Page 56 of Rancher's Pride

“Toots, you passed out in my arms, mid-kiss.” The rumble growing in his chest was the laughter I hadn’t heard from him for a few days. “I carried you to the truck, and you fell over as soon as I started driving.” His laughter made me smile, and I deeply wished I could have remembered that kiss. Although I was barely eighteen, so it probably wasn’t appropriate. AllI’ve ever wanted to do is spend my life kissing Nash Powers.

“You laid in my lap all the way home. I stroked your hair, listened to you snore and had the most memorable drive home I’ve had in my life.”

“Wait,” I said, sitting up, turning to face him, crossing my legs under me. “The next morning, I woke up in my room. How did you get me in the house?” My eyes were locked on him, and even in the dimly lit room, I could see his eyes dancing with laughter.

He set his hand on my thigh and smiled. “That didn’t go as planned. Your dad was awake because of the commotion Kipp had made so as I snuck in the door off the back patio he was standing there arms crossed, looking larger than life, glaring at me.” Nash laughed loudly and I imagined he was thinking back to what my father looked like.

“Nash Powers, what are you doing with my daughter?” Nash imitated my father’s booming voice.

“What did you say?” I asked on the edge of my seat.

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. “Well, there were a million things running through my head, but I told him the truth. I said I’d found you at the party and knew there’d be trouble if Kipp found you, so I brought you home after all the other kids were safe.” Leaning back again, he smiled before looking over at me.

“He wasn’t mad. I think he was just thankful you’d made it home safely, and you weren’t in trouble in some field. You do owe me, though.”

“Owe you for what? From the sounds of it, you took advantage of me and got me in hot water with my dad.” How I said it with a straight face I’ll never know, but the man beside me sat up, stuck straight and arched his brow.

“I saved you from your over protective brute of a brother. If I’d known you’d be this much trouble, I would have let him at you.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to lie on his chest.

“Well then, I suppose I owe you a thank you.” I slid my hand down his chest to the top of his boxer briefs.

Nash’s groan sent shivers to my core, but he put his hand over mine. “Toots, I’ve waited this long to be paid back. Can I take a rain check and wait until I can fully appreciate it?” His voice was filled with exhaustion and I couldn’t even be disappointed that he wanted to wait.

“I suppose.” Sighing, I draped my leg across his and snuggled right up next to him.

“Don’t worry, by morning I’ll be ready,” he said before he slapped my ass, making me jump.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

FALLON

Awoman’s voice made me stop in the entryway of the house. Nash hadn’t been expecting anyone, and I was sure he would have told me if someone had shown up. Kicking my shoes off and hanging up my coat, I grabbed the bags of groceries and walked into the living room and froze in my tracks.

“Violet?” I stared at the woman before me and blinked.

“Fallon.” Her cool tone set me on edge more than I had expected. She’d never been my biggest fan for some reason, but the feeling was mutual.

“Where’s Nash?” I asked as I looked around for his boots and jacket.

“Oh, he stepped out. Something was happening in the barn. I told him I was more than happy to watchmy granddaughter.” She smoothed Josie’s hair down and shifted her on her lap.

“Where’s Lottie?” I dropped the bag of groceries.

She waved her hand in the direction of the hallway, scoffing. “In her room, I think she's not my granddaughter, so I wasn’t worried about her.”

Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I was instantly in fight mode. “Josie, please go to your room for a few minutes. I need to talk to Violet.” I tried to keep my voice collected, but I was gritting my teeth so hard I was sure one of them was going to crack.

Josie hopped off Violet’s lap and skipped to her room. Thankfully, we both were smart enough to stay silent until the door to her room closed.

I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it. “So you finally got your hooks into him?” She stood and crossed her arms, her eyes glaring at me. “I sent you packing five years ago and I can’t fathom why you’re here now?” She put her hands to her head, grabbing her hair like she was going to pull it out.

“You had the perfect life. Married to a man who didn’t question why Josie didn’t look like him. The heir to an amazing horse breeding legacy, so he tossed you around a bit. What men don’t? Weak ones, that's who.”

“I think you’ve got that backward Vi. Real men don’t hit the women in their lives. The only real man you’ve ever known you walked away from. What does that say about you?” Fred wouldn’t ever lift his hand toa woman and I’d been around him enough throughout my life to state that as fact. He also raised Nash to be respectful, and I needed to thank him for that the next time I saw him.

“And if by hooks you mean I got pregnant, and he’s happy to be Josie’s father and a father to Lottie, then yes I suppose so.” Taking a few steps toward her I stared into the face of a woman I’d once trusted, once thought of as a second mother and I didn’t recognize the old spiteful woman before me.

“All the years I could have been with him, all the happy years we could have spent together were ruined by you pretending that me going out and exploring the world was best for me, when what was best for me was to be with Nash.” My chin quivered, but I wasn’t going to allow tears to fall. This woman didn’t deserve to know how hurt I was.

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