Page 10 of Untamed

“You act like you’ve never done it.” I feel like we’ve all done it. Such a childish thing to do when you’re young and jealous and have no clue what the fuck you feel for your best friend.

“Of course I have,” Rhett says.

“Same.” Wells tips his bottle into the air.

“Always figured something along those lines happened. Mixing friends and feelings and sex and all that shit just never works.”

“It sometimes works…” I want to believe it can work. If it can’t, then I’ve lost River forever because I can’t look at that woman without wanting to hold her.

“How much groveling do you have to do?” Wells asks. “Was it a little tiff? Or like a big-ass blowout?”

“Big-ass blowout.” I groan, and my shoulders sag. I was the douchiest of douches. I screamed at her, called her names that no one should ever call a friend. God, if only I could go back in time and kick the ever-loving shit out of my younger self.

Had anyone else spoken to River the way I did, I would’ve made sure they wouldn’t have walked for a week. So I honestly would’ve deserved it. Probably still do.

“I look forward to watchin’ you grovel.” Rhett grins in my direction.

“Same.”

“Yeah, I bet y’all are.”

“Can’t wait to watch you try every day. I’m not leaving you guys alone for a second.” Wells laughs when I flip him off.

“I’ll get nightly recaps from Poppy.”

“Glad I can be the entertainment for the rest of the summer.”

Rhett’s phone goes off, and he tugs the thing out of his pocket.

“Ah, hell.” He tosses the rest of his beer back. “Calf’s out in the southern field.”

“Ooh, a runner?” I ask, ready for a bit of excitement around here.

“Yep. Let’s go,” Rhett says.

Wells throws his head back with a dramatic groan.

“So much for takin’ the rest of the afternoon off.”

“I thought I was the one that was supposed to hate this job?” I ask, patting him hard on the back.

“I don’t hate the job.” He adjusts the hat on his head. “Just not looking forward to how this beer is gonna sit gettin’ tossed around by a damn horse.”

“Well, if you gotta vomit, do so downwind. Will ya, little brother?”

He laughs sarcastically and swings up onto his horse.

“I’m in charge of how much alone time y’all get in that barn, big brother. Might wanna keep that in mind when you’re mouthing off,” he tosses over his shoulder. I try to flip him off, but he’s already riding full speed after Rhett.

“Let’s go, Chip,” I say, working my horse into a gallop. “We have a calf to wrangle.”

Have you ever seen a man on horseback rope a rogue calf? Because it is quite the sight. His thighs support his weight on the horse while it gallops at full speed. One hand is wrapped in the reins while the other circles the rope above his head. His hat flies off in the wind, letting his dirty-blond locks whip around his face.

And then, when he throws that lasso out and it gets that calf on the first try, you can’t help but succumb to the excitement. At least, that’s what’s happening to me right now as I watch Hayes’ strong arm rope that runaway calf. His muscles bulge, and his smile spreads across his entire face as he shouts into the sky.

Poppy is swinging her fist in the air as she cheers them on. She loses her balance in the stirrups and falls back to her butt. For just learning how to ride, she’s pretty confident in the saddle, and I smile big at her when she turns toward me for a second, eyes bright.

I can’t let myself get that caught up, but my thighs tense around the saddle of my horse when Hayes turns around to see us both sitting there watching them. The moment we had heard there was a runner, Poppy had urged me to come with her to watch them. She loves seeing her man in action, and I don’t hate watching Hayes in the midst of it either.

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