“What makes you think I’m even interested in men? Maybe I’m only attracted to women.”
He turns his head, intrigue glistening in his eyes. “Are you?”
“Yeah.” I’m grateful I’ve put my hair up when a droplet of sweat clings to the back of my neck. I refuse to look at his body again, knowing it’ll expose me before I can clarify. “I like both. Okay? At least, I think I do.”
“I don’t care what you’re into. Maybe I’m interested in both too.”
“You are?” I sputter, the word running free.
He brushes it off, but his pinkening cheeks betray him. “Would that be so surprising?”
“I mean . . . yeah. Kind of. I’ve never seen you look at a guy that way.”
“And you so openly gawk at girls?”
My chest shakes with a laugh. “Touché. Well, I don’t care either. If you are into both.”
There’s an agreement being made in the silence that follows. Like we’re both promising not to tell anyone about each other. I trust him instantly.
“You should get in the water now,” he mutters.
“Why? You’re itching to dunk me under, aren’t you?”
His smirk is the last thing I see before he’s planting a palm to my spine and shoving me forward. I manage to pinch my nose before falling into the lake, sinking like a rock. A sense of freedom cracks open in my chest as I start to kick my legs.
I smile in the water while swimming beneath the dock. Lifting my hand, I finally break the surface. Rowe doesn’t have a chance to react when I clutch his ankle and tug. I’m not strong enough to pull him myself, so Shade joins me, followed by my brother and Lacey.
Together, we manage to send him careening into the water. My eyes clash with a pair of bright grey ones before his head disappears beneath it, and I know with absolute certainty that I’ve got a crush on Rowe Carrigan.
I want my twin brother’s best friend, and one day, I’m going to eathimalive.
11
PRESENT
ROWE
The rattleof Tilly’s suitcase from where she’s looped it behind her is driving me insane.
I’m about two minutes from ripping it off and chucking it into the field. She can tell, which makes it that much worse. The smug curl of her mouth as she glances over and discreetly checks on me has me tightening my hold on the reins. My gloves are going to be worn through by the time we get to her trailer.
The mare beneath her isn’t impressed with the added weight from her suitcase either. Every time it bounces, she flicks her tail, as if she’ll be able to whip it off her back. Diesel’s given them both a wide berth, for my benefit or his, I don’t know.
“You could have just taken the suitcase for me. Like agentleman,” Tilly drawls, adjusting her posture in the saddle.
I refuse to take the bait. The moment I do, she’ll have the suitcase untied and flying through the air at me.
Keeping my eyes trained on the land in front of us, I give a soft tug on the reins and guide Diesel from the main road. We’re far enough out now that the noise has died down, but for thefirst time in a long while, I wish it lingered. Silence gives Tilly an opening to poke at me the way I know she’s itching to.
I quicken Diesel’s pace to try and keep ahead of her. She simply follows, the rattling growing louder. Rolling my jaw, I hopelessly prepare myself for whatever she’s going to say.
“You can’t run away from me. Ignore me, sure. But you know as well as I do that I’ll be able to catch you regardless of how fast Diesel goes.”
“Stop talking,” I bite.
She chuckles coolly. “So, you’d prefer I stab you instead, then? Typical.”
“I’d prefer you off the ranch.”
