Fall for Me (Cowboys of Crested Butte 1)

Matt stayed and chatted with them for a few minutes and then excused himself to seat open tables. Less than ten minutes later, Will, Ben’s youngest brother, joined them.

“Is this a coincidence?” Ben asked as Will pulled out the stool on the other side of Liv and sat down. “Or did Matthew give you the word we were here?”

“I had to come and meet Liv,” Will answered. “Who knows if you’ll leave your house again while she’s here? Liv,” he turned to her, “I’m Will, Ben’s younger, handsomer, more romantic brother.”

“Will, it’s nice to meet you,” Liv responded. “Ben, didn’t you say you had ‘sisters-in-law,’ plural? Do you have more brothers?”

“Damn,” said Will. “You already told her I’m married?”

They both laughed. “Seriously, I’m Will, and I am all the things I said before, as well as happily married.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Will.”

“Speaking of which, Maeve wanted me to invite you to dinner while Liv’s here.”

A few minutes later, two women approached, both gorgeous. Liv stiffened again, but relaxed when Will stood. “And there she is. Hey darlin’, fancy running into you here.”

“Will Rice,” said the woman with coal black hair, and the palest, but most beautiful skin Liv had ever seen. “Don’t pretend you didn’t call me to come and meet her. Hi,” she turned in Liv’s direction, “I’m Maeve, Will’s wife, and this is Allison, Matt’s wife.”

Will and Ben pulled more stools over to the bar. When the couple around the corner from them left, the group took over the whole far end of the crowded bar.

Ben watched Liv interact with his family. She fit, he thought, as she talked and laughed with them. She fit perfectly.

They never ordered, the guys behind the bar kept the sushi and other house specialties coming without them needing to. Matt was showing off, thought Ben with a smile.

“Oh, I’m so full,” Liv said, putting her hand on her stomach. Moments later the lights around the bar dimmed as

the group broke into a rousing version of “Happy Birthday.” Liv tried to figure out who they were singing for, and then someone set the candle-filled mochi ice cream in front of her.

“Happy birthday, baby,” Ben said, brushing his lips against hers. “Make a wish.”

13

When Ben woke, the heat of Liv’s body next to his flooded him with a sense of calm. He loved having her here with him, just as he loved being with her at her place. As long as she was next to him, he was at peace.

He wanted to talk to her about running into Christine last night, and her reaction. He hoped Liv understood that he and Christine were co-parents now, and nothing more.

Before any of that, though, he needed to tell Liv more about himself. He wasn’t proud of most of his past, but he’d overcome a lot of his demons, and made significant changes in his life.

Living life at home and living life on tour, as he soon would be doing, were very different things, though. Life on the road was crazy—a different city every night, sometimes several nights in a row. They’d have a day off here and there, but never enough time to come home and regroup. He wished again that she wasn’t going to Europe with Renie, and that he could take her on the road with him. That wouldn’t be fair to her, though. He didn’t need or want a babysitter, he wanted a lover, a mate…someday a wife.

Liv shifted so her back faced his front, and he wrapped his arms around her, nestling her close. For someone who slept alone as many years as she had, he wondered if his constant need to touch her bothered her. Even in his sleep he clung to her. Awake he wanted to bury himself in her every chance he had.

“Sweet Liv,” he whispered in her ear, hoping to wake her gently.

“Hmm, is it morning?”

“It’s almost nine. You can sleep longer if you want to.”

“No, I’m awake.”

Now or never. “I need to tell you the not-so-nice stories,” he said. Her muscles tightened, and he kissed across her back, from one shoulder to the other. He hoped he could get through it and be honest with her. He’d never be free with her unless he told her all of it.

“Okay,” she said.

“A little over a year ago, I hit rock bottom. Will, Matt and I had been snowboarding all day and I’d been drinking, a lot. They took away my keys and drove me home, where they figured I’d pass out and sleep it off. Unfortunately, I didn’t. I got my hands on a set of keys to one of the ranch trucks. I drove to Will’s, prepared to give him shit, I guess. I don’t remember anything about that night.

“When I got there I must’ve passed out in one of the bedrooms. Something woke me up, and I went out into the living room. Maeve, Will’s wife, was sitting on the couch. I don’t know where Will was. Anyway, I sat down and started a conversation with her.