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I should’ve known he’d want to know who.Dammit!Lying would be stupid, considering we were in my childhood homeand my family were everywhere. Jake would eventually find out how close Cade and I were. Maybe that was why I hadn’t pushed him harder to come home with me. Because I’d needed time to nurture our relationship before he learned Cade had been my everything. I wouldn’t want Jake to feel threatened by my old boyfriend.
It’d been eleven years since Cade and I had been together.
More than a decade.
I’d moved on, and so had he. Jake had nothing to worry about…
“Shelby? Who?” His voice snapped me out of my mental ramblings.
“Oh. Sorry. Just my high school boyfriend. We passed his farm along the way. We used to study up here. He always had trouble with history. It was his worst subject.”Shut up, Shelby! Jake doesn’t have to know everything!
“Is that right? I’d have trouble with history too, if it got me alone with you. Especially in your bedroom. Now tell me, did he pass his class?” He pulled me into his arms and kissed me hungrily. His hands traveled over my bottom and gripped both cheeks.
A fire sparked inside me, one always primed for ignition. I wasn’t ashamed to admit I was a needy girl. Sometimes desperate for attention and affection. So when Jake showed an interest, I took advantage of it.
I hooked my arms around his neck and we fell onto my bed, kissing like the world was ending.
“Fuck, I want you,” he growled into my mouth. His hand went between my thighs, searching for my clit. I jolted with excitement when he found it and rubbed firmly.
“Yes, oh, yes,” I whispered and raised my pelvis to help him reach the spot better. I could totally go for a quickie before dinner.
“Hey, Shell?” My sister, Liv, knocked at the door.
We instantly froze. Jake growled low and jabbed his erection into my thigh to let me know he was ready.
“Yeah?” I tried not to giggle, knowing it would piss him off.
“Mom wants you to know the Norris’s are having dinner with us,” Olivia shouted, her voice dripping with amusement. She was such a brat. “Be down by six.”
I shoved Jake off me and flew off the bed in a panic, and swung the door open. Olivia’s attention shifted to behind me at Jake.
“Sorry to interrupt y’all.” A shit-eating grin stretched across her face.
“No problem,” Jake replied as he sat on the bed.
My face burned hot as glowing coals on the barbecue as I glared at her. “Ron and Kris are coming to dinner?”
“Yup. They can’t wait to see you. Cade, too.”
I pushed Liv into the hallway and closed the door so Jake couldn’t hear us. “Please tell me you’re just trying to get a rise out of me. Cade’s not really coming.”
“Sorry, sis. He is.” She grimaced as she registered my displeased reaction. Duh, why would I be happy about Cade coming to dinner? She had to have known what this news would do to me, but in true Liv form, she got great pleasure out of watching me squirm.
My stomach leapt into my throat as I choked out, “Why?” How could I get out of this situation? Why couldn’t I have one peaceful evening with my family? My heart galloped like a herd of wild horses, trying to escape captivity. I knew I’d see him this weekend, but did it have to be within hours of my arrival? “Why did Mom invite them? We just got here.”
“Jeez, Shell. They’re like family. How could she not invite them?” Liv grabbed a hold of my biceps. “You need to get a grip. It’s only dinner with old friends, and your ex.”
“You bitch,” I hissed through my teeth. “You’re not funny.”
“Not trying to be. You should’ve expected this.” She laughed to herself as she went downstairs.
I glared at my bratty baby sister.This can’t be happening.
Just then, Jake opened the bedroom door. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”
“The Norris’s are coming for dinner.” I pushed him back into the room and closed the door. Wringing my hands together, I went to peek out the window. There were a lot more cattle on Cade’s ranch than a couple of years ago. I’d heard Ron had been reducing his stock because he couldn’t manage everything alone. But it appeared now that Cade had returned, they were building their numbers back up. I guessed he wasn’t planning on leaving again…
“And Cade is your ex.” It wasn’t a question, and he sounded annoyed.
