Page 59 of The Hardest Part

He left the tack room, twisting his sweat-drenched hair back into a tie, to see Shiloh, Cassie, Arien, and Emily breeze in through the open barn doors. A breath of fresh air with an infectious smile, her green eyes lit up the moment she saw him. She broke away from the girls, her arms outstretched, moving toward him in all eagerness.

“Hey, pretty girl.” Hooking an arm around his wife, Tanner kissed her. “What’re y’all doin’ here?”

“Griffin texted Shiloh. They’re close and she wanted to be here to meet him.”

“And you’re missin’, Kel, ain’t ya?” He winked with a sly, lopsided grin. Surely, he’d kept her occupied while his brother was away, but now that they were married, Arien wasn’t shy about showing the world how fiercely she loved them both. Knowing her and Kellan as he did, Billy had no doubt they’d disappear into the house together as soon as he got off his horse.

“Course, I am.” Smiling up at Tanner, Arien palmed his cheek. “But it gave me an excuse to come see you, too.”

“You don’t need no excuse.”

“I know.”

Tanner lifted Arien off her feet and, wrapping her legs around his waist, he kissed her as if no one else was here with them to witness it.

Shiloh burst into a fit of giggles.

Cassie rolled her eyes.

Emily reached him then. “Billy.”

Leaning against the tack room door, he swept her into his embrace and pressed her tightly to his chest. Her warm, soft body molded onto his had to be the most wonderful feeling in the world. She just smelled so damn good—so good he wanted to eat her. Except he couldn’t. So he closed his eyes, reveling in all the sensations bombarding him, and smoothed the hair down her back.

“Hey, sweet cheeks,” he whispered and kissed her crown. “How’s my girl?”

Before Emily could answer him, he heard Cassie croon. “Awe, would you look at him? He reminds me of a little lost puppy in a pet store window.”

“Does she always have to be such a bitch?” Arien asked, her legs sliding off Tanner’s hips.

Shiloh pursed her lips, rubbing the baby bump that wasn’t noticeable yet. “She does.”

“Just an observation. Wasn’t meanin’ to be.” With her lips curving into a smirk, Cassie lit a cigarette. “And for your information, Griffin didn’t text Shiloh. It wasme.”

She exhaled a plume of smoke, sauntering her way out of the barn.

“Didn’t Griffin tell you not to smoke near me?” Waving a hand in front of her face, Shiloh coughed and gagged. “It ain’t good for the baby.”

Cassie flipped her sister the bird and kept on walking.

“She did that on purpose.”

“Are the two of you ever gonna get over your bullshit?” Billy wanted to know. Hell, they all did. Most sisters were close, or at the very least amiable, but not these two. They bickered all the time, and honestly, it had grown tiresome.

Looking at him, Shiloh only shrugged. “Even when we were little, Cassie was never very good at sharing.”

Right.He knew better.

His brow raised, Billy gave her a look that told her so.

Shiloh crossed her arms over her chest. “What happened with Reed wasn’t my fault.”

“Seriously, I don’t know how Griffin puts up with it.” He put on his hat, and taking Emily by the hand, he shook his head and led her toward the door.

“He loves me,” Shiloh said.

“And your sister,” Billy reminded her. “Seems like you keep forgettin’ that part.”

“Who’s Reed?”

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