I looked to Zeb. He nodded, then shook Beau’s hand.
“Men,” Lainey said, taking my arm and leading me into the house. “Protective and a pain in the ass.”
“A pain inyourass, love.” The look Beau gaveLainey as he said that indicated that he spanked her. The look she gave back told me she liked it.
I glanced over my shoulder for Zeb, who was being bro hugged and slapped on the back by his gaggle of brothers. I wasn’t sure what was in the water in Devil’s Ditch, but it helped grow big cowboys. The only one I was interested in though was the one winking at me.
18
ZEB
“You and Cammie?How’d that come about?” Buck asked.
My brothers were all here. Every single one. I’d sent a group text letting everyone know we were coming for the break. Together.
In the few hours since I sent that, they’d run wild with the wordtogether.Since five of my siblings had met their person and four of them had married since April–Cam and Taylor hadn’t tied the knot yet–and were all expecting babies, it was pretty obvious what I meant.
Since I was the youngest, and only twenty, it’d probably come as a little bit of a surprise. To be honest, I was fucking thrilled I found Cammie now. I couldn’t imagine having to wait another fourteen years to be with her like Trig had to with Ellie.
The only one who seemed to freak over me bringing a girl home with me from school was Beau. It made sense for him to watch out for his little sister and I was prepared for him to be less than thrilled about Cammie being with me. Or anyone, for that matter.
The rifle was really fucking over the top, but again, knowing how he protected and took care of Lainey, I wasn’t surprised he acted the same way with his sister.
I went over to him and told him the deal. It wasn’t for anyone else to hear so I kept my voice low. Told him I was in love with Cammie and was marrying her. That, like him with Lainey when they first met, it was my turn to take care of Cammie now and that if he ever disrespectedwhat we’re doing togetheras anything less than true devotion, he could fuck off.
Buck nudged my arm.
“She’s my tutor for genetics class,” I told him, then added, “I first thought she was a guy.”
My brothers swiveled around to stare at the closedfront door, where the women had already gone, because Cammie lookednothinglike a guy.
“Her name’s Cameron. I assumed my tutor was a he, not a she,” I explained with a shrug and a grin, remembering.
“Mom thought she was having a boy,” Beau said. I nodded, because that was what Cammie told me.
“Spit it out, Zeb. What’s really going on here?” Colt asked. “If she’s yours, no way would you waste any time in this house with your parents as chaperones–”
Beau growled at what Colt was insinuating, but he ignored him.
“–and stay at your house off campus where you can be alone.”
I turned to him. He wasn’t dressed in his sheriff’s uniform, but in jeans and a jacket, but his arms were crossed over his chest and he had the law enforcement look on his face.
“You okay, son?” Pops asked, stepping next to me and setting a hand on my shoulder.
“Chase Trout,” I said.
All the guys groaned, then glared.
“What the fuck happened with him?” Colt wondered.
“He’s on the team with me. We were at a party and he confronted Cammie.”
“Where the fuck were you?” Beau asked, taking a step toward me.
“Right there. Chill. Cammie says she saw him after the game yesterday selling drugs. He approached her to warn her not to talk about it because no one was gonna believe her.”
“You’re here to steer clear of him?” Bray asked. He had no love for Chase’s father because the older Trout had been fucking with Katie before they married, attempting to force her to sell him her ranch. Stupid shit like blocking water access and suing her for stupid things that forced her to spend her meager money on legal fees.
