
she was. Probably didn’t weigh more than sixty
pounds soaking wet, but boy was she something. Lena
didn’t want to play with a Barbie or watch fairy
princess movies. No, she was tagging along with him
every single day to help out on his Pop’s ranch or
playing tag football or she was learning how to fix
engines under the hood of Pop’s truck.
Basically Lena was like a little brother more than
anything. Oh, Felix still spoiled her like any girl should
be spoiled, but he never doubted for one minute that
she was smarter, faster, and greater than any little
brother could ever hope to be. They’d had a bond that
couldn’t be broken. So when she was busted by sheriffs
for drag racing, Felix went and got her. When she got
caught hotwiring the cars of high school teachers who
should’ve known better than to fuck with her, Felix
went and got her. And when she was ready to head off
Nikki Winter
24
to FSU to get her Masters’ in Mechanical Engineering
and pursue her dream job, Felix had been there with
their parents to see her off. That of course had been
one of the hardest days of his life.
His sister was one of the most cherished people
in his life, adopted or not. Genetics had never meant
shit to him. All he’d known was this awesome little
person had wiggled her way into his heart and she was
going to be spoiled rotten. So far he had done his job,
and damn well.
Now he was continuing what their mom and dad
had done in the kitchen every day to make her really
feel like she was home. Mona and Alejandro were out
of town at the moment on vacation and wouldn’t be
back for another few days so Felix’s task was to keep
Lena well fed and smiling. Well, that and to figure out
how he could push her and his best friend together
while she was here over the next few weeks.
He loved his sister but she was a rebel with the
words “Fuck you” ready to leave her lips at a moment’s
notice. And Archer had a stick up his ass. Lena needed
Archer to tone her down and Archer needed Lena to
loosen him up. Felix needed both of them to stop
pussyfooting around and give him some nieces and
nephews. He had already scoped out properties so she
could move her business from Florida to Texas and he
had at least fifteen clients lined up for her. Yes, she
Sweet A
LLURE
25
would indeed be pissed. Yes, she would indeed get her
retribution but Felix would get his nieces and nephews
and his mãe would get grandbabies to occupy her until
he could get Paige right where he wanted her.
“Felix, did you hear me?” Paige asked from the
kitchen doorway.
Grinning, he didn’t stop moving his feet as he
put the stuffed chilies in the oven. “I heard you,
batimentos cardíacos. All is well. Trust me on this.”
She smirked. “Whatever it is you’re calling me,
stop it. And when Lena fucks you up good and proper,
I will be there to make sure you eat those words.”
He shot her what he knew was a wolfish grin
over his shoulder. “How about you come over here and
make sure I eat something else?”
Paige rolled her eyes. The same eyes everyone
else saw as cold and unfeeling, he found sexy and
mysterious. “Or I could put some ice down your pants
and tell you to fuck off.”
Placing a hand against his chest, Felix gave her
his puppy look. “You wound me, baby.”
“Not yet. Keep it up and I’m going for the rolling
pin.”
“Well, Paige, if you need something long and
wood-like in your hands, all you have to do is ask.”
Nikki Winter
26
“That’s it! I’m gone!” She turned toward the
swinging doors to leave but was pushed back through
by Lena.
“I don’t think so. If I have to endure dinner with
the jack of all asses, you have to sit across from Mr.
Sexual Innuendos,” his sister said, guiding her best
friend to the table and forcing her to sit. She
threatened the love of his life with all kinds of bodily
harm before leaning over the island to kiss his cheek.
“It smells like Mama’s kitchen in here.”
He grinned. “I know. One of us has to be
efficient at more than just rebuilding engines and
tricking out rides.”
She threw a cherry tomato at his head. “I can
cook.”
“Boiling rice in the microwave doesn’t count.”
“Has Archer been teaching you the Jedi
technique on ways to piss me off?”
“Why, oh Queen of brats, are you mentioning
me?” Archer asked, walking through the doors and
taking a place at the table.
“Because I was referring to how good you are at
working my last nerve,” Lena answered.
Archer smirked. “Bad attention is still attention,
brat.”
“Homicide is still murder, asshole.”
Sweet A
LLURE
27
“All righty then!” Paige said over the two of
them. She made Lena sit next to her and took away all
sharp objects in her reach. Hell, she even took away
Lena’s spoon.
“What am I supposed to eat with?”
“Until I feel you’re responsible enough to handle
metal objects, you are to stick with the finger foods.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Are you gonna stab Archer with the fork if I give
it back to you?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then it’s not ridiculous.”
While Felix laughed and finished steaming the
tamales, he had one thing to say, “This is gonna be the
best dinner ever.”
Doesn’t Mean
T
HEY
D
O
If hell felt anything like this, then he needed to
stop sinning and do it with a quickness. Hot didn't
describe what it felt like outside today. No, hot was for
the inside of a southern church without AC on Sunday.
Hot was for something coming out the microwave. Hot
was for how his body felt every time he looked at...
Archer shook the thought from his head. He
wouldn't go there. He would not go there. Nope.
Archer would not think about how soft her sienna
colored skin looked, or how good she smelled any time
she got near him. Thinking about how absolutely
perfectly stacked her five foot ten inch frame was, was
completely off limits. Nope, he wasn’t about to think
about how wide and pretty those brown eyes were or
how gorgeous that heart shaped mouth was. No, no,
no, Archer wasn’t going down that road.
No, Archer was going to focus on how miserably
hot the Texas weather was and how it felt like he was
being cooked like one giant steak, rather than think
about his best friend’s little sister. From the day Lena
had stepped foot on the property she’d been under his
skin. The more she irritated him the more he wanted
her but he wasn’t going there. She was his best friend’s
sister. Felix would kill him without even blinking. Not
Sweet A
LLURE
29
to mention she was infuriating. She did what she
wanted, how she wanted, and didn't give a damn about
any objections.
She was convinced he was an asshole and he was
convinced that she’d argue with him till her dying
breath. They were quite the pair. Shaking his head he
took off his Stetson then stripped the tank he'd been
wearing to wipe his face and neck. Shit, it was hotter
than the six rings of hell hot outside. He couldn't wait
to knock off.
***
She couldn't wait for him to knock off! This shit
was ridiculous. How was she supposed to focus when
he did that? Stripping off his shirt and such. Lena
practically had her damned face pressed to the
window watching Archer stretch and flex all that
muscle. Shaking her head, Lena backed away from the
window. No, she couldn’t go there. She would not go
there.
No, she was not gonna stand and watch him take
that bottle of water and pour it over his head.
That was a lie. She was gonna stand there and
watch him then think of all the ways she could keep
him wet all the time. Sort of the same way he kept her.
Hot, bothered, and changing panties like someone
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30
with a lace fetish. “Sweet fig trees,” Lena muttered,
watching rivulets of water trickled down his shoulders
to those thick strong pecs, past that eight-bricked
stomach and beneath the waist band of his jeans.
Heaven knew she’d give up chocolate if she could just
see what was under those jeans. It should've been
illegal for him to be that...awe inspiring. From the way
he swaggered about with a lazy gait. To that low raspy
voice that had a distinct southern inflection. Just the
way he said “sugar” made her lock her knees together
on more than one occasion.
Like rolling thunder that voice was. The baritone
so deep it bottomed out in her stomach, and spread
lower making her tremble when she was trying her
best to appear unaffected. Archer Davis was, in fact,
made to remind a woman why she was a woman and
why it was a good idea to invest in a three speed bullet.
Jackasses weren't supposed to look like Archer
Davis. Hell, nobody was supposed to look like Archer
Davis.
He was something out of a novel. Most days she
had to take him in small doses lest she lose herself in
all his beauty. The ranch was the most important thing
to her right now, but he was quickly becoming a
distraction, and the more that happened, the more
Lena feared she'd do something stupid. Something
Sweet A
LLURE
31
stupid consisted of jumping him and then riding him
like a jockey on a race horse.
“What’re you doing?”
Lena jumped and turned toward Paige. “Why are
you skulking around?”
“I don’t skulk. You would’ve heard me if you
weren’t having a wet day dream in the middle of the
kitchen.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me, and thus, that is your downfall.
Because of it, I know a whole lot more about you than
I would like to—like your ‘I want some’ face.” Paige
gagged. “It’s rather disturbing.”
“I don’t want Archer,” Lena lied.
“Wow, most people twitch when they lie but
your whole body jerked.”
“Why are you here other than to bug the fuck
outta me?”
Paige held up her medical bag. “Came to do my
weekly check on the pregnant mares.”
Lena wasn’t surprised Felix had somehow
managed to snag Paige as his regular vet. He’d
probably harassed the shit out of her until she finally
agreed. “Speaking of Felix—”
“Nobody said a damn thing about Felix,” Paige
cut in.
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32
Lena didn’t grin despite the urge. “You just did.
See? Now that the subject is open…”
“It’s not.”
“Exactly what is going on with you and my
debonair older brother?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Why is that?” Lena queried, washing her hands
and getting out the makings for sandwiches while
Paige washed her hands and grabbed glasses and
plates.
“Because Felix doesn’t really want me. For him
it’s all about the thrill of the chase.”
Lena snorted. “If it was all about the chase he’d
have you somewhere with your ankles over your head
and screaming his name.” Then she gagged. “I-I made
my own self sick with that visual.”
“It’s no less than you deserve for even implying
I’d sleep with him.” Paige grabbed her sandwich and
drink before heading for the sunroom.
Lena followed behind. “I never said anything
about sleeping. I implied that you’d fuck him.”
“Ignoring you,” Paige sang, and started eating.
“You’ll eventually have to admit how you feel,
dude. Especially after that second or third kid he
knocks you up with. I’m just saying no child should
have their mama denying their daddy all public-like
and what not.”
Sweet A
LLURE
33
The other woman chewed, sipped her drink and
said, “You’re an asshole.”
Lena tsked. “Not my role. That’s Archer.”
“The same Archer whose face you wanna ride.”
“I wanna ride way more than his face,” slipped
out before Lena could catch herself. She turned to
Paige—who was doubled over and holding her sides—
with wide eyes. How the hell had she let that out?
“I knew it! You wanna defile that man!”
“Shut up! You wanna take advantage of my
brother’s person!”
“Do not!” Paige said, still laughing.
“Do so!” Lena retorted.
“We’re so frickin’ deep in denial dude!”
“I know!” For some reason they just couldn’t
stop laughing. The whole thing was so damn
ridiculous they just couldn’t get a lid on it. And when
Felix and Archer came along, with those I’m so
confused about what’s going on right now looks on
their faces it just got worse.
***
“Don't even think about it.” Lena jumped and
started to spin around but she had a human wall in her
space, crowding her, making it hard to breathe. She’d
been minding her own damn business again, simply
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staring at a horse over the stall and okay possibly,
maybe considering riding said horse, but she couldn't
very well do that with Mr. No Fun around now, could
she?
“I wasn't doing anything,” she answered.
Light brown eyes narrowed, as they glared down
at her. “Feed that crock of shit to somebody else,
Ramos.”
“I don't like your tone. It implies I'm doing
something I shouldn't, and last time I checked this was
my brother’s ranch too, and these are his horses too,
so if I wanna sit and stare at ’em I can. If anybody has
a problem with that, I’d be more than glad to let them
bend over and receive nine inches of boot squarely in
the ass.” She was standing on her tippy-toes now,
trying her best to make eye contact while poking him
in the shoulder.
Archer smirked then glanced down at her feet.
“You do realize your feet are unnaturally large for a
woman, right?”
“You do realize I could kill you and no one would
find where I buried you, right?”
“Oh you're just so cute when you're trying to be
scary—so very cute.” He tweaked her nose then poked
her cheek. “Your dimples come out and everything.”
“Why,” Lena asked slowly. “Are you in here
harassing me as opposed to working?”
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35
“Because I'm trying to make sure you don't kill
yourself. It'd be a traumatic experience...for the
horse.”
“You're a jackass. And I know how to ride a
horse, Archer.”
“You may think you do, brat, but this isn't just
some play pony at the fair. This is a mustang. Young
male in his prime and ornery as shit so he doesn’t
need you trying to use him to prove a point.”
“If I told you once, then I’ve told you a thousand
times that you should mind your own damn business
when it comes to me.”
“Over the next few days, while Felix is gone, you
are my business. I’m not gonna have him kicking my
ass because something happened to you while playing
with the pretty ponies.”
She could’ve slapped the shit out of him right
then but she preferred to wait. Felix had left earlier in
the day, for a trip to New Mexico. He wouldn’t give
them any details of what was so important, which
annoyed Lena to no end, considering she was now
stuck with Archer in the house…alone. She’d done her
best to convince Paige to stay with them but she
refused, saying they’d drive her to kill everyone in a
ten mile radius with all the damn arguing they did.
Then a thought occurred to her, and Lena
decided against slapping the shit out of Archer. She
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backed off with her hands raised. “All right, all right,
I’m going back in the house. I’m gonna find some
snacks and watch some movies in the cinema.”
Archer’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Why what?” She turned to leave.
“Why are you leaving so easy?”
“Because I don’t want to have to kill you today. It
wasn’t in my plans—I haven’t scoped out a place to
bury your remains yet,” Lena answered and kept
going. She heard his snort but ignored it, already
forming her plan.
***
Archer was in the middle of giving directions to
one of the ranch hands for the new stable
arrangements when he heard the distinct sound of
hooves. Looking up, he saw Lena take off out of the
stables and down the dirt path that led to other parts
of the ranch. She managed to glance over at Archer
and wave a hand. “Hey Archer!” When she was sure
she had his attention, she added, “Fuck you!” Then she
kept going and going until she disappeared.
Archer hadn’t realized he’d broken the clipboard
until the ranch hand eased it out of his hands and
backed away.
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37
***
“Male posturing-Texas loving-egotistical-I know
everything-jackass!” Lena growled under her breath as
she finally bought the horse—that she'd promptly
named Buck—to a stop and climbed off. She looked at
the animal. “What is it about having a cock that makes
you all so damn difficult?”
Huge brown eyes blinked at her before Buck
snorted then tossed his head. Lena rolled her eyes,
murmuring, “Oh shut up and c'mon.” She tugged on
his reins a bit and he followed dutifully. Finding a spot
to sit, Lena plopped down and stared over the small
pond at the frogs and fish along with a few birds, and
trying to get to the root of her and Archer’s problem.
Sadly, all she kept thinking was, “He’s such an
asshole.”
As a kid, it bugged her that he seemed to hate
her so much. Yeah, she was never the poster child for
what a good little girl was but he seemed to take issue
with everything she did. Lena was a fuck-up at a
young age. She could admit it, but the only one who
seemed to be bothered by it was her brother’s douche-
bag friend. Hell, even her own mama had handed over
the reins to Felix eventually, and said, “You take it
from here.” Not to say her mama didn’t adore the very
air Lena breathed, she was just a little…much. And she
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38
always managed to wrap everyone around her finger.
This included her daddy.
If Mona thought marrying Alejandro would stem
her bad behavior routine she had been sadly mistaken.
When Lena hotwired her tenth grade English teacher’s
Mustang and won a drag race with it after said teacher
tried to purposely embarrass her in class, all her daddy
said was, “Was it fun?” before he went to have a “talk”
with said teacher.
When Lena had got busted drag racing that
same teacher’s shiny new Camaro after he thought it
was a good idea to fuck with her the next year in
school, all her daddy had said was, “It rode like a
dream, didn’t it?” before once again going to have a
“talk” with said teacher.
And when her mama had plied her with every
woman’s guilt and angst as a mother because she
wanted to go to Florida, all her daddy had said was, “I
need to get you your first set of real tools if you’re
gonna be doing serious work.” Hell, Felix and Paige
had been along for the ride of her “rebellious years”
and hadn’t batted a lash. Yes, Lena was a brat but what
exactly gave Archer the right to say so? All he’d done
most of her life was complain about her while
everyone else basked in her glory. And she was
glorious dammit!
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39
Now she just needed to figure out what to do
about the little issue of wanting to fuck him into next
week and then into next month. Turning her head a
little, she looked up at Buck. “Dude, I'm up shit creek
without a paddle…or canoe.” Once again she got a
snort and a head toss.
***
He wasn't worried. No, seriously he wasn't. She
was a grown ass woman so if she decided she wasn't
gonna come back before it was time for him to knock
off then that was her business. So he would make sure
the stables were closed properly and...and...he couldn't
even fake it. Lena had been gone all damn day and he
was worried out of his mind. He could admit it, to
himself at least. Archer had been keeping an eye out,
had even asked a few of the hands to let him know
when she got back but he hadn't heard anything. By
the time the last hand pulled off to go home he was
heading for his truck too so he could search for her but
he looked up to see her coming in full speed ahead.
At first he figured she’d just go for the opening
in the wooden fencing surrounding most of the
grounds close to the ranch house and stables but this
was Lena and she never did as expected. About twenty
feet away her horse picked up its pace and as soon as
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she got in close enough, Lena had the large male
sailing through the air like some champion, going over
the five foot fence, just to land on the other side so
smoothly it made him let out a low whistle.
He was impressed to say the least, but he was
also pissed. Did this woman not have any
consideration for anyone other than herself? She
couldn’t just go riding off like that whenever the mood
struck her. Anything could've happened. She could've
gotten lost or hurt. Before he could talk himself out of
it, Archer was headed towards her. “Are you crazy?!”
he shouted as she dismounted.
Lena’s brown eyes snapped up toward him.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“No, what’s your problem? Why would you just
head off like that without telling anyone where you
were going?”
“Because last time I checked, I'm grown,” she
said softly, starting into the stables.
Archer blocked her way and ignored the glare
she shot him. “I'm grown too. Hell, more than grown,
but you don't see me riding off alone. Anything
could’ve happened to you. Rattlesnake, mountain lion,
and hell, that male could’ve bucked you somewhere
along the way and no one would’ve known until it was
too late. You don't go off by yourself ever, not like
that.”
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41
She stared at him silently for a few seconds. “If I
didn't know better, I'd say you actually cared.”
“You’re basically my responsibility. I have to
care or you could get hurt.”
Lena sighed and said, “Get away from me before
I set you on fire.” She raked him with a scathing look
then clicked her tongue as she headed off, easily
getting the male horse to follow her.
It was the same way Archer wanted to follow
her, and so he did. “You can threaten me all you want,
Lena but I have every right to be upset. I've been
looking out for you all day, worried outta my damned
mind.”
She got the horse put up and swung to face him.
“I left because I can.”
“You left trying to show off.” He stepped closer
to her.
“I showed off because I wanted to prove a point,”
she retorted, going chest to chest with him.
“Well congrats, point proven. Lena is a big girl
and able to do dumb shit all on her own. The fuck-up
is alive and well,” Archer stated, lowly.
“Fuck you,” she hissed.
He snorted. “I know you’d love the chance.”
Her hand came up to slap him but he easily
caught it and hauled her closer to him. They stared at
one another head-on, angry pants pouring from their
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42
mouths and then somehow someway he ended up with
the sweetest mouth known to man parting and
allowing him to slip inside for a taste. As soon as his
tongue came into contact with the velvet softness that
was Lena’s, Archer groaned and bought up a hand to
cradle the back of her head for his assault.
His arm which had been wrapped around her
waist loosened just enough so that one large palm
could grab good hold of the ass he'd been watching
and fantasizing about for days, and damn, if it didn't
feel good. Lena’s body was lush in all the right places
and melded into his just right. Needing air, he left her
mouth to place nibbling kisses on her neck and almost
lost it when she moaned. Good Lord, what was he
doing?
Pulling back, Archer pushed her firmly away,
ignoring her whimper of protest. “We can't,” he
panted.
She nodded, stepped back, and folded her arms
around herself like a protective cloak. “You’re right.
We can't.”
“It never happened.”
“Never.” He nodded once and, for the first time
in his life, ran like the devil was on his heels.
It’s
S
IMPLY
Lena hummed a little as she rocked to and fro in
the porch swing staring up at the stars. Fully
comfortable in her triple X tee and panties, since she
was sure Archer was asleep, she relaxed and sorted
through the thoughts in her head. Today had been a
hell of a day. She still couldn’t exactly place where the
kiss had come from, but damn if she hadn’t tried. They
hated each other, so exactly what happened?
“Can’t sleep either?” A rumbling voice asked
from the doorway where the kitchen met the outdoor
patio.
So much for him being asleep, Lena thought
wryly, turning her head to find Archer standing there,
a pair of baggy grey sweats riding low on his lean hips.
The rest of him was bare, the thick chestnut colored
strands of his hair tousled. Her breath caught in the
back of her throat as she sat up. “What’re you doing
out here?”
He nodded his head at the swing. “The same
thing as you. Do you mind?”
She scooted over to make room for him. One
large foot sent them into a gentle rocking motion.
They sat that way for a long time before he opened his
mouth to speak.
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44
Lena held up a hand. “Don’t say it.”
“About that kiss…”
She threw her hands up. “Why’d you say it?”
“Because we need to talk about it.”
“No, we don’t. We can pretend like it never ever
happened and keep going.”
They got quiet again before he said, “Well it’s
obvious we can’t fuck each other.”
“No, we can’t.”
“Felix would kill me.”
“Yes, he would. Plus you hate me.”
“I don’t hate you,” Archer replied, looking over
at her now.
She snorted. “Of course you do. You’re always on
my damn case.”
“Because everybody else lets you get away with
murder. Somebody has to be on your case.”
Her mouth twisted and she met his gaze. “So all
these years…”
“Lena, you’re a pain in the ass, but you’re
important to me too. That’s why I’m such a hard-ass
sometimes. I don’t wanna see you mess up your whole
life.”
“Well that’s new.”
The side of his mouth tipped up and she found
herself staring at those lips. “So about that kiss.”
“I thought we weren’t discussing the kiss.”
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45
“We are now. What the hell was that about?”
He rested his elbows on his knees. “Frustration,
anger…and a way to shut you up.” His eyes raked her.
“Plus you’re, well…since…twelve years and… Yeah.”
Archer cleared his throat.
Despite her resolve not to, she grinned. “Is that
your way of saying I’m attractive, Archer?”
He smirked. “Attractive is an understatement.”
“So you kissed me because I’m hot and you were
pissed off?”
Nodding, he answered, “Yeah, I guess so.”
It was Lena’s turn to nod. “That explains it then.
We were pissed so we acted out.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that whatever I felt was a fluke.”
His brow rose. “A fluke?”
“Yup, a fluke.”
“So because you were turned on, you think it was
a fluke.”
“Basically.” She shrugged.
“You wanna test that theory, Ramos?”
“How so, Davis?”
“Kiss me now,” Archer said.
“No way, bro,” Lena retorted.
“Why? Are you scared?”
She scoffed. “Hell no.”
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46
“Then prove it. If we kiss and you feel nothing
then we keep going like nothing happened but if you
feel something…” He waggled his brows, making her
laugh. “We know I was right and you want a piece of
Archer.”
She rolled her eyes. “If anything, I wanna use a
Rottweiler and steak sauce to get a piece of you.”
“Somebody sounds scared,” he taunted.
“Fine, jackass, let’s get this over with.”
He leaned back and put his arms out. “Okay
straddle me.”
“You’ve lost your damn mind.”
“No, seriously, if you feel nothing then what’s
the big deal, right?” There was a challenge in his gaze;
almost like he was daring her to back out.
She slid closer before finally making her way to
his lap and putting her legs on either side of his waist,
her knees cushioned by the seat. When she lowered
herself down completely, her ass meeting a sudden
and very apparent bulge beneath his sweats, they both
stopped breathing for a moment.
Their eyes met as his hands came up to grip her
waist, and Lena felt a slow burn of arousal roil straight
to her core at the look in Archer’s eyes. That burn
became a raging fire when his hands slid from her
waist and down to her ass. All the while they never
stopped staring directly at one another. His groan cut
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47
through the sound of their heavy breathing as his
palms brushed against her panties.
“Lace?” Archer rasped, now sitting up to fully
lock her legs around his waist, his feet planted firmly
to keep the swing still.
Lena nodded. “Unh-hunh.” She wasn’t so
interested in his eyes anymore. His lips had snagged
her attention. Ever so slowly, she leaned up and
captured the bottom one between her teeth, gently
pulling on it before she let go.
She guessed that she was going too slowly for his
liking because in the next second Archer’s mouth was
pressed against hers, his tongue delving between her
lips to tangle with hers. Lena moaned, rocked against
his cock and didn’t object when he broke the kiss for a
moment to take off her T-shirt and toss it across the
patio somewhere. She didn’t bat a lash when those
large rough hands came up to palm her breasts, his
thumbs rubbing around the areolas. He took her
mouth again, rocking into her a little faster, harder. An
orgasm crawled its way up her spine. She was so
close…
Archer pulled back and smirked at her. “Is it still
a fluke?”
And just like that, the feeling was gone, washed
away like someone poured ice down her back. Lena
jerked away from him so hard she almost fell. She
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48
found her T-shirt and snatched it up. “You’re such an
asshole. I can’t believe I let you touch me. God, what’s
wrong with me?”
He reached a hand out to her. “Wait, Lena I
didn’t mean it like that.”
“Big deal, Archer. I wanna fuck you.” She
clapped. “You just accomplished something really
great.” Heading for the door she added, “You got to
make a fool outta me.”
***
He watched her walk away, knowing he’d just
fucked up, royally. What the hell was wrong with him,
that he had to open his mouth? He gripped his head
and rocked the swing back hard. “Shit, shit, shit.”
What was he supposed to do now? His dick was hard
enough to be used as a sword and Lena thought he had
done all that just to prove she wanted to sleep with
him.
Archer smacked himself in the forehead.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” Blowing out a hard breath he
stared up at the stars then looked down at his right
hand. “It looks like it’s just you and me again tonight,
buddy.”
Them
T
RYING
“C’mon baby, don’t do this to me. Not now,
please, please, please,” Lena begged. She cranked the
key again and listened to the engine sputter before it
died.
“Shit!” Her fists hit the dashboard before her
forehead pressed against the steering wheel. This
sucked humungous monkey balls. The worse part,
though? Oh, just the thunder and lightning rolling in
along with the torrents of rain that she was stuck in;
the fact that she was at least three miles out on
farmland away from the main grounds where anyone
could help; and the fact that he was right. Still, none of
those compared to what she would hear when she
called in for him or another hand to come and help
her.
He’d been telling her since she’d been there to
stop wasting her time under the hood but she couldn’t.
When Lena had discovered the old Ford in a barn a
ways out from the ranch and guest houses, she knew it
had been her daddy’s. Covered in a tarp and tucked
away, the truck managed to make her do what she
hadn’t wanted to in a week or so, build.
That old transmission wouldn’t last long. She’d
already ordered the right parts to get it running like a
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50
classic again, but apparently that wasn’t helping her
now. Giving Archer her brightest and best “fuck you”
when he’d called the truck a tin can with wheels earlier
that day—she’d decided to go for a ride around ranch
grounds. Two hundred acres of land that she just had
to see. Now she was seeing it alright. She was seeing
all of it as she sat and contemplated whether or not it
was a good idea to call the big bastard, or one of the
big bastard’s toadies.
Okay that was mean; they weren’t toadies, just
snitches. If it looked like Lena was doing even the
remotest thing close to dangerous Archer magically
appeared like a bigass genie to stop her from “hurting
herself.” He had one more time to do that bullshit and
she would be trying to stop herself from hurting him.
So what was she supposed to do? Sighing, she picked
up her phone and dialed Paige.
***
A cranky Archer was not a fun Archer but
obviously someone had failed to let Lena in on that
little secret because she’d specifically did what he told
her not to. She’d taken that piece of shit truck and
drove far off from the main houses on the ranch. Then
she promptly got her ass stuck. Did she really think
Paige wasn’t going to tell him? He snorted as he
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51
navigated through the wet back roads on the grounds.
Of course she did. Damn infuriating woman! Why
couldn’t she just listen for once? He knew she was still
pissed at him for the other night but shit, she could at
least take good advice when it was given.
He finally pulled up beside the tin can on wheels
and opened her door. Her head lifted and she looked
at him before shouting, “Okay, now Paige is officially a
toady!”
Archer scowled. “What the hell are you talking
about?”
Rolling her eyes she said, “Nothing.” A smirk
tilted one side of that mouth he constantly dreamed
about before she did her best British accent and said,
“Come to fetch me then, Benjamin?”
His lip curled. “You’re asking for a tan ass,
Lena.” She didn’t understand exactly how infuriated
he was or how scared—did she?
“Sorry, luv but I’m afraid I already have one of
those.” And still she held that damned accent.
“Get in the truck,” he growled.
“Aye, aye, Captain!” She gave a sharp salute and
ran for his truck, jumping inside and closing the door.
Gritting his teeth, he followed after her.
When she opened her mouth to say something
else he simply interrupted with, “Quiet.” He didn’t
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52
know if it was the soft tone or the steel underlying the
words but she sat back and said nothing.
***
Oh, he was mad. Yeah, she could tell by the way
his ears were getting real red at the lobes. She would
point out how cute it was but she liked being able to sit
on her ass without the assistance of a pillow or ice
pack. In all honesty, she wasn’t really surprised Paige
had snitched, but it still made her consider all the
things she could do to the toady for it.
When they finally pulled up to the main house
Archer climbed out of the truck and came over to her
side. He didn’t hesitate in throwing her over his
shoulder, and that resulted in pissing her off. Lena was
sure he couldn’t hear her yelling over the sound of
thunder rolling in, but she made it her mission to try,
and when he finally put her down just inside the foyer
to the house she punched him dead in his solar plexus.
He grunted and rubbed the spot. “What the hell
is your problem?”
“My problem? You wanna know what the hell
my problem is?!” Lena shouted, getting chest to chest
with him.
“Yeah, your problem!”
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53
“I’m not a sack of potatoes, you jackass! Don’t
touch my person unless I grant your wildest dream to
do so!”
“Please! My wildest dream is to make it so you
can never open your mouth again!”
“And mine is to tie a rope to a running horse and
then loop it around the tip of your dic—”
“Enough!” Archer roared slapping a hand
against the wall that he’d backed her into. “I don’t give
a flying fuck what you do on your own time, but I’d
appreciate it if you’d stop acting like a brat on mine! I
told you not to take that piece of shit truck too far
from the main grounds! And look what happened!
What if no one would’ve been here to help your
stubborn ass?!”
“That truck is not a piece of shit! Don’t talk
about it like that!”
“It is a piece of shit and you know it!”
“The only thing I know is how much I hate you!”
That was a lie; she didn’t hate him and never would. If
she were being honest with herself she could admit
how good he smelled and how much his close
proximity had her nipples hard and her panties wet
right now.
He stopped and stared at her for a minute,
something unreadable in expression. “You hate me?”
Archer growled.
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54
Still more than pissed off she answered without
hesitation. “Yeah, I do.”
Snarling, one of his big hands gripped the front
of her T-shirt, yanking her up to him. In the next
instant his mouth was on hers. The kiss was in no way
sweet or delicate. He took her lips fast and hard,
nipping the bottom and tugging before letting go to do
it all over again. His tongue prodded its demanding
way between her lips as he pushed her back against
the wall, one jean clad leg shoving between her thighs.
The rough kisses didn’t stop even as he tried to
get her T-shirt off. He just ripped it and threw it over
his shoulder, along with her bra. Archer finally let her
up for gasps of air when he needed to get her boots
and jeans off along with her panties. Once again, he
didn’t hesitate to tear down the side and toss the lacey
material away. Nipping his way up from her knees, he
nipped the inside of her thighs and laved away the
sting with his tongue, but before he could get to her
core—which was crying for him—she tugged on that
chestnut hair. He glared up at her and growled,
obviously annoyed at the interruption.
“Just so we’re clear,” she panted, glaring right
back at him. “I still hate you.”
Dark brown brows winged over those intense
light brown eyes before he snarled, “Unh-hunh,” and
shoved his tongue between the puffy folds of her labia.
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55
“Shit,” Lena gasped, tugging his head closer, her
back arching off the wall.
Archer groaned, but kept spearing her with the
small muscle as she rode his face, grinding down with
every thrust of his tongue. He pulled back to suck her
clit into his mouth, gently flicking it as he slid two
fingers inside her. Lena had no leverage and could
only hold onto the back of his head, as he fucked her
with his mouth and fingers, bringing her to the edge of
coming so hard the tears crested her lashes.
“Archer.”
Suddenly he was up, tearing at his own shirt,
tossing his prized Stetson across the room and ripping
at his jeans and boots to get the damp material off.
Yanking her to him, he kissed her again. “Say it again.”
Licking her lips, Lena whispered, “Archer.”
“Again,” he growled, turning her around and
taking her hands to put them palm-down on the wall.
Keeping his own hands on top of hers he pushed her
thighs open with his knee. Lena cried out when the
head of his cock brushed her core. Since she’d caught a
glimpse of it, she already knew it was long and thick,
the large mushroom head a dark angry looking red
and dripping pre-cum.
She threw her hips back, delighting in his moan
and said, “Archer.”
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With a grunt that rumbled up from his chest, he
backed her into him, and with one smooth thrust,
connected them.
“Ah!” One of Lena’s hands reached back to grip
his hip as he took her, not once slowing his pace after
giving her every inch of his cock.
He alternated between short shallow thrusts and
longer demanding ones as he bit down on her
shoulder. “Mine.”
“Ohhhh. Archer. Shit.”
He nipped her again. “Mine.”
“Harder. Please…harder.” She was babbling
now, begging.
“Mine.” Archer’s hands grabbed her breasts,
pinching her nipples, tugging in time with the way his
cock moved inside her.
“Gonna…come.”
“Say it and I’ll let you come. Say it!”
“Yours! I’m yours!” Lena cried, feeling the crest
of an orgasm so strong that spots danced before her
eyes.
“Do you hate me? Huh?!”
She shook her head and whimpered, “No.”
“Good.” Archer pinched her clit, sending her
right over the edge. And from his roar, she could tell
he’d followed.
Their
H
ARDEST
He could say in all honesty that he didn’t
understand what happened. One minute he went from
a little pissed and mildly amused, to complete and
total animal mode. Archer had took Lena like the sky
was falling then he took her some more. Grinning
softly, he finished lighting the candles around the
living room. Funny enough, they’d never moved
upstairs to Lena’s bed, and by the time the storm
knocked the power out, she was snoring and he didn’t
have the energy to make the trek.
A soft groan split the silence in the room and
Archer turned to find Lena rolling over on the large
sectional. Big brown eyes peered in his direction. “If
you’re a burglar and not Archer you can go up the
stairs to the left and find his man cave. As far as I
know he has plasmas and a bunch of valuable shit you
can take to the pawn shop; just a suggestion.”
He gave a mock scowl. “Betrayer.”
Giggling, Lena tried to sit up but groaned again
and fell back against the pillows on the couch. “I
think…I think you broke me. Shit, Archer when was
the last time you had sex because I’d think you were
gonna die tomorrow from the way you did me in.”
He shuffled over to her. “Stiff?”
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Peering up at him she said, “If anything else stiff
comes near me it’s getting torn off.” Then she eyed his
dick—which had sprung up the moment he knew she
was awake.
He rolled his eyes and cupped a hand over where
her gaze had landed, he replied, “I meant are you
stiff?”
Lena grimaced. “Yes, yes I am, and guess what?”
“What?”
“You’re going to go run me a bath upstairs with a
good amount of bath salts, vanilla oil and,” She
snapped her fingers, “I want candles around the
bathroom, since you seem to be so good at that.”
Growling a little he turned toward the steps,
muttering under his breath, “I see I didn’t fuck the
brat outta you.”
“What was that?” Lena called behind him.
“I’d be happy to do your bidding, oh beautiful,
benevolent one!” Archer chirped.
There was a snort and then, “You’re so full of
shit, Davis!”
“No more than you are, Ramos!”
***
“Ahh, you did good, my faithful minion, you did
good.” Lena sighed, sinking further down into the tub,
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then she frowned when one giant bastard decided to
climb in and take up seventy-five percent of the tub.
“Exactly what the hell do you think you’re doing?
You’re supposed to wait for my command to get a
loofa and bathe me like a good servant, then gently pat
me dry, lay me down and moisturize my delicate skin
before tucking me in for a good night’s sleep.”
He smirked and leaned up to grip her waist and
bring her to straddle him. Nipping her earlobe and her
neck he retorted, “Or I can fuck you in the tub, soap
you down, fuck you again, rinse you off, fuck you
again, dry you off, fuck you again, and then lay you
down just to fuck you to sleep and fuck you awake in
the morning.”
She regally lifted a brow and stared down at him.
“You forgot to say ‘if it pleases the Queen.’”
He rose one back. “Or I can forget you just said
that and fu—”
Slapping one hand over his mouth she grabbed
the bottle of body wash behind him and her loofa.
“Scrub me servant.”
He opened his mouth and she raised a single
finger. “If the word fuck comes outta your mouth, the
next time you get to actually do the act, you will need a
pill to assist.”
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Giving her what she guessed was his “puppy
face” he took the loofa and body wash, and did as she
commanded.
***
He was going to die and he could accept that.
Why? Well mainly because this had to be the best way
to die; the very best. Lena’s knees gripped his sides as
she rode him hard. Unable to close his mouth or cut
off the groans pouring out, Archer stared up at her
gorgeous face, head titled to the side, biting her
bottom lip, those beautiful brown eyes shut tightly as
she bounced on his cock. What was the best part? The
brat was wearing his Stetson, his name along with
whimpers and groans dredging up from her throat.
The sight of those full breasts with tight
chocolate colored nipples, swaying with each down
thrust of her hips was just too much temptation to
ignore. Gripping her hips, he sat up and latched onto
one while taking control of her speed and when she
rolled her hips and ground down harder on him his
eyes crossed.
“Archer. Ah…shit.” Her hands came up to grip
his shoulders and she let him guide her. “Please.
Please…please.”
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A frustrated groan left her mouth and he saw a
frown forming. “Need to come, brat?” Archer
whispered in her ear.
She nodded. “Mmm-hmm.”
He didn’t stop his thrusts, just flattened her back
to the mattress and put her legs on his shoulders, not
caring that his hat came off her head and rolled onto
the floor. All he knew was how badly she needed to
come, and how it was his job to take care of that. He
put his thumb to her lips and watched as she didn’t
hesitate in sucking the tip in. Bringing that same
thumb down he pressed against her clit, rubbing in
slow circles that had her back arching as she called his
name again.
“Oh…oh… Oh fuck… Gonna…come.” Her nails
raked down his chest but he paid it no mind, too
focused on the look of absolute rapture that stole
across her features as he pinched her clit. With one
last cry, Lena’s shoulders left the bed and her inner
muscles squeezed him so hard he had no choice but to
follow. Archer almost bit his tongue, it felt so good.
His hips didn’t stop their insistent thrusts until the
lightning shooting up his scrotum stopped. Dropping,
he rolled to the side and pulled her with him.
Lena’s harsh breaths pelted his chest for a little
while before she finally managed to say, “You owe me
a week as my servant.”
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He sighed. Betting she couldn’t ride him as well
as she rode horses hadn’t been his brightest idea by
far, but dammit, it was so worth it.
“So, exactly what are we doing?” she asked.
Opening his eyes—which had begun to close with
the need for sleep, Archer said, “What?”
“What are we doing? Are we fuck buddies? Can
we date other people? Was this a one time-heat of the
moment, kind of thing?”
He stared down her and slowly replied, “If I even
think anything with a penis that doesn’t just so happen
to share some sort of family relation in your gene line
is looking at you with anything other than awe at how
unworthy of you they are, I’m tearing their head from
their body and shoving it up their ass. Repeatedly.”
Blinking, she laid her head back in its resting
place on his chest. “You’re more than a little crazy
aren’t you, Archer?”
He shrugged and retorted nonchalantly, “More
than a little.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “You
still pissed at me for the other night?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wasn’t trying to make a fool outta
you. When I said that, it was my ego talking. As a man
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I needed to know whether or not I was the only one
feeling that. It wasn’t me gloating.”
Feeling sleepy from the way his hands rubbed
her scalp, Lena snuggled deeper into him, kissed
where her head rested, and said, “Okay.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“No calling me an asshole?”
“Nope.”
“Okay, what’d you do to my food?”
She smiled and ran her hand over the ridges of
his stomach, noticing the way he shuddered a little at
her touch. “Nothing. I don’t wanna fight. I just wanna
sleep and wake up like this tomorrow. Is that okay
with you?”
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “That’s
more than okay with me.”
To
R
ESIST
“Hey, hey, hey you’re supposed to be sharing the
brownies.” Lena reached for the pan, only to have
Archer pull it back and scoot further away on the
family room floor.
“I made them so I eat however much I want,” he
replied around a mouth full of the chocolate
confection.
She rolled over and sat up before climbing onto
his back and snatching for the pan again. “That’s only
because I would’ve burnt the damn things, and then
you’d be complaining about how much I suck in the
kitchen.”
“I wasn’t complaining earlier today about how
much you suck in the kitchen.” He muttered it but she
still caught it and he got a slap upside the head for it.
“Shut up.”
Chuckling, Archer turned over so she was now
straddling his waist, and offered the pan. “I have a
feeling I’ll never see anything like that again if I don’t
share.”
She took one and stuck out her tongue. “You’re
damn right you wouldn’t.”
He leaned up to kiss her, enjoying the scent of
chocolate that clung to her skin when they both heard
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the same noise, truck doors slamming. Archer froze at
the same time as Lena before they both jumped up.
“Felix! Shit I forgot he was coming back
tonight!” While searching for her clothes, Lena threw
pillows back on the couch and grabbed the blanket off
the floor.
He was busy blowing out candles and searching
for his boxers. “My boxers! Where the hell are my
boxers?!”
“I don’t know!”
“Help me find them!”
“I can’t even find my own drawers!” They both
stopped when the top lock on the front door clicked.
“Shit! Here!” Lena tossed him the blanket and made a
run for it up the stairs. He would’ve stopped to ask
exactly how she managed to grab the whole pan of
brownies too but Felix had already stepped inside the
house, closing the door.
Archer stood very still, hoping maybe he’d walk
right past, too tired to notice and he was relieved when
Felix did just that.
The problem was just as quickly as he walked
past, he walked backwards again and stared at him.
“Dude, what the hell?”
Archer tied the blanket around his waist and
folded his arms across his chest. “Um…welcome
home?”
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“Why are you butt-bald in the middle of the
living room?” Felix asked.
Archer winced, scratched the back of his neck
and went, “Um…sleepwalking?”
“Why does it smell like brownies and vanilla
candles?”
“Um…I don’t know?”
“And why do you keep answering my questions
with questions?”
Before Archer could do it again, Lena
reappeared at the top of the stairs, stretching and
yawning, now clothed in a T-shirt and jersey shorts.
“Felix?” Her voice sounded drowsy.
Her brother looked up at her. “Hey, you. Did I
wake you up?”
She shook her head, tousled hair bouncing
around her shoulders. “Nah, I smelled brownies.” She
looked at Archer. “Dude, why are you naked in the
living room?”
“Uh…”
“And why does it smell like vanilla candles in
here?”
“Um…”
“Oh my God. Were you,” she waved a hand at
him, “romancing yourself?”
Archer bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t
laugh. The brat was good. He’d give her that. Since he
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67
didn’t want to die tonight, he continued his dumb act.
“Um…”
Felix shook his head. “That’s nasty man. Keep
that shit in your room. My sister’s here. What kind of
perv are you?” He grabbed his bag and started up the
stairs. “C’mon Lena. I don’t want you exposed to this
freak’s idea of a good time.”
“Yeah what kind of perv are you?” she repeated,
shooting him a disgusted look in front of her brother
but when Felix wasn’t looking she tossed a wink
toward Archer and then headed up the stairs.
***
The harder she laughed the more he did too,
until he was lying on his side and trying to draw in a
normal breath. He almost dropped the phone at least
three different times but managed to catch it before it
hit the floor.
“Paige you should’ve seen his face. He had that
whole deer-in-headlights-I’m-a-dumbass-look down
pat. It took everything I had not to laugh right then.
And Lena with her whole sleepy act almost broke me. I
don’t know how she managed to get up the stairs that
damn fast but I shouldn’t be surprised. Years of
running from getting in trouble have honed her
instincts. Sadly, she abandoned Archer without an
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ounce of help.” Felix was pleased, to say the least. His
little plan had worked. He’d managed to squeeze his
best friend and his sister together long enough to
realize they wanted each other. His little trip to New
Mexico was a complete fake. He’d actually spent a few
days holed up in a really nice hotel in Dallas, staying
out of sight and out of mind. Needless to say, life was
about to get a whole lot better.
Paige chuckled on the other end, and the sound
washed over him like a warm embrace. God, how he
loved it when she laughed. The way those green eyes
twinkled and her nose wrinkled just a little bit never
failed to make his heart skip. “Thank God, I was sick of
the fighting.”
Felix snorted. “Oh, they’ll still fight; it’ll just be a
little less intense.”
“Yeah, well I’m glad your matchmaking scheme
worked.”
“Well, there is another one I have up my sleeve.”
“Don’t even think about it, Ramos,” Paige
warned. “I’m not interested.”
“Really? Uninterested women don’t answer the
phone at midnight for a man they claim to hate.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“That’s a start.”
“But I’m not interested in being your next notch,
either. Just cut it already, Felix. It’s the chase, I get it
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but it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. You’re a
great guy and an even better older brother, but all I
can ever be is your friend. Got it?”
To that he replied, “Yeah, I heard you clearly.
You specifically said that if I keep chasing you,
eventually I’ll wear you down sometime in the near
future, and although you’ll publicly deny being my
wife and the mother of our bebês when it’s just us—
like now—you’ll tell me how great I am. Did I miss
anything?” For his effort all he got was the dial tone.
Felix chuckled as he lay back in bed. Paige had
no idea how hard or fast he was about to come for her,
but she would. And he’d make sure she loved every
single minute of it.
And
Fight
Ignoring her wasn't working. Every single time
he got even remotely close to her, he felt like he was
going to explode if he didn't touch her. Archer sighed
hard and leaned against the wall of the barn.
Hopefully no one would bug him today and that was
just what he needed. Thinking about Lena was
messing with his body in the worse way. Anytime she
even crossed his mind, his cock was up and asking,
“Lena? Where? Where's she at?” Problem was, with
Felix around, neither he nor his cock had seen much of
her this past week. He just couldn’t…enjoy her
knowing his best friend was under the same roof.
He rubbed his eyes and found himself
wondering exactly how the hell one woman could
inspire that much lust. No, wait, it wasn't exactly
lust...there was something that called to him. He
couldn't explain it, didn't exactly want to look too
deeply, but he had moments where he just wanted to
hold her—something that scared the hell out of him.
Archer wasn’t a...charmer. He was direct. Blunt, if you
will, but not charmer. He barked orders and asked
questions. That was about it so when he got around
Lena his asshole flag seemed to fly high.
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He didn't mean for it to, he just didn't know how
to deal with her. She was as stubborn and mouthy as
she was beautiful, and it was distracting. Sure he’d had
plenty of relationships but a great deal of them had
failed because he’d never really felt...well, anything.
Not like he felt when he was around Lena. Yeah, that
definitely scared the hell out of him.
***
The giant bastard was avoiding her. Granted, she
was avoiding him too, but she was still offended
nonetheless! He had a lot of nerve. Skulking around
like she would jump him on first sight! It had been a
week since they had any alone time and now every
time she appeared he vanished like a damned
magician. That shit was seriously starting to work a
nerve. It was fine by her. She didn’t want him right
now, anyway. Okay, maybe that was a lie. She wanted
him bad but he was just such a...jackass.
“Uh... Lena?” She swung around to face the
owner of that hesitant voice, scowling.
“What?” she snapped.
“Is something wrong?” Felix asked.
Scowling harder, she replied, “No, why do you
ask?” Was she talking through clenched teeth? Yup,
she definitely was.
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72
“Well, I just saw you kinda fling three whole
haystacks like they didn't weigh fifty pounds each and
I have to say I'm just a little frightened right now.” He
was backing up, hands up in defense, eyes wary.
Lena just followed slowly. “So what? What's that
supposed to mean? I can’t be strong without
something being wrong? You saying I’m weak?”
Felix shook his head. “No, no, no, I'm not saying
that at all. Just pointing out that you seem a little...on
edge today.”
“So now you're calling me unstable?”
“No! That's not what I meant! I mean you
seem...upset.”
“Ohhh, I get it! So now I'm an emotional wreck
huh? Is that it Felix?” The closer she got the more
afraid he started to look.
“I-I... Oh, fuck this.” Giving up all pretenses of
trying to make her feel better, he turned and fled.
***
“Um...Archer?”
Looking up, he scowled at Felix. He'd been
relaxing, looking out over the bull corrals and trying to
get his mind off a certain somebody. “What?” he
barked.
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73
Felix backed up a bit. “Um, did something
happen between you and Lena? Another fight maybe?”
Scowling harder, he asked, “Why do you wanna
know?”
Looking even more uncomfortable—if that was
possible—his friend shifted from one foot to the other,
rubbing the back of his neck. “Because she's been in a
really bad mood. Just a few minutes ago I was possibly
in jeopardy of losing my throat and a few other
important parts. I'm guessing that said bad mood had
something to do with you.”
“Really?” Archer grunted, as he folded his arms
across his chest while his eyes narrowed.
Felix took a few more steps back. “You two don't
get along. It's a well-known fact.”
“Unh-hunh.” He just kept staring.
“So I figured maybe if you talked to her about
what ever went on you guys could...make up.”
“Unh-hunh.” The staring continued as Felix
fidgeted.
“I tried to mention this to her but she was
looking at me...kinda the same way you are.”
“Unh-hunh.”
“I-I... Oh fuck this.” With that said, Felix turned
and made his way far, far away from Archer. Well if
Lena was in a bad mood then that meant she was
missing him as much as he was missing her. Perhaps it
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74
was time to stop the avoidance and take another way
of dealing with her.
***
“He's just such a...such a...”
“Asshole?” Paige supplied dryly from the other
end of the phone.
“Exactly! At least you understand,” Lena
grumbled, pacing around her backyard, watching from
a distance as hands milled about.
“Perhaps it’s the fact that you stated it at least
twenty times already.”
“Don’t be sassy, Paige. Nobody likes sassy
people.”
There was a snort then, “Somebody should send
that memo to you and if you’re so upset, why not tell
him?”
“I’m not sassy, and I'm not telling him because
he's an asshole, so he doesn't deserve to know.”
“You’re the sassiest person I know, and he can't
stop being an asshole if you don't tell him now, can
he?” Paige asked.
Lena thought about that for a second before
muttering, “I hate you.”
“You and three hundred other people.”
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75
“It's good they hate you. You're doing something
right.”
“I suppose it's better than having them fear me
and my reign of terror,” Paige stated.
“Och!” Lena threw up her hands despite Paige's
inability to see her. “You throw one chair at a worker's
head then you're a horrible person!” She kept
forgetting Paige had witnessed that while visiting her
in Florida.
“It wasn't the chair; it was the pair of scissors
that followed.”
“You're forgetting the fact that he called me a
bitch!” Lena pointed out.
“Was he that far off base?”
Her lips twitched as she imagined Paige's
customary brow raise. “I may be a bitch, but you're a
robot.”
“You say that like I haven't accepted it already.”
“You...” Lena's voice trailed off as she turned to
find Archer watching her, something partially
unreadable in his expression.
“I have to go, the asshole has landed.”
“Shouldn't that be 'The eagle has landed'?”
“I'm pretty sure it would be if I weren't talking
about him.”
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Paige snorted again. “I'll call you later to tell you
why I'm gonna murder your brother and the reason
you should accept his fate.”
“That should be a pleasant story,” Lena retorted
before hanging up.
Archer just stood there...staring.
“What do you want?” she finally asked.
“Why are you bullying Felix?” he asked, his head
tilting to the side. She ignored the way the setting sun
glinted off those light brown irises.
“Why do you care? You’ve been avoiding me all
week.” Damn, she really hadn't meant to add that last
part.
Archer grinned and waggled his brows a bit.
“Miss me, did you?”
She snarled a little. “No, what do you want?”
“Oh c'mon, brat. Admit it. You're upset that you
didn't get your daily dose of Archer.”
“You. Are. An. Asshole.”
If anything he just grinned harder. “So you did
miss me.”
“I miss you not being around.”
He put one large hand to his chest. “You wound
me.”
“I could make that happen,” she muttered
starting around him but he just blocked her way,
chuckling.
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77
“All right, all right...I’ve been avoiding you.”
“Aha!”
He raised a brow. “Are you done, Sherlock?”
Deflating, she said, “Yeah.” Then asked, “Why
were you avoiding me? Because you thought I'd jump
you in front of everyone?”
“Jump me?” He seemed to consider that before
he replied, “No, not jump me. A little fondling?” His
large shoulders lifted. “Maybe.”
Lena smiled a little despite herself. “You're an
idiot.”
“An idiot that you missed. Let's not forget that.”
“Put your cocky away, Archer. It's not cute.”
“Yes, it is because I myself happen to think I'm
adorable.”
“Yes, adorable like puppies, but there are times
where even those wear on nerves.”
“You're ornery because you missed me,” he sung.
“What're you, like five?”
“No, but I am sorry I’ve been an asshole. With
Felix around I just can’t…ya know?” Taking off his
Stetson he ran a hand through his hair. “It's just that
you and I... And you're so... And I’m so... Well, you're a
pain in my ass because I want you so damn bad and I
can’t even touch you.”
Was she supposed to do something other than
laugh? “Oh that's charming.”
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78
He threw up his hands and placed the Stetson
back on his head. “See, that's the thing! I’m not
charming. I don't charm. I can't charm, and that’s a
part of what so great about you. You don't need all that
charming bullshit!”
Raising a brow she queried, “I don't?”
“No! Because you're a pain in the ass!” Grinning,
he waved a hand between the two of them. “See? I'm
an asshole and you're a pain in the ass! This is a
dynamic that works!”
Lena couldn't help it, she laughed again. He was
just so damn cute when he was trying to find logic
where there was none. “Really?”
“Yup! Therefore I think arguing is a moot point
now. It's been established that I love you and you love
me—”
“Wait, wait, and wait. I never said that,” she
interrupted, waving her hands, her heart skipping at
what he’d just admitted.
“No but I know you do.” He shrugged like it was
a fact.
“Wow...you're one arrogant bastard.”
“And you're a spoiled brat.” Grinning, he
touched his two pointer fingers together. “Working
dynamic.”
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79
She snorted and shook her head. “There are
some serious issues going on inside that kumquat on
your shoulders.”
“That may be true but you love me and my
kumquat head,” he pointed out.
Lena stared at him. “Are you ready to tell Felix?”
He took a deep breath. “Lena I want to, but with
you being his sister…”
“That didn’t matter a week ago. It shouldn’t
matter now.”
“It shouldn’t. I mean it doesn’t, but I have to find
the best way to tell him. I mean, I can’t just walk up to
him and say, ‘Hey, remember that trip you took? Oh
yeah, while you were gone, I decided your sister—your
little sister, your beloved and spoiled sister that you
hold over almost everyone—is to be the future carrier
of my bloodline and my wife.’” Archer was pacing now.
Her heart sank just a little. “Until you can do
that, I won’t be the future carrier of your bloodline or
your wife,” Lena said softly. Then ignoring the brief
flash of hurt that crossed his face, she walked away
wondering if he was willing to lose his best friend in
order to gain her.
***
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80
Yes, he was moping. How could he not mope?
How in the hell was he supposed to fix this one? Lose
his best friend and get his wife, or lose his wife and
keep his best friend? Shit, circumstances were hard
and he was in a tight spot but he already knew the
answer. He wanted Lena more than anything, and if
Felix had a problem with that, he’d let him beat the
shit out of him—but he wasn’t giving her up. Archer
was all set to storm into Felix’s home office and tell
him that but the other man was already waiting.
Felix stared him in the face and laid out
blueprints along with Lena’s plans for their dad’s old
truck before saying, “This is how you’re gonna fix your
fuck-up with my sister, and how I’m gonna finally get
Paige. Sit your slow-to-the-uptake ass down and let’s
get started.”
“Well shit,” Archer said, doing as he was
demanded.
Your
Very
“You know I’m bored as hell when I decide to sit
and watch you tinker a way with a car,” Paige stated,
walking beside Lena as she headed for the barn, tools
in hand and ready to start fixing her daddy’s truck.
“First of all, it’s a truck—a 1940 Ford pickup, to
be exact. Daddy got it from Poppa. One of the hands
said the parts I ordered are finally here,” Lena
corrected, more than eager to get to the barn and take
her mind of off Archer.
Another week had gone by and there were no
kisses, no touches, and no lovemaking. His choice had
been clear—Felix. She’d spent enough days feeling like
a fool and crying in between staying the hell away
from him. Anytime he even looked like he was
entering her space she got the hell out of Dodge. She
couldn’t deal with it, not now and possibly not ever.
“All I heard was ‘Blah, blah, blah, Daddy, blah,
blah, Poppa.’ Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?”
Paige said dryly.
“I am on vacation, and if you’re gonna be a pain
in the ass, could you at least be a silent pain in the
ass?”
“This brooding side of you is no fun at all.”
“I’m not brooding,” Lena lied.
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82
She scoffed. “Yeah, right. You’re not brooding.
Just like you’re not doing this just to take your mind
off of Archer.”
“Paige…”
“All right, all right. I’ll drop it for now but you
know I’m right.”
“I don’t know shit except for the fact that I’m
about to bludgeon you with this wrench.”
“Wow, you used bludgeon in an actual sentence,”
her friend said with sarcastic awe.
Lena rolled her eyes and kept walking. The barn
now in full view. She finally reached it and they walked
through the doors just to freeze in place.
Lena took in the sight before her, trying to figure
out if she’d drunk way too much wine the night before.
The barn was a barn on the outside, but on the
inside it looked just like her shop in Florida.
Everything from the equipment down to the very last
tool was a replica. “What the hell?”
She stepped inside, watching a bunch of dudes
wipe down her daddy’s truck. Only, it wasn’t the same
old ‘tin can’ like before. No, it had been worked and
reworked down to the flame paint job she’d had
planned for it. Chrome shone and sparkled as the team
finished polishing it. She could clearly see the inside
interior of red leather with her name inscribed on the
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83
seats. They’d even managed to lower it just the way
she wanted.
“What. The. Hell?” Lena said again, a little
louder this time—which got the crew’s attention. They
all spread out, smiling at her. “Who are you?”
“They,” a deep voice said not too far behind her,
“are your new crew.”
She turned to find Archer and Felix watching
with slightly amused expressions on their faces.
“Dude…what the hell?” Okay, she probably needed to
come up with a better response than that, but well,
right now she was flustered.
Felix stepped up; his arms spread wide, a grin on
his face. “Welcome to LR Exclusive, Texas edition.”
“Wait. This place is mine?”
“Yeah, it is. All yours. And so is this giant
dumbass.” Felix reached back to haul Archer out of the
doorway and push him in front of her. “Got something
to tell her, said dumbass?”
Archer gave him the finger without turning away
from her. “Yes, I do.”
“Archer, what is all of this?” She waved her
hands around, confused.
“It’s my way of saying sorry for being an idiot. I
should’ve done this the right way weeks ago but I was
too scared.”
“Irrationally, I might add,” Felix piped up.
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84
This time Archer used both hands to flip her
brother the bird. “Yes, it was irrational, but as I’ve
been told I can be slow on the uptake at times.”
“Very slow,” Felix added.
Lena looked over at him. “Darling big brother?”
“Yes, wonderful little sister?”
“Please shut the fuck up so Archer can finish
telling me how much he loves me and what he did for
me this week.”
“But—”
Paige put a hand over his mouth. “Zip it.” Then
she pulled back in disgust to wipe her palm on her
jeans. “Eeuw. Did you just lick me?”
“Yup.” Felix grinned.
“You’re disgusting.”
“All right! That’s it! Everybody out!” Archer
roared.
Said roar did the job because everybody but he
and Lena scattered like ants under bug spray. Inhaling
deeply he turned back to her and exhaled. “Now, as I
was saying. I’ve been trying to fight how I felt about
you our whole lives, but I’m done fighting it. It’s tiring
trying to pretend I don’t need to see you every day, or
kiss you, or just be near you. I’m done going to bed
alone every night wondering if I’m on your mind as
much as you’re on mine. Some days I love you so hard
it scares the shit out of me. I was using Felix as an
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85
excuse, but I’m finished doing that now. I wanna roll
over and wake up next to you in the morning. I wanna
get on your nerves so bad while you’re trying to fix a
car that you kick me outta your shop. I wanna trade
barbs with you until it turns into a bout of rigorous,
angry sex.”
At that point she was laughing. Archer smiled,
his eyes twinkling. “I want you to love me as much as I
love you. And I really want you to say you’ll take this
shop and the crew I hired. Please consider that if you
don’t, it’ll do more than break my heart, it’ll break my
legs too because those dudes don’t fuck around about
their work.” He had to hold her up after that one.
Lena’s sides hurt and the world was blurry. She was
crying while laughing at a mix of happiness and
Archer’s stupid jokes.
She looked up at him as he brushed the tears
away with his thumbs. “I’m waiting for the finale.”
He kissed her once and got down on bended
knee before pulling out a ring box. He opened it and
her heart stopped. His eyes held nothing but pure
unadulterated love. “Would you like to marry me
tomorrow, or a week from now? Either one works for
me. I understand that you might need that week to
take this all in.”
Nikki Winter
86
Lena shook her head as she dropped to her
knees with a grin and hugged him tight. For once, she
wasn’t about to argue with him.
Sweet
Allure
Five years later…
“Maaaaaaaaaaaa!” Lena’s eyes crossed at the
shriek but she slid from under the car she was working
on anyway, despite her urge to stay there and stay
silent. There she found her, kicked up unlaced
sneakers, jeans with grass and oil stains all over them,
a too big T-shirt and a ball cap low on her little head,
hiding that pretty face and those light brown eyes.
Those were her favorite play clothes, the ones she
came to the shop in or ran around in. She had her
thumb stuck in her mouth with one hand and her
football in the other. God, she was adorable.
Sighing, Lena scooped her up. “How did your
daddy manage to lose you this time, Abby?”
Her daughter grinned around that thumb and
held up the ball. “Football, Ma! Football!”
Lena blew out a breath. “Mommy’s working right
now, baby. I can’t play.”
Abby held up the ball again, her mouth in a pout,
those wide eyes staring at her. With one word, she
broke her. “Pwease.”
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88
Shaking her head, she started outside to the field
they always played in. “So much for installing that V8
engine today.”
Abby cheered, “Football!”
***
He tore outta the house with Liam in his arms.
One minute. He had taken his eyes off of her for one
minute and she was gone. “Lena’s gonna kill me.”
His son giggled.
Archer briefly looked down at him. “Not helping,
kid.”
He found Felix near the stables. “Please tell me
you know where Abby is.”
His brother in law chuckled. “Out in the field
playing touch football with Lena.”
Archer blew out a breath. “Thank God.” He
didn’t have a clue how his daughter managed it but
she was stealthy as hell. One second he was changing a
diaper and in the next he was looking for his wife’s
mini-me all over creation.
They were exactly where Felix said, running back
and forth, rolling around in the grass, giggles and
chuckles adding sound effects. Archer grinned when
his baby threw the ball down and yelled, “Touch down!
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89
In yo face, Ma!” She got scooped up and swung around
for her efforts, squealing all the while.
Liam kicked his little legs, whining until Archer
finally let him wobble and penguin-walk his way over
to his mother and sister. Lena grinned wider and
grabbed him up too.
If there was ever a time he couldn’t stop smiling,
it was right then. Had someone told him twenty-odd
years ago that the football loving-skinned up knobby
kneed-originator of the phrase “Suck me” would be the
one to make his life complete after she stumbled
through her mother’s kitchen all dirty, he would’ve
told them to fuck off.
Now…well now, Archer was more than glad he’d
finally stop denying Lena’s strange but very sweet
allure.
**
Nikki
**
N
IKKI
W
INTER
When Nikki wrote her first story in the tenth grade, she knew
without a doubt she was destined for greatness. Now if she
could just convince everyone else…
Buckling down, she’s taken the time to polish what she refers to
as her “writing superiority.” She hopes that the tales she has
created grab the readers’ attention, and make them devoted
slaves to her will fans. If you want to let her know just how
absolutely, positively awesome she is, you can always e-mail her
at
, friend her on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/people/Nikki-
, or follow her on Twitter as
@NikkiWinter19.
