by Em Petrova
“See? Asshole Moon. What did ya expect?”
“I expect you to get your crap together and live up to the words you said to me! You think you’re the only one with a heart at risk?” The strength in her tone belied the tears standing in her beautiful green eyes.
“What words?”
“That you love me. Did the whiskey scorch out all your brain cells?”
He set aside the coffee and lowered his head into his hands again. “I need to be alone for a bit. Let me collect myself,” he groaned out.
Footsteps sounded on the porch steps as all his onlookers went into the house, leaving him alone outside. He sat there for Lord knew how long before his brain cleared enough for him to make sense of a few things.
For one, nobody had abandoned him. Despite his stupidity, his brothers had seen him home safely. Kinsey had tried to reason with him. And Mimi had provided her strong coffee in an effort to mother him.
He moaned into his hands. “I’m an idiot.”
* * * * *
Kinsey opened her eyes to see a completely unfamiliar room. A comfy recliner sat directly across from her, with a basket and some crocheting next to it.
The Moons’ living room. She’d crashed on their sofa, and it was morning.
She sat up and swung her legs to the floor. Not only had she slept in her clothes but she had a stiff neck and could use a toothbrush.
And her phone was ringing.
She shot a look around and located it lying next to her hiking boots. She grabbed it and brought it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Reynolds, where the hell are you?”
She blinked. “Branson.”
“It ain’t the Easter Bunny. Where are you? I’ve been calling you for half an hour.”
“I’m…at the Moons’. What happened?”
“A coyote attack.”
“Crap. Okay, I’ll meet you in—”
“No. This is bad, Kinsey. It wasn’t an animal this time. It’s a child.”
Her blood ran cold, and she came awake with an electric jolt. Shooting to her feet, she must have made some sound because Mimi appeared in the living room.
“Where?” Kinsey asked Branson.
“Freemans’.”
“Oh my God. Where’s the child now?”
“They took him to the emergency room.”
She lowered the phone from her ear. “I need Asher. Where’s Asher?”
“I’m here.” He stood in the doorway, and her heart gave a flip of both pain and a surge of love. Showered and in clean clothes, he looked more like himself than she would have thought possible after seeing him that drunk the day before.
“Branson, I’ll call you back.” She shoved her phone deep in her pocket and grabbed her boots. “Mimi, do you have a cup of coffee for me by chance?”
“Of course, honey. I’ll be right back with it.”
She shoved her feet into her boots and laced them in seconds. Asher stood watching her, and she cut a glare his direction. “There’s been an attack on a child.”
His face paled under his tan and the stubble along his jaw. “Fucking hell. Where?”
“Freemans’.”
Slowly, he lifted a shaking hand to his eyes. “I was supposed to go there yesterday and instead I…”
She didn’t fill in the blank of what they both already knew—he’d gotten drunk off his ass. Bustling forward, she took the mug of coffee from Mimi with a soft thank-you and gulped it down despite the temperature. “I gotta go, and you’re coming with me, Moon. I don’t care what’s between us—right now, we’re partners and we’ve got work to do.”
“You’re right.” He moved to the front door, and she rushed out while he grabbed what he needed. When she jumped into her Jeep, his backside landed in the passenger’s seat. He propped the rifle between his knees.
“Kinsey, wait. Just one minute. Please.” The rough edge in his voice had her heart careening into unknown territory. She loved him, but she wouldn’t put up with a man who behaved like that, getting drunk to bury problems instead of facing them head on like an adult.
She gripped the steering wheel. “Asher, we need to get on the road. We have coyotes to hunt.”
“I know. Baby girl.” He touched her cheek, and damn if her body didn’t respond by trying to lean into his touch.
She jerked away. “Why would you assume my father told you the truth? Don’t you know me at all?”
He dropped his hand and stared at his knees. “I guess I never believed I deserved the love of a good woman anyway, so I let that do the decision-making for me.”
“Screw that. You told me you love me—will you give that up so easy? Or maybe it was a lie.”
“Not a lie.” The vehemence in his voice hit her full force. “I do fucking love you—I’d lay down my life for you right this damn minute. And I’d throw mine away to show you how much I mean those words. I. Love. You. And you don’t need to say it back, because I proved to you yesterday that I’m not worth loving back. I’m—”
“Dammit, Asher. Shut up.” She leaned over and did that for him, sealing her lips over his hard ones. The moment she felt him still, her own emotions struck with an impact of a thousand lightning bolts.
“God, baby. I love you so damn much.” He deepened the kiss, stealing any words she’d find to reply.
“I love you too, you stupid man. Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“I promise. I swear it. I won’t.” He cupped her face and searched her eyes. The love she saw glimmering in his stare pulled tears to the rims of her eyes, but she had work to do.
She twisted back and started driving. “Why did Freeman want you at his place yesterday?”
“He saw tracks in his back yard.”
She sent him a sidelong look. “And you never made it there and didn’t convey that information to anybody else, namely me.”
“No. I fucked up, and now…” He struggled. “Is the child okay? Alive?”
“In the ER. That’s all I know.”
Determination crossed his face, hardening his features into granite. “Time to end this once and for all. We need more traps and all the guns we can get. I’m callin’ my brothers and getting the posse together.”
“The posse? God, do I even want to know what that is?”
“No.” He made the call, and she drove to Freemans’ place. Nobody was home, but a few of the neighbors were out scoping the property, rifles in hand. When he made a call to Radosh and spurred the coalition in on the action, soon they had more than a dozen men prepared to do anything in their power to end this predator problem, one way or another.
Asher would be leading one group on a hunt while she and some others would set as many traps as they could round up.
When she started out, he grabbed her arm. “Wait.”
Her insides tremored at his burning tone. She slowly turned to him.
He stamped a hard kiss on her lips. “Be safe. Promise me, darlin’.”
“I will be. You too. Now go!”
He wheeled around and took off at a fast clip, and she watched him for a heartbeat before turning for her own group.
* * * * *
Asher stared at the animals he and his brothers laid out in the truck bed. Damn, he hated seeing them, but he’d had no choice.
At least the children of Stokes would be safe.
Unlike Sterling’s daughter, who’d died before he could do his job properly, the Freemans’ son would survive with just a few deep scratches—and probably a lot of therapy to help him forget.
Asher sliced a look at his brothers, standing not far off with some other ranchers. He owed them a big apology too.
As if realizing he wanted to speak to them, they broke free and headed his way. Now that he had their attention, the words lodged in his throat. “Look…I owe you both an apology. I’ll never act that way again.”
“Better damn not,” Dane grumbled.
“You deserve a better brother, but you’re stuck with me.”
<
br /> Zayden leveled him in his gaze. “When I extended the offer for you to stay on at the ranch, I didn’t lay down conditions. But I have some.”
“I know you do.” He held up a hand to stop him from continuing. “I know what they are—don’t act like the old man. No drinkin’, gamblin’, lyin’ or swindlin’.”
“That about sums it up.” Zayden traded nods with Dane.
“I’m on board, if you’ll still have me. I want to give up bail enforcement for good and stay and help you build the ranch into what it always should have been.” He held out a hand to Zayden to seal the deal.
His brother hesitated a moment before grasping his hand in a firm hold. Then he yanked him in and clapped him on the back. Asher squeezed him in a bro-hug, emotion expanding his chest.
“Love you, bro. Don’t forget we always have each other’s backs,” he said to Zayden.
He released him and Asher turned to Dane. “You’re more of an asshole, but I love you too.”
“Dickhead.” Dane thumped him hard.
Asher planted a fat, noisy kiss on his big brother’s cheek.
“Ew, get off me.”
Asher fell back, and they all shared a laugh.
Then he caught sight of the Jeep rolling up the driveway. From what he’d been told by one of the ranchers, Kinsey and her team hadn’t just been out setting traps—they’d raided the coyote den and flushed them out, managing to trap several.
He took off walking to meet her and was there to open her door when she parked. She looked tired, but the love in her eyes when she looked at him clamped down on his heart and refused to let go.
He squeezed her hands, and she swayed toward him. When he caught her up in his arms, he knew that whatever happened in the future, they’d face it together.
“Oh sweetheart.” He buried his face in her hair.
“That’s a new name,” she said, and he laughed.
“I’ll come up with new ones every week. Keep you on your toes.”
She drew back to search his gaze. “You better never doubt my love for you, Asher Moon.”
He drew an X over his heart and then swooped in to claim her lips.
* * * * *
A dog bark greeted Kinsey as she pulled up to the Moon Ranch. The German Shepherd that belonged to Brennah ran up to her, and she patted his head. “I see you’re all healed.”
She looked toward the house, where the Moons were all gathering in a celebration feast. Kinsey rubbed the dog’s ears, taking the moment alone to collect herself. She had so much to tell Asher, and she’d only been away from him a few hours.
Seconds later, he came out of the house and leaped the porch steps. She laughed as he landed on the ground and cut across the yard to meet her. “You’re here.” He grinned.
“I wouldn’t miss an invite to a ham dinner.”
He pulled her into his arms, and the dog barked at them. They kissed and then laughed at the dog who thought they were playing.
“Everyone’s here,” Asher said.
“I hope you weren’t waiting on me.”
“No. Mimi just took the ham out of the oven. Said it’s resting—I don’t think she knows it’s already dead.”
“Oh Asher.” She giggled.
His dimple flashed and then he sobered. “It did take you a while to get here. Was there a delay?”
“Yes. My father.”
His brow creased. “Sit here on the porch and tell me before we go inside.”
She mounted the porch steps and took a seat on one of the Adirondack chairs. He sat next to her and drew her hand into his big one. As he stroked a callused thumb over her knuckles, she stared into his eyes.
“Well? What did your father want?”
“He…” She choked up at the memory. “He came by to apologize to me.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded. “I can’t believe it myself. I thought he’d be much stubborner on this matter and I’d have grandbabies before he admitted he was wrong about anything.”
“Grandbabies?” He waggled his brows, and she slapped his arm.
“Stop distracting me.”
“Oh so you’re allowed to distract me with that…scrap of lace you call a top, and I’m not allowed to think about what’s underneath it?”
“Asher.” She glared, which only brought his dimple back into place.
“Go on, sweet thing. Tell me what your father had to say.”
“First, he told me I was right about him needing to stop pretending and live his life. And he knew it deep down that Trent wasn’t being honest with him, but he didn’t want to see it. I guess what hit home was knowing my momma wouldn’t have put up with such a thing—from him or Trent. And that a rift between us would have killed her. So he mended fences.”
He squeezed her hand again. “I’m so glad. Now what?”
“I guess our relationship goes on, and meanwhile, there isn’t much we can do for Trent besides support him while he goes through the channels of the justice system. He did wrong, I know that, but I still love him, Asher.”
“Of course you do. That’s the thing about family—no matter what, you want the best for them. Let’s hope Trent changes his ways in time. We never got that with our father.”
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
He shook his head, a wry smile touching his lips. “Wish me and my brothers had a better past, but what we have now far surpasses anything he could have come up with. We all have Mimi, and she’s a godsend. Always was. My brothers have good women at their sides.”
She arched a brow. “And you?”
He tugged her hand, pulling her into a stand and then yanking her into his lap. Slipping her arms around his neck felt like the most natural thing in the world.
“And I’ve got you. I love you, woman.”
“I’m not sure about you using woman as an endearment.”
He shot her a crooked grin. “Let me try it another way, then. Woman”—his whisper caressed her throat just under her ear as he closed a hand around her breast—“I love everything about you. Especially this lace top. Now maybe I can get inside it.”
“No, you don’t!” She squealed and leaped off his lap just in time, because the front door opened, and Mimi poked her head out.
“I thought I heard that dog bark and figured you were here, Kinsey. C’mon in, you two. Ham’s ready.”
Kinsey’s cheeks heated as Mimi took in the sight of Asher lounging in the chair and her just jumping off his lap.
Mimi disappeared inside.
Kinsey pointed a finger at Asher. “I think she saw that.”
“She sees everything. Let’s go in. I’m starving, and Zayden says he has something to ask all of us.”
Wondering what that could be, Kinsey followed her cowboy into the house and took a seat at the big table. When everyone was seated, they heard a distinct sniffle from the head of the table, where Mimi sat.
“Oh honey, what’s the matter?” Asher reached out to squeeze her arm.
“It’s just that I never thought this table would be used at all. We always ate in the kitchen. There wasn’t a family to seat here, and now…” She waved a hand. “Look at what we have, boys.” A tear ran down her cheek, and Asher caught it on his thumb to brush it away.
She beamed at him. “Ash, why don’t you slice that ham now?”
“I’d love to.”
“And Zayden, you’d better hurry and tell us what it is you want to say. I can’t wait any longer.” Mimi’s tears fled, and her sass came back in full.
He chuckled and looked to Esme, seated next to him. “Well, we want to announce that we have the weddin’ date but no venue.”
They all looked at him. “That’s not much of an announcement, Z. Sounds like more of a problem,” Dane said.
He nodded. “We were thinking we might hold the reception right here on the ranch—but that would mean a hell of a lot of work to get the place in order. Esme deserves everything to be perfect on her wedding day.”
/>
“Oh Z, it’s both of our day. And I’ll be the happiest woman alive just standing up next to you.” Esme rested her curly head on Zayden’s shoulder briefly and then smiled into his eyes.
“Anyway, we want to ask all of you if you’ll be willing to put in the hard work with us and get the place ready for a July reception.”
As everyone added enthusiastic replies that they would, Asher spoke up. “Reception… What about the actual ceremony?”
“Well…that will be more private.” Zayden studied Esme as if he looked at an angel. “On the mountain, where we met.”
She beamed at him, and under the table, Kinsey grabbed Asher’s hand and clung tight. He noted her wiping at a tear at the corner of her eye and leaned in to kiss her temple.
Esme turned to the table. “Brennah and Kinsey, I’d love if you’d be my bridesmaid.”
“And I need my brothers,” Zayden added.
“And Mimi must ride in on the white horse,” Asher put out.
Laughter sounded in the room as Mimi waved a meat fork around at them all. “No horses for this old woman!”
Brennah beamed at Esme. “I’m so happy for you. Of course I’ll stand up beside you.”
“And I will as well. I don’t know you as well as Brennah does, but I love you all as family already.” Kinsey’s words shocked even herself, but it was far too late to suck them back.
Asher planted a kiss on her lips, and then it didn’t matter anyway. When he drew back, he whispered, “What do ya say about getting hitched someday?”
She sucked in sharply. “Asher…you don’t need to—”
He pressed a fingertip over her lips, silencing her. “I know I don’t need to, baby. I want to. Someday, I’ll make you my wife.”
Epilogue
The strummed chords of a guitar floated on the breeze through the mountain pines as Kinsey walked the path toward the makeshift altar. Someone intertwined branches to create a shelter where Zayden and Esme would be officially wed.
But Asher had only eyes for the woman wearing the floaty blue gown. The cloth didn’t cling to her curves the way that hot pink dress did at Kelly’s party. And it was nowhere near as unattractive as her game warden uniform. But nothing seemed to matter to him—he still wanted to strip off every layer of clothes the woman put on just to see her wearing only a flush of pleasure.