by Sabrina York
“Of course. I came here for my twenty-first birthday.”
What a shock.
“How was the party?” Amy asked.
“They do a great party. No worries about that.” Porsche gave an evil chuckle. “Just ask Crystal.”
“Crystal?” Sidney wrinkled her brow. “Your boss?”
Porsche’s grin was a little too shit-eating for comfort. “Yup.”
“The woman your brother is dating?”
“Yup.” She shot a minxish smile around the circle. “Crystal met Ford at that party. I didn’t plan it or anything, but there you have it.”
“Why was Ford at one of Cody’s parties?” Hanna asked with a laugh. They all knew Ford. He’d rather pull out his two front teeth with a pair of pliers than attend a party at the Stud Ranch.
“He was protecting me, of course.” Porsche preened. She took great pride in tormenting her overprotective brother. It was amazing Ford still had his sanity, trying to keep a bead on Porsche’s wild ways. Of course, he had started going gray—a sexy salt-and-pepper sprinkling on his short-trimmed sideburns. A happenstance no doubt attributable to his younger sister.
“Oh look,” Amy said in something of a squeal. “One of the hotties has a kitten.” A chorus of coos rose and they all headed in that direction like filings to a magnet.
Sidney didn’t follow, but she did roll her eyes. That scene was so ooey-gooey-staged it made her pancreas hurt. Cody had even gone so far as to have a photographer there to snap pictures with the kitten-toting stripper and the guests. A line was already forming.
Brother. If it was going to be like this all weekend, she might want to carry around a bowl to throw up in.
“There you are.” An annoying, scintillating voice rippled around her like the kiss of a warm wind. She suppressed her shiver. “Have you been avoiding me?”
Sidney glanced over her shoulder and frowned at Cody. Damn, he was cute. So cute she had the sudden urge to smack him. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”
“Really? You got here and ran up to your room like a frightened rabbit.”
The reference made her skin prickle. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Prove it.”
She glowered at him. “How?”
“Sit with me on the hayride.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why would I sit with you?”
He gave that heinous dimpled grin. “To prove you’re not afraid of me.” He cocked his head to the side and affected a patronizing moue. “Are you paying attention to this conversation?”
Oh God, he was so adorable it made her jaw ache.
“I’m paying attention just fine, diploid. But I’m here for my sister’s bachelorette party. So why would I sit with you?”
He frowned as if her logic confused him. Or ruined his plans.
If it did, so be it.
In fact, ruining his plans was an added bonus.
“You can’t spend every minute with her, or our strategy won’t work.” Oh yeah, he was grabbing at straws.
“And speaking of our strategy . . .” She skated a glance over the men assembled for the hayride. Most of them wore open flannel shirts. Many were oiled up. Some of them were glittering. “Which one is he?”
Cody blinked. “Huh?”
“Which one is he? What tempting hunk did you bring for Hanna?” Because none of them were all that tempting. And none of them were Hanna’s type. If he’d lied to her, or done some half-assed job—inviting some dumbass friend of his to take the role—she’d snatch him bald.
The thought of her fingers in his hair distracted her for a moment, but she searched for and found her melting resolve. “Is it him?” She pointed at a hottie with a ponytail, pretending to “ride” one of Tibby’s friends. “Or him?” Another dude rubbing up against Amy. “Oh him?” God no. Not the dude with the kitten . . . “Because none of them will do. They just won’t do.”
Honestly. She should have known better. Should have known better than to trust him. He was—
“There he is.” Cody pointed to a figure coming out of the barn, and Sidney’s breath caught in her lungs. He was tall, dark, gorgeous . . . and fully clothed. And still, he was the second sexiest man here.
Not that Cody counted. He didn’t count.
She needed to remind herself of that.
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Who is that?”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Cody’s cheek flex. His glare scorched her face. “That’s Logan.”
“Oh my.” She fanned herself with her fingers, not because Logan was so hot—though he was—but because Cody’s irritation provoked her, made her want to play this up. Torment him, maybe, just a little. She turned to him with wide eyes and gushed, “Where did you find him?”
Cody frowned. “He’s for Hanna.”
“Sure. Sure. I get it. But, where did you find him?”
“He’s my friend. Hell, you probably remember him.”
Sidney turned to gape at Logan, who just got better-looking as he got closer. “No. I definitely don’t remember him.”
“Logan? Logan Landry?”
“I don’t remember . . .” Oh wait. The image flashed in her brain. The nerdy kid from high school who kept to himself. The one who up and left town one night and was never seen again. “I do remember him. Where did he go when he left here?”
“Dallas. And stop looking at him like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to eat him up.”
She waggled her brows. “He is delicious. I think I better go and introduce myself.”
Cody caught her arm. “No,” he said. “He’s for Hanna.”
“Right.” She tried to wiggle free. “I can help push them together.”
“I mean it, Sidney.”
Something in his tone caught her attention. She shot him a searching glance.
“Logan has had a crush on Hanna since high school.”
Her stomach dropped, then flipped around in some weird kind of dance. A strange emotion swelled in her chest. Elation, maybe. “You . . . picked him because he had a crush on Hanna?”
“Um, yeah?” Holy God. That was so . . . sweet. So fricking sweet. Who knew Cody had it in him? “I thought it would be good for both of them.”
“That was . . . very thoughtful.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have let her voice go so soft, because he stilled, and then leaned in.
When his breath caressed her lips, a trickle of trepidation dribbled through her. That it was twined with excitement sent a flare of disquiet through her. She couldn’t let him kiss her. Not again. She simply didn’t trust herself to stop him. So she sucked in a resolute breath and said nonchalantly, “So is this your kiss?”
“What?” He blinked.
“Is this the kiss you’re going to claim? Right here? Right now?”
He pulled back and glanced around the yard, crowded with partygoers, and his jaw firmed. “No. This is not that kiss.”
“Well fine then.” She pulled her arm free. “Because I need to join my sister.”
To her shock, he yanked her back and kissed her anyway. It was a hard, quick buss—so quick she doubted anyone saw it—but it singed her to her core and left her spinning. Bemused and bewildered, she forced her feet to move. She walked through the fog, away from him, to the hay-filled trailer where Hanna was standing beside her hunk. To Sidney’s surprise, they were gazing into each other’s eyes.
Well, glory be. They’d just met, and it already looked as though this crazy scheme might work.
She shot a glance back at Cody and was shocked to see him marching toward them with a determined look on his face, so she quickly slipped onto the trailer, urging Hanna to sit beside her. Naturally, her hunk followed. Cod
y stopped, frowned at her, and then turned back to the tractor.
Sidney had no idea why he looked so put out.
This was the plan and she was going to make damn sure it worked. Come hell or high water.
Chapter Four
Damn it all anyway.
Naturally Sidney had firmly positioned herself in the second trailer and Cody had to ride in the first trailer, because that was where the mic was and it was his job to give a running commentary for the tour of the ranch. At least, from his position behind Cade, who was driving, Cody could see her. It drove him nuts that she seemed to be smiling at Logan, and Logan—damn his hide—was smiling back. It made heat prickle on his nape.
He wasn’t sure what she was up to. Her flirting with Logan would ruin everything, especially if his friend took her up on her offers.
That thought made his gut roil even more.
Surely Logan wouldn’t take Sidney up on any offers. Would he?
Damn it. Maybe he should have told Logan what was really going on here. Just to be sure.
But Sidney knew. She knew! He’d told her point-blank Logan was the guy he’d brought in for Hanna. He’d told her explicitly.
Why, for God’s sake, was she talking to him?
He was so absorbed with staring at her, glaring at her, muttering to himself about her, he jumped in shock when a hand crept up his thigh. All the way up. Fingers closed on his cock.
His head whipped around and he gaped at the woman sitting next to him. She was beautiful, no doubt, and she smiled, an invitation that needed no words. She used them anyway. “Hi there, handsome,” she said in a gin-laced huff.
Awesome.
She was drunk off her ass.
But she’d have to be, wouldn’t she? To grab the nozzle of a man she’d never met?
It wasn’t the first time he’d been manhandled on the job. It was one of the dangers of his profession. And it wasn’t the first time it’d made him feel . . . skeezy. But it sure as shit was the first time he’d had no interest whatsoever.
How could he?
Sidney was in his line of sight.
No other woman existed.
He forced a smile and removed her hand. “Sorry ma’am,” he said in a casual tone. “I’m not on the menu.” He shot a speaking glance at Big Juan, who nodded and made his way over to take charge of the horny woman.
Unfortunately, another moved in to take her place. This one was even more aggressive.
What was it about these women? Didn’t they understand that he wasn’t one of the dancers? He was not up for grabs? Literally. Not. Up. For. Grabs.
Sadly, they all had grabby hands.
In the end, Cody had to retreat onto the tractor at Cade’s side. It was awkward and uncomfortable, perching on the foot hold and clinging to the bar while juggling the mic, but it was worth it to be able to watch Sidney and Logan without any distractions.
He refused to think of it as running away from the horde. It was simply a much better vantage point.
He only almost fell off twice.
***
Sidney had a blast on the hayride.
First of all, she got to know Logan a little better, even though he wasn’t much of a talker—and, damn, she liked him. He would be perfect for Hanna. Even Sidney, as self-absorbed as she was, could tell there was scorching chemistry between the two of them.
She was, all in all, very pleased with Cody’s choice. It looked as though Hanna would at least be tempted to think about another man, and that was really all Sidney could have asked for.
Given that, she decided she would give Cody his kiss.
He had earned it, after all.
Her decision had nothing to do with the coiling desire in her belly. It was simply the fact that they’d made an agreement, and since Cody had held up his end of the bargain, she should too.
She’d have to make sure it was somewhere public, and that she had toughened up her resolve and all that, but she couldn’t deny the thought of kissing him gave her a huge thrill. And, of course, scared her to death.
It only seemed logical to partake in a little liquid courage. Porsche had brought a bottle of tequila, so, between the hayride and the coming Hottie Hoedown, Sidney did a couple of shots.
Oh, not enough that she might lose her mind and motorboat Cody or anything, but enough that her feet felt light and her mood was elevated as she made her way down to the dining room for dinner.
It was nearly a letdown that he wasn’t there.
The dancers were there, milling with the women, and Cade was setting up the sound system, but of Cody there was no sign.
She knew he had to show up at some point, so she sucked in a deep breath and willed herself to be patient.
And when he did arrive, she would need to be super blasé. It was essential to remain so. She couldn’t allow herself to go and drool all over him the way the other women did. By God, she would never be one if his groupies. She’d give him his kiss and thank him for all he’d done and that would be that. The party would be over on Sunday. She’d go back to her boring life in Dallas and forget about him all over again. And everything would be wonderful.
“Where do you want to sit?” Hanna asked.
Sidney shot her a look. Her sister had been even more reserved than usual since she’d come back from a walk earlier; Sidney suspected she’d gone to meet Logan and if she had, that dreamy look in her eye was a good sign. “Anywhere’s fine.”
“Great. Let’s sit here.” She gestured to a table in the back of the room.
“You can’t sit in the back of the room. You’re the guest of honor,” Porsche insisted.
“Oh please.”
“I think she’s right,” Sidney said, and, taking Hanna’s arm, headed for the front of the room. Before they reached their table a hubbub arose. Sidney looked over her shoulder and saw the cause of it.
Cody Silver had arrived.
Like he was a fricking rock star or something. Most of the women milling around the room deserted their half-dressed hunks and swarmed him.
“Brother,” Porsche muttered.
Sidney nodded. “I think I’m gonna barf.”
“Not on the table, please,” Hanna said with crisp sarcasm. She excelled at crisp sarcasm. But then her smile faded and she paled. “Oh, shit.”
Sidney blinked. Hanna was usually the one to lecture other people about the use of profanities. Naturally, she had to turn and—
Oh, shit.
Tibby was heading their way like a heat-seeking missile.
It really had been a mistake to let her come. For one thing, she’d been hovering around Hanna like a mother hen. Or a Russian spy determined to discover the microfilm. Whatever.
If this thing between Hanna and Logan was going to have any chance at all, someone was going to have to distract Tibby.
And it wasn’t going to be her.
“I’ll be right back,” she said shooting her sister a quick smile, and then she did the one thing she swore she would never do.
She headed for Cody Silver. Just like all the other lemmings.
***
“Do you have a minute?” she asked, sending him a speaking glance.
He blinked and shot her a cocky grin. “Sure thing, sugar.”
All the other women groaned as he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her toward the stage.
She made it a point to step on his foot. With the point being her heel.
He winced. “Hey, what was that for?”
She glared at him. “Don’t call me sugar.”
“But you’re so sweet—”
She gored him again. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Right. “Shut up and listen. We have a problem.”
He stared at her. “We do?”
�
�Yes. It’s Tibby. She’s shadowing Hanna’s every move.” She gave him a meaningful look. One that said it all.
He blinked. “And?”
Honestly. Why were men so dense? “Someone is going to have to distract her.”
“Okay.” He nodded.
Silence pinged between them. A long enough silence that she realized . . . he didn’t get her point. Not at all. She was going to have to s-p-e-l-l it out. “You are going to have to distract her.”
He jerked back as though she’d suggested he cuddle up in smallpox-infected blankets. “Me?”
“Of course, you. No one else can distract her enough to make her abandon Hanna.”
“No. No way.”
“You have to.”
“No.”
“Cody—”
“I’m not throwing myself under that bus. It’s bad enough as it is.”
That threw her for a loop, so she asked, “What’s bad enough as it is?”
His expression was pained. He leaned in and whispered, “She’s stalking me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not. I swear!”
“Hey.” Cade clomped down the stairs from the stage and put his hands on his hips. “What’s the holdup? We need to get the party going.”
Cody stared at his brother, then he glanced at Sidney. Without words she understood his meaning and nodded. “He’ll do.”
Cade, no doubt familiar with his brother’s expressions, and his Machiavellian ways, stepped back and narrowed his eyes. “He’ll do for what?”
“Come on.” Cody threw his arm around his brother’s shoulders and led him back up the stairs. “I’ll explain everything.” He glanced back at Sidney and winked.
And she knew, just then, everything would be all right . . . even after Cade’s bellow of “No, hell no!” echoed throughout the room.
***
Whatever Cade and Cody had planned for Tibby didn’t play out at dinner. In fact, Sidney was horrified to discover that in Cody’s stupid little icebreaker—where each woman paired up with a hunk—Tibby had somehow snagged Logan as her partner. To his credit, he looked terrified. Hanna—saddled with one of the strippers—seemed equally consternated. Only Cody seemed blissfully unconcerned. Until he caught Sidney’s glare.