[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
I m not jerking anybody around. She just won t take the hint. Brett dragged his hand through his
hair and glanced at the other side of the pool. When he spotted Cade locked inside a circle of half-naked
girls, he grinned. Do you even know those broads? he asked Mitch, pointing across the pool.
Mitch shrugged. They re over eighteen. That s all I care about.
They sat by the pool for a while, shooting the breeze. By the time Cade and Tommy came over to join
them, Brett had eaten two hot dogs and a hamburger. Between the food and the warm night, he was
completely at ease, even when Cade took a seat beside him.
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Ava Rose Johnson
You looked like you were having fun, he noted, gesturing to the gaggle of babes standing by the
pool.
Ah, you know me. Cade flashed a grin. Can t hold em off.
So you guys are doing okay now, Mitch said after he d downed his fifth beer in an hour. Saw you
through the window of Delia s last night. Looked pretty cozy to me.
Brett froze at the insinuation but Cade laughed it off.
Easy, Mitch. We re trying to play it cool here.
Mitch snickered and punched Brett in the arm. See? He ain t so bad, is he?
Brett tried to relax but a knot of tension was growing in his stomach. Brett kept his eyes on the pool as
Cade rose to his feet.
I m going to find some food, Cade said. Maybe some beer to go with it.
And some women too, Mitch shouted after him. As the guys hooted and hollered at Cade, Brett
lifted his head. If there was one thing Cade could do, it was play straight.
Hey, guys, Mitch said, drawing everyone s attention. He got to his feet and nodded his head toward
the man who was headed their way. This is my cousin Rick. He hooked his arm around Rick s shoulder
and went through the introductions. Rick s folks moved out of town twenty years back.
Brett shook the guy s hand as he took the seat Cade had vacated.
Your family runs Steeplecrest Ranch, Rick said as he set his beer bottle between his feet. I worked
up there for a couple of summers.
Really? Brett narrowed his eyes, searching his mind for a Rick. Can t say I remember you.
Well, your grandfather took on a few of us kids every summer.
Brett nodded, thinking of Old Man Miller. Did you know him well?
Well enough to know he didn t care what anyone thought of him.
Brett laughed. Though he d always been very fond of his grandfather growing up, the man s views on
the world had always been extreme and he hadn t conformed to one bit of political correctness, laughing it
off as horseshit. He d been a stickler for religion, for old-fashioned morals. Brett could still hear him
ranting about his pet hates working women, alcoholics and faggots.
The breath caught in his throat as his grandfather s words ran through his mind. He could just imagine
what the old man would have to say about him and Cade. Lord knows he would have rather seen his
grandson fall off a horse and break his neck than cross a line like the one he was crossing with Cade.
But it doesn t matter what he thinks, a voice at the back of Brett s mind told him as he struggled to get
his grandfather s face out of his head. The man had been dead a good fifteen years. His opinion wasn t
worth dust anymore.
Knew your dad too, Rick continued. He was a good man. Always made sure we got paid well.
126 www.samhainpublishing.com
Coming Home
Brett nodded wordlessly. Unlike his old man s, Henry Miller s nature had always been easygoing.
He d never been one to throw stones and had raised Brett to be open-minded. But Brett knew in his gut that
if he d ever brought a guy home he d have been lucky to see Steeplecrest Ranch again.
As his stomach twisted nastily, Brett got up. I m gonna get another drink, he muttered. He headed
inside the house, fast as his legs could carry him. The kitchen was covered in trash but at least it was
empty. He held onto the worktop and tried to stop thinking.
The sound of the door opening had his body tensing further. He straightened and then stiffened again
when Cade s voice filled the room.
Thought I saw you come in here. His footsteps on the tiled floor echoed as he approached. Having
a good time?
Brett felt every muscle in his body lock together as Cade stepped even closer. The heat of the man s
body crowded Brett and a claustrophobic sensation constricted his throat. He needed air. He needed to get
out.
Who was the guy you were talking to out there? Cade asked.
Brett shook his head, afraid to turn around and look into Cade s eyes. His dad would never have let
himself get caught up in something like this.
Hey. Cade put a hand on Brett s shoulder. You okay?
He shuddered and forced himself to turn around. When he looked at Cade the guy s eyes filled with
concern.
Jesus, you look bad, Brett, he said, putting his free hand on Brett s other shoulder.
That s how Rick found them when he walked into the kitchen. Cade dropped his hands straight away
but the damage had been done.
Rick s brows lifted in surprise. Sorry, guys, he said, backing out of the kitchen. The door closed
behind him and Brett felt his insides clench. He looked Cade square in the eyes, feeling raw anger hurtle
through his veins. He could barely sort his thoughts from his emotions but he was damn sure of one thing.
The buck stopped with Cade. If Cade hadn t hung around after the funeral and weaseled his way
underneath his skin, Brett would still be fucking Mary-goddamn-Ellen or some other chick who wouldn t
tie him down. What the fuck had they started? How had it started?
The worry in Cade s blue eyes sickened him further. Needing to get the hell out, he pushed past Cade
and strode to the front door. In the yard, he sucked in a breath of cool air and shuddered. He felt hot and
cold at the same time, clammy as if he d just thrown his lungs up. Rick knew. Mitch s cousin. Before the
end of the night they d all know. They d all fucking know.
He heard Cade s boots thudding down the porch steps behind him and spun around to face him.
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Ava Rose Johnson
It was Dixie, he spat out, realization slicing through him. He tugged his Stetson from his head and
pointed it accusingly at Cade. You waited until something shit happened and then you He cut off, not
knowing how to even finish that sentence without keeling over.
Cade approached slowly and then stopped and raised his hands when Brett backed up to the car. I
know you re mad, Brett, but just because Rick saw us like that doesn t mean
Shut up, Brett barked, putting up his hand. Just shut the hell up. He scrubbed a hand over his face, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
I m not jerking anybody around. She just won t take the hint. Brett dragged his hand through his
hair and glanced at the other side of the pool. When he spotted Cade locked inside a circle of half-naked
girls, he grinned. Do you even know those broads? he asked Mitch, pointing across the pool.
Mitch shrugged. They re over eighteen. That s all I care about.
They sat by the pool for a while, shooting the breeze. By the time Cade and Tommy came over to join
them, Brett had eaten two hot dogs and a hamburger. Between the food and the warm night, he was
completely at ease, even when Cade took a seat beside him.
www.samhainpublishing.com 125
Ava Rose Johnson
You looked like you were having fun, he noted, gesturing to the gaggle of babes standing by the
pool.
Ah, you know me. Cade flashed a grin. Can t hold em off.
So you guys are doing okay now, Mitch said after he d downed his fifth beer in an hour. Saw you
through the window of Delia s last night. Looked pretty cozy to me.
Brett froze at the insinuation but Cade laughed it off.
Easy, Mitch. We re trying to play it cool here.
Mitch snickered and punched Brett in the arm. See? He ain t so bad, is he?
Brett tried to relax but a knot of tension was growing in his stomach. Brett kept his eyes on the pool as
Cade rose to his feet.
I m going to find some food, Cade said. Maybe some beer to go with it.
And some women too, Mitch shouted after him. As the guys hooted and hollered at Cade, Brett
lifted his head. If there was one thing Cade could do, it was play straight.
Hey, guys, Mitch said, drawing everyone s attention. He got to his feet and nodded his head toward
the man who was headed their way. This is my cousin Rick. He hooked his arm around Rick s shoulder
and went through the introductions. Rick s folks moved out of town twenty years back.
Brett shook the guy s hand as he took the seat Cade had vacated.
Your family runs Steeplecrest Ranch, Rick said as he set his beer bottle between his feet. I worked
up there for a couple of summers.
Really? Brett narrowed his eyes, searching his mind for a Rick. Can t say I remember you.
Well, your grandfather took on a few of us kids every summer.
Brett nodded, thinking of Old Man Miller. Did you know him well?
Well enough to know he didn t care what anyone thought of him.
Brett laughed. Though he d always been very fond of his grandfather growing up, the man s views on
the world had always been extreme and he hadn t conformed to one bit of political correctness, laughing it
off as horseshit. He d been a stickler for religion, for old-fashioned morals. Brett could still hear him
ranting about his pet hates working women, alcoholics and faggots.
The breath caught in his throat as his grandfather s words ran through his mind. He could just imagine
what the old man would have to say about him and Cade. Lord knows he would have rather seen his
grandson fall off a horse and break his neck than cross a line like the one he was crossing with Cade.
But it doesn t matter what he thinks, a voice at the back of Brett s mind told him as he struggled to get
his grandfather s face out of his head. The man had been dead a good fifteen years. His opinion wasn t
worth dust anymore.
Knew your dad too, Rick continued. He was a good man. Always made sure we got paid well.
126 www.samhainpublishing.com
Coming Home
Brett nodded wordlessly. Unlike his old man s, Henry Miller s nature had always been easygoing.
He d never been one to throw stones and had raised Brett to be open-minded. But Brett knew in his gut that
if he d ever brought a guy home he d have been lucky to see Steeplecrest Ranch again.
As his stomach twisted nastily, Brett got up. I m gonna get another drink, he muttered. He headed
inside the house, fast as his legs could carry him. The kitchen was covered in trash but at least it was
empty. He held onto the worktop and tried to stop thinking.
The sound of the door opening had his body tensing further. He straightened and then stiffened again
when Cade s voice filled the room.
Thought I saw you come in here. His footsteps on the tiled floor echoed as he approached. Having
a good time?
Brett felt every muscle in his body lock together as Cade stepped even closer. The heat of the man s
body crowded Brett and a claustrophobic sensation constricted his throat. He needed air. He needed to get
out.
Who was the guy you were talking to out there? Cade asked.
Brett shook his head, afraid to turn around and look into Cade s eyes. His dad would never have let
himself get caught up in something like this.
Hey. Cade put a hand on Brett s shoulder. You okay?
He shuddered and forced himself to turn around. When he looked at Cade the guy s eyes filled with
concern.
Jesus, you look bad, Brett, he said, putting his free hand on Brett s other shoulder.
That s how Rick found them when he walked into the kitchen. Cade dropped his hands straight away
but the damage had been done.
Rick s brows lifted in surprise. Sorry, guys, he said, backing out of the kitchen. The door closed
behind him and Brett felt his insides clench. He looked Cade square in the eyes, feeling raw anger hurtle
through his veins. He could barely sort his thoughts from his emotions but he was damn sure of one thing.
The buck stopped with Cade. If Cade hadn t hung around after the funeral and weaseled his way
underneath his skin, Brett would still be fucking Mary-goddamn-Ellen or some other chick who wouldn t
tie him down. What the fuck had they started? How had it started?
The worry in Cade s blue eyes sickened him further. Needing to get the hell out, he pushed past Cade
and strode to the front door. In the yard, he sucked in a breath of cool air and shuddered. He felt hot and
cold at the same time, clammy as if he d just thrown his lungs up. Rick knew. Mitch s cousin. Before the
end of the night they d all know. They d all fucking know.
He heard Cade s boots thudding down the porch steps behind him and spun around to face him.
www.samhainpublishing.com 127
Ava Rose Johnson
It was Dixie, he spat out, realization slicing through him. He tugged his Stetson from his head and
pointed it accusingly at Cade. You waited until something shit happened and then you He cut off, not
knowing how to even finish that sentence without keeling over.
Cade approached slowly and then stopped and raised his hands when Brett backed up to the car. I
know you re mad, Brett, but just because Rick saw us like that doesn t mean
Shut up, Brett barked, putting up his hand. Just shut the hell up. He scrubbed a hand over his face, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]