Keane looked up from his brooding.Or maybe he missedMuffin.Huh, maybe his friend needed a canine companion.“Arrangement?Are youtalking about the rooms?I can still stay in the bunkhouse.I’ll tell the handsnot to gossip.”
It was Garrett’s turn to shine.If there was anything he wastruly good at it, it was making a case.“I think that’s a bad idea, and itwon’t work.How many hands does this ranch employ?”
“We have eight full-time hands who live in the bunkhouse,and another four who live in town and commute in,” Olivia explained.“Garrett’sright.I know most of them are men, but they live for gossip or know someonewho does.Their mommas use gossip like military intelligence.If you’re in thebunkhouse, everyone will know it.”
“So let’s talk about this in a reasonable fashion.”Garrettwas perfectly satisfied with the way she’d put them neatly in a box.He didn’twant a way out.“Well, the way I look at it, Olivia started a new scene at theairfield.I would like to negotiate the parameters of this new scene we findourselves in.”
“A scene?”Olivia asked, biting that thick bottom lip ofhers.
Even flustered she was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.
Keane’s lips turned up slightly.“That’s how we’re playingit?”
Oh, he of little faith.He wasn’t playing at all.In asexual sense, yes, there would be play.But he wasn’t going to use that wordwhen it came to the opportunity that massive asshole had handed them.“Whatelse would you describe it as?We’re playing a role that isn’t reality.We’repretending to be Olivia’s boyfriends so her ex will leave her alone.Or atleast he’ll understand she’s not unprotected.It’s a scene.”
“I don’t know that I would call it that, but I understandwhat you mean.”Olivia’s face was a pretty pink.“I’m sorry I brought you intothis.”
“I’m not,” Garrett admitted.He had found honesty could beuseful in certain situations.“I understand why you did it.”
Keane nodded grimly.“So do I.”
Her expression turned curious.“Why do you think I did it?”
It was time to let Keane say a few things.“You want to tellher?”
“I’ve met men like that before.Many of them.He’sattractive and charming and thinks that’s the only thing that matters.I don’tknow if he grew up wealthy, but he believes money is due to him for being maleand attractive and charming.He doesn’t understand how to hear the word no.Ifyou don’t put a wall between the two of you, he won’t leave you alone.He’llonly believe another man, so it’s me and Garrett or your dads, and you don’twant to wreck your parents time together.”
“That sounds about right,” she replied.“He didn’t grow upwith money, but it’s always his end goal.In some ways he reminds me of Grim.They both came from terrible households.Grim’s was abusive in every way, butScott’s was, too.Not physically, but they played their kids off each other.He’s incredibly competitive, and I put you in the line of his fire.”
“We can handle it,” Garrett assured her.“I agree withKeane’s assessment.I think if you don’t have a wall to hide behind, he’s goingto make your life difficult.He wants you back for some reason, and it willtake a lot to get him off his goal.You have another choice.If you like I candocument everything and get him fired.Trust me, that asshole will push you tothe limit if you let him.”
Her arms crossed under her breasts in a protective gesture.“I know he will.Look, I panicked.It’s been a lot the last few days.Betweenthe wedding and… It’s a lot.”
He knew what she wasn’t saying.She was talking about them.He actually took it as a compliment.If she didn’t feel something for them, itwouldn’t bother her they were here.He was starting to know this woman.Therewas her business side, and a softer side she probably didn’t let anyone butfamily and close friends see.There was the hurt girl who grew up being judgedfor something she had no say in.She needed a release, but she couldn’t ask forit.“Olivia, I think this could be a good scene for all of us.We left a fewthings undone.I don’t mind telling you that last night meant something to me.I know we agreed to not catch feelings, but they’re kind of all over me, and itmight be good for us to spend this time getting some closure.”
Olivia seemed to think for a moment.“It was a fantasy.”
Now they were getting somewhere.They needed to talk aboutthis.Even if they tiptoed around the heart of the matter.“Yes, but it wasalso something real.It happened.”
“We had boundaries,” she argued, but there was no heat toher words.
“And boundaries change when the situation shifts,” Garrettreplied.“I worry if we don’t get some closure, I’ll think about you for therest of my damn life.Maybe this is all happening for a reason.Maybe you don’tneed closure, but I think Keane and I do.We haven’t had a submissive like youin a long time.”
“Ever.”Keane was serious again, sliding into his dark andbroody top role like it was a second skin.Which it kind of was.When he wasemotional, top space was a hideout for him.Or perhaps it was a place where hecould be honest without being vulnerable.“We’ve never had a sub like you.We’ve played, but it never felt like last night did.”
She flushed, her eyes meeting Keane’s.“It was special forme, too, but I worry it was special because it was finite.”
He had her.He didn’t have to tell her that closure for himwas getting her in between him and Keane for a very long time.Maybe forever.What he honestly wanted was a shot.
He wanted to take this time to figure out if it could work.
“So why don’t we view this time together as one long scene?If you want to use us as a wall against your ex, then we should play the part.”
Olivia stared at him as though trying to figure out exactlyhow to work him.“This feels like a negotiation.Like you want to get somethingout of it, too.Are you offering to provide a service in exchange for mysubmission in bed?”
“Yes,” Keane said flatly.
Garrett looked his friend’s way with a frown.“I was goingto pretty it up a bit.”
