Page 13 of Wild and Unruly
I’m sure he was. He knew my little crush on his sister-in-law had been going on for a long time, but now he wouldn’t have to worry about one of his brothers trying to date Thea’s sister.
“It was time to move on.”
“Still, don’t latch on to a new target,” Dani says, helping Logan tie up the horse and start to help untack.
“I’m not,” I insist, infusing my frustration into my tone of voice. Since when was a little flirting so bad?
“Okay, good.”
But as we chat about her upcoming clients and the ranch work we need to get done before the blazing heat of summer sneaks up on us, my gaze finds Bonnie at the end of the alleyway, far enough away that we can’t make eye contact but close enough that I can see how the summer breeze is pushing her hair around her shoulders. I can see her laughing where my niece, Lue, stands chatting with her, leaning on a shovel, and I watch as they engage in a very animated conversation.
I can’t help but watch her, wishing I was down there talking to her, wishing that I was more a part of this whole article nonsense than I am just so I can spend a little more time with her.
Shit. Maybe I was a little too into her than I should be.
Before long, Dani’s clients show up and pull Bonnie’s attentionaway from the rest of us, and CT shows up with a list of work that needs to be done.
It was for the best. She would be gone in a week, two tops.
I probably wouldn’t even see her that much.
Once a week, the Cashes, which included my two brothers who still lived here, my mom, my niece, and now Thea, plus the Trevors family, which was CT and Dani, plus his dad, his brother, and his brother’s family, would head to dinner.
It wasn’t mandatory. Sometimes people had to miss, but a couple of years ago, it had accidentally become a thing for everyone to show up and catch up.
My niece is giggling about something with CT’s step-niece, Alex, showing her some cute way to draw her name when Dani pipes up next to me. “Bonnie! Over here!”
Immediately, my eyes are drawn to the woman who just walked in the door. Coincidently, Annmarie is playing host tonight and waves her over to the table. I catch her eye, and she raises her eyebrow at me, giving me an exaggerated wink.
I shake my head at her but smile politely when Bonnie comes around to the table. Dani insists she sit and eat with us, and I can see the hesitation on her face.
Quickly and without any thought to my earlier insistence that I was so not flirting with her, I stand and go to the wall with extra chairs, grabbing one and shuffling it in between Dani and me, motioning for her to take a seat.
“Are you guys sure? I don’t want to intrude.” Her cheeks light with a blush as she bites her lip, and I have this urge to lift my finger to her chin and draw it back out.
An urge I definitely do not give into.
“Of course! Everyone, this is Bonnie.” Dani introduces everyone around, and Bonnie smiles politely, giving an extra grin to the now one-year-old, who is CT’s nephew.
Dang, the baby gets the extra grin.
Am I really jealous of a baby?
“So, what’s good here?” Bonnie asks, and I retake my seat, trying hard not to crowd her.
It’s a little cramped with everyone there, and since I’m not about to cuddle my brother, Mitch, who’s on my other side, I lean over to Bonnie. “You okay if I rest my arm on your chair, Bo?”
“Bo?” She looks at me, surprise on her face. “Oh, um, yeah, sure. That’s fine. Just don’t fondle me too much.”
At her words, a burst of laughter escapes me, and I rest my arm along the back of her chair, watching her open her menu. “I promise to keep the fondling to a minimum.”
“Good.”
For a few minutes, she peruses the menu, and I throw out some options as favorite foods that I like, talking with her like we’ve done this a million times.
Eventually, one of Thea’s waitresses comes around and takes everyone’s order, and I laugh a little when Bonnie orders a margarita, a hint of desperation in her voice.
“What?” she asks defensively.
