Page 89 of Where We Bloom

We’re at the ranch for Sunday family day. We spent the day with the horses, much to Birdie’s delight, and now we’re all in the house. I’m helping with dinner, but everyone’s in the kitchen/dining space, talking and laughing.

Our family has grown so much, with Skyla’s bestfriend, Mikhail, and his husband, Benji, joining us, along with Millie and her husband, Holden. My brother might have to consider adding on to this kitchen.

But I’m only paying attention to my man.

Mine.

His gaze lifts and finds mine, and he graces me with that sexy, knowing smile, just as his eyes rake up and down my body. Heat spears through me. He doesn’t even have to touch me, and I’m a live wire.

“For fuck’s sake, Bee,” Blake says next to me. “Take him home and screw his brains out or pay attention already.”

I blink and frown at my brother, who’s trying to thrust a platter of cheese, meat, and crackers at me.

“You can’t put this on the counter yourself?” I demand as I take the platter and roll my eyes.

“You’re supposed to be helping,” he reminds me. “So either help or get the hell out of this kitchen.”

“Brooks!” I call out, my eyes pinned to Blake’s, and he scowls at me. “Blake is being mean to me!”

“You’re such a fucking brat,” Blake spits out just as Brooks clomps into the kitchen.

“What the hell is going on in here?” And there he is, the oldest brother who will come to the defense of his baby sister—me—on command.

It’s handy, really.

“Blake’s being mean.”

Brooks raises an eyebrow at Blake. “Areyou being mean?”

Blake just rolls his eyes, mutters something about mebeing a pest, and goes back to what he was doing. It’s funny how here, Blake Blackwell is just an annoying big brother, despite the fact he’s more educated than the rest of us siblings and is a well-respected doctor in the area.

With a grin, I hug Brooks around his waist, and he pats me on the back.

“Thanks.” My gaze catches Connor’s again. His arms are folded over his chest, and he’s shaking his head. He clearly witnessed the entire scene, but he’s smirking.

Because I’m damn funny.

“I’m so glad you guys came for dinner,” I say to Millie as she slings her arm around Holden’s waist.

Holden and his sisters have always been welcome at our ranch. Well,everyoneis welcome here, but our home was a haven for the Lexington siblings when their abusive father got to be too horrible. Holden would bring his four younger sisters here, and we’d all hang out together. I’ve always thought of him as another brother, and as he leans down to kiss his wife’s head, he winks at me.

“Hey, brat. How’s it going?” he asks me.

“It’s going well. Or, it was, until your ugly face showed up here. Did you know that you smell, too?”

Holden smirks, and then like a shot, he lets go of Millie and runs after me. I squeal and run away, around the kitchen island, but he’s way faster than I am and catches me by the waist, turning around in a circle with my feet off the floor.

“Help! Help! I’m being manhandled!”

“Take it back,” he demands and swiftly puts me in aheadlock. Geez, what’s up with all the big biceps on these guys? He’s going to choke me out with those things.

“You’re so fucking old,” I tell him, out of breath. “How do you move so fast?”

“I’m oldandsmelly?” he demands.

“And ugly,” I remind him, giggling. Holden is the opposite of ugly. The man is way too sexy for his own good.

In fact, I can objectively say that every man here is hotter than Hades. Even my brothers.

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