Crystal Green - Lead Me On

“We were having too much fun. You should’ve come with us.”

“Golf’s not my game.” Again, he stole a glance at Margot, who’d taken a seat on a bar stool and was leaning toward Brad. From here, he could see her sweater gaping open, revealing a gut-punching hint of black bra. Her breasts were round and full, pressed into smooth globes by the tight lace.

He could feel himself getting hard, and he pulled his gaze away. “How’s the life of a happy bachelor?” he asked Riley instead.

Riley, who’d also pledged with Clint and become a good friend, ran a hand through his short black hair. “Happy? I guess you must not have heard the news.”

He wasn’t talking about getting married, seeing as Riley and Dani had been engaged for about a year. They’d been friends until they’d “awakened,” or some such greeting-card crap, one day and really “seen” each other.

Fairy tales, Clint thought. His parents had had a lot of great years together, but it’d just never happened for him. Then again, it wasn’t as if he’d ever wanted to settle down. He’d grown up as a lone wolf while his brothers had depended on each other, forming their own inner circle and keeping him out, and he’d been the same way with everyone else, especially women.

The true love of his life had always been the ranch—a paradise invaded by twin snakes, aka his own flesh-and-blood siblings. Funny how he’d found much better brothers, like Riley, away at college.

Clint made himself comfortable in the booth. “Oh, I’ve certainly heard the news. I’ve already heard more than I bargained for about the auction.”

Margot telling Dani and Leigh about her basket... The sparkly stars that would be a sure sign that it was hers...

But she meant the damn thing for someone else, so why was he even dwelling on it?

Because there are definitely at least eighty ways you could get around her, he thought. And he could guarantee that she enjoyed every one of them, making up lost time with her.

Saying sorry about that tape in every way he could.

Riley spoke, his voice edged with mild frustration. “The guys were all over me about this auction when we were playing golf. I guess the girls’ email loop got everyone talking before we got here and Dani didn’t know it. Nothing like finding out that everyone is swimming in your personal business. I damn well hope Dani put an end to it this afternoon.”

“From what I hear, the girls just want Dani to have that wedding she always planned for. No harm, no foul.”

“I already feel like shit that I can’t give that wedding to Dani myself, and to have us turn into some kind of charity case...?” He shook his head.

From what Clint had overheard, Dani hadn’t asked Margot and Leigh to call off the auction. But—

Sparkling stars... Around the Girl in Eighty Ways...

Riley interrupted. “Ever since I heard about that auction, I’ve wanted to tell Dani that I’d rather elope to a Vegas chapel. But then I think about how much she’s always talked about the dress with one of those long trains or whatever they call it, and how she wants things to happen in a big church with a big reception, and...I just lose the words.”

Clint signaled for yet another round. Riley sure looked like he needed it. Honestly, Clint could use some more drinks, too, because every time he glanced at Margot across the room canoodling with Brad, he felt a keen urge to water down.

“What’re you going to tell Dani, then?” Clint asked. “I think the sisters who keep in touch on email are looking forward to this auction.”

And he was, too?

But that was idiotic, because that basket of Margot’s was aimed at Brad. Plus, she wanted Clint on one side of the room and her on another.

He was damned sure going to change her mind about that.

Riley blew out a breath. “I know Margot and Leigh went to a lot of work. Everyone who brought a basket did, and their intentions are good.”

“Then let everyone play. You can tell the sisters that you’re not taking a dime and the proceeds can go to a charity.”

Riley’s head jerked up, and he looked at Clint as if he were a genius. Yeah, well, he would be about the only one to think that.

But Clint wasn’t here to dwell on the troubles back on the ranch, not when he was among people who’d been even closer to him for a time than his own family. He hadn’t ever thought that his relationship with the twins could get worse, except it had, a couple years ago, when Dad had passed on and split up his estate, giving Clint 60 percent of the cutting horse ranch and Jeremiah and Jason each 20 percent. It made all the sense in the world to Clint, who’d come back home after getting his agriculture business degree and developed the Circle BBB, while the twins had opted for the city and an agriculture development firm they’d built from the ground up.

Things never changed, and the twins still stuck together like glue. According to them, Clint didn’t know what he was doing with the ranch, even though he ran a solid and profitable operation. But, with their business experience “out in the world,” they thought they knew better.

“Why don’t you just drink on this auction business,” he said to Riley, raising his shot glass.

They slammed back their whisky, then bolted their glasses to the table.

As the waitress slid another round to them and left, Clint’s gaze inevitably fixed on Margot again. By now, she was resting her hand on Brad’s arm as they shared another joke.

Clint threw back the newest shot. He kept telling himself Brad was his fraternity brother. Brad was making her laugh when she needed it, which was more than Clint had accomplished earlier.

Riley was rolling up his sleeves, as if acknowledging it was going to be a long-ass reunion weekend. Then he noticed the direction of Clint’s gaze, and he followed it out the booth and over his shoulder, spying Margot.

He turned back to Clint, holding back a grin. “Got your email about the video this morning. Still have some feelings for her?”

“Not even a speck.” He was pissed that it was so obvious. “I just figured it’d be proper to do some damage control for her sake.”

“Right.” Riley fiddled with his glass. “Was Jay the one who posted that video?”

“It appears so. He runs his family’s farm now, so I got a hold of him there. He took the video down already.”

“Did you threaten to cuff him again?”

“No. I just did what my brothers do and I threw a few legal words around. That did the trick.”

“Why’d he even post it?”

“He said it was his contribution to the reunion, but you remember Jay well enough. He was bitter after we blackballed him for not paying dues and—”

“In general being a douche bag.”

“That, too.” Clint pushed his glass away. “Him posting the video was nothing against Margot, but it sure feels personal.”

Riley paused, making Clint shift in his seat. No use lying about how interested he still was in Margot.

“Just a warning,” Riley said. “Dani will even tell you that Margot is still as hard to get as ever.”

Now Clint’s pride was poked, and dammit, it’d been happening too much lately for him to tolerate it.

“She may be hard to get,” he said, “but not impossible.”

“Good luck, after what happened last night with the video.”

“She’ll put it behind her.”

“Whoa. Is that a challenge I hear?”

Clint smiled, then jerked his chin toward the bar. Margot sat right next to Brad, arm to arm.

God.

He glanced away, not wanting to watch, but clearly unable to help himself.

“Not that I want to encourage you,” Riley said, “because I think she’s a lost cause, but Brad doesn’t seem all that interested in her. I remember way back when he dated Margot that summer and it didn’t work out.”