Take My Love (Willow Branch Mountain #2)

Prologue

Silas

EIGHT YEARS AGO

“You nervous?” I smack my childhood best friend’s shoulder, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

He adjusts his tie after his mother commented it was crooked.

He’s in a fancy-as-fuck all black tuxedo, moments away from walking down the aisle to his high school sweetheart.

“Nope. Been waitin’ to marry Maze since I was fifteen.” Warren grins like a lovesick fool as he folds his collar down. “And gettin’ to spend the summer with her before she goes back to college is somethin’ I’m not takin’ for granted.”

“So…lots of baby makin’ practice.” I smirk, squeezing his shoulder once before releasing him.

He probably won’t come up for air until she leaves.

“Don’t worry, we’ll still hang out,” he reassures me, but I’m not holding my breath.

We’ve been friends since elementary school. Most of my middle and high school summer memories revolve around him and Maisie. Riding on horses or four-wheelers through his family’s ranch, swimming in the river, camping in the woods, throwing bonfire parties—we’ve been inseparable.

It was a shock to no one when they started dating at fifteen and later got engaged.

Unfortunately, that made me the designated third wheel. But I didn’t mind, usually.

“It’s fine. I’ll just have to find someone else to take your place until I getcha back.”

“The fuck you will.”

I chuckle at his aggressive taunting voice because he knows he has nothing to worry about. I can keep myself busy with work for a few months while the newlyweds stay glued at the hip. It’s not like I have anyone else to hang out with in the meantime besides my older sisters.

Making friends and dating never came easily to me, especially as a nerdy kid who didn’t hit puberty until my senior year of high school. Even now at twenty-one, I’ve still never had anything serious.

Warren and Maisie set the standard, and I haven’t wanted to settle for anything less.

Not to mention the one girl I have a crush on is strictly off-limits.

She’s two years younger and Warren’s little sister. The biggest fucking cliché.

Posey Langston is breathtaking, is always the life of the party, and has my same zero risk o’meter. Hell, she’s more ballsy than anyone I’ve ever met. I’ll try anything once, but she’ll do it twice just to prove she can.

Being raised on her family’s ranch and resort has made her fear nothing. From zip lining, to cliff diving, and standing upright while her horse runs forty miles an hour, she’s always had an adventurous spirit.

Although she tagged along with us sometimes, I never saw her as anything more than Warren’s sister. But last summer changed everything. She had a bonfire with some friends and they roped me into a game of Truth or Dare.

After a few drinks, someone dared her to kiss me. I figured she’d find a way to get out of it and say she thought of me as a brother, but then she straddled my lap and stuck her tongue down my throat.

I was in such shock, the only thing I could do is grip her hips and kiss her back.

We never talked about it, but ever since, she’s been the star in all my private fantasies.

Something I’ve actively tried to get over, but so far, no such luck.

The secret glances and blush that spreads over her cheeks anytime I’m near tells me she’s not over it either.

“Hey, I know you’ll be busy with best man duties and flirtin’ with all the single ladies, but if you can, keep an eye on Posey for me? Some guy she was datin’ broke up with her a couple days ago and she’s been pretty upset about it.”

Fuck. I didn’t even know she was dating anyone.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” I ask cautiously.

He doesn’t know about my little obsession.

Otherwise there’s no way he’d ask me this.

Warren’s the oldest of five kids and very protective of his siblings.

Posey can hold her own, but I’m not sure he’d approve of me dating her.

It’d be a risk in the event we didn’t work out and then he’d be stuck in the middle between wanting to kick my ass and protecting his sister.

“She’s gonna sneak alcohol at some point—which is whatever—but could you make sure she doesn’t overdo it? I don’t want her to leave with some random dipshit or find a closet to cry in. This is, like, the third guy in the past six months so she’s feelin’ kinda low.”

My jaw locks, keeping the words I want to say inside so I don’t reveal my secret.

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll make sure she gets to her room safely.”

Everyone’s staying at this fancy-ass hotel since Maisie’s parents are rich snobs and wouldn’t let them get married at the ranch. But all that matters is he gets to marry the love of his life, so Warren hasn’t complained.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” He smacks my shoulder, the goofiest smile splitting his face. “Time to find my future wife.”

The sickly in love couple are doing a first look before the ceremony, so it’s a private moment between them and the photographer. I wait in the dressing room with Warren’s brothers who are the other groomsmen. Since they’re all younger than him, they look more bored than excited.

“Okay, it’s time,” the wedding planner announces, eagerly clapping.

Watching my best friend tear up at the love of his life walking down the aisle has me choking back my own emotions.

Their love is so rare and inspiring that it’s hard not to be envious they found it so early in life.

They have years of shared memories from their youth, and now they get to grow together into adulthood and make endless new ones.

They have that forever kind of love that nothing or no one can get in between.

“Picture time!” one of Maisie’s bridesmaids calls out.

My gaze catches Posey’s who, despite being upset about her breakup, has been smiling and looking bright-eyed all afternoon. Her blonde hair is pulled up, exposing the nape of her neck. A strand falls around her face and she delicately twists it with her finger to keep it curled.

She catches me looking at her and gives me a lingering look down my tuxedo before shifting toward Bellamy, the youngest Langston sibling. She’s only thirteen, but Warren and Maisie wanted all their brothers and sisters in the wedding party.

“If Mrs. Callaway tells us to smile one more goddamn time, I’m gonna stick one of my four-inch heels through her eye…” Posey’s low muttering next to me has me choking back a laugh.

It’s been an hour and a half of moving to different spots and posing in various positions throughout the venue and in the courtyard while Maisie’s mother continuously scolds us to straighten our spines and show more teeth.

Add in the June Southern heat, it’s been a miserable time.

“No shit. My cheeks hurt,” I say, rubbing my hand along my jaw and stretching it out. “I think she’s the worst Momzilla I’ve ever seen.”

“More like, of the century. I dunno how Maisie deals with her.”

I shrug since I honestly don’t know either. It’s probably why she was so eager to move seven hundred miles away for college because her parents are overbearing and try to dictate every aspect of her life.

Before I can respond, we’re being directed toward the reception ballroom. We’re doing a grand entrance before the happy couple enters as husband and wife.

“Hey, in case I don’t get to talk to you until later, save me a dance?” I say before being yanked to the end of the line beside the maid of honor.

Posey glances over her shoulder with a smirk, and I give her a wink of confirmation.

I tell myself I’m watching out for her the way Warren asked, but deep down, I want to recreate that kiss I haven’t been able to get out of my head in the past twelve months.

POSEY

My alarm blaring somehow sounds in the distance and inside my head at the same time.

Which, I might add, is fucking pounding.

“Make it stop…” a deep rumble near me has my eyes sprinting open wide and confused.

Scanning the hotel room, I quickly realize it’s not mine and locate my phone on the floor next to a pile of clothes.

Oh God. I’m naked.

And the guy next to me with only a thin sheet covering his bare ass is Silas Mathiesen.

My brother’s best friend.

Someone I kissed a year ago on a dare that I’d wanted to kiss since I was twelve.

It’s embarrassing how long I’ve had a crush on someone I know I can’t have, which is why I keep putting myself out there to get over him but haven’t had any luck.

Inching down the bed and falling off the mattress like a clumsy sniper, I crawl to the offending noise and quickly silence it.

I set my alarm before the ceremony so I gave myself enough time to shower and get ready for the farewell brunch. Mrs. Callaway made it clear to the wedding party we were to attend before the out of town guests leave and the newlyweds go on their honeymoon.

But with my current situation of being in my brother’s best friend’s hotel room, naked and hungover, I consider skipping it.

Unfortunately, it’ll be suspicious if I don’t show up, and I don’t need my parents or siblings to come looking for me, so I suck it up.

Grabbing my dress and heels, I tiptoe to the bathroom. Memories flash of the seductive way he lowered my zipper and pressed his soft lips to the nape of my neck as it pooled to my feet. I was left in only my panties since the gown has a built-in bra.

He slowly licked his bottom lip while his gaze flooded with heat, lapping over my bare skin as if he couldn’t wait to touch and taste every inch of me.

It was the first time being exposed to a man and not feeling insecure or self-conscious.

When I look in the mirror, my face is flushed and hair is matted from his fingers tangling through it all night. My chest rises and falls in quick breaths as I try to steady my racing thoughts of what we did.

My body’s sore in a way I’ve never felt before. A delicious ache between my thighs that reminds me how big he felt and how deep he was inside me. He stretched me in a way I’ve never experienced but he went slow and gentle so it didn’t hurt as much as I was expecting.