Acres, Natalie - Sex Drive [Country Roads 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (4 page)

She wasn’t going to stop him. In fact, she might even encourage him.

* * * *

Rex couldn’t imagine what Lucy must’ve been thinking when she dressed for dinner. Wearing a short white skirt and silky red tank, she looked like a seductress dressed deliberately for a hot summer night. Her black hair swept across shapely shoulders, and those enormous chocolate eyes followed him with quiet acceptance. High cheekbones and full lips made her appear just as sweet and tempting as he’d remembered.

“Mrs. Carpenter cooked enough food for a large reunion. Luke and I thought maybe you’d gotten married and had a few dozen kids.”

“Hmm,” she whispered. “I’ve never met a man interesting enough to tie me down.”

“You’ve met a couple that could tie you up,” Rex reminded her, thinking that’s probably what Lucy needed right now anyway. He wondered if she’d smack him if he told her so.

“That was a long time ago, Rex.”

“It was yesterday to me.”

“Not for me,” she stated flatly, walking ahead of him.

Her hips caught his attention, and he looked, but he didn’t gawk, at least not at her ass. He was more interested in following those long, tan legs. Noting shapely calves, before he thought, he asked, “Have you been working out with a trainer or something?”

“I run,” she replied, adding quickly, “I’m surprised you don’t remember. You never could catch me.” A moment later she added, “And yes, I work out. Staying in the gym helps pass the time.”

“Whenever you ran from me, I caught you,” Rex reminded her, a guttural edge in his tone. “Do I need to refresh your memory?”

Lucy stopped short of the front door. She faced him and said, “Actually, no. I prefer to live forward. Besides Rex, I’ve always been a firm believer in out of sight, out of mind. It’s the easiest way to overcome all addictions—candy, chips, ice cream, McDonald’s, and McDavids. Let me put this in terms you can understand.

“I’ve had my share of temptations and bad habits. I’ve found the best way to get along in life is by rotating stock. You know, replace the old with something—someone—new. You of all people should understand how that works. I find it keeps things fresh and interesting, particularly where it counts.”

Rex felt like someone laid a crop to his balls. He grabbed her before he thought about consequences. Lowering his mouth to hers, he hissed, “Kiss me. If you’re so sure I was easily forgotten, kiss me. I dare ya.”

Lucy tossed her head back. Coal black curls bounced across her trembling arms. Tilting her chin toward his, she said, “I’m tired of challenges, Rex.”

“That’s good to hear, because I’m a sure thing, baby. I’ve waited a long time for you to bring your sweet ass home. I’m not about to fuck this up a second time around.”

Chapter Four

His lips claimed hers like they were ripe for taking. Maybe they were. It had been a long time since a man’s mouth pressed against hers, longer still since a McDavid man held her in his arms.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Lucy responded just as she might have years earlier, sipping and tasting, indulging and savoring. In those few passing seconds, she realized. She never wanted to let this moment, or this man, go.

“God, I’ve missed you,” Rex crooned, licking the seam of her mouth and tantalizing her further with minty breath and a slow-moving tongue. That mouth was her undoing. She remembered the skilled tongue of an intuitive lover, a cowboy she’d missed more than she’d ever wanted to admit.

Rex wasn’t pitching a happy ending, but he sure made her stop and think about white picket fences, several kids, and a minivan while delivering a short-lived, but quite intense kiss.

His mouth skimmed across hers, and he teased her, lightly kissing her here or there, taking his own sweet time provoking her lust. And desire was certainly stirred there in one simple smooch.

Lucy’s knees knocked together. Her vision blurred. She was so out of it by the time he released her that she walked into the house feeling like a teenager who’d just played her very first round of spin the bottle. Judging by the satisfied look on Mrs. Carpenter’s face and Luke’s raised brow, they’d had an audience.

Rex kept a spring in his step as he paced the glossy turquoise-colored ceramic tile flooring. “Lucy brought you something, Mrs. Carpenter.”

After rushing through the kitchen, Mrs. Carpenter took the wine and large album and placed the items on a nearby counter. She gave Lucy a hearty hug. “Look at you, child!”

Luke cleared his throat and shot Rex a sideways glance. “Don’t. It’s not worth the fight.”

Lucy studied Rex and Luke, unsure of the meaning behind Luke’s warning.

Mrs. Carpenter took Lucy’s small hands in hers and shook them. “Let me look at you, pretty girl. Why, you haven’t changed a bit. You don’t age. Why, you look as young as you were when you ran away from this place.”

Rex grumbled something under his breath and took Lucy by the elbow, steering her toward the sunroom. Luke followed on their heels. “We’re glad you decided to join us,” Luke remarked, a grin tilting his lips.

“We should be honored,” Rex said. “According to sports commentators, we have one of the racing world’s most well-respected women in our presence. I’m surprised she had the time for us countryfolk.”

“Well, of course she would!” Mrs. Carpenter exclaimed. “Lucy has always known where she could find a home-cooked meal. Haven’t you, child?”

“That’s it,” Rex said, stopping short of reaching for the high-back chair pushed under a round tabletop. “Mrs. Carpenter, we’ve discussed this. Lucy is not a little girl anymore. If you want me to make my point clear, I’ll go retrieve the toys she played with the last time she stayed here. Then you’ll have a better idea of why I don’t look at Lucy as anything more than the woman she is.”

“Rex!” Lucy shouted, absolutely embarrassed by his confession. “Is nothing private in this house?”

“Not really,” Luke replied for his brother, shooting Rex a glare. “I told you to let it go.”

“She wouldn’t,” Rex grumbled, nodding toward Mrs. Carpenter as he pulled out Lucy’s chair and waited until she took a seat. “Maybe now, she will.”

“I don’t pay attention to you, Rex. Never have.” Mrs. Carpenter hurried around the small area ready to serve helpings of potatoes and other veggies, not to mention the best homemade dinner rolls Lucy had ever tasted. Lucy had dreamt of Mrs. Carpenter’s mouthwatering meals. “Honey, you’ll have to overlook these two. Why, they’ve been so excited about your homecoming that they’ve been watching the calendar, marking off the days.”

“Really?” Lucy asked, arching a brow and enjoying the way the McDavid housekeeper successfully embarrassed Rex and Luke.

Age had begun to make its mark on Mrs. Carpenter, and Lucy was saddened by the fact. The housekeeper’s small frame supported about one hundred and eighty solid pounds. She wasn’t necessarily fat, but she was certainly round and pudgy in places, particularly the girth. Once a brunette, Mrs. Carpenter sported numerous strands of platinum, but showing outward signs of the years mounting didn’t seem to bother her. She positively lit up the room with her big smile and sparkling hazel-blue eyes.

“God’s truth, Lucy. They’ve missed you,” Mrs. Carpenter promised, sticking serving spoons in the various dishes covering the tabletop. “I was afraid if you didn’t get home soon, these two would take up racing for sport. Luke here even started shopping for stock cars. The man was determined to get your attention. I reckon he had every idea in the world about how he’d go about doin’ that.”

“Smart man,” Lucy said softly, lifting her plate so Mrs. Carpenter could pile on the food. “You really don’t have to wait on me, Mrs. Carpenter. I’m used to making myself at home here.”

“I’d say,” Rex grumbled.

“Hush now, sweetie,” Mrs. Carpenter said. “I enjoy waiting on you.”

“I wasn’t gonna buy a race car,” Luke said, settling in his chair and refusing to drop the subject.

Mrs. Carpenter hurried over to the corner rolltop desk, opened one of the side drawers, retrieved an envelope, and waved it high in the air. “Want me to show her these?”

Rex shook his head, filled his plate and stared at Lucy. “We could save her a lot of trouble by telling you what’s been on our minds. If we don’t, the old bitty will stick around for dinner and dessert.”

“I heard that, Rex McDavid,” Mrs. Carpenter chirped. “And Lucy, in this sealed package here I have season tickets to the
Bristol
race. What do you think about that?”

Lucy picked up her fork. Dragging the utensil through her green beans, she said, “Well I hope not. I could’ve gotten them into any track in the country with VIP badges.”

“See there,” Mrs. Carpenter said. “I told you. The two of you need to see Lucy before you take up stock car racing.” She nodded toward the stairs. “They’ve got hours of footage from the races upstairs. You ought to get them to show you everything they’ve collected.”

“Why don’t
you
?” Lucy asked, turning in her chair and facing the older lady.

Mrs. Carpenter shook her head. “Not a chance. These two fine and upstanding men promised me a week’s paid vacation. I’ve gotta hurry now and get this place cleaned up so I can take off.”

“When did we do that?” Rex asked, looking at Luke. “Last I heard she wanted the weekend off.”

“Got to thinkin’ about it,” she clucked, acting a little too giddy. “Might as well take a week, maybe two.”

“What are you talking about?” Luke asked. “We didn’t discuss this.”

Mrs. Carpenter shrugged. “I’ve got some things I have to take care of, and Lucy, I guess you’re gonna have to look out for my boys. These two are grown men, but they ain’t used to taking care of themselves. You may have to teach them how to do a load of laundry and cook ’em dinner every now and again.” With a jovial spirit, Mrs. Carpenter reached behind her back and untied her apron.

“You can’t be serious,” Luke said, apparently at a loss.

“Oh, but I am,” Mrs. Carpenter reassured him. “Lucy has been the first woman to walk in here in I don’t know how long. I intend to take advantage of this. Sorry about your luck, child.”

Rex squirmed. Instead of arguing with Mrs. Carpenter or correcting her again, he said, “You know what, you’re right. You need a vacation. You haven’t had one in a good number of years.

“Luke, go get the checkbook and pay Mrs. Carpenter. I’m going upstairs and see if I can’t find this sweet little angel her toys. When I get back, we’ll talk about that dessert none of us want to miss. Assuming, of course, Mrs. Carpenter has already left us to entertain our sweet and pure little angel.”

Lucy balked at that. What she’d give to show Luke and Rex just what she’d learned in a short period of time.

“I can’t get out of here fast enough,” Mrs. Carpenter said, winking at Lucy. “You and I will catch up when I get back from my break. What do you think?”

Lucy took a bite of broccoli casserole and observed. This was planned to a fault. That’s what she thought. Lucy should’ve been a nervous wreck. Instead, she was very excited. Why wouldn’t she be? She knew damn good and well what toys she’d left there.

Much to her surprise, she couldn’t wait to use them again. She hoped the batteries were fresh and the McDavid men were horny. Considering their past history together? The odds were in her favor.

Chapter Five

Luke returned with a check in hand, hoping Mrs. Carpenter was intuitive enough to realize this was one time she couldn’t offer a quick solution to the damage they’d caused. In matters of skinned shins, Mrs. Carpenter was a pro, but this was different. They weren’t talking scratches and bruises. They’d broken Lucy’s heart, and mending the holes they’d left there would take some time, not to mention tender loving care.

Luke stood just inside the enclosed porch watching Lucy as she slowly turned scrapbook pages. “This is from the Saltville Horse Show,” she said. “I think it was the summer of ’97.”

“You’re right,” Mrs. Carpenter said, tapping her finger on a laminated page. “I remember that July well. Rex had a new sports car, and we couldn’t keep him in the saddle. He wanted to cruise and pick up women.”

“Imagine that,” Lucy muttered.

Luke peered over her shoulder, and she flipped to the center of the book. The next picture was one he remembered well. It was the day before his twenty-first birthday, and Lucy refused him a drink of alcohol but offered him a kiss instead. He’d declined, pissed because she wouldn’t give in and pour him a drink of liquor. He lost out in the end, just as the black-and-white snapshot portrayed.

His brother earned the smooch and the shot of whiskey. Luke never wondered which tasted better.

The next image was another priceless moment. He was about fourteen, which meant Lucy would’ve been fifteen and Rex would’ve been around eighteen. They were posing next to a solid black Shetland pony. Lucy traced the photo as if she were trying to remember something. Suddenly, she looked up. “What was it we said about Luke and Shetland ponies?”

“I don’t recall,” Mrs. Carpenter replied, staring at the check Luke passed her way.

Lucy grinned, acknowledged Rex’s reentry by a wave of her finger, and said, “I bet he remembers.”