His Saint (Forever Wilde 5)

He turned to me with utter anguish in his eyes. “Augie, we’re leaving. I can’t let you stay here a minute longer. I can’t.”

I stood up and took his hand, turning to my grandfather with an apologetic look. “Thank you for dinner.” I turned to Aunt Prima. “Happy Birthday.” And finally to my mother. “Goodnight, Mother.”

Then I followed Saint to where Rory sat next to Kat and gave them each a hug after Saint dropped a kiss on each of their cheeks.

My sister whispered hoarsely in my ear. “Tie him down if you have to, brother of mine. That man’s a keeper.”

She had no idea.

Chapter 36

Saint

Brett followed us into the driveway, begging us to come back in and listen. After getting Augie seated in the truck, I turned to Brett.

“Listen, asshole. We know about your scam. You’re in this bullshit up to your ears, and you’re going to get caught. Leave Augie alone, or both of us are going to the police to give them the evidence we have about CSP and Stiel. Got it?”

Brett stared at me in surprise before stammering out a reply. “I d-don’t know what you think you have on me, but I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“I have a little USB drive of my own that says otherwise,” I lied. Really it was information Rex and Skipper had at Landen. “So stay the hell away from Augie and find another property to fuck up with your illegal schemes.”

He didn’t say anything, so I leaned closer, meeting his eyes so he got the message loud and clear. “And that USB drive lives on my person. Come for it, Brett. I dare you.”

I turned around and stormed to the driver’s side before pulling out of the iron gates.

During most of the drive back to Hobie, I simmered with rage. I knew if I opened my mouth, I’d lash out at the nearest target which unfortunately was the person who least deserved it. When I finally got my head out of my ass, I pulled onto the side of the quiet highway and got out of the truck to walk around to the passenger side.

I opened the door and unclipped Augie’s seat belt before pulling him out of the truck and into my arms. Augie buried his face in my neck and breathed in. Just the feel of him in my embrace calmed me immediately. How had I ever thought I could live without someone to love? How had I ever believed it was better to avoid relationships than to risk loss? Even if I only got minutes with Augie, they’d be worth any amount of pain at losing him.

I pulled back and cupped his cheeks.

“I love you so much,” I said. “I am so fucking proud of you. And I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

I felt my face light up in a smile just for him. “Because I didn’t do much better than you. I dropped the L-bomb in a cow pasture for god’s sake.”

Now it was his turn to grin. “It’s perfect. Just you and me. And the giant piles of pungent poop. What man can ask for more?”

I leaned in and kissed him softly before pulling back again. His lips were so soft, I could have kept my mouth against them all night. “Are you angry with me?”

“Christ, no. What for?”

“For dragging you out of there by your hair while I might as well have been brandishing a club in my other hand,” I admitted. “It wasn’t very elegant.”

Augie swallowed and turned us around, nudging me until I sat down on the passenger seat and he could stand between my open legs. He kept his arms around my neck.

“No one has ever stood up for me like that to my family,” he said. “Or made me believe I deserved better than being treated that way. I felt so loved and cared for when you did that, Saint.”

“I didn’t want to stay in the city after that,” I admitted. “I hope you’re okay with us going home to Hobie.”

His smile grew. “Only if we’re going to the same place and sleeping in the same bed.”

My heart soared. “Damned skippy. Your place okay? If we go to the bunkhouse, my family is going to be all up in our business before the rooster crows.”

He nodded. “But maybe… maybe we could still go to the ranch for the chili thing tomorrow night?”

I smirked at him. “You sure you’re going to be hungry? You’re not really a chili fan. And bonfires are hella dangerous.”

Augie pinched me under the arm.

“Yeow! What was that for?” I asked through the laughter.

“I was nervous before. I didn’t know what you thought about me. I felt… I felt temporary.”

I let the laughter die. “Not if I have anything to say about it. I’m through with temporary things. It’s time for both of us to settle in. What do you say? I know it’s soon, Augie, but… I’m ready.”