Page 8 of Reckless
Married.I just shrug. “Married for now, maybe.”
I’m persistent. And this girl wasn’t staring at me like a married woman. Not a happily married one anyway.
It’s Rhett’s voice that draws our attention to the sprawling wrap-around porch attached to the huge ranch house. “Yeah, don’t worry, Winter. We’re gonna free you from that husband and bury him in the back field. It’ll be like that Dixie Chicks song. Rob is the new Earl.”
Winter.
Winter, as in Summer’s sister? Fuck, that’s a stupid combination of names for two sisters. They should hate their parents instead of each other, if you ask me.
I glance back at the woman before me, about six feet away. Everyone has described her as cold and distant. A real ice-queen.
I’ve heard the stories. The drama. They’ve made her sound like some sort of criminal mastermind. But all I see is a firecracker who needs my help to work out some aggression.
And I wouldn’t be mad at helping her with that. Not even a little. I’m philanthropic that way.
Winter rubs her temples like she has a headache. I consider offering her an aspirin from my truck, or an orgasm. I hear those help too.
“You’re lucky you make my little sister so happy, Eaton,” she says, sounding utterly exhausted.
Rhett hums good-naturedly, his eyes taking on that melty, drugged look he gets when people so much as mention Summer. But he doesn’t address that; instead, he says, “Theo’s just a baby though. You can’t corrupt him, Winter.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not a baby. I’m twenty-six.”
Rhett scoffs. “No, you aren’t. You’re twenty-two.”
Good god. Does he think he knows my age better than I do?
“Dude. I was twenty-two when I first met you on the circuit. I’ve gotten older. You’re doing the same thing my mom does with her pets. They hit a certain age and then she says that they’re that same age until one day they just die.”
He chuckles. “Well, I’ll be. You’re like that store with the skimpy dresses. Forever 22.”
I prop my hands on my hips and sigh with a bemused twist to my mouth. “Yeah. You’re definitely getting old. That store is called Forever 21.”
Rhett just waves me off. “Whatever. I only know about the skimpy dresses.”
“Are you two done? I need a drink if I’m going to stay here all night,” Winter cuts in, clearly irritated by the route our conversation has taken. Though Rhett’s interruption did successfully put a stop to our little spat.
Sadly. I was enjoying sparring with her. She can hold her own in a way I haven’t encountered in any of my relationships.
If that’s even what you could call them.
“Ah, yes, Winter, meet my protégé Theo Silva. Theo, meet Doctor Winter Hamilton, my future sister-in-la—”
“Winter Valentine,” she interrupts him with a stiff correction.
“For now,” I add, winking at her. Because now that I know who she is, I don’t feel so bad about making my play. I know who her husband is. And I already know I don’t give a fuck about that guy.
I already know Winter can do better.
And I’m a lot better, whether she realizes it yet or not.
She gives me the most dramatic eye roll and walks in my direction. I stick my hand out—because Mama raised a gentleman—but she just walks past, glaring at me with eyes bright blue like the bottom of a flame. I turn my head to hold her gaze as she draws even with me, shoulder to shoulder.
She doesn’t take my hand though. So, I roll with it, swiping my hand through my hair with a wink.
The same wink I gave her at the gas station.
Our little secret.
