Harlan is out showering now, and it’s a breath of relief even though I crave his presence like a drug. While he’s gone, I need to make a call. The signal is weak, but I dial my brother anyway. He answers on the first ring.

“Hey sis, how’s the ranch?”

His cheery attitude grates on my nerves. For three days now, I’ve been fixing fences and showering outdoors, and I know that he has grand plans for this place but we’re nowhere close to realizing those plans. Right now it’s so run down that it’s hard to imagine that it will ever be a vacation destination.

“What the hell are you doing here, Trevor? Are you out of your damn mind?”

His tone changes immediately. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I snap. “Except for the fact that there is nothing here. The shower is literally a stall outside, and when there’s a wind that’s stronger than the breeze, I think that this house might topple over. Do you have any idea how much work this place needs? How much money it’s going to take to turn it into a resort that anyone wants to come to?”

“Woah, Melena, slow down. Yes, I know. I’ve been to the property.”

“What the fuck would possess you to buy this place?”

I can almost hear him shrug. “I’ve always wanted one. For a long time. I want a place that’s mine, that I can make into what I want. And share it with other people. I’m tired of the city, and I have more money than I know what to do with.”

“How come you aren’t here?” I throw the accusation at him. “I assumed that you’d be here and we’d be doing this together, not with some stranger.”

“Is Harlan causing you problems?”

“No,” I grumble. “He’s fine.” More than fine. Gorgeous. Tempting. Infuriating.

“Good, because I need him,” he says, sounding relieved. “He’s really good at what he does, and he’s in it for the long haul with me. I’ll be there at the end of the summer—I can’t get away earlier with my current contracts but after that I’m done.

“I’m bringing in some contractors at the end of the summer to frame out the houses and Harlan is going to manage them. I have a good plan, I promise. I know what I’m getting into.”

I take a deep breath, trying not to bite my brother’s head off. It’s not entirely his fault that I’m in a bad mood, and I shouldn’t take it out on him even if I want to. “I still think you should have told me a little more about this. Why am I even here?”

His voice is soft. “Because you needed to get away, Mel. Even if you couldn’t see it, we all could. You needed a break from being here.”

My chest tightens. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was,” he says. “You’re better now that you’re not working there anymore, but I don’t think you realized how bad it was. And I don’t think that you’re out of it yet. In a couple of months, I’m hoping that you’ll be able to see it. And I thought doing this would be something so completely different that it would help.”

I swallow. He’s right, maybe I don’t see it right now. And I don’t really want to think about it. “You didn’t buy this place just for me, right?”

“Hell no. I love you loads, kiddo, but that would be one heck of an extravagant gift. The ranch is for me. You being there, that was just good timing,” he laughs. “But seriously, Mel. If you really hate it there, you don’t have to stay. Would I love your help? Yes. Do I trust you to help Harlan, absolutely, and do I think it will be good for you? Yeah. So if you think you can live with Harlan and make it work, then do it. But you know everyone would love you at home too.”

I understand where he’s coming from, but I also can’t imagine staying here three months alone with Harlan. Not when every second I want to grab him and do dirty, dirty things. I’ve seen how he works, and there’s no doubt that he knows what he’s doing, but there has to be someone else, right? Literally anyone else. “Trevor—” I’m about to ask my brother that very question when the door opens and Harlan walks in.

He’s wearing nothing but a towel that he’s holding closed around his waist, dripping wet from the shower. I can see the slightest outline of his cock pressing against the terrycloth. Seeing him soaking like that ironically makes my mouth go completely dry. As so does the way he’s staring at me, with his eyes dark. I can’t forget what’s underneath that towel—I’ll never be able to forget.

“Mel? You okay?” Trevor asks.

Tags: Penny Wylder Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net