“I’ve always worried about my sister. I’ve been her protector since the day she was born. Handing that responsibility over to another man … well, I don’t think I could do it if it were a lesser one. Sam Seymour, you’re a damn good friend, and I know you’ll make a damn good husband. Welcome to the family, brother.” He lifts his glass of champagne in a toast.
The band starts to play, and the crowd cheers around me as a tear slips down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away, peeringaround to see that Dolly is teary-eyed as well when Duke pulls her in for a kiss on the cheek. I blow out a slow exhale, worried about the serious crack in my wall of defenses.
Just stay away from him. Nothing will happen if you keep your distance.
Duke goes to sit down right by Pops. He immediately grabs the napkin on the table to wipe something off of his face. I nearly fall out of my chair at the scene, but I manage to regain composure when Rosie stands to give her speech.
I try to pay attention.
“Well, at the same time that Duke was oblivious to the painfully obvious chemistry and attraction between Dolly and Sam, I was silently cheering them on. Because, hello, it was like the worst-kept secret of all time.”
My eyes roam back over to Duke. He’s coming back to the table, where Pops is seated with a glass of water. He sits back down and lifts the glass to Pops’s mouth to help him take a sip. A girl I don’t recognize with long auburn hair walks over to Duke, pulling him into a tight hug. She’s telling him something about how great his speech was, and of course, she’s gorgeous.
I grab my glass of wine, chugging half of it. The burn down my throat feels good, a distraction I needed.
I’ll stay only long enough to be polite. I’ll complain about a headache and go to bed early.
As soon as Rosie’s speech ends, the first dance starts. I go over to the bar area that’s set up under the back porch. The reception really came together well for how quickly they had to plan it. I know it’s basically all Rosie and Dolly did for the past few weeks.
I grab an open bottle of rosé and refill my glass. A warmth behind me makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I set the bottle down, inhaling the leather and mint.
“You gonna keep hiding from me, darlin’?”
I slowly release an exhale before shaking my head.
“Then dance with me.” His lips are right next to my ear. The warmth of his breath sends a trickle of awareness down my spine.
Danger. Danger.
“Come on. It’s a party,” he whispers.
A ghost of a kiss so light on my neck makes me wonder if I imagined it.
Where’s the girl with the auburn hair?
I finally spin around to face him, having to tilt my head back to look up at him. If I dance with him, I’m at risk of doing so much more. Last time, I let him finger me in his truck in a fucking parking lot.
Now we’re on his ranch. I’m kid-free.
I feel like Eve in the garden, being handed a juicy red apple when all I’ve ever tasted before was dirt.
Looking into his bright cerulean eyes seals the deal. I feel myself nodding. He doesn’t smirk triumphantly, like I assumed he would. Instead, he takes my wineglass from me and sips from the part where my lipstick stained the rim before setting it down on the bar.
He reaches down for my hand, tugging me behind him to the dance floor. Couples are all around us. I spot the girl who was smiling at Duke with a short, handsome guy, flushing with embarrassment at my assumption.
Jo is dancing with Grady. Holden has one of the twinsand Rosie on his arm, swaying to the slow country song Monroe is singing. Cash is watching the superstar country singer with hearts in his eyes. Sterling and Eden are on the edge of the floor, his arms wrapped around her from the back, cupping her belly.
I realize that he’ll be staying with her in the bunkhouse, and I should probably give them some privacy since they’re newlyweds who haven’t seen each other in a while.
I could stay at Rosie and Holden’s. Yes, I’ll do that.
Duke grabs my left hand and places it on his shoulder. He tugs me closer by my waist, our bodies almost flush together.
“How are you liking your stay at Redford Ranch?”
I avoid looking up at him, worried about the short-term effects of his concern to my self-control.
“I’m really enjoying it, but I’ll be out of your hair soon. I’m looking for a new apartment.”
