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“Well, it looks like Sweetie hasn’t wasted any time making herself right at home,” Liberty said.
Sweetie drew away from Decker and saw all five of her sisters standing just inside the open barn door.The sight of Liberty, Belle, and Noelle had her desire fading beneath the joy of seeing her sisters.She pushed past Decker and hurried over to hug them.
“It took y’all long enough to get here.”
Noelle drew back from the hug and cocked an eyebrow.“And I see that you were just twiddling your thumbs waiting for us.”She glanced over Sweetie’s shoulder and her eyes widened.“Deck?”
Sweetie turned to see Decker standing there looking thoroughly kissed.His hair was messed from her fingers and his lips were puffy from her kisses ...and the fly of his jeans had an obvious bulge.
He followed her gaze and he quickly picked up his hat from the ground and held it in front of him with his cheeks flaming.“Hey, Noelle.Liberty.Belle.How are y’all doing?”
Liberty fielded the question.She loved to field questions.In school, she was constantly being sent to the principal’s office for not raising her hand before she blurted out an answer.“Not as good as you, obviously.”
Decker cleared his throat and glanced at Sweetie.“Could I speak with you outside for a second?”
Sweetie nodded and followed him out of the barn.She figured he would want to talk about the kiss.Instead, he acted like it had never happened.
Which annoyed her.
“I’ll see what I can do about stifling the gossip, but there will still be some randy cowboys showing up here wanting to win a Holiday sister and the ranch.I’m afraid things won’t settle down until you and your sisters leave town.”
Her annoyance grew.He wasn’t just acting like they hadn’t kissed.He was also trying to get her to leave.“So you’re going to kiss me and then try to get rid of me, Deck?”
His gaze lowered to her mouth and she couldn’t help the tremble that ran through her.“It would make things a lot easier if you left.”
Itwouldmake things easier.If she went back to Nashville, she wouldn’t have to deal with her matchmaking grandmother, the grudge-holding townsfolk, and the land-grubbing single men in the town.She wouldn’t have to deal with her stubborn daddy or the ranch being sold.And she wouldn’t have to deal with the intense physical attraction she had developed for the man standing in front of her.
It was too bad Sweetie had never taken the easy way out.
“Thanks for coming out, Sheriff.But like I told you before, I’ll leave when I’m ready.You and a bunch of ranch-crazy cowboys aren’t going to run me off.”
Decker studied her for a long moment before he nodded.“Okay then.”He pulled on his hat.“If men do show up and start causing trouble, call me.”
“Not likely.”She turned and headed back into the barn.
All her sisters were waiting with expectant looks on their faces.She knew they wanted answers and she wished she had them.But she didn’t understand what was going on between her and Decker either.So instead of explaining the kiss, she flopped down on the nearest bale of hay and covered her face with her hands.
“Damn.”
Belle sat down next to her.“Are you okay?He didn’t force you, did he?Because if he did—”
“Not likely, Belly,” Hallie cut in.“Considering what happened between Decker and Sweetie last night at the Hellhole, it was probably Sweetie doing the forcing.”
Sweetie lowered her hands.“I did not force Decker to kiss me!”
“It looked like mutual kissing to me,” Liberty said.
“Me too,” Noelle agreed.“In fact, y’all looked like you were only seconds from the main event.”
Cloe sent Sweetie a confused look.“I thought you weren’t going to start something with Decker.”
“I wasn’t—I mean, I’m not.”
“Oh, you’ve started something,” Liberty said.“You’ve definitely started something.That man was boasting one impressive boner.”
“Libby!”Sweetie glared at her sister.
Liberty shrugged.“Sorry, but it was hard not to notice.”
