Her Outlaw Daddy, page 2
He wasn't sure whether to be insulted or amused with her newfound thought process. "No, that's not it. I'm straight; I'm just not about to have sex with you while you're drunk." Why had he taken her back to his place? He should have called her a cab or saw to it that she was dropped off at a motel someplace, not with him.
Autumn whined, staring up at him with big brown eyes. "I'm not drunk, Hunter. I'm just tipsy, that's all." Her arm stretched out toward him. "Come to bed with me, please?"
He exhaled a heavy breath. It wasn't as though there was another bed in the house, and the sofa was too short for him to sleep on. He thought about grabbing a blanket and pillow and getting himself cozy on the floor but no doubt he'd end up with a backache or neckache come morning.
Part of him contemplated climbing into bed with Autumn after she had fallen asleep. He'd be up early, before she woke, and she'd likely be out cold the entire night, unaware that he slept beside her. Although that assumed, she'd actually get tired and fall asleep. Right now, she was still much too interested in bedding him.
"I promise, I'll keep my hands to myself," Autumn said as she stretched out on the bed, pulling the covers up around herself, and yawned.
Maybe the alcohol was finally making her tired.
He removed his shoes, belt, and hat, keeping an eye every so often on the brunette. Her head lay against the pillow, her hair fanned out as her eyes slowly shut. If she was pretending to sleep to get him into bed, it seemed to be working and actually putting her to sleep.
His shirt followed next, along with his jeans and socks, leaving only his boxers. Hunter climbed under the covers, keeping to one side of the bed, trying not to stir her as the bed shifted and dipped.
"Finally coming to bed?" she asked, her eyes still shut, but she shifted closer, her naked body pressed firmly against his.
Hunter's hands were firm and warm as he guided Autumn onto her back, putting space between them. "Yes, but you need your sleep. In the morning, if you're still just as horny, I promise I'll make it up to you." At least by then he wouldn't be taking advantage of her.
It took all his strength to force himself to lie down and not pull her into his warm embrace. He shifted and rolled over to stare at the wall, pretending he was alone. He shut his eyes and tried not to think about his cock as it reminded him she was naked and within arm's reach. No, she wasn't his to have and to hold, not yet.
***
Autumn awoke early the next morning, her head throbbing and the room spinning. It took her a few minutes to get her land legs back, as if she'd been out on the sea for a month. No, it had been that stupid drink. What had she consumed last night exactly?
The sun was just beginning to climb into the sky, and she glanced down at her naked body beneath the covers. Beside her, was one hell of a sexy male specimen, sleeping and well-built. Holy Hell, he was hot. Had she fucked him? She didn't remember what had happened. In fact, most of the night was a blur, which explained the massive headache and the reason the room spun.
Quietly, she slipped out of bed, grabbed her clothes on the floor and took the articles into the nearest bathroom to get dressed. She was quick, not wasting a beat before tiptoeing back to the bedroom. She stared at the handsome cowboy, recognizing him as the bartender from last night. Well, at least she hadn't been so drunk that she hadn't remembered him at all. She grabbed his wallet and phone on the bedside table, along with his keys, quietly stalking outside. Autumn was ever so careful not to allow the front door to slam behind her. She didn't need Sexy to wake up.
Chapter Two
She stole his truck, well, borrowed was more of how she liked to think of it. She did, however, steal his wallet, needing cash, and then felt forced into taking his phone so it would be more difficult to report the crime, especially if he didn't have a landline and his car was missing.
Autumn was going to Hell, but the thrill and chase was worth it. She'd avoided the law for quite some time, steering clear of trouble, but sometimes she just felt the need to get down and dirty.
Besides, she needed the cash to fill up the tank in her car. She'd underestimated how much gas would cost her to get all the way to Montana. She'd never make it to Ravenwood on her current funds. Autumn wasn't sure how long she planned on staying. Her sister hadn't been specific with the invitation. She'd recently been fired from her job, so returning to Cincinnati didn't seem that exciting either. There was nothing back there for her.
Staring up at Hunter's truck, she exhaled a heavy sigh. Why couldn't he have a vehicle that was easy to get into, like every other car on the market? The running boards were much too high, considering her height of just barely reaching five feet. As much as she needed a step stool to easily climb inside, that wasn't a realistic option. Besides, she wasn't planning on riding in the truck again after this one last trip to pick up her car. She'd just have to manage. Autumn took off her heels and hoisted herself up into the truck. She started the engine and didn't waste a beat, heading back to the bar for her own vehicle.
Switching cars, she left his keys for him and hurried into her canary yellow hatchback, needing to get to Ravenwood. She was behind schedule. Stopping yesterday at the bar had put her a few hours behind. If she wanted to make a good impression with her sister, then she needed to hurry and be on her way.
Rubbing at her tired eyes, she pulled swiftly out of the parking lot and onto the main thoroughfare on her way through the middle of nowhere.
Grazing land seemed to stretch onward to nothingness. In the distance, she could see mountains as the rolling hills grew steeper. The weather was clear and crisp, chilly but not unseasonable. Thankfully, there was no bad weather in the forecast and Autumn would arrive long before nightfall.
She drove for what felt like hours, without another town in sight. She glanced down at the gas gauge, worried that she'd eventually run out of fuel. Now that she had the money, she didn't have gas. She shouldn't have been in such a rush to leave that small, podunk town with the bar; at least they had gas stations.
The warning light for fuel flipped on. She tried to keep her pace steady and the amount of fuel even, as the car consumed more gas with the climb upwards farther into the mountains. The car began to sputter and stall. She hadn't seen a gas station in what felt like forever. What was she to do, go on foot?
She glanced down at the heels she'd worn, her only pair of shoes. She hadn't packed very smart. Her wardrobe had been dresses and sexy lingerie.
She pulled the car over to the side of the road, flipped the hazard lights on and stepped out onto the highway.
There wasn't a soul for miles—no other cars, no ranches or homes as far as the eye could see. She already knew what lay behind her, absolutely nothing. Her only chance now was heading down the road, walking to the next town, however long it took.
Reaching across the front seat for her purse, she unburied her phone and saw that she had no reception. She grabbed Hunter's cell phone that she'd 'borrowed' and that, too, had no signal and appeared to be a different carrier. Maybe she'd luck out, and she'd get a signal if she walked a little farther up the mountain. She was in the valley, which probably didn't help matters. Shoving his phone into her purse, she grabbed his wallet, glancing through its contents. He had far less money than she had thought and shoved the cash into her purse.
She glanced over his identification and shoved it back into his wallet, burying it deep into her handbag. Autumn stepped out from the car and locked the door behind her, heading out on the open road.
***
Hunter rolled over in bed, the cool sheets against his skin as his arm stretched out over the mattress. His eyes lazily opened, remembering the beautiful brunette from the previous night. "Autumn?" he called out for her, hoping she may have just snuck off into the kitchen to grab coffee.
He climbed out of bed, disappointed to discover that she was gone. Asher grabbed his clothes to shower and reached for the bedside table where he'd left his phone, keys, and wallet—everything was gone.
"Fuck!" Hurrying toward the front window, he glanced outside. Sure enough, his truck was gone.
He rushed to get ready, foregoing the shower while he slipped back into jeans and a t-shirt. He pulled his boots on and grabbed a hat, hurrying to his nearest neighbor's house to borrow his cell phone. It had been quite a walk to the next property.
She couldn't have known the trouble he'd find himself in if he went to the sheriff to report her crime. Anyone else would have reported the vehicle and their possessions stolen, but Hunter was trying to lie low. The last thing he wanted was to get involved with the police. He'd made a mess of things in Nebraska and desperately needed to keep a low profile. Bringing the police into the matter would only lead to more problems and possibly his own arrest.
He dialed his boss' phone number from a neighbor's house. How was he going to explain the situation?
"Hey, Hunter." Jamie's voice sounded bright and cheery. She had no idea what he'd been through.
"Hi, boss." He tried not to let her know what had happened. "Do you think you can cover my shift this afternoon? I'm having some car troubles and my vehicle is at the shop." The excuse would only last for so long, but Hunter needed to track down Autumn.
She hmphed under her breath. "You're going to have to do better than that, Hunter. Did you have a little too much fun last night or what? Forget where you parked your car? Your truck is in front of the bar where you left it."
Shit. Seriously? Why had she done that, unless she had stolen it so she could take her car and flee town? His jaw clenched just thinking about that spitfire, Autumn. He'd gone out of his way to be a gentleman and she'd stolen from him! The nerve of her! What an ungrateful little brat.
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was there. Yeah, I, uh, it's a long story." He didn't want to elaborate. Jamie didn't know much about his past and he preferred to keep it that way. His private life was exactly that and she respected those boundaries with him.
"How about I swing by your place, give you a lift to grab your car?"
"That would be amazing." He'd learned that country folks were generous and helpful, unlike anything he could have ever imagined prior to moving out west. He hung up the phone at his nearest neighbor Sal's and walked back to the ranch, waiting for a lift from Jamie.
It wasn't long before she showed up outside and honked her horn, alerting him she had arrived.
He headed outside, shutting the door behind himself, and hurried to the passenger side. "Thanks."
"Must have been one hell of a night," Jamie said, glancing at him as she kept her focus mostly on the road. "Do you still need tonight off?"
"Yeah, I think I'm going to go visit my sister for a few days." It was an excuse, one that came naturally to him, probably because he had lost touch with his adoptive sister, Lexa, and he did need to go in search of her, make sure she was all right. Another part of him feared visiting Ravenwood, seeing his brother Martin and sister Rosie again. The last time he'd been home, he was fourteen, still very much a child.
"That's fine. We can manage a few days without you around."
Hunter was grateful that his boss hadn't seemed to mind giving him a few days off, and so he drove back to his place, packed a duffel bag, and grabbed a credit card he kept in his desk. Thankfully, Autumn hadn't ransacked his place any more than she already had. Grabbing enough clothes for a long weekend, he donned his cowboy hat and headed for the interstate. He just needed to be extra careful while driving since he didn't have identification, thanks to the perky brunette who had burned him, hard.
Hunter was careful while he drove, making sure not to speed too much or else risk getting pulled over, and then what? He didn't want a chance encounter with an officer of the law. Keeping to the main roads, he followed the signs as he traveled farther west to Ravenwood. How would he find Lexa? He knew she had a job as an au pair for some guy who'd lost his wife, but she hadn't given him the address of the house. Repeatedly, he had tried calling and texting, but she didn't respond. She had promised him she'd let him know when she arrived safely and she never did, which worried him immensely.
He had wanted to drive out the first weekend that she was gone, when there hadn't been any word from her, but he didn't have the money or a place to stay. So, he worked at the local bar, and one day turned to two, and eventually, it was where he landed with his feet on the ground, doing well for himself.
Turning up the radio, he blared the music, his hand tapping the steering wheel getting into the rhythm of the song on the wide-open country road.
Surprised to find a car with its hazard lights on the side of the road up ahead, Hunter slowed down to see if whoever was stranded needed a hand. He hadn't come up on a car in nearly thirty minutes. He pulled up behind the car, put his vehicle in park and shut it off, taking the keys with him. After the shitty day he'd had, he wasn't trusting anyone else.
"Hello?" he called, stepping out and onto the road, glancing down the highway to make sure no traffic was coming. Not that he actually expected anyone, it was more out of habit, glancing both ways to check for traffic.
He was met with silence.
Sighing, he stalked over toward the driver's side door. The car had been abandoned. Glancing once more at the prairie and mountains, there was no sign of anyone. Hopefully, the car had been left behind a while ago and the driver had made it to the next town. How far was the next town? Hunter headed back to the truck, the cold chill causing him to shiver as he hurried back inside the vehicle and started the engine again. The blast of heat was more than welcoming as he pulled back onto the road and continued heading west.
He traveled several miles before he caught sight of someone walking along the side of the road. He'd nearly forgotten about the abandoned vehicle and had chalked it up to someone ditching it on the side of the road, probably waiting on a tow truck, which wasn't a quick occurrence in the middle of Nowheresville.
Slowing down, he recognized her long chocolate hair and dress from last night, the stilettos to boot. Hunter wanted to drive on past her, slow down, roll down his window and tell her to fuck off, but he wasn't an asshole. He was, however, pissed as shit.
He crawled up behind her, and the moment her eyes locked on his, recognizing perhaps not only the vehicle but the person inside, the color drained from her face.
Rolling down the window, he unlatched the lock on the passenger side door. "Where's my wallet?" He could have asked if she needed a ride or offered some pleasantries, but he was mad and got right to the point. She'd stolen from him, and he wanted his possessions back.
"I, uh, don't know what you're talking about." She wrapped her arms around her chest, her purse slung against her arm as she hurried along the road, keeping pace with him as she walked.
Hunter slammed on the brakes. The truck jolted, and he put the vehicle in park, abruptly shut off the engine and took the keys with him, sliding them into his pants pocket. "The hell you don't!" He chased after her on foot. She seemed to be struggling as she walked, limping, probably from her high heels. "You snatched my wallet, phone, and car keys this morning. What? You thought I didn't do enough for you by letting you stay over that you'd steal from me?"
Her eyes narrowed and she squinted at him. "Letting me stay over? You took me back to your place. I didn't invite myself over. I could have stayed in my car. I don't need to be babysat."
Had she really considered staying in her car? That was dangerous and foolish, but it was also beside the point. He wasn't going to let her get away with what she had done. "I was being a gentleman. You got wasted at the bar and there was no way in hell I was going to let you drive to a hotel or anywhere else."
"You could have called me a cab," she said, her brown eyes staring up at him, just inches apart, the heat between them radiating and warming the chilly air around them.
He didn't feel the least bit cold in her presence. She was right. He could have called her a cab but that wasn't how he did things. It was a small town, people offered each other rides and looked out for one another. Except this girl. "You only care about yourself," Hunter said. "I went out of my way and the thanks I get is that you steal from me!" He couldn't believe it. His hands were bunched into fists at his sides.
"I, uh," she stammered with a response.
Hunter's eyes narrowed, anger seeping through his veins. If she was his girlfriend, he'd have had her over his knee in an instant.
"Give me back my phone and my wallet," he said, snatching her purse from her arm. He was bigger and stronger than she was. It hadn't taken much to swipe it from her possession.
She tried to grab it back from him, but he was nearly a foot taller and held it over her head like a child. "Give it back!" she whined.
Hunter tried to glance through its contents but found it difficult with it up so high to keep out of her reach. Usually, he'd feel it was inappropriate to glance through a woman's purse, but to him, Autumn was no woman. She was a dirty scoundrel in need of a heavy hand and maybe even an understanding of the law. He wasn't one to give her that lesson—not the lawman's version anyway, because he was doing his best to keep under the radar. He had his own dealings and misgivings that needed to be settled, but that would wait, as long as possible.
He'd stayed out of prison this long. It was his life's mission to not get arrested, and he tried his darndest to stay out of any more trouble. Though, eventually, he worried it would catch up with him.
Autumn continued to jump and swipe with her hands to grab at her purse that Hunter held over her head.
"You're an asshole!" she spat, attempting to knee his crotch, but he grabbed her leg with his and, in the process, took them both tumbling to the ground, her crushed on top of him.
Her fists slammed against his chest and Hunter squinted as the sun overhead blinded his vision.
"Me? I'm the asshole? You're the thief who stole from me and I'm the asshole," he said repeating what she'd called him. "How about this asshole takes back what's rightfully and legally his and then leaves you to fend for yourself?" he said with snarky insistence as he pocketed his phone and grabbed his wallet out of her purse, flipping through it to find the money all missing, but at least the credit cards and his identification were still intact. He shoved his wallet into his back pocket and handed Autumn back her purse.
