*****
The scent of food drifted on the air as Dalton stepped into the living room, and his stomach growled. How long had it been since he had eaten a home cooked dinner?
Watching from the end of the hallway, he looked Zoey over. She had certainly grown into a stunning woman. Her curvy body was on the shorter side, but she far made up for it with her big personality. She was sexy as hell, and his cock took note as her long black hair swung down her back with her movements. Her back was to him as she worked at the stove, and if he wanted a better look at her perfectly round ass, he would have to move closer.
“Something smells delicious,” he said as he walked across the living room. Her head came up and she turned those enormous blue eyes on him with a million dollar smile.
“Tanner doesn’t keep the kitchen very well stocked, so I’m making do tonight. I found a beef pot roast in the freezer and I made up some egg noodles. There’s corn bread in the oven, would you mind setting the table?”
Dalton smiled back at the easy way Zoey made herself at home. The girl hadn’t even had time to unpack her stuff, and yet she was scrambling around the kitchen making noodles from scratch. She was a gem. “You got it, pretty lady, and believe me, I’m not a picky eater. If you knew some of the things I’ve eaten during the last ten years…” He shivered and shook his head making her laugh. The husky tinkle of her giggle went straight to his nuts and the moment her back was to him, he adjusted himself.
It had been months since he’d had sex, and his dick was as hard as a wooden fence post just being close to a gorgeous woman. Her scent was a blend of almond and honey and he wanted to lick her skin to see if she tasted that way too.
“So how does it feel to be back in the US?”
“Weird. It’s just as hot here, but it’s a lot cleaner. I miss the work, and I miss the people, but I’m beginning to wonder if the world is trying to tell me that I needed to move on.” Dalton had the table set pretty quickly, and he moved back to the kitchen to watch Zoey again.
“You’ve been gone a long time. Give yourself a few days to adjust,” she responded easily as she bent over to pull the bread from the oven.
A groan slipped from his throat at the sight of her perfectly heart shaped ass, and she stood quickly. He could see her cheeks turning red and he sighed. “I’m sorry, Zoey. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. You have to know how beautiful you are, and I’ve been out of the dating scene for a long time. Forgive me.”
She waved a hand at him, “There’s nothing to forgive. Just forget it. Can you let Tanner know that dinner’s ready?”
“You just did.” Tanner appeared from the direction of the living room and by the glare he was giving Dalton, he had heard their conversation. “Smells fantastic, Zoey. Anything I can do?”
“Nope, just take a seat at the table. I’ll bring it over in just a second.” She bustled around collecting various things and bringing them to the dining table as he and Tanner both took their seats. It felt too good to have her there, serving them dinner at their mothers table, and Dalton had to check himself.
He had barely been back and he was already considering making a play for a woman that his brother clearly had his hat set for already. What kind of an idiot was he? He forced his thoughts back to dinner and making polite conversation, trying hard to forget the lovely bit of female who sat across from him. Did she know she made a sexy O with her full lips when she blew on her spoon of noodles? Would she look that hot with his cock in her mouth?
A flash of heat shot down his spine and his cock throbbed in his jeans. Fidgeting to find a comfortable seat, Dalton turned to Tanner instead. “Heard anything out of Clint?”
“No, and I didn’t really expect to.”
“But he turned thirty last week, I would have thought…” Dalton’s voice trailed off and he looked back to his bowl.
“Thought what? That he would actually stick to his word and come back to the ranch?” Tanner snapped. “Yeah sure, and I’ll grow a tail and start braying like a donkey too. Clint won’t do anything he doesn’t want to.”
Zoey stared at the two of them, and a small worry line creased her brow. “I’m missing something.”
“Our baby brother made a promise to our mother that if he didn’t have a great acting career by the time he was thirty he would come back to the ranch,” Tanner said with a snort. “Other than a few commercials, the last I heard he was working for a lawn care service in L.A. Sorry, Professor, but I highly doubt he follows through on that promise.”
Dalton sighed with frustration. This was how it worked between them. Tanner was cynical, Clint was flighty, and Dalton played mediator. “I sent him an email to let him know I was coming home, maybe he will get in touch and at least let us know he’s okay.”
“You guys don’t keep in touch?” Zoey’s question wasn’t so much odd as uncomfortable. Dalton had never liked the fact that he had drifted so far away from his brothers, and having her point it out made him feel like an ass.
“Not really. We’ve all been busy.”
She took a sip of water and shrugged. “I always wanted siblings when I was a kid. Rachel is pretty much my sister, and until she had Juliet and got busier, we talked every other day. I can’t imagine not making time for your brothers.”
“Do you talk to your mother every day?” Tanner asked softly and Dalton frowned when Zoey’s face went pale. There was more to that question, and his protective instinct jumped to the surface when she fumbled with her spoon.
“Shut up, Tanner. She was just making an observation, and she’s right. Even if you don’t like it.” Dalton turned back to Zoey with a small smile, “Dinner is wonderful, pretty lady, thank you for taking the time to cook it for us. Tanner and I will clean up to show you how appreciative we are.”
She smiled but it was still shaky, “You’re welcome. I love cooking, but I haven’t had much of a chance to do it with just me to cook for. Any favorites I should add to the menu?”
He brightened at her question, “Do you know how to make fried chicken?”
She rolled her eyes laughing, “I’m from Texas. Of course I know how to make fried chicken.”
“Marry me,” he said, playfully sighing and grabbing her hand from across the table. When she laughed and shook her head, warmth filled his chest. He was looking forward to hearing that sound from her more often.
“I can’t marry you, you don’t have a job.”
Dalton reached out and tweaked her nose with his fingertip, “Well I’m calling dibs on it when you change your mind. As long as you cook for me, I will promise you all of the hot sex you want. Any time, any place.”
Zoey’s cheeks turned pink and she laughed, but Dalton could tell she was turned on. Her lush pink lips parted and her eyes sparkled with a fire that he hadn’t noticed before. It hinted at a deep well of passion that Dalton’s cock absolutely wanted the chance to explore.
Hmmm…coming home might not have been such a bad thing. Tanner intervened and changed the subject. No amount of superficial chat altered the course of his fantasies though, and by the end of the evening, Dalton hurried up to his apartment with the sole intention of alleviating the hard-on that was mashed against his zipper.
Living with Zoey Carson might prove to be his undoing.