“Damn, this smells delicious,” he murmurs to himself.
That puts a smile on my lips.
“I’m glad you like it.”
He turns at the sound of my voice, and that beautiful grin of his comes out, making the butterflies riot inside me. Jesse has a way about him. Every time he looks my way, I get disarmed, forgetting I’m supposed to guard my heart. There’s freshness in the way he looks at every animal on this ranch, as if every single soul matters.
And when he looks at me? I feel like I’m the only woman in the world.
He’s leaner than the others, yet when he takes a spoon and dips it into my sauce, I watch with parted lips the muscle definition of his arms. His face is pure bliss when he slips it into his mouth. Hat held close to his heart, he buckles his knees in theatrics and hums his content.
“I’m no chef,” I tell him because I know it’s not that good.
“You’re incredible, sweetheart.”
My cheeks heat, and it’s silly to feel so flattered about tomato sauce, but I like this a little too much. I like the idea that they’ll eat something I made, just as I like helping around the ranch. It makes me feel good and useful. Not the Veda who is always trouble for everyone.
The house is cozy, and the wooden floors never get cold, so I wander around barefoot as I fill a pot with water to start making the noodles. Jesse doesn’t move from his spot close to the stove, and my arm brushes against his warm chest as I reach to put the pot on to heat.
“You’re looking good,” he tells me, eyes hungry over my features.
“Thank you.”
That's all I say because the cat got my tongue. He towers over me, and his proximity makes my knees melt. I want to flirt and say something about him, but my brain short-circuits, so instead, I just stare at the pot with my cheeks flushed.
“Evenin’.”
The rough tone jerks me away from Jesse, like a kid caught doing something I’m not supposed to do. I glance at Major, trying to get my mouth to curve in a smile because I don’t want him to know how sensitive I am to his tone. I should be stronger.
“Good evening!” I chirp. “How was your day?”
He grunts a reply, and I frown, though Jesse chuckles and finally moves away from me to set the table. I feel flustered in a very different way than before. I feel Major’s eyes on me as I take two packages of noodles, wondering how much three big cowboys can eat. I’ve noticed how much food we need for breakfast, so I know it’s a lot.
“Tomorrow, I think I need to go to Willow Ridge,” I say as I open the spaghetti. “I’m out of bread.”
“No.”
The answer is harsh, and I turn to face Major. “I can drive if you’re busy. It’s not that complicated, and I can turn off the GPS—”
“I said no.” He tosses his hat across the kitchen, as if the soft thud of leather against the wooden table is the period at the end of his sentence.
“Major?” Jesse steps in, looking just as confused as I am.
“I said no!” Major grits out, not looking at Jesse but keeping all his hate toward me. “You’re not fucking going to Willow Ridge, especially not alone, and I’m not talking about this anymore.”
Anger blooms, hot and powerful, eating the space where numbness once lived. Tears fill my eyes, and one blink later, they run down my cheeks. But fuck him, they are not sad tears. I’m vibrating with anger. My breath comes out in a shattered mess, and I’m rooted to the spot. I hate looking this broken, but I don’t seem to be able to hold back.
“What’s going on here?” Derrick arrives in the middle of it all.
None of us answers his question, but his voice breaks the spell, and my feet are back to working.
Finally, I run out of there.
fourteen
Derrick
Jesse pushes Major, and the impact against his chest is a wake-up call. My older brother shakes his head and releases a breath, but I don’t hang around to see if he comes to his senses. With a last look at Jesse, he nods, telling me he can handle Major, and I rush down the hall, following the sour scent of her sadness. With my long strides, I reach her before she manages to lock herself in her room.
