Killian (The Sons of Dusty Walker Book 3) (3 page)

“You were here first,” the hot angel pointed out.

“I’m in no rush. Take care of your customers.”

“Well, okay.” Her smile made his errant cock jump. “But don’t leave.”

“I won’t.” Not even if someone paid him.

“Good morning, Billy.” She smiled at a tall, stocky man, with graying hair, wearing a plaid shirt, and jeans. “Your usual?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “I swear you make the best pastries in Kansas, Lexie.”

Okay, so this was the owner, Lexie Choate. Somehow the name fit her, sparkly fun with a subtle sexy overlay. He had to stop himself from licking his lips.

He took the opportunity to scan the interior of Heart Starter. The owner had put together a very attractive place. Cafe tables and chairs occupied much of the polished wood plank floor. Framed colorful artwork hung on the walls, giving the place a warm feeling. A counter ran the length of the wall opposite the door, with all the equipment and supplies for coffee on shelves behind it. One end of the counter topped a glass display case with an assortment of pastries. Adjacent to all that was a small refrigerator case with sandwiches.

Apparently, she had just stocked a fresh batch of goodies because the aroma of cinnamon and sugar filled the room, mingling with the scent of fresh-roasted coffee and making his mouth water.

The tempting little blonde expertly filled the orders, smiling and chatting as she did so.

“Thanks for stopping in,” she said as she rang up the purchases. “It’s always good to see you. And, Risa, tell your sister if she’s still interested in something part-time to come by and see me.”

“I will,” the woman named Risa said. “She’ll be so excited. With her youngest in day care, she really wants to get out and do something.”

“I’d love to have her.” Lexie smiled as she handed the woman her change. Then she turned her hundred-watt smile on Killian. “Have you decided what you’d like?”

Yes. You.

“I’d like to have dinner with you.”

Had he asked her out? He could hardly believe the words had dropped out of his stupid mouth. He wanted to smack himself. God, was he a dumbass or what?

Lexie stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“Uh, black with a shot of espresso, please. And I’ll take a couple of those cinnamon rolls.” Then, he couldn’t help himself. “And I still want to take you to dinner.”

She didn’t say anything while she fixed his coffee and slid a couple of rolls onto a small plate for him. He waited while she processed his payment, wondering if she’d even respond to his invitation.

“Take any of the tables.” She laughed. “We’re not busy at the moment. You just beat the noon rush.”

But he stood there at the counter, stubbornly, unable to believe what he was doing. This was so not like him. He’d met his share of women both in his hometown and when he travelled to Great Falls, and he hadn’t been tongue-tied with any of them. Or with any of those he’d had a more extended relationship with. So, why was he suddenly acting like a teenager?

“Well?” he finally prompted.

She cocked her head and studied him for long moments. “You’re new here,” she said at last. “You’re one of the Walker boys. Is this week your turn?”

Fuck.
Was the whole sordid story common news here?

“I’m Killian.” He held out his hand.

She took it, her warm, soft skin igniting the blood in his veins. Or maybe it was the intense irritation at being the object of common gossip.

“Lexie Choate. Welcome to Red Creek and Heart Starter.”

“So, does everyone in Red Creek know all the grimy details?” he asked.

She gave a slight shrug. “Dusty lived here forever and was always larger than life. When the four of you came for the meeting with the attorney, everyone’s curiosity jumped about a hundred points. Word got out and, yes, you can’t blame people for talking about it. The story is a little unusual.”

“To say the very least.” He couldn’t keep the edge of bitterness from his voice.

A tiny frown creased her forehead. “You all aren’t happy about the money?”

The money. Right.

“It’s all the rest of the baggage that’s hard to swallow. It’s tough to learn at our age that we’re all bastards.”

Shock washed over her face. “Oh, Killian. No one in this town thinks of all of you that way. We loved Dusty. He shared his success with Red Creek and did a lot for this town.”

Killian picked up his cup and took a healthy swallow, even as hot as it was. “That so?”

“Yes, it is. You should take the time to learn about him while you’re here this week.”

“Maybe you could tell me about it over dinner.”

She laughed, a wonderful silvery sound. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“No, ma’am.” He grinned. “Not when it’s something worth having.”

“But you don’t even know me,” she protested.

“That’s what the dinner is for.” He waited with barely controlled impatience for her answer. “You could take the opportunity to tell me about Red Creek.”

Finally she gave a quick nod. “Okay, but only because you’re Dusty’s kin, so I can count on you to be trustworthy.”

His cock sent him an urgent message.
Not on your life.
He willed it into submission. One thing at a time.

“I’ll take it any way I can get it,” he assured her. “What time is good for you?”

“Seven? I close the shop at five thirty. I need some time to get ready.”

He wanted to tell her she looked ready now. Instead, he said, “Seven is good. You’ll need to give me your address.”

“Not very far. I live upstairs.”

“Nice and convenient. Okay, works for me.”

The bell rang again, and a fairly large group of people crowded inside. Her lunch rush was about to start.

Killian took his plate and half-filled cup to one of the tables and ate slowly, watching Lexie at work. She was cheerful, smiling, joking with people, exchanging personal comments. It was obvious this was a popular place, and everyone in Red Creek loved the owner.
And why not?
he asked himself.
What’s not to love?

He almost hoped she had a hidden personality disorder or was running from the law. Anything to discourage and put a lid on his sudden attack of raging hormones. He might as well have been sixteen again. What the fuck was wrong with him? He was here on serious business, with no time for this stuff. Besides, he had carefully guarded himself all this time from any kind of meaningful situation. Now, it was even more important, knowing he had Dusty Walker’s genes. What kind of husband would he be, when cheating was in his DNA?

Husband? Jesus, Killian. Stupid much?

He gave himself a mental shake, bussed his table, and got in line again.

“Hungry for more?” She grinned.

“Two honey buns to go.”

Now she gave a full-out laugh. “I see Abby’s got you trained your first day on the job.”

“I have to take good care of her. Otherwise, I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“She’s the one to show you. We all believe she’s the one who keeps that office together.”

A sudden, unpleasant thought struck him, one he wasn’t sure he had the nerve to ask.

“Uh, so she worked for Dusty for a long time?”

“Yes, and get your mind out of the gutter.” The frown was back. “They never had anything more than a working relationship.”

He held up his hands. “Sorry. Didn’t mean too imply otherwise.” He took the little box she handed him. “See you at seven.”

“Seven o’clock.”

On his walk back to the office, he mulled the whole thing over, stunned at what had happened. This was so far out of his wheelhouse he couldn’t begin to understand why he’d done it. Since he’d hit puberty, there had been no shortage of women. Ever. He wasn’t a pussy hound, but he knew all he had to do was wink at a female when he was out with the guys and things got going. Maybe he’d taken too much for granted and didn’t appreciate the women who came his way. But Lexie was from a whole different world, and, for her, he needed to clean up his act.

No, what he really needed to do was shut the whole thing down before he got into trouble. He’d suddenly realized when the reality of his heritage came out, he might not be such a bargain for a woman, the money aside. What if he turned out to be a cheater just like Dusty? Besides, he wasn’t going to be around here long. He had no intention of making Red Creek his home, now or ever.

Shit, shit, shit
. His hands itched to grab the piece of rope he always fiddled with when his thoughts got out of hand. It was his pacifier, his comfort toy, and a lot more. He’d stuck it in a drawer in his desk when he got to the office, keeping it out of sight. Now, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on it. It always helped him think, among other things. Sort out his thoughts and feelings.

Abby grinned at him when he walked back into the office.

“Did you get lunch?”

He shook his head. “Wasn’t that hungry. But I had some great pastries. And here.” He handed her the box. “This is for you.”

She chuckled. “You remembered. You get definite points for this. So I guess you met Lexie. Isn’t she a sweetheart?”

“I asked her out to dinner.” The words fell out of his mouth like stones.
Great. Just great.

Elaine stared, her eyes nearly drilling holes through him. “Isn’t that a little fast, cowboy?”

Irritation scratched at him. “Is there a problem?”

She lifted her hands, palms up. “Don’t know. But you’re only here for a week. What happens then?”

Killian didn’t want to make an enemy of this woman whose help he needed so badly, but he also didn’t need a nursemaid or hall monitor.

“It’s dinner, you know. Besides, she seems smart enough to make up her own mind about a date. And that’s all it is, a dinner date.”

Elaine studied him again. “Just watching out for my town.”

“Well, your town seems to know every damn detail of this situation. It didn’t seem to scare Lexie off.” He was starting to get really pissed off. “I should think you’d be glad I’m making friends in this town.”

Elaine finally gave him a smile. “I am. I’m telling you to be straight with her. Don’t promise something you won’t deliver. You don’t even expect to be here after this week.”

“Why don’t we wait and see what happens? If I screw up, you can beat my ass.”

“And you can bet I will.” She sat back in her chair and opened the little box on her desk. “Of course, these honey buns will go a long way toward sweetening me up.”

“One more thing,” he said. “How is it everyone knows all the details about this?”

Elaine shrugged. “Word gets around.”

That apparently was all he was going get for the moment.

“Fine, but I’m not done asking.”

“Meanwhile, how about tackling the latest pile I put on your desk?” She bit into one of the buns, a sure signal the conversation was over.

Chapter Two

Lexie didn’t think Killian Walker had been around long enough to scope out the restaurant scene, so she decided she’d suggest a couple of places to him. Casual places. Everyone knew he, like his brothers, was required to stay for one week. The others had made it plain when they got to Red Creek the week was all they’d commit to. She figured Killian was probably just looking for some female companionship to pass the time. She still couldn’t believe she’d accepted his dinner invitation. Since she’d come back to Red Creek, trailing the disaster her personal life had become, she’d refused to date any of the men in town who kept asking her. No more relationships. Been there, done that, had the tee shirt to prove it. Seemingly, her judgment where men were concerned was seriously flawed.

But the minute she’d clapped eyes on him at Heart Starter, every female hormone stood up and saluted while all her girl parts began planning a celebration. She was tempted for the first time since she’d run home to Red Creek, pulling the tatters of her life around her. She wanted to think it was because she’d been on sexual hiatus for a long time while she sorted out her life. She ignored the internal warning he was big trouble for her. The impact he made on her evidently froze all her brain cells. Maybe she was overdue for a fling. And if he was leaving, not staying here, she didn’t have to worry about the messy aftermath.

Right. You just keep saying that
.

If she was honest with herself, though, it really had to do with the appeal surrounding Killian like a cloud of electricity. His black shirt and jeans had emphasized his lean, rangy yet muscular body and made his eyes as dark as ebony. The square jaw and high cheekbones framed a face accented by thick brows and lashes. There was a tiny scar at one corner of his mouth and another faint one running down his left cheekbone. She knew via the grapevine he worked on a ranch outside the town where he lived in Montana. Had he gotten them there, or was he a brawler, wearing his badges of war?

Whatever the answer, her palms itched to smooth over the hard wall of his chest and the taut muscles of his ass. His ass? Holy crap! Where was her mind? She might be a sensuous creature—if she remembered that was—but she didn’t have those kinds of random thoughts about men. Certainly not one she’d met for five minutes.

She took one last check in the bathroom mirror, fluffed her hair slightly, and decided this was as good as it was going to get. She was crazy. She should have worn her least-flattering clothes and made herself dull as dishwater. But she was so ready for something new in her life. If it was only for one week, so be it. And Killian Walker was exactly what she needed. She just had to convince him.

Instead, she’d changed into a new pair of skinny jeans with rhinestone studs, a deep-purple tank, and a gauzy white blouse over it, tied at the waist. Sandals with medium heels and dangly earrings completed the outfit. She wanted to knock his socks off, so when he left, he’d carry a good memory of her with him. Excitement coursed through her as she thought about the evening ahead and all the possibilities.

She heard the sound of booted feet on the outside stairs, followed by a knock on the door. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, wiped her palms on her jeans, and opened the door. And literally had to haul her tongue back into her mouth.