It's been easy staying on track at the ranch. I go about my daily routine and come home to Willow at night. Even though I go to the meetings, I'm not jonesing to place a bet like most of the members.
Now that I'm going on the road, and Willow won't be there, waiting for me, it's another story. And nothing is engrained in the Cartwrights more than gambling. After all, they own a racehorse business.
"Breathe, Wyatt," Willow orders gently, stroking my cheek.
I release air I didn't know I was holding.
"That's it," she teases, smiling.
"I think I need a kiss," I say, leaning closer.
She gives me a good one, and I tighten my arms around her.
The alarm on her phone goes off, and she groans into my mouth before retreating. "I've got to get ready to leave."
I sigh.
She tilts her head. "I can tell my brothers for you, if it's easier for you."
I shake my head and take a deep breath. "No, sugar. I'm a man. That's something that needs to come from me."
Her lips twitch. "And what a man you are." She waggles her eyebrows.
I pat her ass, warning, "Get out of here before I strip you out of your clothes and spread you out on the hay."
She kisses me again, then begrudgingly exits the barn.
I finish working on Spitfire's lead, going through different ways to tell Jagger and Mason. When I finish, I put the tools away and step outside.
Jax pulls through the gate and parks near the corral. He gets out and struts over to the others.
"No time like the present," I mutter, my heart racing and chest tight. I slip on my gloves and duck against the wind. I push my way toward where the horses are being trained. When I get there, I lean against the rail, hating the chaos clawing inside me.
Dawn's barely cracked, the sky bruised purple on the horizon. My breath mists white as I exhale. My nerves shoot higher and higher as I watch Jagger and Mason saddle the colts, who snort clouds in the air while their back muscles bunch with restless energy.
Don't be a pussy.
Jax asks, "You ready?"
"All packed," I answer.
"Good. It'll be like old times, right, boys?" he crows with his smoke-cracked drawl.
Jagger turns to me with a mischievous expression. It's the first time since finding out about me and Willow that he's looked at me with anything resembling the way he used to look at me. He announces, "I'm ready."
Tell them.
My blood pumps hot, and my pulse pounds between my ears.
Mason shouts, "Booker! Come take the horses inside."
The new ranch hand replies, "Okay, boss."
"I'm showering before we go," Mason says.
"No shit. I'm not riding all the way to Arizona smelling any of you," Jagger states.
"You got coffee?" Jax asks.
