I can’tlikethe sound of her laugh. Or notice how good it feels to be next to her when she does.
Before anyone gets the wrong idea on what this is—I need to set some things straight.
After we eat, I peek outside and check my messages and the forecast. Still dark but no rain yet.
I’m about to sit her down—wishing I wasn’t breaking the mood before noon—when her phone rings.
Rose glances at the screen and looks up at me. “It’s Wesley.”
I cock my head to the front door. “At least he called first.”
She answers on the second ring. “Hey, Wes.”
His voice blasts through the speaker and Rose jerks it away from her ear. On instinct, I lift the threat out from her hands and put it on speaker.
Like I’m going to say a damn word.
Rose gives me a pleading look and takes the phone from me but keeps it on speaker.
“I’m sorry,” she starts calmly. “I don’t understand you when you’re loud. Call me back when you calm down.”
“Don’t hang up. Jesus, you’re a real pill. What happened last night?”
Rose looks up at me, wide-eyed. “What did you hear?”
“Don’t play dumb, Rose. Randy told me what you were all planning. Stealing stock for the Callahan rodeo? Really? And that you got them all caught.”
Her mouth drops, and frankly, I’m fucking offended for her.
She wasn’t the reason they were caught. I notice anything and everything unusual on my ranch. And the emergency lights turned off around the stables was a big red flag. That and .?.?. when I realized Rose wasn’t home, I went looking.
I rub my forehead irritably.
“Yeah, well”—she looks up at me, a playful grin on her lips—“maybe I planned on getting caught all along. So technically, I saved Tuscan from being kidnapped.”
I cock my head at her with an arched brow, which only amuses her more.
“Good one. Did he yell at you?” Wes asks after a moment.
A relief I wasn’t expecting washes over me. He sounds protective. Rose picks up on the tone too and smirks.
“There .?.?. was yelling, yes.”
He sighs, quiet for a moment. “Well, did you slap him?”
She laughs. “No.”
“No?”
“He’s your friend, Wes, I’m not slapping him. Besides, what kind of precedent would that set if I slapped him in front of all those people?”
I hold back a chuckle.
“Should’ve slapped him,” Wes says, and I have to cover my mouth.
“Want me to come over?”
Her smile disappears and she twists nervously. “No. I’m naked.”
