33
V oices. Laughter. From inside the room or far away—I can’t tell.
All I know—with a singular fucking focus—is that the sun needs to die.
A few muttered curses, then, “Looks like sleeping beauty’s coming around.”
“Fuck off,” I mutter. Even slightly delirious and in pain, I know an asshole little brother when I hear one.
With that, I push through exhaustion and open my eyes, hissing a breath as the sun sears my retinas.
“Put me out of my fucking misery,” I rasp.
Chuckling, Charlie pulls the blinds closed.
“How you feelin’?” Davis asks.
“Glad to be alive, that’s for damn sure.”
I shove a hand through my hair, sit up, and scan the room. The clock on the wall says four in the afternoon. My brothers sit in various positions around the bed. Their expressions border on amused and worried.
“How long was I out?”
Hands on his thighs, Davis pushes to standing. “Two days.”
“Jesus.”
“Only pissed the bed twice,” Wyatt adds.
“Fuck you.”
Wyatt and Charlie snicker.
That’s when the last few days hit me like a freight train.
“Reese.” I thrash in the sheet, jerk upright. “Where is she? Is she okay?”
“You’re back here, aren’t you?” Davis says. “She’s okay.”
Pride flares in my chest. Good girl. Good fucking girl.
I relax against the bed, only vaguely aware of Mouse nudging her head beneath my hand, where I give her an absentminded pet. “Where is she?” I ask, too relieved about Reese to be annoyed that she’s not the first one I see.
“Dakota has her helping out at the bakery,” Davis offers.
“What about the chickens?” Impatiently, I shake my head. “I gotta find her.” Davis and Charlie exchange looks of amusement.
Wyatt shoves a hand against my shoulder when I make a move to stand. “You got bit by a goddamn snake, man. Sit your ass down.”
I pull back the covers to look at my leg. White gauze wraps around my calf. A searing pain makes its way up my ankle and through my bloodstream.
“Doctor said it would be like that for a couple of weeks,” Charlie says when I hiss a breath. “Gotta move slow. Take it easy.”
I groan.
Davis nods gravely. “Came too goddamn close to putting Rest in Peace, Asshole on your tombstone.”
A serious silence falls.
Charlie’s jaw works. “I’m sorry, man.”
I hold his eyes. Give him a nod. “I know.”
And just like that, we’re good.
“About Reese,” Davis says. I stiffen. “I was wrong about her. She’s—”
“Fierce,” I finish. I look at my brothers. “If y’all see me, you’re gonna see Reese. So get right with it.”
Davis’s eyes widen. The corner of his mouth kicks up. “Holy shit. You love her.”
“Yeah,” I say, emotion clogging my throat. “I do.”
Wyatt scoffs. “Took you that long to figure it out?”
Charlie’s dark gaze lands on me. “No arguments from me.”
My heart burns inside my chest. “That girl might turn around and set my whole life on fire.”
Davis looks amused. “Is that good or bad?”
“I’ll let you know.” I grin, glad we’re finally on the same fucking page. “Now help me change.”
They all sigh but do what I say.
Twenty minutes later, Charlie drops me on the opposite side of the ranch.
My blood roars between my ears as I limp my way up to her chalet. I need Reese.
I need her now .
Something inside me feels changed. Wrecked. Like it’ll never be the same. I’m alive because of Reese. Through it all, I never doubted her. I trusted her. A level of trust I’ve only had with my brothers.
The tight ball of tension in my gut unknots when I see her on the front porch of her chalet, key in hand. Flour dusts her cheekbones, and she’s in tight jeans and a Huckleberry T-shirt tied at the waist.
“Goin’ somewhere?’
At the sound of my voice, she jumps and drops the key. Surprise and relief flash in her emerald eyes. Instead of coming to me like I ache for her to do, she props her hand on her hip.
“Finally out and about, Country Boy?” She smiles lightheartedly, but I sense an edge. Her guard’s up.
Suddenly I’m pissed. She saved my life, and now she wants to give me a cold shoulder of the highest order. I don’t fucking think so.
“Where’ve you been?” I rasp, hating that she’s keeping her distance. Not now. Not when I fucking know what this is.
“They put me to work in the bakery,” she says with a little smile. “Odd-job queen over here. Looks like you might have some competition on the ranch.”
“That so?”
“Oh, it’s very so.” Her eyes flare with heat, and she crosses her arms like she’s actively stopping herself from reaching out.
I stare at her, heart hammering. “You still got your chickens?”
“Yeah,” she breathes. “I love those stupid chickens.”
I take a step closer. “Reese…” My voice cracks.
And so does she.
Suddenly, she flings herself into my arms. Our breaths catch together, shaking us both. Thank god. Thank fucking god.
I squeeze my eyes shut, stroking her wild hair. “’Bout time you dropped the fucking attitude.”
“Tough,” she whispers. “It’s all yours.”
Yeah, it is.
She wraps her arms tighter around my neck, doing her damndest to cut off my air supply. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“Sounds like you were worried about me, Birdie Girl.”
She laughs, her breath a warm pulse against my throat. “You’re hard on the heart, Country Boy.”
Our heartbeats slow in our chests, mapping each other.
When we pull back, Reese runs her small hands up my shoulders to clutch at my face. She bites at her lower lip, then asks, “Are you sure you’re okay? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I’ll be moving slow for a few days, but nothing I can’t handle.” I glance down, checking her over. “What about you? Are you okay? You’ve been takin’ care of yourself?”
She gives me an exasperated look. “Ford. I’m fine.”
Reese stiffens when her phone vibrates. Her hand flies to the back pocket of her jeans, and I don’t miss the flash of fear on her face.
“What is it?”
“It’s Gavin.”
My hand curls around her phone.
Last chance to come home, Reese.
I need you back, Reese.
You’re mine, Reese, and don’t you forget it.
“Motherfucker.” I seethe.
Her eyes flick to mine. “They’re just texts.”
“They’re not texts. They’re threats.” My vision goes red. “Piece of fucking shit.”
Rage gnaws at me. I hate that I was out of commission and she was going through this alone. Gavin’s fucked in the head. All the signs point to him being controlling, but this…it’s something else entirely.
“He’s scaring me, Ford. He’s never acted like this before.” Her hands are firm, but lightly trembling as she takes the phone.
I step into her, gripping her tight. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know.” She smiles and kisses my lips. Her trust messes with my head. My heartbeat. “All I have to do is hold out four more weeks.”
My heart thunders. Four weeks until Reese is free of her asshole manager. Four weeks until I can figure out how I keep this girl.
I slip a hand into her hair, hold her eyes with mine. “Reese, I—”
I stop short of telling her that I love her. That I want her on the ranch. Because am I a selfish bastard for wanting her to stay? Everyone’s always kept this girl. She’s never had a choice. I don’t want to cage her. Hell, I won’t.
But I can be honest.
So I take two steps back and go about it the old-fashioned way. The cowboy way.
“I want to take you on a date.”
There’s something hesitant in her emerald eyes. “A date?”
“Yeah. A date.”
She laughs. “Ford. Friends, don’t—”
I gently grip her jaw, cutting her short. “We’re not friends, baby. Say that word again and I’ll put you over my knee and spank that ass pink until you forget it.”
Her pouty pink mouth forms an O of surprise. She stares at me with dazed eyes, then, as if snapping herself out of it, she shakes her head. “Why are you telling me this, Ford? Why does it matter?”
I give her a look, effectively ending her protest. “Don’t you dare act like you don’t want this as much as I do.” My hand curls around her neck and I pull her closer. “I won’t play games about what this is and what you are to me.”
She tilts her chin. The fire in her eyes scorches. “What am I?”
“Birdie Girl, you’re pretty much my goddamn everything.”
She’s out of my league, but I’m not worried about keeping up. Because I’m keeping her.
The brightest smile tugs at her lips. “I am?”
My heart skips a beat. “Yeah. You are.”
Joy. It’s all over her face. And it’s all I want to see for the rest of my damn life.
I kiss her then. Hard. Hungry.
The ride, the rush, Reese—I’m all in.