But in this bubble, it’s me and him.
Finally, I huff out a breath and break the standoff. “I’m going to get a drink.”
“Suit yourself,” he murmurs, stepping back, the cool smirk sliding back into place as if he hadn’t cracked something open between us.
I walk away without another word, pulse pounding far too hard in my ears.
And I hate that part of me wanted to stay.
13
“So,you’re the infamous new Denver addition,” a voice drawls seductively from behind me as I wait patiently in line for the bar, needing a drink with how hot the day is turning out already.
Startled, I spin around. Piercing green eyes meet mine, and I take a step back. This boy, about the same age as me, is all cocky charm and sun-warmed swagger, with tousled dark hair, mischievous green eyes that linger too long, and a crooked grin that says he knows exactly the kind of trouble he is.
He looks like a younger version of Colter.
“Ignore him,” Lee says, and I tear my eyes off the stranger to see Lee walking up behind him. “He’s a busy body.”
“Nah. I know a diamond when I see one,” the guy replies, shooting me a wink.
Lee shakes his head. “She’s my sister, dude.” I can’t keep the shock from registering on my face when Lee calls me his sister. The man has barely said a few words to me since I’ve been here. Not even Pace has introduced me to anyone as his sister.
“If she were mine,” his friend continues, “then we really would be brothers.” He turns back to me with a devilish smile. “I’m the full package, baby. Money, power, and?—”
“Overcompensation issues?”
Lee roars with laughter. Even his friend chuckles.
“Peyton, this asshole here is Jackson Shaw,” Lee introduces, still laughing. “You’ll get used to him. He’s kind of like a yeast infection. Gone for a while but always pops back up when you least expect it.”
It is my turn to laugh.
“Might come around more often now,” Jackson says, his eyes still locked on me.
“Stop making threats,” Lee drawls. Jackson smiles, moving his gaze to Lee, but not before sliding me another salacious wink. “I’m surprised you’re out of bed this early. Weren’t you at Morgan’s last night?”
Yeah, I am definitely not messing around with him. Jackson is exactly like the boys I went to school with. Ones who often turned into men who frequent the strip club my mother worked at when she wasn’t too high to dance on a pole. He’s flirting, but it’s all superficial. He enjoys female attention and knows how charming he is. Add in having money and being connected to the Shaw name, I doubt he’s ever been rejected.
“How is Sundance shaping up for the stakes?” Lee asks his friend, whose lips twist into a satisfied smirk.
“Maricosa is going to have some competition,” Jackson informs him smugly. “Sundance has been shaving time off his run like nobody’s business.”
“Keep thinking that,” Lee laughs good naturedly. “Maricosa is stakes winner for the last three years.”
“And it’s about time some new blood came in.”
They both laugh while I am stuck figuring out what the hell they are talking about.
Horses, obviously, but other than what I’ve seen onYellowstone, I don’t know much about them. Except what I learned from Pace the other day.
“Broken Ridge and Black Diamond are two of the most prominent and prestigious racehorse operations in the South,” Jackson tells me, no doubt sensing my confusion. “Tied neck and neck for wins. The stakes are the Belmont Stakes in New York. It’s a one-and-a-half-mile race and is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown.”
I nod slowly, trying to look like I understand more than I actually do. “Right. Makes sense.”
Jackson’s grin widens, clearly amused. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll be fluent in horse talk by the time the season’s over.”
“Or completely sick of it,” Lee mutters, lifting two fingers to flag down the bartender.
