Page 8 of Untamed

“Alright.” I sigh. “You can stay. The truce will extend to my visits here and here only. But on one condition.”

“I let you hold my hand?”

“No.” I laugh.

“You want a kiss?” He wags his eyebrows.

“Shut up, Hayes. No. You help me win this one over.” I nod in Betty’s direction. “Do that, and I’ll let you hang out with me when I come over.”

“Let me,” he repeats. “You think you could stop me, darlin’?”

“I think your brothers could. Or Clyde. Or Katherine.” I give him a pointed look.

“Message received. I’ll help you with Betty, you help me escape Drill Sergeant Black.”

He extends his hand, and I stare at it for a moment before reaching out and clasping it in my own. His hands are rough and warm, and I can feel the foundation of the walls I built beginning to crack. He’s going to weasel his way in one day at a time.

If I’m going to survive this, we’re going to have to fast-track this trust-gaining experience.

“You plannin’ on just wearin’ her down?” Rhett asks between his ax hitting the stump of wood over and over again. It finally cracks, splitting right down the middle.

I grab one and get to work because being so close to River the other day has my nerves on edge. The way she smelled and the way she smiled. Christ, I haven’t seen her smile at me in far too long. I’ve missed it. And now that I’ve had a taste, I’m desperate for it. She’s all I’ve been thinking about for the last few days. Especially since I haven’t been able to escape work to go see her and Betty since that first day.

“Something like that,” I tell him.

“You can’t be kicking me and Poppy out every day,” Wells adds as he tosses his pieces into the cut pile.

The ax swings, finds its target, and then I swing again. I throw my whole body behind it, working the tension out of my muscles.

“You guys don’t have to leave. Never minded a bit of voyeurism.”

“Hey.” Rhett stops and points a stern finger in my direction. “Knock it off.”

I hold my hands up in mock surrender. “Wouldn’t dream of corrupting young Poppy.”

“She’s not that young,” he grinds out.

“Keep it up,” Wells sings as he grabs another beer out of the cooler. “If I were you, I wouldn’t push him while he’s swinging an ax. Imagine his hands just happen to slip…”

I clutch my chest. “Big brother would never.”

“Big brother just might,” Rhett mumbles.

“Anyway, it’s Saturday, so I think we should go to River’s bar.”

“I thought you said the truce only extended to the rescue barn while she was with Betty?” Wells asks.

Rhett continues to chop wood in the background like we don’t exist. Probably because he’s trying to think of a reason he and Poppy have to stay home tonight. I don’t think they’ve joined us on our weekly outings the past three weekends. He isn’t getting away with it tonight. He needs to take his girl out on the town sometimes. There will be plenty of time to fool around after we’ve all done some drinkin’.

“That’s what she said,” I tell him.

“But you’re not going to respect that.”

“I think that’s a strong choice of words. I respect that the truce only goes so far, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see each other outside of the truce.”

“Sure.” Wells grins and nods.

“You’re coming out tonight,” I say, pointing my ax in Rhett’s direction. “I need Poppy there to help me butter River up.”

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