Page 16 of Embracing Hope

Tears filled his eyes as he repeated the scene on a reel inside his head.

Dex guessed he’d been broken as a child, listening to his parents argue, call each other names, and break up every five days only to get back together. He’d been a bitter teenager when he’d signed up for the military, thinking it would save him, but instead, an enemy IED outside of Kuwait left him with a noticeable limp.

He peered through the window. The cowboy was now standing near Marah, showing her a card trick. Dex recognized the man as military. He reeked of special ops. There should be a sense of brotherhood among them, but instead, it filled Dex with disgust. The camaraderie he once felt had dulled down to a memory.

Rolling his shoulders, he eased some of the tension, but not quite enough. Uncapping the flask he brought it to his lips and downed the rest of the whiskey inside. He closed his eyes a moment, relishing the comfort the burn gave him.

Soon, he’d be celebrating when he made the people he hated pay for what they’d put him through.

Chapter Four

“So, did I pass the test?”

She backed out of the driveway and turned toward Sagebrush Rose Ranch. “What test were you supposed to pass?” She shot him a side glance.

His knees were pressed against the dashboard, and his head nearly rubbed the ceiling. She realized it was a little wrong of her to have made him ride in her car. Tall herself, he still dwarfed her and was more than two hundred pounds of solid muscle.

“Isn’t riding in the car and helping you babysit your friend’s kid all a test to see if you can send me packing?” he said calmly.

After seeing how he treated Marah—seeing his softer side—she admittedly felt different about him. He wasn’t as “rough” as she gave him credit for.

Yet, Hope wasn’t quite ready to let her guard down. Although he said that their meeting was purely coincidental, she couldn’t trust him. Over the years, she’d learned the hard way that trusting the wrong people could turn into a mess if not careful.

“You truly do think too much of yourself,” she said. “Didn’t I make it clear that I had prior commitments? I’m sorry that I didn’t treat you like royalty, rent a spacious vehicle, and change my plans with my friend who needed my help. She didn’t need to go to the doctor, did she?” She wasn’t sure why the man could creep under her skin like no one had ever done.

“I’m confused.”

“I’m guessing you’re waiting for me to ask why.”

“Why do you dislike me so much? I think we had a great time last night. In fact, I’d say you had a pleasurable time. Aren’t multiple orgasms supposed to be a great thing?”

The underlying huskiness and the sultry words made her heart skip a beat. “Okay, Isaac. Tamp down the ego. Drunk sex is never as good as sober sex.”

He planted his narrowed gaze on her. “If I were drunk, I’d never be able to get it up, and from what I recall, I not only got it up, but I managed to three times.” His voice came dangerously low. “I don’t think you were either. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have touched you.”

Feeling his dark eyes on her, her body warmed. “No, I wasn’t drunk.” Maybe tipsy, but she knew exactly what she was doing and remembered every minute. She shifted, and her arm brushed his resting on the console. An awareness shot up into her shoulder and the thick cords of his arm flexed.

“So, again, did I pass the test?”

“I have no desire to test you. Your choice to join me was completely yours, and there was no pressure. I wasn’t holding you hostage.” Her daddy would be upset if he knew Hope wasn’t rolling out the red carpet as he’d asked her to.

“Touché. But I’m here now,” he said smoothly. “And face it, I’m staying until this merger is complete or disintegrated.”

She wrapped her hands tighter around the steering wheel. “Why exactly are you here, Isaac?”

“I’m overseeing the details of this business deal.”

“Which is a bit mysterious when the merger was already set in stone between your brother and my daddy.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “How much of your family’s finances has Sam made you aware of, Hope?”

“Are you suggesting that Daddy is keeping secrets?” The question seemed hypocritical. Sam had kept his cancer diagnosis secret for nearly six months.

“Sagebrush Rose has faced some financial challenges recently. Ranching isn’t as profitable as it used to be. Over the years, equipment, fertilizer, and labor costs have all increased. Once upon a time, a crew would work the land for a place to live and grub, but times are changing. The profit received from selling cattle hasn’t increased at the same rate. Most small ranches are one drought away from folding.”

“It seems that Sagebrush Rose is still profitable enough for your family to consider a merger.”

He nodded. “My brother, CJ, definitely is all in.”

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