West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(61)

Jimmy nods. “It’s my job.”

“You were off duty.”

“You were, Jim. I mean, you really went above and beyond,” I add, backing Suzanne up.

He glances at me. “Yes, I did, and if I recall…you did too.”

I shrug. “I was just being neighborly.”

Suzanne snorts. “Please, the two of you are anything but neighborly.”

I look at her, controlling my face so as not to give away the tinge of fear there. We agreed no one would know, but I also realize these girls like to gossip. My sisters are the freaking worst. They all think they keep secrets until they tell each other, and they already know. It’s why I don’t tell them shit.

Lark only has brothers, though. They’re not smart enough to trade secrets.

“What the hell does that mean?” Lark asks. “We are perfectly civil, aren’t we, Tristan?”

We’re something, all right.

Civil and naked when we’re together.

“Sure we are.”

Jimmy scoffs. “Civil my ass.” He sort of hit the nail on the head there. “You two are causing me more headaches than anything with your nonstop pranks and bullshit.”

“I think you mean Lark is. I’m not doing a damn thing,” I defend myself.

“Says you,” Lark taunts.

I stare into those green eyes that just a few minutes ago were filled with lust. “Yes, says me and everyone else. The only people saying I am doing anything are you and your brothers.”

Lark grins. “And Daddy.”

I huff. “Yes, all very unbiased sources.”

“Children, children, while this is entertaining and all, we have things to do tonight,” Suzanne cuts in. “Unless you guys want me to get a mud pit? You can fight it out there.”

Now that is an image that I would love to see—Lark all wet, muddy, clothes clinging to her perfect body as she tries to fight through it.

Yeah, whatever, I’m a guy.

“Please, like Tristan could take me.”

Verbal sparring with Lark is the one thing that I enjoy almost as much as the sex. I take a step closer. “We could always find an empty stall and fight there.”

Her eyes widen for a heartbeat before she recovers. “I don’t roll around in the hay with animals.”

Suzanne’s eyes go to me, and I grin as I look back at Lark. “You wouldn’t know how to handle a bull, sweetheart.”

“Funny, I only see an ass here.”

She’s so going to get spanked for that comment.

I look around and then back to her. “You really shouldn’t talk about Jimmy that way when your family is needing him.”

Lark grins. “I was talking about you.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think you were.”

“Think whatever you need to, but I promise, I was.”

“And on that note,” Jimmy cuts in, “we’re going to watch the rodeo. You ladies have a great night.” He looks to Suzanne. “Good luck, kick ass. We can’t wait to see you win again.”

“Bye, boys,” Suzanne says, waving the tips of her fingers at us before turning to walk away.

I watch her go and then, like the ass she said I am, I call her name: “Lark?”

She turns, her eyes wide in surprise. “Yeah?”

“You have some hay in your hair.”

She lifts her hand, pulling out a piece of straw and huffing. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

And only we know exactly why she has it there.









Chapter 24





Lark




“All right, the game is called Go Fish,” I say, pulling the cards from my bag, tossing them onto the blanket as the fire roars beside us on the ridge.

“Really?” he asks, lying with his head resting on his arm.

God, he looks hot.

I really wish he didn’t, but he has that just-fucked look from my fingers running through his hair, messing it up as I held on while he brought me to my last orgasm. Tristan’s lips are a little swollen from where I kissed the life out of him.

All of it is very, very sexy.

“Yes, really. It’s a very easy game—you might even be able to comprehend the rules.” I sit up straight and shuffle. “Now I think we can complicate it just a little bit and make it five cards instead of seven.”

Tristan rolls his eyes. “Yes, let’s make it interesting.”

I give him a saucy grin. “Interesting? How so?”

“Loser gets to make the other do something.”

“Sexual?” I ask.

I mean, I’m not opposed to it.

Tristan leans in, hand resting on the deck of cards. “No, sweetheart. I think we can get more creative than that. It can be sexual, but I was thinking more of a…retribution type thing.”

“What the hell do I need retribution for?”

“Calling me an ass might be one.”

I laugh softly. “You are an ass.”

“I like your ass.”

I have a great ass. Not that I’m conceited or anything, but it’s the one part of my body I’m actually really impressed with.