Stealing Hearts (Wild at Heart #1)(49)

When I shove him loose, Paige’s eyes are saucers. Shit. I hope I’m not scaring her. I’m not usually a violent guy. But when a stranger waltzes into my house and talks to my wife like she’s his personal sex toy, I feel at liberty to let him know he crossed a goddamn line.

He wobbles to one side, then the other. When he regains his equilibrium, he reaches into his man bag and tosses a bunch of envelopes on the floor. “Fuck y’all. She’s not worth this shit.” Then he scurries off like a rat back to the sewer.

When the door slams behind him, I expect Paige to read me the riot act. Instead, she grabs my hand. “Are you okay? I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know he was coming here. I would’ve warned you.”

The concern in her eyes makes me frown. “Sweetheart, you don’t owe me any apologies. You can have anyone over at any time. This is your house now. But I would definitely appreciate a heads-up about any ex-boyfriends so I don’t blow my top when they look like they want to slurp you up like a tasty treat.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t believe you almost beat up Harlan’s nephew.”

“Who almost beat up Harlan’s nephew?” Beau appears in the back door.

Paige points at me. “The Hulk here.”

I smirk. “Let the record show that I held back.”

She rolls her eyes as she crosses the room. I follow her and lean against the kitchen counter and tug her to my chest. “Sorry, wildflower. Didn’t mean to rough up your ex.”

She sighs. “I didn’t know Harlan was his uncle. They have different last names. And I thought Marcus’s family lived in Dallas.”

“Harlan spends a lot of time up there.”

“It makes me realize how little effort Marcus put into our relationship. I remember telling him where I grew up, but he was playing a video game at the time, so I guess it went in one ear and out the other. Because wouldn’t he have said, hey, I have family there too?”

I tuck her hair behind her ear. “He’s a dumbass.”

Beau reaches into the fridge. “What if he says something to Harlan? Do we need to be worried?”

I should be more concerned about that, but the moment I saw Marcus get up in Paige’s business, I wanted to rip his head off his scrawny shoulders. Fuck. I don’t know why I get so wound up about this woman.

My wife considers his question. “He didn’t want to introduce me to his parents because I wasn’t the right caliber of girl, so hopefully he’s too embarrassed about the whole thing to mention this to anyone.”

Tugging her closer, I growl. “I should’ve kicked his ass. What a moron.” My brother has the good sense to make himself scarce.

Paige tilts her head up, her lips tugged up in amusement. “I appreciate you trying to stand up for my honor, but maybe we don’t put our hands on anyone next time.”

Leaning down, I kiss her forehead. “Yes, ma’am.”

Maybe this should concern me, but I’m finding it’s easier and easier to promise Paige whatever she wants.





23





PAIGE




Baylee takes the towel off my head. “You’ve been strangely radio silent about what all’s been going on at the ranch.”

We’re at her mom’s salon, but it’s early, and I’m the first customer. I swivel my chair away from her so I can face the mirror. “Actually, something really funny happened the other night. I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water, and Jace and one of his groupies fell out of the pantry half naked.” I snort. “I left a container of Clorox wipes outside his bedroom door with instructions to sanitize any area that his bare ass might’ve touched. I woke up the next morning, and the whole house smelled like bleach.”

She laughs and shakes her head.

I tug on my hair, debating whether I should try bangs. “Oh, and Rhett built me a henhouse. He and Beau painted it red with white trim. They even made a sign over the doorway that says ‘Paige’s Little Cluckers.’ It’s freaking adorable. Then we went to the tractor supply store and got some Rhode Island Reds, and soon we’re going to have farm-fresh eggs.” I clap like a little nerd. “I’ve always wanted chickens. The ranch dogs get a little crazy around them, but Rhett says they’ll get used to my cluckers soon enough. Let me show you some pics.”

After I scroll through twenty-three photos of my chickens, Baylee chuckles. “Look at you, farm girl.”

“I know. I love the ranch so much. Last night, I sat out by the fire pit and read a book on my Kindle. There were a million stars out. It felt like a slice of heaven. I even forgot about the Marcus situation for a bit.”

She grabs a comb. “I’m kinda sad Rhett didn’t at least punch him.”

“I don’t want Rhett to get in trouble. What if Marcus tells Harlan we dated? That I broke up with Marcus days before I married Rhett? Then he’ll know Rhett just got hitched so he could get that loan. But we saw Harlan last weekend at the grocery store, and he just waved. Still, I’m paranoid.”

She combs out my wet hair. “It’s crazy that Marcus is related to Harlan.”

“It is, but it isn’t. Marcus is an investment banker or something, and Harlan owns banks. Or maybe his family does? I’m not really sure.”