Keeping What's His(31)

Sutton’s mouth dropped open.

Taking advantage of her surprise, he slid into the booth next to her, forcing her to scoot or get moved over. Wisely, she gave him the room to sit next to her.

“Uh … I thought you had left.”

“Nah, I was hungry.”

Her eyes narrowed on his coming-off-as-a-hick attitude.

“Tate, this is my boss, Liam Allen. Liam, this is Tate Porter, a friend of mine.”

“Boyfriend,” Tate corrected her, taking the menu out of her hand before she decided to use it to hit him.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Liam held out his hand to him. Tate reached out to shake it, the two men sizing each other up. “So, you’re the reason Sutton’s decided to move back to Kentucky?”

Tate placed his arm on the back of the booth, drawing a reluctant Sutton closer. “Good thing. I don’t see me and California as a good match. It’s hot as shit there.”

“You were going to move to California if she didn’t move back?”

“Yes.”

“You were?” The anger in her eyes disappeared at his claim.

“Of course. She’s mine, and I want her to be happy,” Tate said truthfully, frowning when he saw tears brimming in her eyes.

His hand went to the nape of her neck, gently soothing her. She sank against his side and Tate leaned down, brushing his mouth against hers. It was the first public display of affection he had ever given a woman, showing without embarrassment how much he was into her.

“I can see you both are a good match. I’m happy for you, Sutton.” The sincerity in Liam’s voice eased the jealousy in his gut.

There was no comparison between them. Liam was sophisticated, handsome, and charming. Tate knew, side by side, he had the short end of the stick in all three categories.

The waitress took their order, leaving them alone again.

Tate listened silently, letting them talk about her schedule. Sutton would be traveling two or three days a week to nearby cities, allowing her to be home by a reasonable time. She would be driving out of town only two days a month, which would require her to be gone overnight. Tate thought about informing her that she wouldn’t be spending those nights alone—he would be traveling with her—but decided he would let her find that out on her own. He didn’t want her to think he was being pushy. He was; he just didn’t want her to figure it out too soon. She would find that out the day she left for one of those trips.

She had her own surprise in store for him when they parted with her boss in the parking lot.

“I’ll see you next month when I drive out to get my car and pack up my apartment.”

Liam shook his hand after saying good-bye to Sutton.

“Take care of her. I can’t tell you how good it is to see her so happy.”

Damn, Tate hadn’t anticipated liking the man. There were very few men he could actually stand.

Tate made an offer he made to only a few. “Come for a visit some time, and I’ll take you hunting.”

“I might take you up on that. What kind of game do you hunt? Bear?”

“Hell no, they’re mean fuckers. We can hunt for squirrels and possums. I have one that’s getting in our trash. I’m going to kill that little bastard. Might not wait for you to come back to get rid of him.”

Liam burst out laughing. “Don’t wait. I imagine that can be aggravating.”

“It is. Sutton talked me into catching him and setting him free somewhere else, so I took him to The Last Riders’ clubhouse and let him go. Little bastard found his way back a week later, though. Looked half-starved to death. They don’t have good trash …”

Sutton tugged on his arm. “Liam wants to leave. We’re holding him up.”

“Not at all. I’m enjoying this. There’s a motorcycle club here? This town doesn’t seem the place a club like that would make home.”

Tate snorted. “They love it here and have stolen all the good women in town but one.” He jerked his head toward Sutton. “I managed to catch her. I always knew I was smarter than them,” he bragged.

“I’ll let you know when I can take a few days off from work so you can take time off from work—”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m my own boss.”

“Really, what do you do?”

Tate’s eyes narrowed on him. “You a Fed?”

Sutton’s elbow struck him in the ribs. “We need to go. Bye, Liam.” She grabbed Tate’s arm, trying to push him toward his truck.

“I’m a pharmacist and businessman,” Liam continued like Sutton hadn’t said anything. “A federal agent isn’t one of the many jobs I’ve held.”

Tate spat on the ground. “Me, neither.”

Sutton’s face turned red and her eyes promised retribuation.

“So, what is it you do?”

Tate shook off Sutton. The woman was about to rip his arm out of its socket.

“I’m a pharmacist and a businessman, like you. You do your work in an office or a lab; I do mine in a field. I grow medicinal plants.”

The interest in Liam’s eyes deepened. “I’ve never met anyone who actually grows the components of medicine. Which plants do you grow?”

“Weed.”

“Weed?”

“You sure you’re not a Fed?”

“Tate!”

Sutton’s boss burst out laughing. “I’m sure. I’ve even been known to take a hit every now and then.”

Tate sniffed the air. “I’d say a few hours ago.”

Sutton’s hand dropped from his arm. “Liam, please don’t fire me. He’s not my boyfriend. Actually, he’s barely an aquantanice—”

Tate raised his brow at her. “Who was that in my bed last night, then? It sure as hell looked like you when you were—”

“Shut up!” she hissed.

“It’s all right, Sutton,” Liam interrupted the squabbling couple. “I’ll definitely be back in a couple of months. I’ll be interested in trying your product.”

“Don’t you dare ask if he’s a Fed again,” Sutton threatened.

“Wasn’t going to,” Tate said indignately. “You have offices in Colorodo?”

“Actually, yes.”

“I have a couple of plants for you to take. You could pass them off to a cooperative that grows the plants. I have one I developed when a friend of my cousin’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Seemed to help her out quite a bit before she passed away.”

“I’d be glad to pass them along.”

“Can’t give you more than a couple because they’ll say I’m distributing, but if you give them to a good grower, he’ll know what to do with Kentucky Gold.”

“You named it?” Sutton asked.

Tate almost reminded her that she had wanted him to quit talking, but he didn’t want to sleep on the couch tonight. His woman had a temper when riled.

“Had to. I developed it. I wasn’t going to have some other fucker naming it something stupid.”

Liam opened his car door, asking, “Why Kentucky Gold?”

“Wait until you try it. Nothing compares. Not even that fake shit the Colemans are selling. I could sell it all day long, but I only grow what I give to the people in town who need it.”

“Why not sell to everyone?”

“Because it would sell so fast I wouldn’t have enough for those who need it. My regular customers act like they’ve got a tick up their ass when I tell them I run out. It’s easier not to let them know what they’re missing out on.”

Liam finally turned to Sutton. “Sutton, I could take a long weekend in a couple of weeks and drive your things up here to you.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose—”

“No imposition. I’ll take a rental car back.”

“If you’re sure …”

“I’m sure. Some friends are worth their weight in gold.” He winked.

* * *

While Sutton remained silent on the drive home, he wondered what he had said or done that had pissed her off the most.

“Did you really mean that you would have moved to California?” Her soft question had him cutting her a quick glance.

“I don’t say shit I don’t mean,” he told her as they got nearer to Rosie’s bar. “Want to stop in and get a beer?”

“I’d like that. I haven’t seen Mick since I’ve been back.”

Tate turned into the parking lot. As usual, there were plenty of bikes parked there, and Greer’s truck was parked in his usual spot. When he spotted the large, black Chevy truck, he almost turned around to leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave Greer without back-up, even if the stupid fucker was stupid enough to stay with The Last Riders and the Hayeses there.

Parking, he turned off the truck. “Stay by my side. There might be trouble.”

She shocked the shit out of him when she gave him an anticipatory grin. “Really, who with?”

“The Hayeses. Greer won’t pick a fight with The Last Riders. We owe them for fixing me up and Knox not turning me in. The Hayeses are always looking for trouble, and Greer likes to give it to them.”

“Why doesn’t he like the Hayeses? They were always nice to me, even though we only saw them during football and basketball seasons,” she said, sliding out of the truck and slamming the truck door.