Page 71 of Wrangled Up

“If you had, you’d be feeling it now.” Something about Christian’s comment cast a net of charged silence over them.

“That’s the thing I need, you know,” Tucker said, his words only slightly slurred.

“What’s that?” Christian fought the rising need in him—a desire to run.

“I need to feel something different from the old pain.”

A few raindrops struck the windshield and ran down like tears. Christian stared at them, taking in what his friend was trying to say.

“In other words, you’re causing yourself new pains to wipe out the old.”

Tucker’s eyes glistened. “Somethin’ like that.”

“Man, you can throw yourself off bridges, ravines or a horse’s back. Go full tilt on your path to self-destruction. But. Do. Not. Take. Claire. With. You.”

A little voice in the back of Christian’s head cried,“Or me.”But he didn’t say it. If Tucker harbored an ounce of emotion for him, he would hear the bell toll loud and clear.

Christian put the truck into gear. “You might want to think about this, man.”

Tucker’s voice was fogged. “What’s that?”

“Know what they do with horses that can’t be tamed?”

Tucker turned his face to the window, and his silence meant he understood that Christian and Claire could cut him loose. Forever.

Christian stared through the drops of rain, unwilling to release his blurred look at the world just yet. Finally, on the main highway, a car’s headlights hit the water, and Christian turned on the wipers. Across the space, he glanced at Tucker, who was rubbing his thigh muscle gingerly as if it was bruised.

Yeah, it was time for Tucker to get his head out of his ass. And Christian intended to do just that—then later replace it with something equally as hard until Tucker screamed with release.

* * * * *

Claire’s uniform felt sticky with the residue of a soda a child had spilled all over her during the lunch rush. While Claire had mopped at the little girl’s mess, the mother had filled her ears with a stream of consciousness outburst about the mess in the house and how her lazy kids and husband didn’t help.

By the time Claire had the mess sopped up, the child was in tears and Claire was ready to toss the soaking cloth in the mother’s lap.

With a sigh, she rubbed a palm over the front of her dress. Her shift couldn’t have ended too soon. Tourists and hunters were demanding and the locals edgy as a result. But she couldn’t have escaped even if she’d wanted, as she’d left the car to Letty. Her aunt was meeting with the church gals to begin preparations for a big hunter’s breakfast that earned their parish a sizable sum.

This morning, Christian had dropped Claire at the diner and instead of turning toward the ranch, he’d headed in the direction of town. Probably the Quickie Mart and two chili dogs, she mused.

She leaned against the open back door of the kitchen and stared across the rolling land. The road swirled through the fields like chocolate through ice cream. Soon that decadent strip of asphalt would bring one of her lovers.

Even as she thought this, Tucker’s yellow truck appeared around a bend. At the sight, she squirmed. He still hadn’t gotten the body fixed after her fury with the baseball bat, andshe harbored an extreme amount of guilt over it. A moment of madness that she’d never before allowed to rule her.

And never would again. If Tucker walked away, she’d have to accept it, just as she had these past weeks.

As the truck drew closer, she spotted a smiling face in the passenger’s seat. Her heart did a lazy flip. ChristianandTucker come to fetch her. Surely, she was Cinderella being swept up by two rugged princes.

With a suppressed squeal, she bounced across the parking lot to greet them. Christian hopped out before the truck finished its forward roll. “Hey, pretty lady. You need a lift?”

“Why, thank ya, sir.” She planted a foot on the gleaming silver pipe serving as a foothold and launched herself across the leather bench seat. Straight into Tucker’s waiting arms.

He gathered her close, nose buried in her hair. She trembled a little, still unaccustomed to his nearness. The door closed, and at her back, she felt Christian’s heat. It scorched her spine and spread rapid-fire through her limbs. Her pussy throbbed in time to her heart.

Tucker hooked a finger under her jaw and raised her head for a kiss. The hard claim of his lips addled her brain. Christian groaned, his hands roaming over her sides, up to cup her breasts through her sticky dress.

“My turn,” he said roughly.

Tearing his mouth away, breathing hard, Tucker stared into her eyes for a long heartbeat. The things she saw there—passion and wanting, mixed with a question. A hesitancy. Did he believe she’d hurt him?

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