When Roses Collide

Chapter Forty-Six

With Harley tucked away safely back in bed, Travis headed his truck towards home. He chuckled remembering her insistence that she crawl back through the bedroom window instead of using the door to complete her sneaking out adventure. His cock twitched as he pictured her delectable derriere wiggling temptingly across the sill and a huge part of him had been very interested in following her inside. Particularly, the part which was now growing in his pants. But, whatever Butch had discovered must have been pretty damn important for the man to track him down like a disgruntled ex-girlfriend and so, with a reluctant kiss...he had left her behind and hurried to his pickup to find out what it was.

She had been mildly interested in what Butch wanted to tell him and it killed him to fib to her. But, until he knew exactly what was happening, he didn't want to worry her unnecessarily and lied through his teeth. He told her a story about having Butch look into some missing cows he thought might have been stolen off his property. It was lame and he wasn't a hundred percent sure she bought it, but it seemed to have worked because she dropped the subject, buying him some time.

Pulling into the drive, he flicked off his lights and coasted up alongside Ethan's Sheriff cruiser and Butch's beat-up Jeep Willy parked on the far side of the house. Obviously, Ethan had decided the further away from Addie's eavesdropping ears...the better, though he doubted at this time of night a hurricane would wake her. Easing out of the cab, he walked over to where the two men stood waiting.

"About time you got here," Ethan grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at him. He was dressed in full Sheriff attire, from the tip of his felt hat down to his polished boots.

"Cut him some slack, Davidson," Butch drawled from his position leaning on the hood of the cruiser. The smirk on his lips made the scars on the side of his face pull into more of a sneer. "He had his hands full tonight." He gave a low rumbling chuckle. "From what I saw, if I was in the lucky bastards boots...I wouldn't be standing here at all talking to us assholes."

Travis charged up to him until they were standing nose to nose. "I thought you said you didn't see anything, Meyer," he snarled.

"And I didn't." Butch didn't bat an eyelash and met him straight in the eye. A few long minutes ticked by as the two stared each other down before Travis nodded his head and stepped back. "But I saw enough to certainly fill in the blanks," Butch added with a devilish grin.

Travis didn't even hesitate, his fist flew like a heat seeking missile and smashed into Butch's jaw. Unfortunately, the asshole had a jaw made out of concrete and he felt his knuckles crack.

"Whoa!" Ethan's voice cut through Travis's cussing and the building hostility. He stepped in between them and shoved them apart.

"Is that all you got, princess?" Butch chuckled, rubbing a hand over his chin.

"Trav, chill man," he said, when Travis made to charge forward again. "Meyer's only fucking with you."

"It's alright, Ethan. I had that one coming," Butch replied still grinning like a buffoon and Travis wanted to clobber again. "I figured he'd be a bit more relaxed after..."

"Meyer's, unless you want to be drinking out of straw for the next few month and crapping in a bag, I suggest you shut the hell up," Ethan said through gritted teeth, straining to hold Travis back as he lunged again.

"Alright, alright...chill man. I'm only messing with you." Butch held up his hands in surrender. "I feel you. I didn't know that little honey meant something, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it, true?"

"Little honey?" Ethan slowly released Travis and turned to look at him, cocking an eyebrow. "Where the hell have you been?" He eyed him up and down, frowning further. "You're all wet," he stated flatly.