“Don’t we all?” West shuffles the deck, dealing with a practiced hand.
I watch him with a sharp eye, but though West could fleece everyone at the table—I’ve seen him do it in times of need—I don’t detect an air of deception in him tonight. “Don’t let him set the deck on you,” I say, just to annoy him. Lanie starts to wake in full and I give up my spot at her side reluctantly, knowing I’m keeping her from her sleep.
Billy takes his place back, passing me a beer.
I grab a chair, swinging the handcrafted piece around to straddle it. “Deal me in.”
As it turns out, West bluffs better than I remember. Jesse folds early in, my youngest ranch hand giving in with better grace than he falls off a bull. He cheers Billy and Tripp on, keeping his language cleaner than I remember it being around the house yard. My pile of sticks is a reasonable height by the end of the night, butthe foreman outclasses the entire table. Lanie wakes long enough to witness my last fall in spectacular fashion.
She shifts between the boys, her legs tucked beneath her, and I regret giving up my seat at all, seeing as she woke anyway. Billy is far too comfortable on her other side, his arm stretched behind her.
West kicks him under the table. “Get up,” he growls.
Billy gives up his place a second time, his hands rising in surrender. “You already bruised my ego, dude.” He nods my way with that same easy grin that never seems to leave his face. “Night, boss. Ma’am.” He spares a nod for Jed that I don’t miss before he grabs his hat and disappears into the darkened hallway.
Lanie waves, sinking into the spot Billy vacated. I bare my teeth, hoist her featherweight up, and slide beneath her to plop her onto my lap. She squeaks, reminding me of the noises she made earlier when the barrier of our clothes had been removed.
Finally having her body beneath me was a luxury of the highest order. The memory of before assails me, wiping the homestead away and placing me back in the clean mountain air. Feeling her flutter around me as she came, staring straight through my soul, tore something inside me, something I never want to repair.
Lanie fell into my life, disrupting my usual routine, but she also busted something inside me wide open. The pressures and judgments I usually experience drop back as she presses to my chest, and the warmth of the room returns, too hot, too close. She’s brought family to me I hadn’t realized I missed, locked away on the land I love.
My girl shifts on my lap, her eyes full of promises I want to cash in but can’t until everyone leaves for the night. I settle on kissing her, sinking my hands into her hair until West coughs beside me.
Dragging my mouth from hers might be the hardest thing I’ll do all night. Her eyes are soul-dark as I let her breathe. I don’t need a second glance at my cards to know I hold a losing hand. With Lanie back in my arms, my interest in the game wanes, and I fold too fast for the boys’ liking.
“Can’t you keep up with us, old man?” Jed snipes across the table.
Why are you in my home?I spare my neighbor a disparaging look from my study of Lanie’s few freckles. Courtesy allows the man through my door, but my patience for Jed’s attitude fast erodes any charitable thoughts for him.
“Who said we were ever in competition?” I murmur, still focused on Lanie.
That Jed sits at my table, along with my boys, annoys all hell out of me. It’s worse that Lanie’s had to deal with his eyes on her all night without me present. I promise myself I won’t leave her alone with him again, settling her more firmly into my side.
West glances at me sideways, his mouth set in a thin line. At least I’m not alone in my opinion.
Jed mutters something under his breath that makes Jesse cough while Tripp smirks broadly. I’m glad Billy has already left for the night. One less of my boys to be tainted by Jed’s stain on my household.
When did they become mine?
When Lanie Parker set up camp in my house.
I’m not arguing the point, either with my logical brain or my heart. She’s even managed to pull West onside, and that’s saying something.
“Time to call it a night, huh?” I don’t have to fake the yawn that blurs my sight. When my vision clears, Tripp and Jed are scuffling around on the other side of the table, their fists flying while Jesse casts a speculative glance between my neighbor and myself. “What is this, a fucking kindergarten?”
“Break it up.” West aims a kick at Jed—I think—and gets Tripp.
The younger man howls and seethes. Considering the faux fight he just hosted across the table with my neighbor, I consider that overreaction going a touch too far.
“All right. Calling it,” I say firmly. To West I mutter, “This shit is getting out of hand.”
He nods, watching the pair through narrowed eyes, though his gaze darts back to Jesse.
I want my peace back. I want a quiet night with Lanie. Hell, I want to lay her out on my bed and fuck her senseless with no one else around.
“Come on, Rand, Admit it. You’re bored here. That must be a hell of a problem.” Jed’s gaze drops to Lanie as he ducks to avoid Tripp’s wayward hand.
Why are you still talking and in my house?
