by Alicia Rae
“Today, I stand here with my brothers as my witnesses and say that I promise you, if you ever so much as step foot on my property again, I won’t even flinch at putting a bullet in your chest.”
“It wasn’t me,” Hank countered. His underlying smirk didn’t go unnoticed.
“I don’t believe you.” I clenched my jaw hard.
“You have no proof.” Hank shrugged. “You only have a vendetta.”
I grabbed the last tube of my sperm from his grasp. “For your sake, I hope you’re right. If I find out that it was you, I won’t be this civil.”
Before Hank could respond, I gave him my back and strode away with the guys on my heels. We each entered the truck, and without delay, I put the glass tubes in the cooler and closed it tight. Then, I started my vehicle and sped off.
Once we passed Hank’s entrance gate, I turned in the direction of home.
“That was a fuckin’ blast,” Jason said out of nowhere, chuckling.
“Hell yeah, it was.” Damon laughed, too. “I thought Hank was going to piss his pants and ruin his ridiculous suit. I was waiting for it.”
“I would have paid big money to see that happen,” Blake chimed in.
Everyone else agreed.
Damon, Jason, and Blake continued to talk among themselves in the backseat as Kyle stared at me the whole time, studying me, until the noise finally dulled.
“You okay, man?” Kyle asked quietly.
“Yes. I am now.” I nodded. “Just glad that’s done and over with.”
Kyle rested his elbow on the armrest on the passenger door and ran his fingers through his hair. “That was quite a shitstorm back there.”
I tilted my head to the side in contemplation while watching the road. “I actually thought it went well, considering the circumstances.”
In the rearview mirror, I saw Jason nod his head. “Me, too.”
“I have to agree. Although, there were a few minutes when I thought our evening was going to take a sudden nosedive.” Damon snickered in a low tone. “But good thing we had our hotheaded Army veteran and deadly Marine with us.”
Jason roared with laughter. “And the way Colton said it was priceless. He was so serious and in the moment. I had to bite my lip to keep from busting out laughing. I nearly drew blood.”
Kyle jokingly shoved at my arm. “Yeah. What the hell was that part all about?”
“Added effects.” I grinned.
Kyle raised a comical brow. “And all you could come up with for me was a hotheaded Army veteran?”
Blake leaned forward and grinned, looking rather devious. “Hey, I’m the deadly Marine.”
Kyle stifled his laughter, but his shoulders shook with it. “At least yours has a ring to it!”
“Cut me some slack, man! I had to think fast,” I replied in my defense.
Blake shifted back in his seat and murmured, “You won’t get any complaints from me.”
That caused another wave of laughter.
I pulled into the drive and parked my truck. We all got out, and I grabbed the cooler. Without my barn, I had no choice but to take the contents inside the house and store it in my own fridge.
As soon as I walked into the living room, I came to a dead halt. It was empty. Paige, Lily, Audrey, Gail, and Abbey were all missing. Something felt wrong.
“Where are the girls?” Kyle asked from behind me.
My whole body went into panic mode. “Good question.”
Suddenly, I heard a ton of giggles coming from the direction of my bedroom.
“Wait! I brought my blow-dryer. I’ll go get it!” someone shouted.
From the sound of the voice, I was pretty sure it was Lily.
Two seconds later, Lily came running out of the room and skidded to a stop in front of us. Her blonde hair was wet, and she was wearing a black dress.
“Uh, hi,” she squeaked shyly.
“Oh, good! I’ll use the other bathroom with you!” Abbey came trailing after Lily and nearly slammed into her back, not realizing Lily was frozen in the walkway and staring wide-eyed at us. Abbey was also wearing a dress, but hers was fire-engine red.
“Great. You guys are home.” Abbey smiled. “You all have about forty-five minutes to shower and change before we leave, so hurry up.”
“What the fuck?” Jason was the first to find his voice. “Where did you get that dress? And more importantly, where in the hell do you think you’re wearing it to?”
“We’re going out.” Abbey grinned and then rolled her eyes. “And simmer down, hot stuff. It reaches the middle of my thighs, so it’s perfectly acceptable.”
“The hell it is.”
“It’s just the red that’s catchy.”
“I don’t want you to look catchy,” Jason countered.
Beneath his words, I could hear he thought otherwise.
“Yes, you do,” Abbey snorted at Jason. She turned her attention to me and pointed down the hallway toward my bedroom. “Wait till you see what we did to Paige in there.”
“Huh?” I asked, raising my brows.
“Oh, yeah. She looks hot,” Lily piped in, fanning herself.
“Oh, boy. I think the girls are going to be wild tonight.” Damon chuckled behind me.
Deciding I needed to see for myself what they were talking about, I headed straight for my bedroom. I slowed, taking in my bed. “Jesus,” I breathed.
Clothes and heels and more clothes were lying everywhere. It looked like a tornado had run straight through a woman’s closet and flung all the contents around my room.
Chattering noises came from the master bathroom, so I continued toward it. The door was open, and I saw Gail sitting on the countertop, surrounded by makeup bags. She was facing the other wall that was out of my sight. Audrey was leaning against the cabinet on the far side of Gail, gazing in the same direction as her.
“Damn, you do look hot.” Gail whistled.
“Really?” Paige asked as I passed over the threshold. “Because I don’t even recognize myself.”
“Hey there, stud muffin.” Gail grinned at me. “You got home just in time.”
“Hi,” I drawled in a low tone. “Paige?” I asked, rounding the corner of the adjoining closet in the master bathroom that blocked my view of her.
When she came into view, I felt as though someone had knocked the wind out of me. Gail and Audrey said something as they left the room, but I didn’t hear it.
I was focused solely on Paige.
She stood before me, wearing a radiant strapless black dress. The silky material clung to her waist and expanded over the sensational curve of her hips. My eyes traveled from her bare tanned thighs all the way down to her calves before her feet disappeared into a pair of sexy red heels.
“What do you think?” she whispered to me.
I gazed up at her, and her smile hit me hard, stealing my breath all over again. My eyes roamed over her face, taking in her subtle makeup, which drew attention to her beautiful brown eyes. Her hair had been curled, flowing over her shoulders, and it shone in the light.
I swallowed and reminded myself to breathe while closing the space between us. I took her small hand in mine, feeling her soft skin, and pulled her into me. “You look stunning, Paige.”
“Really?” she asked, blushing a light shade of pink. “The girls have been working on me for over an hour. I think it was to distract me until you came home.” Her eyes widened, and she shifted her hand to tighten it around mine. “Wait. How did it go at Hank’s? Did you get your sperm?”
My lips twitched at how she’d phrased her question. “Yes.”
Her chest deflated. “Oh, thank heavens. I’ve been so worried.” Her eyes bounced between mine as they filled with curiosity. “So, it went well then? You didn’t break Hank’s jaw or nose or any other bones?”
“Nope.” I grinned, rather damn proud of myself.
Her arm came around my center as she peeked up at me under her full dark lashes. I could see the worry in her eyes.
“Since he knows that I’m aware he was involved with the fire on my property, I’m hoping so.” Unable to resist her proximity and wanting to soothe away her qualms, I kissed the tip of her nose. “Nevertheless, I will remain extra careful and not take any chances of leaving myself vulnerable.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m planning to install extra security measures around the property this week—yard sensors, a house alarm, and whatever else I can buy.”
“Okay.” Paige frowned. “You think he’s still that big of a threat? I hope going to his house won’t stir the pot.”
“It won’t. But I had to make it clear that I wouldn’t tolerate thievery,” I replied. Wanting to change the subject before our moods soured, I glided my hands over the roundness of her ass and squeezed. “So, we’re going out tonight?”
“Yes.” Her eyes shimmered with excitement. “The girls thought it would be fun to have some drinks at The Bottle and Glass in town.”
“The bar in town?” I groaned.
“Yes. Where did you think we’d go?”
“Paige, I don’t like the idea of taking you out in public where the locals might spot us together. Hank knows everyone.”
“Nonsense.” Paige shushed me with her hand. “Colton, you can’t keep me locked behind doors because you fear Hank might see us together. He already knows we’re a couple.”
“I know, but…” I trailed off, unsure of how to explain my fears. “It’s just…I don’t want to give him any more ammo to use against me. The thought of you being in danger”—fire pumped through me—“makes me so fucking violent that I can’t see anything but rage.”
Paige was quiet for a second before her hands came up to cup my face. Her eyes were soft and warm, looking as though she were on the verge of crying. “I love you, too,” she murmured. “And I feel the same. We are in this together.”
All I heard was the first part.
Feeling rather possessive, I tightened my hold around her. “You love me?”
For two decades, I never doubted her feelings for me. But after the way I’d hurt her this past week by pushing her away with my harsh words, I wouldn’t blame her if I’d lost my hold on her heart.
She smiled lovingly and rose on her toes to brush her lips along mine. “I’ll always love you, Colton. You’ve been my cowboy since I was five years old.”
Overcome by her admission, I crushed my mouth against hers, overpowered by what I felt for her. My lips moved with hers, feeling the plushness of her mouth give way to my demanding fervor. Our connection had my erection hardening as it painfully pressed against the seam of my jeans.
My fingertips came to the hem of her dress where I lifted it enough to cup her ass and hoist her up. Paige locked her legs around my waist for balance as I continued to keenly kiss her.
The only place I wanted to take Paige tonight was to my bed, so I could make love to her for hours. With my mind made up, I took powerful long strides toward my bedroom.
“Hey now!” Abbey’s voice cut into my private time with my girl, breaking my embrace with Paige.
It was then I was reminded that the damn door to my room was open.
I quickly made sure Paige was covered as I adjusted the bottom hem of her dress, and then I redirected my attention to Abbey.
She pointed at me as she continued, “We don’t have time for that right now, mister. We are leaving in thirty, so get changed.”
“We are staying in,” I growled playfully.
Abbey waved her finger at me. “Oh no, you’re not. We are all going out for a night of fun.”
I had a better idea in mind, but Paige giggled at Abbey and said, “Okay. We’ll be out in a few.”
“You’d better be,” Abbey jokingly threatened at Paige before narrowing her eyes at me. “I’ll be waiting,” she added. Then, she turned on her heels, swiftly walked to the door, and closed it behind her.
I groaned at the interruption, wishing it were just the two of us for the night. I gazed back at Paige in my arms. “Are you sure I can’t persuade you to let me lock you in my room for the evening, so I can ravish your sexy body beneath that dress?”
“You heard Abbey, and I don’t think she’s a woman to mess with.” Paige chuckled as she wiggled out of my arms and fixed her dress. “Besides, I want to dance with my hot cowboy.” Her eyes seared into mine. “Then, you can ravish me later.”
The past week had been all work and no fun, so spending quality time with Paige would feel like a breath of fresh air, especially if it made her happy.
I bent forward and kissed her cheek. “All right. But you can count on me picking up where we left off as soon as we make it back into this room tonight.”
Paige shuddered. “Looking forward to it.”
I unleashed a mischievous grin, knowing she’d be anticipating the hours to come. “Give me twenty to shower and change, and then we can head out.”
THE BAR WAS LOUD, and the drinks were flowing as I snuggled back into Colton’s side. He draped his arm around me, making me smile.
“Shelbyville sure is beautiful. I wish we could stay here longer,” Gail said after taking a sip of her cocktail.
“It is,” Lily agreed from Kyle’s side at our round booth. “There is something to be said about living in the country. I don’t think I could ever be a city girl.”
Lily and Kyle lived outside of town in Lake Tahoe, so I knew she enjoyed the quiet living, too.
“I think both have their pluses,” Gail chimed in. “The city is much more convenient when you need bread or milk. But the country”—she sighed dreamily—“is so peaceful.”
“Driving through downtown Nashville nearly gave me a panic attack, so I think I’ll stay away from highways and stick with deserted roads,” I joked.
“A panic attack?” Audrey chuckled.
I felt Colton’s eyes staring down at me as his chest vibrated with hilarity. “Yes, Paige wanted to go to a Western store in Nashville. She happened to be driving that day. On our way up Interstate twenty-four, where it veers, she panicked when the lanes broke off in six different directions, and we almost collided with a semi. So, she’s banned from driving through any cities.”
I theatrically rolled my eyes as everyone laughed. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“Oh, it was,” Colton drawled. “We barely made it unscathed.”
Jason discreetly pointed to his wife. “You should try driving with this lead foot.”
Abbey elbowed Jason in his side, making him grunt, while she chuckled. “Whatever. At least I don’t drive like a grandpa.”
“That’s because I value my life…and yours.” Jason glared good-naturedly at his wife. “One of these days, I’m going to install a speed limiter to your car and set its maximum at sixty-five miles per hour, so I know that you’re not driving like a madwoman in your Camaro.”
“Sixty-five?” Abbey screaked. “I can’t go sixty-five on the highway. I’ll get run over, or people might flip me off for holding up traffic!”
We all rolled with amusement.
“Fine.” Jason shrugged. “Seventy.”
“You touch my car, and I’ll lock you out of the garage for good.” Abbey winked.
Jason didn’t appear to be intimidated by his wife. He gathered his arms around her and nuzzled his nose into her neck. “You love me too much to do that.”
“Maybe a little.” Abbey grinned before stealing a kiss from Jason.
Our waitress came up to the table, holding a trayful of shots that we’d ordered several minutes ago and another round of beer for the guys. She dispensed the drinks around the table and glanced at Audrey. “Can I get you another glass of water?”
“No, thanks. I’m okay.” Audrey smiled up at the woman.
“Oh, man,” Gail said in awe. “As much as I love my kids, I don’t miss the prego days of not being able to shave my legs or paint my toenails.”
“Or having to
lie on the bed to slip on a pair of leggings.” Lily giggled.
“Yes, and with twins, all those things happen at about four months instead of the usual eight, give or take,” Audrey agreed. “But feeling the first flutters in my belly of them healthily growing inside of me and holding them in my arms will make it all worthwhile.” Her eyes beamed brightly with the pregnancy glow.
“Oh, yes, I do miss those days,” Abbey sighed, leaning into Jason. “Man, now, I have baby fever.”
Jason affectionately smiled down at his wife, and then he kissed her temple. “Anytime you want to make babies, you just let me know, sweetheart.”
Kyle scowled over at Jason. “Hey, that’s my sister you’re talking to.”
Jason smirked at Kyle. “Payback’s a bitch.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the two of them.
Gail snickered. “I’m so glad I’m not related to anyone at this table.” Then, she reached for her shot glass. “All right, ladies, I say we down these drinks and head for the dance floor.”
“Sounds good to me,” Abbey said, grabbing her shot glass from the table.
I reached for my drink, too, as did Lily and Gail.
Abbey raised her glass and pointed it toward the center of the table. “I’d like to call a toast.”
Lily, Gail, and I all followed suit, as did the men with their beers in their hands.
Abbey glanced over at Audrey and tilted her head, gesturing to our toast. “You, too, mama. Get your water bottle up here.”
As Audrey complied, I chuckled under my breath.
The sound made Audrey smirk at me. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Next time, it will be your turn to sip on water while I take a shot.”
I went crimson red as my jaw nearly smacked the table.
“Well then.” Abbey stifled her amusement by clearing her throat. “A toast to friendship and laughter. May they both last forever.”
We all clinked glasses. I could feel Colton’s eyes burning into me as I threw back my shot, and he sipped his beer. The liquor sizzled the back of my throat while my emotions felt strung tight.