Page 5 of The Rancher’s Wedding Betrayal (Billionaires of Evergreen, Texas #17)

OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS , Eve found herself settling into a routine at the Ferguson ranch, one that increasingly involved Hunter in ways she hadn’t expected.

Each morning began with coffee on the back porch. The first few days, she’d sat alone, watching the sun climb over the distant hills. But by the fourth day, Hunter had joined her, newspaper in hand, his presence a silent acknowledgment of something shifting between them.

They rarely spoke during these morning rituals, with Eve still groggy from sleep, and Hunter focused on ranch business. But even so...these quiet, wordless moments together mattered. And they made her hope more than ever that someday soon, he would realize the truth about his feelings for her.

As for the evenings, most of it were spent in Hunter's study, with him still working behind his desk...and training her to help him with the ranch, ever since she had shyly expressed her interest in the marketing side of things.

And after that, well...

Sometimes they’d part at their respective bedroom doors with nothing more than a brief kiss. Other nights, desire would flare suddenly between them, and they’d barely make it to one of their rooms before clothes were being shed, hands grasping, mouths hungry.

Still, true to his word, Hunter never took that final step.

He’d bring her to ecstasy with his hands, his mouth, but whenever she reached for him, desire making her blind to the consequences, it would be Hunter himself who'd redirect her.

And while she was grateful for his self-control, there was also a part of her that couldn't help but wonder. ..

Was it easy for Hunter to control himself...because he didn't want her as much as she wanted him?

HUNTER SURPRISED HER one evening by taking her out for dinner, and joining them at the restaurant were none other than Hilary and her billionaire husband Devon Montgomery.

To say that she was shocked and happy to see them was an understatement but what had Eve blinking back furious tears was when Hunter gruffly proposed a toast to the other couple.

"Thank you for being instrumental in bringing back Eve to my life."

For the rest of the evening, Eve couldn’t stop stealing glances at Hunter, trying to reconcile this new version of him with the often-aloof and ruthlessly strict stepbrother she once knew him to be. He had really changed, and in light of this, surely, the least she could do was, well...

Eve struggled to calm her nerves as she found herself knocking on his bedroom door late that night.

"Eve?" Hunter's gaze narrowed at her. "Is anything wrong?"

"No, nothing..." Oh, this was harder than she thought it would be.

"What is it?"

"I..."

"Decided to give your virginity to me before marriage?"

The blunt question surprised a laugh out of her. “No."

"A pity."

At least he was honest , she thought ruefully.

"Can I come in?" she asked nervously.

Hunter stepped aside, allowing her to enter the sanctuary of his bedroom. She’d never been in here before, but it was exactly as she’d imagined. Masculine and elegant, with dark wood furniture and crisp white bedding.

She could feel him watching her, studying her every move, and this just made her even more nervous. "I...I thought...we could finally talk about that."

"Which is?"

"That night...eight years ago."

Hunter went very still. “Go on."

“I don’t know how Midnight got out," Eve admitted jerkily. “But I just want to say what I should’ve said before. It wasn’t me. It w-wasn’t me, and it h-hurt so much that you accused me.”

To her horror, she felt tears welling up, spilling over before she could stop them. She wiped at them angrily, hating the weakness.

“All these years, I’ve been so angry at you for believing I would do something like that. For not even giving me a chance to explain. For treating me like I was—” Hunter had crossed the room while she was still speaking, and his arms were around her as soon as her voice broke.

She resisted for a moment before collapsing against his chest, the tears coming in earnest now.

“I’m sorry." Hunter's voice was tight, his lips brushing against her hair. "I'm so damn sorry, Eve. I should have known better. I should have trusted you, but I didn't."

“Please d-don’t hurt me like that again,” she whispered, the words muffled against his shirt. “Please.”

"I promise, love." It killed Hunter to hear her beg like this. "I won't hurt you like that again. I'm sorry."

They stood like that for what felt like hours, Hunter holding her while the storm of emotion gradually subsided. When she finally pulled back to look at him, she was surprised to see his own eyes suspiciously bright.

“I was an arrogant ass,” he said quietly. “I was so convinced I knew everything, so sure of my own judgment. I never stopped to consider...”

“That you might be wrong?” she finished with a watery smile.

“That I might be wrong,” he agreed, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I’ve spent eight years regretting how things ended between us, Eve. Not just because of what happened with Midnight, but because I lost you.”

The raw honesty in his voice made her heart clench. “You have me now,” she whispered.

Hunter’s eyes darkened at her words. For a breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her, might finally take what she’d been offering since that night by the pool. Instead, he stepped back slightly, creating a small space between them.

“It’s late,” he said gently. “You should get some rest.”

“Can I—” Eve hesitated, suddenly shy. “Can I stay here tonight? Just to sleep,” she added quickly. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

Something complicated passed across Hunter’s face—desire, tenderness, and something deeper she couldn’t quite identify. Finally, he nodded.

“Of course.”

He led her to the bed, pulling back the covers. Eve slipped off her shoes and lay down, still in her dress, too emotionally drained to worry about pajamas. Hunter moved to the other side, shedding his shirt but keeping his pants on as he joined her.

For a moment, they lay side by side, a careful few inches between them. Then Hunter reached out, drawing her against his chest, his arm settling protectively around her waist.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his breath warm against her ear.

“Yes..." Eve's tone was already drowsy, and she was already struggling to keep her eyes open. “It’s perfect.”

Eve drifted off in Hunter’s arms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Hunter remained awake, watching her in the dim light filtering through the curtains. Her face in sleep was peaceful, vulnerable in a way she rarely allowed herself to be when awake. The tear tracks on her cheeks were still visible, a silent accusation of his past cruelty.

How had he been so blind? So quick to judge, so unwilling to listen?

The realization hit him with the force of a physical blow: he was in love with her. Completely, irrevocably in love with Evelline Ramirez.

The knowledge settled in his chest, both terrifying and exhilarating. He should tell her. The words were there, just waiting to be spoken.

But for some reason, he just couldn’t make himself say them.