Branded (The Club)

“Well look at what the cat dragged in.” Speaking of which, Alexis nudged me, and I dropped my penny roll letting it bounce and skip off the counter. I was distracted by the explosion of pennies rolling on the floor, ducking behind the counter to catch what I could.

“Langley.” Stunned, I heard that voice with the power to dry up my throat like the hot Texas sun I wasn’t acclimated too yet. I may as well had been a opossum playing dead. My hands cramped holding pennies, fingers fumbling to hold them all as my body slowly betrayed me with each unsteady inch I rose above the teller counter to see him. Sloan Tanner had the languid demeanor of a hunter stalking prey.

I hadn’t seen Sloan in a month. He told me his visits to town were infrequent, and this was the first time I saw him here since that day a month ago. However, I did keep a pressed white rose from the small bunch of flowers he’d sent to the bank the next day. The note signed on a heavy cardstock thanked me for helping him with his transaction. It seemed an odd gift for spending no more than five minutes with him. It was thoughtful, nice even, but perhaps extravagant. No one had ever sent me flowers before.

I remembered their heady floral scent that filled my apartment for days. It was as if he had invaded my rented space with those flowers. Even when they withered and died a slow death he had still been with me, invading my thoughts each day I returned home to see them on my counter. I’d hated throwing them out when they reached well past their prime and saved the largest bloom of the bunch pressed flat between the pages of my favorite copy of Anna Karenina. I was nearly as indecisive and vulnerable as the characters in my book.

“Mr. Tanner, you’re back.”

He smiled at me and removed his big, black hat I remembered from our first encounter. I figured this was probably be a routine trip for him as he’d told me, but it feels different the way his eyes home in on me, just me.

“Of course I am. Call me Sloan, darlin’.”

Smiling, my face grew hot listening to his word drawl out like taffy candy, slow and sweet.

My manager stepped in to take over asking, “Do you need any help, Sloan?” Alexis had told me after meeting him that first day that Sloan Tanner was a well-known and wealthy rancher in south Texas. She put her hand on my shoulder squeezing it gently, and I moved back to let her step into my place at the counter a little disappointed that Sloan wasn’t here to see me.

“I’m sure Langley can see to my needs just fine. Can’t you darlin’?” Surprise filled me at his request, and that riotous blush was back in my face again.

“Of course,” I answered back listening to Alexis make a huffing sound as she retreated back to her desk behind a glass wall, keeping her eyes trained on us.

“Thank you for the flowers.” I didn’t want him to think I was ungrateful or hadn’t gotten them.

“You’re welcome. I usually have to make a large transfer each month, but I was hoping you might be able to assist me with something else.” He tipped his head down, voice low and leaned in close over the counter. Our faces were mere inches apart.

“Anything,” I said, not thinking how open that statement was left to interpretation.

He leaned back, eyes fixed on mine. “Perfect. You like meat?”

“Meat?” I asked.

“Steak, darlin’. Tell me you aren’t one of those broccoli chicks.”

“Oh, no. I mean I do like vegetables, but I eat meat. I eat any kind of meat—steak I mean.” God, I must have sounded like an idiot. It’s not like I never dated, but I couldn’t seem to form a coherent thought in his presence.

“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at seven in front of the bank. Wear a dress, please,” he requested.

“A dress?”

“For dinner,” he said giving me a wink before he placed his big hat on my head and walked out of the bank with a swagger in his step.

I felt like I had entered an alternate world and blindly reached for the hat now sitting on my head. The brim was wide and soft, and my smile consumed my face looking at his retreating backside exit the bank in his dark jeans and black cowboy boots.

“Well, looks like Mr. Tanner has found himself a new filly,” Alexis said, and I wasn’t sure she meant it entirely complimentary.

4

Sloan

My super cab truck picked up speed down the main street of Karim heading toward the bank. The digital clock indicated it was just before seven. Anticipation filled my senses forcing me to adjust my suit pants. If this was any indication of the rest of the night, especially when I had no plan to fuck Langley—merely get to know her—this was not good. Control ruled every aspect of my life and already this girl distracted me. If she agreed to my terms, life at the ranch would be a drastic change from my typical routine, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about giving that up. It took everything in me to not come back to Karim sooner and the weakness of admitting that to myself grated on my nerves, leaving me edgy and unpredictable.

Tonight I was taking her to The Club but not before I put some much needed emotional distance between us. I needed to get myself under control and get a hold of this desire for her. The plans were outlined in my head of how the evening would go. I would not deviate.

Dinner where I planned to learn more about her.

Followed by a brief tour of The Club where I would make my offer.

Ending with dessert, or at least a taste of her to tide me over.