Chapter 5
I have a thing for my best friend.
Jesus Christ, she’s all I think about these days. The way she filled out those jeans the other day had my cock straining against my zipper. I wanted to strip her bare in that bedroom and push into her from behind and fuck her until she forgot her name.
This is Willow, and I’m suddenly so attracted to her, I can’t see straight.
And her hair is fucking silk, and I want to wrap it around my fingers while she’s on her knees—
Fucking hell.
When I heard Aiden tell her to fuck off, it ignited something primal in my chest. He’s just a kid, but I wanted to teach him a lesson for speaking to her that way. Instead, I made sure he went to the barn to cool off.
This is Willow. I keep saying that to myself, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
I can’t get enough of her.
Gideon had to go back to my office for another call with someone in DC, and I glance over to where Wills is on the top of a step stool, reaching high above her head. The motion makes her arch her back, pushes her tits out, and puts that perfect ass on display. The woman’s body was made for the leggings she’s wearing today.
I’m going to hell for lusting after my best friend.
“Hey. You don’t need to get the stuff up high. I’ll do it p>
“It’s fine,” she replies and catches her tongue in her teeth, stretching up to peel the paper, and the stool tips. Before she can let out a peep, I’m next to her, my arm wrapped around her middle, tugging her to me. “I wasn’t going to fall p>
“There’s a reason I call you Trouble. Because you’re always getting into it. I told you to work down lower p>
“You’re not the boss of me, Captain p>
My dick twitches at her calling me that.
Let’s be honest, my dick twitches whenever she’s nearby these days, full stop.
I press my lips to her ear, still holding her against me, and I can’t stop the grin that spreads when I feel her gasp. “You’re in my house, Wills. That makes me the boss of you p>
“Whatever.” She tries to sound like her normal bratty self, but her voice is breathy, and when she steps out of my hold and smooths her hands down her shirt, there’s no mistaking the way her nipples are puckered.
She’s not oblivious to me either.
“Fine.” She sniffs and turns away from me. “I’ll start in the corner over here p>
She bends over, and I have immediate regrets.
Especially when Gideon walks in and catches me ogling her ass.
Goddamn it.
He lifts a brow, and I shake my head and turn away.
“I do have to go,” he says with a heavy sigh. “My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon p>
“We can ride out with Dusty first thing,” I reply.
“I’m sorry to leave early p>
I shake my head and clap him on the shoulder. “Don’t be. You’ve been here for almost three weeks, man. The furniture comes tomorrow. The house is mostly cleared out. After tomorrow, things are pretty much business as usual around here p>
He nods, but I see the guilt in his eyes.
“Stop it. I’m a big boy. You don’t have to hold my hand p>
That has him rolling his eyes as he goes back to peeling the paper he started on before his phone call.
I glance between the two of them. Neither of them notices me. I love them both. We have a history, and we’re family.
But the way I’m feeling about Willow is… more. Can I have her without completely destroying what the three of us have?
I don’t know, and that’s what has me holding back. I know that I can’t simply fuck her and then move on and expect everything to be the same between us. Ruining our Three Amigos status isn’t an option for any of us.
Catching feelings for Willow only complicates things. And I don’t need any more complications in my life.
But keeping my hands to myself isn’t feeling like much of an option either.
Mornings on the ranch have always been my favorite time, even in the heart of winter when it’s twenty below zero and the wind feels like it’s cutting through you.
The sun hasn’t quite come up yet as I pour my coffee and take it out on the porch off the kitchen and sit on the steps, watching the mountains come awake. Spring has definitely sprung here at the ranch. I have grass to mow, and plenty of cleanup from winter now that the house is done. There are some dead trees that I need to take out, and I’ll use the wood for fires this winter.
I also need to speak to Dusty, who should be coming by later this morning to talk with Gideon and me, so I can get the working side of this ranch back up and going. I want to get beef cattle bought, fence lines repaired, pastures checked.
There’s still so much to do out here.
This summer is going to be a lot of work.
And that’s okay. I’m ready for it.
But for right this second, I’m going to sit here and enjoy the sun coming up over those mountains, and the way the sky looks like it’s on fire. I’ve been all over the place, traveling for hockey, or just for fun, but I’ve never seen anything like the view before me.
This is home.
This is where I’m supposed to be.
“Mornin’,” Gid says as he steps outside with his own coffee. He sits next to me and takes a sip. “Dusty coming this morning p>
“Yeah.” We’re quiet for a few minutes, and it’s nice to sit with my brother in the early-morning quiet.
“Heard from Willow?” he asks after a bit, and I shake my head.
“Not since she and Aiden got home last night p>
“You should probably stay away from her, you know p>
I don’t answer at first, because I’m sure that I heard that wrong.
“What p>
“Willow. Don’t go there, man p>
I shake my head and sip my coffee. “I don’t know what you’re talking about p>
“Fuck that.” He scoffs. “I have eyes in my head. Shit, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. But she’s not a puck bunny you can fuck and then move on from. This is our Willow, and I’m not going to choose sides when it all goes to shit p>
I blow out a breath and drag my hand down my face. “There’s a lot to unpack there. First of all, insinuate that Wills is anything in the realm of a goddamn puck bunny again, and I’ll bust up your pretty face p>
“You can try p>
“Second of all, no one’s asking you to choose sides in anything because we’re exactly what we’ve always been p>
“You’re a liar if you think that’s true p>
“It is true. I haven’t touched her p>
“I’m simply making an observation p>
I shake my head. Christ, if Gid sees that I’m suddenly seeing Willow in a sexy light, I must have been obvious as fuck.
Because she is sexy. There’s no denying that.
“I’m not trying to start something with her,” I say just as a truck rounds the bend in the driveway.
Saved by the truck.
“Thought he was coming later this morning,” Gideon says.
“Me too p>
I wasn’t expecting Dusty until a little later, but I’m glad he’s here now.
“Ryker,” Dusty says by way of greeting as he approaches the porch. “Gideon. Thought I’d see if you two were available a little early p>
“We are. Come on inside, and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.” I stand and gesture for the older man to follow me, and when we step through the door, Dusty whistles.
“Shit, did I come to the wrong house p>
I shake my head as Gideon walks in behind us. “Gideon and I have gotten a lot done since the funeral. The house needed some freshening up p>
“You two have busted your asses. Listen, I know I said so at the funeral, but I sure am sorry about your dad p>
I swallow as I catch Gid’s gaze, and I walk to the coffeepot to pour Dusty a cup, then refill my own. I don’t usually drink more than one cup a day, but I have a feeling I’m going to need this.
I know how Dusty takes his coffee. I made it for him for years. During the school year, Gid and I lived here in the house, but in the summer, Dad put us out in the bunkhouse with the other hands.
We fucking loved it.
Dusty was our boss, and he was someone who, along with Dad, taught us how to be a man. How to do what needed to be done here. Sometimes, he was a hard-ass, but he taught us a work ethic that has served us both well.
“Thanks,” Dusty says when I set his mug in front of him and then sit across from him at the table cupping my own mug in my hands. Gideon sits next to me.
“When did he let you go?” I ask, jumping right into the reason we asked him here.
He stares at the mug, taps the table with the tip of his finger. “About six months ago. The only animals that were left on the ranch were the horses. He’d let all the other guys go at the end of the summer, and then he pulled me in here, in this kitchen, and told me he didn’t need me anymore p>
“That was bullshit,” Gid says.
Dusty nods. “He was my boss p>
“He was your friend,” I counter.
“Yes, he was my friend, but he was also my boss, Ryker. If the man wanted to fire us all, that was his prerogative. He owned the land. I didn’t have a say in that. But I kept coming every day to look in on the horses because by that point, he hardly left this house p>
“Shit.” The guilt just sits heavier and heavier. “What did he do in here all day p>
“He drank,” he says. “Ate garbage. Missed Debbie. Losing her is what killed him p>
“I know.” I tug my bottom lip through my teeth, watching the older man. Gideon stands to pace. He’s not good at sitting still. “I’d like to hire you back on, with a raise. Summer’s coming up, and I’ll be hiring others to help too. I need to buy cattle and get this place up and running p>
“You’re reviving the Triple Creek?” Dusty’s face is full of surprise.
“Yes, sir p>
“What about hockey p>
I blow out a breath and shake my head. “I haven’t officially told anyone this, but I’m retired. This is my job now p>
Dusty just stares at me. “Don’t do that. Don’t give up something that great for this ranch p>
“I’m ready to retire, and I happen to like this place, you know. I knew I’d end up back here someday. Dad left everything to Gideon and me, split in half. I’ll be the one living here, taking care of things, and Gid’s a silent partner p>
When we learned how much money Dad had in the bank, we were shocked that he didn’t just hire more people to take care of things when he couldn’t, rather than let it all go to shit.
The man was rich several times over.
“I guess I could come out of retirement for you,” Dusty says slowly.
“We rehabbed the bunkhouse. It’s pretty much new inside, so you’ll be comfortable,” Gideon tells him. “It’s finished already p>
He nods. “Thank you p>
“When can you start?” I ask him.
“I’m here now,” he replies. “I’ll drive out to the bunkhouse, look around, and then stop in at the barn before I head into town to pack up my rental there p>
Relief washes over me. Thank Christ. I don’t know what I would do without Dusty.
“Thank you. But before you go pack up and move in, how do you feel about going out on horseback with us to make some plans before Gid has to head back to work this afternoon p>
He nods. “Sure. Whatever the boss men want. Let’s get out there and figure it out p>
We both stand, and the older man tugs me in for a hug, slapping me hard on the back.
“He loved you boys. He’d be damn proud of you p>
He hugs Gideon too.
With a nod, we follow him out to the barn to saddle up and get to work.
Three hours later, with my head spinning with ideas, Gideon and I return to the house, and I’m pleased to see that the kitchen is painted and the work crew is gone. The furniture should arrive this afternoon.
“I’m taking an hour to work out in your fancy new gym before I have to go to the airport.” Gideon claps me on the back.
“Technically, it’s our fancy new gym p>
“No, this is your home. I’ll just use it when I visit p>
“I’ll be in my office for a while p>
“Making me money?” he asks. “You’ve always been such a numbers nerd p>
“This nerd has made you a shit ton of money, asshole p>
I grin at him, and then I make my way back to my office. I’ll work for a while, and then I’ll get in a workout of my own.
Yeah, I like numbers. Watching the market, shifting investments, is my hobby. Hockey was my job.
I did it backward, and I don’t regret even one minute of it.
I commandeered one of the rooms toward the back of the house, where I have a great view of the mountains, and set up shop in there with a new desk, a few chairs and bookshelves. It works great for what I need, and I dive in for an hour of numbers crunching.
I’m just about to turn off the computer and go to the gym myself when my phone rings.
At the sight of Willow’s name, my stomach flips, and I have to tell my dick to calm the fuck down.
“Hey there, Trouble. What’s up p>
“Hi.” She clears her throat, and I lean forward. I don’t like the sound of her voice. “Hey, can I come out and talk with you about something p>
I frown at the wall of windows before me. “You can come here anytime. You know that. Is everything okay p>
“I’d rather just talk to you in person. I’m leaving Missoula now, so I’ll be there in an hour, if that works for you p>
“Works for me. Gideon and I are around. Just drive safe p>
“See you soon p>
The day is looking up. One hour gives me time to get my workout in, and then I’ll get to see Wills.