AllFreeNovel
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I don’t have the right to be pissed off. We’re doing what we’re doing for the summer and the summer only. I’ve made it clear to her I don’t want more.
Even if I can’t get enough of her.
Every night we fuck, I’m shattering. Having her perfect tits in my face, her hair swirling around me like a halo, clouds every ounce of resolve I’ve been holding onto. All my doubts, all my fears, disintegrate.
I can’t tell if she’s a real person or an angel.
And it fucking terrifies me.
I sigh when I come to a bill marked past due. When I see the vendor’s name, I frown. Field and Farm, a local farmer Silas sources produce from.
I glance over at Davis. He’s at the dartboard with Wyatt, engaged in an epic battle to see who has to take a group up to Crybaby Falls.
“Since when is F and F collecting early?” I growl. In the years we’ve been working with them, they’ve always waited for payment until the end of the season.
Wearing an identical frown, Davis grabs the bill and examines it. His expression fades to worry. “You think this is DVL putting pressure on small businesses to collect? Forcing us to fall behind on payments?”
I lean back in my chair and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Fuck,” I mutter, closing my eyes for a brief second.
Wyatt walks closer. “I can pull some money out of my rodeo fund—”
“No.” The last thing my little brother is doing is bailing my ass out. I have faith in Ruby. In what she’s doing.
I’m opening my mouth to say just that when the sound of shouting drifts through the open door.
“Shit,” I say, already out the door and running. I hear the scrape of chairs and know my brothers are right behind me.
My heart stops when I see Ruby with her hand slapped across her mouth, her expression petrified. She’s backing away from the water tank where a crowd has gathered. Sam wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her away, but she stumbles and falls to her knees on the grass.
I can’t get there fucking fast enough.
And then I’m hitting my knees beside her, pulling her against my chest. “Ruby, baby, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Charlie ...” Her eyes shutter, and she melts against me, her hands clamping down on my shoulders for dear life. She’s pale, the beat of her heart haywire. “In the water ...”
She doesn’t need to finish her sentence. When I glance over, Ford’s lifting a leg bone out of the water tank.
Guests gasp and cover their mouths.
Fuck.
Leave it to Ford to turn on the charm, holding up a hand to calm the rabble of the crowd. “It’s fake, folks,” he drawls to the gawkers. “It’s all okay, just a prank.” As if to prove his point, he tosses away the bone like it’s nothing but a beer can.
“Goddamnit,” I snarl, wrapping my arms tighter around Ruby.
The last thing we need is gossip going around that we have bodies popping up on our ranch. Not to mention, Ruby’s fucking terrified.
Ruby.
Sensing her panic, I tuck her against my chest to shield her from the sight of the bones. Her small body trembles in my arms. Instinct has me sweeping my lips across her temple. “I got you, baby. You’re okay.”
“Charlie,” she whispers, and every hard corner of my soul softens.
Fuck that I’ve called her baby in front of half the ranch. Fuck that I feel my oldest brother’s intent gaze on us. All that matters is Ruby.
“Go on up to the bar, everyone,” Ford says, nodding at the lodge. “Get free beers for your troubles.”
Guests cheer and drift away, chuckling at the appearance of a Halloween skeleton.
