Page 124 of The More the Merrier

“Oh, prancer. You have no idea just how much fun we’re going to have.” Dalton handed me to Grant long enough to get to his feet. He shouldered me in one quick motion making me yelp, though I loved it. Being carried healed some deep part of me that I hadn’t realized needed healing.

“So much fun,” I practically purred.

“Let’s go back to your room, lumbersnack. I need to look at your toys.”

Grant gave a deep rumbling laugh, and the sound put me at ease instead of allowing my nerves to take over. “I have quite the array, charming. Lead the way.”

“I always will,” Dalton confirmed, reminding us that he was in charge in all the ways that it implied.

Chapter 9

Grant

Kendall hadn’t stayed at my house as long as I expected, claiming she had other things to take care of. It left me replaying the last few days and nights in my head since Dalton and I had agreed to be in a relationship with her. That, combined with the need to talk to him in person about everything, led me to a poor choice. My insecurities would only lend themselves to failure and dismantle our carefully crafted tripod. That wouldn’t do. Both he and our sweet girl deserved a better partner. I’d made a royally stupid decision and would no doubt feel Dalton’s belt after I informed him of it.

All of that showed me I wasn’t anywhere near done with our relationship, despite the insistence in my mind, but that was neither here nor there.

Liquid courage and freezing clothes from the icy cold weather and light snow propelled me to knock on his side door without another thought. He cracked it open, peering through it before undoing the latch. Scanning my posture, he glanced at the snow-covered walkway before stepping back and allowing me to enter his home.

“You’re supposed to be resting, Grant. Did you fly here?”

“No.” Stamping my boots, shaking off the snow, I took them off along with my coat, hat, and gloves. I shook my legs a few times, doing my best to warm them up. “I rode Chatterbox and brought her to the community stable.” My favorite horse. She could handle the weather better than me. A lot of places in the middle of nowhere had lodging for your horse that was manned by a guard, like a valet service only better.

“Have you also been drinking?”

“Yeah, a little.” In our town they could absolutely ticket you for riding under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but I’d scarcely cared when I headed out.

“Drinking, riding, and not resting.” He shook his head, assisting me out of my sweatshirt and jeans since they were damp from the snow. “You’re absolutely freezing! Did something happen?”

Seeing him in the flesh quieted all the things that had been circling my brain. He had texted me when he got home and promised he would stop by tomorrow, but it wasn’t enough.

“No, not really.” I shrugged. “Stuff on my mind.”

“Just because I can’t spank a better answer out of you at the moment doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”

He wouldn’t punish me while I was inebriated, but it didn’t help the situation. “May I have some coffee, Sir?”

“Yes, but breaking out a title without my asking is a bit concerning.” Dalton hugged me, rubbing his hands over each of mine to warm them before leading me further into the kitchen. His house was mid-sized, but there was plenty of room for a corner nook. It was surprisingly cozy. He brewed two Keurig pods as I watched. “How do you take it?”

“Rough, but I thought you figured that out already.” I winked.

“You didn’t listen to what I told you to do this weekend. I will not let that slide. It’s true that we don’t have a rule about mindlessly riding out in the freezing cold, but you could have been in serious trouble.”

“Feels like I might be already. Am I correct?” I pushed my brat away because Dalton was not in a joking mood. If he wasn’t home or I miscalculated the distance or my ability to ride while impaired, it could have ended badly for me.

“I’m not happy with your actions. You could have called me.”

When he said it like that, it didn’t make the picture any better. “You’re right.”

“I’m right more often than not.” Dalton brought a steaming mug to me. “Cream or sugar?”

“Just sugar.”

He returned with several packets, holding up four, and I nodded. He fixed my coffee, as well as his own, before gesturing toward the den. “Your teeth are chattering. Let’s go sit on the couch under blankets while you warm up.”

For once, I didn’t argue or push back at all and mutely followed. As promised, he wrapped several warm blankets around me. I sipped from the mug, half leaning against his side. Dalton ran his fingers through my hair, lightly massaging my scalp. I enjoyed the quiet calm of the moment. We sat there not speaking while the caffeine broke through the headache that had formed.

“You should find someone else to balance out your relationship with Kendall.”

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