Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)

by Elsie Silver

I’ll take a boozy brunch with my bestie and a dirty book in bed by eight for a thousand, Alex.

I heave the suitcase out just in time to watch them walk hand in hand into my house, and for some reason, I stop and watch. Unable to look away. Lots of people have walked through that front door. But somehow this feels different.

Her eyes narrow, but she turns them back on me. “I applied for that job.” She sniffs again as she straightens. “Yeah, and my daddy said he’d rather roll around in the manure pile than hire you.”

“Anyone ever told you that you’re rude?” is all he comes back with. I grin at him before turning back to the TV and cranking the volume. “Says the guy who still hasn’t given my panties back.”

Today I got to tidying up around the property a bit. There were leaves everywhere, so I gave the yard a good blow job.” Cade’s eyes widen. Comically wide. Playfully wide. And I can’t help the hysterical little giggle that bubbles up out of me. I slap a hand over my mouth to cover it.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Beau says with a playful glint in his eye. “You’re gonna have to explain that one to us again.”

“You not wearing ear protection at the shooting range? I said the yard was a mess. Next time you can make yourself useful and blow it yourself, Beau.”

“Do you have a special technique he should know about before he gives it a go?” I

“Wanted to come see what a well-blown yard looks like, huh?” I ask. “Willa—” He can barely get my name out. It’s a breath. It’s a wheeze. I smile and lean against the post several feet away from him before turning my gaze on the yard. “It does look great out here. Your dad could suck the chrome off of a—” With one hand held up to stop me, his head drops lower and his shoulders shake harder. “I wonder if he’s sore. He really put his back into it.” I snort as I say it. Honestly, I’m barely holding it together. I am a child.

“Eaton. You grumpy motherfucker. You just laughed,” I blurt. “Yeah, Red. I did.”

I hold the door open and usher Willa back into the house. She flashes a look over her shoulder as she walks through the front hall. One that’s all smug and satisfied. One that says she thinks she’s in on some sort of secret. And maybe she is. The secret is that even though I try to act like the tough, mature big brother and dad, I’m dying inside over blow job jokes.

“Wow, Harvey,” Willa announces as we walk into the dining room. “It looks fabulous out there. You blew the hell outta that lawn.” I scrub a hand over my face as the table erupts into giggles. Harvey included. Bunch of children.

She was just so excited over me laughing. Over me smiling. She smiled back. It felt good. And now she’s in here giving that megawatt grin to other people, who are grinning back at her. And I feel like I want all her smiles for myself. How hard would it be to smile more, to laugh more, if it made her look this happy?

“The way I see it, I like you a little more every day.”

“Daddy Cade, you’re a whole lot prettier when you smile.”

His eyes drop, and I catch him eyeing up Willa, who is pretending to pay attention to everyone else in the loud bar, but I can tell by the angle of her head that she’s eavesdropping. Snoopy little thing. When I glance back at Lance, it’s almost impossible to miss the appreciative way he’s looking at her. And it fucking bugs me. I take a step over, blocking Willa with my body. “This isn’t the grocery store, Henderson. Whatchya looking for?”

I like Lance. He’s a good guy, and he’s charming as all get out, but I don’t like him charming my nanny. Which is why I say something I never thought I’d hear myself say. “Willa and I were just about to dance. But it’s been nice seeing you, Lance.”

She casually drapes a hand over my shoulder as my fingers wrap around her dainty hand and we easily fall into step to the upbeat, twangy song. I make a point of staring over her shoulder rather than at her. It’s hard.

“You come here often?” she asks. “Willa.” My teeth clench. “If I make a blow job joke, will you laugh again?” My teeth grind. “No.” “What’s the best thing about a blow job?” “Good lord, woman. Just stop.”

“The joke’s on you though. I wouldn’t last ten minutes and just because you’d be quiet doesn’t mean I would be.”

Summer: Did you leave with Cade? Willa: Yeah. Summer: You could have stayed with me! We’re getting a cab. Willa: Nah. Cade’s hotter. Went home with him instead. Summer: Lol. Summer: Wait. Are you joking? I can’t tell. Willa: Save a horse, ride a cowboy. Summer: I still can’t tell.

“We’re cooking you dinner,” Luke announces. “We’re cooking dinner,” I clarify. “Of course, you’re welcome to join us.” I don’t want her thinking I’m downright obsessed with her.

The coffee is for you. Starting some two-year-olds today. If you feel like getting your back broken, meet me at the barn and you can sit on one. - C I snort. Oh, I feel like getting my back broken alright. By him. Not a horse.

“Thank you for the coffee. I’m ready for you to break my back.”

“I meant you could ride if you wanted to.” “Oh, I want to.”

“Life lesson, shithead. Careful who you pick a fight with. Someone insane might love them.”

Willa might be a bit of a psycho—after all, she did just push a child into the pool—but the more time I spend with her, the more I feel like she’s my psycho.

It’s with a smile on my lips that I lean in and press my mouth to hers. She’s soft and willing. She parts for me with such ease. Welcomes the kiss.

Rhett: I’m supposed to tell you to be careful. Willa: Of what? Rhett: I think my brother’s words were: she’s clueless that a bunch of dumbass cowboys keep humping her leg when she walks past. Willa: Cool, cool, cool. I’ll try not to trip while they do.

“I think I can’t get you out of my head, no matter how hard I try. I think you’re too damn tempting and that I’m too damn complicated. I think you smell like him, and I can’t fucking stand that.” I blink, letting my eyes scan his red cheeks, the flare in his dark eyes, the way his nostrils rise and fall under the weight of his labored breathing. “The gall. The absolute gall to complain that I smell like the man you shipped me off with, who was nothing but a gentleman. The man who, under different circumstances, I might have had fun with because he’s a fun fucking guy. But instead, I spent all night stewing over you, Cade Eaton. You and your grumpy fucking face, and your stupid broad shoulders, and round Wrangler ass. So . . . fuck you.” My finger pokes him in the center of his rock-hard chest. “And double fuck you for being jealous when you have no right. If I smell like him, you smell like bullshit.” I spin away, but Cade is faster. His hand shoots out and wraps around my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I jolt around to face him, my body drawing into his so naturally. “Keep talking like that and I’m going to fuck the filth right out of your pretty mouth.”

“Excuse me?” He swipes the back of his hand over his mouth, like he’s pulling away the filter that’s been there all along. “You heard me, Red. You keep barking at me like that and I’m going to put you on your knees, open those strawberry lips, and fuck your face just to shut you up.”

“You are fucking torture, Willa Grant.”

“Fucking torture.” He slips two fingers into my mouth, running them along my tongue, just to the edge of where I feel like I might gag. “A man can only take so much before he snaps.”

“Why are you smiling? It’s creepy. You never smile.” I shake my head at her. “I smile. You just miss them because it’s when I’m staring at your ass. And I’m smiling now because I’m really looking forward to this.”

“I’m going to peel these skin-tight jeans off of you and enjoy a taste of what I already know is going to be a perfect little cunt.” A tremor racks her body, but I keep going. “Make you come in my mouth. And before you've even recovered from that, I’ll shove my cock into you, make you scream my name loud enough they’ll hear you one town over.”

“I knew you had big dick energy, but this is something else.”

“You’re wearing panties,” I grumble, staring at her nude lace full-cut booty shorts. Perfect curves. My cock twitches. She nibbles at her lip. “You keep telling me to.” “Red, me telling you to do things”—I reach forward and tug at the top so they wedge between her pussy lips and sit high on her hips—“has almost never worked.” “Some days I do. Some days I don’t. Gotta keep things interesting. Plus, I keep waiting for you to check. Kind of hoping you’ll dole out some discipline if you catch me without them.” “Fuck.”

It’s going to be a tight fit, so before I let go, I run him against my wetness, swiping up and down, pressing him against my aching clit. “Jesus Christ, Red. Are you trying to kill me?” “No. I’m trying to make sure it will fit.” My eyes are still down, watching the way his cock comes away glistening. “Baby, it’s going to fit. You were made for me.”

“Fuck, you feel like heaven. So hot and tight. Just for me.” Just for me. My heart aches, and my arms wrap around his neck. I kiss the top of his head. This strong, stoic, honest, hardworking man—one whose hurt runs so deep that he’s lived several years questioning his worth. His value. I hate it. I hate it for him. So, I rock my hips on him, hug him to my chest and say, “Just for you.”

“This. What happened between us. All the sex. Are we doing more of that? Or is it a one-and-done scenario?” One of my cheeks quirk up. “I think you mean six and done, baby.” “Don’t baby me right now, Eaton. I’m serious.” “Me too, Red. Should I pull over? We can make it seven and counting.” “I hate you.” She crosses her arms like she’s pouting. I know better. Willa isn’t a pouter. “Right. But you love my dick.”

“Weeks and weeks of you being a humorless asshole, and all it took was a few orgasms for you to become Mr. Chucklehead. I should have taken one for the team sooner.” I twist my fingers on the steering wheel, trying to hold back my laughter. “I think you should continue to take it for the team.”

“Yeah?” I shrug, keeping my eyes on the gravel road ahead of me. “Yeah. Definitely.” “Why?” I glance at her now. Her eyes are narrowed, and I can see the insecurity written all over her face. Goddamn, but this girl puts on a good show. “Because I like you, Willa.”

“You like to have sex with me.” I stop the truck in the middle of the road. There’s no traffic so it doesn’t matter. And honestly, even if there were, they could all just fucking wait while I set this woman straight. I turn to face her, one hand slung over the wheel. My posture might seem casual but my expression is not. She must take notice because I watch her shoulders shimmy as she sits up straighter and scans my face. “No, Willa. I like you. I care about you. I didn’t go without sex for years just to start it back up randomly. I had opportunities, and I turned them down because I wasn’t interested. We don’t need to make a show of it, and with Luke around, we probably shouldn’t. But I’m interested in ...

“You’re not my chauffeur, you know,” she murmurs as she takes my hand to hop down. “I’ll add not opening your car door to the list of offenses—that includes not eating your pussy—from past men.”

“You having a stroke, son?” My dickhead dad calls from the front porch, actually making me jump. I prop my hands on my hips, giving him my best say-nothing glare. He’s not a stupid man. He’s grinning at me like he knows something. And I’m sure he does. I just don’t need him making it weird by making some joke about us giving the lawn a blow job or whatever shit he comes up with for entertainment.

“Just tired,” is what I opt to respond with. Harvey props himself against the post on the front porch with a knowing grin. “That’s what happens when you stay up too late partying at your age.” Willa stands up straight now, arm slung around Luke, who is still clinging to her. “I was the one out partying. Cade stayed home to, uh, clean the house. He’s very tidy. You did well in that department.” My dad scoffs. “That boy only cleans when he’s anxious.”

“Well then, his anxiety must be off the charts,” Willa quips, trying to keep things light. Her bartender banter is on point, but my dad doesn’t fall for it. “He’s looking mighty relaxed this morning,” he replies, grinning ear-to-ear.

“We need to talk about the reunion, Cade,” my dad says. “Come for lunch? You and I can do some planning.” “Willa too!” Luke is already dragging her up to the house, his tiny hand clamped around hers. “It’s her day off, pal,” I remind him, seeing the line between everything blur and desperately trying to keep it in place. She glances down at Luke and over at me. “It’s okay. I don’t need a day off from you, buddy. You’re one of my favorite people in the world.” My heart stutters in my chest, and I suck in a sharp breath. The way Luke smiles, the way he stands just a little bit taller, makes the bridge of my nose sting. I scrunch it up and give it a wipe before looking away. Then I stride to the house, head down, so no one will see the emotion in my eyes. But I don’t need to look at my dad for him to know. After all, who knows their son better than a single dad? Before he retired, we spent long days on the range together, so it’s damn near impossible to keep anything from each other. “You’ve got it bad, boy,” is what he says, clapping me on the shoulder as I move past him.

Cade: Just need like ten more minutes. Willa: Any guesses on whether or not I put panties on this morning? Cade: I’m sitting with my dad right now. I don’t need a boner. Willa: No panties. My kitty is too sore from riding your massive pole. Cade: Woman, are you intentionally ignoring my instructions? Willa: You don’t tell me what to do. I thought we’d established that by now?

“Hey, Willa?” “Hey, Luke,” I reply dryly, since the be quiet part obviously didn’t register. “Sometimes I wish you were my mom.” I blink at the boy, too stunned to speak, so he continues. “At that birthday party? Where I got held under the water? He told me that even my mom didn’t like me.” I want to push that kid into the water all over again. “Well, I don’t just like you, Luke.” My voice comes out thick with emotion, but I’m not so sure he picks up on it. “I love you.” “You do?” His smile is shy—tentative. “Yeah. And that kid is a major shithead.” His hand slaps over his mouth and his eyes go wide before he whispers, “He’s a total shithead and I love you too.”