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Wade watched Brielle barreling toward him, her face paler than he’d ever seen it before in his life. Immediately, he knew something was wrong. And it had everything to do with the arrival of that Jeep.
The second she reached him, she grabbed his upper arms. Her fingers dug into his flesh hard enough he wouldn’t have been surprised if she had bruised him. “I know you don’t have any reason to trust me or to go along with any of this. I get that asking you a favor would be really bad—”
“What is it?” he demanded. His heart had started racing, and internally he was preparing for a fight. “Did that man—do something to you?” Just the thought of someone hurting her put him at odds with himself. He had a past. It was something he’d gone to great lengths to rid himself of. Shane had helped with that after making a mess of things with his cousin, but to Wade, it would always haunt him. Even as he worried how a fight might turn out, he knew he wouldn’t regret it for a second if it helped Brielle handle something bigger than herself.
Her eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently. “But I can’t tell you right now. I need to use your ranch.”
Confusion flickered across Wade’s face. “I’m sorry,what?” He hadn’t expectedthatrequest. His eyes darted to the stranger and back again.
“Your ranch. I need a place to go that will be okay for me to discuss… something. Do you think you could give that to me?”
“Of course, but—”
Brielle threw her arms around his neck, and he stumbled back a step. Once again, she’d thrown him off. Even during their dates, she’d refused to kiss him. And now she was giving him hugs and touching him in ways that made his blood simmer. Brielle met his eyes, her own eyes filled with relief. “Thank you so much.” Then she was off, scampering back to the Jeep without looking back.
She climbed into the Jeep and then waved him over.
Unsure, Wade hovered where he was.
Brielle motioned for him to come toward her. “We’ll meet you there, okay?”
“Okay?” He watched the stranger turn the car around and head out the way he’d come.
Still stunned, Wade watched until the Jeep was out of sight. Then he jumped into action. What would his siblings say if they saw Brielle drive up to the house with another man? He’d never hear the end of it.
Geez! Why did he have to go and tell Brielle that she could use his home when it came to another guy who looked like he came straight off the set of a movie?
In three quick strides, he was back at his truck. And in no time, he was on the road, heading home.
Hopefully, this guy was someone inconsequential.
But based on Wade’s current luck, he might as well throw in the towel on ever getting Brielle to accept his offer of a date. His only chance that this would work out was the fact that she didn’t hug the guy, nor did she appear thrilled to see him.
Perhaps he could use that to his benefit.
By the time he pulled onto the property, he was greeted with a mess.
Brielle stood with her guest beside the Jeep in an apparent standoff with the oldest of his younger brothers. Lucas and Elijah stood on the porch, each holding a hunting rifle aimed at the stranger.
To Brielle’s credit, she was shouting at them to put their weapons away and to stop being idiots. They didn’t even lower the guns when they noticed Wade had arrived.
Lucas adjusted his rifle against his shoulder. “Who’s this?” he demanded as he waved the gun at the man they didn’t know.
Wade walked around to the front of his truck and leaned against it. He shrugged, then set his untrusting gaze on the man in question. Brielle glanced back at him, completely panicked. No longer was she the lioness ready to take down his brothers. She was practically cowering. Wade’s insides pitched and his instincts forced him to move forward. “Okay, guys. Leave us be. I’ll handle this.”
Elijah lowered his weapon, but Lucas hesitated. His darkened gaze bounced from Wade to the stranger and back again.
Wade nodded. “It’s fine. Just go.” He watched them take their leave, then waited for Brielle to make the first move. She wasn’t meeting his gaze, and her friend wasn’t saying anything either. The three of them just stood there like a bunch of cattle chewing their cud.
Well, he didn’t have time for any of this. “Brielle—”
“I’m so sorry,” she blurted.
The Australian glanced over to Wade, then back to Brielle. “Is he—are you two involved?”
“You could say that,” Wade said.
But at the same time, Brielle shook her head. “No.”
