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Fuck.
Hers was a face he hadn’t expected to see again.
“Butch?”
“Nicole?”
“Okay, I need to stand up straight, or I’m gonna make a mess of my new boss’s floors,” Lara said.
Huh?
Oh shit.
He carefully put her down. But he wasn’t paying close enough attention and she stumbled back before he could catch her.
Right into Nicole. Who would have fallen if Tanner hadn’t leaped forward and grabbed her.
“Oh, uh, thank you,” she said to his youngest brother with a smile.
“No problem.”
“Raid?” she asked.
“No, I’m Tanner.”
“Sorry. It’s been so long.”
“It has,” Alec said.
“Oh. Alec. Hi,” Nicole said nervously.
“Lara, are you feeling okay now?” Mia asked her.
“I’m good. I’m so sorry,” Lara said, turning and reaching for Nicole. “Did I hurt you? I’m so clumsy. It’s the Tingles. I had too many Tingles.”
“You did?” Nicole asked.
“Yep. Then I sang karaoke and got a job. Come on, Butchie-baby, let’s go home. No dancing for you, it’s past your bedtime. And don’t beg or I’ll smack your butt.” She waggled a finger in his face.
He groaned as Mia giggled. “You’re a brat.”
“What you gonna do about it?”
He leaned in to whisper to her. “I’m going to take you home and put you to bed. And when you’ve recovered from tonight, I’m going to remind you of what you just said, and then I’m going to redden that ass until you can’t sit comfortably.”
She grinned up at him, clearly not worried in the slightest.
“Um, Butch, how have you been? I’ve been . . . I thought about coming out to the ranch to see you. I tried calling, but your phone was cut off.”
“Changed my number years ago,” he told her.
“Wait . . . what? Who are you?” Lara asked, leaning closer.
“I think she’s his old girlfriend, Nicole,” Mia said helpfully.
Lara gasped, falling against him. He wrapped an arm around her to hold her to him. She was as slippery as an eel tonight. “Back off, lady! He’s a taken man!”
Tanner burst into laughter as Butch gaped down at Lara who’d positioned herself in front of him.
“I take it back!” Tanner said. “I’ll take the girls out drinking whenever they want. This is gold.”
“Oh. I . . . um . . . I can see that,” Nicole said awkwardly. “I’m not here to win him back or anything. It’s just . . . I haven’t lived here in years and I don’t know anyone. It was nice to see a friendly face, that’s all.”
“You’re not trying to win him back?” Lara asked suspiciously.
“Lara,” he said, trying to draw her back to his side. “Even if she was, I’m not interested.”
“I’m not. Promise,” Nicole said earnestly.
“Good then. Because he’s mine. I have to be careful, you see. Don’t want anyone stealing my cuddle bear.” She wrapped herself around him.
Jesus.
She’d never called him that before.
Why? Why now?
Tanner roared with laughter.
Well, obviously, he’d never hear the end of this.
“No, I get that,” Nicole said with a hint of sadness. “I’d feel the same way.”
“Hey, you people coming or going? Because you can’t stand here all night and block the door,” a grouchy voice asked.
“We’re leaving,” Alec told him coldly.
The man stepped back, eyes widening at whatever he saw on Alec’s face.
“Right, sorry. Shit,” the man said.
“You back for long, Nicole?” Tanner asked.
“Uh, actually, I’ve moved to Freestown. I just came into Haven to look around for old times’ sake. Maybe I’ll see you again.”
“It was good to see you,” he said. He meant that. Because seeing her now, it made him realize that for a long time, he’d held onto a memory. Perhaps put that memory on a pedestal. He’d used her so he didn’t have to move on.
But now that was all he wanted.
“Come on, baby. We’re going.”
“Okie-dokie. Bye!”
He lifted her into his truck, waving at the others who were going to take the other truck home. After buckling her in, he ran around to the other side.
“Cuddle bear?”
He groaned. “Please, can you never call me that again?”
“I like it.” She pouted.
“All right, just in private. Please?”
“Okie dokie, cuddle bear. I have a very serious question for you.”
Here it came. She was going to ask him about Nicole. Whether he still had feelings for her or some such crap.
“Have you ever had a blow job while driving?” Her hand landed on his upper thigh and he practically jumped into the air.
“What?”
“Did I mumble?” She used her free hand to touch her lips. “They feel numb. It’s the Tingles fault.”
He snorted. “You’re not mumbling. And it’s Tanner’s fault for letting you drink too many Tingles. I just thought I misheard you.”
“Oh, so have you?”
“No.”
“Do you want to?”
“Also, no.”
“Oh.” She pouted, pulling her hand back from his thigh. “Because I’m no good at them?”
“Baby, you get any better and I’ll start embarrassing myself with how quickly I come.”
“That’s nice.” She patted her hair.
Good Lord.
