âThereâs one more thing that we havenât covered.â
âWhat would that be?â For the life of her, Summer couldnât imagine what there was left to be decided after their many conversations on the subject.
âWeâre going to start acting like weâre a couple,â Ryder stated.
âYou mean, as if weâve fallen in love?â Things just kept getting more complicated with every conversation they had.
âItâs easier to go with that than it is to try and explain everything.â He leaned over and briefly pressed his lips to hers. âBesides, thatâs what people are going to think anyway. We might as well go along with it.â
âDoes that mean weâll be openly affectionate toward each other?â she asked, liking the way his kiss made her feel warm all over.
âYup. Thatâs what people do when theyâre â¦involved.â
She frowned. âDo you think we can be convincing?â
âLetâs seeâ¦â he said.
Ryder McClainâs temper flared as he stared at the five men grinning at him like a bunch of damned fools. Having spent their teen years together on the Last Chance Ranch, a home for boys that the foster care system had labeled lost causes, he loved all of them. In all ways except by blood, they were his brothers. However, at this moment, nothing would be more satisfying than to wrap his hands around their throats and throttle every one of them.
âIâm only going to say this one more time and then I expect you all to drop it,â he said through gritted teeth. âI brought Summer Patterson to the party tonight because sheâs a friend who didnât have any other plans. Period. Thereâs absolutely nothing going on between us.â
âSure, if you say so, bro.â Jaron Lambertâs skeptical expression indicated that he didnât believe a word Ryder had just said. âAnd Iâll bet you still believe in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, donât ya?â
âIâll give you all a hundred-to-one odds that the lady in question has other ideas,â Lane Donaldson said, rocking back on the heels of his handcrafted Caiman leather boots. A highly successful, professional poker player, Lane used his masterâs degree in psychology to read people like an open book. In this instance, the man was definitely reading the wrong chapter.
âYup. Iâd say sheâs cut you from the herd and getting ready to measure you for a saddle,â Sam Rafferty added, laughing. The only married one of his foster brothers, Sam and his wife, Bria, were throwing the party to celebrate the renewal of their wedding vows, as well as Briaâs pregnancy. âYou might as well face it, Ryder. Your bachelor days are numbered.â
âYouâre just hoping one of us will join you in the pool of the blissfully hitched,â Ryder said, blowing out a frustrated breath. âBut as far as Summer and I are concerned, thatâs not going to happenânow or in the future. Neither one of us have any intention of being anything more than best friends. End of discussion.â
Smiling, T.J. Malloy paused with his beer bottle halfway to his mouth. âRyder, did you get kicked in the head by a bull at the last rodeo you worked? That might explain you not being able to see whatâs as plain as your hand in front of your face.â
âWell, now, this makes things a whole lot easier for me,â Nate Rafferty said, smirking as he turned toward the dance floor where Summer stood talking to Bria and her sister, Mariah. âAs long as youâre not interested, I think Iâll just mosey on over there and ask the little lady to dance.â
Ryder knew that his brother was baiting him, but without a second thought, his hand came down like a vise-grip on Nateâs shoulder. âDonât even think about it, Romeo.â
âOh, so you have staked your claim,â Lane said smugly.
âNo, I havenât.â Ryderâs jaw was clenched so hard that he wouldnât be surprised if it took a crowbar to pry his teeth apart. âBut Summer doesnât need Nateâs brand of grief.â He thought the world of his foster brother, but Nate Rafferty had a love âem and leave âem philosophy that had left a string of broken hearts across the entire Southwest and then some. âNo offense, Nate, but youâre the last thing she needs.â
âHeâs got you there, Nate,â Sam said, nodding. The only two biological siblings of the group, Sam and Nate couldnât have been more different. The older of the two, Sam had never even come close to having the wild streak that his younger brother Nate had.