Love Unclaimed (24 page)

“Hey, let me get that for you.” Scotty stepped up next to Audree to help her with the ladder.

“Oh, thank you.” She grabbed a few more ceiling decorations and then took the first step on the ladder.

“I’ll be right here, holding the ladder.” He smiled at her as she stepped up past him, and he watched her ass as it hit his eye level. Just as Audree passed his line of sight, he turned to stand at the bottom of the ladder looking up at her, and he caught Gavin glaring at him from across the barn.

“Damn,” Audree exclaimed when a decoration slipped out of her hand and floated to the ground.

“I got it,” Gavin said from under the ladder and stepping up the few steps to stand right behind Audree to hand her the decoration.

“Thanks.” She smiled down at him and brushed his hand with her fingers when she pulled the string from his hand.

“Not a problem.” He smiled up at her, stepped back down, and was met with a very pissed off Scotty. “Not a problem, at all.” He laughed and walked away.

“Let me help you with those.” Scotty stepped up the ladder behind Audree; he was so close that his chest was brushing up against the back of her thighs.

“Hey Audree, could you…” Ruby started as she stepped around the corner of the barn with Harry. “Sorry, I just wanted to see if you could help me with something.” She looked up as Scotty took a step down the ladder quickly followed by Audree.

“Ah, yeah, sure.” She smiled and looked down at his hand still around her arm.

“Ok.” He looked over her head to the back of the barn and released her arm. Audree almost didn’t notice Gavin in the corner of barn until she heard him smack the hammer against the wood. His back was to her, but she could see the side of his face and his clenched jaw as Ruby pulled her toward the door.

“Holy crap, what was that about? Gavin was pissed!” Ruby laughed as she leaned into the bed of the Audree’s truck pulling out more decorations. “And Scotty was all up in your business on that ladder.”

“I have no idea what that was about.” She blushed.

“You know he likes you?”

“Well, I am not available.”

“Have you made that clear to him?”

“I told him the other day at the farm that Gavin and I were working our stuff out.” Ruby’s head shot up at her statement.

“How is that going?”

“We’ve been talking.” She laughed.

“Is he still sending you flowers?”

“Every day. Sometimes a couple of times a day.”

“Harry said Scotty wants to ask you out.”

“I…”

“Audree, can I talk to you for a second?” Gavin called from a few feet away.

“Sure.” She shrugged her shoulders at Ruby when she looked up, still standing in the bed of the truck.

“It’ll only take a minute.” Gavin waited for her.

“No worries, take all of the time you need,” she dragged out the word “all”.

“What’s up?” Audree followed Gavin to the side of the barn.

“I miss you,” Gavin said in almost a whisper and ducked his head, pulling his baseball cap down lower over his eyes.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen me.” She tried to hold back the tremble in her voice and forced her body to stay still just so she wouldn’t throw herself at him.

“You know what I mean…”

“You miss the se…”

“No.” He quickly lifted his head and took a step forward forcing her back against the barn. “I mean, yes, I miss the sex, but I miss you. I miss us.” He yanked the hat off his head squeezed it in his hands.

“Gavin… I…"

“I want to take this slow and do it the right way this time. I want to call you on the phone and ask you out on a proper date, I want to take you out and bring you home and hope I get a goodnight kiss. Then I want to go home and call you right away and ask you out again for the next night and every night after that.” He stepped closer when she gasped. “I meant what I said the other night.” He saw her eyes glaze over with unshed tears.

“Gavin,” she whispered with trembling lips.

“I won’t say those words again until I know you are ready to hear them; you’ll tell me when you are ready for me to say them,” he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and placed it behind her ear. “I will always regret the way I told you.”

“I…”

“I’m going to call you tonight, and I’m going to ask you out.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against her cheek then spoke close to her ear. “I hope you will answer when I call.”

“I’ll be home all night,” she whispered breathlessly.

“Good, I can’t wait to call you.” He ran his lips over her neck as she put her hands to his hips and wrapped her fingers around the belt loops of his jeans to steady herself. “Audree,” he whispered again.

“I look forward to it.” She looked him in the eyes and smiled deviously up at him as she leaned up on her toes kissed him right on the lips and dashed away from him.

“Audree!” he called after her as she disappeared around the corner of the barn and hopped into the driver’s seat of the truck.

“Going to pick up lunch. See you in a bit,” Ruby called from the open passenger window laughing. “Oh, and could you guys to get the rest of those decorations up by the time we come back in about an hour or so.” He saw Ruby shove Audree’s shoulder and they were both laughing. “Thanks.” She waved.

***

“Where are they going?” Travis walked up beside his brother.

“To the house to get lunch,” Harry said, handing Travis a balloon. “Ruby took everything over this morning. We dropped the food off inside on our way down here.”

“So they ditched us down here, to do all the work, so they could just sneak up to the house,” Travis groaned.

“Knock it off, we’re almost done, anyway,” Gavin said with a huge smile across his face.

“What the hell are you so happy about?”

“I’m going to call Audree and ask her out tonight.” He punched Travis in the shoulder. “And she said she would be home tonight to take the call.” His smile spread wider across his face. “Now let’s get those decorations up so we can be ready to eat by the time they come back down here. I’ve got a date to plan for.” He turned back toward the barn.

“He just saw her and is going to see her when she comes back with lunch. Why is he gonna call?” Harry asked, matching Travis’ pace back to the barn.

“He is doing it right this time.” He chuckled.  “He is courting her.” Travis tapped him on the back.  “Let’s get this shit done. It’s just going to be getting hotter out here.”

***

“I can’t believe I forgot the pie,” Ruby said as she slid into the driver’s seat of the truck. “Harry loves my pie.” They both laughed. “I’ll be back in a bit then we can take everything down, hopefully they will have everything done by then,” she laughed again. “It is too damn hot out here, already. Maybe I can talk Harry into taking me to the lake for the afternoon for some more pie eating.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“I doubt it would take much convincing for him to eat your pie by the lake.” Audree laughed and waved as Ruby pulled away from the house.

Audree had just hung up the phone after talking to Eva and Brooks, confirming their travel arrangements for tomorrow morning. She had called Clint to confirm his arrival back at the farm since he is staying with “a friend” until tomorrow so he wasn’t seen. “Shit!” Audree screamed when she turned back to the counter to finish putting the food in the baskets. “You scared the hell out of me. I was just getting the food together to bring down. Ruby forgot the desert so she had to run home, but will be right back.” Audree placed plates and napkins on top of the containers already in the basket. “Do you want something to drink?”

“No, I’m good, thanks.”

“So dare I ask if the decorations actually got put up?”

“Actually, I left just after you did. I was hoping Ruby would go back and see Harry and I’d have some alone time with you.”

“Oh.” She smiled, hoping it didn’t come off as nervous as she was feeling.

“We really haven’t had a chance to talk in a while.”

“I know; my life has been crazy since I came home.”

“I totally understand. Could we have a couple of minutes now?” He lifted his arm to lead her to the living room.

“Are you sure you don’t want something to drink? Are you hungry?” Damn it, the tremble in her voice was so obvious.

“No, I’m good. Come on.”

“I actually want to get the other basket packed before I head back down to the barn.”

“It can wait, Audree.” He stepped closer to her, backing her into the counter behind her.

“I’m sure Ruby is on her way back by now.”

“Doubt that, she was driving back to her place. We have plenty of time alone for a little while longer.” He took another step closer to her.

“Scotty, I...”

“Audree, I like you and I know you like me. Gavin being around hasn’t changed that.” He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. Her cell phone buzzed on the counter across from her but behind him “Let it ring,” he growled.

“If I don’t answer, they will either keep calling or they will come by and check on me and then we won’t be alone.” She smiled up at him through her lashes.

“Fine, just make it quick.” He brushed his lips across her neck. “I don’t want to lose any more time with you.” He moved his hand to her waist as she stepped away from him.

“Hello? Hi! Yes, Ruby ran back to her house to get the pie. I have the baskets packed,” she paused when her body was jerked back against the front of Scotty’s body. “Yes, yes I’m fine. Just tell Gavin that I was out of jelly so it is just peanut butter. No. Yes, soon.” She tried her best to control the trembling in her voice and body, but it was getting more and more difficult as Scotty’s hands slid their way up and down her sides almost skimming the sides of her breasts. “Ruby will either be back here soon or we’ll just meet up back at the barn,” she gasped when Scotty yanked her body back even harder. “Okay, Travis.” She ended the call and forced a smile on her face.

“Travis is a good friend.” He kissed her neck. “I’m so glad that he finally introduced us. I have been dreaming of being with you like this for so long. The pictures he has of you don’t do you anywhere near the justice you deserve.” He cupped her chin and tried to turn her face to his.

“Scotty.” She tried to pull away from him, but he gripped her arm and pulled her back against his body. “I am sorry if I led you on or gave you the impression that I wanted to be more than your friend, but…”

“But, nothing. I want you. You want me and that is all we need to know right now; the rest will be sorted out.” He grazed his hand, slower this time, up the side of her body.

“I am in love with…”

“Don’t. Don’t say you love him. He only used you for sex. I will love you and treat you like the lady you are and deserve. Who was here when you would call Travis crying because Gavin left you a mess and broken after he used your body and left you?” His grip on her tightened measurably.

“Let go of me, Scotty.” She stiffened her body. “Now,” she whispered through clenched teeth.

“Audree,” he whispered.

“Now, Scotty, please.” She refused to plead with him or let him know how scared she was becoming. She’d grown up with three boys and was more than capable of taking care of herself. Yet something about him made her think she would need all her wits about her. She knew she needed a solid plan to combat the strength and emotion that held him.

“I’m sorry if I scared you. I just didn’t want to lose my chance with you.” He released her and sighed when she stepped away from him, putting the center island between them.

“Again, I’m sorry if I led you on, but Gavin is…”

“He is all wrong for you. He doesn’t deserve you.” His jaw tightened and his fists clenched.

“You don’t know anything about him or me!” she spoke louder than she had meant to.

“I know he comes to town, fucks you, and leaves.”

“Get out of my house, Scotty, now!” She smacked her hand down on the counter.

“I just…”

“You are not welcome in my house anymore.” She stepped back when he moved away from the counter toward the kitchen doorway.

“This is a mistake!” he shouted, and before she knew what happened, her body was slammed against the wall across the kitchen. 

“Get your fucking hands off me!” she screamed.

“I am going to show you that I am better for you than he is.”

“I love him and nothing you can ever say or do will ever change that, and if you want to walk out of here on your own two feet, let me go now.” She struggled against his hold.

“You don’t love him. He fucked you and you liked it. I’ll fuck you and you will love it.” He ran his lips up her neck.

“Like I would allow you to touch me,” she growled.

“You won’t have a choice, and, once we start, you will love every minute of it.” He pushed his leg between hers. “Trust me.”

“Never.” She bucked her chest against his and knocked him back far enough that he was forced to take a step back, far enough that she was able to lift her leg and kneed him in the groin. “Asshole, I grew up with three guys; if I were you, I’d stay down.” She kicked him in the back as he rolled back and forth on the floor.

“Audree! Audree!” Gavin called, coming around the corner of the kitchen door.

“I’m fine,” she gasped when Gavin scooped her up in his arms.

“When Travis told me he called you and you said that you didn’t have jelly, I couldn’t get here fast enough,” he said, catching his breath. “The fucking truck wouldn’t start and Ruby had yours and wasn’t answering her cell phone.” He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “I hate jelly.” He laughed. “Travis didn’t say anything until I asked what was taking so long.”

“I should have known you were sending some kind of message,” Scotty groaned from behind Gavin. Audree was instantly standing behind Gavin and could only see the top of Scotty’s head under Gavin’s arm.

“Stay the fuck away from her, man. I warned you once before not to ever scare her again, and you should have heeded that warning.” Gavin, without hesitation, pulled his arm back and his fist met with Scotty’s jaw.

Scotty groaned and took several more punches to the face and body before Audree screamed Gavin’s name loud enough that it pulled him out of his fury. “Don’t ever think about coming near her or this place again. If you do, they will be carrying your sorry ass dead body out in pieces.” Gavin released the handful of Scotty’s shirt he held in his fist, and Scotty’s body slumped to the floor.