When You're Back (Rosemary Beach #12)(6)

I felt Reese’s soft hand touch my arm. “If you need to go to the cattle auction, I can get up early. Don’t let me be the reason you don’t do things you need to do.”

She was trying hard to fix things. I didn’t want her thinking she had to do that. This was her home. She belonged here.

“My need to have you all to myself is what’s keeping me from doing things. I don’t intend to do shit tomorrow. I want you alone in this house with me.”

Reese blushed, and a smile tugged at her lips before she lowered her gaze back to the plate in front of her.

“Does that mean you aren’t going to the Stouts’ for the barbecue tomorrow night? They’re expecting you.”

The Stouts owned one of the two biggest ranches in a fifty-mile radius; my family owned the other. I’d grown up with their son, Hawkins. We weren’t close friends, but we both knew we’d be taking over our fathers’ positions one day.

I glanced at Reese. “You up for a Texas barbecue?”

She nodded. “That sounds fun.”

Having Reese on my arm and introducing her to the people in town made going to the barbecue feel more bearable.

“Guess I lost my date. Who will I dance with now?” Aida asked with a pout.

She was being exasperating. I had started to respond to her ridiculous comment when she dropped her fork to her plate with a clatter and stood up.

“You don’t want me here. I’m just in the way.” She turned and headed for the door.

What the f*ck? Where had my fun little cousin gone? She’d turned into an angry crybaby. This was not like her at all. “I need to talk to her,” I told Reese. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

Reese nodded and gave me a smile that didn’t meet her eyes. That bothered me. I had to fix this thing with Aida so she would stop upsetting Reese.

I followed after Aida only to find her at her truck, crying. “What is wrong with you?” I asked as I walked down the steps toward her.

She looked up at me with a tear-streaked face. “I don’t . . . she’s . . . you don’t have any time for me with her here.”

“Aida, this isn’t a competition for my time. My life and my future all belong to Reese. She’s a part of me. We are a package deal. I would think you’d be happy for me, but you’ve hardly even spoken to Reese. I want you to be friends. You’re my family, and she will be, too, soon enough.”

Aida wiped at her tears and sniffed. “So we won’t ever get to do anything together again, just you and me?”

I tried to understand why she was crying. I had always given Aida all of my attention when she visited. She didn’t come over often when we were growing up, but when she did, I treated her the way I treated my little sister, Harlow. But things had changed, and we were adults now. She wasn’t that little girl anymore. I didn’t have to let her follow me around, and I wasn’t obligated to entertain her every second she was here.

“If you would give Reese a chance, I know you’d love her. She’s easy to love. Everyone who meets her loves her. We can all do things together. I’m not cutting you out of my life, but you have to understand Reese is my life now.”

Aida sniffled and sighed. “You won’t have time for me anymore.”

She was right. I wasn’t going to be able to drop everything and escort her everywhere she wanted me to. “We’re grown-up, Aida. We aren’t kids anymore. I’m not a single guy who has time to do whatever you want. Those days are gone.”

She nodded, and her tears seemed to dry up. “OK. I can accept that. But can you at least not ignore me?”

“I don’t ignore you.”

Aida seemed appeased by that and started to open her truck door. I reached around her and opened it for her. She climbed inside. “Be nice to Reese next time, will ya?” I said, before I closed her door and headed back inside to my girl.

Reese

I finished eating alone and cleaned up my plate and Aida’s before walking back to the bedroom. I wasn’t sure how long he would be gone, and I wished I could shut my mind off about what was going on. I had only just met Mase’s immediate family. How would it affect us if his cousin hated me? Because I was pretty sure she did, though I wasn’t sure how to fix that. Harlow was so sweet and accepting of me, and she was his sister. It should be easier to win over his cousin.

The stream of warm water felt wonderful when I stepped into the shower. Just as I closed the door, I heard Mase call my name.

I had started to open the door and answer him when he appeared in the bathroom doorway. He walked straight toward me, and I watched him through the glass as his eyes trailed over me like I was his meal instead of the food I’d left for him on the table.

He opened the shower door, and our eyes met just before he started stripping off his clothes.

“I left your food on the table for you,” I said, watching him step out of his jeans and boxers.

“Can’t eat knowing you’re naked and wet in my shower,” he replied, and stepped under the stream of water with me.

“You didn’t eat very much.” I sounded breathless.

He smirked. “Turn around, Reese. Put your hands on the wall. I want to kiss my spot.”

His spot was the freckle under my left butt cheek. He was obsessed with it. And when he wanted to be naughty, that was the first thing he kissed.