by Jess Bentley
I wake in the morning surprisingly well rested. A glance at my watch tells me why. It’s nearly ten in the morning. I can’t remember the last time of slept so late. I roll out of bed and shave. And while I’m throwing on aftershave, an idea strikes me. I dry my hands and send a quick text out to my brothers. In less than five minutes the all reply that they’re in.
Considering Jessa will be involved, I’m not exactly surprised.
When I don’t find Jessa downstairs, I go to her room and knock. A few seconds later she opens the door.
Her hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she’s wearing those cut off shorts again that could give a man a heart attack. Her skin is free of makeup, and she looks so damn fresh and beautiful that I want to push her back into her room, kiss her silly, and fuck her until the sun goes down.
Too bad I invited everyone else out on this little excursion.
“Joshua,” she says, lips widening into that dazzling smile. “How are you?”
There’s still a touch of shyness when she looks at me. Damn adorable.
“I had an idea this morning for a picnic. My brothers are in, too, if you are.”
Her smile widens, and her shyness seems to evaporate. “That sounds lovely.”
“We know a great spot. You should probably throw on jeans. Although I hate to say that, because you look amazing in those shorts.”
She laughs and hugs me. “Give me a minute to finish up the part I’m working on in the article, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Two minutes later, Jessa and I walk out to the barn where my brothers are already waiting. As are the five horses they’ve already saddled up.
Jessa’s pace slows at the sight of the horses and her eyes widen. “We have to ride there?” she asks when we reach the group.
“It’s the best view on the ranch, but it’s a lot easier to get to with these guys,” Clay says, bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“I don’t know...” She rings her hands at her sides. “Can’t we just walk there?”
“Ah, is the city slicker nervous?” Tyler teases her.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I saddled you our gentlest mare.” Trey gestures to the pretty bay in question. “Her name is Cupcake, and she’s a total pushover.”
Despite Trey’s reassurance, Jessa looks anything but comfortable. She’s biting her lip, while thinking hard. “Okay, I guess. As long as we go slow, like you said.”
“Of course we will. We’ll take care of you.” I pull her into a side hug. “We’ll be right there with you,” I add, hoping to get her to relax a bit.
Jessa offers me a small smile, but her posture is still stiff. Maybe the only way to get her to relax around the horses will be to get her on one. Cupcake is about the nicest mare we’ve ever had, so hopefully if we can’t change Jessa’s mind, Cupcake can.
Trey helps Jessa mount the mare, and gives her a few pieces of advice. He shows her how to direct Cupcake—the mare is trained to move when the reins touch her neck, so she’ll be easy for Jessa to control. Cupcake is also used to trail riding, and she’ll follow the other horses without Jessa having to do all that much. It’s quite clear Jessa’s never ridden before, so she listens to what Trey tells her intently. Still, tension is obvious in every inch of her frame.
“You need to relax. The mare can feel your tension, and it will make her nervous, too.” Trey says, rubbing Jessa’s arm comfortingly.
She swallows hard, then jerks her head in a nod. “Okay. I’ll try.”
Chapter 15
Tyler
About ten minutes into the ride, Jessa seems to relax somewhat. Trey has taken the lead, with Clay and Joshua behind us. I ride next to Jessa, and I’m far too fucking pleased that my presence seems to reassure her. Plus, the other guys are just far enough away that we have something close to privacy.
“So this is your first time on a horse?” I ask her.
A nervous laugh escapes her. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Yep,” I say. At her outraged gasp, I chuckle. “You’re doing well for a first-timer.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Why do I think you’re half-lying?”
“Because you’re suspicious by nature? Must be the reporter in you.”
She laughs again, and I do my best not to preen at the sound. Making Jessa laugh is now one of my top favorite things to do.
“This place is so lovely,” she says, her gaze flashing over the trail.
I don’t even have the heart to tell her the real view is still coming. “It is.”
“Are you happy to be home?”
Her innocent question makes me cringe inside, but it has nothing to do with her. “Mostly.” When she frowns, I add, “I love it here, don’t get me wrong. I just... It’s hard to come home when you’ve avoided it for so long.” But I have missed it. I can admit that now, at least. Although the first couple of years after I took off from home I couldn’t have said such a thing—even in my own head. It might have been true, even then, but I’d needed that time away. Maybe not as much time as I’d taken, however.
“Why would you avoid it here?” she asks, then she flinches. “I’m sorry, that was a stupid question. I heard… about your parents, I mean.”
The heavy weight of sadness that always hits me when my parents come up doesn’t hit as hard today. And I wonder if I’m finally starting to be able to deal with it better. “It’s not that—well, not exactly that. I’ve been embarrassed to come home. To stay here.”
Her brow scrunches adorably. “Why would you be embarrassed?” When I hesitate to answer, she gives me a teasing grin. “Are there some terrible teenage pictures out there of you that you’re hiding from? How gangly were you, exactly?”
I can’t help but chuckle. Damn, but I love how easy she makes it to talk to her. “I got into some trouble after Mom and Dad died.” I shake my head. “I was so pissed off. Not at them—not exactly—but pissed at the world, I guess. I ended up in some fights and got an assault charge. Some vandalism when I was a teen...”
Hell, I’ve never really talked about any of this. But something about Jessa makes me want to tell her everything. It’s unnerving. I’m not the confessing type—nor do I like talking about feelings. I especially don’t care to talk about my feelings.
Fingertips brush against my arm, and I look at her. Pain is apparent in her eyes, as is frustration.
“Stupid horse won’t get closer so I can touch you,” she grumbles, keeping her voice low.
I can’t tell her how much I appreciate her respecting my privacy, even around my brothers. I edge my horse closer to hers and take her hand. “Thank you.”
Her frown deepens. “For what?”
For not looking at me like I am a criminal. For keeping this between us—I know she will. For somehow making me talk about all this shit to get it off my chest. “For listening.”
She squeezes my hand. “Tyler, you aren’t a criminal. And you have no reason to be embarrassed about coming home. You made some mistakes when you were a kid—it’s no wonder, losing your parents when you were only sixteen.” Her gaze moves to Trey ahead of us, still out of earshot with our voices pitched low. “Your brothers love you. And it’s obvious that they miss you when you’re gone. I know they’d love for you to come home permanently.”
Hope surges in my chest, choking me for a moment. I almost ask her if she’ll be here if I do, but I keep my mouth shut. I might be a runner, but Jessa has the looks of a runner, too. Getting too serious with her too quickly... I don’t know why she’d run, but I feel it in my bones that she would.
Before I can scare her away, I change the subject to lighter matters. And half an hour after that, when we reach our picnic spot, she is sitting far more easily on the horse. We all dismount, Jessa managing to do so without help. She steps away from her horse when Trey takes the mare to tie her to a post we’ve set up for just that purpose.
Jessa turns to take in the view and lets out a small gasp. “Oh my God. It’s
beautiful.”
“Yes, it is,” I reply, but I’m looking at Jessa, not the view.
I go stand next to her and stare at the view myself. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it, it never fails to take my breath away. The whole valley can be seen from the spot. The ranch and all the outbuildings, with our livestock and horses dotting the landscape. The spot itself has a stream running through it with a small waterfall. Jessa spins around, three hundred and sixty degrees, to take it all in.
“Why am I just seeing this now?” she says, flabbergasted. “I mean, there’s not exactly any part of the ranch that’s ugly. But this is really gorgeous.”
“It’s where our dad used to take our mom,” Clay says quietly.
Without saying anything, Jessa reaches out and squeezes his hand.
I look at their joined hands and wait for a surge of jealousy. But it doesn’t come. Instead, I find myself happy that Clay—that all of us—have found some comfort in her. She’s been like an antidote to everything that’s happened, to all of us. Healing our hearts somehow even as we all try to keep this purely physical.
I have my doubts as to how long any of us can keep Jessa at any sort of distance.
We have a small picnic table set up, and Trey and Joshua spread out the food. Before long, we’re all sitting around the table joking and talking. Once we’re all full, I reach for Jessa and start stroking her thigh. On the other side of her, Joshua’s stroking the small of her back. A few minutes later, after our food has had a chance to settle, I turn to Jessa and kiss her.
It feels like the most natural thing ever. When I pick her up, she wraps her legs around my waist. I kiss her and hold her while Clay spreads a blanket on the ground. I’m the first to take her. Unlike the first time where I only got her mouth, I make love to her slowly. The eyes on us, touching her, stroking themselves, don’t bother me. If anything, the audience just intensifies things, and turns me on more. Not something I ever thought I would say.
Somehow, it all feels perfectly natural. It feels right.
Jessa reaches for Joshua after me, then Trey and Clay take her together. But they aren’t gentle. Watching Joshua and I take her has added urgency to their need.
Once we’ve all been sated, we lay on the blanket together for a while. Jessa dozes off, and we all watch over her.
Once the sun starts heading toward the horizon, we dress and rouse Jessa. Then we head for home. Together.
Chapter 16
Trey
A deep satisfaction settles into my bones when I watched Jessa mount her horse without help—even though it takes her two tries. Her hair is going every which way, and her lips are swollen. My dick twitches in my pants at the very sight of her, despite the way she satisfied me less than an hour earlier.
And my heart feels full.
No. I can’t let my brain go in that direction. I’ve loved once, deeply. Losing Claire almost killed me. Jessa has her own life, in another city far from Wyoming. Getting attached to her right now—falling for her—that’s about the dumbest thing I could ever do.
I lead the way as we head down the trail toward the ranch. Jessa rides behind me, with Clay, Tyler, and Joshua bringing up the rear. We hit the steepest portion where we have to go down in single file. There just isn’t enough room on this part of the trail for more than one to go down at a time.
“Take care, here,” I call back to Jessa.
“You’re talking to an expert, now,” she jokes. “I’m practically ready for the rodeo.”
I know she’s kidding, but something fills my chest with warmth at the idea of Jessa getting comfortable on the back of a horse.
A scream sounds behind me and the shrill noise of a horse crying out. I’ve gotten far enough down the trail to spin my horse around, and I do so.
Shit. Jessa.
I jump off my horse, tossing my reins to the ground. All the horses I brought with us are trained to be ground-tied. So he stays where he should.
I run toward Jessa. In the two seconds since she spoke, she’s been thrown from her horse. Cupcake—the horse in question—hasn’t gone anywhere. And thankfully she’s a few feet away from Jessa. I get to her side the same time as Clay. And Joshua and Tyler right beside him.
“Are you okay?” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. “Did you hit your head?”
“No,” she says, but her voice breaks. Tears begin to roll out of the corner of her eyes, as she grips her stomach. “I think I’m okay, but—”
“What is it?” God, she better not be hurt. If Jessa is hurt—I can’t even think about it. Just the thought makes me want to puke.
She takes a deep, haggard breath. But when she lets it out, it’s with another sob. “I’m pregnant.”
I yank my head back. It feels like someone just gut-punched me. I know I can’t be the father, but that doesn’t matter right now. Taking care of Jessa is what matters. And her unborn child’s, whoever it is.
Could it be Clay’s?
I push the question aside. It doesn’t matter right now. We have to get her to the hospital. But beside her, Clay goes so pale he’s practically gray.
“Yes, at the Lazy H ranch...” Tyler says, already on his phone to 911.
“You got her?” I ask Clay unnecessarily, he’s already picking her up.
Clay’s gaze is steely. “I have her.”
Chapter 17
Jessa
Tears still threaten behind my eyelids, and the big lump in my throat won’t go away. I’m not uncomfortable--scratch that--I’m not in pain, but I’m woefully uncomfortable. My shoulder hurts from the fall, and the hospital bed is hard and cold. I haven’t seen my boys once they got me to the hospital, and the idea of facing them right now makes my stomach lurch.
Why did I have to tell them like that? If only I’d found the guts to tell Clay sooner... But I can’t change it now.
The doctor who I’d seen earlier enters, and another one follows him this time. An intern, by my guess. He looks way too young to be any kind of doctor, but that’s what his name tag says.
I force a smile. But before they can say anything, Trey is pushing his way to the door. Right on his heels are the rest of the Hollister brothers.
“Are you okay? How are you feeling?” Trey asks. “They wouldn’t let us in any sooner.”
“Are you Mr. Long?” The young doctor asks Trey, looking at the chart.
I flinch, I can’t help it.
Trey ignores his question. “Have you done an ultrasound? How is she?”
Joshua grips Trey’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze, but Trey shrugs him off.
The younger doctor—the intern—looks like he’s about to pee his pants with the amount of testosterone in the room and Trey glaring at everyone.
“Ease off, Trey,” I say.
Trey goes stiff, but he doesn’t look at me. I’m suddenly reminded of what Amber said at the café. About Trey being overprotective.
But I can’t blame him, can I? With the way I let things go down? I never should’ve gotten on the horse. I should have told Clay—and the others—sooner.
“You all have to leave if you can’t stand back and let us do our jobs,” the older doctor says, giving Trey a stern look.
“We’ll stay out of your way, Doctor,” Tyler replies with an apologetic smile, answering for them all. At his words, Joshua and Clay nod. Trey just crosses his arms and stares.
Apparently used to dealing with uncooperative people, the doctor turns to me and smiles. “Everything looks good, Ms. Long. But we’ve got a tech coming now to do the ultrasound—oh, here he is. Tad, this is Ms. Long. She got off a horse the hard way today.”
The ultrasound tech, dragging a machine behind him, gives me a reassuring smile. I don’t feel any judgment from any of the medical professionals for getting on a horse while pregnant, but I don’t really need them to make me feel guilty. My own guilt gnaws at me.
The Hollisters manage to stay back while the tech does his thing. A bit of cold cream
on my stomach, and in less than five minutes, a tiny, super fast heartbeat comes through the small machine’s speakers.
Relief crashes into me. I suck in a breath and let it out with a small sob.
Trey, without another glance toward me, walks out of the room. Joshua reaches for my hand and presses a kiss against my skin. Then he follows his brother. The tech, looking more than a little uncomfortable, rolls his cart out as quickly as he can.
I look at Clay and Tyler, both are pale, skin ashen.
“I really pissed him off, huh?” I say, my voice a warbling mess.
Clay takes my hand, and Tyler comes up next to him to smooth my hair.
“Can you give us a minute?” Clay asks Tyler.
Tyler smooths my hair again. “Sure thing. You going to be okay?”
I nod. Mostly because if I speak right now, I’m going to cry and embarrass all of us.
Tyler presses a kiss to my forehead and leaves Clay and me alone.
Clay waits a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he asks, “Do I have to ask?”
“I’ve been trying to figure out the right way to tell you.” I take a deep breath. “But it hasn’t been easy. I’m sorry, Clay. But yes, the baby is yours.”
Another long moment passes, then Clay nods. More to himself than to me. And when he looks at me again, there’s a slight smile in his eyes. “So you concocted this clever plan to fall off a horse in order to tell me? Honestly, just straight to my face would have been easier.”
I choke on a laugh because I’m still on the edge of tears. “You forgive me?”
He shakes his head and leans down to kiss me. “There is nothing to forgive. I’m just sorry that I’m such an ass. It made this hard on you.”
None of this is his fault—well, none of it since New York, anyway. But I don’t have the energy to argue with him. And dammit, I’m carrying his baby. If that doesn’t earn me a little leeway, I don’t know what will.