“Tell me you didn’t.”
He leaned back against the counter, taking a bite of his toast. “Why not? I don’t have anything to hide.”
Her blush deepened at the hidden meaning behind his words. “You said you wouldn’t tell them if I agreed to marry you.”
“I agreed not to tell them that you’re Kentuckygirl, not that I was fucking you.”
Frustrated, Holly sat down on one of the chairs at the kitchen counter, while he continued eating his toast.
“You thought we were going to sneak around? Monday, we’re going to buy a ring. And we’re going to get married as soon as I can arrange it.”
She started shaking her head. “Engagements usually last a year.”
Greer finished his toast, dropping the knife into the sink. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. We’re getting hitched by the end of the month.”
“That’s just a couple of weeks away!”
“Now you’re getting my message.” He folded his arms across his chest, refusing to change his mind at her horrified expression. “Are you ashamed of me?”
“No! It’s not that. It’s just … Don’t you think that they’ll think it’s strange that one minute you’re talking about marrying other women, and then you spent the night with me?”
Greer raised a brow at her. “Since when do I give a fuck about what anyone thinks?”
“Six months is the soonest—” Her eyes widened at the sound of the doorbell. She practically leaped out of her stool. “Button up your shirt!” she snapped, going toward the hallway that led to the front door.
“Lord have mercy, woman. You’re acting like my kin ain’t never seen my chest before,” he snapped back as he followed her.
She spun around, barreling into his chest. “Who else is at that door beside Dustin and Logan?”
“Tate, Sutton, Cash, and Ra—”
“Your whole family is out there?”
“Yeah.”
She started to change directions, trying to go around him so she could escape to her room. Greer grabbed her around the waist, turning her back toward the door.
“Go.”
She reluctantly went to answer the door. When she hesitated, though, he reached around her and opened it.
Logan came running in, hugging Holly as if he hadn’t seen her the night before. “Why don’t you have your swimsuit on? You didn’t forget you promised me we could swim, did you?”
“I didn’t forget. I just didn’t expect everyone to get here so early.”
Rachel came in, giving her a quick hug. “It’s my fault, I’m afraid. Sorry. Greer said we have two weeks to plan your wedding, so we need to get started.”
Greer moved away from her reach as all his family started congratulating her.
“Who all did you text last night?” she snapped as Dustin hugged her then moved away so that Sutton could take her turn.
Greer grinned, reaching down to lift Logan into his arms. “Your dad tell you Holly’s talked me into marry her?”
Logan nodded, putting his hand on his shoulder to keep his balance. “She ain’t going to make me a ring bearer, is she? Johnny said his mom made him. He said everyone pinched his cheeks and told him how cute he looked.”
“Boy, you think I’d let her embarrass you like that?” When he saw Logan’s relief, he decided to tease him. “I told her that we didn’t want anyone there but me and her.”
When his face drooped with disappointment, Greer carried him toward the sliding glass door. Opening it, he went to the pool and held him over it, pretending to drop him.
Giggling, his nephew tried holding on to his arms to keep from falling into the water.
“I thought you wanted to go swimming?”
“It’s the deep end!”
Greer saw Holly storming toward him.
“Woman, chill out!” Setting Logan down on the pool deck, he said, “I was just play—”
One second, he was placating his fiancée, and the next, he was spitting out water.
“Wo—”
“Quit calling me woman! You know my name, use it!” she snarled down at him. “And we’re waiting six months before we’re getting married.” Taking Logan’s hand, she stalked back into the house, leaving his relatives gaping behind her.
Greer tore off his wet shirt, throwing it onto the deck with a splat. Lying back, he then floated lazily as his brothers stared down at him.
“She seems a little pissed at you.” Tate took off his shoes before sitting down on the deck to put his feet in the pool.
“Cannonball!” Dustin yelled, jumping off the diving board to douse them. After he managed to get the water out of his eyes, he ducked his brother before he could swim away. When Dustin surfaced, he smacked him on the back. “Congratulations, bro. I knew you were smarter than everyone said you were.”
Greer stared at his relatives’ sheepish expressions, seeing Holly and Logan had come back outside. Holly had her swimsuit on with an ugly lime cover-up hiding the gifts God had gifted her.
“Who said I was stupid?” Greer asked suspiciously, seeing her turn around and go back inside, leaving Logan with a muttered excuse.
None of his family wanted to admit their disloyalty.
“What’s this?” Greer asked.
When Dustin turned his head back toward him, he piledrove water into his face.
Logan laughed so hard he held his belly. He then went to the edge of the pool, holding his arms out to his father.
Greer climbed out of the pool to grab a towel.
Cash, holding Ema, got into the pool to join the fun.
“Are you getting in?” Greer asked Rachel, wrapping a towel around his shoulders.
“Not right now. I’m still a little queasy.” His sister had suffered with Ema’s pregnancy, and this one didn’t seem to be any better.
He reached out, placing a hand on Rachel’s abdomen.
“Greer, what if my baby is the one Dustin’s been dreaming about?”
He connected with the small soul that was beneath his palm. “It’s not.” He dropped his hand, starting to look away.
Rachel grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. “What did you see?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.” Rachel’s hand tightened on his chin.
He could never get anything past his sister. “Do you really want me to tell you?”
Rachel’s hand fell. “It’s a girl, isn’t it?”
“Cash doesn’t care if it’s a girl or a boy,” he tried to reassure, seeing he wasn’t being successful.
“I know … It’s just, I know how much he wants a boy. That’s why he kept convincing me to get pregnant again so soon after Ema.”
Greer shook his head. That was one worry he could dispel.
“That isn’t why he wanted you to have another baby. Cash won’t feel safe until he has you tied with a dozen kids so you can’t run off again.”
“He doesn’t think like—”
“Yes, Rachel, he does. Maybe not that you won’t run off, but that you realize you don’t love him and will leave him.”
Rachel swayed, and Greer caught her around the waist. She leaned her head against his shoulder; a low sob sounded in his ear.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.” Greer heard the splash of water and the sound of bare feet hitting the deck. “He loves you, sister. When he sees you, he thinks of a fox.”
Rachel raised her head from his shoulder, her eyes twinkling. “He calls me Vixen.”
Greer lowered his voice, so Cash couldn’t hear him as he approached. “What do foxes do when you try to catch them?” Greer answered for her, “They run.” He stepped away to leave the couple alone, going inside to change out of his dripping jeans.
Holly was in the kitchen, making a tray of lemonade.
“You’re dripping water all over the floor,” she reprimanded him.
When she turned to pick up the tray, he tugged the belt loose that was holding her wrap c
losed.
“That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. It would blind a dead man.”
Her jaw clenched. “Give that back.”
“No.”
Before she could stop him, he jerked the wrap off her then stretched his arm up, so she couldn’t reach it. When she tried to jump up to get it, he looked down, enjoying the view, until she stopped, seeing what his eyes were trained on.
“You’re a jerk. You know that, right?”
Greer leered down at her, twisting her wrap like a towel then laying it across his shoulders. Picking up the duffel bag of clothes that Dustin had brought him, he went toward her bedroom, giving a parting shot that guaranteed she wouldn’t follow to get her wrap back.
“I may be a jerk, but you love me, anyway.”
He changed into his swimsuit then joined the others in the pool. Tate ran to the store, coming back with hot dogs to grill as they enjoyed the Saturday afternoon. When it grew dark, they started leaving until only Logan and Dustin remained.
When Holly came downstairs, leaving Dustin to give Logan a bath, Greer gave her a kiss before going to the door.
“You’re leaving?”
“It’s late. I thought you would want to go to bed.”
“I thought I would have to convince you to leave.” She looked embarrassed at her admission.
“Kind of stole your thunder, huh?”
“Yes.”
He brought his hand to the nape of her neck, tugging her toward him. Then he delicately traced his tongue over her lips as if exploring a fragile flower petal he could crush. Subtly, he used his tongue to part the bloom of his flower, seeking the essence of her, breathing in the faint scent of honey.
He pulled her tighter against his chest, so her sensitive breasts would ignite the fire he was seeking. When her knees buckled, forcing her to grip his upper arms, he knew it was working. He gradually pressed harder on her lips, turning the kiss from a good-night one to a tongue fucking that had her gasping and standing on her toes to twine her fingers through his hair and pull him down to her.
With a final thrust of his tongue that had his tongue raking under hers, he broke the kiss to step back.
She blinked up at him until he had to take the hands clutching him like a lifeline, releasing himself from her grasp before he changed his mind and dragged her to Lucky’s house to make the pastor marry them tonight.
“Good night.” He left abruptly before the temptation was more than he could handle.
Aware of the outside camera surveillance, he went to his truck. Sure no one could see inside the dark interior, he placed his shaking hands on the steering wheel.
He stared at Mrs. Langley’s house, seeing the living room light go out. Ten minutes later, he saw the whole house grow dark.
Reaching for his cell phone, he pushed a button that speed dialed the man he wanted.
“Shade.”
“I know who you are,” he said, holding his phone next to his ear.
“Did you call me just to insult me?”
“No. I’m calling to make sure you do your job, and that there isn’t a way in hell anyone can break into Mrs. Langley’s house.”
“You’re sitting in your truck in front of the house; do I need to say anything more?”
Shade’s cold voice didn’t piss him off. It was the reassurance he needed.
“That weed you’ve been promising better be worth having to talk to you on a daily basis.” The threat wasn’t obvious, but it was there.
“It is. It’s fire. The best we’ve ever grown.”
“Anything else?”
“Shade …?”
“Go home. I’m handling this job myself.”
“Thanks.” Greer disconnected the call.
It galled him having to accept Shade’s help, but that house held not only his kin but his future. Holly had been promised to him since he was a snot-nosed kid, seeking within himself for the spirits that were never far away for their guidance. Feeling the welcome tide of warmth, he started his truck, driving away.
Whatever Dustin’s nightmare was, they weren’t going to have to suffer through it tonight. Tonight, the ones he loved were safe in their bed, watched over by the spirit. And what they couldn’t stop, Shade would.
18
Holly ran a hand over Logan’s forehead. “You don’t feel like you’re running a fever. Your uncle Greer is bringing a thermometer from the house. He should be here any minute.”
Logan scrunched on his side, moving away from her concerned touch. “My stomach is hurting. I can’t go to school.”
Holly sympathized with him. He’d had several stomachaches lately.
Looking at her wristwatch, she decided to call his pediatrician and find out what was going on. He had been a sickly baby, and she feared the kidney disease that had killed his mother was taking a toll on his health.
When they had discovered the cause of Sam’s death, she and Dustin had taken him to several specialists. After several months, the doctors had told them that he had no sign of the disease. They still carefully monitored him, making the three-hour drive to Lexington to make sure he received the best care. He had just received a clean bill of health three months ago.
Hiding her worry, she was relieved when Dustin and Greer came into the bedroom.
“You feeling any better?” Dustin sat down on the bed next to him, touching his back.
Logan shrugged away from his touch, moaning.
“I brought the thermometer.” Greer handed it to her.
“Roll over, honey. Let me take your temperature.
He reluctantly rolled over, opening his mouth. The three adults stood waiting for the beep to go off. When it did, she took it out of his mouth, frowning as she looked down and saw it was normal.
“He’s not running a fever.”
Logan moaned, clutching his stomach.
“Dustin, you go on to work. I’ll call Diamond and tell her I won’t be in.”
Greer had stood, leaning against the wall. At her words, he moved toward the bed and lay down next to Logan.
Holly watched as he gently ran a hand over his head then downward to his forehead, like the way she had done when she had tried to see if he had a fever. An eerie feeling had goose bumps raising the hair on her arms.
Greer was staring down at Logan, but his eyes looked vacant, as if he wasn’t there. His hand traveled down to Logan’s chest, rested for a second, and then moved to his side then his stomach.
Holly thought he was comforting the little boy, trying to get him to relax so he could fall asleep. He even raised up to trail a hand over his legs and feet.
Greer stole her heart the way he was lovingly treating his nephew, imagining him bringing the same affection on his own son.
“Boy, get your butt out of bed and get dressed. You’re going to school.”
Aghast at how he could be loving one minute and a drill sergeant the next, she could only stare at him openmouthed as he jackknifed out of bed and jerked the covers off Logan.
“Greer, he’s sick!”
“There ain’t a damn thing wrong with the boy. He’s going to school.”
“Dustin, I think he should go to the pediatrician. He’s having these stomachaches more frequently.”
Dustin stood up from the bed. “Get ready for school. I can be late for my appointment. I’ll take you myself.”
“You’re taking Greer’s side over mine?” Hurt, she met his determined gaze.
The dominant side of Dustin didn’t come out often, usually letting his brothers take the lead, but when he set his foot down, there was no budging it. He was just like his brother in that irritating trait.
Well, the two arrogant men weren’t the only ones who could put their foot down.
“He’s staying.”
“Why don’t you want to go to school?” Greer stepped in front of her, blocking her from Logan’s sight.
Holly took a step to the side, seeing Logan’s face crumple.
“I don
’t want to go because of Fynn.”
“Who’s Fynn?” Holly asked as the two men’s faces grew grim.
“Silas’ half-brother.”
“The little bas—”
Holly pinched Greer on the back of the arm. He didn’t bother to look at her, moving his arm out of reach.
“What’s he been doing to you?”
“He makes me trade lunches with him. I don’t like his. His is bologna and mayonnaise.”
Holly couldn’t blame him. She hated the taste of bologna. She wouldn’t be able to eat, either.
“Damn, they can’t even make a sandwich. They could at least put mustard on it.”
She was going to do it. She was going to pull every strand of her hair out. The men were beyond hope.
“Sweetheart, have you told your teacher you don’t want to trade lunches with him?”
“I did, but he went outside to play and wouldn’t pick me for his team.”
Dustin went to the drawer she had made for Logan, pulling out his clothes. “Get dressed,” he said firmly.
Logan’s eyes watered, unable to believe his father was making him go to school.
“I’ll go to school with you and talk to your teacher—”
“No, you won’t.” Dustin and Greer shook their head.
Holly couldn’t believe the men were being so hard-hearted that they wouldn’t let her talk to his teacher.
“Boy, you remember that chicken that got his wing caught in the fence?”
Holly blanched, remembering it vividly. She had gone outside one morning to feed the chickens, then gone back inside to fix breakfast. Everything had been fine, not noticing that one of the greedier chickens had tried to reach through a hole in the fence where she had hung her basket, letting the feed fall to the ground below.
By the time she had come outside with Logan, the sound of the squealing chickens had drawn them closer. It had been a blood bath with the other chickens ganging up on the injured chicken, pecking it to death. The gruesome scene had her screaming and Logan yelling. Dustin, Tate, and Greer had run outside to see what the commotion was, and Dustin had been the one to get them back inside as his brothers had removed what was left.
“Yes, sir.”
“Those chickens killed the injured one, because it was weak and defenseless. You can stay home and be like that hurt chicken, or you can be the rooster that keeps them other chickens in control.”