Boots and Chaps (3 page)

Doc Richards arrived in his pickup, unloaded his doctoring bag and set to work treating the cow’s udder with disinfectants and antibiotic ointment. After administering a shot of antibiotics, the vet gathered his things and stuck out his hand to Jackson. “By the way, happy birthday.”

Jackson grimaced. “How’d you find out?”

“Your brothers made a point of telling anyone who’d listen last night at the Ugly Stick.”

“Great. They had better not be throwing a party this year. For one, I won’t be there.”

Doc grinned. “If they are, I didn’t get an invite.”

“Good.” Jackson thought better of his answer. “Not that I wouldn’t want you there. I just don’t want a party. Too much hoopla over nothin’.”

“A man only turns thirty once.”

“And any other birthday is different?”

The veterinarian shrugged. “Guess not, but I’d give my right arm to be thirty again.”

“It’s just another day, as far as I’m concerned.”

“Leigh Ann and I celebrated our second anniversary and had our first child the year I turned thirty.” The veterinarian stared off into the distance. “Yeah, that was a good year.” His gaze shifted to Jackson. “Well, happy birthday, anyway. Each year is what you make of it, I always say.” He clapped Jackson on the back and climbed into his truck.

Jackson usually enjoyed seeing Doc Richards, but after the man left, he found himself in an even deeper funk than before he’d come. As he moved ol’ Betsy back out in the pasture to be with her calf, the ungrateful beast snagged him with her horn, ripping his favorite denim shirt. The day hadn’t started in the right direction and only seemed to be going downhill from there.

The twins hadn’t made it back from working on the cattle chute by late afternoon, giving Jackson all the time he needed to take care of the chores around the barn, feed the horses, cows and chickens and check on the garden. By the time he was finished, showered and changed into clean jeans, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the landscape into a dusky shadow. He might get off the ranch before the boys could razz him more about turning thirty.

“Damned birthdays. Who needs ’em anyway?” he muttered as he climbed into his pickup and slammed the door. He might stay out all night just to avoid Mark and Luke and their well-intentioned annoyance.

Jackson swung by the barn, loaded the ladder in the bed of the truck and turned to the north. Dust rose against the fading light in the distance, indicating his brothers’ return from the range. The sooner Jackson left, the better. He hopped up into the truck, shifted into drive and spit up gravel from his tires as he tore out of the barnyard.

After stopping to make a night deposit at the bank in Hole in the Wall, Jackson headed out the other end of town, his headlights the only ones shining on the road as the hour grew late.

The closer he got to the bar, the more he got to thinkin’. What if Charli’s request was some elaborate setup to get him to come to a surprise party?

His foot hit the brake and the truck skidded to a stop in the middle of the highway.

No way. He wasn’t falling for that. Thirty was too round a figure for his brothers to let it slide. This had to be a setup.

His foot eased off the brake. Then again, if it wasn’t a ploy to get him to the saloon, and he didn’t show up, Charli and Audrey would have to exit work in the middle of the night in the dark.

Jackson eased his foot onto the accelerator. He’d sneak into the back parking lot, change the bulb and be gone before anyone saw him. And before he saw anyone else—including Audrey.

His groin tightened, the storeroom calling to him, Audrey’s delectable body more than he could resist. Okay, so maybe he’d see if she wanted to ditch the bar and go out for a cup of coffee with him. Maybe they could take their coffee out by the lake and…

Before he knew it, Jackson was speeding toward the Ugly Stick Saloon located on the county line between Hole in the Wall and Temptation, Texas. He didn’t realize he’d exceeded the speed limit until he passed one of the local Texas State Troopers with a radar gun pointed in his direction.

Immediately, his foot left the accelerator and he brought the truck and his rampant lust in check, arriving at the Ugly Stick in a more sedate mood and at a slower pace.

He ducked low, hoping no one would recognize him. Fat chance. The place was already swinging, country music shaking the corrugated tin walls of the building. In places as small as Hole in the Wall and Temptation, everyone knew everyone and the horse they rode in on—or what car or truck they drove. Jackson did his best to round the back of the saloon before anyone noticed his arrival.

Feeling confident he’d gone unnoticed, Jackson removed the ladder from the back of his truck and set it up outside the back door. In less than two minutes he’d changed the light bulb and reloaded the ladder, ready to go home.

At this point he had choices.

He could leave, no one the wiser of his visit, possibly avoiding a surprise party and the embarrassment of everyone at the Ugly Stick congratulating him on reaching the ripe old age of thirty with nothing to show for it. Yeah, he had the same ranch. Still had the same work. No wife, no kids to brag about, and the only sex he’d had in months was stolen in the back of the storeroom of this saloon the night before. And that hadn’t really counted because they’d been interrupted before either one of them had a chance to come.

Pathetic.

He opened the truck and had his foot on the running board when he thought again of that storeroom, Audrey and his other choice.

Jackson could stay. Maybe the party wasn’t all that big. Audrey would be there to keep the drunks from tearing her building down. They might sneak back into that storeroom, lock the door and finish what they’d started the night before.

His foot dropped to the ground and he sighed. He wanted to see Audrey, but what was the chance they’d get it on again? She’d called their tryst in the storeroom a mistake.

The only mistake Jackson figured was unlocking the door.

Situating his jeans to fit more comfortably around his ever-swelling cock, Jackson closed the truck door, locked it and headed into the Ugly Stick, ready to test the waters with the owner, determined to convince the woman that what they’d done was nowhere near a mistake and only the beginning.

“What do you mean CJ’s sick? Hell, I didn’t even know we had a request for tonight. Who the hell am I gonna find at this short notice?” Audrey shook the payment receipt in the air.

Charli flipped through the black book of phone numbers Audrey kept by the desk in the office of the Ugly Stick Saloon. “I don’t know. I’ve called all the other girls and they’re either out of town or on other gigs.”

“What about Kendall? She’s old enough now.”

“Out of town.”

Audrey’s eyes narrowed. “What about you?”

Charli held up her hands. “No way. I’m a singer. I can’t dance to save my life.”

“Seriously, Charli, how much dancing do you have to do? You just shake your boobs and ass and make the birthday boy happy.”

“I told you when I started here I wasn’t going to dance. And I wasn’t supposed to work tonight, as it is, but with the rodeo in town…”

Audrey ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back away from her face. “Who am I going to get to do this? Hell, who’s it for?” She squinted at the receipt, turning it sideways. “Is this your writing?”

“Yes.” Charli grabbed the document from her. “It’s for the Gray Wolf twins.”

Heat pooled between Audrey’s thighs. “When did you take this order?”

“Last night. I had CJ all lined up and then she called me this afternoon claiming she’s sick.”

“Can’t she dance sick?”

Charli frowned at Audrey. “Not when it’s food poisoning or stomach flu.” She shook her head. “Besides, you don’t want your paying customers to catch whatever she’s got. The Gray Wolf twins promised it would be a small number at the party, three people tops.”

Audrey crossed her arms over her chest. “Who is the party for?”

Her assistant’s lips twisted. “I think they planned on surprising Jackson with a stripper for his thirtieth birthday.”

“I heard him threatening them if they even hinted at a party last night. How did they manage to get this one by him?”

“Umm…while you had him otherwise occupied, they spoke with me.” Charli refused to meet Audrey’s eyes.

Audrey smelled something fishy and crossed her arms over her chest. “CJ isn’t sick, is she?”

Charli stared over Audrey’s shoulder. “Uh…well…”

“You didn’t even call her, did you?”

“Well…uh…” Charli tapped the receipt against her cheek. “Not really.”

“Either you did or you didn’t. Fess up or you’re fired.”

“In that case…” Charli grimaced. “Didn’t.”

“And you’ve promised the Gray Wolf twins a stripper?”

“Kinda.”

“Not kinda. I have a receipt in my hand.” Audrey shook the paper at Charli. “You promised it, you deliver. I’ll have nothing to do with it.” She turned and hefted a case of whisky from the corner of her desk, in need of some manual labor to burn off her anger. “I’m not going to be hoodwinked into dancing for Jackson Gray Wolf.”

“But, Audrey, you’re the best dancer at the Ugly Stick.” Charli followed her down the hallway to the storeroom.

“I gave up my dancing shoes when I bought this dump.”

“And you’ve made it even better and more profitable in the past two years, sacrificing your own personal life to do it.”

Audrey shoved the case of booze onto a shelf and spun. “Oh, so now you’re telling me my personal life sucks?”

“No, I wouldn’t…well…okay, yes I would.” Charli fisted her hands and planted them on her hips. “You’ve been grumpy and witchy for the past couple of weeks, and it would do good for you to get out and have a little fun.”

“And dancing for the Gray Wolf clan is your idea of fun?” Audrey maintained the angry look on her face even as warmth spread from her core throughout her body as images of the sexy Native Americans flitted through her mind. Dancing nearly naked in front of them…no…
him
…had her body burning almost as hot as it had the night before when she’d been completely naked in the storeroom with Jackson. Sweet Jesus, what would it be like to have all three?

Audrey swallowed hard, strengthening her resolve. She had set aside her own needs while building the Ugly Stick into a viable establishment, offering the best in entertainment and drinks this side of Austin. She’d sunk every bit of her hard-earned savings into the place, banking on its success. Failure wasn’t an option and fooling around with the hottest men in the tri-county area wasn’t either.

Charli pushed. “If I could dance, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Think about having all three of those men staring at you, admiring your body…” She sighed. “You never know what could come of such a sexy private party. I’d love to find out, but I just can’t make it tonight, and the most important point—I can’t dance.” Her dreamy look faded and hardened into a more serious, businesslike demeanor. “I’ll just have to call and cancel. I can refund the five hundred dollars they paid.”

“Five hundred dollars?” Audrey stared down at the number on the receipt. “Why five hundred? We usually charge half of that.”

“Short notice.” Charli grinned. “I made them pay.”

“You bitch.” Audrey couldn’t help the smile lifting the corners of her lips, but immediately reined it in. “That still doesn’t resolve the issue of who will provide the entertainment.”

“Audrey, you have to.” Charli took the receipt from Audrey’s fingers. “Aren’t you the one who always says we can’t disappoint our customers?”

“You were the one who made the appointment, you figure it out.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have gotten you involved. I’ll call and cancel.” Charli turned and headed for the office, the receipt in her hands, her head down.

Audrey’s gaze followed. Part of her wanted to say,
Damned right!
But the part that had been with Jackson last night in the storeroom wanted to dance for the Gray Wolf brothers. But how could she when she was trying to establish herself as an upstanding businesswoman in a small town? She hadn’t danced since she’d bought the Ugly Stick, trying to play down her reputation as a stripper ever since. Hell, the townspeople had only just started speaking to her while staring into her eyes, not down her cleavage.

Then again, her batteries were dead in her vibrator and she hadn’t had a decent orgasm in…oh hell, too long to remember.

“Wait.” Audrey hurried after Charli and caught her as she completed punching in numbers on the telephone.

“What?” Charli stared up at Audrey, all innocence.

“We’ll do it, damn it.” Audrey ripped the phone out of Charli’s hands and set it in the cradle. “But don’t ever pull this crap on me again. I won’t be manipulated.”

Charli’s face split into a grin. “I promise. I just knew you were the right person for this gig.”

“Not me. I have someone else in mind.” An idea had begun to blossom, and she turned away before Charli could guess what it was. “I know just the right person to do this job, and she’s available.”

Charli grasped her arm, spinning her around. “But that’s not…”

Audrey stared down at Charli’s hand. “Not what, Charli?”

“Not what…I had in mind.”

“What did you have in mind?” Audrey pursed her lips.

“You.”

“Well, it’s not going to be Audrey Anderson strutting her stuff in front of the Gray Wolf brothers. She hung up her dancing shoes when she purchased the Ugly Stick. Besides, I have someone better in mind.”

“But—”

Audrey gave Charli what she hoped was a withering look. “But what?”

Charli’s face scrunched as if dodging a hit. “Did I mention they wanted someone willing to throw in a little kink?”

“Kink?” A shiver of unwanted excitement skittered across Audrey’s skin. “What do you mean kink?”

“I don’t know, maybe a little sub and Dom action.”

“Just who gets to be the sub?” Audrey planted her fists on her hips, looking anything but submissive, while inside her body quivered.

The other woman clamped her lips shut, her forehead wrinkled in a worried frown. “That part is optional of course. Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be happy with just a dance.”