Page 25 of Sterling Heat

“Sugar, you don’t need to ask for a thing. Make this place your home for a few weeks.”

Personally, I have no idea how I’ll survive the time. Thinking of her, naked, and underneath the spray of my shower, water sluicing down her lush body, with those heavy breasts and the slight curve to her hips, and my dick is hard. I need to get out of here.

“I have a thing to do. Take your shower. Catch a nap. Let me find your car.”

“You don’t need—”

“Just stop,” I snap a little harsher than necessary while holding up a hand. “You don’t need to thank me, or apologize, or continually tell me I don’t need to do things for you. I know I don’t.” Again, a little too firm, so I take a deep breath and swipe my hand through my hair. “I want to.”

Her eyes widen at the admission, and even I’m a little shocked by what I’ve said. But I really do want to help her, and that scares the fuck out of me, which is why I need to get out of here for a bit.

“So.” I swallow around the thickness in my throat. “You shower. Me go.” I hitch my thumb toward the door and decide this caveman needs to get gone and quickly.

+ + +

Once inside Milton’s Roadhouse with a non-alcoholic beer and a helluva burger before me, I feel a little more like myself. With the western saloon atmosphere, including rooms to rent on the second floor, this place is a Sterling Falls icon on one of the four corners of Corner Street and Main.

With a hardy sip of beer, I work to suppress my concerns for Enya and the ache of leaving Adara at the hospital. She’s in good hands there. Enya and I talked about her care while we drove to Huntington. Being premature, the baby needs to be in the hospital for now.

I’m lifting my beer again, almost to my mouth, when a strong smack on my back forces me forward and my teeth collide with the heavy glass mug.

“What the fuck?” I grumble as my brothers Stone and Knox round the high-top table. Despite all the silver in Stone’s hair, Knox is the opposite, like me, with jet black hair. His once military buzz has grown out to a floppy top with sheared sides. The thickness of his beard nearly matches Stone’s.

“Well, look who it is?” Knox teases helping himself to a stool. “Daddy Warbucks.”

“Who?”

“The rich guy in Annie who takes in a little girl.” Stone explains. “Or are you Sir Lancelot, helping a damsel in distress?” His dark eyes narrow at me, filled with the same question I’ve been asking myself.

What the fuck am I doing with this woman?

“She’s not a damsel in distress.” Despite the emotional tears, Enya has a strength and determination to her that I admire. She wants to do things on her own, and she’s frustrated that her body isn’t allowing that to happen. Her misfortune is my good luck, which is a terrible way to think of her situation.

But I’m strangely relieved she’s in my home where I can keep my eyes on her.

“No? I heard she’s your baby mama,” Knox teases again before holding up his hand and pointing at my beer then signaling for two from the bartender.

“She’s what?” Stone chokes, full on glaring at me with the disapproval I’ve often seen from him in my life.

“She’s not my baby mama,” I chortle.

“But you’re playing daddy to her baby,” Knox continues.

“Who told you that?” As if there isn’t enough gossip in a small town, nothing is sacred from Knox.

“Vale.”

Of course.

“How do you know this and I don’t?” Stone questions, glancing at our brother.

“Guess she just loves me more than you.” Knox is full on poking at Stone, as we all know Vale has hero-worship of our oldest brother. He practically raised her. Hell, he raised Ford, Vale, and me, and we weren’t easy. Stone was too young to be our father, but he was all we had at vulnerable ages. He gave up a lot to be present for us.

I’m the one who fucked it up the most.

Knox squeezes Stone’s broad shoulder, playfully joking with him, who swats at Knox’s arm. Knox only laughs harder.

“Can I get you anything else?” Eleanor Milton asks, after delivering their beers.