Page 5 of Wrangle Me

“More of my brothers…” I grumble when I see Holden and Geoffrey up ahead.

They’re leaning on the split-rail fence, and I don’t miss the way they raise their eyebrows at the sight of a woman in the front seat of my truck.

“I thought I’d met all of them already.”

“No, you’ve met my twin Bowen, and Alex, the oldest. But these jackasses are new to you.” As I say the words, I realize that I don’t want to share my girl with anyone, least of all these two.

So I slow the truck and pretend like I’m going to stop. When they get close enough, I whip the wheel at the last second. The truck bounces as we take off in the opposite direction, tires spinning, mud flying.

I check my mirror and laugh. “Ha! Direct hit.”

Maisie gasps, then throws her head back and laughs so hard she doubles over in the seat.God, that laugh. I’d bottle it if I could.

“You just—Callum, youblastedthem! Brothers are so strange. Rosalie would kill me if I did that to her,” she says between wheezes.

“Ha! They can try. But I can’t have them sniffing around you. I’ve got enough competition without those two ruining everything. I see the way these dudes look at you, and I don’t like it.” My words are a growl.

Maisie blushes, but the smile still stretches wide across her face and reaches her eyes. It hits me right in the chest. She’s sweet tea laced with fire, soft curves I can’t stop noticing. It’s this quiet strength that sneaks up and cuts you clean. She’s got a mouth that makes my thoughts go sideways. Her laugh will break me open if I’m not careful...

And I’m not careful. Never have been,

I park in the back forty and we walk hand in hand. She watches everything with wide eyes and wonder. The golden fields seem warmer. The air is sweeter. Even the beat-up barn looks damn near picturesque when she points out the wildflowers blooming alongside it. She’s stolen my heart, but it’s animals who steal hers.

At some point, Hunkleberry comes loping up from God knows where. He walks alongside us like he’s part of the official tour. Maisie coos at him and scratches behind his ears, and that smug mutt settles into her cleavage like he owns the place.

Then she meetsThrusty the Goat. When she insists on entering his pen, I brace myself because that predator has earned his name… He lives up to his reputation immediately.

As soon as I close the gate, he puts his head down. Then he approaches my leg and attempts to mount me, aiming for glory. Maisie shrieks, stumbling back, but not from fear. She’s laughing too hard to care. Doubling over again, tears springing to her eyes as I haul Thrusty back by the collar and mutter a very sincere apology on his behalf.

“You weren’t kidding,” she gasps. “He’scommitted.”

“We had to move his pen away from the wedding venue. There are too many photos with this dude trying to hump something in the background,” I laugh, but she’s already moving on, enchanted by the next creature in our barnyard zoo.

Enter Choke the Chicken.

He’s a real asshole of a rooster. He was on his way to being cooked when Alex’s new stepson fell in love with him and made him an official pet. Now the little bastard is here to stay. The moment he sees her, Choke puffs up like the feathery demon he is. He struts right at her, wings flapping like he’s gearing up for battle. Maisie doesn’t shy away. She narrows her eyes right back at him.

“Don’t,” I warn, grinning. “He won’t lose.”

“We’ll see.” Then she pulls her head back and clucks at him. It’s loud and bold in a way I didn’t see coming.

My mouth falls open in surprise. It gets Choke’s attention too. He pauses mid-charge. Maisie doesn’t back down. She clucks again. Louder this time. Her arms are out wide like she’sabout to square up for a fight. I didn’t know she had it in her. Choke hesitates. Then turns and huffs away, defeated.

“Oh shit, I’m impressed,” I chuckle.

Maisie looks over at me, smug as hell. “I don’t back down from bullies. Not even chicken ones.”

I stare at her, stunned and silent for a second. She’s glowing with her cheeks flushed, hair wind-tousled, and her eyes bright… And I’m ruined.

Something cracks open in me. It’s slow, hot, and dangerous. I know without a doubt that I’m in big trouble. I close the distance between us and entwine my fingers with hers on our walk back to the truck.

I ask what makes her tick. She tells me books, cats, and quiet mornings with coffee steaming beside a hardback. She talks about the escape she found in riding horses as a child and the thrill of learning to cook for herself. I make her laugh, and it’s bright and unfiltered. Something primal in me stirs.

When we reach my truck, I pull down the tailgate and lift her into the bed. I climb in beside her and look out over the ranch. The sun sinks low, and the world goes golden, quiet, hushed like it’s holding its breath for us. I blow out a deep breath in one weak, last-ditch effort to stay away from her because once I plant my mouth on hers, there isn’t any going back.

And God help me, I want her.

Not just her body, though I know exactly what I want to do with that. She’s sexy as hell, but I want all of her.

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