Page 181 of Captivated
Teague hurried into view. “Zeeb. Thank God.”
“That I’m here?” Zeeb rolled his eyes. “Where else would I be? Can’t exactly go riding anywhere at the moment.”
“I need you. Hell, I need everyone. Can you come with me, please?”
Zeeb gaped. “What kind of emergency canIbe any help with?”
“Trust me, you’re needed.” Teague sounded a little breathless.
“What about me? Can I help?” Nate asked.
Teague shook his head. “Sorry, but I need the experienced hands. I’ll bring him right back, I promise.”
Zeeb placed his notebook on the empty chair beside him, and stood. “I have no clue how much use a one-armed man is gonna be, but if you need me…”
Nate grabbed his arm. “Don’t go making things worse, all right?” His eyes twinkled. “Not when I have plans for you.”
Aw fuck.
Zeeb’s cock reacted in a heartbeat.
“We’ll talk about yourplanswhen I get back.” Zeeb grabbed his hat, and followed Teague to the truck. “What the fuck is goin’ on?”
“You’ll understand when we get there.”
“Getwhere? You ain’t said where you’re takin’ me.” He got into the passenger seat, and Teague backed out of the space. They headed down the track toward the ranch, then Teague took a right and drove over the wooden bridge that crossed the creek.
“Teague? Where the fuck are we going? This leads to the meadow. What kind of emergency can you have in a goddamn meadow?”
Teague brought the truck to a stop. “Okay, this is where you get out.”
Zeeb frowned. “What the fuck? All I can see is wildflowers.”
He pointed. “Go thataway.”
Zeeb heaved a sigh of pure irritation. “Fine. Whatever game you’re playin’? Fine.” He walked a few feet from the truck?—
And stopped at the sight of a blanket laid out, surrounded on all sides by flowers. On it sat a dark brown picnic basket.
What the?—
Zeeb opened the double lid and stared at the basket’s contents. There was a plastic box filled with fried chicken, another with biscuits, yet another with some kind of salad, a bottle of wine…
He turned to grill Teague, only to find him waving as he backed the truck up.
“Get back here, you son of a bitch!” Zeeb yelled. The prospect of walking to the cabin wasn’t a pleasant one, not in his present state.
Except Teague was gone.
Zeeb stared at the blanket and the basket, then chuckled.
Well, I said I was ready to eat.
He sat on the blanket and gazed at his surroundings. Yellow flowers atop stalks of maybe two to three feet high alternated with patches of pink ones that hugged the ground.
Guess it’s a pretty spot for a picnic. For one.
Then he peered once more into the basket.
