Tangled (Steele Ranch 3)

“We can go over all the legal details whenever you want,” Riley said, interrupting my thoughts. “Any questions you might have, but there’s no rush.”

Kady leaned her head against Riley’s shoulder and she looked content. In love.

A pang of jealousy struck me and I took another sip of coffee. To feel like that with someone, so blatantly in love, trusting that person. Relationships, the idea of committing like that was new to me. The word family was practically foreign.

Lee was studying me as if he could read my thoughts.

“You planning on staying in the main house or going back to Missoula?” Jamison asked.

Everyone looked to me, waited for the answer. Lee looked chill, but I was coming to recognize that was the way he was, but the casual nature hid a seriousness that was focused squarely on me.

I cleared my throat. “Well, you heard about what happened from Lee.” I glanced his way and he nodded for me to continue. I was actually thankful not to have to repeat the shameful story again. “I’ll stay here, for now. I was supposed to work last night, but I never called in so I’m sure I’m fired. Thanks to you”—I glanced at Riley—“I don’t have to worry about making rent this month.”

“It wasn’t me,” Riley countered. “I’m just the executor.”

I shrugged. Same difference to me. Someone I’d never met had left me a bank account full of cash. The relief of not having to work behind the bar for ten hours to make ends meet was heady. No sore feet. No drunk losers trying to hit on me. No stale beer scent clinging to me. God, I didn’t even want to collect my last paycheck. But I would. I might be a millionaire, but I’d earned that cash.

“I have my apartment and the semester starts in a few weeks. I can’t miss the class, no matter what. It’s my last one before graduation. Until then…” I left it hanging because I didn’t have an answer. I didn’t know what the three men I’d slept with the night before wanted.

What did it matter what they wanted? The house was mine. The guys were all standing in my kitchen—Kady’s and Penny’s too, of course—and if nothing came of whatever the hell I was doing with Sutton, Archer and Lee, then it didn’t matter. I was staying, or I would be staying once I finished school. At least visiting an awful lot. There wasn’t a statute of limitations on moving in, I didn’t think, but there were supposedly still two other sisters who hadn’t appeared yet. If I could get a nursing job in Barlow, then it would be perfect. In the meantime, I wanted to get to know the men. Maybe instead of doing things backward, I’d get to know them first.

Like Lee, for example. He was right here, watching me with that relaxed air, as if life were simple. He was a bull rider and I couldn’t think of a major in college that would prepare him for that, so I had no idea if he had a degree or not. I didn’t really know much of anything about him—besides the fact that he liked his cock deep in my throat—but I wanted to know more.

He crooked his finger and I went over to him without even thinking. Stroking my cheek, he tilted his head down so he could look directly in my eyes. I hadn’t noticed before—perhaps because my head had been upside down or the fact I’d seen more of his dick than his face—his eyes changed color. In his gray shirt, his pupils matched. “You okay?”

I nodded.

“Meeting family for the first time is a little crazy, huh?”

I nodded again.

“And all of us? Everyone connected to Steele Ranch? We’re a lot to take in. I’m sure you’re wondering, Archer went home—he lives in town—to shower, change clothes, and he’s off for a few days, so he’ll be back. Sutton, too, but he lives down the hill in the bunkhouse. He’ll be up when he’s finished his chores in the stable. We’ve got to talk about what happened last night, but not until they return.”

I blushed hotly, thinking about what we’d done last night. I’d have to go and sanitize the coffee table in the great room before anyone went in there.

He leaned in closer, tucked my hair back behind my ear. “Not that, baby,” he whispered so only I could hear. “About the men who are after you. Although we’ll definitely talk about those dirty thoughts that are making your cheeks nice and pink with Archer and Sutton. Just them.”

His pale eyes met mine and I knew what he meant. They’d share me, but not with anyone else. The things we did together were private. While Boone wasn’t getting it on with Penny in the great room for all of us to see and hear, we knew what they were up to.

“I was talking about the strip club, the money you supposedly owe,” he clarified.

“Oh,” I whispered, feeling a tad foolish. My stomach flipped, remembering that Schmidt was most likely after me. Wild sex had made me forget.

He softened my feelings by giving me a sweet kiss on the forehead. “You’re safe. You’ve got a whole bunch of brawny men to protect you.” His words were playful, but I knew he was serious. And I knew the brawny part was true. “We’ll wait for the others. Until then, we’ll let you ladies—sisters—get to know each other.”

Kady fake sighed and rolled her eyes, stepping out of Riley’s hold. “It’s about time. And I get you all to myself until Boone lets Penny up for air.”

Lee gave me one last kiss, stroked his hand down my back, filled his mug. “Keep an eye on my pot roasts,” he added, pointing to the slow cookers, then left the kitchen, the other men following.

He was the chef? Yeah, there was a lot I needed to learn about him. Archer and Sutton, too.

“Spill it,” Kady said, crossing her arms over her chest in mock seriousness.

Her sly grin was a blatant tell. “Are you going to be pregnant in two weeks? And if so, was it Lee, Sutton or Archer?”

9

CRICKET