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Remi and who she assumed was Chet, finished their scorching kiss. Wet-lipped, she giggled through introductions. “Nix, this is Chet. Chet, Nix, my best friend.”
“Nice to meet you Nix.” The sandy-brown haired man grinned and lifted his chin, acknowledging his wingman. “And I believe you’ve metmybest friend, Jude.”
“You met Jude? When?”
Remi’s questions irritated Nix. Chet’s best friend was the gorgeous mercurial farmer? What were the chances? Shit. What a mess.
“This is a pleasant surprise.” Jude’s voice rumbled through her, unleashing a havoc of butterflies in her stomach, and elevating her pulse. That same glint she noticed at the farm appeared in his eyes and a knowing grin broadened over his face, exposing straight white teeth.
A pleasant surprise, my ass.
“Baby, will you stay? You and Jude can complete our foursome,” Remi said excitedly. “It’ll be fun, and you can get to know Nix.”
“Sure, we’ll stay.” Jude drawled, leaning in, and helping himself to a beer from the bucket.
His breath caressed Nix’s cheek, temple, and ear. Goosebumps chased over her skin. Her hand tightened around the bottled she held, and her sex clenched.
“Knowing you better … I’d like that.” He smiled wickedly. There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes, which were focused on her as he sealed his lips over the mouth of the bottle and drank.
Her breath stuttered. Mesmerized by the movement of his Adam’s apple, she could not look away. Totally turned on, willing to disappear with him should he ask. Pissed off by her body’s reaction to his hypnotic, sexy energy.
Nix drained her beer, trying to wash away the erotic thoughts accumulating in her mind at lightning speed.
Jude capturing her mouth, roughly at first, and then turning tender.
Him tasting her skin as he slid her shorts off, impatiently tearing her panties and thrusting in, groaning in her ear as he eased the pace. “Fuck, you feel like heaven.”
Her hands flailing about, unsure what part of him she wanted to explore first, then giving up and raking her nails over his back, encouraging him to take her harder and faster. Deeper.
Epic fail. Heat spread like wildfire over her chest, neck, and face. Rattled, Nix slammed the bottle on the table. “I’m stepping outside, Remi,” she said, and flashed Jude her death stare out of the corner of her eye—the best ‘fuck you’ look she could muster.
“Good idea. It’s getting hot in here.” He chided, a wink accompanying the smile tugging at his lips.
* * *
A watercolor of yellow and orange streaked the sky as daylight receded into night. The evening was comfortable, but it did nothing to cool the soupy mixture of emotions simmering in Nix. Normally, she would have stopped what she was doing to enjoy the beautiful tapestry of color. But not tonight.
Nix’s feet pounded the sidewalk as she considered her predicament. Heady, all-consuming desire. Increasing frustration. The unfortunate and contentious history between her family and Jude’s, which dated back to the Depression.
Yes, she knew all about it.
Jude had to know, too. His great-grandfather William needed money to keep his farm. Nix’s great-grandfather Mule negotiated a purchase of the mineral rights, except for the hundred and sixty acres surrounding the homestead, barns, and other outbuildings, keeping them as a unified estate. Through research and oral history, she knew the Jude, his brother Lee, who lived in Piñon Ridge, Colorado, and their niece Skye held joint tenancy of the unified estate and the surface rights of the remaining nine hundred and ninety acres. Upon her death, their sister Nell’s ownership had transferred to her only child.
The decision had been the right one. William kept the farm, but selling the rights to what lay under his vast acreage bothered him to no end. When financially able to do so, William approached Mule to buy back what he had sold. Mule refused all offers. The boom had already started. The profits made him wealthier than he ever imagined, ensuring that future generations of Ogdens would be set for life.
Both Nix and Jude had working interests in the future exploration and drilling operation she was presenting to him. What was the best way to navigate it all?
She walked to the small park close to Remi’s and dropped into one of the metal benches framing an area with a softly lit water feature made of large boulders. The soft burbling and splattering calmed her mind. Nix closed her eyes. Just for a moment.
* * *
Gentle shaking roused her. “Hey sleepyhead, wake up.”
“Guess I conked off.” Nix murmured, looking into Remi’s brown eyes.
“Mm-hmm. Seems so. It’s after ten. I checked your location after you left. Pretty sure you had dozed off and were safe. Why didn’t you just go back to my place? You know where the key is.”
“I planned on coming back to Beugy’s, but the sound of the water drew me here.”
