Page 64 of Burn the Wild

Seconds later, the thunder of boots rattle the porch stairs.

And so begins the meet-and-greets and the familial connect-the-dots. Davis is Ford’s fraternal twin. Fallon and Dakota are sisters. I meet another brother Wyatt and an older man named Stede, who is Dakota and Fallon’s father. Ruby throws her arms around me like we’ve been best friends for years.

“Let’s eat,” Dakota orders after we’ve made introductions.

Chaos ensues as everyone takes food, drink, baby, and dog out onto the patio.

I’m grabbing a bottle of wine when a voice says, “New clothes?”

I smother a smile at the husk of a drawl and glance over at Ford. My gaze tracks over his jeans and charcoal gray T-shirt dusted with dirt. I ignore the smug look on his face despite my overheating heart. “Sure looks like it, Country Boy.”

I wave my hand down my outfit—cut-off shorts, a crochet tank top, and high heels. Reese Austin Lite. Glamorous, but relaxed. I love my heels and jewelry, but it’s so freeing to wear something I picked out.

Thanks to Ford.

He’s given me my first real speck of hope. I have my own checking account. One tiny step toward freedom. But I’m not about to let a man control me. I won’t owe Ford Montgomery anything like I owe Gavin. I’ll pay him back for everything.Even if the way he casually handed me his AMEX today had me swooning.

I finger the gold necklace around my neck. “Although, I don’t know how the necklace got in there.”

He shrugs. “I don’t either.”

I roll my eyes. I’ll never admit how much I love it. It’s the first nice thing someone’s done for me in a long time.

With that, we head to the deck, where Dakota has spread a feast across the long pine table. The view is mesmerizing, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. All woods and lake, with fireflies winking in the air. The sun is a bold orange fireball that makes the world look like it’s burning.

Davis and Dakota sit at each end of the long table, with Duke in a highchair beside his mother. I take my seat, trying to ignore that I’m next to Ford, but his lean body crammed into my space has my senses on overload. His bare arm grazes mine and my skin catches fire. As if he felt it too, Ford clears his throat and adjusts his sitting position.

I can’t help but take him in. His rugged beauty and southern drawl are almost too much. He’s like a cowboy hero plucked from the old country songs I used to sing. Riding the plains, dusty and grizzled. Calloused fingertips. Chiseled jaw.

As we dish our plates, Charlie and Wyatt reach for the same steak. Charlie wins it by throwing an elbow that has Wyatt swearing.

“Only child?” Ford’s voice rumbles.

I flush at being caught gawking. “Yes.”

Wyatt grins. “Yeah, you never had to learn how to curb-stomp someone for the last burger.”

Ford snorts, reaching over the table with those long arms of his to swat his brother across the head. Fallon lifts a brow likeobviously that’s my job.

Davis holds up his hands. “Let’s go a night without killing someone.”

“When are you gonna shave this?” Ford asks, gesturing at Wyatt’s mustache.

“Shut up, man,” Wyatt grumbles, shoving at Ford’s arm.

I smile at their boisterous bullshitting.

Ford jerks his chin at Fallon. “What do you think of the new ’stache, cowgirl?”

Wyatt doesn’t look up from his plate, but his coiled shoulders tell me he’s listening.

She tilts her head, contemplating, before saying, “I think he looks like a prepubescent man-child.”

Charlie and Davis snicker.

“Fallon, when are you riding next?” Ruby asks, intercepting the argument before it can bloom.

“August. The Rough Rider Rodeo,” Fallon says, shoveling potatoes onto her fork. Then she shakes her head. “I need to get in shape. I spent months away from riding. I’m soft on form.”

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