Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Rogue caught me grinning. “Whoa, what is that about? I’ve done my share of exhibitionism in the past, but I don’t think Ghost would go for that.”
“While you are”—I paused to give him a slow once-over—“something else, I don’t need to watch you and Ghost.”
“Is Grant more your type?”
“Yes. I mean, no.” He was annoying as hell, big, and domineering, but I hadn’t even felt a flutter around him, not after being with Blade.
Jacob just laughed. “How about a morning snack?”
I’d stuffed myself with breakfast, and unlike most of the other men here, I wasn’t going to do a long day of physical labor, but when Jacob set an apple cobbler on the counter, I couldn’t resist.
“Okay. Sure.”
“Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
“He can get it himself,” Rogue pointed out when Jacob reached for a cup.
“He can, but he’s also a guest.”
Rogue snorted. “A capable guest who ran away from us.”
“How long am I going to be shamed for that?”
“A lot longer than a week.”
Had I really been there for a week? I’d thought I’d be bored and counting the hours of my stay, but once Grant had eased up on me, it hadn’t been bad at all, and when Blade was factored in, the ranch was exactly where I wanted to be.
“I may be used to pampering, but I can pour my own coffee.”
Jacob smiled as he handed me a mug.
When I was seated at the counter with coffee and cobbler, Rogue sat beside me, and Jacob leaned against the island from the opposite side.
“As far as I know, Blade hasn’t left his cabin since you showed up. You want to tell us about that?”
He had left. He had most definitely left. “I told you I didn’t do anything to him other than try to break into his cabin when I thought it was empty.”
“Rogue.” Jacob used a scolding tone.
“If there’s nothing going on, why do you smell like him?”
I sucked in my breath.
Once again, Jacob tried to intercede. “I don’t—”
Rogue raised his brows. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re not exactly wrong, but—” I let out a long breath. “He’s hot, okay. And… I appreciate that.”
“You slept with him?” Jacob’s eyes went wide.
“I have no intention of answering that. Papa Bear deserves his privacy. He asked me not to talk about that night.”
Rogue and Jacob looked at each other. At first, they looked stunned, and then they both smiled.
“He talked to you?” Rogue asked.
“Of course he did. Why?”
Jacob studied me for a moment. “He doesn’t talk much, even around us. He barely says a word to strangers.”
Was that really true? He hadn’t hesitated to say all kinds of things to me.
“I know I shouldn’t encourage you, but Blade needs this,” Rogue said. Jacob nodded his agreement.
“I didn’t mean for anyone to know. Can we keep it between us? I know this ranch is like gossip central.”
“Hey,” Rogue protested.
“You know he’s right.” Jacob focused on me. “We can keep a secret when we need to.”
“Even from Grant?”
They both nodded. “At least temporarily,” Jacob added, “especially when it might do his friend a whole lot of good.”
“I’ve never had someone think I was good for a person.”
Rogue laughed. “Me either until I met Ghost.”
“You were good for me,” Jacob protested.
“Oh my God, did you two…”
“No!” they answered in unison.
“We’re friends. That’s all,” Rogue said.
“He helped me out of a bad situation.”
That had to be a good story, but I didn’t want them prying into my business, so I didn’t ask Jacob to elaborate.
“So you saw Blade just now?” Jacob asked.
“No comment.”
Rogue studied me closely. “We’ve been worried about him. Is he all right?”
“He’s fine. Physically anyway.”
Rogue let out a long breath. “I guess that’s the best we can hope for right now, but if you do anything to make his mental state worse, know there will be a lot of unhappy people coming for you.”
I saw the danger in Rogue at that moment. Maybe he was just as scary as the rest of them. “I…” Did I dare say this to the two of them. “I want to help him.”
“Hmm. So this is more than just…” Jacob let his words trail off.
“A hot fuck.” Rogue didn’t have the same discretion.
“For me it is.”
“What is it about this place?” Rogue asked.
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you worked it out?” Jacob asked. “I came here needing protection, and I fell hard for Grant. TJ came here, and he and Rhys fought their way to loving each other. And then Rogue and Ghost—”
“We also found each other.” Rogue cut him off like he didn’t want any details spilled. I needed to ask Jacob about that when he was alone.
“And now you and Blade—”
I shook my head. “It’s not like that. I mean, he hasn’t…” Shit, I sounded way too vulnerable. I needed them to believe I was strong, that I could take care of myself.