“Hydroponic gardening,” the guy corrects. “But yeah, I guess you could say farming.”
Oh God.
Ryker’s shoulders tense, and I can tell without him saying a single word that he’s pissed.
“You just brought some strange man to my house to look around and date your sister?” Ryker says gruffly. “You lost your fuckin’ mind?”
Benny shuffles his feet forward in an attempt to speak lower, as not to be rude to the man he’s brought home. “He’s a nice guy. This could be good for her.”
Ryker’s jaw clenches. “He needs to go.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say to the guy who’s awkwardly standing behind my brother. “I’m not interested in dating right now.”
“What the hell are you talking about? All you talk about is finding a man.” My brother usually means well, but tonight he’s off. Maybe he had too much to drink.
“I don’t talk about finding a man all the time,” I snap. “I talk about falling in love. What’s going on with you, Benny?”
“What?” My brother shrugs. “What’s the difference between finding a man and falling in love? You’ve got to meet a man to fall in love. Come on, Ivy. This would be good for you. You haven’t met anyone real in a long time. You spend so much time with all these internet guys. Allen is real.”
“Allen?”I clear my throat and glance toward Ryker, then toward the man next to Benny. “Your name is Allen?”
“Yes,” the man nods, “and I know what you’re going to say, but this isn’t about the auction. You can keep that money fair and square. You don’t owe me anything. I just… I liked talking to you.”
I’m not sure he even finishes his sentence before Ryker has him backed against the wall, his forearm beneath his neck. “You piece of fuckin’ shit.”
“Jesus.” Benny tries pushing Ryker off Allen but there’s no budge. “I know about you and Ivy, asshole! I followed you two to the farm store. Holding hands, kissing, your fucking hand on her ass. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Why the fuck would you bring some other guy home if you knew I was with your sister?” Ryker redirects his focus toward my brother. “You know who this asshole is? He’s the weirdo that was trying to buy her virginity.”
Benny narrows his brows and stares at me. “What? Why were you—”
“I was trying to get ahead. It was stupid. Ryker helped me see that, and—”
“And then he started fucking you?” Benny’s jaw clenches. “I knew something weird was going on with you two the second I got here. Why the hell did you lie to me?”
“We can talk about this later. Right now, you need to take this fuck back to town before I kill him.” Ryker seethes through clenched teeth as he stares at the guy who doesn’t look like the type that would buy someone’s innocence online. I’m not sure what I expected, but a nerd wasn’t it, though maybe I was looking at it all wrong. Maybe a nerd was exactly what I should’ve expected.
“Sorry about the misunderstanding,” Allen looks past Ryker and Benny, “but I have to talk to you again, Ivy. You’re so kind, thoughtful, and even more beautiful—”
Ryker draws back and punches him in the jaw before he can finish his sentence. “Get him the fuck out of here, Benny, or I swear to fuckin’ God, I’ll put him in the hospital.” He makes the demand, grabs me by the waist, hauls me up over his shoulder, and takes me into the house without another word.
I probably shouldn’t be impressed by violence. It’s so archaic, old school covered in red flags, but in a world where men no longer understand how to protect a woman, Rykerstands out. He’d do anything for me. He’d risk his reputation, he’d punch a man square in the jaw, he’d love me above all else, and that, that’s everything I’ve been looking for.
Chapter Twelve
Ryker
The guy from the auction was close to Ivy’s age. I’d guess twenty-five, twenty-six, and he’s a doctor. I bet she could have a really nice life with him. A big house, a piece of land big enough for ten chicken coops, a good health insurance plan, and hell, I’d bet they’d even have a load of kids.
Kids that wouldn’t have to be asked constantly why they were being raised by their grandpa.
Ivy sits across the table with a bowl of cereal in one hand, a spoon in the other. She wears a short cotton nightgown with a strawberry on the front, the outline of her nipples hard and pointed against the fabric. The girl came in from that fight and made me a steak dinner, then poured herself a bowl of cereal because she doesn’t eat red meat.
She cares. She cares, and though I hate that she ever got involved with that auction to begin with, I feel happy that she’s here with me. Maybe even loved… but fuck if I’m not worried she might change her mind about dating an old man, especially when she has men her own age throwing themselves at her.
How could she not think about what it would be like to spend time with a man who didn’t need an ibuprofen after yard work?
“Do you think we should go check on the chicks?” She grins as she lifts the bowl to her lips and drinks the milk. “I’m worried. I don’t know why. I’m sure they’re fine, but—”
