Page 39 of Trails of Temptation

I walked outside with the rolls and set them on the table. I willed the conversation taking place between Grant and Moira to drown out my inner thoughts to no avail.

I picked at my food, settling my gaze on Day, who was still darting back and forth with Jennie hot on his heels.

“I forgot the lemonade,” I groaned, standing up. Grant opened his mouth to say something, probably along the lines of, he could get and to sit down and eat, but then I yelped in surprise as George’s arm slid around my waist and whirled me around. He planted a kiss on my lips—hot and passionate—which left me blushing like a schoolgirl and weak in the knees.

“Sorry I’m late,” he murmured against my lips.

I sighed with relief and gave him a little glare, but returned his kiss with one of my own, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Moira’s squeal of delight brought me back to my senses. I turned to face Grant and Moira. Grant was smirking with his arms crossed over his chest, and Moira was damn near in tears with excitement.

“It’s not a big deal,” I croaked.

George slapped my ass and practically dragged me back into my seat.

“Glad you guys sorted everything out,” Grant said pointedly, which elicited a rough nudge from his wife. He grunted, rubbing his ribs.

“Thank God,” Moira crooned, rolling her eyes at Grant before turning to face me and George. George served himself some dinner and then sat back in his chair next to mine, his arm roped possessively over the back of my chair. “I thought it was never going to happen and I’d have to kill you, George.”

George’s eyebrows shot up, but he smiled wryly, nonetheless.

“Hate to say break it to you, Moira, but once that baby is born, Keely’s going to be living with me.”

I blushed with pride, meeting Moira’s soft gaze. She was hiding the beaming smile I knew was threatening to spread over her face.

“I’ll still work you, of course,” I added quickly, glancing at Grant. Grant’s gaze was fixed on George, some silent conversation passing between them. “I’d like to help as a friend, you know.”

“I’ll need all the help I can get—Holliday! Get your ass down from the paddockright now!” Moira shifted in her seat, and I could tell that if she could, she would have been up and stalking over to the paddock to untangle the boy from the bars herself, but she was getting huge and was a lot slower than normal now that she was closing in on her due date.

Grant rose his seat, his eyes still fixed on George for a moment before he left to go take care of his stepson.

“So…” Moira began, grinning. “Are you guys like… official?”

“Yeah,” George said before I could answer. Warmth flooded through me as his fingers brushed over my arm.

“Pete doesn’t know,” I said, hating the way the words made me feel.

“He won’t hear about it from us.”

“Or anyone on the ranch, for that matter,” Grant said as he came back over to the table. “What’s the plan?”

“I’m just going to talk to him,” George replied, then took a breath. “Soon, but not now.”

I was thankful for that. I just wanted to enjoy this time with him without having Pete’s opinion about it hanging over our heads.

“Go get the good wine, Grant.” Moira smiled, patting his arm. “We need to toast to this.”

“Me and you are having lemonade, Moira,” George said with an arch of his brow. “I gotta drive, and you’re still cookin’.”

Moira gave him a teasing frown, but the light mood was already going to my head without the help of alcohol.

Grant returned with a bottle of wine and poured me a heavy glass, then raised a toast.

“To our friends,” Grant said, his hand resting on his wife’s shoulder, “who finally realized what’s best for both of them.”

“Grant,” Moira said, slapping his hand.

I raised my glass nonetheless as George kissed my temple and whispered, “Hurry up and drink your wine, honey. I have about ten minutes until I have to leave and I can think of a better use of that time than sitting here.”

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