“You’ll ruin their lives!”
“Too late,” Jake said. “They’re already ruined. They just don’t know it. We can turn you in tomorrow and you’ll go to jail. But we’re offering you a way out. Divorce one woman and keep the other, and we won’t file charges.”
Bud’s face crumpled. “But I love them both.”
Jake muttered something that sounded like bullshit.
“If you love them both, prove it,” Zeke said. “Free Jake’s mother from this toxic cycle so she can find someone who will stick with her. And devote the rest of your life to making amends to my mom.”
His chin jutted. “I won’t do it.”
Jake took a step closer, his voice low and menacing. “Then we’ll see your ass in jail.”
“You wouldn’t put your own father in jail.”
Zeke moved up beside Jake and looked into eyes so like his. But the man was nothing like him. “You sure about that?”
Bud swallowed. Then he glanced around. The Brotherhood had risen from their chairs, three beside Zeke and three beside Jake.
“Don’t test us,” Matt said. “You’ll lose.”
Bud maintained his defiant posture for several long seconds. Then he bowed his head. “Yeah, okay.”
“We’ll be keeping track,” Jake said. “One false step and you’re toast.”
Bud gave Zeke a furtive glance. “I don’t want Claire to find out.”
“She won’t if you behave yourself. You step out of line and it all falls apart.”
He nodded again. “Can I go home, now?”
Zeke looked over at his brother, who gave a curt nod. “Jake and I will take you.”
The ride to the cabin was silent. The ride back to the bunkhouse was not.
“Damn, that felt great!” Zeke pounded out a victory beat on the dashboard.
Jake grinned. “Yeah it did. Still does. I’ll be cruising on this high for a very long time.”
“We need to set up a monitoring system. We can’t trust him at all.”
“I’m aware. We’ll keep close track. Millie and I have already planned to make regular visits to my mom. And suggest counseling, if she’s open to it.”
“Are you going to tell her about my mom and me?”
“I might. She has a hot temper, though. We don’t want bloodshed. If she goes along with the counseling idea, then it’s more doable.” He pulled up to the bunkhouse. The parking lot was empty except for his truck.
“Where’d everybody go?” Zeke unsnapped his seatbelt.
“Home to their ladies. Which is where I’m headed.”
“I thought they’d all want to celebrate.”
“We will. By making our ladies very happy.” Leaving the motor running, he turned in the seat, his gaze steady. “Don’t you have somewhere to go, little brother?”
Adrenaline shot through him and he reached for the door handle. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
After staying awake into the wee hours drinking and commiserating with Val the night before, exhaustion had propelled Nell to bed at nine. Evidently she was overtired, though, because sleep refused to come.
The longer she lay in the dark tossing and turning, the more she wanted to punch something. Damn Zeke Lassiter! She’d found the perfect town, the perfect job, the perfect little bungalow and the perfect best friend. Then that sexy cowboy had to show up and ruin everything.
She was a mess—tired, cranky, sexually frustrated. Yep, that, too. What a disaster. How could an intelligent woman get herself into such a fix?
Wait—she was intelligent. And she hadn’t taken all those psychology classes for nothing. What techniques were good for letting off steam? Physical exercise, but she wasn’t about to go running around the neighborhood at… what was it? Ten-thirty-seven. She’d been trying to sleep since nine.
Damn Zeke Lassiter. What else released tension? Well, besides that.
Oh, yeah, beating on something soft with a baseball bat. Too bad she didn’t have one.
She had a broom, but that would be too long and awkward. Bounding out of bed, she flipped on lights as she roamed the house looking for a bat substitute.
The plastic extension for the vacuum cleaner head was about right, but what if she broke it? She was in the mood to hit something hard and breaking her vacuum attachment would just make her mad at herself. Counterproductive.
She opened her coat closet. Not the umbrella. She’d break that for sure. But the wooden closet rod might work. Thank goodness for old houses that still had wooden rods.
This one was thick and about the same length as a bat. And—hallelujah—it was removable. Unhooking the hangers that held her parka, her raincoat and a denim jacket, she dumped them on the end of the couch.
The rod came out like a dream. She piled two large throw pillows on the other end of the couch, lifted the rod over her head and whacked the top pillow. Yes!
“Take that, Zeke Lassiter!” She pounded the pillow as hard as she could. “And that, and that, and that! You suck! You suck, suck, suck!” Panting, she paused to catch her breath.
What was that noise? She turned toward the door. Someone was tapping on it. Better not be him. “Who is it?”
“Me.”
Perfect. Her evening was complete. “Go away!”
“Nell, please let me—”
“I’m busy!”
“I know. I heard you whaling away in there.”
His voice still had the power to make her stomach flutter. “I’m not having sex with you. Not ever. I don’t care if the world’s coming to an end.” She moved closer to the door. “I don’t care if you just discovered you have a terminal disease. You can just—”
“I don’t want to have sex with you.”
“Ha! That’s a likely—”
“But I’d sure like to make love to you.”
“I knew it! Claire’s with her grandparents again tonight and you’re lonely.”
“Both things are true, but I—”
“You think just because we had such a good time in bed I won’t be able to resist your sexy self, but I can and I will. Go away.” She was close enough to touch the door. And weakening, damn it.
“Please let me in.”
She swallowed. “No.”
“Then I’ll have to say this out here. I was hoping I could say it to your face, but—”
“Say what?” Her heart stuttered.
“I love you.”
Oh, and he thought that would get him through the door. “Nice try. I already knew that. But you don’t have the courage of your convictions.”
“I do, now.”
She gulped. His tone had changed. He did sound more sure of himself. “What do you mean?”
“I love you and I’m asking you to share a guest cabin at the ranch with me and Claire. I’ve been an idiot. I hope you can forgive me for that, because—”
She flung open the door, heart hammering. “I’m listening.”
He glanced at the rod in her hand. “Would you… uh… mind putting that down?”
“Oh.” She tossed it away and it clattered to the floor. “I was using it to get out my frustrations.”
“Because I suck.”
God, he was adorable, standing there with his Stetson shoved back and his hopeful expression. “You do suck.” She paused. “But that’s not always a bad thing.”
He grinned, relief in his gaze. “You wouldn’t make that joke if you were still mad.”
“Oh, I’m still mad.” She reached for his arm and tugged him inside. “Mad because you put me through hell, mad because it took you so long to figure this out.” She gazed up at him. “I’m also mad about you, cowboy.”
His breath caught. “Does that mean—”
“That I love you? That I can’t wait to move into that guest cabin with you and Claire? Yes, it does.”
“Thank God.” He kicked the door shut and pulled her into his arms. “Thank God I didn’t completely blow it.”
; All the tight knots in her body loosened. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in. “You came close.”
“Too close.” He tightened his grip. “It’s scary to think I almost lost you. And by the way, your ringtone is I Need You.”
“Oh.” She melted against him.
“I need you so much, Nell.” He lowered his head.
“Wait.”
He paused.
“What changed?”
“Everything.” Love shone in the depths of his gaze.
“Like what?”
“Can I explain later? I desperately want to—”
“But I—”
“Just take my word for it. Everything changed.” He leaned closer. “Except this.” His mouth settled over hers.
As his kiss deepened, as the warm rush of desire mixed with love swept her away, she took his word for it. Everything had changed. Except for this. Which made anything possible.
Coming Soon!
A premature proposal leaves Teague Sullivan and Valerie Jenson in a faceoff in MARRIAGE-MINDED COWBOY, book nine in the Buckskin Brotherhood series!
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Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson
The Buckskin Brotherhood
Sweet-Talking Cowboy
Big-Hearted Cowboy
Baby-Daddy Cowboy
True-Blue Cowboy
Strong-Willed Cowboy
Secret-Santa Cowboy
Stand-Up Cowboy
Single-Dad Cowboy
The McGavin Brothers
A Cowboy’s Strength
A Cowboy’s Honor
A Cowboy’s Return
A Cowboy’s Heart
A Cowboy’s Courage
A Cowboy’s Christmas
A Cowboy’s Kiss
A Cowboy’s Luck
A Cowboy’s Charm
A Cowboy’s Challenge
A Cowboy’s Baby
A Cowboy’s Holiday
A Cowboy’s Choice
A Cowboy’s Worth
A Cowboy’s Destiny
A Cowboy’s Secret
A Cowboy’s Homecoming
Sons of Chance
What a Cowboy Wants
A Cowboy’s Temptation
Claimed by the Cowboy
Should’ve Been a Cowboy
Wild About You
Werewolf in Manhattan
Werewolf in the North Woods
Werewolf in Seattle
Werewolf in Denver
Werewolf in Alaska
Werewolf in Las Vegas
The Nerd Series
Nerd in Shining Armor
The Nerd Who Loved Me
Nerd Gone Wild
Gone with the Nerd
Talk Nerdy to Me
Nerds Like It Hot
My Nerdy Valentine
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson’s love affair with cowboys started with the Lone Ranger, continued through Maverick, and took a turn south of the border with Zorro. She views cowboys as the Western version of knights in shining armor, rugged men who value honor, honesty and hard work. Fortunately for her, she lives in the Arizona desert, where broad-shouldered, lean-hipped cowboys abound. Blessed with such an abundance of inspiration, she only hopes that she can do them justice.
Connect with Vicki online!
VickiLewisThompson.com
[email protected]
Single-Dad Cowboy (The Buckskin Brotherhood Book 8) Page 18