Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“That’s it?” she asks softly. “Just okay?”
“Did you want me to argue? That seems to be your thing, so if you need that from me right now, I’ll see what I can do.”
She snorts and leans her head on my shoulder, snuggling against me.
“I do not argue.”
“Sure you don’t.”
“I don’t.”
I kiss the top of her head and breathe in her lavender shampoo. “You’re proving my point right now, Duchess.”
“You’re annoying.”
She doesn’t pull her hand away, and she rubs her cheek over my upper biceps, and everything in me calms. I want to fucking destroy anything that hurt her in the past, but for right now, I’ll sit and stare into this fire with the woman I can’t stay away from.
“Yeah, I’m annoying.”
She’s quiet for a moment and then lets out a soft sigh. “I kind of like it.”
The air smells like burned flesh and dirt.
“Let’s get the next group,” Easton says as he takes his hat off, rubs the sweat from his brow, and then replaces the hat. He and I are manning the branding pen. Scott and our men are rounding up cows, bringing them to us, then taking the ones we’re finished with back out to pasture. Darby and Dad are taking care of vaccinations next door, and I’ve hardly been able to take my eyes off her.
She’s so fucking natural with the animals. Gentle but competent. She approaches them with a confidence that not everyone has. I love that she’s not afraid of them, and after she gives the calves a shot, she soothes them with a rub on the head.
Duchess is in a green T-shirt, jeans, and boots, just like the rest of us, with her hair in a ponytail, threaded through the back of a ballcap. She’s dirty, but fuck if she isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“If you don’t pay attention, you’ll brand yourself, you idiot,” Easton says, shaking his head. “For fuck’s sake get her in bed already so you can get your head back in the game.”
“Don’t make me hurt you.”
Easton snorts. My brother is former military and a cop for Silver Springs. He works out hard, keeps his body in peak shape, and in a fight, he’d possibly beat me.
Maybe.
But I’m still the big brother, and I’ll threaten him all day long. I’m not a slouch myself.
“You have the hots for her.”
“So?”
Easton blinks in surprise when I don’t deny it.
“Who the fuck are you, and what have you done with my brother?”
“Why wouldn’t I like her? Look at her. Actually, don’t look at her.”
Easton snorts at that.
“Do you think you’ll ask her out in this century?”
I don’t bother answering him as I stick the branding iron back in the fire and wait for the new group to be brought in.
“You’re not answering me.”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
A group of calves comes through the gate, and we get back to work. It’s a long fucking day. Dirty, heavy work, and when it’s over, we’re all exhausted.
Thankfully, my sisters are waiting with food for everyone at the house. So, we all wash up and meet back at my place, and I’m surprised to see Holden and his wife have joined us too.
“I meant to get out here earlier,” Holden says as he holds his hand out to shake. “We had a new rescue horse get a bad case of colic, and I’ve been tending to her all afternoon. I’m sorry we didn’t come out and help.”
“It’s really okay,” I tell him. “Thanks for coming out at all. Is the horse okay now?”
“Yeah, we got her calmed down. I’ll check her when we go home.” His eyes, the exact same shade of glacier blue as his sister’s, scan the back patio and lands on Darby.
She showered, and now she’s in a clean white T-shirt and jeans. Her hair is down and freshly washed, and she’s laughing at something Scott just said.
Her gaze finds mine and she doesn’t lose her smile.
Fuck, that’s pretty.
Then she notices her brother, and she comes running over to give him a hug.
“You came!”
“Late,” Holden says and hugs his sister close. “Sorry, baby girl.”
“Nah, we were fine today.” She keeps her arm around his waist and smiles up at him with pure love on her gorgeous face. “Where’s Millie?”
“She just went inside with Ava and Harper,” I tell her.
“That’s where the food is,” Darby says, just as her stomach rumbles. “I’d better go get some.”
She smiles at me once more before she walks inside, the screen door shutting behind her, and Holden turns to me, his face completely sober now.
“Is there something going on with you and my sister?”
I don’t move a muscle, and I absolutely do not back down.
“Define something.”
Holden sighs and rubs his hand over the back of his neck.
“So this is where I tell you that if you fuck with her, they’ll never find the body.”