by Avery Gale
Taz returned a few minutes later, and as predicted, Nate’s phone started ringing. Shooting his brother a glare usually reserved for people he planned to shoot, Nate picked up his phone and swore. Before he could even say hello, Brandt started talking, “Dammit, Nate. You were supposed to call me when you found her. Instead, I get a call from Taz telling me you’re playing hop, skip, and go naked. Shit! Kip was standing right beside me and heard every word.”
“Keep him there. The weather is already turning to shit.”
“Yeah, well, thanks for the tip, but he went out of here like his ass was on fire. I’ll try to get him to turn around, but don’t hold your damned breath.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less from a Morgan.” Nate and Brandt had been friends for a long time, and consequently, he’d encountered all of the Morgan brothers. Kip had barely been old enough to drive when Nate first met him, and despite the youngest brother’s easygoing demeanor, Nate had seen the fire in his eyes the night Caila was nearly pulled out of the club.
The Morgans had been pissed they hadn’t recognized Caila at the club, but the little sub had gone to a lot of trouble to change her appearance. Once the dark wig was removed, her fall of wavy blonde hair had presented a whole new problem. Being mistaken for another woman, she’d nearly been kidnapped. Nate still saw red anytime he remembered how close they’d come to losing her.
Caila had finally fallen back asleep, so Nate lowered his voice. “Don’t get your shorts in a twist over this, Brandt. I’m trying to get her core temperature up. That’s it. Give me a little credit, man.”
He heard Brandt sigh in resignation; his friend was trying to decide which one of the two he needed to worry more about—his brother or the woman he’d once told Nate he considered a little sister. “Sage is on the phone with Kip now, but I’m not holding out any hope he will turn around. If anything happens to him, Taz is in for an ass kicking for fucking with him. And, yeah, I know he had it coming, but love makes some men stupid. Not me, of course. But some bastards lose their minds.” Nate heard the sarcasm. Brandt was kidding, but he didn’t want to risk waking Sleeping Beauty by laughing out loud.
“Yeah, so I’ve heard. Personally, I’m trying to avoid it, because I’ve seen too many of my friends fall prey to love’s blind stupidity.” Wasn’t that the understatement of the week? Damn, the fucking Morgans were falling like flies. But looking down at the sweet woman curled against his chest, Nate felt the sudden stab of longing he’d been trying to suppress bubble to the surface. He and Taz were going to have to chat soon. They’d dated several women over the past few months, but none of them had appealed to both men. Maybe it was time to compromise?
Kip skidded to a stop at the end of the Cooper’s driveway and stared at the red and white sign. What the fuck? Why the hell was a bank in Denver advertising the sale of their neighbor’s ranch? Doc Cooper had always banked locally. Jumping from his truck, he pulled the sign up. He was grateful it wasn’t frozen in the damp dirt—obviously, it hadn’t been in the ground long. Good. Hopefully, the whole neighborhood hasn’t seen this. He snapped a picture of the sign before tossing it in the back. He decided he’d forward it to Sage as soon as he could do so safely. He’d no sooner put his truck back in gear than his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, Kip wanted to roll his eyes. Damn, that didn’t take long. How the hell does he do that?
Answering the call, Sage’s voice boomed through the speakers. “What the hell, Kip? Have you lost your fucking mind? Did you even check the weather before taking off like a striped-ass ape?”
Kip ignored Sage’s questions and fired one back he knew would steer Sage in a new direction. “Want to tell me why a bank in Denver is selling the Cooper’s ranch?” The dead silence on the other end of the line told Kip the eldest Morgan brother hadn’t been aware of the sale either.
“No idea, but I’ll find out. Don’t suppose you got the contact information.” Kip wanted to laugh at the change in his brother’s tone. There wasn’t a chance in hell Sage would let the land adjoining theirs slip through his fingers. If Doc and Caila were in some kind of financial pinch, the Morgans would help in any way they could, but none of them wanted the land to fall into the wrong hands.
“Took a picture of the sign before I tossed it in the back of my truck. I’ll send it the first time I stop.” Kip had known too many people who’d had accidents because they’d been texting while driving. It was something he just didn’t do. Brandt had made sure every member of the family used the hands-free calling feature in their vehicles and assured them he’d write tickets if he caught them texting while driving. Kip fought a grin as he remembered Brandt paddling Joelle in the playroom at the ranch because he’d seen her glance at her phone as she drove up the driveway.
“Get it to me right away. I have a feeling this isn’t something Doc is doing on his own.” Yeah, Kip had the same thought. The man had been slowing down over the past couple of years, but they all assumed he was trying to hold his practice together long enough for Caila to finish college. It had only been in the past couple of months they’d started wondering if he wasn’t experiencing more trouble than they’d realized.
“Sage, Calamity is going to be heartbroken if her dad loses the ranch.” And she wouldn’t have any reason to stick around Pine Creek. Kip took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. He was all too aware of how badly he’d screwed up with her. Hell, he’d been screwing up with her since the night of her eighteenth birthday party. Thank God his brothers had never gotten wind of that particular fiasco, having witnessed his asinine behavior a month ago was enough.
“I know. I’ll do everything I can. You know that.” The worry was easy to hear in his brother’s voice. It was possible the situation had already gone too far for them to intercede. But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t try to help. Sage blew out a breath, and Kip heard the leather of his office chair squeak. He could almost picture Sage leaning back, looking out the floor to ceiling windows in his office. It was a pose all of the Morgan brothers were familiar with, having seen their dad do the exact same thing anytime something was troubling him. Their dad had sworn there wasn’t much a good laugh, a good night’s sleep, or a few hours in the mountains couldn’t cure. Sage would be staring at the mountains now, trying to sort out his thoughts.
Kip sent the picture when he hit the first stop sign. He heard Sage’s computer chime with the incoming message. “Got it. I’ll let you know what I find out.” There was a long pause as his brother fought the urge to order him to return home. Sage had always taken his responsibilities as the oldest much too seriously as far as Kip was concerned. Being the youngest in a family of five boys had its disadvantages, but he damned well didn’t envy Sage’s position as the eldest, either. “Be careful, brother. Don’t be afraid to stop if it gets too bad. Phoenix is tracking you, so we’ll see if you’ve stopped along the road for any length of time.”
Kip let out the breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. He was relieved he wasn’t going to have to argue with Sage about this, but another part of him was glad his brother cared enough to remind him to stay safe. “I’ll be careful.” He wasn’t sure how much he should explain—hell, he wasn’t sure how much he could explain the compulsion he felt to get to Caila. His brothers only knew a small portion of the mistakes he’d made with Calamity.
By the time he’d yanked his head out of his ass and driven over to the Cooper’s last month to apologize, she’d already been gone. He’d stared at her dad in disbelief as the older man had explained she’d left earlier in the week. Doc’s eyes had been glassy with unshed tears and confusion as he’d shaken his head. “I don’t know what happened, Kip. She was so excited to be moving home. For years, we’ve been planning for her to take over my practice. I know I’ve lost a few of the locals to the bigger clinics with more vets, I just don’t get around as fast as I used to, but I didn’t think it was so bad she’d walk away.”
Kip hadn’t had the courage to tell Doc what he�
�d done. How did you tell a man you’ve known and respected your entire life what a bastard you’ve been to his daughter? The young woman he’d raised alone since she was a young girl, the daughter the man swore the sun rose and set on, even though he’d left her largely unattended while he worked.
He’d promised Doc he’d do everything he could to talk Caila into staying in Pine Creek, and he damned well intended to do exactly that. The only question was, who was he doing it for—Doc or himself? He still wasn’t sure, but it was long past time to figure it out. Hearing Taz tell Brandt how they’d found Caila in her cold car sent him into a panic he still didn’t understand—all he’d been able to think about was getting to her.
Chapter Three
Kip was relieved when the faint thumping of the club’s music finally ended, even though it hadn’t been loud. He’d watched her restless movements and wished Nate and Taz had put her in a room farther from the annoying sound. When the room fell silent, she’d settled, and he was grateful she was finally resting peacefully. The steady rhythm of her breathing was the only sound in the room as he watched her finally sink deeper into sleep. Her long blonde hair fanned out on the pillow like a halo, her fine features added to her angelic look. But Kip knew the loyal, smart, witty woman behind the sweet face—and that was who fascinated him.
It had taken him over two hours to make his way to Mountain Mastery—a drive that he usually completed in less than forty minutes. The sudden freezing temperatures combined with warm, moist ground conditions created freezing fog that covered everything in a thin layer of ice, making the roads treacherous. The entire trip had been an exercise in patience—not his strongest virtue.
The conversation he’d had with Taz downstairs hadn’t been pleasant, but the club’s owner had raised several valid points. He’d never had a problem admitting when he’d screwed up—and this particular fuck up was too colossal to ignore. The only reason he’d been allowed in her room was because he’d sworn he wouldn’t wake her and agreed to let Taz talk to her before there was any significant sexual contact between them unless she initiated it. He’d resisted the temptation to ask Taz to define significant. Another thing he’d learned having so many older brothers, asking for clarification in advance prevented you from pleading ignorance later. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Each of his brothers had ripped him a new one about the way he’d treated Caila, and they’d all made valid points. But it had been Coral who’d put it in perspective for him. He’d been out in the barn late one night checking on a young mare that had gotten tangled in barbed wire earlier in the week, and Coral hadn’t heard him slip into the kitchen door as she searched for a snack. “Why isn’t there any junk food in this house? It’s just wrong, I tell you. I need salt and fat…something with some damned flavor for Pete’s sake, not another damned piece of fruit. What am I anyway, frick-fracking Eve?” Leaning against the doorframe, Kip smiled at her rambling commentary. Coral was a danger to everyone in the kitchen, so they’d kept their housekeeper and cook on when she’d moved in.
From the moment she’d shown up in Pine Creek, Sage had claimed her—it had amused Kip because she’d seemed to be the only person in a hundred-mile radius who hadn’t been aware of Sage’s interest in her.
He saw her trying to reach a box of crackers hidden on the top shelf and stepped forward to help. “Here you go, Princess.” Handing her the crackers, he noticed her eyes bright with the sheen of unshed tears. “Hey, what’s wrong?” When her lower lip started to tremble, Kip didn’t wait for her to answer. He just pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. “Sorry, sweetheart, I probably smell like the barn, but right now, I’m the only game in town.”
“I don’t care; it just nice to be held by someone who isn’t going to spit up on me or pull my hair.” She hiccupped something between a sob and laughter, “You aren’t going to barf on me, are you? And if you pull my hair, I’m going to slap you silly.”
“I think you might feel better if you got to slap someone silly, although I’d prefer to nominate someone rather than volunteer.” When she stepped back, he was pleased to see the smile on her face. He loved each of the women his brothers had married, but Coral would always be special simply because she’d been the first. Moving into a house filled with men couldn’t have been easy, but she’d handled it with an abundance of love and the patience of a saint.
Tilting her head to the side, Coral studied him for so long he started to fidget. “You know, I think you are already slapping yourself around enough for both of us…probably enough for all of us combined.” Kip felt his eyes go wide, and she grinned. “Just because I am dealing with the taradiddle trio doesn’t mean I’m blind.”
“You lost me, princess. Want to try again in English?”
“Sorry, I spend so much time rocking the girls I started doing crosswords, and the words are starting to stick in my head. Taradiddle means nonsense, among other things. Those three are sending bats into my belfry.” Now that, Kip could understand. He loved his nieces, but they could certainly push people to the very limits of sanity. How Coral managed them and still had time to operate the hardware store was a mystery to everybody.
She shook her head and motioned for him to sit at the table while she made them both a snack. Once she’d settled across from him, Coral gave him a rueful smile. “I’ve heard the story about what happened down at the club from several people, and the same image keeps popping up in my head each time. Remember when Hope and Faith both learned to walk but Charity would just sit off to the side and watch them?”
“I hope you have a point, Princess. Otherwise, we’re going to need something stronger than milk.” When she rolled her eyes, he raised a brow as the Dom inside surfaced without warning. “Just because I’m not the strictest Dom in the family doesn’t mean I won’t step up to the plate when challenged, sweet sub.” Sage had given all four brothers permission to take her in hand for disrespect, though none of them had. As far as Kip knew, Colt was the only one who’d actually participated in a scene with Coral and Sage.
“Sorry. Anyway, Charity wanted to learn to walk…I mean, she really wanted to walk. But she refused to learn simply because we were all pushing her to do it.” She let out an exasperated breath and continued, “People can get so caught up in their resistance they forget to ask themselves what they really want.” She must have seen dawning in his eyes, because she gave him her most innocent smile.
“Princess, are you comparing me to a toddler?” Kip was having trouble hiding his smile—damned if she hadn’t made a good point.
“Oh, heavens no…I’d never be so presumptuous. I was simply making conversation.”
“Cheeky sub.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. Pulling her fingers up, he pressed a soft kiss against the back of her knuckles. “Well, if you had been comparing me to my sweet niece, I wouldn’t have really been offended. Even I can see she and I share a couple of personality traits.” Kip laughed, because that was a close as he was going to get to admitting Charity was as stubborn as he’d ever been.
Coral’s words had continued to replay in his head long after their conversation. Over the past month, he’d accepted the fact the biggest reason he’d continually rejected Caila was because he’d always felt as though they were being pushed together. He’d been so busy resisting becoming a couple he’d ignored all the reasons they’d be good together. His dad once accused him of not wanting to be confused by the facts, and it looked like this was another example of his pride standing in the way of his happiness. But…this time, he’d hurt someone else, too.
Scrubbing his hand over his face as he watched Caila sleep, Kip leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He’d hurt the one person in the world who’d consistently thought he was the best thing since rock and roll. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit he didn’t have any clue how he was going to fix it—hell, he wasn’t sure she would even let him fix it. Jesus, Joseph, and sweet Mother Mary,
what woman wanted a man whose fuck ups started almost a decade ago? Making an effort to push the picture of him taking her against a tree during her eighteenth birthday party from his mind, Kip leaned back and sighed.
Who was he kidding? He wouldn’t be able to erase that picture from his memory if he lived another hundred years. She’d been flitting around the party in her short denim skirt and shiny cowgirl boots, and he’d barely been able to see through the haze of desire. His wasn’t the only attention she had garnered, either.
Every guy at that damned party—and some of the girls—cast appreciative glances her way. Her thigh muscles flexed beneath her tanned skin, and Kip had been sure he was going to lose his mind. The plaid shirt she wore was tied beneath her breasts, baring her flat stomach, and he’d almost swallowed his tongue at the first glimpse of the gold hoop decorating her bellybutton.
Caila stirred in the bed, pulling him out of the memory. Looking across the small room, he watched as she rolled so she was facing him. He could feel her gaze moving over him; she’d gone still when she’d first realized she wasn’t alone, and then her breath hitched when she recognized who sat in the shadows. “Kip? What are you doing? Why are you here?” There was an edge of hesitance in her voice he hadn’t heard before—and he didn’t like it. It was easy to see she was trying to put emotional distance between them.
“We need to talk, baby.” Even in the dim light, he saw her eyes widen in surprise. He’d deliberately used a different endearment from her usual nickname. Keeping her off-base was going to be the key to skirting around the emotional barriers she’d built. Hell, he’d seen those walls going up a month ago when she’d snuck in the back door of the hospital to bring flowers to Aspen. She wouldn’t have made the effort to avoid him and his family if she wasn’t trying to hide. His brothers hadn’t missed it, either. They hadn’t spared any opportunity to grill him about it since.
