“Oh, before I forget, Ava, did you leave your car parked out front yesterday?”
Ava looked at Kane. “Only for about five minutes. Why?”
“Chase’s brother Ben passed by and wondered if someone was staying here. He called this morning, so I had to tell him you were in town, but to keep it quiet.” Kane looked at Chase when he opened his mouth. “I told them about Ava to cover your ass, cuz, so no complaints from you. But I suggest you keep your truck outta sight.” Kane stood and held his hand out to Ginger. “Come on, Red. I need your help checkin’ that gate before we head home.”
Ginger looked confused. “What gate?”
“You know, the gate we talked about on the way over here?”
“Oh. Oh! That gate.” She blushed. “Ah, sure. I’d be happy to help.” Ginger paused at the door. “If you need anything, call.”
“Will do.”
As soon as the door shut, Chase snickered. “Fixin’ a gate, my ass. Kane is fixin’ to have his way with his wife in his pickup.”
“Is ‘gate’ some kind of country euphemism for sex?”
“Nope. But I believe our bein’ in their love nest has forced them to get creative for their marital activities.”
She really had no response for that.
“Ever done it in a pickup, Hollywood?”
“No.” Don’t ask. “Have you?”
Chase’s I-can-rock-your-world grin turned her knees weak. “I was born and raised in Wyoming. Never had any vehicle that wasn’t a truck…so what do you think?”
“I think imagining you and me fogging up the windows and rocking the wheels until the suspension squeaks isn’t helping get sex off my brain.” Ava set her coffee cup on the table. “My turn in the bathroom.”
He yelled, “Don’t forget to lock the door.”
Doubtful he saw her flip him off.
Later that evening, they were playing a rousing game of Go Fish when headlights swept the kitchen window.
“Were you expecting someone?” Chase said.
“I’m not from around here, remember? What about you?”
“No one knows I’m here, remember?” He pulled back the living room curtain and froze. What the f**k was his brother Ben doing here? He grabbed Ava by the elbow and dragged her out of sight.
“What the hell are you doing, Chase?”
“Ssh.”
“Don’t shush me. Who’s here?”
Four insistent raps sounded on the screen door.
“Ava? I know it’s late but I wondered if you were still up? It’s Ben McKay, Kane’s cousin. Don’t know if you remember me, but we met at Kane and Ginger’s wedding.”
Ava smirked at Chase and yelled, “Of course I remember, you, Ben. Hang on, let me throw on some clothes and I’ll be right there.”
“Are you f**kin’ serious?” Chase hissed in her ear. “You cannot let my brother in.”
“Sure I can. And if you don’t want to be found out as my dirty little secret, you’d better stay in the bedroom.” Ava sidestepped him, slipped on her Juicy jacket and fluffed her hair. Then she made a shooing motion at him. “Go.”
“I don’t believe this,” he muttered, stealthily snagging his duffel bag. He left the bedroom door ajar, hoping the hallway had decent acoustics.
“Ben! Wow. You look great. Thanks so much for taking the time to check on this poor city mouse.”
“It’s no trouble. Just bein’ neighborly.”
Bullshit. Ben lived twenty-five f**king miles from here. Maybe Ben would see Ava was fine and skedaddle on home. Chase just hoped Ava wouldn’t offer him a beer.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Ava asked with entirely too much cheer for Chase’s liking.
“A beer would be great.”
Dammit. They sat in the easy chairs, which meant Chase had no way to see them and could only hear his brother making charming small talk with Ava.
“Kane and Ginger swung by today, and told me you’d seen my car out front.”
“Gotta admit I was surprised that we had a beautiful celebrity in our midst again.”
Jesus. When Ben spewed that lame bullshit, he actually got laid? Unbelievable.
“More like a fugitive than a celebrity since I’m on the lamb from my life.”
“I read about that nasty business with your ex. You okay?”
“Getting there. Needed time to clear my head and there’s too much smog in LA to do that, so I headed for wide-open spaces.”
“You’re not finding it too isolated out here?”
Why don’t you just come out and ask to spend the night so you can keep her safe?
“Not yet.”
“If you get bored or lonely, or hell, just hungry, call me. I’m a decent cook and I get tired of cooking for one.”
“Thank you, Ben, I may do that.”
Their voices dropped. All Chase could hear were Ben’s deep murmurs and Ava’s occasional trills of laughter. He fumed, wondering how Ben’s impromptu visit had turned into an extended stay.
Then Ben’s voice reached him, clear as a bell. “You might as well come out, Chase. I know you’re back there. I recognize that damn cologne you bathe in. And your boots are by the door.”
Chase wandered out of the bedroom and faced his older brother. Even as a kid Ben owned an air of fortitude. Since Ben smiled and laughed more than their oldest brother, Quinn, everyone assumed Ben was easygoing. Laid-back.
But he wasn’t. Not by a long shot. Ben had a level of intensity that could be downright scary. Luckily Ben hadn’t inherited the tendency to use his fists to solve problems, a trait some of their McKay cousins shared. He didn’t mince words, didn’t have time for bullshit or lies. When a man was defined by how hard he worked, Chase always thought of Bennett McKay first.
“Would you excuse us?” Ben asked as he stood. “I need to talk to my little brother outside for a minute.”
Ava tossed off a breezy, “Sure.”
Ben exited the trailer. He kept walking until they were by the barn. Then he faced Chase, hands on his hips, his tone as cold as steel. “What the hell is wrong with you? You come home and stay at Kane’s place and don’t let any of your family know you’re here?”
Chase’s brain started to form a lie, but his mouth wouldn’t give voice to it. “Sorry.”
“Sorry? You too good for us now? Do your country kin embarrass the big time PBR bull rider?”