Page 2 of His Virgin Woman
Peyton couldn’t help but smile, as she knew this was no true wedding proposal.Hank was a happily married man, with five children, and he had even told this joke in front of his wife, Lucy.In fact, Lucy had even asked when they were going to run away together.It was a running joke.
She found it sweet that they loved her baked goods so much that they were willing to fight over her.Not that there was any need to fight over her, in all honesty.They were good people.
She tutted.“You know, Lucy is not going to like you propositioning me without her counteroffer.”
Hank burst out laughing.“Damn, when it comes to my wife, I just know if she ever divorced me, she would take you with her just out of spite.”
Peyton smiled.“I do not see you and Lucy ever divorcing.You’re too good for each other, and I will not allow it.”
“You won’t?”
“No, you guys give me hope that real love exists.”She winked at him.“Now, you go on and get those cookies and buns to those kids I love.You tell Lucy she has to bring them by.I need my little cake testers.”
Hank chuckled.“You take care, sweetheart.I’ll see you soon.”
She gave him a wave.It was nearly six o’clock, and she knew Hank was working one of the late shifts, which is why she stayed open as long as possible.
There would be no more customers, and she wanted to package up the few remaining boxes of leftovers, which she always distributed to the home for the elderly in town.She never let anything go to waste.They didn’t have a homeless shelter in Fort, and she had never seen a homeless person in town, otherwise she would divide it equally.
Humming to herself, she heard the bell ring and called out.“So sorry, we’re closed,” she said.
When no one answered, she turned around, still with a smile on her face from chatting with Hank, to come to a completely dead stop.
Lily-May looked like shit, but that wasn’t what instantly terrified her.Her sister was not alone.Behind her was Shae Marino along with a couple of his cowboys, and she knew this was not a good thing.They did not visit shops after closing, and she had already clocked their pieces in the waistband of their pants.
She should have known that any distance she went without seeing her sister would always mean trouble.
Clenching her hands into fists, she moved closer to the main counter.“We’re closed,” she said, not looking at Lily-May, instead focusing on Shae.
He clicked his fingers to which one of his goons closed the door to the shop and flicked the lock into place.
She finally looked at Lily-May, and she had a sick feeling in her gut.“What did you do?”
“I’m so sorry.”
All their lives, their parents had told her to trust Lily-May, that her sister would have all the answers, that she knew what she was doing.All Lily-May had done was make her dread seeing her sister.Every single time she did, it ended in disaster.It was never good.Lily-May had cheated, stolen, and nearly destroyed this business many times.Peyton was tired of cleaning up her messes.
“Sorry?You’re sorry?What is it now?”Peyton asked.
Lily-May looked at her and then stared at the floor.
“Leave us,” Shae said.
Peyton looked toward the formidable rancher, and she felt her stomach twist.There were times she thought he evoked a fear in the town that was completely unnecessary.Her parents had always told her to steer clear of Shae Marino and keep away from any trouble within Fort.She did that.Lily-May, however, did not.
She had never really been close to her big sister, not that it came as a surprise.Lily-May had always been the most popular girl in school.She partied hard and never studied, while Peyton always had her head in a book.She did study hard and went to bakery school, but she had to work her ass off at the same time.They had lost their parents when Peyton was just twenty years old.Her sister had been twenty-two.
Peyton didn’t have a choice when it came to her sister selling the house, but she sure as shit didn’t let her sell the bakery.Although, there was no way Lily-May would have been able to turn a profit.Peyton didn’t have a clue how her parents survived.They went from red to black within the year, and she didn’t even know if there was a darker color than black and red for the debt that seemed to be mounting up.Peyton had decided to give herself a year to see if she could turn it all around.She’d been able to do exactly that.
They were making a profit, all the debts were paid, and she worked her ass off to make it that way.Of course, once she started to do well, Lily-May came around, stole, and nearly broke her many times over.
Shae’s ranchers left.“Go,” he said to Lily-May.
All too soon, she was alone in her shop, the one place that had given her comfort in the last few years.She wished her parents had told her how bad it had gotten, and not kept trying to keep the business afloat.
The door closed, and Shae didn’t go and flick the lock on the door.No one would come in now that Shae’s goons were on the front door.She wondered if this was going to be bad for business.
“I will break your sister’s legs many times over, unless you agree to fuck me,” Shae said.
