Page 13 of Claimed By the Cowboys

Brent leans forward, and his biceps flex. And that must be the only reason that the next thought pops into my head.

“I’d be happy to help. On one condition.”

The guys all look at me with curiosity. I gulp down more wine, which must be the only reason that the next sentence comes rushing out of my mouth.

“I’ll help you with your business if you help me have a baby.”

CHAPTER 4

Tate

Ishake my head, trying to clear the ringing sound in my ears. “I’m sorry, Piper. Can you repeat that? I could have sworn you just asked us to help you have a baby.”

The words sound fuzzy. I think I might be in shock.

Piper gulps down the rest of the wine. She pours herself a third glass, and I go to take the bottle from her because she’s never going to make it home at this rate.

I think that’s kind of the point, jackass.

My hand freezes, and I curl my fingers back in.

Vaguely, I’m aware that the food is getting cold. I’ve been a chef for so long, I can’t just turn that shit off. However, the awareness is very, very vague, because my mind keeps coming back to the sentence that hopped out of her beautiful lips.

I’ll help you with your business if you help me have a baby.

Piper flushes red. The blush is so goddamn pretty, it instantly goes straight to my cock, because now all I can think of is how else I can make her blush. And how far down her neck the flushed skin goes. And whether she would do it again for us if I whispered in her ear all the things I’d like to do to her….

Shut. The fuck. Up. Tate.

I shake myself.

Piper nods, her fingers twisting the wine glass. Even her goddamnfingertipslook sexy, and I feel like I might choke on all of the things ricocheting through me.

I’ve kept my desire for Piper under wraps since we were kids. It’s changed over the years, of course, but I’ve always just been her friend. We all have.

What she’s asking for would change… everything.

“I think you all know that I really want a family,” Piper starts. “I’m just… I’m tired of dating. When I tried, it didn’t work out for me. I met all these guys, and none of them were… right,” she finishes.

I have so many fucking questions.Who? When? Where? Who the fuck hurt you? What does right mean? Are we right?

“And I’m worried that I won’t have time to like… actually find someone who loves me and wants to start a family.”

Brent shifts next to me. “Piper? Is something wrong?”

She shakes her head. “No. Not that I know of.”

But the words sound… hollow.

“Anyway. You guys are my family. And I like how we operate, but I also really, really want to have children,” Piper says.

Her cheeks are red, maybe from the wine, maybe from the request. Her eyes are looking down at the table, and the note of longing in her voice tugs straight at my chest.

Fuck. She does want this. I know that she’s always wanted to be a mom, and it’s something that I’ve wanted for her as well. And something that I’ve fantasized about.

My cock twitches at the image of Piper, pregnant withmybaby, and I have to shift.

“I kind of figure that I don’t want to wait on a man to fall in love with. I want a baby. And I don’t want to ruin our friendship, but I kind of figure that it might be the start of like… a different phase of it,” she murmurs.

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