Page 28 of Just Say When

“A wife who rides horses but isn’t a professional reiner. The NRHA rulebook defines non-pro as the owner or owner’s immediate family. A wife is immediate family.” He locked his bloodshot blue eyes on mine. “You should marry Essie.”

My heart did something stupid in my chest and I pressed my palm to it.She’s not for you, dumbass.

I hooted like it was the funniest thing I’d ever heard. “Damn, kid. What the hell kind of drugs are they giving you? I’m not going to marry Essie just for the chance to win a hundred thousand dollars and earn my horse a shiny blue ribbon. Have you lost your damn mind?”

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze never wavering. “I didn’t say you’d marry her for a hundred grand. But I do think a hundred grand might convince her to marryyou.”

“Convince who to marry who?” Essie asked, stepping through the door with a paper cup of steaming coffee. She paused when she saw me. “Oh, Brax. I didn’t know you were here. You’ll have to get your own coffee.”

And my heart did that thing again, that stupid, stupid thing.

My wife, it whispered.

12

Essie

“W

hy are you looking at me like that?” My gaze swept from Brax to Zack and back again. Both of them were sizing me up like Zack needed an organ transplant and mine might be the right fit. “I don’t think I like it.”

“Oh, honey. You’re gonnahateit.” Zack flashed a mischievous grin and then immediately slapped a hand to his split lip. “Ow. Goddammit.”

Despite the fact that he was clearly plotting my demise with my enemy, I took pity on him. I dug into my bag and pulled out a small pot of coconut oil and a tube of Aquaphor. “Move your hand,” I instructed.

I sat next to him on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle his leg, and scooped out a smidge of coconut oil. I rubbed it between my fingers until the cream became a liquid and then dabbed it gently on his lips. I followedthat with a dollop of Aquaphor. It was my own personal remedy for cuts, burns, and the cracked lips that came with living in a dry-ass climate.

“The coconut oil is for healing, and the Aquaphor is for protecting,” I explained. “How does it feel?”

He smacked his lips together a few times, testing it. “Better. I can move my mouth without crying now. Thanks.”

“I’ll make a kit for you.”

“If you two are done playing sexy nurse, can we please have a serious conversation about Pirate?” Brax asked, sounding annoyed.

Zack gave me a knowing smirk. I knew what he was thinking. Last year, Zack and I had indulged in a little flirtation. Not a big deal, because truthfully, Zack had a little flirtation with every woman he came in contact with between the ages of twenty-one and sixty-one. I had it on good authority that Zack was a fun way to spend a night, but he had nipped my advances in the bud, on account of the man currently glowering at us like he wouldn’t mind pulling us apart with his bare hands.

But Zack had it all wrong, both then and now. Brax didn’t care who I fucked. He just didn’t think I was good enough for his little brother, that was all. Hell, he didn’t think I was good enough for anyone.

I twisted my torso to bat my eyelashes at Brax overmy shoulder. “Ohhh, you think I’m sexy?” I asked in a sing-song voice.

Brax scowled. “If you think a snotty nose is sexy, then sure, because that’s exactly what’s going to happen to my brother if you keep sharing beauty products with him. He doesn’t need a virus on top of a broken leg.”

“Stop being such a prig. I’m not going to get Zack sick. I haven’t had so much as a cold since Thanksgiving, and I always replace my stuff when I get sick. Anyway, I used the hand sanitizer right outside the door before I came in. So there.” I almost stuck out my tongue at him, but I remembered what he said about that and kept my tongue safely tucked inside.

His gaze dropped to my mouth like he was remembering, too. When he licked his lower lip, I swallowed hard. I wasthis closeto showing him mine, just to see what he would do about it.

“Jesus Christopher Christ,” Zack grumbled. “If you two could stop eye fucking each other when I’m a trapped audience on account of this fucking leg, I’d be much obliged. I’m a human being, dammit. I have inalienable rights to not see this shit.”

“It’s not eye fucking,” I said. “It’s eye loathing.”

“Loathing, huh?” Zack rubbed the three-day growth of stubble on his chin. “Well, that’s gonna make this conversation real awkward, then.”

“What conversation is that?” I asked warily, lookingbetween the two brothers again. Something was definitely up.

“The one where we talk about Pirate’s future.” Brax folded his large body into the small red plastic chair, looking only slightly ridiculous. He rested his elbows on his knees, which were drawn up almost to his chest, and leaned forward.

My brows pushed together in a frown. Now I was good and worried. Had something happened to Pirate while we were all preoccupied with Zack? “What about it?”

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