Page 10 of Cruel Expectations

Fantastic.

Just what she needed. Stupid tears. She hadn’t shed them in months. Not when she realized how alone she was in Europe. Nor when she received the call that her father had a massive heart attack.

This place stirred up emotions that she strived to stuff down for nine months, and annoyance was at the top of that list.

She heaved her suitcase into the bed of the truck like the badass country girl she really was.

A second bag landed right beside hers.

She glanced over to see Hunter standing inches away.

“You’re really getting off on this, aren’t you?”

His expression was unreadable. Stiff. Stoic.

The way she wished she could be feeling right this second.

“Getting off on what?”

“Driving me insane.”

Before he could respond with one of those trademark grunts he was so good at, she rushed to the door to jump in. But Meadow was already climbing in the front seat, with Colton at the wheel.

Ivy tried not to ball her fists. Being forced to sit in the back seat wasn’t a problem. But how did she get stuck with this guy? What kind of hellish coincidence had put them on the same flight, seated across from each other? Now he was going to the ranch with her?

When he slammed the door, she ground her molars. Colton started the engine and rolled out of the parking spot.

Hunter took up more than his share of the seat. After a few miles, he began to really sprawl out. What did he think this was? A leather sofa rather than a leather truck seat?

She pressed herself even tighter against her door until the armrest dug into her ribs. When his knee bumped her thigh, she slapped a hand down on the sliver of seat between them.

“Do you need to manspread so much? Nobody’s balls are that big. Especially not yours. Stop touching me!”

Her sister squelched a laugh.

Even that sound roused all the memories of late-night giggles in bed with Meadow.

It couldn’t be a worse time for fighting her emotions.

Meadow’s voice vibrated with amusement. “Now, kids, don’t make Colton stop the truck!”

“That’s right. I’ll turn this truck around.”

Hunter twitched his knee away from Ivy’s leg. “Sorry, princess.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m nothing like what you think I am.”

“Based on my experience, you are.”

She gaped at him. “Excuse me? Who are you to pass judgment on my character? You don’t even know me.”

“Maybe I’m wrong. But from what I see, you’re the baby of the family, who has a lot of privileges.”

“Just because I happened to be born last doesn’t mean I have more privileges than Meadow. Besides, we’re both grown women, not kids getting every toy we want in the toy store. Not that we ever did. Right, Meadow?”

“That’s true.”

At last! Her sister had her back.

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