Page 32 of Love Is a War Song

“I’m being honest, no disrespect intended.

” Will waved his hand holding the tumbler in my direction as he continued, “There are certain standards we need to keep to uphold the lifestyles we want, aren’t there?

Don’t you want to be able to provide for your future family?

I’m trying to teach you something here, son.

For your future. You can’t pay for all her luxuries working on a ranch. ”

“Will,” Cat snapped.

Will ran his free hand through his hair and tipped his head at me with a deep sigh. “Forgive me. It’s not like we didn’t try with Lucas, but Lucas is…well…Lucas. We offered him the best schools, tutors, everything. He knows if he wants to come home and go back to school, he can.”

“I think we should move on to the cake. We don’t want to ruin your birthday with all this talk.” Cat made to get up.

“Lucas’s cousin, my sister’s son, is a doctor—”

“Dentist,” Lucas corrected.

Will continued as if he didn’t hear Lucas’s interruption. “Working at the Indian Clinic, bringing his knowledge and expertise to help our people. While Lucas sits on wasted potential playing with horses all day.”

Will looked at Lucas with utter disappointment and it broke my heart.

“I never finished school,” I spoke up loudly.

Will’s eyes were directed at me now, barely feigning a mixture of surprise and dismay.

But I could take it. I spent my entire life sitting in front of casting directors, being judged from my head to my toes, from how I put the wrong inflection on a word to having an unappealing eyebrow shape.

Hell, I had millions of people call me trash, and worse, only a few weeks ago.

This man was nothing compared to what I’ve had thrown at me.

“Well, Lucas, it looks as if you’ve found your perfect match.”

“William!” Cat’s tone was angry now.

“I didn’t even go to real school. I was working so much that I attended classes with random tutors on set.

I also took online courses, but when I was sixteen, it was just easier to get my GED and get my mother’s approval to work longer hours and make more money.

I never even considered college. I don’t think that makes me less of a person and less deserving of respect.

And my name is Avery. Avery Fox. I believe you know my grandmother, Lottie Fox, who owns the ranch.

” I stood up to get the hell out of there.

But I had to tell these people that Lucas was better than their lousy expectations.

He was the best of the best, with so much drive and ambition.

“Lucas is one of the hardest-working men I’ve come to know, and it’s clear he’s built himself up on his own.

He does so much more than ‘play with horses,’ I’ll have you know.

He runs the entire business with plans to expand and grow. ”

“Expand and grow?” Will barked out a laugh.

“That business is failing. My buddies at the bank are going to foreclose and I have Realtor friends looking to make low all-cash offers, because Lottie Fox has got to be desperate to get rid of the sinking ship. Expanding and growing nothing is still nothing.”

“And being rich and miserable is still being miserable.” I gave him a disdainful smile. Lucas deserved better. “This was a lovely meal, Cat, thank you. Let’s go, Lucas.”

Lucas got up from his seat, his eyes like lightning, so full of electricity that the little hairs on my arms and back of my neck stood on end.

He laced his fingers with mine and led me out of that awful dining room, through the unfeeling house, and out the door into the hot, muggy world of Oklahoma.

He said nothing as he opened the passenger door for me to get in the truck. My butt was barely on the seat before he closed me in and jogged around to the driver’s side. The cab shook as he jumped in. In seconds, he had the truck started up and backed out of the driveway.

His shoulders were tense as he drove us out of the neighborhood in silence, a silence that stretched on as the scenery changed from track homes to open land.

I had no idea what to say and could only imagine what he was thinking.

Minutes ticked by and the air within the truck was buzzing with pent-up energy.

He put the turn signal on as we drove along a rural stretch of road before pulling over entirely.

Lucas threw the truck into park and sat back, rubbing his eyes with a sigh.

“Sorry,” he muttered, barely looking at me. “I need some air.”

He left the truck, and I watched him walk away.

I wanted to give him space but also be there for him.

It appeared no one had ever really been there for him his whole life besides Lottie.

After a moment of frenzied contemplation, I got out quietly and leaned against the truck, looking at the clear sky that was showing the first signs of sunset, the blue turning indigo.

Lucas turned around and saw me standing there.

He took me in, his gaze raking over me until he met my eyes, and started walking to me.

His focus was singular, like a predator, as our eye contact never broke.

He looked so angry. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I had to know what he was thinking—what he was feeling.

“I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t apologize,” he said, now standing in front of me. His voice rumbled like thunder and the gooseflesh on my arms spread down to my toes.

“No, you were right. I never should have agreed to come to this dinner and force you to sit through that. They are awful.”

“I don’t want to talk about them.”

I threw my hands up in frustration. I needed him to give me something more. “Then what do you want to talk about?”

He grabbed my hands, as if the touch was grounding him in the moment.

“I don’t want to talk at all.” And then we were like magnets.

Lucas pressed my back against the truck door, threading his fingers into my hair as he kissed me.

I let my body weight fall back against the door behind me and I threw my arms around his shoulders, letting my own fingers tangle into the curls around his neck.

His tongue demanded entrance and I let it in, greeting it with my own.

They twirled and danced, and heat was starting to swell in my core.

I moaned, and Lucas answered by putting his thigh between my legs, pressing me closer to him.

I whimpered. It wasn’t enough. I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, never breaking the kiss.

His hands kneaded my bottom, and it was such beautiful agonizing pain.

Having my legs in such an angle after my brutal horse ride hurt like hell, but it was soothed by the ministrations with his deft fingers.

My little romper was riding up and the tastefully short shorts were now more like cheeky underwear.

His calloused hands touched the soft, exposed skin of my ass and I was melting.

I let my hands wander to discover his toned biceps, then his solid chest, and down the ridges of his incredible abs.

Lucas was sculpted from marble. I was getting hot and wet and wanted this to last forever.

Lucas held me as he moved us slightly and opened the door before gently setting me in the seat.

He peeled my arms from behind his neck and slowly pulled away from our kiss.

“I was really enjoying that,” I whined.

“Me too,” he said. “But we can’t do this here, anyone could drive by.”

“Fair point. Where do you want to go?” My stomach gurgled a loud growl. Neither of us had eaten much of anything.

He looked at my stomach pointedly. “Let’s go get some food.”

While I wished we could continue what we started, my hunger won the battle. “Like a date?” I asked cheekily.

Lucas chuckled and kissed me gently before shutting the door.

He got into the truck before I knew it and turned the key.

I decided to let that question die. He adjusted himself in his jeans before he pulled back onto the road.

Lucas appeared to be a man of action rather than words, but the words he did say meant more. I was on a date with Lucas.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked.

“Sonics.”

I laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’ve actually had Sonic before. We have them in California.”

“Not like this, and here in Indian Country, it’s pronounced Sonics . Consider this lesson five.”