“BUBBA, WHERE the hell have you been?” Brianna caught Bonner just as he walked in the door. He was sweaty, stinky, and ready to hop in the shower. The boys had kinda run his ass off after his ride with the boss, so he was pooped. And in no mood for getting yanged at.
“Working. What you need?” She grabbed his arms, and he looked at her. She looked terrified. “I saw Snake! In town!”
“What? You’re fucking kidding me. What happened? Did he see you?” He didn’t need this. He just didn’t.
“I don’t think he saw me, but what if he knows I’m here?”
“Nobody knows you’re here. You leave the house for doctor’s appointments.” Fuck-a-doodle-doo.
“I know.” Her lower lip quivered. He could count on two hands the times he saw her cry when she was a kid. Pregnant, she was a watering can. She put one hand on her belly. “He can’t find out.”
“I have a gun, Bri. He will not hurt those babies.”
“I know I’m freaking out. I can’t help it. I got some groceries. I wanted Twinkies. Is that okay?”
“No. No Twinkies for you. Dork.” He hugged her tight. “I swear to you, Sister. I have this.”
“Okay. I don’t have to leave?” She sniffed, the clouds starting to clear.
“Nope. You’re out in the middle of the ranch. No one can get to you. No one.” Worst came to worst, he’d go to Miz Jerilyn and ask for help.
Or Gianni. Gianni was… fierce.
His cheeks heated at the thought of their ride. Lord, he was a slut. Happy and a slut. He glanced at Bri and frowned. Gianni thought he had twins on the way….
God.
“I need a shower, honey.”
“Sure. Sure, sorry for the panic.”
“No worries. I just… long frigging day, huh?”
“You kinda stink.” She hesitated. “I can make grilled cheese.”
“That sounds amazing.” He tried for a smile.
“Cool. There’s macaroni and cheese too.”
“Grilled cheese sounds perfect.”
“Okay.” She hugged him. “Go destink.”
He dragged his ass to the guest room, which Micah had vacated this morning. Bonner wanted to just flop down and die.
He climbed up into the bed, dropping his head in his hands. What the hell was he doing? Fucking around with a guy that he had had a spring break fling with? This was crazy. He scrubbed his hands over his face, tired to his bones.
Bonner tried to get up, gather his clothes and get in the guest bath. Bri would bitch if he didn’t eat her sandwiches. He needed to call up to the house too, and tell Gianni there was no way he was coming. He couldn’t. The man thought he was fixin’ to be a daddy. That he was married. That he was a cheater.
That he was nasty.
Gianni might not care. He’d read in one of his mom’s romances that Italian men had wives and mistresses as a matter of course. He wasn’t a bad man, though. No sir.
He was a cowboy, dammit.
Christ, he was… whining.
He was fucking whining.
He stood up and grabbed a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Shower time. Bonner stopped, sending a quick text to Gianni.
Bri had a bad day. Have a good night.
There. Done. He wasn’t no coward either.
He plugged his phone in, left it in the bedroom, and went to shower.
There was no way he was going up to that main house. Tonight or any night.