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“Oh, good. You guys have worked everything out,” Georgia says. “Thank God. Today would’ve been so awkward if you hadn’t.”
“There’s not a problem,” Chloe says, sitting up straighter, voice tight.
“Great.” Georgia opens her gigantic purse and hands all three of us a sheet of paper. “Here’s a list of all the wineries we’re visiting. They all know we’re coming, but we’ll be going in smaller groups so we don’t overwhelm them all. Just tell them you’re with our party.”
“Who am I riding with?” Chloe asks, and I hope to God Georgia does me a favor here.
Georgia bites her lower lip and gives us a guilty glance. “We separated all the couples. I didn’t think you’d mind sticking to your groomsmen for this. But that was before…I can change it. You can join Porter and me.”
“Oh, Georgia, no. You can’t do that. It’ll mess up the entire itinerary. Besides, Chloe can hold her own with these two boys.” Karen shoots a pointed look at Chloe, who takes a sharp breath. “She wouldn’t want you to sacrifice your plans just because she doesn’t want to be sandwiched between two handsome cowboys.”
I slide my arm over the back of Chloe’s chair. There is no way in hell I’ll let this chance pass me by. “No worries, ma’am. We can share. Colt and I will behave.”
Colt snorts. “Sure will.”
“It’s fine,” Chloe says. Then she turns to face me and mutters, “Alcohol and ex-boyfriends. What could go wrong?” The humor in her tone makes me laugh. If she was joking about this, maybe things would progress from stilted too easier. Maybe I could get her to give us another chance.
Breakfast goes by quickly, the three of us not making much conversation with each other. I think we all have the same idea. Focus on getting out of this powder keg before Karen inadvertently winds Chloe up and she snaps.
The conversation at the other end of the table is loud and completely Georgia-centric. Thank fuck.
“Walk you to your room, bunny?” I murmur when I see Chloe’s finished with her meal.
“I don’t need an escort.”
“I know. I just like to look at you.”
Colt lets out a low grumble. “She’s not gonna fall for your shit. Chloe’s not the kind of girl who likes sweet talk.”
“Seems to me, you don’t know what she likes. Or you wouldn’t be sittin’ there in the same situation I’m in.”
He stands, a frown on his face, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, the man holds a hand out to Chloe and cocks his head, asking her to come without using words. She looks from me, to him, then stands. “I’ll walk on my own.”
It’s hard as hell not to follow her, but this woman isn’t the kind who’ll enjoy being chased. She’ll push me away if I do that. I learned first-hand what loving her too hard, too soon, could do to a man. So, I watch her walk out of the dining room. I refill my coffee, return to my seat, and force myself to pretend my heart isn’t already in her hands.
5
CHLOE
Rich people.That’s the only answer for what has gotten me into this situation. I’m seated between my two ex-boyfriends in a huge SUV as we drive over a bumpy road that’s taking us to the first winery of the day. Could I have sat in the front next to the driver? Nope. He said he wasn’t willing to have a drunk girl up front with him. Asshole.
The car sways as we hit another rough patch of gravel. I lean heavily against Colt, not letting myself enjoy his firmly muscled chest or the warmth from his body. Sean grabs my arm to steady me at the same time, and touching them both makes things low in my body tighten in a way they shouldn’t.
“Are we almost there?” I ask, desperate to get out of this vehicle if only to take a breath of fresh air not laced with their combined pheromones.
“Looks like it,” Sean says, pointing to his left where the sprawling winery finally appears.
“Shit, it’s huge.”
“That’s real sweet of you, darlin’.” Colt’s words make my cheeks heat and my thighs clench.
“You wish,” I offer, needing the car to stop right now so I don’t do something I’ll regret in the morning.
When we finally pull into the parking lot, I practically crawl over Sean to get outside. The sun beats down on my skin, but my face is already so warm I barely register the difference in temperature from the car to the grounds. My ankle wobbles in my stupid heels on the gravel, and before I get the chance to pull myself together, both Sean and Colt are at my sides. They’re holding me, keeping me from falling, but most of all, touching my bare skin. “I’m okay,” I say through a tight throat.
“You should have worn your boots,” Sean says, nudging my heel with the toe of his leather clad foot.
“I’m not at the ranch. Not in the arena. I can dress up, you know.”
