Page 142 of Bodyguard By Night

Willow

Watching Ransom wrestle with a tarp should have put me in a better mood. I’d left the guys to talk, knowing that my cousin and Ransom were two peas in a pod.

Both were typically short on words, but they managed to find them when it was important.

As Ransom mopped off his forehead with the bottom of his T-shirt, I cursed my ever-present hormones. That tight abs situation was going to kill me. Especially when his jeans rode low because he’d forgotten his belt when we were rushing around earlier.

“Here okay?” Ransom called over to me.

I blinked out of the lust zone. “Works for me.”

They’d dragged over a wide rectangular table that was better suited for a buffet than eating. It would be perfect for a label assembly line.

While they gathered supplies, I slipped outside to get stickers from the truck and check in with my sister. With the door open to Ransom’s truck, I texted her that we were working on the cider bottles and that she could relax with Mom.

I also checked my notifications. My fingers shook as I scrolled through replies to my latest post. Luckily, it only included people excited to try my sorbet and questions about the mystery man.

Our playful morning seemed as if it had happened a million days ago. I watched the video again, my whole body tightening at the secret smile he wore. Intent bloomed in his eyes, making the blue more evident and calmer than the usual stormy gray.

A wash of memories of laughter and that intense look in his eyes as he fucked me senseless on his couch left me shakier than worrying about my faceless cyber-stalker.

Then I checked my direct messages and lost my breath.

A message from x_WillowsMine_x, a name I’d never seen before, was in my non-friend folder. “It’s just a joke, it’s just a joke,” I mumbled to myself as I clicked it.

A photo with a table and two bottles of cider popped up. The picture was set in the distillery, a candle serving as the only light. The message had been sent with vanishing mode, but I quickly tapped the back of my phone twice to take a screenshot before the image disappeared.

I sagged against the seat. Well, that definitely answered the question about who had taken Rachel’s favors.

I doublechecked that I’d managed to get the screen grab and shoved my phone in my pocket before grabbing the bags with the supplies.

A whinny made me jump. I laughed shakily and shook my head as I slammed the door. “Storm, you just took three months off my life.”

The horse stomped and nodded his head as if he understood me. I crossed to him and petted his long nose. “Such a handsome boy.” As he nudged my bag, I pushed him back. “Probably hungry, huh? I don’t have any apples on me.”

When he tried to eat my bag again, I laughed. “I only have some carrots. Can you smell them?” I dug into the front flap where I’d stashed some snacks. Before I could even get the carrot sticks fully out of the bag, Storm had his wet lips around my fingers.“Ew.”

“Carrots are his favorite.”

I smiled toward Beckett as he came down the stairs. “I can see that.” I put the rest of them on the flat of my palm and let the horse hoover them up.

He nudged me for more and I gave him the all empty sign with my open hands. Instead of moving away, he just hung his big head over my shoulder.

My eyes stung. “Are you hugging me?”

“Damn flirt.”

“Is that a yes?” I laughed and held onto Storm’s neck.

Beckett patted the horse from the other side. “Storm’s shameless with the ladies.”

“I bet that works in your favor.”

Beckett gave a light shrug. “Maybe. Not that I have much time for romancing anyone these days, horses or otherwise. If my brother comes up with one more way todiversify,”he said with air quotes, “then I’m going dropkick him into the pumpkin patch.”

“Which one?”

“It used to be just Hayes, but Justin is ganging up on me now too. That’s how we ended up with the distillery.”

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