Page 25 of Wrangled

‘He’s in charge. They don’t get to watch him take a leak or stroll buck naked out of the shower.’

It hadn’t taken long for Kevin and I to realize we might attract some attention if I was forever visiting him, and after that we’d been on the hunt for a meeting place, far enough away from the house, the barns, and prying eyes. The cabin by the creek was the perfect spot. My dad had built it for my mom when they were first married. It had been her sanctuary.

And then it had become mine.

I approached the front steps of Teague’s cabin. Despite the hour, there was a light on inside, as I’d known there would be. I climbed up to the front door and knocked.

Teague opened it, wearing nothing but a towel. His eyes widened when he saw me. “Anything wrong, boss?”

“Can I come in?”

“Of course.” He stood aside to let me enter, then hurriedly closed the door to shut out that chill wind. “We might be in for some bad weather. Forecast don’t say shit, but you’ve only gotta look at those clouds. And that wind…”

I trusted my dad’s barometer in the hallway of the big house. I’d checked it out of habit as I’d left. “We’ll be okay. This is gonna blow over.”

I glanced at the interior. Little had changed since my last visit. I was pleased to note Teague was a tidy man, not that I’d expected anything less.

The cabin was one big space, comprising a living room, tiny kitchen, and open stairs leading up to a mezzanine where the bed stood. A small window sat over it at the apex of the vaulted roof. One door shut off the bathroom from the rest of the cabin. Everywhere there was the smell of pine.

The place was warm, and I soon realized why—a fire burned behind the grate. Two empty glasses sat on the coffee table—along with a bottle of lube.

I was pretty damn sure he’d have been mortified if I drew attention to that last item, so I averted my gaze, looking up to where he’d slung a colorful throw over the railing around the bed area. “Is that new? I don’t recollect seeing that.”

“Boss?” I turned to find him staring at me, his eyes dancing with amusement. “You didn’treallycome over here to discuss my interior decorating, now did you? So what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” I assured him. I cleared my throat and gestured to his towel. “Just getting into the shower, or out of it?”

As if I didn’t know.

“Out.” He cocked his head. “You want something to drink? There’s juice in the fridge, and iced tea.”

“Tea sounds good.” I fixed him with a stare. “But if you’re planning on going back to bed, I’ll get out of here.” I grinned. “Lord knows, you need all the beauty sleep you can get.”

Yeah right. Teague was stunning, not that I was interested. With our history, that would’ve been plainwrong. His square jawline was dark with stubble that was permanently there—he hovered in a perpetual state between five o’clock shadow and scraggy beard. Not that there was any trace of hair on that wide, firm chest or sculpted abs, no sir. I hadn’t met many guys with green eyes, and his were amazing.

Lord, but you sure grew up pretty.Nothing remained of the sixteen-year-old scrawny kid who’d sheltered in our barn.

Except those hauntingly beautiful eyes with those long black lashes.

Teague laughed. “I wasn’t planning on it, no. I’ll get dressed. Help yourself to the tea.” He headed for the bedroom.

I went into the small kitchen and opened the fridge. It took up most of the room. “You got yourself a new fridge?”

“You told me I could, remember?” he called out. “Three years ago.”

I’d forgotten. I spotted the iced tea and removed it. “You want some tea?”

“Sure,” he hollered.

I found two glasses and filled them. “So it’s cold enough for a fire, but warm enough for iced tea?”

Teague joined me, dressed in jeans and a red shirt that he buttoned as he approached. “I was freezin’ my tits off.”

I had to laugh. Teague always felt the cold worse than any of them. I handed him a glass. “I think you’re safe. They’re still there.”

He drank a little, leaning against the countertop. “If there’s nothing wrong, then why are you here? Couldn’t whatever’s on your mind wait until a more reasonable hour?”

“Can’t seem to get a decent night’s sleep these days.” I peered at him. “Didyouget any, before he came a-knockin’?”