The Jackpot Screwer: Enemies to Lovers (Love In Dayton Valley Book 2) Read online

  “No idea. Put your legs up on me,” I said, quickly changing the subject. “Let me rub your feet for you.”

  Narrow eyes stared back at me, pure venom glinting out through the tiny slits of blue.

  “I didn’t say my feet hurt,” she snapped. “Were you even listening to me?”

  “I just thought it would help,” I offered.

  “Oh yeah,” she scoffed, squeezing the even dirtier tissue into a ball and throwing it back at me. “Like you thought it was a good thing to stick that mammoth penis of yours into my vagina and leave a little gift behind.”

  “You didn’t exactly pooh, pooh, the idea, Lollipop.”

  Wrong thing to say because a cushion came flying toward me.

  “Shit, that hurt.”

  “As if,” she snarled. “It’s a damn cushion, Carter. How can a cushion hurt?”

  “Well, if it’s thrown at point blank range straight at my face it can.” Rubbing at my forehead I groaned. “You know, Lollipop, you really have to stop throwing things at me. With the number of objects that you keep launching at me, I’ll have brain issues before the baby even gets here.”

  “Well stop being an idiot and I might.”

  She pouted like a little girl who’d had her toys taken away and I felt a little sorry for her. Everything was changing with her body and it must have been real weird; still didn’t justify her using me as target practice though.

  “Okay,” I said with a sigh. “Let’s talk about the positive aspects of being pregnant.” I thought about what she’d said and the sudden realization that she was desperate for me, left me more than a little excited. My dick was most definitely waking up to that fact. “I mean you said you feel horny right? We can certainly do something about that.”

  I pulled her into my arms, and just as my lips landed on hers, the door opened, followed by a loud groan.

  “Really,” Austen cried. “That’s what got you into trouble in the first place.”

  Bronte pulled away and shoved me in the chest. “We were wrestling is all.”

  Austen shook his head. “I told you before, I know what sex is. Ask Carter.”

  Her gaze shot to mine and wide eyes stared at me. “What does he mean? Ask Carter if he knows about sex.”

  I threw Austen a look that thanked him for, one, busting in on us and, two, throwing me under the damn school bus he went on every day because yes, he was only fourteen and didn’t need to be thinking about s-e-x.

  “He doesn’t mean anything. Do you, Austen?”

  Catching my drift, he shook his head. “I guess not. I guess I’m just the kid brother who knows nothing about anything. The one who doesn’t know where babies come from. The one who has no damn idea what a hard on is.”

  Dropping my head into my hands, I groaned. The kid had just thrown himself under the bus with me. We were about to be squashed together.

  “Austen. How the hell do you know that… I told Mom not to worry about you, do I have to get Dad to give you the talk?”

  “God no,” he yelled. “Please no. He’s probably better than Carter or Hunter, but I’d rather die a virgin than talk to Dad about it. You know what, I’m just gonna go back to my room and pretend this never happened and that I’m not hungry or want to know when Mom will be back to make dinner.”

  He threw us a wave and was gone, leaving a distinct atmosphere in the room. One that said if I didn’t get out of there quick or change the subject, I was going to be blamed for teaching him about sex. Not that that particular conversation had gone too well.

  “So,” I said cheerfully. “How about the Easter Fayre, you think you might run for Easter Queen this year, Lollipop?”

  “Oh my God, I hate you,” she bawled. “Who wants an Easter Queen with cankles and gas?”

  “Hey, Jefferson,” I sighed as he opened the door to his house at The Big D ranch. “How’re you doing?”

  He smiled brightly and smoothed a hand over his hair, sweeping it back from his face. He was most definitely hot for an older guy, but despite what I’d led Ellie to believe a few months back, he was not my type. The hair was the wrong color for one; definitely not red enough.

  “I’m good thanks, honey. I’m just off to the new piece of land to put some fencing up with Tom and Sam.” He placed his cowboy hat on his head and gave me a fatherly wink. “You here to see Ellie, ‘cause she’s over in the barn with Hunter. They’re picking floor covering,” he said with a smirk and a little shake of his head. “Well, arguing about wooden flooring versus tiles.”

  “All getting a little tense, right?”

  I knew Ellie and was pretty sure that she’d have a spreadsheet and a scrapbook full of things for the new house and was stressing over every little detail.

  “Ah it’s all good,” he replied. “I’m just happy I don’t have to be any part of it, but I’ll be glad when Hunt gets his mind back on the job. He’s a little distracted.”

  “Hmm.” I shrugged. “Moving in together is a big commitment. As long as he’s not having second thoughts because then I may just have to cut off his balls.”

  Jefferson laughed and moved down the porch steps. “No chance of that. My boy is totally gone for that girl. Anyways, I’d best get going. Go on in if you want. Janice and Lynn are cooking soup in the kitchen—I think it’s pork and blueberry today.” He grimaced. “Oh, and if you do, don’t take your shoes off that damn dog of theirs will chew it to its death.”

  “Oh my gosh,” I squealed. “They have a puppy. You know Carter got me a puppy, right?”

  “Where’d you think he got him.” Jefferson raised a brow. “Okay so, I’ll see you later honey.”

  With that he was gone, jogging down the porch steps and over to his truck which was loaded with fencing materials and now had Sam and Tom leaning against it.

  As his vehicle pulled away, I gave a courtesy knock on the door and walked in.

  “Aunt J, Aunt L, you back there?”

  A silver head poked around the door. I knew it was Hunter’s Aunt Lynn-Ann because I’d figured a while ago that she wore her parting to the right.

  “Why Bronte, sweetheart, so lovely to see you. You want to come through and taste our new soup?”

  The thought of pork and blueberry didn’t settle right on my stomach, so I laid a hand against it and shook my head.

  “A little nauseous today, Aunt L.”

  “Oh no, morning sickness, sweetheart?”

  “Hmm,” I lied, seeing as I’d barely had any at all. Something I counted myself lucky for. “I managed to keep some toast down.”

  “Well come on through anyway, we’re just finishing up.”

  As I wandered through to the living room, I heard snuffling and growling, and sure enough in the middle of the rug was a cute little puppy. It looked exactly like Mani and was, as Jefferson warned me, chewing on a shoe.

  “Oh, he’s adorable.” Dropping to my knees I rolled the pup over and scratched his belly, just like my own little guy loved. “What’s his name.”

  “Primrose,” Aunt L replied.

  When I looked up at her she was grinning from ear to ear.

  “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” She clutched at her pale blue blouse and stared down at the puppy. “I think even Jefferson is getting attached.”

  Taking another quick look between Primrose’s legs I confirmed it was most definitely a ‘he’.

  “Primrose?” I asked.

  “Yes, we thought he was a girl. You know that sneaky Carter tried to swap him out for the female puppy, but we spotted it, didn’t we, Janice-Ann?”

  Aunt J appeared next to her sister, wiping her hands on a towel. “We did. The female was all black for a start.”

  Both sisters moved into the room and sat themselves down on the sofa.

  “So, how are you, Bronte, dear?” Aunt J asked, the conversation about their male dog being called Primrose swiftly forgotten.

  “I’m good thank you.” As Primrose went back to chewing, I got onto my feet and moved to an
armchair. “Getting used to the idea, you know.”

  The two sisters gave me sympathetic smiles and sighed.

  “Please, don’t be sorry for me. I truly am getting used to the idea. And I’m looking forward to it all, except the birth of course.”

  “Oh, we’re not sorry you’re having a baby, honey,” Aunt J replied. “Just thinking you must be worried, with Carter being the daddy and all.”

  “Worried?” Apprehension gnawed at my gut, wondering why they’d say such a thing. “What’s wrong with Carter? What have you heard?”

  “Nothing,” Aunt J replied, reaching out and patting my hand. “He’s a perfectly lovely boy—well most of the time.”

  Aunt L touched her hair. “We mean the ginger, dear.”

  “God, no,” I cried relaxing back into the chair, relieved that was all it was. “I love his hair.”

  “Well, God willing your baby will be blonde, like you.” Aunt J frowned and looked at my head. “When you’re not dying it’s all kinds of silly colors.”

  “Something is worrying you though. We can see it can’t we Janice-Ann?”

  Aunt J nodded. “Most definitely. So, what is it that’s troubling you?”

  I’d gone to see Ellie and talk things through with her, but she was busy. Therefore, I decided there’d be no harm in telling two ladies in their sixties all about my romance troubles.

  “I think Carter has gone off me and might be falling for Nancy Andrews,” I blurted out, relieved at getting it off my chest.

  The two aunts both tinkled a laugh and scoffed at me.

  “Carter and Nancy.” Aunt L waved a dismissive hand at me. “Ridiculous. She’s far too young for him.”

  “She’s the same age as Shaw,” I offered. “That’s not so young.”

  Aunt L shook her head. “Nope. No way. I’m not having it. Carter is a little shit most of the time, except to you. You’re the only one I’ve ever seen him be nice to.”

  “To be fair,” Aunt J offered. “He’s always sweet as pie to us.”

  “Very true. Oh, and his mom and dad.” Aunt L tilted her head and paused, thinking. “You know, it’s actually mainly Ellie he’s a little shit with.”

  The three of us nodded in agreement.

  “You don’t think I need worry about Nancy?” I asked, wondering why on earth I thought they’d know.

  “I doubt it, dear,” Aunt L replied. “Nancy went on a date with Minnesota on Saturday, anyway.”

  “She did,” I gasped. “How do you know that, and I don’t?”

  Aunt L smiled. “You need to go to bingo night, dear. You get all the gossip there.”

  Baffled at how a bunch of old people knew the town’s dating gossip, I nodded and determined to get out a bit more.

  “I guess he just doesn’t want me then,” I groaned, dropping my head to my hands.

  “Of course, he does,” Aunt J sighed. “But maybe you need to show him you want him. You were the one who ended things, were you not?”

  “Well, yes, but I feel stupid now. I’m worried it’s too late.”

  “It’s never too late,” Aunt L replied as she stood. “Give him what all men want; sex.”

  I gasped, shocked at her response. As far as I knew neither of the aunts had ever been married, but I supposed that didn’t make them virgins.

  “Lynn-Ann is right, Bronte. You need to go around there with some nice panties and bra on and seduce him.”

  “I agree with Janice-Ann and I thoroughly recommend black, or maybe a nice deep purple color.”

  As I stared, open-mouthed at both the aunts, the door clattered open and Ellie and Hunter rushed in. They were both breathless, Hunter’s hair was a mess, and Ellie’s t-shirt was most definitely inside out.

  “You finally manage to decide on a flooring you like?” Aunt L asked.

  “Oh, hey, Bronte.” Ellie gave me a wave. “Ah, yep. Hunt decided I was right in the end.”

  “You see,” Aunt L said pointing at them. “Sex gets you everything you want. Now, who’d like some tea?”

  Pig shit stinks—fact!

  Lance Dickinson was the worst man on the planet—fact!

  He knew how I hated going out to Jim Wickerson’s pig farm, yet somehow, he always worked it that I was the only one available.

  I was already pissed at him because while he’d finally made a decision about the partnership—almost a month after I’d met with him about it, he was taking his goddamn sweet time in getting the paperwork drawn up. Add to the fact he’d suddenly had a house call to make which meant I was sticking Jim’s damn feeder piglets with a vaccination, while up to my ankles in shit. Pigs were dirty and shit and pissed wherever they cared to.

  “Get you a cold one, Carter?” Jim asked.

  “That’d be good, Jim, thanks.” I turned back to the piglet wriggling around in my arms and pushed the skin forward on his neck, just below his ear. When I jabbed in the needle it squealed blue murder. “There you go.” I set it back on his feet and looked in the pen to find that had been the last one.

  “All done?” Jim came beside me and peered in. “You were real quick today.”

  “Yeah, I guess I was.” I glanced at an old clock up on the barn wall and realized he was right. I’d only taken thirty-five minutes to vaccinate fifteen piglets, some of which had been real wrigglers. “Got to be a record, I reckon.”

  “Reckon so. Now, I’ll get you that drink because I’d be grateful if you’d also take a look at that five-month-old that was tail biting.”

  “It any better?” I asked, putting everything back into my bag and disposing of the needles in the Sharpsafe.

  “Some.” Jim shrugged and made his way out of the pig enclosure. “He’s stopped biting, but it doesn’t appear to be healin’ much.”

  “Okay, I’ll take a look. He in the isolation pen still, in the other barn?”

  Jim nodded and made his way to the house, leaving me to go back to my truck and get some things I thought I might need. When I was closing the back tailgate, I noticed a little pink car winding its way up the track towards the farm.

  “Bronte?” I murmured to myself as I watched her hit a rut and then swerve to avoid Jim’s big, fat, Tom cat, Weasel.

  Even from where I was standing, a least a couple of hundred feet away, I could see she was cursing about the state of the road surface. Jim didn’t have a big farm, with a herd of hogs and sows large enough to service the butcher shops of the towns in our county and a couple of restaurants in Middleton Ridge. That meant that the track leading up to the farm was the least of his worries and he spent little or no money on it. This also meant that Bronte’s car could possibly need a repair job, especially if she kept driving down it at the speed she was.

  Grimacing as she almost did a wheel spin when she stopped next to my truck, I rubbed a hand over my head as apprehension hit me. Why the hell had she come all the way out to Jim’s to see me. I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong since our last meeting, but her moods were so up and down, it was difficult to know.

  “Lollipop?” I took a step forward as she slammed her car door.

  “Does Jim know how dangerous that damn track is?” she asked, her arm going behind her to point in the direction she’d just come. “I hit my head on the roof of my car, twice.”

  I tried not to smirk. Her hair was piled high, so I doubted she’d felt a thing.

  “You’re okay though?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she snapped and looked down at the ground, her sneakers stark white against the brown stinking mess. “I wanted to see you.”

  “I guessed so,” I replied wondering whether I should offer her my spare Wellington boots. “But why?”

  Wide eyes stared back at me. “Well, why wouldn’t I?”

  “It’s just you never come visit me at work usually. So, why today?”

  I ran a hand through my hair and as I did, I heard the gasp and inhale. There was no disguising it, she was damn well turned on. All I’d done was straighten the mess on top of
my own head. Feeling on top of my game I stretched my back muscles, knowing my Dayton Veterinary Clinic polo shirt would ride up enough to show a glimpse of skin. Skin and the happy trail that Bronte loved to follow. My eyes went to her rack, covered in a thin, white tank, under which I could clearly make out a plain bra with lace edging it. As I homed in on her titties, her nipples hardened pretty much instantly.

  Oh yeah, she was turned on to the point of exploding.

  Problem was I’d vowed that I’d prove what we had was so much more than lust.

  “So?” I prompted, desperately trying not to think of her underneath me.

  She looked around and then back toward Jim’s house, before landing her gaze back on me—my dick to be more precise. Just having her eyes on it made it perk up a little, and as it pushed against my uniform cargo pants, she definitely noticed. She gave another little sigh followed by a peek of the tip of her tongue as it licked along her lips.

  Images of what else that tongue could do filled my head and my dick went to full attention—well as much as it could without being free of the confines of my underwear and pants. Desperately, trying to steady my breathing I took a long inhale, and then slowly let the air go, hoping it might deflate my excitement.

  No such damn luck. It grew painfully harder.

  Bronte took a step forward and held out her hand as though she was going to give me a crotch hug. “Carter, I’m so damn horny,” she gasped. “I really need you to have sex with me now.”

  As her delicate fingers flexed, I stepped to one side, grabbing my bag from the bed of the truck and shoving it in front of me to cover my excitement.

  “No,” I replied, my voice cracking. “Not happening, Lollipop.”

  “Please.” Her face crumpled as though she might cry. “That’s why I came. I have to have sex today, otherwise I might just… I don’t know… combust.”

  I shook my head, even though my determination was ebbing with every second that her nipples pushed harder against her tank.

  “I’m working.”

  “Never stopped you before,” she groaned, stopping inches from me. “What about the time I gave you a blow job at the clinic? You were supposed to be working then but you couldn’t wait to get your penis out.”