“I like my job.”
“In Montana,” she rasps, clutching at the hem of my T-shirt when I try to shift away. “But we’re not on the ranch right now.”
I chuckle and gently wrap my hand around her greedy wrist. “That rumor you’ve heard about shit staying in Vegas? Rarely happens, babe. He’d find out, and he’d kill both of us. I like you too much to let that happen.”
Pink rises in her cheeks as she wets her lips. “One kiss. That’s all I want.”
Yeah, well, I want a fuck lot more than that. “Sorry, babe.”
“Is it the age thing? Is that the real problem?”
I laugh again, and when she finally lets go of my shirt, her frustration returning, I step back and put some much-needed space between us. I’ve never looked at her like she’s a kid, and I never will. There’s not one bit of Tessa McMurray that isn’t all woman.
“I’ve worked at the Magnolia Blue since I was seventeen, sweetness, and since buying my own ranch doesn’t seem to be in the cards, I might as well retire there, too. I’m not gonna screw that up. No matter how tempting you may be.” I wink, hoping to ease the sting.
“Well,” she leans back, a smile curling seductively at her lips as she drapes her arm around the back of the leather seat and crosses one leg over the other. “I guess I’ll have to try harder, won’t I?”
* * *
TESSA
“What’s up with you and the cowboy?” Macy asks in a hushed voice as the staff clears away our dinner plates. “Every time I look at you, you’re eye-fucking him.”
“Oh, please.” I might’ve stolen a glance or two, but I haven’t been eye-banging Dean. Much. “There’s nothing going on with us.”
“You are such a liar.” She elbows my arm and thanks the waiter when he sets a fancy slice of cheesecake with fresh strawberries and chocolate in front of each of us. “He works for your brother?”
“Brothersplural. Holden and Kaden own the ranch now.”
“Okay, but that’s not my point… you’re clearly not strangers, and you’re obviously into him.”
That’s one way of putting it, though obsessed might be more accurate. And that’s never been my style.
I didn’t date a lot in high school, because not only were Holden and Kaden always watching, but so were my cousins Dustin and Luke. There were very few guys in Bear Creek, Colorado, who dared to piss off any of the McMurray boys, because drawing the attention of one meant drawing the attention of them all.
So, I sowed my oats in college. I even had a boyfriend for a while during my sophomore year. He was pre-med and came from a good family, but he was almost too nice. Too clean-cut and definitely a rule follower. Everything the guys in Bear Creek were not. He never swore, hated getting dirty, had never had a callous on his hands, and he only liked missionary because it made him feel “in control.”
I had no problem breaking up with him when I realized we weren’t long-term material, and I’ve had no problem dating since. Only a handful of guys have earned more than a single date, and only two have wound up in my bed. I’ve been attached to precisely none of them.
And then I met Dean.
I haven’t done more than build a snowman and share hot chocolate with him during the Mason Creek Christmas festival—no dates, no kisses—but somehow, that’s all it took.
He’s been on my mind a lot in the past nine months. I even tried to plan a second trip to Montana just to see him, but work at the advertising agency got busy and I couldn’t make it happen.
Bumping into him here? It’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I just need to convince him to see it like I do.
“I am into him,” I finally admit to Macy. “But he doesn’t want to mess things up with my brothers.”
“Understandable.”
“Ugh, no.” I prod her arm like she did to me. “You’re not supposed to say that.”
“Listen, we’ve already established that you and I are the voice of reason in this wedding party, and I can’t just turn that off because it’s you we’re talking about.”
“No, but you were also the one who suggested we explore our options.”
She twists her lips thoughtfully. “You’re right. I did say that. But if he’s not interested, he’s not interested.”
