Page 221 of Forbidden Heroes

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. We all knew she had to grow up sometime. Move on. Now is a good time for that as any. She’s not our kid." I glanced out the window to find Harper talking with a group of friends, and the anger is back, fresh and ready to boil over. Anger at fate putting me in this world in front of a woman a decade and a half my junior and torturing me day in and day out with what I can’t have.

“How long are you gonna fight it, man?"

I turn a razor-sharp eye on my Austin. “Fuck you.”

Hunter grunts and we both turn to him. “You've done it now, Austin. Why the hell can't you keep your mouth shut, man? He’s gonna run and now we’ll all have to live with him forever being an asshole. No way big bad Boone will fess up to wanting Harper."

"What?” I grind out between clenched teeth, unhooking my feet.

“We’ve all seen you pussyfooting around her like she's venomous, dude. Plain stupid if you ask me. It’s not like you can’t, but somewhere in that stubborn head of yours you’ve put a huge red X over her and now you’re this brooding asshole who stomps everywhere you go."

“It’s quite annoying if you ask me,” Austin chimes in, clinking beer bottles with Hunter like this is an intervention or some shit.

“Well, no one is asking you so back the fuck off, Austin." I grab my hat and head for the door.

"I'm going up to the cabin for a few weeks. Fix up the place after the last storm rolled through. I'll have my phone—try not to call unless one of you is bleeding."

I don’t bother to look back. I already know the disdain on my brothers’ faces.

The last thing Harper needs in her life is a sick fuck like me. It wasn't right to pine after a fucking barely legal member of the family. Not by blood but dammit, by morals. Someone should take me out back and put a bullet in my head for the nasty, filthy fucking fantasies I want to fulfill with the sweet little thing every time she struts her virgin ass by me off to lend a hand with the workers or toss hay.

I know she is a virgin because I make damn sure any boy who dares to come sniffing around understands who her uncle is. Former Army Ranger, eldest Urban son of the Urban dynasty leading back three generations and the hardass who will put any man who dared touch my girl six feet under.

Three

Harper

God, help me, how much longer can I live with this aching need? Sunlight beats down on me, warming me to the core. But that’s not why I’m sweating as though I’ve run a marathon. I’m nervous. So nervous the palms of my hands are sweaty around the box in my hands.

Paper streamers dangle from trees and a few workers are finishing the after-party clean up. Other than that, it’s a quiet Friday. After spending half the morning and afternoon helping get the yard back to rights and my rounds with the horses the sun is already dipping close to the horizon.

I smile when I come around the side of the house to see Boone’s gift waiting for me in the driveway. Its bright, cherry red color gleams in the setting sun and I can tell Boone was the one to pick it up from the dealer’s because it’s his cologne filling the cabin. I walk around the back and pop the tailgate down, sliding the box of tack meant for a neighbor all the way to the back to make room for more.

“Are you ready, honey?” Austin and Hunter both have their arms filled with more gear that I'm meant to drop off before heading off to see a friend who moved a few hours away in Houston.

An easy smile glides across my face. “Just about. Got a couple more boxes in the kitchen I need to grab. Anything else I need to take to the vet’s ranch?”

Austin pats me on the shoulder and pushes me toward the house. “Nah, go ahead and grab what you need while we check over the truck. Make sure you’re good to go for a long trip.” I roll my eyes and smile at the worried looks on their faces. As though I haven’t been driving one thing or another on this ranch since the day I came here.

I have to force myself not to look back to make sure they’re not taking a peek at the duffle bag I have packed in the front seat. Normally it would be filled with a girl’s weekend out in the big city kind of things like party dresses, makeup and heels instead of what I have—bathing suits, sun tanning lotion and not a dress in sight. If my plan works out, I’ll be naked most of the weekend anyway. So no heels needed either.

I head inside, my mind already clicking over the excuse I’ll be giving my friend when I don't show up in Houston as expected in three hours.

I stop by a mirror and work my ponytail free and check over my shorts and tank, considering if I should put some makeup on before I head out. I stop. God, what am I thinking? I never use makeup regularly and when I do it’s usually some lip gloss and mascara. What am I trying to do here? I am trying to work some seductive magic over a man I have no business wanting, is what.

I turn and head for the door, clicking my inside doubting voice over to mute. All I know is that it tore my heart out to watch Boone drive away from the party last night. Drive away from me. It felt wholly personal, like it was me he was running away from. How can a girl not take that to heart?

Yeah, I tried all night to convince myself I am overreacting but, when I woke this morning, I knew what I had to do. Either I act or live like a coward and I’m not some sappy woman to sit in a corner and let life pass me by. I might be scared and nervous but nothing is going to stop me from doing this.

And Boone can say what he wants and paint whatever picture he needs everyone else to see. But I know the truth. He's waiting for me to leave the Urban ranch so he can get on with his life and not face the feelings that have him stealing looks my way or running for the hills every time I come around.

I’m not going to let that happen. Not without telling him, no showing him, how I really feel. Then If he still wants to run, well, okay then. Nothing I can do to stop him.

Something fierce rumbles through me. I grab the box of extra birthday cake I set aside for my trip and head for the door.

Five minutes later I’m waving to Austin and Hunter, heading West at the end of the mile-long drive leading down from the ranch, when I should be pointed East.

He didn’t even have any of the cake, barely danced and he stormed off after I told them all I was having second thoughts about college. Not that I don’t want to go, but I want to have a breather and enjoy a year of working the ranch with no interruptions.

---