Yeah, this situation would be the real kicker.Gossip had run amok when Trevor Glanzer married her. Now that Chassie really thought about it, why had Trevor pursued her with such zeal? Because he couldn’t be with Edgard? So he’d settled for her? Or because Trevor broke ties with his family and wanted a ranch to call his own? What would be an easier way to get quick land ownership than to charm the plain, simple daughter of a drunken fool? A lonely young woman who was set to inherit a ranch? A rundown ranch, to be sure, but it’d be a perfect place to start.That possibility filled her with such nausea that she pulled along the side of the road and dry heaved. Chassie left the truck running and pressed her forehead into the steering wheel. Wouldn’t solve anything to bang her head against the molded plastic as she repeated dumb, dumb, dumb to the empty cab but she wanted to do it anyway.“I love you. I’ve never said that to another person. Think on that.”Maybe that’s what hurt the most.
Doubts plagued her—was it really a choice he’d freely made? Even now as a do-the-right-thing cowboy, Trevor would stick with her out of guilt or out of loyalty.Did Chassie want that? Would she take Trevor any way she could get him? Even if it meant Trevor was miserable?She blurted, “What did you do when you walked in on Trevor and Edgard havin’ sex?”“With both those glorious men naked? As I was gorging myself on all sorts of sexual experiences I watched them finish what they’d started. It was beautiful. Powerful. The hard bodies. The harder kisses. Strong and fast and a little mean.” She frowned. “It surprised me that Edgard was dominant.”“No,” Chassie breathed. “But Trevor is so…forceful.”Channing rubbed circles on her baby bump. “I’m not gonna lie. Seeing them together, lost in passion, was hot as hell. But it broke my damn heart to see how much affection they had for each other afterward. How they only dared express it when they were alone. I couldn’t imagine not being able to
Gib ripped around the corner of the couch and stopped in front of Channing. He patted her stomach with both hands. “Baby.”“Yes, honey, that’s the baby.”“Mine baby.”Her smile softened and she lovingly brushed the curls from his face. “Yep, he’s your baby.”“You already know the sex of that one?”“Even if the ultrasound hadn’t confirmed it, I’d be pretty safe in planning for another boy. Kade’s the only one who’s produced a girl so far.”“Mama, Mama!”“What, sweetie?”Gib looked over at Chassie, challenging, “Mine mama,” and threw himself at his mother.Channing laughed with delight and hugged him close, kissing his rosy cheeks until that sweet, innocent, boyish giggle burst free again.“He’s a little territorial, isn’t he?”“Comes by it naturally. He gets it from his father.” She stood and planted Gib on her hip. “Let’s have a snack, hmm?”For the remainder of the afternoon and early evening, Chassie was glad for the distraction of the rambunctious boy.Chassie could tell Channing w
Colby was dead tired. He’d spent all day worrying about leaving Channing alone as he faced another McKay family situation. Lying to his wife didn’t sit well with him.She’d been mighty upset regarding Edgard’s surprise reappearance in Wyoming and Chassie’s not-so-surprising impromptu visit. He had an aversion to upsetting Channing with more bad news.All that coupled with ten hours spent with his brothers, staring at each other like a bunch of idiots as they waited for word. Compared to stressful days like this, it’d been easy getting thrown off the back of a bronc or a bull.Stay out of it. It ain’t your concern.Like hell. He’d always felt guilty about Chassie. She was a sweet, hardworking woman who’d lived with family drama and disappointment. The gossip of her brother’s not-so-secret preferences was partially what’d justified Colby to keep the truth about Trevor and Edgard under his hat. He’d seen what a few missteps and rumors had done to Dag’s career. When Dag started losing, th
“How’s Meridian?”“The same.”“What do you need done this morning?” Edgard blasted Trevor with a warning look.“And don’t say nothin’. It’d be an insult to Chassie because I know she works her ass off before noon.”What the hell? Ed was being protective of his wife? “I already fed the cattle.”Edgard lifted a brow. “This early?”“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep.”“Chassie didn’t call?”Trevor shook his head. “Thought I’d get all my shit done early so we’d have time to talk when she comes home.”“Sounds like a plan. Where were you off to?”To pine over another thing I can’t have in my life.Jesus. That sounded pathetic. Trevor twisted a version of the truth. “Our neighbor to the south is thinkin’ about sellin’ his place. He’s given us first shot at it. Still hush-hush.”“I take it there are other folks who’d want that piece of land?”“A few. Kind of an Old West code, if you like your neighbors, you offer it to them first. But it ain’t like we’d get it cut rate. Gus’s usin’ the money to live off
Trevor snorted. “If we can convince the banker we’re a good risk.”Edgard drummed his fingers on his knee. “Would you consider asking your family for the money?”“Fuck no. I ain’t gonna be beholden to my pa for nothin’.”“Even if it means letting the McKays have the land?”Trevor brooded. Fiddled with the radio station. Messed with the heating system vents. Finally he sighed. “I don’t know. Askin’ Tater would be a last resort. It sucks ass.”It wouldn’t be a last resort for me. I’d love to suck your ass.Great. He’d finally managed to get rid of his hard-on only to stir it up again with that debauched visual. He shifted uncomfortably. “Who’s helping run your dad’s place?”“My brother Brent. Such a kiss up. I never liked him. Pa knew it, which was why he put Brent in charge when I threatened to leave.”“Threatened?”“Old bastard didn’t think I’d do it. When he pulled that ‘I’m cuttin’ you out of the co-op’ threat, I called his bluff. Told him to do whatever he wanted. Brent took over,
Yet, Trevor wasn’t completely passive. His cock bumped against her belly, leaving a slick, intimate kiss. The muscles on his body’s lower half were tensed, primed and ready for action. She did the unexpected and rubbed her toes down the outside of his calves.His upper body bowed off the bed. Trevor’s breathing was decidedly ragged as his lust-filled blue gaze caught hers.Chassie pressed a moist kiss to the vulnerable spot below his ear. When goose bumps broke out across his flesh, she did it again. And again. Breathing on the spot until Trevor could scarcely lay still. She zigzagged her tongue over the curve and hollows, stopping to nibble on corded tendons.Still hanging above him, she shimmied backward and kissed the dark blond trail arrowing the way to her destination. She didn’t detour to tease his nipples. She didn’t plunge the tip of her tongue into his belly button. Or nip the tender skin between his hipbones; she kept a southward progression.“Chassie. Baby. You don’t have—”
Edgard’s backside rested against one counter; hers on the one across from him. She gulped her beer, cautioning herself to be tactful and calm, but what burst forth from her mouth was, “Are you in love with my husband?”He visibly paled. And knocked back an equally big swallow of Budweiser in lieu of answering.“I’ve heard Trevor’s side. I talked to Channing and to Colby. So that leaves you.”“And if I say yes, Chassie? What then?”“I’m totally thinkin’ we have a gunfight in the street to determine who’s tough enough to win Trevor’s affections,” she said lightly.That brought a slight smile. “You are a smartass.”“And you are avoidin’ the question, amigo.”“Jesus, do you know how hard it is to look at you and answer that question?”“No harder than it is to look you in the eye and ask it.”“Touché.” Edgard picked at the label. “Do I love him? That’s what I came here to figure out. Or if I’d given so much importance to the memory of him—to the memory of us—that I wasn’t able to move on.”