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“Ah, two of my favorite people.” His voice echoes round the room and I watch as he stumbles into the living room. “I had the best date.”
“Yeah?” I ask, my eyes darting to Riggs when I notice my lace panties hanging out his back pocket.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Austin swings his arms round Riggs’ shoulders, using him as a support and fear prickles inside of me. I rush up, running over and wrapping one of my arms around Austin’s body and with my other hand I tuck my panties deeper into Riggs’ pocket. I watch as his brows raise, his eyes widening when he feels a hand on his ass.
“Austin, why are you touching me up?” His voice is gruff and I give him a gentle kick in the shin, with awhat the fucklook on my face and realisation settles inside of him. The shocked expression soon turns to a smirk and playfulness.
“I’m not touching you up bro, I mean, you’re handsome and everything but it’s not me.” He sighs, swaying and I push him back into Riggs’ arms. “There is someone I wish I was touching though,” he wiggles his brows at Riggs then winks as if Riggs knows what he is on about.
“Shall we get you up to bed?” I rush out, not wanting to hear any more of Austin’s drunken admissions. “I think you need to sleep the alcohol off.”
He mutters something then moans in a protest.
I go to pull him off Riggs but he shakes his head. He re loops Austin’s floppy arm round his neck and holds him close to his side with his arm and walks him upstairs to his bedroom.
I take that as my moment to check him out before my eyes land on his firm, peachy ass. Boots, jeans, shirt and his a jacket. A signature look, but so Riggs. He is every bit a ranch boy, but he is my ranch boy.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
RIGGS
“There we go buddy,” I groan as I lay Austin down on his bed. He mutters something incoherent and I smirk.
“Riggs? Is everything okay?” I look over my shoulder at Blue’s voice as she appears in his room, her head twisting between me and Austin. Concern laces her voice, but I soon smooth any feelings of uneasiness away. I don’t want her worrying.
“Yes ma’am, Austin had a bit too much to drink so I helped him into bed.”
I hear her tut and watch her eyes roll.
“He will have a sore head tomorrow,” she says softly, her eyes pinned to a softly snoring Austin.
“He sure will,” I chuckle as I step a little closer to the door and I catch her gaze.
“You’re a good friend and a good man Riggs Rivera.” Her thin lips spread in front of her teeth as she smiles at me, her head tilting slightly and her eyes are filled with adoration.
“My children are lucky to have you,” she says as she walks towards me and places her hand on my heart.
“And I’m lucky to have them too,” I snort a gentle laugh as she pats me a few times on the chest.
“Always look after each other, never turn your backs or hurt one another.” She gives her motherly advice and I listen intently, and I somehow get the feeling she doesn’t know what happened before Aspen up and left all those years ago. “And look after our girl.”
I swallow. My throat bobbing as my eyes widen and I clear my throat to try to move whatever has suddenly lodged there.
“She deserves the world Riggs. She won’t cope with any more hurt in her life, so if your feelings for her are not genuine then let her go, because she deserves her happily ever after; you both do.” And on that last warning note, she walks out the room and leaves me standing in the room with a snoring Austin behind me.
“Come on Buck, let’s get to bed,” my head follows the noise and I watch as she waits at the top of the stairs, and within moments, Buck is there. His arm wrapping around her waist as they both talk quietly amongst themselves and slip into their bedroom.
My heart drums in my chest.
Was that a blessing or a threat?
I turn back to face Austin and suddenly, mixed emotions consume me.
When I finally manage to walk back downstairs, the house is pretty much in darkness except for Aspen’s nightlights. My heart sinks, but I continue to search for her and it doesn’t take me long to find her.
She is leaning across the kitchen countertop tucking into a freshly baked blueberry pie.
