Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“Hey, you guys,” Sasha said as she and Sully joined them. Sasha looked like a vixenish Red Riding Hood in a red hooded cape, matching body suit, and black knee-high boots, while Sully looked perfectly innocent as Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
“Hi, sweethearts,” their mother said. “Are you girls having fun?”
“Yes,” Sully said. “Everyone seems to be.”
“Juliette, Lucas said to tell you he and Layla are heading up to the paintball field to play Stranger Things,” Sasha said. Lucas, Layla, and their friends were all dressed like the characters from the show.
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Birdie teased.
“I was just about to say that was better than making out in the barn,” Juliette said. “But now you’ve got me worried. Maybe I should go check on them.”
“You don’t need to,” Sully said. “Cowboy’s chaperoning. Whatever he was saying had them mesmerized.”
“They weren’t mesmerized. Their eyes were glazed over from boredom,” Sasha said. “He’s probably telling them about pasture rotations and feeding schedules.”
They all laughed.
“Birdie, do you remember how Cowboy used to try to teach us all about that stuff when all we wanted to do was ride the horses?” Quinn said.
“How could I forget? Trail riding with him was like listening to an encyclopedia of all things ranching. Do you think he’ll ever realize most kids don’t want to learn about that stuff?”
“I hope not,” Sully said. “His love for this ranch and the horses is one of the things that makes him so charming. You’ve seen how the Boy Scouts hang on his every word on their movie nights.”
“Cowboy was born to teach little ones,” her mom said. “He has the patience of a saint.”
Sully gazed lovingly at Hazel and said, “I can’t wait to see Callahan with our children.”
There was a collective gasp.
“Are you pregnant?” Juliette asked.
“No. But we’re talking about it,” Sully said, sharing a knowing glance with Sasha.
“You too, Sasha?” Birdie exclaimed.
“We’re talking about it, too,” Sasha said. “You know, so there’s not too big an age gap between Gus and the baby.”
“How wonderful!” her mother exclaimed.
Everyone talked at once, their excitement bubbling over, and Birdie was right in the middle of it. She was excited for them and to be an aunt to more little ones, but there was no denying the niggle of jealousy tugging at her.
AS THE NIGHT wore on, Birdie kept tipping between having a great time, longing to be with Crew, and if she was honest with herself, harboring a modicum of resentment mixed with jealousy, as everyone else spent the evening with their significant others, holding hands and kissing when the urge hit, while she ached for a man she had to pretend she didn’t want.
The whole thing was driving her nuts. She already missed the time she used to get with her brothers before they were paired off, and now she was avoiding hanging around them because she hated feeling like she had to hide her relationship with Crew.
When Cutter stopped by the table, Birdie convinced Quinn to go on a hayride with him. At least one of them could have fun with the guy they were crazy about.
The next time she spotted Crew heading up the hill, she could tell he was doing his best not to look over, and something inside her snapped. Alone at the booth and sick of keeping her distance, she called out, “Hey, new guy.”
There was more than one way to skin a cat.
He looked over, a restrained smile tugging at his lips.
Could he look any hotter in that costume?
He was dressed in head-to-toe black, with an eye mask that made his dark eyes look even more intense as he surveyed their surroundings before he headed over, drinking her in with every step. “I’m not so new anymore.”
“A man like you never gets old. Have you tried one of our chocolates yet?”
His eyes sparked with heat, but he played along without missing a beat and said, “I don’t believe I have.”
“A little bird told me you like the ones with molten centers,” she said sweetly, and bit into one, purposely dripping chocolate onto her lower lip. She dragged her tongue over it without breaking eye contact.
Crew’s jaw tightened.
She popped the rest into her mouth and made a show of licking her fingers.
His eyes flamed, then narrowed. “Trouble,” he warned gruffly, his gaze darting around them again.
“Oops. How selfish of me,” she said with feigned innocence. “This is for you.” She handed him a truffle.
He trapped her fingers beneath his, his eyes boring hungrily into her, sending her pulse into a frenzy.
His gaze darted over her shoulder, and he dropped her hand.
She looked over her shoulder just as Rebel, dressed as Jack Sparrow, approached her table, and when she turned back, Crew had disappeared into the crowd.
Now it was Rebel’s eyes boring into her. “What did I just see?”
Shitshitshit. Birdie busied herself refilling the tray of bonbons. “I don’t know what you thought you saw, but I was just giving Crew some chocolate.”
“Birdie,” Rebel said evenly.
She planted her hand on her hip, holding his stare. “What? I’m not allowed to be nice to him? That’s what we do here, remember?”
Rebel crossed his arms, lowering his chin and his voice. “You called the guy who ghosted you a big, bearded Viking, and now you’re dressed as a Viking princess?”
She rolled her eyes. “Ever heard of a coincidence?”
“Don’t pull that shit with me. I know what I saw.”
Why were Whiskey men so freaking bullheaded? She knew he wouldn’t let up, which left her only one option. Keeping her voice steady and her tone vehement, she said, “Damn it, Rebel. If you tell anyone, I will castrate you.”
“I don’t like this, Birdie. You’re putting me in a really bad position.”
“You’re putting yourself in that position.
Can’t you play dumb for once in your life?
” She stepped closer, staring up at him, seething and desperate at once.
“I know all about Dark Knight loyalty. I get it. But that man makes me happy. I know he made a big-ass mistake that he’ll never live down, but come on, Rebel.
Can’t you be happy for me? Just this once, can’t wingman loyalty supersede everything else? Please?”
“Hey, is everything okay here?”
Birdie turned at the sound of Carly’s voice and found her with Zev and Noah, dressed as Andy, Brandon, and Mouth from the Goonies movie.
“Yeah, we’re cool,” Rebel said. “Birdie was just giving me shit.”
“So, another normal day, then?” Carly teased.
“A cousin’s job is never done,” Birdie said, her heart still racing as Rebel walked away.
“You can give me shit anytime you’d like. You look insanely hot in that outfit,” Noah said, pulling her into a hug. “How’s my favorite bad influence?”
“Armed with chocolate and no supervision.”
“That’s the most dangerous thing I’ve heard all night.” He draped his arm over her shoulder and said, “What do you say we blow this chocolate stand and have some fun? We could give your brothers hell for something, or get our faces painted like the devils we are.”
“Yes, go have some fun,” Carly said. “I need a break from saying goodbye. We’ll watch the table, right, Zev?”
Zev had one truffle in his mouth and one in his hand. “Absolutely.” He pointed at Noah. “Watch yourself, or her brothers will make mincemeat of you.”
“Hey, I can take care of myself,” Birdie said. There was a time when she’d had a mad, unreciprocated crush on Noah, but now not even the gorgeous charmer could drag her interest away from Crew.
As she and Noah headed across the grass, she said, “I’m not on the menu tonight.”
He cocked a grin. “I don’t know if I should be disappointed or happy for you. Who’s the lucky guy?”
“A lady never tells.”
BIRDIE SCANNED THE crowd for Crew, wishing she’d been able to spend the last hour with him instead of Noah.
When she finally spotted his broad back, her pulse kicked up.
He was talking with some of the other ranch hands between where she stood and the barn where she was heading to use the bathroom. Her mind raced down a mischievous road.
No, not mischievous. Necessary.
She couldn’t go another minute without touching him. One little touch, to fill her well…and maybe to taunt him. That was the fun part. Seeing the restraint in his eyes, the way he turned into a penned bull wanting to break free.
A thrill skated through her with the enticing thought.
How could she be this insatiable for him when they were together nearly every night? She’d never been like this before, but she was literally giddy with anticipation.
She did a quick visual sweep of her surroundings to make sure nobody was watching and made a beeline for Crew.
When she got close enough to carry out her hasty plan, she took out her phone and focused on it, trying to keep her grin under wraps as she bumped into his back and groped his incredibly fine ass.
“Ohmygosh. I’m so sorry!” she said as he spun around. Their eyes connected with the heat of a five-alarm fire, and his entire body flexed. My sexy beast.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “It’s all right. You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m great. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She looked at the amused ranch hands and said, “Carry on,” then headed into the barn with a bounce in her step.
After using the bathroom, the rush of finally touching Crew still hadn’t worn off. She pulled open the door and nearly ran into his hard chest. His eyes drilled into her as he stepped forward, backing her into the bathroom and closing and locking the door behind him.
“Who was the guy with his hands all over you?” he growled.
Her pulse spiked. “You saw that?”
His jaw ticked. “Hard not to.”
Oh, how she loved the possessive edge in his voice. “Ragnar,” she said, running her hands over his chest, his heart thundering against her palm. “Are you jealous because Zev’s cousin had his arm around me?”
“Fuck yes, I’m jealous. If you’re with me, that stops now.”
“Luckily,” she said seductively, “yours are the only hands I want on me. He’s just a friend.”
He crushed his mouth to hers in a blistering kiss, growling into it as they groped and devoured. His hands dove into her hair and fisted. Pain and pleasure ignited inside her. “I’m losing my fucking mind watching you in this outfit.”
“I wore it for you,” she panted out between kisses. “Secretly signaling I’m yours.”
“Fuck, Trouble. You’re killing me.” He reclaimed her mouth, kissing the ever-loving hell out of her, his hand pushing under her skirt, into her stockings, and beneath her panties.
She gasped as his thick fingers slid over her clit, sending scintillating sensations skittering through her, and proceeded to work her into a moaning, writhing mess.
Every stroke of their tongues, every guttural sound and scratch of beard took her higher.
Heat pulsed through her core, radiating outward from her chest to the very tips of her fingers and toes.
Just when she thought she’d lose her mind, he did something magical with his fingers, sending her spiraling into ecstasy.
She clung to him, her sensual sounds muffled in their fused mouths. Her body was racked with pleasure for so long, it was like she’d been starved for orgasms, when in reality, Crew gave her so many, she could live off them.
As she came down from the high, he eased their kisses to intoxicatingly slow and wickedly smoldering. “Go away with me tomorrow night.”
Trying to get her brain to fire, she said, “Away?”
“To my cabin. No hiding.”
She blinked up at him. “You have a cabin?”
A crooked grin appeared on his handsome face. “Yeah. It’s about an hour farther out than the ski resort, in Ironvale, but it’s private.”
“Ragnar, you’re full of surprises, and I love that, but I can’t go this weekend,” she said regretfully. “I have to work. But my aunt Marie comes back to town this week, and she’ll be helping at the shop through the holidays. I think I can do next Saturday.”
“Next weekend, then.” He kissed her again like that was the only plan that mattered.