she be? A woman has a right to expect a comfortable life.”
“You can support a wife and family. I know what I pay you.”
Justin flashed a quick smile, and then rubbed the back of his neck. “With the two of us, she’d never want for a damn thing, but do you really think she’ll go for it?”
“We won’t know unless we try. But Cutter’s a problem. Dani won’t be happy if he can’t accept this.
He’s all the family’s she’s got left.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“You need to make it right. Go to her place, her front door, and ask her out. On a date. Let’s ease Cutter into this thing.”
Justin gave a soft, amused huff. “A date? Dinner and movie?”
“Dinner for starts. What happens after that is between consenting adults. But let’s give it a rest for a couple of days. Let everyone cool down.”
“Friday night, then.” Justin’s smile was tight-lipped. “Want to make it a threesome?”
Rowe grinned. “You get her off her ranch. I’ll join you later. No use getting Cutter hotter than he already is. She might be all grown up, but she’s still his kid sister. If he gets a whiff of what we wanna do with her, he’ll skin us alive.”
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39
Unbridled
Justin gave him a steady stare. “You’re okay with this? You got over your reservations pretty damn quick.”
“I saw Dani’s face yesterday too. She wanted in. She just doesn’t know how to surrender.”
Justin’s expression lost its usual hard-edged certainty. “Dani’s gonna want more than a wild fuck. A helluva lot more. She expects a ring, a fancy wedding. Kids. Can’t have two grooms. Once we start her down the path, which one of us is gonna step aside?”
Rowe locked gazes with Justin and wished he could step closer and put his arms around the other man. He’d known him long enough, knew enough about his past to understand his insecurities. Justin was a strong man, sometimes damn hardheaded, but he needed to be loved.
However, public displays would never be something they could share. There were too many people around, and as long as they lived in Two Mule, their relationship had to stay on the down low. “Let’s take it one step at a time. You’ve already got me convinced we can share. Maybe we’ll find a solution that won’t leave one of us out in the cold.”
“Afraid I’ll change my mind? That I won’t choose you?”
Rowe drew a deep, slow breath and dared to state the bald truth, however much it might get Justin’s back up. “I’m not stupid, Justin. You like what we have. You get off on the power you wield over me. But you need me more than you know.”
A snarl curled Justin’s lips. “It’s just sex. Damn good sex, but don’t think it’s anything more than that.”
“And who else have you fucked since we started this thing, besides Dani?”
Justin’s face hardened. “Maybe I’ve just been a little busy. You’re pretty demanding.”
Rowe couldn’t help it, one corner of his mouth tilted up. “I’m not the one issuing the orders, bro.”
Annoyance flushed Justin’s cheeks, but Rowe strode away whistling.
His phone vibrated against his hip and he unclipped it from his belt. “Dani. I was just thinking about you, darlin’.”
“We’ve gotta talk,” she said, her voice small and miserable.
“About what happened last night?”
“You know?”
He snorted. “Who doesn’t?”
“I sincerely hope you’re just being cute.”
“The only people who know are the important ones. Promise. Now, what’s bothering you?”
“Damn. It’s hard, talking to you about another man.”
“Almost as hard for me,” he said smiling. “Tell me, did big brother bust you?”
“Cutter was waiting for me when I got back. Like I was a teenager who’d snuck out to toilet paper a house. He was furious.”
40
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Delilah Devlin
“Must have been worried about you.”
“He figured out real quick it was Justin who snuck up to my
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