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Six
Everybody gathered around the catered barbecue just outside the newly decorated barn. Family was here, and there were many friends thrown into the mix. The pre-wedding party was a big one, and he had a feeling tonight was going to be a pretty wild celebration.
But for now, the men and women were joined together having a potluck, and it was pretty damned good.
But he was still fixated on what had happened between him and Shelby earlier.
She had jumped away from him like his fingertips were on fire and he might burn her.
You know why.
Yeah. He could say that nothing had been happening. It hadn’t been, strictly.
And yet, everything had been.
There was an undercurrent between the two of them that was difficult to ignore.
And need that was growing in his gut.
And it was complicated by the fact that their siblings were getting married, and she was vulnerable. He could see it. She was at a crossroads in her life, and she was looking for something, anything to hold on to.
And he was all right being a temporary mistake. Hell, maybe that was what she needed. But he couldn’t be anything else for her.
So he needed to watch himself. And he wasn’t all that good at watching himself. She was sitting with her sister, talking and laughing and eating, and he found himself a little bit overly fascinated by her.
“I can’t believe how much you got done,” Chance said. “You didn’t have to do all the work. We were planning on getting some of it done tonight and tomorrow.”
“Yeah. But I’m the best man. I wanted to do it for you.”
“I have all these brothers. What good are they if they don’t all help out?”
“Well, Shelby was in here doing it all, and I figured I shouldn’t leave her to her own devices.”
Chance looked at him, a little bit too sharp. “No. I suppose not. Awfully nice of you to assist.”
He looked back over at his brother. “I think we both know that I’m not that nice.”
“Yeah. So... Don’t mess things up with my sister-in-law, please? She’s been through enough.”
Irritation stabbed at Kit. Primarily because his brother wasn’t off base on things. But it was still offensive that he felt he had to tell him that.
“Yeah, I wasn’t really planning on closing the loop in the family tree.”
Chance chuckled. “Well. See that you don’t. Honestly, the issue isn’t... The issue is just that you and I both know that you don’t want anything permanent. And she’s been through a lot.”
“Who hasn’t?”
“Good point. Look, man, if the opportunity comes up for a little bit of fun, and that’s what she wants, that’s different.”
“Are you warning me away from your sister-in-law, or are you giving me permission to have a one-night stand with her?”
“I’m actually not doing either one. You’re both grown people. She gets a say in things. I am expressing my preference for you not making my life difficult.”
“Got it. You don’t want your wife to get mad at you.”
“Correct. Or, my wife’s grandfather, who scares the ever-loving shit out of me.”
“Fair. Look, it’s nothing I didn’t think of already.”
