Raine on Me (13 page)

“I’m sure it will be fine though. I mean, I know not to take antibiotics and stuff that will nullify my shots. I read the pamphlet carefully since kids aren’t in my plan right now. I’m not exactly sexually active often but still, I didn’t want to end up pregnant.”

“I’m not ready to be a daddy either. Maybe in a few years that will change.”

“Okay then.”

River held out his hand to her. “Come on. Let’s shower. We’re both sweaty and I like the idea of soaping you up. I still want to fuck you against a shower stall.”

“That’s dangerous. We could slip and fall.”

He laughed loudly, pulled her to her feet, and released her hand. “I like to live dangerously.”

“Right. You like to climb on the backs of bulls.”

“I do.” He handed her one of his T-shirts. “Just wear that. I don’t have a robe but you’ll be covered.”

6Brit put on his shirt, which fell to her thighs, and followed him out of his room to the bathroom across the hallway. They didn’t run into any of his family. River locked the bathroom door. He reached for the bottom of her shirt.

“River?” The male voice that called out sounded just like him.

River sighed. “Hold that thought.” He turned and unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped out into the hallway, his body blocking the opening. “What?”

“Trip, Adam, and I are going to the bar in an hour. We thought you might like to take Brit out. You game?”

He looked over his shoulder at Brit. “Want to go out to have some drinks and eat the best ribs in Texas?”

“That sounds good.”

“Count us in. We’ll meet you guys there.” River backed into the bathroom and firmly shut the door. “I guess we’re just showering but later I’m going to nail you against that tile wall.”

“I’ll let you.” She winked at him, stripped out of the shirt, and then bent over to turn on the water, showing him her ass.

“Tease.”

She wiggled her hips a little. “That’s teasing.”

“You’re going to get it later. Now hurry up. When they say an hour, that’s what they mean. I know you women feel the need to do your hair and makeup.”

She laughed.

7
Chapter Eight

The bar happened to be packed with people. Loud country music throbbed through Brit’s ears the second she walked inside on River’s arm. He’d driven them there in his truck but they planned to meet the others there. Her grip on him tightened a little and he glanced down at her, amused.

“No need to be nervous,” he said loud enough to be heard over the noise. “We’re going to have fun.”

“I didn’t expect this many people,” she stated honestly.

“It’s rodeo season and Thomas, the owner, has satellite service and a few big-screen televisions that will have all the events showing. Everyone within fifty miles will be here to watch them and to bullshit with their friends and neighbors.”

Great
, she thought sarcastically. She’d envisioned a quiet small-town bar, having a few drinks with River and his brothers, and maybe talking him out onto an empty dance floor for a couple of songs before eating a meal together.

Trip, and a man who looked similar enough to him to be his brother, sat at a corner table and waved. River spotted them and moved that way, leading Brit behind him but his hand on hers kept her arm laced with his. River motioned her to scoot in so she did, finding herself nearly hip to hip with the blond man she hadn’t met. He grinned at her and held out his hand.

“I’m Adam and you must be Brit.” His gaze traveled over her quickly and then he shook his head at River. “You had to get to her first, huh?”

River sat down on the other side of Brit and grinned while they ordered drinks.

“Deal with it. Brit and I knew each other before I returned to Hailey. She became mine before we ever reached the ranch.”

“You suck.” Adam chuckled, took a sip of his beer, and then met Brit’s curious gaze.

“It’s a long story but the short of it is, all the best women end up with Ryder or River before poor Trip and I ever lay eyes on them to get a chance to snag them first.”

Trip snorted. “But we end up with them last.” He winked at Brit. “When you’re tired of his ass feel free to come see Adam or me. We’re more into long-term relationships.”

Something in River’s expression tightened. “Knock it off.”

Trip drank shots of something dark, which he downed in one gulp each time. “I’m just being honest with the lady. You aren’t known for sticking in there with one woman for longer than a weekend. I’m just letting her know when she’s ready for something more lasting, I’m available. You did warn her, didn’t you?”

7“You really want to talk about someone sticking around for long? How is your wife?” River’s tone turned icy cold.

The shot glass slammed down on the table hard and loud as Trip glared at River.

“Asshole.”

“Leave her alone. She’s special to me.” River glared back at his adopted brother.

Trip stood. “I’m going to go play some pool.”

“That wasn’t cool,” Adam sighed. “He’s hurting.”

River hesitated. “He just pissed me off.” He turned his head, meeting Brit’s wary gaze. “I told you I have a past and part of that was becoming a bit of a drifter when it came to women but this isn’t some weekend thing between us. I mean that.”

“I didn’t ask for more.” Brit didn’t look away from him as the waitress dropped off drinks. She wrapped her hand around the soda she’d ordered. “You’re the one pushing for a month, not me.”

Adam laughed. “Uh-oh. Has River finally fallen for a woman who isn’t falling all over him first?”

“Shut up, bro.” River kept his gaze on Brit. “We’ll discuss this at home in our room.”

“Okay.”

Adam shook his head. “We’ve got to do something about Trip.”

River turned his head and Brit followed his gaze. Trip stood at the bar slamming more shots. The big blond swayed a little as he stumbled and then definitely showed his drunkenness when he staggered toward the back corner where the pool tables were set up.

“He’s been drinking every night since she left.” Adam watched Trip every unsteady step of the way. “And every night I’m here driving his ass home, having flashbacks of Dusty. Maybe we should throw him into rehab too, as a preventative measure. He’s on his way to becoming an alcoholic.”

River frowned and then turned his head, talking to Brit. “He married some woman he fell hard and fast for but she left five days later. It devastated him. He believes he loved her and now she won’t take his calls or tell him why she ran off.”

“And she had him served to go to court to have the marriage annulled. It turns out her daddy is some bigwig Washington political type who is pulling strings to get it done super fast.” Adam looked disgusted. “It really hurt his pride to find out she’s rich and he thinks that’s why she left when she saw his mobile home. He’s proud.”

“It’s a fine home.” River’s sounded angry. “He worked hard to save up the money to buy it. It was backbreaking work to clear that hilltop to level it for his home.”

“She probably thought she’d live in the ranch house.” Adam sipped his drink.

River frowned. “Why the hell would she want that? When I settle down, I’m sure as hell not going to live there. I want my own place without brothers underfoot. I envy Dusty for getting his own place.”

7Adam shrugged. “You know how it goes. They hear how big the Raine ranch is and a lot of women assume we have money.”

“Yeah.” River glanced at Brit. “Navarro’s first wife happened to be the same way.

She thought he had big bucks but the truth is, we just do okay. The second she figured it out, she made his life a living hell until they divorced. We have a lot of land but it’s been in our family for a few generations.”

“We work hard at keeping it too.” Adam sipped his beer. “Where’s Ryder?”

“Hell if I know. His truck was gone when Brit and I came downstairs. I thought he’d be here by now. We’ll order dinner when he arrives.”

Adam leaned over the table a little. “Did you hear that Morris Decon died late last night? The news is all over town.”

“Fuck,” River gasped, paling slightly. “I hadn’t heard. Do you think Ryder knows?”

Adam shrugged. “Hell if I know.”

“Who’s Morris Decon?” Brit glanced between the two men.

River leaned in. “He used to be one of the town’s biggest assholes but he also happened to be the father of the one woman my brother loved. Morris Decon ran with a bunch of racist bigots who think anyone not wall white should die. You can imagine how thrilled he had to be when his daughter hooked up with my twin.”

Adam nodded. “She left town, just blew out of here and left Ryder without so much as a ‘fuck you very much’.”

“It tore him up,” River added. “Morris’ death might shake him a little in the memory department.”

“That is horrible. She just left without saying why?”

“Yeah.” Adam nodded. “Broke his heart and then some. He was never the same.”

“Bitter,” River agreed.

“I’m sorry to hear it.” Brit wondered silently if Ryder’s old girlfriend was a woman he and River had shared but she wasn’t about to ask, not really wanting to know.

“I’ll go apologize to Trip, even if he asked for it.” River scooted to the side of the booth and stood, taking his beer with him. He gave Adam a knowing look. “Don’t hit on Brit while I’m gone.” His gaze slid to her. “If he does, smack him upside the head.

I’ll be right back.”

She nodded. “I’ll be here.”

Adam bumped her with his shoulder, drawing her attention. She turned her head and looked up at him. He smiled. “He really likes you. He usually runs from commitment and trust me, a month is probably the most committed he’s ever been.”

“Thanks?” She wasn’t sure what else to say or exactly how to reply to that kind of statement.

“So are you a big rodeo fan?”

7“No.” She looked away from him to watch River make his way across the bar. He stopped a few times to smile and talk to other men. “Not really.”

“I could explain what is going on if you want to learn.”

She gave Adam her full attention again. “Thanks but I’m very familiar with it. I just don’t enjoy watching the events. It’s a long story.”

“We have some time.”

She smiled tightly. “It’s not a good story I want to share.”

“Ah. It probably involves a man then.”

Her smile fell. “Good guess.”

“You hooked up with a rodeo bum?”

“No.”

“But someone tied to it in some way?”

She nodded, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. “I learned more about the sport than I ever wanted to know. How do you like living in a small town?”

“Changing the subject, are you?”

Her smile returned in a flash. “Yes.”

He smiled back. “I can respect that. Sometimes it’s as boring as all get out living in Hailey but I know everyone, good or bad, and for the most part I get along with the locals. I work too much and don’t have a lot of free time to ponder my life choices. I left for a while but then returned. I’m not sorry I did. I missed my brothers, not that many of them are around all that much.”

Brit arched an eyebrow.

“Drake is the oldest and he’s an attorney in Dallas. He’s been visiting home more often recently though since he got divorced. I can’t say I’m sorry about that. He married this real snooty type, kind of cold and bitchy. Navarro is solid and he’s a homebody so I get to see him all the time. River used to travel the rodeo circuit until he got hurt and now works with horses, just not ours.” He paused. “Ryder is in a band and they travel a lot unless the bookings dry up or one of the members needs time off. Dusty is in town but he tends to hole up with his new friends for weeks at a time so yeah, I wish they were all around more. You’ll get to meet all of them eventually if you stick around. Of course Trip used to be solid. He and Navarro have always run the ranch.”

“Where did you go when you left here?”

“Here and there.” He shrugged. “I―”

“Britney?” a familiar male voice interrupted.

Something inside Brit froze for a second and then her heart pounded hard. She stared up in alarm at a face from her past. Brad Pillow hadn’t changed much in the four years since she’d seen him last. What had brought him to Hailey was a mystery and a nightmare. Fear gripped her, making her mute, as she gaped up at him in horror.

7“I knew it had to be you.” Brad grinned. “The hair is longer, you’ve lost weight, but I’d recognize you anywhere. You still have the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”

She couldn’t breathe. She had to force air into her lungs when her chest started to burn and her face tingled hot but it took her seconds to get it past the lump in her throat. She took a breath and then another but still couldn’t form words. Brad Pillow stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

“You know her?” Adam glanced at Brit, then frowned at Brad. “I’m Adam Raine.

I―”

“He just met me.” She scooted for the edge of the booth to put distance between herself and Adam. “I’m on my way to Dallas and stopped in here for a meal. It’s a long drive from New Mexico. That’s where I’ve been living,” she lied. She stood on shaky legs that she prayed would support her weight. She trembled and her fingers curled into fists at her sides to attempt to hide that fact. “It was good seeing you but I need to get back on the road again. I have a job interview there in the morning.” She darted a terrified look at Adam. “Thanks for the conversation, mister.” She tried to inch past Brad when she faced him again.

His hand grabbed her arm and he frowned, not allowing her to move around him.

“Kyle is out and he’s looking for you.”

A moan rose in her throat but she managed not to utter it. She fought the urge to tear her arm out of the loose hold and bolt for the door. “I’m aware. I don’t want anything to do with him. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention seeing me or telling him I’m on my way to Dallas.”

Brad had light green eyes and they narrowed while he stared down at her. His hold tightened a little. “What kind of friend would I be if I did that?”

He wasn’t her friend, he was Kyle’s. The two had grown up together, run in the same circles, and had gotten into some of the same bad habits. “Please, Brad? Just let me go.”