Page 5 of A Taste of Whiskey
Truck headlights lit up the road. There were a few cabins beyond his, and just as he wondered who it was, Sasha’s truck came into focus. She was at the top of that list of wonderful people. He and Gus had moved to the ranch when Gus was barely one, when he’d separated from his ex-wife, with whom he now shared custody. Sasha had been there for him and Gus through his messy divorce, and in the years since, she’d become one of their closest friends. She often took care of Gus when Ezra’s unreliable ex failed to show up for her scheduled nights with him and Ezra had to work or had club commitments. Sasha often stuck around afterward, and they’d talk, have a drink by the fire, or watch a movie.
He waved as she pulled into the driveway, trying to ignore the prickle of desire that had always been there but had become even harder to tamp down lately.
She climbed out of her truck looking like she rolled out of every country boy’s wet dream, leggy and beautiful in a short floral dress and those fancy brown cowgirl boots with flowers on them that were so veryher.
“Hey, Ez. I saw your fire and thought I’d stop by. I hope that’s okay.”
“You know it is. Get over here.”
She laughed softly, her long blond hair falling in gentle waves as she walked over to the fire. She was all dolled up with smoky eyes and a soft shade of lipstick.Damn, she smelled good, too. Like vanilla and cocoa. A far cry from the fresh-faced, ponytail-wearing girl who usually smelled like hay and horses, which oddly enough, smelled really fucking good on her.
“Is Gusto sleeping?”
“Like a bear. He said to tell Sugar good night if I saw her.” Gus had a big-time crush on Sasha. He called her Sugar, which he’d picked up from Dare’s casual use of the endearment when speaking about his female friends. What Ezra didn’t tell her was what Gus asked him to do nearly every time he kissed him good night.If you see Sugar, give her a good-night kiss for me.Ezra was strong but not strong enough to do that without wanting more. Not even for his son.
“He’s the sweetest. How many stories did it take tonight?”
“Only three.” Gus had recently learned the art of negotiation and had been using it at every opportunity.
“You got off easy.” She shivered and crossed her arms. “I didn’t realize it was so chilly tonight.” June evenings in Colorado could be nippy.
“Come here.” He took her hand, bringing her closer to the fire, and shrugged off his zip-up hoodie. “Put this on.” He held it up, helping her into it.
“Sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not. You look cute in it.” He straightened it on her shoulders. “I always run hot anyway.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” She held his gaze a beat longer than usual and tucked her hair behind her ear, flashing the breathtaking smile that always did him in.
Everything about the woman made him want her in ways he shouldn’t, from her alluring hazel eyes and caring nature to the hint of innocence she still gave off, which contrasted sharply with her innate sensuality. But that innocence wasn’t naivete. It was a reflection of her pure, loving heart. Sasha Whiskey had become his biggest conundrum. She’d been the star of his spank bank when he was younger, and she’d become so much more. But she was the last person he should be thinking about like that for too many reasons to count, including the fact that her parents, Tiny and Wynnie, ran Redemption Ranch. Wynnie was his boss, and Tiny was also the founder and president of the motorcycle club.
So why, after all these years, am I still thinking about you that way?He’d been asking himself that forever, and the answer was still nowhere in sight.
“You look nice. Were you out with the girls tonight?”
“No, but that probably would have been more fun.” She lowered herself into a chair by the fire. “I was on a date.”
He needed a drink for this conversation. “Hold that thought. I’ll grab us some drinks. I’ll be right back.” He went inside and got two beers for himself and a Truly hard seltzer and a bag of peanut M&M’s for Sasha, shoving that wicked spear of jealousy down deep before he headed back out. He found Sasha rubbing her thighs, for warmth, he assumed. His mind refused to behave, trudging down a dark path, imagininghishands spreading those gorgeous thighs, and—
“You got more Truly,” she said cheerily.
Silently berating himself for letting his mind wander, he opened the can and handed it to her. “I got you these, too, but I didn’t take the time to make popcorn.” Her favorite snack was popcorn with peanut M&M’s mixed in.
“Thank you. You always know what I need.”
She was doing it again, holding his gaze longer than usual. They had an easy friendship, and somewhere along the line, flirting had become a part of it. A part he looked forward to, and had to be careful with. But that lingering gaze was new.
He tried to quell the thrum of attraction rising to the surface. “It’s the least I can do with everything you do for me and Gus.” He set one can of beer on the ground and opened the other, taking a swig as he sat beside her, and because he was a glutton for punishment, he asked the burning question. “So, who’s the lucky guy?”
“His name is Randy and he works at my bank, but he wasn’t very lucky. There won’t be a second date, and if I ever want to go out with someone from my professional realm again, please slap me.”
And there it was, like a neon light. The warning he needed to back the fuck off. He was far deeper into her professional realm than any banker. “Slap you, huh? I didn’t realize you were into that.”
“I’mnot.” Her smile suddenly faded. “Areyou?”
He laughed and shook his head. “You’re the one who asked me to slap you.”
“Yes, but only because now it’ll be weird when I see Randy, and I don’t want to make that mistake again. Maybe I should change banks.” Her brows knitted, and she tapped the side of the Truly can, like she was mulling over the idea.
