“Oh, I learned that particular trick from someone else entirely,” Jesse said with a mischievous grin.
I raised an eyebrow, curiosity mingling with a twinge of jealousy. “Do I want to know?”
“Probably not,” he admitted, snuggling against my side. “Let’s just say my twenties were…veryeducational.”
“I’m jealous,” I freely admitted. “All I did was fix fences and drive cattle.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, leaning close so his lips brushed against mine. “I’ll get you caught up. We have lots of time.”
I allowed myself to be swept up in his kiss, his tongue dancing against mine. For a brief moment I allowed myself to hope that he was right, that this bliss could last forever. That we could stay together, just like this, lost under the endless sky of Montana.
Chapter 21
Jesse
“These people are gonna mob me, I just know it,” I grumbled, looking over at Cole as we pulled into the Whitaker’s long driveway. “Everyone in this town hates me.”
“Can you blame them?” Cole replied.
I glared at him, catching the faintest hint of a grin on his lips. “That’s not funny, Cole. This is serious. We have to do business with these people. Make themtrustus.”
“They ain’t gonna trust you,” he replied. “Not yet anyway. You gotta earn it back.”
“How the hell do I do that?”
Cole shifted the truck into park and turned to face me, his blue eyes serious beneath the brim of his black cowboy hat.
“You show up. You work hard. You keep your word. Simple as that. The rest comes with time.”
“Simple for you, maybe,” I muttered, looking nervously at the Whitaker’s sprawling ranch house. Every window glowed with warm light, and I could see silhouettes of people mingling inside. Cars lined the circular driveway. It seemed like half the county was there. “You’ve been the golden boy of Hell Creek your whole life.”
“I’ve earned that respect,” Cole said, his voice hardening. “I didn’t run away when things got tough.”
The words stung, but I swallowed my retort. He did have a point, and I didn’t want to start fighting now. We’d promised to put on a show tonight, to make them think we were getting along enough to function. For business purposes. Though the memory of Cole’s mouth around my cock this morning before Evelyn arrived made my skin flush hot despite the late December chill.
“Let’s just get this over with,” I said, reaching for the door handle.
Cole caught my wrist, his touch sending electricity up my arm. “One more thing,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “No drinking too much. No flirting. And absolutely no bringing up Seattle.”
“What am I supposed to talk about then?” I challenged.
“The ranch. The beef business. The weather. Normal people shit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I’ll be boring as hell.”
“Good,” he replied, releasing my wrist. “That’s exactly what these people want from you.”
We climbed out of the truck, the cold air biting through my dress shirt. I’d opted for dark jeans, boots, and a simple button up. Cole looked like he always did, though he’d swapped his work jeans for a cleaner pair and wore a crisp blue shirt that made his eyes stand out even more.
Music and laughter spilled out when Mrs. Whitaker opened the door, her face lighting up at the sight of us.
“Cole Nelson! And Jesse too! My goodness, we’re so glad you boys could make it.” She pulled Cole into a hug, then turned to me with only slight hesitation before hugging me too. “Come in, come in! Everyone’s been asking about you two and that fancy new beef website of yours.”
We stepped into the warmth of the house, and I immediately felt eyes on me. Conversations paused. People turned to stare. I recognized some faces from my childhood, now aged fifteen years. They all wore the same expression, curiosity mingled with suspicion.
“Drinks are in the kitchen,” Mrs. Whitaker said, oblivious to the tension. “Food’s in the dining room. Make yourselves at home!”
She bustled off to greet more arrivals, leaving us standing awkwardly in the entryway. Cole nodded to a few people, receiving friendly waves in return. I just stood there, feeling increasingly like I’d made a terrible mistake coming here.
