“Give it a rest, man.”
The sound of Jax had me looking in his direction. Him and Charlie watched me with identical smirks on their faces.
“What?” I knew what they were referring to, but playing stupid would have them shutting up. At least I hoped it did. I should have known better though.
“Why don’t you just go talk to her, end your suffering,” Charlie said, and the look I gave him had his smile fading and him going right back to working on the coop.
“Why don’t you boys just get back to work and not worry about what I should or shouldn’t do?” I lifted a brow but couldn’t help the smirk on my face. It wasn’t like I was trying to hide my infatuation for Macey. Hell, I stared at her every chance I got.
Maybe I did need a little shove in the direction to just have the balls to talk to her.
“The way you stare at her is starting to creep me out, so I can’t imagine what she’s thinking about it,” Jax said, and the brothers started laughing.
I snorted and shook my head, turning my back to Macey, because that was the only way I wasn’t going to keep looking at her.
They were right though. She probably thought I was one hell of a creep to just keep staring at her. I tried to do it when she wasn’t looking, but I didn’t even care if she saw. Hell, I wanted her to notice, so I could see her reaction, so I could see if maybe she felt the same way. So I could read her body language.
“Just go over there, talk to her, and tap that shit, dude,” Charlie said, and I growled low.
“Don’t talk about her like that, Charlie.”
He held her hands up. “Sorry, man. No disrespect intended.”
“Just get back to work,” Jax muttered under his breath, and the brothers did just that.
It was best that way, because I found any disrespect toward Macey had me extremely territorial and possessive. I wanted to protect her, even from words.
I ran a hand over my mouth and looked over my shoulder to see Macey turning around to head back in the house.
Just then, the wind picked up, and the bottom of her dress moved around her legs almost violently. And then the fucking material flew up to her waist for a second before she righted it. But I’d seen those little white panties she wore, the way the material barely covered her luscious ass. I groaned, not even caring if the brothers heard me. Her ass had been so fucking plump, perfect and round. I wanted to sink my teeth into the flesh. I wanted to part it and run my tongue up the center.
I bet she tasted even sweeter than she looked.
God, she was fucking perfect.
My cock hardened, and I reached down to adjust myself. I glanced at Jax and Charlie, saw they were focused on the coop, but I also noticed their smirks. They’d heard my groan but were smart enough not to say anything.
I came to the resolution, just right then and there, that I would try my hardest to stay away from Macey and keep things professional, but a little voice in the back of my head laughed its ass off and whispered, We’ll see.
Chapter Six
Macey
Two weeks later
The last two weeks had flown by. I really only saw Dalton for meals and when he finally came in for the night to clean up and go to bed. He worked so hard, and he reminded me of my father in that sense. Covered in dirt and sweat, skin golden from working outside all day in the sun, hands calloused from the manual labor. I appreciated and respected what he did, and I found myself growing more attracted to him each day.
I found myself falling for him in more than just a physical sense.
I focused on the here and now. I was cleaning the living room, and although I did it daily, the truth was the wind brought in dust constantly through the screen door. But it was just too nice to keep everything shut in—that and I’d be sweltering in here like a furnace was on. But cleaning kept me busy, and the pride I felt when things were in their rightful place, when everything looked nice and organized, made me feel good.
I had two jobs to do, cook and clean. And I sure as hell was going to kick ass at them.
I picked up one of the few pictures he had and stared at it. I assumed it was a young Dalton and his parents. His mother held him in her arms, a smile on her face. Over the last couple weeks, we talked here and there about personal things, conversing about our families. I knew his parents were gone, that he had no one else to take over the ranch when he retired. I’d seen the disappointment in his face after he said that, but he’d quickly hidden it, masking his feelings.
I’d come to realize that Dalton didn’t like to show what he perceived as weakness. I didn’t know if that was man thing, a rancher personality, or maybe it was just all Dalton.
I gave it a good wipe-down with my rag and set it back where I found it on the fireplace mantle. Once all the glass was cleaned, I did the vacuuming, fluffed the couch pillows, wiped off the leather sofas, and gave the room a good onceover to make sure I didn’t forget anything.
It was going on lunchtime, and although I always made a huge breakfast spread for Dalton and the brothers, I knew they were always famished come the next meal.
I headed to the room I now called my own and started putting away the load of laundry I’d gotten done folding and ironing this morning. I’d already done it with Dalton’s clothes, and although it wasn’t a requirement he’d asked of me in this position, I didn’t mind helping out any way I could. He helped me out so much already, even if he’d never fully understand that.
Once done, I made my way into the kitchen to start lunch. Most days, it was something cold and easy, quick things they could eat, because that’s what they said they preferred. It was only breakfast that I went overboard, because I knew how much energy they’d need. Then dinner, I made sure to have a really good meal prepared for Dalton. By then, Jax and Charlie were gone, and it was just us. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t really look forward to our dinners, when we’d just sit and talk, when things were comfortable and relaxed.
I headed into the kitchen and stopped by the window above the sink to watch Dalton. He was close enough that when he lifted up the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat and dirt from his face, I saw his toned, six-pack abdomen in clear view. He had a trail of dark hair starting below his navel that disappeared into his jeans. Everything in me tightened, and I actually reached out and gripped the edge of the counter.
Girl, get your mind out the gutter.
And that’s exactly where my thoughts went. What did he look like naked? How accurate was that bulge he sported?
I turned away and went through the task of cooking lunch, having decided on sandwiches, homemade potato salad, fresh-squeezed lemonade, watermelon slices, and some chips. Once everything was prepared and on the table, I was about to holler for them to come eat but noticed they were already headed up to the house. I couldn’t help but chuckle; their stomachs were better than any damn clock around.
I focused on washing dishes just as I heard the front door open and the screen slam shut. Jax and Charlie started arguing as they headed into the bathroom to clean up.
This was my new normal, and God, I was loving it.
I was just cleaning up the mess from dinner when I felt Dalton step into the kitchen. He’d taken a shower right after the meal, and I swore I could smell the pine soap he used wafting from the bathroom and filling the kitchen.