Page 75 of Wrangled Up

“And Christian?”

“He’s always been a quick study.”

“So he’s your favorite?”

Letty’s eyes gleamed with mirth. “Christian has his flaws. Loving Claire isn’t one of them.”

A hollow ache took up residence in Tucker’s gut. He didn’t want to be second. They should be on even playing ground. Afterall, he intended to take care of Claire in every way Christian did.

“What is his flaw?” Tucker asked, because he didn’t see it. The man drove him crazy with want and obviously did the same for the woman they shared.

Letty rose from the chair noiselessly. “Stubborn man doesn’t like my cookin’.”

Tucker tilted his head. Yeah, he could see that. Christian was a beer and dog kind of guy. Still, if his only downfall was his stupid pride wouldn’t let him accept Tucker’s money and he didn’t rave about Letty’s cooking, then Tucker needed to step up his game quite a bit.

He pushed his chair back and gathered up his empty plate and coffee cup. He took them to the sink. He’d best get on with his day if he intended to start making it up to Claire.

Maybe it was time to tame that wild part of himself that longed to run and run from his emotions. Claire—and Christian—deserved it.

Outside, he strode across the yard to the barn. Fog hung around the property in patches, giving the whole place a storybook feel. As he rolled the heavy wood door open, he thought about owning this fairy tale he’d started. Successful ranch, land he loved, andpeople to share his passions with. Heather hadn’t been part of his happily ever after, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take another.

His boot heels thudded on the barn boards as he made his way from stall to stall. His horses were all in good health, though he kicked himself for not putting mare and stallion together so they could have a few new foals in the spring. He’d fucked up, but he didn’t intend to do it again.

The crunch of dirt under a heel made him glance up at the door. Silhouetted by the early light and fog was a tall figure that couldn’t be anyone besides Dale.

“What the hell you want this early?” Tucker asked, turning his attention back to the chestnut mare with the white star on her nose. The horse nuzzled his hand and he scratched her ears lovingly.

“Swinging by to see about that alpaca for Darcy. She’s whipped into a lather about showing it.”

“That so?” Claire would be heartbroken when she learned that the animal she’d spent weeks readying for the fair actually was slated to be shown by someone else.

Dale stepped into the barn. “I noticed last time we were here that the little gal of yours has the alpaca all ready for the show.”

“Because she plans to show it,” Tucker ground out.

“Oh, I see. So you’re going against your word again? Didn’t you promise to take care of Boomerang so my sister can win the blue ribbon?”

Darcy actually was excited to gain the notoriety of winning her favored category in the big county fair. Helping a girl who lived her life under her father’s and brother’s thumbs was important to Tucker. But Claire was more important.

“I heard there’s a beautiful alpaca up for auction next week. Why don’t we let Darcy show it?”

Dale strode closer. Occasionally he paused at a stall to hold his hand out to a horse, but none of them even sniffed his hand. Tucker’s horses knew good from bad.

“You plan to pay for a new alpaca for my sister?”

“Sure.” He could buy her a whole herd and still have plenty of money left tocomfortably run his ranch and pamper his two lovers.

“That easy, huh?” Dale fondled a worn leather bridle hanging from a nail. He caressed it for a long minute then suddenly stretched the leather taut until it snapped in two.

Anger bubbled in Tucker’s chest. He faced his cousin, legs braced wide, ready to show him once and for all to keep his hands off his belongings. He eyed the broken leather in Dale’s hand. “What the fuck do you really want, Dale?”

“Well…” He dropped the bridle. “We each have something we want. What if you sign these papers and Darcy forgets about Boomerang?”

Tucker shook his head. Was the man flaming nuts? Tucker’s horses and water resources were much more important and valuable than a funny-looking, pink-anklet-wearing alpaca.

Claire will be devastated.

“No deal.”

---