Page 46 of Holding The Reins

I nod. Is that what I should see when I look at Nash? An extension of Wade and Cole?

They mercifully leave me in the quiet of my tiny space. I lean back onto my sofa, huffing.

“Never a dull moment,” I mutter as I think back over the events of the night in my mind.

I will admit I did enjoy seeing Andrew groveling for forgiveness though. It makes me smirk all the way back into the bathroom while I dry my hair into a long, straight sheet down my back. I change into my favorite silk pajama set, dreaming of a hot tea and a rom-com to escape the drama my life has turned into. I don’t even get the kettle filled before I hear another knock at the door.

What goddamn family member is here to get in my business now? Cole? Papa Dean? I move to the door, ready to say I’m just fine. Until I swing the door open to find none other than Nash Carter standing under my porch lights.

Ifold my arms over my chest to cover my breasts as the cool night breeze hits me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, looking over his shoulder to see if his date is still in his truck.

“I just… I had to come and check on you.” He runs a hand through his hair and looks up. “Can I just come in?”

“Where is your date?”

“I took her home and it was hardly a date.” His jaw tenses as he stares at me expectantly.

I cock my head to the side. “Nash, I’m gonna ask you again, what are you doing here?”

“I needed to know, I had to see that you were okay.”

“I’m fine.”

He sighs. “Let me in, Rae. I just want to talk.”

I analyze him for a minute, and then I swing the door open wide and he steps into my tiny entryway, taking up all the available space with his large, solid frame.

His hair is damp but still manages to look perfect and his slim fitting sky blue dress shirt is just wet enough to cling to his powerful form. A jealousy I can’t stop—or understand—ripples through me unexpectedly at the idea of him dressing like this to take another woman on a date and impress her. It’s irrational, but I digress and just accept it. It is what it is and I’m going to have to get used to it. It was only going to be so long before Nash took someone out.

“I’m sure Andrew will be half way to Seattle by now. He won’t come here, so if you’re looking for him you’re wasting your time,” I say as I turn to head to my kitchen.

“No, I’m here to see you. I didn’t… I’m sorry I hit him but he is a real piece of shit, Rae. If he ever calls you and wants to see you here again, you tell me and I’ll go with you.”

I scoff as I finish filling the kettle. “Okay, I didn’t realize I was opening the door to Caveman Nash.”

He rolls his eyes.

“I won’t be seeing Andrew again anytime soon. I’m going to do everything by email, and thank you, but I don’t need a bodyguard, Nash, and FYI”—I turn to face him—“I didn’t need a bodyguard all through high school either.”

His jaw goes slack as he realizes someone has spilled the tea to me.

“What gave you the right to decide who I could and could not date back then?” I ask.

Nash says nothing, just stares at me like he doesn’t know what to say.

“That’s right, your secret’s out. I know about Michael and Jason and Paul and Steven and whoever else you felt the need to knock around. This is why no one asked me out after eleventh grade, isn’t it? They all thought you’d come after them.”

He closes his mouth and runs a hand through his hair again. I watch the muscles in his upper arm seriously challenge the confines of his shirt and I take in the ink that peeks out from his shirt collar. The Kentucky vines that run up the side of his neck pulse with his flexed jaw. I want to wrap myself in them and live there.

“Wade or Cole?” he asks.

“Wade,” I say honestly, forcing myself to pull my eyes from his body to his face.

He huffs out a breath, frustration etching across his face. “I just feel… protective of you, CeCe. I always have. I’m not going to apologize for that.”

“But I’m not your responsibility.” I turn away from him and place the kettle on the stove and continue, “You don’t have to worry about me. I have two brothers already. The way I see it, you ruined a perfectly good date coming here.”

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