Bucked (The Invincibles 6)

“If there isn’t anything else for us to discuss tonight, I say we let Decker be on his way,” she said to the group.

“Whatever you say, boss.” Cope looked from Stella to me as I draped my arm around her shoulders. I saw his jaw tense, but I didn’t give a shit. My relationship with Ali had turned from one I wanted to be romantic, to me looking at her more like a little sister. Even though Stella was older than Cope and me, I was sure he thought she needed him to look out for her. Maybe with someone else, but not with me.

“I’ll send the plane back in the morning,” Deck said to Cope. “I’ll let Stella determine who goes with you.”

“I thought you and Cope were going to get into it there at the end,” Stella said after everyone had left.

“He needs to understand you’re my primary responsibility.”

“Is that what I am? Your responsibility?”

I turned her in my arms. “I thought you might prefer me saying that over ‘Cope needs to understand you’re mine now.’”

I expected her to bristle, but she didn’t. “And Ali also needs to understand you’re mine. What was that earlier when you and she went out on the porch?”

“Her warning me not to hurt you.”

“I’ll give you the same warning.” Stella leaned forward and kissed me.

“Wanna know what I told her?”

“Sure,” she said, pulling her shirt off over her head and unfastening her bra. She put her hands on her hips, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her tits. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“What did you tell her?”

“Tell who?”

Stella unfastened her jeans.

“Let me do that.” I sat on the bed and pulled her between my legs.

She put her hands on mine. “What did you tell Ali?”

“Oh. That.”

“Yes, that.” Stella took two steps back. “No touching me until you fess up.”

“I said it was more likely it would be the other way around.”

Stella sat down beside me. It wasn’t where I wanted her, but at least she was close enough that I could put my hands on her.

“Why would you think that?”

I stroked my beard, wondering the same thing. “I guess it’s because I’m tied to this ranch until this time next year.”

“I see.” Stella flopped back on the bed.

“What?” I asked, trying not to smile at her reaction. It was just so unlike her.

“What are we, Buck? Are we in junior high and if one of us changes schools, it means we can’t still love each other?”

I laughed, but only because she was smiling.

“I told you I love you. Do you realize I’ve never done that before?”

“You haven’t?” I asked.