“So, tell us about your family,” Cassidy said, filling Tally’s glass with wine. “You have two brothers, right?”
“Thank you. Yes, I do. Liam and Cole. They’re older than me by six years. They are what are called Irish twins, there’s only ten months between them, so they were in the same school year.”
“Really.” Lily winced. “I would want much longer than ten months before going through childbirth again.”
Nash grinned and took her hand in his. “Me too, it was fucking hard work.”
She rolled her eyes but then laughed. “Idiot.”
“What do your brothers do?” Gunner asked. “I never thought to ask.”
Tally shifted in her seat and swallowed before answering. “Liam’s a contractor and Cole is an architect.”
She looked a little uncomfortable about telling us, but they were both perfectly good, respectable professions. Maybe they weren’t very good ones. I made a mental note to check with her later.
“Wish we’d known,” Nash added, standing. “We might have got a family discount for plans for the new barn.” He flashed Tally a grin and started to clear dishes from the table. “Maybe we can put some business their way for the guest houses. Markus told me he’s just taken on a development in Denver.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Tally replied, playing with the stem of her glass. “Liam recently won a contract to build a hotel.”
“He’s got a big concern going then. You never said.”
Tally’s gaze met mine and she gave me a tight smile. “Yeah, he’s got a pretty big crew. Anyway, what other stories about Wilder have you got?”
Cassidy caught the shift in Tally's tone and smoothly redirected. “I don't have any old stories, but I can tell you he's terrible at poker. Lost three hands in a row last week because he can't keep a straight face when he's bluffing.”
"That's because Nash cheats," I muttered.
It had been a pretty quick change of subject, but I wasn’t about to ask Tally about it in front of everyone. Besides, it was probably nothing. A little sibling rivalry maybe. Whatever it was, something protective flared in mychest. I didn't want her embarrassed by anyone pressing her.
“No, there are no more stories,” I warned, taking her hand in mine. “Let’s just eat Cassidy’s lemon pie and forget all my teenage inadequacies.”
Her shoulders relaxed as she nodded and gave me a beautiful smile, and that was all I cared about.
Chapter 33
Falling For You – Colbie Caillat
Tally
The morning was crisp and quiet, the kind that made your breath curl like smoke into the air. A soft frost clung to the grass and the tips of the fence posts were catching the early light and shimmering like crushed sugar.
In the distance there was a low rumble of cattle, being brought down from the high ground, while a pair of birds squabbled on the roof of the stables.
I zipped my jacket up to my chin, wrapping my hands around a hot mug of coffee, knowing that winter wasn’t yet here but close enough to feel it coming.
The day had just begun, and it already felt like a good one. What day wouldn't be when you were woken by a cowboy with his head between your legs.
Talking of the cowboy, he was striding toward me with a grin that said he was also thinking about how we’d started our day.
“Mornin’, Brownie. How are you today?”
I frowned, wondering what he was up to. “I think you know that I’m good. What about you?”
“Oh, I think you know I’m good, baby.”
God damn it. The ego. The swagger. The way his lazy grin lit up his eyes. It was all one perfect package of sexiness. Add in the sweet sensitivity and thoughtfulness and it was no wonder I was falling hard for him. The realization was like a physical force, making my heart clench with both joy and terror.
“What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were helping bring the cattle down.”
