back?”
“It could be days before we can get back into town. You can’t stay.”
“I am staying. Is he in his room yet?”
“Not yet. It’ll be a while before he’s out of recovery.” Her men crowded around her. The heat from their bodies, their closeness, gave her comfort, as did the hands roaming over her.
“Baby, we know you’re still feeling guilty, but you don’t have to.”
“You just don’t want to hurt my feelings. I know he won’t want to see me when he wakes up. If I can’t stay, then it should be Ryan.” When a mutinous expression came over his handsome features, she pressed herself close and looked at him with doe eyes. He melted instantly.
“You guys are the only family he has. He can’t be left here alone. He needs someone to be with him when he wakes up. And I know how much he likes you.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “He’s always trying to bash my head in.” 53
“Only because you needle him until he can’t take it anymore. Be nice. Hold his hand. Tell him how much you love him.”
“Okay. I’ll be there when he wakes up. But I am not holding his hand.” Pulling her close, he lowered his mouth to hers to kiss her long and hard, leaving her breathless and her pussy wet. “You be careful going home.” He patted the pocket with his phone in it. “Call me later. We can talk dirty to each other.”
“Pervert,” she said, laughing. Ryan was absolutely adorable. She couldn’t help but love him. He helped her into her coat, stealing an extra couple kisses before she headed down the hall with Damien close at her side.
With the weather worsening, it took twice as long to get back to the ranch as it had the night before. Damien drove competently, but it didn’t help much to keep her from gripping the door until her knuckles were white. If she’d been given a choice, she would have preferred to be driving. She wasn’t much of a passenger. When they got home, it was to discover one of the ranch hands clearing snow out of the drive and in the parking area. They waved to him as they climbed out of the truck. Damien pulled her close to his side as they headed for the rear door of the house.
“He’ll move the truck into the garage once he’s got all the snow cleared out. I’ll go help with the chores once I’ve got you settled in.”
They stood in the kitchen where just that morning things had gone from bad to worse.
She watched as Damien straightened the furniture. It had all been pushed to the end of the room when the paramedics had arrived. Turning on the light, she peeled off her coat and boots. She placed them by the back door with the men’s outer garments.
“I should help you.”
“No, I want you to relax. Go take a nice soak in the bathtub. It’s been a long day for you.” Peaches tried to smile when he walked up to her. It didn’t quite work. Damien lifted a hand to stroke her cheek. “He’s going to be okay, baby. Don’t worry so much.”
“I can’t help it. He and I practically hate one another. Still, I was starting to feel like I could care for him, if he’d just let me in.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. Once we know he’s okay, we’ll find a place to live. I’ll call Colt and see if there’s any property up for sale. We’ll all start over fresh. Ryan and I’ll sell our shares of the ranch back to Logan.”
A plan that should have given her hope only made her feel worse. Because of her, the men’s friendship was splintering apart. She knew they loved one another, that they were as close. How could she live with herself, knowing they were only doing this because of her? She couldn’t.
“No. I don’t want you to do that. Lots of things were said and done today. I already regret my part in it. I was pushing something that just wasn’t supposed to happen. Please don’t make this situation worse. Wait until Logan’s out of the hospital and feeling better. Then you guys can talk things out.” She looked down at the floor, then back
“It could be days before we can get back into town. You can’t stay.”
“I am staying. Is he in his room yet?”
“Not yet. It’ll be a while before he’s out of recovery.” Her men crowded around her. The heat from their bodies, their closeness, gave her comfort, as did the hands roaming over her.
“Baby, we know you’re still feeling guilty, but you don’t have to.”
“You just don’t want to hurt my feelings. I know he won’t want to see me when he wakes up. If I can’t stay, then it should be Ryan.” When a mutinous expression came over his handsome features, she pressed herself close and looked at him with doe eyes. He melted instantly.
“You guys are the only family he has. He can’t be left here alone. He needs someone to be with him when he wakes up. And I know how much he likes you.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “He’s always trying to bash my head in.” 53
“Only because you needle him until he can’t take it anymore. Be nice. Hold his hand. Tell him how much you love him.”
“Okay. I’ll be there when he wakes up. But I am not holding his hand.” Pulling her close, he lowered his mouth to hers to kiss her long and hard, leaving her breathless and her pussy wet. “You be careful going home.” He patted the pocket with his phone in it. “Call me later. We can talk dirty to each other.”
“Pervert,” she said, laughing. Ryan was absolutely adorable. She couldn’t help but love him. He helped her into her coat, stealing an extra couple kisses before she headed down the hall with Damien close at her side.
With the weather worsening, it took twice as long to get back to the ranch as it had the night before. Damien drove competently, but it didn’t help much to keep her from gripping the door until her knuckles were white. If she’d been given a choice, she would have preferred to be driving. She wasn’t much of a passenger. When they got home, it was to discover one of the ranch hands clearing snow out of the drive and in the parking area. They waved to him as they climbed out of the truck. Damien pulled her close to his side as they headed for the rear door of the house.
“He’ll move the truck into the garage once he’s got all the snow cleared out. I’ll go help with the chores once I’ve got you settled in.”
They stood in the kitchen where just that morning things had gone from bad to worse.
She watched as Damien straightened the furniture. It had all been pushed to the end of the room when the paramedics had arrived. Turning on the light, she peeled off her coat and boots. She placed them by the back door with the men’s outer garments.
“I should help you.”
“No, I want you to relax. Go take a nice soak in the bathtub. It’s been a long day for you.” Peaches tried to smile when he walked up to her. It didn’t quite work. Damien lifted a hand to stroke her cheek. “He’s going to be okay, baby. Don’t worry so much.”
“I can’t help it. He and I practically hate one another. Still, I was starting to feel like I could care for him, if he’d just let me in.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. Once we know he’s okay, we’ll find a place to live. I’ll call Colt and see if there’s any property up for sale. We’ll all start over fresh. Ryan and I’ll sell our shares of the ranch back to Logan.”
A plan that should have given her hope only made her feel worse. Because of her, the men’s friendship was splintering apart. She knew they loved one another, that they were as close. How could she live with herself, knowing they were only doing this because of her? She couldn’t.
“No. I don’t want you to do that. Lots of things were said and done today. I already regret my part in it. I was pushing something that just wasn’t supposed to happen. Please don’t make this situation worse. Wait until Logan’s out of the hospital and feeling better. Then you guys can talk things out.” She looked down at the floor, then back
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