706 Sugarbush Lane by Penelope Wylde

Chapter 3

Sawyer

Ash didn’t have a clue how close he was to meeting his end. I was done waiting to claim my woman. As I watched this asshole try and pick her up, the darkness inside me built up over years of war and missions snarled to life, ready for a bloody fight.

As I stalked across the crowded bar toward Trinity, I realized I knew the guy. Asher Bellingham. He was a friend of sorts. I exchanged friendly words over a beer a time or two. Invited him to get-togethers once in a while when I was actually in town, but given the rare occurrence, we grew apart.

But we weren’t so friendly that he’d get to keep his hand if he so much as thought about touching Trinity.

I stood near enough to hear Trinity letting the man down easy, but even with that, my ire rose. Part of me wanted to tear into Ash, make a show of it so everyone would know to keep their hands off.

But the larger part of me just wanted Trinity. And that part of me wouldn’t be denied for even one more second.

I wrapped my fingers around Trinity’s wrist, her pulse jumping erratically. She gasped in surprise and her face turned up to mine, those pretty peach-colored lips parted. Her jewel-toned eyes widened and she stared up at me with a mixture of green and gold swirling in their depths.

So much emotion behind such pretty eyes.

Despite my temper, something eased inside me the moment my skin made contact with hers. Finally, I had her.

I snarled something at Asher, and I didn’t wait for Trinity to recover from her surprise or for Asher to jump in and offer his assistance. I tangled my hand with hers and, with a sidelong glance at Ash that told him everything he needed to know, I tugged her as gently as I could manage to the back of the bar, ignoring the twisting heads and wagging tongues that followed our progress.

Fuck them and the shitty mountain gossip that would come from the show. Let them take out a front-page news article if it made all the whisperers happy. I didn’t give a fuck. Trinity’s palm pressed against mine and nothing in the world would take my focus off the warmth of her skin soaking into me.

I didn’t stop until we reached a small nook behind a small bar area, the spot lots of couples used as a preliminary to getting a room. I needed to reclaim my office space in the back they were using as extra storage for the moment so this place would just have to do.

I pushed Trinity into the corner and used my body to block out the nosy stares of everyone in the bar.

I tipped her chin up and waited for her to drag her eyes off the puckered scar along my collar bone. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, the second I saw the glittering green of her irises.

My God, she was beautiful.

Trinity absently rubbed the wrist I’d clamped down on, staring at me with enormous eyes.

Shit. I slowly reached forward and took her wrist in my hand, cupping it gently while I examined it. Had I been harsher than I realized when I grabbed her?

Smooth, asshole.

“Shit. I’m sorry, baby girl. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay?”

She stared at me mutely but after a few seconds she nodded her head, sending her ponytail swaying over her delicate shoulders.

I lowered my voice a bit more. When I did I noticed the tension in her shoulders released a fraction or so. “Are you sure?” I couldn’t find any signs of bruising or redness.

“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure,” she said softly. And I swear to all that is holy, her soft, sweet voice sent blood rushing south. My cock swelled instantly and throbbed so hard I could feel the teeth of my zipper through my boxers.

I closed my eyes and clenched my back teeth together as I fought for control. No easy feat considering I was standing inches away from the woman I’ve waited years to wrap my arms around, kiss and sink so deep into we both become connected on a soul-deep level.

My cock hardened and that’s when I realized I needed to fuck her like I needed my next breath.

I gripped her hand in mine and her sweet floral scent filled my nostrils. If I were blindfolded in a stadium full of people, I could still find my way to her by scent alone. I breathed deeply, trying to pull more of her into me.

I opened my eyes, and I can only imagine what she saw in them because she inched backward, scooting further into the corner.

With a superhuman force of control, I let go of her hand and stepped back just enough to give her the comfort of a few inches of space between us. It was the most I could give. Even then, something primal inside me growled possessively.

I squared my shoulders and gritted my teeth, promising myself that very, very soon I’d claim her completely and then she’d be all mine.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” I was proud of how calm my voice came out. I half expected only snarls and growls to escape when I opened my mouth. “I was just surprised to see you here. Why are you here, Trinity?”

She shook her head, those tender eyes narrowing. “I don’t know what you mean, Sawyer. At your bar or Wilde Ridge?”

God. My name on her lips. I tightened my hands into fists at my sides.

“It’s a simple question. What are you doing here?”

She shrugged, her eyebrows pulling together, confusion clear in her gorgeous eyes. “I work here. Have been for the last three years.”

“I got that, sweetheart.” At the endearment, her eyes widened further. “You were supposed to be gone.”

Her head dipped, eyes glued on mine. It gave her a schoolteacher look like she couldn’t believe what I said and wanted to give me another try.

“Gone?”

“I didn’t expect you to be in Wild Ridge when I got back. I really hoped you had gotten out.”

I knew immediately I’d said the wrong thing. The confusion faded from her face and her nose wrinkled. She narrowed her eyes and glared at me. She stopped cowering in the corner, leaning forward while her hands landed on her curvy hips.

I fought down a grin. It was almost worth pissing her off, just to see how adorable she looked when she got angry. But I figured I had enough of an uphill battle ahead of me convincing her we belonged together, without angering her further.

And make no mistake she would be mine.

“And just where the hell did you expect me to be, Sawyer Becker? I didn’t realize sharing the same town with me offended you so deeply. Ya know. Maybe you can tell me a place you never plan on visiting and I can head there right this minute!” Her voice rose as she spoke so she all but yelled the last word.

I leaned forward, pinning her to the back wall, my elbow above her head and my chest brushing against hers. Her nipples grazed against my pecs and fuck if I didn’t want a taste of those berry tips. Would they be soft pink or a dark dusty pink?

Her chin rose as she flattened her palms against my chest, her fighting spirit coming to the front.

With a chuckle, I grazed the back of my knuckles down the side of her soft cheek only to get my hand shoved aside. While it was supposed to be a move of defiance all it did was color her cheeks with a pretty shade of red and thrust her beautiful breasts up through the low-cut V of her T-shirt with the Rusty Nail logo over the left breast. My mouth watered from the sweet promise the glimpse teased me with.

“Feisty.” I lost the battle with my smile. I grinned down at her even as I prepared to grovel. But before I got the chance, another voice intruded.

“What is going on here? Why aren’t you waiting on tables like I pay you to do, Trinity?” Birdie pushed her way into the cubby.

I lost my grin. “Birdie,” I growled and my voice dripped with warning.

Birdie’s gaze flew up to my face. She shook her head and offered me a placating grin, placing a hand on my arm. “I’m sorry, Sawyer. I should have known Trinity would pull something like this the second you got back into town. You know what they say...” She threw a sneer in Trinity’s direction. “Like mother, like daughter. I’m sorry she’s ruined your homecoming. I’ll tend to this right away. I should have never let her take her mother’s place.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Anger and sheer animalistic rage pushed out all common sense and logic.

I glared at Trinity as memories of her mother bombarded me. Rena Douglas was the town joke. She worked at the Rusty Nail only weeks before I left town to work the private security job. She would swish around in tight, barely-there clothes and laughing about working at a place like this when all she wanted to do was trap herself a man.

And she’d made her way through any and all of the male population that would have her, desperate to find one who’d keep her.

Trinity was the exact opposite of her mother. Everyone always thought she was sweet and helpful. Shame she had that woman as a mother, were words often heard when Trinity’s name came up.

I reared back, a snarl tearing from my lips. Disgust rose inside me when I saw Trinity had resumed cowering in the corner.

“Trinity here has the same hopes as her mother. Tell him, girl. Why else do you wear hooker heels like those?”

“Birdie!” Trinity bit out, wrapping her arms around her middle, eyes pinned to the floor by my feet. “How could you say that?”

Pretty feet. Just like the rest of her.

What the hell is going on here?

“Birdie, back the fuck off. You and I will have words later.” I turned back to Trinity uncaring how I left Birdie. “Is any of that true?” I had a hard time believing it but the longer I stared down at Trinity and the longer she stayed silent the more I wondered. I mean, I’ve been gone a long time. People change, don't they?

I moved a piece of hair from her face and tipped her chin high. “Tell me the truth, baby girl. Is that why you didn’t want to tell me why you didn’t leave this mountainside when it was all you ever talked about before I left?”

Her eyes chased my expressions as they morphed from confusion to pissed off but still said nothing.

Anger snarled deep inside my chest. “I see. Maybe it’s better this way.” I rolled my shoulders and brushed past them both, striding straight to the front door of the bar.

Mac called my name, but I didn’t slow down until my truck hit the city limits and I had a choice to make.