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“You have a lovely glow to you,” Riggs smirks and I feel my body tense under his words.
“I just had a really hot shower, the pressure was amazing on my skin. Really relieved some of that tension that I hadn’t managed to get rid of,” Riggs’ glare is stone cold, fixated on me, but my reply had knocked the shit-eating grin off his face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just going to get myself a drink,” my eyes move around the room and Pacey, Tripp and Austin give me a nod.
“You’re not interrupting darling,” my dad says, his cheeks rosy.
“Good,” stepping into the kitchen, I brush past Riggs which gets me a low, burly growl in return.
“So, as I was saying…” Tripp continues, “I had a report come in last night about another ten horses disappearing into the night. I’m telling you, this has Clay’s name written all over it. I just need to find something to pin it to him” He sips his coffee and I hear my dad sigh.
“I was on his ranch yesterday, he called me over saying some of next door’s cattle got into his yard and that they must have purposely moved them because of his cattle grates.”
Pacey rolls his eyes, “Honestly, I think he is up to something. All of this smells rotten and I think he is trying to throw us off the scent; trying to cover these missing horses up by calling me out on the shit I haven’t got time to deal with,” I hear Pacey sigh and I pinch my brows.
“But why would Clay make up stuff?” I ask before I can even stop my mouth running off.
“He was seen with a couple of suits, we think he is trying to sell the land, but no one will sell.”
Tripp butts in, “But by getting everyone’s cattle and horses out, what have they got left? Really? Most of us here are cattle farmers, you guys break in and sell the horses on. Well, he is trying to drive business out. I might be clutching at straws here, but I do think Clay has an agenda. I just need to know what.”
“Why don’t you invite him out for a drink?” and the whole kitchen erupts into laughter.
“Oh, baby,” Pacey says, and my eyes fly to Riggs who stiffens completely at Pacey’s endearment, his jaw wound tight. “Ain’t no way we would get Clay out drinking with us,” he laughs again and shakes his head, a firm smile plastered across his lips as he looks into his coffee mug.
“Okay, well, what about if I ask Clay out for a drink?”
Riggs chokes on his coffee.
“No fucking way,” he growls, his eyes bugging from his head, pushing his large fingers through his curly hair in frustration.
“Pretty sure it’s not up to you big boy,” I roll my eyes and I look between my dad, brother and the other two Rivera boys. Tripp’s eyebrow lifts, his hands on his hips.
“Don’t,” I hear Riggs warn his brothers as if he can hear their thoughts.
“I mean,” Austin half groans, rubbing his hand around the back of his neck and kneads out the skin, “it could work. You and Clay haven’t properly met, have you? He goes down to Sunny’s every morning between nine and nine thirty to get his coffee and breakfast roll. You could be working there or something? Catch his eye…”
“Yeah, I can do that.” I smile but my dad doesn’t look pleased and neither does Riggs. I have felt like such a spare part since I have been here, I don’t miss the opportunity to throw myself into something to help them.
“Maybe see if you can get him out on Friday?” Tripp murmurs as he lifts his mug to his lips, the whole time his eyes pinned to Riggs. He knows exactly what he is doing.Touché Tripp.
“Ah,” I rub my lips into a thin line, “I can’t do Friday I’m afraid…” I pause as I head for the exit of the kitchen, my eyes raising over to where Riggs is standing all stiff and rigid. “I’ve got a date with Conrad” and with that, I turn and walk out the room, smiling from ear to ear when Riggs lets out a low, thunderous growl.
“Just give me one minute,” I hear his grumpy ass say as he storms after me.
I make it to the bottom of the stairs before I am tugged back, stumbling until I land against Riggs’ chest. His hand splaying across my stomach, his rough beard scratching against my cheek as his lips hover by the shell of my ear.
“I’m not sure what you heard whilst my tongue was buried deep inside of your pussy…” he pauses for a moment, his voice low and full of rasp, “but I said you were mine from the moment we crossed that line, yet you’re still going on your little date…” I smile as his hand glides up my side, then delicately wrapping his fingers around the base of my throat.
“I gave into a weakness, doesn’t mean I’m yours, Riggs.”
My hand pulls on his wrist, tugging it from my throat and annoyingly, I miss the way his fingers felt wrapped around me. Turning, my grin widens as I stare him down.
“Fuck you and your possessiveness. I don’t belong to anyone,” my voice is hushed, mindful of our little audience just across the threshold.
“That’s where you’re wrong Wildflower, you belong to me. I’ll make sure to ruin you for any other man. Once I am finished with you, no one will even be able to look or breathe in your direction.”
I roll my eyes and scoff a laugh.
“You don’t scare me with your empty threats. What happened this morning was a mistake, and I can assure you baby that it won’t happen again.”
