Wild Trail (Clean Slate Ranch #1)(56)

Wes took the paper, not surprised to see a phone number on it. Mack’s cell number, most likely. “He won’t beat you up if I call him, will he?”

“Nah. He’s bigger, but I know how to fight dirty.”

“Duly noted. Thank you.”

“Call him only if you mean it, Wes. He had his heart broken once before.”

“The ex he doesn’t like to talk about?”

Reyes nodded.

“Thanks again,” Wes said. He slipped the paper into his pocket, then watched Reyes disappear into the barn. Part of him wished he’d asked Reyes if Mack was up and about yet, but he was also glad he hadn’t. The last thing Wes wanted to do was pant around Mack like a dog in heat on his last day at the ranch. He wasn’t that pathetic.

Nope, he’d spend the last day with his friends, doing whatever horse ride or hike was on the agenda, and then he’d go home. With Mack’s phone number safely in his pocket.

Whether or not he used it was an entirely other story.

*

Mack didn’t normally interact with the guests on Saturday because he was busy preparing for the new crop due in tomorrow. Going over the guest lists, any physical limitations or restrictions, all the usual survey questions about sharing a room with a stranger of the same or opposite sex. They only had twelve guests next week, down from this week’s sixteen, so Patrice’s food order was smaller. And correct. Mack and Judson had both double-checked Arthur before the order was placed on Thursday night.

No more screwups like last weekend.

The work helped keep his mind off Wes. Mostly. The guy still drifted into Mack’s thoughts every couple of minutes—everything from his blond hair to the way his blue eyes crinkled when he laughed. How he gasped when Mack bit his—

No sexy thoughts. The last thing he needed was to try and explain an erection if someone came into his office.

Someone like Colt, who ambled in without knocking around eleven o’clock. He dropped right into the chair opposite Mack’s desk and said, “So you’ve been banging the future bride’s Best Person, huh?”

Mack’s pen skated across the paper he’d been writing on. “The hell, Colt?” He glanced at the open doorway. “Say it a little louder, huh?”

“Sorry.” Colt’s grin was anything but sorry. “So it’s true? I mean, he’s the only person I can think of who’d sneak into your cabin every night.”

He groaned. Colt’s cabin was next door to his. Hoping that Colt hadn’t noticed Wes coming and going had been na?ve. “Yes, fine, we’ve been having sex. Happy?”

“Hey, one of us is getting laid, so yeah, I’m happy.”

“You’re going to get laid tonight when we go into the city.” The city where Wes lived.

“Not necessarily. I’ve struck out a few times.”

Mack snorted. “Being so drunk you can’t get it up isn’t striking out, dude, it’s being reckless.”

“True. So are you going to keep seeing Wes, or was this just a vacation fling.”

While Colt was constantly nosing into other people’s sex lives, he also wasn’t the most tactful person to ask for advice. Reyes was better for that. Or hell, even Judson or Patrice. But Colt could be a loyal friend when needed, and Mack’s heart was torn in two about Wes leaving today.

“I don’t know,” Mack replied. “We didn’t make each other any promises, and it definitely started out as a fling.”

One of Colt’s eyebrows went up. “But?”

“But I’m really attracted to him, and the chemistry is stupidly intense. I’m not sure I want to give it up, but...”

“But Geoff.”

“Yeah.”

Colt leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “Look, I know things with you and Geoff were complicated, especially after he cheated on you, but I also know you loved him. You were together for five years. And I was with you when he died, remember? You were destroyed, and I understand you being hesitant to put yourself out there again.”

Mack studied his friend. Without Colt and Reyes, Mack wouldn’t have survived losing Geoff in the violent way he had. He’d have probably put his own gun in his mouth long ago.

“It’s hard to risk your heart when it’s already been shattered once and barely put back together,” Mack said. “I know I could start something with Wes, maybe even fall in love with him, but he’d never have my whole heart, and that’s not fair to him. And also with this ghost town project starting up, I won’t have any free time to pursue a relationship with him. Even if he wants to, which he might not even want. It’s not like he offered to swap phone numbers.”

Not like Mack had, either, but he wasn’t mentioning that.

“Well, maybe you should be an adult and ask him.”

I’m afraid he’ll say yes.

“Maybe I will,” Mack said instead. “Right now, I’ve got work to do, just like I’m sure you do, too.”

“Uh-huh. Let me ask one more question, and then I’ll drop it.”

“Fine. One.”

Colt held his gaze steadily for a beat, and then asked, “How would you feel if Wes went out to some club tonight and hooked up with a stranger?”

Mack growled, annoyance rising at the idea of anyone else being with Wes.