Page 21 of The Hardest Part

Well, I’ll be damned. She brought me pie.

Outside, icy winter air tickled his nose, but not in here. In here, the air sizzled. The heat of a hundred bodies—hell, likely more than that—filled the old, red barn. Drinking and dancing. Groping and kissing. Darn near everything except fucking in plain view for all to see.

And the smell. God, the smell. Whiskey and hay bales. The scent of Emily’s hair. Jake breathed it in deep.

He wrapped his arm around her middle, and pulling her in close, pressed his lips to the top of her head. She angled her face to glance up at him. A wicked gleam in her pretty green eyes, how he longed to kiss her in that moment.

“That was fun.” Emily giggled, still trying to catch her breath. “Did you like it?”

In a daring display of prowess, Arien brought Shiloh and his wild girl out on the dance floor to one-up Kellan. After putting on a show with Cassie to make his new stepsister jealous, which it did, judging by the amount of Fireball consumed, the dumb fuck made the mistake of challenging the girl.

And she damn sure showed him.

The three of them moved in sync like they’d been dancing together all their lives. Getting down low and winding it up slow. Hell have mercy on his dick because Jake didn’t know his girl had moves like that. But goddammit, he should have.

“Everybody liked it.” There wasn’t a soul in place who didn’t watch them.

Winding his hair around her finger, Emily raised a flask to her lips and swallowed. “I don’t give a shit about them. Didyoulike it?”

“Yeah, baby.” He spun her around to face him, his nose gliding alongside hers. “I liked it.”

Too much, in fact.

His thumb tracing her spine, he saw Tanner lead Arien out of the barn while Kellan slammed down another shot.

“You’re not to be messin’ with Kellan no more, you hear me?” Jake chuckled, listening to Archer lay down the law to Cassie. “The man’s got a girl of his own now.”

“You sure about that?”

“Sure am,” he said and plucked an unlit cigarette from her lips, snapping it in two. “Besides, I’ll be eighteen in just a few months. I reckon you can wait for that long.”

“But Griffy, what if I can’t?”

“That’s what you got these for, girly.” Archer took her hand and, kissing her fingers, he sucked them into his mouth. “And I can watch.”

Chrissakes.

Emily tipped her flask back, draining what remained of the Fireball. Jake took it from her. Again. “C’mon, I’ll get you home.”

“I can get myself home, thank you very much.”

“You could, but I’m not gonna let you.” He held out his hand, lifting his chin at his brother. “Gimme your keys. Billy?”

“Jake, I’m fine.” Yet she dropped them into his palm.

That’s a good girl.

Between the two of them, Emily and Arien had polished off eight ounces of the cinnamon-flavored whiskey. Maybe more, because he was pretty darn sure Emily connived a refill out of Deke Clary.

“I’m driving her home. Take Emily’s car to the house.” He winked, handing his brother the keys. “You can bring it back to her in the morning.”

“Jake…”

“Listen to him, sweet cheeks. I love you.” Billy kissed her, giving her breast a parting squeeze. “I’ll be by bright and early tomorrow.”

He didn’t even get to start the truck.

Her hand on his thigh crept closer to the bulge in his jeans. Placing his hand on hers, Jake stopped her from going any farther. “Emily, behave.”

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