Avoiding Temptation

Chapter 6

Brantley's POV:

I looked at Susanna. She looked at me. "What now?" She asked quietly. I looked at her, still cradled in my arms. I set her on her feet and she frowned, wobbling in the heels she had on. "Fuck it." I growled and yanked her up against me for a kiss that made her knees buckle. "Woah..." She breathed happily when we pulled apart. I chuckled darkly. "If he touches you again, I'll kill him." I growled. Susanna's eyes were still closed, a grin on her face. "Ok Brantley." She sighed, probably not really listening to me. When she finally came around, I smiled at her. I frowned when I looked at her. "This ain't right.." I grumbled. She pouted. "Damn it B! Not this again! I'm not a kid!" She stomped her foot. I kissed her quickly to shush her, and shook my head no. "Not that.. This." I said, pulling the pins out of her hair until all those wild curls sprang free. She shook her head out and stepped out of the heels. "There she is." I smiled. I dipped her until her hair nearly brushed the ground and kissed her again, she squealed happily. "So where'd you and pops find a classic softtail like that?" She asked. "We didn't. I built it." I shrugged and kept walking back to the house with her. She stopped in her tracks and I looked back at her. I raised an eyebrow. "You built me a bike?" She smiled big and leaped at me again. I caught her and slung her over my shoulder, my hand palming her behind. She giggled. "Watch the hands!" She laughed. "No! This sweet little ass has tortured me since you were 16 goddamn years old. I'll be damn if I watch my hands woman!" I growled and swatted her behind for good measure. We made it back to the house, and Susanna went to chat with her momma. Colt pulled me aside to talk. "I know I've warned you away from Susanna. But she's an adult. I thought that it was just a crush, that she'd move on. But she's loved you for years, and I think you love her too. The two of you have something special Brantley, there's always been a special bond between you. I won't stand in the way of that. I don't like the thought of her growing up, but there ain't a man on the planet I'd rather see her with than you. You've got my blessing." He told me. I nodded and shook his hand. "You know I'll treat her like a princess. I'll do right by her." I promised him. "I never had a doubt." He said. We looked back to see Susanna and her momma walking out to meet us on the patio. Mrs. Ford went over to colt and kissed his cheek. Susanna had changed into a pair of cut offs, a tank top with my logo on it, and she was barefoot. She stopped when she got next to us and took a deep breath. "Hot damn it's good to be home! I'm never going to California again! Pops, I promised you I'd go to college, well I did, and I ain't goin back! I'm not cut out for city livin!" She huffed. We all cracked up. About that time a rental car came barreling down the driveway. Ol boy got out, his nose swollen and freshly set in place. "Susanna! We're leaving- what the hell are you wearing?!" He bellowed. I tensed and growled as he approached. "We aren't going anywhere. Weren't you told to leave?" She huffed. Colt stood. "I don't know what you told my baby girl. But she wasn't happy. You've got no business here boy." He said angrily. The little shit huffed and reached for Susannah. That's where he fucked up. He wrapped his hand around her arm and jerked her out of my lap. In one smooth move I had stood and leveled a .357 to his temple. He froze and squawked. "Call him off! Christ! Someone call him off! Susannah!!!" He croaked, his face had gone ashen. Colt knew me well enough by now that he expected this sort of thing. Susannah raised an eyebrow at him. "Why would I call him off? I don't like you. You're obnoxious! You're controlling. You think you're hot shit. You look down your nose at me every chance you get. Frankly, I don't think it'll do any good. Do you see how big he is? He's much too hands-on to shoot you. You may catch an ass whoopin though." She grinned and spun, walking off to sit next to her momma. The kid's eyes widened, and he slowly turned to face me. "I'm feeling generous today. So this is you're only strike. The next time you come near her, I'll kill you. You understand me? I'm not the type of man who goes around making threats. I'm just explaining the facts." I growled. He took off and hauled ass out of here. When I sat back down, Susanna came and plopped her little ass right back in my lap. Her momma went on painting her nails, and Colt and I picked up our conversation about this year's football season.