by J. L. Wilder
Maverick chuckled. “If you’re going to be busy today, I’ll take Milo. I’m headed out to the ranch to see Wyatt, so he could see some of the animals.”
Sawyer nodded. “Wyatt’s got a baby calf that’s cute as all get out.”
Maggie thought about it for a second and nodded. “We’ll have to move his seat and I’ll need to pack a bigger bag for him. Diapers. Can you handle them?”
Maverick nodded. “I can do it.”
Sasha finally made herself useful and went to pack Milo’s bag while Maggie moved the car seat. Sawyer watched from behind her as she knelt in the backseat of the truck, Maverick on the other side. She showed them both how to buckle Milo in and warned them that he liked to fill the car with smoke and escape. She was in the middle of showing them how to get him out when she felt Sawyer’s hand on her ass.
Her voice squeaked out and she felt her face turn blood red but did her best to ignore it. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes as she finished up and then climbed out of the truck. Smacking Sawyer, she leaned back in to tell Milo that she’d see him later.
He was already puffing smoke and squealing in happiness. It touched her heart to see him so happy. She just had to ignore the pain of knowing she’d cost him by not bringing him to Brady sooner.
Sawyer pulled her into a hug and pressed his lips against her ear. “You do look beautiful today. I like this hair poof thing.”
She swatted at him and adjusted her bun. “It’s just a bun. There’s no hair poof thing.”
Maverick wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a hug, too. “It’s obviously a bun and not a hair poof thing.”
She hurried away from both of them and crossed her arms over her chest. She was terrified that they’d be able to see the way being near them affected her body. “Bring him back for dinner. Call me if you have any questions.”
Sawyer opened the passenger door and smoke billowed out. “Jesus, little dude. We’re going to talk about your bad habits. I bet you got them from your mom. She’s a wild one.”
Maverick laughed. “Definitely didn’t get the smoking from his daddy.”
Sasha tossed Milo’s bag to Maverick and linked her arm through Maggie’s. “Hate to see them go but just love to watch them leave, right?”
Maggie gently pushed her away and shook her head. “You’re in so much trouble.”
Jack came stomping outside, Bully glued to his side. “I don’t even know why I have to go. I’m old enough to stay home by myself.”
As soon as he opened the back door, both dogs jumped into the car. Maggie rolled her eyes. “Fine. I guess we’re all going.”
“Oh, hey, Mags?”
“What, Sasha?”
“I can’t wait to tell you all about the ceremony and how much time you’re going to be spending with your triplets while getting ready for it.”
Maggie’s stomach dropped. “Sasha...”
13.
***Wyatt***
“Fuck everything.” Wyatt slammed his truck door closed and leaned against it, fighting the urge to slam it again. “Fuck.”
They’d been practicing for the ceremony for two days. Two days of being around Maggie constantly. He was losing his mind. It was torture. Smelling her, seeing how she moved, feeling the way she looked at him, it was hell. Having her around his brothers nonstop, too...it was fucking hell. He wanted to scream.
He’d been in a terrible mood. He’d even snapped at one of the ranch hands that morning, which is something he prided himself on never doing. His problems were his own. He didn’t want to make them other people’s, but he was losing it. He couldn’t do it. He’d stormed out of practice after his uncles had demanded they run through their lines again, for the fifth time. What they didn’t seem to know, or care about, was that he couldn’t stand to be in that room with Maggie for any longer. He felt like he was going to explode.
He knew she’d slept with Sawyer. He’d heard it all around town. He wasn’t angry at Sawyer. He knew that given the opportunity, he’d take his chances with Maggie, too. But it was different. He’d always felt like Maggie was his mate. He felt like she was supposed to be his. He wanted her, but it wasn’t just about sex or having fun. He wanted it all.
It didn’t make any sense. If Maggie was his mate, she wouldn’t sleep with other men. Even if those men looked just like him. Mates were loyal.
Not that he questioned Maggie’s loyalty. He didn’t question her at all. He didn’t think any less of her for sleeping with his brothers. He knew the way she felt. She’d tried to hide her feelings the first time around, but he’d known. She loved each of them. Maybe she didn’t love them anymore, but she still had feelings that drew her to them.
Not enough to him, though. How pathetic that he was angry because he hadn’t gotten his chance to spend time with Maggie alone yet. What did that say about him? Was he so sick that he’d settle for whatever scraps of her attention that he could get? Did she care more for his brothers?
Those were the thoughts banging around in his head while he stood in the parking lot, contemplating leaving. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t stay in that room and deal with the oddness.
Wyatt wasn’t perfect, but he knew his worth. It seemed that Maggie showing up threw that all up in the air, though. He stood there, wondering if he just wasn’t as great as his brothers. It was like he was a kid all over again.
Growling, he did open the door and slam it again. He needed peace and quiet. Too much time away from the ranch was getting to him. He didn’t like coming into town more than he had to.
Hanging his head and blowing out a big sigh, he climbed into his truck and started it. He’d head out to the ranch and spend some time working. Maybe some backbreaking labor would help clear his head.
He was just about to drive away when the passenger side door opened and then Maggie was climbing into his truck, a nervous smile on her face. He frowned. “What are you doing?”
She pulled her seatbelt on and shrugged. “Sasha is going to take my place today. It’s getting to be a little much for me, too. I saw you leave and thought you might like some company.”
His hands tightened on the wheel. “I’m fine, Maggie.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “Okay.”
Did she feel bad for him? Was that what it was? “Maggie, you don’t have to check on me. Did one of the guys send you?”
She laughed, and the sound filled the truck with warmth. “You really think your brothers sent me to check on you?”
He studied her face and didn’t know what to think. “I’m going to work. Unless you want to work, you might want to go back inside with the others. Or I could drop you off at the house.”
She tucked one of her legs under her ass and smiled. “Don’t I look dressed for work?”
He looked her over like he hadn’t already memorized the stitch pattern on the flowy skirt and sweater she wore. “Fine.”
She smiled happily and sank deeper into the seat. “I miss the ranch. I heard that Milo had a really good time the other day. And that you let him ride a horse.”
Wyatt cleared his throat. “It was safe. I stayed with him and held onto him the entire time.”
“I know, Wyatt. I trust you. Milo couldn’t be in a safer place than surrounded by you three.” She looked out the window and sighed. “I would’ve brought him, but he’s the star of the show, it seems. Sasha will have her hands full with all the lifting of the heir stuff.”
“Typically, the heir is a lot smaller than Milo. You’re lucky you didn’t have to do this in his teen years.”
She laughed again, and something tight in his chest started loosening. “I heard you have a baby calf.”
“And you want to see her?”
“I’ve always loved the cows the most.” She seemed to grow lighter and lighter the closer they got to the ranch, until she was practically floating. “I can’t wait to see the place. Has it changed?”
He grunted. “I’ve added on a bit
here or there.”
A few moments later, they drove under the Walker Ranch sign, and Wyatt was rewarded with an excited gasp from Maggie. He looked over to see her bouncing in her seat.
“A bit? This is huge! Wyatt, it’s so different! It still has that same homey feel to it, though.” She was out of the truck before he’d even put it in park. “Bash and Bully would kill to run free here.”
Wyatt watched her spin around, taking in everything. The house and barn had been added onto over the years, along with the land. He’d bought acre by acre until he owned a sizeable chunk of land and had more than enough cattle to keep him comfortable. The land stretched on for miles in every direction, the sky so blue against the horizon that he often had to stop and stare. He knew he was lucky. Having Maggie think so made it all that much sweeter.
She’d always loved the ranch, loved the animals. She’d forever tried to adopt the cows and chickens as pets, despite the fact that she knew what they were there for. She had a big heart and it was always right there on the surface.
“You want to see the cows? I’ve got to do some work on the fences on the east side of the ranch today, so I can drop you off.”
She turned to face him and shook her head. “No, I’ll just go with you.”
He frowned. “Maggie, I’m just going to be working. There won’t be anything for you to do.”
“I could help.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down. He’d been trying to get away from her, but she wasn’t having any of it. Working with her next to him would just be continued hell, but he couldn’t tell her no. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though. And if you get bored, that’s too bad.”
She laughed. “You sound like someone’s grandfather, Wyatt.”
He growled and did his best to ignore her while getting the four-wheeler ready to go. He loaded up his tools and then climbed on. Looking back at her, he couldn’t help grinning when she looked down at her skirt and frowned. “You can stay here, Mags.”
She scoffed. “And miss a chance at fixing a fence?”
He lost his breath as she hiked her skirt up around her thighs and swung her bare leg over the seat behind him. Sliding up right against his back, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laughed.
“Haven’t done that in a while.”
He was hard as steel, the feel of her body pressed into his enough to fry his brain. Her hands rested low on his stomach, and it took all his control to pretend that nothing was happening. Her sweet scent filled his head, and her warmth scorched his back, but there was nothing he could do. He was in it.
The ride out to the fences was about a ten-minute trip on a dirt path that held more bumps and holes than he should’ve allowed. It’d never been important to get fixed until he couldn’t stop feeling Maggie’s breasts jostling against his too-thin shirt. Her thighs squeezed around his hips, and her hands bumped against his erection more than once in a dance that left him out of breath and ready to embarrass himself.
By the time they got to the stretch of fence that he wanted to secure, he was halfway crazy and just about flew off the seat to keep from grabbing Maggie and mauling her. He grabbed his tools and stomped to the fence, getting right to work.
It probably made him an asshole, but he ignored her while he worked. He had to. She was lounging on the four-wheeler, watching him, and he was struggling through hammering nails into the fence. All he could think about was the feel of her.
She stayed quiet, her face blank when he did look over at her, but he could practically feel her thinking. He only got about a quarter of his work done before he stood up and marched over to her.
“What, Maggie? What is it? I can feel your mind spinning, and it’s loud as hell, so just tell me what it is.”
She sat up straighter and bit her lip for a second before frowning. “I’m just thinking. What else am I supposed to do? You don’t want my help with the fence, clearly.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “You want to help with the fence? That’s all you’re thinking about?”
Her chin came out in a stubborn tilt. “Yep.”
He gestured for her to get off the four-wheeler. “Then, come on. I’m horrified at my manners. How could I not offer to let you do manual labor for me?”
She stepped down and made a face at him. “And to think that you said you were fine. You’re clearly not fine. You’ve got a bug up your butt about something.”
He almost told her that it was her but caught himself. “Come on. Let’s get back. I need to check on something and then I’ll take you back to town.”
“Fine.” She climbed back on, flashing him a lot of thigh in the process, and leaned back, choosing to hold onto the rack behind her instead of him that time.
He swung on and started it up, choosing to get his tools later. He just needed her to get away from him before he lost all of his good sense. He didn’t want to get hurt. He wasn’t sure what she wanted with him, and he couldn’t put himself out there just to be left high and dry again.
He turned around and headed back to the house, just for Maggie to lean forward and yell right next to his ear. “You’re crankier than I remembered.”
Wyatt stopped and shook his head. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk.”
Maggie scoffed and then squeaked when he took off again. She locked her arms around his chest and pressed her mouth right up against his neck. “I just wanted to check on you. You’ve seemed off. Now, you’re all cranky and grouchy. Did I do something?”
He swore but just stayed quiet. The faster he got her back to town, the better.
“Well, Jesus, Wyatt, it’s not nice to ignore someone when they’re talking to you!” She lowered her hand and rested it right over the bottom of his left rib cage, the spot where he was embarrassingly ticklish. “Feeling any nicer now?”
Wyatt growled. She wouldn’t. He was driving. She wasn’t that crazy. He should’ve known better. Her fingers danced over his side, and he jerked, making the four-wheeler swerve before he slammed to a stop and grabbed her arms. “Have you lost your mind?”
She actually laughed. “Sorry. I can’t believe you’re still ticklish.”
He twisted around to glare at her. “Maggie, I’m driving. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She tapped the end of his nose and smiled. “Or you.”
He turned back around and started driving again. He had a feeling it was too late for him to avoid being hurt.
14.
***Maggie***
She wanted to break Wyatt out of his funk. She couldn’t figure out what was going on, but he was so reserved. And cranky. It wasn’t the Wyatt she’d known. Maybe he’d just grown up and changed. She wasn’t the same person, either. For some reason, she felt like it wasn’t just that with Wyatt, though. Something was going on with him.
He’d been broody for days, and she wanted to make him smile more. That wasn’t bad, was it?
Riding on the back of the four-wheeler with him had been a game of torture, but she’d loved it. Being on the ranch with him had always been her favorite thing. She’d always told him it was the ranch, but it was Wyatt. He was always more himself when he was home. They’d done all types of things on the ranch together that she still remembered fondly. Watching him fix a fence while ignoring her hadn’t ever been one of them, but she’d gotten to watch him swing a hammer for a while, so that was okay.
Her sweater felt too tight, her bra rough against her sensitive nipples. It was wrong of her, she knew. She wasn’t supposed to chase after him and poke at him to see how far he’d go before he snapped. She was supposed to be staying away from the Walker brothers, but it wasn’t possible with the alpha ceremony preparations. At least on the ranch, she was just with one of them.
Wyatt pulled the four-wheeler into the barn and climbed off so fast she almost could’ve been convinced his seat was on fire. He stood a few feet away from her, hands on his hips, scowl on his handsome face. “I’m going to take you back to town.
”
She wasn’t getting off the four-wheeler until he told her why he was upset. She couldn’t let it go. “Why don’t we just talk for a bit? Or do you not do that anymore?”
His neck went red against the flannel shirt he was wearing. “Maggie...”
She turned to him and crossed her legs. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Come on.”
She shook her head back at him. “No. Tell me what’s wrong. I don’t like seeing you so upset.”
His jaw clenched, and she watched as the honey color of his eyes started to glow at the edges. Passion usually did it. She saw their eyes do that during sex, but she didn’t think Wyatt was feeling sexy. He just looked mad. “Why do you care, Maggie? Why do you want to know what’s wrong with me?”
She jerked like his words held a physical blow. “Wyatt. I just...I care. You...I care, okay? Decent people care.”
He growled and moved closer. “I’m doing my fucking best here, Maggie. I’m with you every damn day, and it’s not easy. So, you coming here, following me and being all sweet, it’s shitty, okay? I’m only so strong, and it’s hell to see you and feel you and not touch you. So, I’m going to drive you back to town and you’re going to stay there. Okay?”
Her heart stumbled a beat or two. Hearing him say what she was struggling with, too, was fuel to the flames. She missed him. She missed the way he was so caring and kind to her. He was so loyal and so good. She’d been having a hard time being near him and keeping her hands to herself, too. It was all too easy to want to fall back into old habits.
“Maggie?”
She smiled. “I don’t want to leave.”
He swore and stomped closer. He moved like he was going to pick her up and carry her to the truck, but she surprised him by pushing off of the four-wheeler and jumping into his arms. He caught her easily and wrapped his arms around her, holding her safe and secure.
She kissed him, eager to feel his special kind of attention again. Her arms and hands cradling his head as she tried to get even closer, she kissed over his scar and down his chin, touching every part of him she could reach. “I don’t want to leave, Wy.”