RIDE: The Complete Delancey Brothers Trilogy (4 page)

Most people would bitch and moan about what she'd been through. Or worse, they would give up and just consign themselves to life as an invalid. But Casey was strong. Even in the darkest moments, she didn't get bitter.

She also didn't give up.

And if she didn't, well, I couldn't either.

It was a funny thing to look up to your little sister.

I grabbed the green silk tank and my favorite jeans without really thinking about it. Then I pulled on a drapey knit cardigan. I slipped my feet into some high-heeled booties and I was done.

"No makeup? None of your jewelry?"

I looked at Case.

"I told you this isn't a date."

Casey raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well, I want to look pretty even if you don't. Anyway, you promised to give things a chance around here. Even with the cowboy."

I sighed and got out my tiny makeup bag. I wiped everything off with an all-natural disinfectant wipe before I started working on Casey's pretty face. The last thing she needed was an infection.

I turned on one of Casey's favorite playlists and leaned over her, carefully smudging some stain onto her lips and cheeks. Then I ran a soft brown pencil over her eyelid.
 

She fluttered her eyelashes at me and I laughed.

"Your turn."

"Alright you win."

"I always do. One of the perks of being the sick one!"

I shook my head at her twisted sense of humor and slipped into the bathroom to apply a tiny bit of makeup. Then I rummaged through a box until I found some of my jewelry. I didn't have much left, having sold most of the most expensive stuff off. But I'd amassed quite a collection at trunk shows in New York back when I had disposable income.

I sighed. I missed those days sometimes. Dinners with friends, weekend trips and happy hour. Shopping for the latest styles without a second thought. But being here with my sister, taking a second chance at life, well that meant more than all the rest of it piled together.

And then some.

I selected a gold bangle for Casey along with a pair of small sapphire studs. Small gold hoops and a necklace with a modern looking evil eye design for me.
 

If I had to spend the evening with Jackson Delancey, I had a feeling I would need it.

When I presented myself to Casey she let out a low whistle.

"What? You're a fox."

"More like a chihuahah."

I laughed and shook my head, wheeling her out of the house to the car. It took both of us to get her into the seat and buckled in. I climbed in beside her and smiled.

"Might as well get this over with."

"Ange, you promised."

"I will be cordial but I am not going to flirt with the man!"

"Come on Angie, flirt a little."

I sighed as I pulled out onto the main road.

"We'll see."

Chapter Six

Jackson

I was pacing back and forth while I reviewed the plans for the upcoming Fourth of July Horse Show and Picnic. It was one of our most widely attended events and it had to be perfect. I stopped and looked at my audience. Daniel and Jake were staring at me with matching expressions on their faces.

Not attentive, as I expected.

No, they looked amused.

"Have a drink brother. Relax."

Jake stopped Daniel from getting up to pour me a drink. He looked at me strangely, as if I had grown a third head. I frowned at him, starting to get annoyed.

"Are you sure you are recovered Jacks? That was one hell of a hangover you had the other day."

"I'm fine. I can pour my own damn drink."

Just to prove the point I walked to the bar.

"Are you nervous about something Jacks? The girl coming to dinner maybe?"

I turned to stare my cackling brothers into submission.

"Don't be ridiculous. I forgot she was coming. Is that tonight?"

Even Daniel rolled his eyes.

"You never forget anything Jackson. Everyone knows that."

"Forget what?"

Elle and Francesca came into the expansive living room with a fresh bottle of wine and glasses. We had servants of course, but we didn't stand on ceremony here. We got our own damn drinks.

Well, most of the time anyway.

"Nothing."

I was grateful for the interruption but I certainly did not want to open that topic of conversation again. Particularly when
she
was about to arrive.

Angelina Randall.

The girl had been haunting my thoughts all damn week. It was disconcerting to say the least. I didn't like it. In fact, I hated anything that was out of my control

This girl- and my reaction to her- was definitely not in my control.

Not even close.

DING DONG

I straightened up and walked to the front door. I stopped, my hand on the knob. Maybe I should have let someone else answer the door? Did it make me seem over eager to be the one to let her in?

I shook myself mentally. What the hell was I thinking? I was a man. Men didn't think about this sort of thing. We saw what we wanted and we took it.

I told myself firmly that she was just another girl. A remarkably pretty one, true, but a girl all the same. And a really bitchy one at that.

I forced a cool expression on my face and opened the door.

What I saw there took my breath away.

Angelina Randall looked like a cool drink on a hot day. Fuck, she looked like a cold drink in the middle of the damn Sahara! I could imagine crawling into an oasis and ignoring the water just to get to her.

She didn't just clean up nicely. She cleaned up
spectacularly
. Her long hair was brushed and loose, flowing over her slender shoulders. Her eyes were sparkling, matching the emerald green top she wore. A top that skimmed over her curves in a tantalizing way, making me want to reach out and touch her.

Her lips were red and kissable. I was staring at them hungrily when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Daniel stepped in front of me and smiled.

"We're so glad you could make it. Please, come in."

Angelina

"My brother is rarely at a loss for words."

We'd been introduced to everyone and were sitting in front of the fireplace in the Delancey's living room. I had to admit, I was a bit overawed by the grandeur of the place. I'd almost let Casey drink her wine before I snatched it out of her hand.

"You know you can't Case."

She shrugged, looking sheepish.

"I know. You should drink it though."

"I'm driving."

Daniel spoke up.

"We can get someone to drive you home between the six of us."

He grinned at me. He was such a nice man. They were all nice.

Except him.

Jackson Delancey had not said one word to me as of yet. No, he was staring at me like I had grown a third eye. I tossed my head, determined to ignore the rude man.

It wasn't easy considering the way he looked in a dress shirt and tight jeans. The shirt was tailored to perfection, cut extra wide to accommodate his thick shoulders. Even so, you could see the bulging muscles beneath plain as day.

"It's not like it's far. Go ahead and enjoy yourself."

Grudgingly I nodded, then took a sip. It was good. Really, really good. It had been a while since I let loose...

"This is delicious, thank you."

Francesca quickly refilled my glass. She was a stunning Italian woman, apparently living here with Daniel. Eleanor was equally beautiful. She was recently engaged to Jake, the youngest brother.

That left Jackson, who was apparently a confirmed bachelor. At least from what his brother's were saying. He was ignoring them.

In fact, he was ignoring everything and everyone.

Except me.

The man hadn't taken his eyes off me since he opened the front door. It was bizarre. But I could feel the weight of his gaze.

His eyes were almost... hot.

"Soup's on!"

I couldn't help but smile at the colorful way Jake Delancey phrased things. I could see tattoos peaking out from under the collar of his shirt. He was big and handsome like his brothers, even if he did look a little bit wild.
 

But he was clearly sweet as pie and doting on his fiancé.

I noticed that Elle wasn't drinking. And she kept touching her stomach. Jake was very attentive.

I would never pry, but it was clear she was pregnant.

It was also clear that it was a secret.

Everyone was chatting as I sat there, wondering if I would ever have a baby. I tried to image it... a loving husband, a child, a home. And Casey being well of course.

That mattered more than anything.

"Mitochondria."

"What's that?"

"It's a vital part of your cells. In my case they were damaged from a drug I took."

She smiled at me.

"Angie's been taking care of me ever since. And fighting the big pharma companies. And the doctors. She's unstoppable."

Jackson snorted.

"I'll say."

"Jackson!"

"What? It was a compliment."

I watched the brothers squabbling. It seemed like Jackson was not used to being told what to do or say. Everyone stood to go into dinner and I followed suit. I could not help but notice that even though all three brothers were big and strong, Jackson was just a teensy bit bigger. Taller. Thicker.

More manly.

"Allow me."

He leaned over Casey.

"Do you mind if I escort you?"

She nodded and looked at me over her shoulder as Jackson carefully pushed her chair into the dining room. She was trying to tell me something but I was too distracted to figure out what. I could not help it.

I was too busy watching his ass move in those tight jeans.

I had to admit it.
 

It was a very, very nice ass.

Chapter Seven

Jackson

Dinner was a drawn out affair. As usual when we had guests, Mrs. G pulled out all the stops. I hadn't told her to do anything special for tonight, but clearly someone had.

Course after course had arrived. Appetizers. Fresh baked bread. Homemade butter. Soup. Salad. A fish course. A pasta course. A meat course. It went on and on all night. Now we were on dessert.

During the meal my brothers and the girls had slowly drawn Angelina out of her self-imposed shell. I was realizing there was more to her than met the eye. She didn't like to talk about herself at all apparently. It's not that she was shy exactly. She was... guarded.

The girl didn't trust easily, that much was obvious. Her sister Casey on the other hand, was a ray of sunshine. Despite everything she'd been through, she was one of the happiest, friendliest people I'd ever met.

Her sister could take a few lessons from her.

I said little, just watching Angelina over the candles. It was hard to look away from her lovely, expressive face. She was self conscious, but not about her looks. She was angry, but not at us. She was worried, but that was natural, considering what they had told us about Casey's story.

Apparently, certain antibiotics could damage tendons, muscles and nerves, right down to the DNA. That's why she was in the chair. But she wasn't giving up.
 

Neither of them were.

I had to admit to a certain grudging admiration for the fired up way Angelina talked about their mission. They wanted to start an organic farm. No pesticides or anything but what nature intended. No genetically modified crops.

I glanced at her delicate hands. How the hell she was going to farm with those dainty little fingers was beyond me. But she was hell for leather about it.

I could think of a hundred better uses for her hands.

Like wrapping them around my cock, which was hard as a rock under the table. For once, I was grateful for the long meal. I sat there, staring at her delicate throat, ignoring everything around me.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to kiss that throat of hers, or wring it.

She turned to me.

"Please tell me you don't give those animals antibiotics for maintenance."

I jerked to attention.

"I trust our vet."

She frowned.

"A lot of doctors don't know about the dangers, or take them seriously. The FDA just had a hearing. It's mostly been suppressed."

I stared at her, considering.
 

"I'll talk to Dale about it."

"Dale?"

"Doc Wiland. He's our vet."

She looked surprised. Jake said something and the conversation moved on. But I noticed a softening around her lips for the rest of the night. When she glanced at me from time to time her eyes were different too. Less fired up.

Damn, if that's all it took to get the woman to like me was listen to her! All I'd done was promise to take her concerns into account. I liked her a whole lot better when she wasn't spiting fire and brimstone at me, that was for damn sure.

Not that she was crawling into my lap exactly either.

Not yet.

"Did you get anything looked at yet?"

She looked at me, her soft red lips parted slightly. I shifted in my seat, my hard on rubbing against my jeans uncomfortably. There was something about that pouty bottom lip that made me want to pull it onto my mouth.

And bite it.

"Your leaks?"

I prompted her, smiling at her the way a hungry man smiles at a steak. Damn but she looked good enough to eat.

"No. Every single one of them is booked, indefinitely."

I wasn't surprised. We were in the rural area just outside one of the richest towns in the country, let alone the South. In fact, there were hardly any working farms around here left.

Most of the good contractors and subcontractors were too busy working on multi-million dollar estates and McMansions in gated subdivisions to come all the way out here to poke around her old farm house.

I had a sudden flash of inspiration. One that would help me get into her pants. Soon, I hoped.

"I can come take a look if you want. I've very handy."

"That would be amazing! Ange is worrying herself sick with all of this stuff-"

"Casey, we can't impose on Mr. Delancey. He has no idea of the extent of what is going on over there."