Page 48 of Wilde Ride

“You’re horny, then?” Lilibeth asked, a broad smile on her face.

“I am not horny, thank you very much. And yes, I thought I’d moved on from my silly crush, but he had to go and move back home, then be all…” My voice faded.

Lilibeth leaned over the counter and waggled her brows. “Be all what?”

“Hot in a single-dad-slash-cowboy-slash-animal-lover sort of way. A man who loves his son, and his soon-to-be ex-wife cheated on him, and he was devastated to learn that and—oh shit. I said too much. You guys don’t repeat that about his wife, okay?”

Lilibeth pretended she was locking it away with a key to her mouth and tossed said key over her shoulder.

Moreen’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “Jesus, do you know how to bring the tea.”

“Oh!” Lilibeth clapped. “What kind of tea should I serve?”

Moreen and I both looked at her in surprise.

“Babe, these aren’t the type of men who want to drink tea,” my friend answered.

“Or wine,” I added.

Lilibeth looked thoughtful for a moment. “Whiskey?”

Moreen pointed to her. “Bingo.” Turning back to me, she said, “Now what’s this about Caroline cheating on Levi?”

I closed my eyes and internally bitch-slapped myself. Focusing back on Moreen, I said, “You cannot repeat that. Please, please don’t repeat that. Not even to your mother.”

She drew back like I’d offended her. “My mother? Do you honestly think I have that type of relationship with my mom?”

Tilting my head, I stared at her. “You have exactly that type of relationship with your mom. You told her when I lost my virginity.”

Lilibeth laughed. “Oh my gosh, what?”

Moreen shrugged. “In Mom’s defense, she did tell me that I don’t have to share quite so much with her, after that.”

Lilibeth looked at me and laughed. “Oh my God, I love this town.”

I grabbed my friend’s hands. “Moreen.”

She gave me a reassuring smile. “I swear to you, I won’t tell anyone.”

The bell above the door rang, and we all turned. My jaw nearly dropped when I saw my brother Caden with Levi.

“Oh God, why does your hot brother have to be here?” Moreen whispered.

“Got a crush?” Lilibeth asked.

Moreen shook her head. “I’m not his type, but man, what I wouldn’t give to fu—”

“Okay, Moreen!” I quickly said, cutting off where that sentence was going.

Lilibeth laughed, then lowered her voice. “I’ve never met him. He is cute, though.”

“Warning, he’s a grump,” I said as I slid off the stool. “Caden, what did Levi do to talk you into this?”

My brother rolled his eyes. “Promised me we’d go out after this.”

“We’re going out after this, too,” I said, leaning up and kissing my brother on the cheek. Stepping back, I smiled at Levi. “Glad you made it.”

He grinned, and I ignored the way it made my heart speed up.