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“No. I sold myself at a sex club because Harley was supposed to do it and chickened out. When I found out about the money, I knew I could use it to pay for Mason to go to college, so I couldn’t walk away. I meant bad choices which came before that night.”

Mills took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

“There were so many ways that Lucky might not have happened. If we hadn’t gone that night. If Harley hadn’t backed out. If we hadn’t outbid that asshole. If the fucking condoms had worked. Heislucky.”

I stared at him and found myself enjoying talking to him. In the middle of the night, he wasn’t so bad. I glanced at his lips as he slowly smiled back at me and I felt need blossoming in my core for him. Before I could get carried away, though, I thought about Melanie. The woman was an asshole but I wasn’t a homewrecker.

I moved back a few inches and forced a smile. “I hope Melanie gets this side of you, Mills. You seem mostly human and even a little nice in the middle of the night.”

His eyebrows pinched together in what looked like confusion.

“Melanie?”

I let out a fake laugh.

“Melanie Boyd? The woman you and your brothers are dating? Is it some sort of secret or something? Melanie told me a couple of days ago when Harley and I stopped by her flower shop. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you. She doesn’t seem thrilled about the idea of me staying here. Don’t worry, though. I made sure she knows I’m not a threat. I’m just here as Lucky’s mom.”

CHAPTER 24

Mills

For days after that night in Reagan’s room I thought about telling her Melanie was full of shit. I didn’t, though, because Reagan believing we were taken was one more barrier between us. If she didn’t give us those pouty lips and bedroom eyes, we were less likely to snap and fuck her senseless. No matter how much we wanted to fuck her senseless, we couldn’t. It would blow shit up and she’d leave with Lucky. I’d suffer blue balls if it meant we got to keep our son under our own roof.

It wasn’t easy, though. The way she pranced around the ranch without a bra and so comfortably breastfed Lucky in front of us killed me. Those little flashes of breast were all it took to have me rock hard and in pain. I felt like a creep but it was involuntary. If she knew the thoughts filling my brain when she fed our son, she’d probably never feed him in front of me again.

I considered telling West and Tate the lie I’d let Reagan believe but I knew my brothers well enough to know that if they saw a pathway to getting back between Reagan’s thighs, they’d take it. They would’ve loved to correct Melanie’s bullshit and announce their eligibility.

That’s what was occupying my thoughts until Jolene asked Reagan to help her with a cow on Mason’s advice, and I ended up carrying Lucky while watching Reagan work with Jolene. I leaned against the fence and watched as Reagan scanned the cow and then jumped into action. The heifer was going into labor and Jolene knew I’d do anything and everything else on the ranch but the births pushed my gag reflex. I’d never been able to handle them. Until it was Reagan shoving her arm in places the sun didn’t shine. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her as she moved fluidly around Jolene like they’d been working together for decades.

West and Tate joined me at the fence and we all watched as Reagan stepped away from the cow and sent us a quick look before talking to Jolene and then coming our way. Her face was pinched and she looked concerned.

“You need to call your vet. The calf is presenting posteriorly. She’s been in labor for two hours and hasn’t progressed. Jolene agrees.” She clenched her hands together and chewed on her bottom lip. “I’ve assisted a few dozen calvings but I’ve never had to pull without a vet present. I don’t want to start today so get them here as fast as possible.”

I had a few dozen questions about her experience but they’d wait.

“I’ll call but the fastest he’ll get here is an hour.”

Jolene came over and shook her head.

“We need to do this now. She’s showing signs of distress. Call the vet but you’re about to prove you’re worth, girl. Come on.”

Tate jumped the fence and gripped Reagan’s shoulder.

“Can you do this?”

Taking a deep breath, Reagan looked back at the cow and then nodded.

“We need supplies and help if we’re doing this. We need to secure her. We need to wash and then we need lots of lubrication.”

Jolene glanced towards the barn and swore.

“We don’t have lube. I meant to order some to keep on hand but we’ve been shorthanded and—”

“I have some.” Reagan was already climbing the fence. “I’ll grab it and be right back. Get her tied to the fence.”

West and Tate jumped into action securing the heifer while Jolene ran to the barn to wash her hands and arms. I stood there, holding our son, silently panicking after calling the vet, because the idea of Reagan standing behind a restless cow inpain scared the shit out of me. Accidents happened on ranches all the time. Anything could happen.

Before I had a chance to call the whole thing off Reagan was back with her arms full of the lube she’d brought home in the basket. She practically vaulted over the fence and tossed a jar of the stuff to Jolene before opening one herself and coating her arms in it. She used two more to coat the cow’s vaginal cavity and then she was there, pulling a calf like it was nothing.