One Bride for Four Ranchers

I lower my voice, as if there’s anyone around his rumbling truck that could hear us. Conspiratorially I say, “Tell the truth, Trey. Is this your brainchild?”

An outright laugh rolls out of his chest. And the sound of his happiness makes me grin.

“Would you believe me if I told you the idea originally came from Clay?”

I cross my arms and harrumph, then I click off the recorder. “Calling you a liar outright would just be rude.”

He laughs harder and pulls the truck off to the side of the dirt road next to a beautiful meadow. Two horses graze in the distance, and I wonder if they come and go as they please or if there is a fence around this area that I missed.

Damn. It is beautiful here.

“I’m afraid it’s the truth.” He shakes his head and makes a hard right turn, following the road. “Much as it pains me to admit. Because it was a damn good idea.”

I turn back to Trey and grip my chest dramatically. “Say it isn’t so.”

“Trust me, it physically hurts me that all this wasn’t my idea. And it’s damn tempting to take all the credit. But I’m sure this is one article that my brother is going to read.” He gives me the side-eye, but I ignore it.

“What gave him the idea?” God, I so do not want to have to interview Clay. I don’t even want to look at him right now. Oddly, looking at his exact double, Trey, doesn’t incite the same ire within me. Sure, they look exactly alike but I know which is which. Somehow, I feel certain that even if they tried to trick me, I’d still be able to tell them apart.

“He minored in environmental science in college. Beyond that...well, you’ll just have to ask him.” Amusement is still plain in his tone. He steps out of the truck, and I pack up my recorder, then open my door to do the same. I take another long moment to appreciate the gorgeous view before I move.

Only I don’t step out gracefully like Trey. I slip out of the truck, and stumble right into a hole. Trey has already made his way around the truck, and he catches me. Strong arms wrap around me and pull me back up. Our faces—our lips—are only inches apart. The world around us disappears, and in that moment there is only Trey.

His eyes lock onto mine, and then they shift down to my lips. And then, he turns away so we’re both facing the field. But he keeps his hold on my elbow.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I can’t speak, so I jerk my head in a nod. He releases my elbow, leaving only the heat of his skin behind.

I’m trembling and I’m having a hard time focusing. But Trey has already switched gears. He’s pointing things out. Talking about the work they’re doing here. I only see a field but he’s talking about geothermal activity beneath it.

I fumble with my recorder but manage to turn it on and point it in his general direction. I’ll have to sort through the recording later. Because in this moment the environment is the last thing on my mind. I stare at the field, and in the distance I see a couple of large wind turbines that I hadn’t noticed before. They’re nothing like the ones I’ve seen out on the plains, but they’re large nonetheless. Still, my mind refuses to move on from Trey.

His muscular body, stripped of every piece of clothing. Out here in the fresh air, surrounded by lush fields and no other person probably for miles. What would it feel like he laid me on the ground, kissed me until my brain stopped? And all I can wonder is if he would fill me the same way Clay did. Make me scream out his name as we crash into each other. Out here where no one could hear us, under the sun with the fresh air touching our hot skin.

I can feel myself grow wet, and I feel hot, flushed. Then it suddenly hits me, Trey hasn’t been speaking for a long moment.

I break away from my thoughts and meet his gaze. There’s a knowing there, in his eyes. Desire. The same need that is running through me.

I hold my breath.

Then Trey steps back, and it’s over. I’m suddenly, inexorably, unhappily back in the real world.

“Well, we had on back to the ranch,” he says, voice quiet. “You can work on your story, while I get some of my work done. Get some lunch.”

He turns back to the truck, and he doesn’t touch me again.

Chapter 7

Joshua

With my laptop open at the bar in the kitchen, I watch Jessa practically run through the front door and head upstairs. I know that she went on a tour of the ranch this morning with my brother, Trey. But he doesn’t follow her in.

I push up my glasses and try to refocus on the spreadsheet in front of me, but I can’t seem to get the woman out of my head. She’s lovely. Smart, gorgeous, and willing to take zero shit from my brothers. I like that in a woman.

I should probably head ba

ck to my office now, but I can’t seem to pull myself away. My gaze darts between my computer in the stairwell. How had two of my brothers already managed to piss her off? If Tyler were around, I have a strange feeling he’d somehow already be on her shit list, too.