A Four-Gone Conclusion: Lone Star Lovers, Book 5 (3 page)

Cindy Luckadoo topped off the last saltshaker. “I’ll give the tables a quick wipe,” she said smiling.

Any other time, Ellie would have appreciated the girl’s diligence. “Thanks, Cin. I’ll take the trash out to the dumpster. Then we’re closing.”

The glass door of the diner swooshed open, and Ellie’s heart fluttered, but it was another set of Logan boys, the twins. She had yet to be able to discern between them they looked so alike. “We’re getting ready to close,” she said, hoping Winston would get the hint too.

“Can we get some pie? We won’t keep you long. Promise,” one of the boys said with an innocent smile.

“What is it with you boys and pie?” she muttered. “Sure,” she said, smiling tightly, knowing it’d take more to cajole them out the door than just serve them the damn pie.

She busied herself behind the counter dishing it out. Damned if she’d offer them cream too. Quicker they ate, the quicker she could get out the door and see if Killian and Johnny had been serious.

As she watched both men mill into their desert, eyes closing in ecstasy, she shook her head. They were beautiful. While Killian and Johnny were cut from a more rugged stamp, these two were blond Adonises. A matched pair that could make any woman sigh.

“You busy tonight?” the one with the smile asked around a bite of pie.

“As a matter of fact, I am.”

“Gotta date?”

Ellie arched a brow. “What business is it of yours?”

The two men shared a devilish wink.

“Whatever’s goin’ through your minds right now—”

“Just makin’ sure you’re available.”

“Well, I’m not.”
At least, not to you two tonight. Maybe.
“And you need to hurry it up because I’m closin’ in five minutes.”

The one with the smile pushed away his plate. “I’ll be outside,” he said to his brother, then gave her a quick wink before turning toward the door.

Lord, there’d be a whole damn family reunion in front of the café.

She raised her head to spear Ole Win with a last exasperated glance. “We’re closin’, hon.”

He set aside his paper. “See ya for breakfast. You be careful, hear?” He ambled out, but with a glance over his shoulder as he left, like he was afraid he’d miss something.

Anticipation set her heart pounding. Ellie glanced toward Cindy who was straightening napkins in a holder while she tried to be subtle about watching the cowboy still seated at the counter.

Ellie cleared her throat. “Cindy, can you take this one’s money while I take out the trash?”

Cindy blushed, but nodded.

She gave the remaining twin a pointed look. “Hope you enjoyed your pie.”

“I did indeed.” His grin was blissful, but something in his eyes hinted at mischief.

Ellie returned to the kitchen, wrestled with the trash bag lining the large bin then headed outside. As soon as the door closed behind her, she strode toward the dumpster next to the chain-link fence.

A scrape sounded behind her, the fence jangled. She glanced back, but something dropped over her head, blinding her. Hands grasped her wrists, and she let go of the trash bag and tried to turn around, but she was dragged backward against a hard chest. Before she could suck in a deep breath to scream, her hands were released, and strong arms enfolded her midriff, cutting off her air.

“Shhh, it’s me, Mace Logan,” came a teasing whisper beside her ear. “We’re gonna play a little game.”

“A game?” she squeaked.

“Yeah, promise we mean no harm.”

We?
Ellie wriggled hard inside his embrace, but his steely arms didn’t give an inch. “Look, dumbass, you’d better let me go now before this goes too far. Don’t think I won’t press charges.”

“No cause for that, now. Swear we won’t hurt you. We won’t do anything you won’t want.”

The way he said it, so cheerfully, calmed the fear that had had her gasping. Would a serial rapist sound so blithe? “Did Killian put you up to this?” Was this what he’d had in mind when he’d told her to be ready?

Masculine chuckles rumbled next to her ear. “No, but it looks like we all had pretty much the same idea.”

Ellie stomped her loafer on his boot, whirled inside his arms then tried to wriggle down his body to escape, but he gripped her waist and tugged her higher, sliding her body up some interesting bulges.

“You’re insane, you know,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“And you’re not an easy woman,” he mumbled.

“Does this actually work for you?” she said in a harsh whisper.

“First time I ever decided to kidnap a girl. Wouldn’t have thought to try it, but Sam did mention he was tired of stew.”

“What?” she asked, trying to make sense out of what appeared to be a kidnapping in progress.

“We asked at Shooters—who’s the best cook in town? The best
unmarried
cook? Your name was mentioned more than once.”

“So you’re kidnappin’ me for my pie?” she asked, her voice rising.

“Not just your pie. You’re pretty too.”

Ellie gave an exasperated growl. “Of all the cockeyed ideas. Get this sack off my head!”

A hand soothed up and down her back. “Promise we’ll treat you nice. We just didn’t think you’d say yes.”

Ya think?
“To what?

“To spending time with us. Getting to know us.”

Her body reacted to the low rumble of his voice as well as the hard body she was pressed against, softening inside, warming. Yup, she’d completely lost her mind. “That’s all you expect?”

“Well, we’re not gonna attack you or anything. Not unless you want us to.” And then he chuckled again.

Ellie couldn’t help it. She laughed. If there was a note of hysteria in her voice, well who’d blame her? She’d been bored. Thought her dating options were drying up. But in the space of one night, four handsome men had sought her out. Not in a way she would ever have imagined it happening, but she stopped wrestling, resigned that whatever came to pass, it was going to be a very interesting night.

Johnny pulled in front of the diner just in time to see the Luckadoo girl heading to her Corolla. The sign on the diner door read
Closed
. “Get out and see if she’s ready.”

Killian gave him a crooked smile. “You’re grumpy when you’re horny.”

Johnny grimaced. “Don’t say that word to me. What I am at the moment is mad. This was a dumb idea.”

Killian laughed and stepped down from the cab. He ambled to the door. He tried it then glanced over his shoulder and shrugged.

Johnny hit the steering wheel with his hand. She’d run. He guessed that was answer enough.

Killian cupped a hand over his eyes and peered through the glass before walking back to the truck and climbing inside. “Know where she lives?”

He did, but he wasn’t telling Killian. She’d made up her mind. “Let’s go home.”

“You’re gonna give up? Just like that?” His mouth pursed, then his head swung back toward Johnny. “Maybe she wants us to give a little chase so we appreciate her when we catch her.”

Johnny shook his head. “She’s not the type to play games.”

“She’s got a smart mouth. Maybe she does.”

He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Let’s go home.”

Killian sighed. “I’m sorrier than I can say this didn’t work out. I was really lookin’ forward to rumplin’ her starchy hide.”

Johnny shot him a killing glare and put the truck in reverse, backing up then making a U-turn in the middle of Main Street to head home again.

Killian grunted then turned in his seat. “You’re not gonna give up that easy, are you? What about Sam?”

“Sam can hire a damn cook.”

They passed the saloon on the left. The music was loud enough to be heard above the rumbling diesel engine.

“Want to get a drink before we head home?”

And have some yahoo make a comment about Indians and their liquor? Johnny knew his limits. His sour mood guaranteed he’d be hauled to jail after a fistfight. “No. You can come back later, by yourself, if you wanna drink.”

“All right. I give up.”

Thankfully the trip home was quiet. Darkness fell with the quickness of light blinking out.

Rolling up to the garage, Johnny noted the twins’ truck parked at an angle in the center of the driveway.

“Guess they were in a hurry. Must have got lucky.”

Johnny didn’t reply. For a short while as they’d killed time in the Feed and Seed, purchasing supplies while waiting for the diner to close, he’d felt lighter, anticipating an evening spent with a warm, willing woman. An attractive woman with rosy cheeks and a sharp-eyed gaze. Now he’d have to listen to the sounds his brothers made as they entertained a girl. And it would be
a
girl, he thought sourly.

He and his brother piled out of the truck and walked through the breezeway and straight into the mudroom off the kitchen.

Voices sounded from the living room. One voice in particular caught his attention, the feminine edge so familiar his body grew instantly taut.

“I am not sleeping with you! Get it out of your head right this minute.”

What the hell was Ellie doing here? And with the twins? And what the hell was she talking about—not sleeping with them? Had Mace and Jason succeeded where he’d failed? He glanced back at Killian whose eyebrows rose high.

“Is it because of our reputations?” Mace sounded like he always did—on the brink of laughter. “Not all of it was earned, I swear.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

The edge of sarcasm in her voice pushed him into action. Women went soft and giggly around the twins. However, Ellie wasn’t treating them any differently than she had him and Killian.

Johnny slammed through the swinging door—and ground to an abrupt halt.

Ellie sat on a kitchen chair, her hands behind her as though bound. When her head swiveled his way, her eyes snapped with anger and a furious blush colored her cheeks.

Johnny’s head felt ready to explode. “What the hell is goin’ on?” he shouted.

Mace and Jason glanced up from where they knelt beside her, tying another knot.

“She tried to bolt and take the truck back to town,” Mace said cheerfully.

“Why the hell is she here?”

Ellie’s chin shot up, her mouth thinning. “
She
wasn’t given a goddamn choice!”

Jason shrugged. “We asked nicely. First. But she said she was busy.”

“Maybe you should have believed her.”

Killian swept past him and circled behind Ellie. “Nice knots.”

Ellie sputtered. “Nice knots? Do you know how many charges I could bring against these two idiots?”

Johnny’s anger cooled in an instant. He narrowed his gaze on the disheveled woman. “Law’s not comin’ anywhere near them,” he growled.

Her eyebrows lowered and her lips pushed into a stubborn pout. “Untie me now.”

Johnny glanced at Killian whose expression was bemused. His brother cleared his throat and knelt at her side. “You know they don’t mean any harm,” Killian said, his tone even and for once without a hint of sly humor.

“That doesn’t excuse the fact they kidnapped me,” Ellie said with a firm nod.

Johnny strode forward and gripped the arms of the chair and turned it hard, jerking it to face him directly. Then he bent so close he was nearly nose to nose with her. “What has you maddest? The fact they kidnapped you? Or the fact that it wasn’t Killian and me?”

Mace’s eyebrows shot up. “It was you she was gettin’ busy with?” He started chuckling.

Jason’s laughter was full-bodied, and he hugged his belly and dropped onto his ass on the floor.

Johnny shook his head, waiting for them to quiet while his fingers tightened on the chair’s arms.

Mace held up a finger. “We’ll stop…promise. Gotta hear the rest of this.”

He felt a tic pulse beside his eye. Anger and frustration, even a little fear for the twins, bubbled up inside him.

Her frown eased and her hazel eyes widened, staring at the tic. She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue.

Silence enclosed them at last as the twins’ laughter faded. He knew they all stared at him, waiting to see how he’d solve this problem. His focus narrowed as he loomed over her. This was between the two of them. Regardless of how it had happened, this moment had been inevitable. For once, the right words spilled out. “Maybe they didn’t go about it right, but it doesn’t mean this has to end bad.”

Her gaze locked with his.

His trailed down her body.

Her chest moved with her shortened breaths. Her nipples beaded against the thin tee stretched taut by the position of her arms.

“I don’t approve how they got you here, but you’re stuck here now. Until we figure out a way to make this right.”

She snorted, but her expression softened as though she wasn’t quite as self-assured as she’d been moments ago. “You wanna make this right?” she said softly. “You take me home now.”

Killian eased closer and pushed a mussed strand of her hair behind her ear. “Tell the truth, Ellie,” he whispered. “You kinda like this, don’t you?”

Her head pulled back. “You’re all insane.”

Killian tapped her nose. “The truth now. This is the most fun you’ve had, isn’t it? Or it could be.”

More than a little shocked at the implications, Johnny fought the sudden surge of heat roaring through his body. The sight of her, trembling with rage, tied and vulnerable, shot lust straight through him. What the hell did that say about the kind of man he was?

He cleared his throat to get their attention. “Ellie, we’re already in too deep now. Look at me.”

Her head hung for a minute then slowly lifted. Moisture filled her eyes, but her chin firmed again as she met his glance.

“They went about this all wrong. But they don’t mean any harm. None of us do.”

“What do you want from me, Johnny?” she asked, her voice husky.

His throat worked as he drew moisture into a mouth gone dry. Christ, he was really gonna say this. “I want anything you’re willin’ to give.”

She gave a soft gasp.

The impulse was there, and since he was already damned, he didn’t resist. He bent toward her, satisfaction blazing through him when she raised her mouth to meet his.

Chapter Three

Ellie drowned in that kiss, pulled under by the ebb and flow of his firm lips.