Page 55 of Blackwood

“I’m sorry.” I clasped my hands together. “I wasn’t sure about you, and I …” What else could I say?

“Well, are you sure now?”

“Yes.” I said it easily, no holding back. “All cards on the table.”

Garrett narrowed his eyes. “No more secrets.”

I nodded as regret settled on me like a fine ash. “I promise. You know everything. I swear. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

He seemed to relax a little, then glanced to Hart. “A beetle researcher? What else have you fallen for while you’ve been away?”

Hart grinned. “Well there was this one chick who said she was on the pill, but—”

“What?” Garrett barked.

I breathed a sigh of relief that he’d turned his ire on Hart instead of me.

Hart laughed. “I’m just dicking with you. Calm down. There’ll be no little Blackwoods running around anytime soon. Promise.” He glanced to me. “Unless there’s something you’ve forgotten to tell me.”

“Such an asshole.” Garrett gave a grudging smile and wrapped his arm around Hart’s neck. Both men were large, Hart’s thicker frame complementing Garrett’s more wiry one. “About time you came home to visit.”

I stepped around them and headed for the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Garrett asked.

“I figured you two wanted some, you know, brother time?” I hesitated on the bottom stair.

Garrett released Hart. “Go in the kitchen. There’s some leftover baked chicken and green beans in the fridge.”

“Are you shitting me? Real food in the house?” He glanced at me. “I’m still not sure who you are, but thanks for cooking.”

I pointed to Garrett. “Actually, he cooked it.”

“Well fuck me running.” Hart bounded down the hallway, the promise of food the only lure he needed.

Garrett walked over to me and cupped the back of my neck. “You think I’d let you get away that easy?”

God, when he said things like that, it was all I could do to not curl my toes. “I-I don’t know.”

He leaned closer, his lips at my ear. “I forgive you, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be punishment.”

A tingle shot up my spine. “Garrett—”

“No way out of it, Red. Not unless you call black.” He released my neck. “Now, let’s go get you reacquainted with my brother. Then I want to see the photos you mentioned. We’ll save the punishment for when he’s out of the house.”

“Okay.”Did I just agree to punishment?

“Go on now.”

I walked past him and yelped when he gave me a firm smack on the ass.

He wrapped his arm around my waist. “Couldn’t resist getting a head start.”

“Let me see your leg.” Hart plopped down next to me on the couch.

“Excuse me?” I gawked at him.

Garrett, Hart, and I had spent the morning getting up to speed on my surveying project and the issues surrounding my father’s disappearance. Hart had taken it well, far better than I could have hoped. Of the two brothers, the younger one was far more easygoing, and I couldn’t see the dominance that Garrett hinted lived beneath Hart’s surface.

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