Lydia's Twin Temptation(Divine Creek Ranch 8)(83)
“You better not let Summer hear you say that. She’ll make the call for you. Take the plunge before it bites you in the ass, man. Just sayin’,” he added with his hands in the air as if to say, “don’t shoot the messenger.”
Ace flipped him the bird and replied, “Everyone likes a little ass, but no one likes a smart-ass, genius. I’ll be back in a little while. Kemp just left for San Antonio and won’t be back until tonight. You have your house key?”
“Yeah. This is slow going, so I’ll probably still be here when you get back.”
“All right. See you later.”
“Don’t forget to make that call!” Duke hollered as the door banged shut.
The camera wasn’t going to fix itself, so Duke went back to his work. He peered up once more at the monitor displaying the live feed from Discretion. More than once he’d caught himself checking that monitor with the hopes that he’d see another beautiful brunette. Doctor Emma Guthrie.
Gage had asked Summer about her, and Summer had told him that Emma was a doctor. Summer’s eyes had twinkled when she’d looked from Duke to Gage and added that Emma was single. Anywhere besides Divine, the fact that both he and his cousin were interested in the same woman might have been a problem.
* * * *
Grace Warner pulled up in front of Discretion and reluctantly cut the ignition on the Escalade, shutting off her supply of air-conditioning. She opened the SUV’s door which let in the mid-July heat and pushed the door farther open with the toe of her shoe. At eight months pregnant, she felt like a lumbering elephant as she climbed down from the vehicle.
Deciding her attitude sucked and she needed a nap, she stroked her abdomen as she shut the door and climbed the steps up to the shady porch. Rose Marie shifted in her belly and elbowed Grace’s bladder. The baby had been very active the night before, and now Grace was just…tired.
Last night, the four of them lay in bed stroking her burgeoning abdomen as Rose Marie had moved around vigorously. Her men had all had a talk with Rose Marie, and Grace had been amused when the baby had settled down at the sound of their deep voices.
Unfortunately, she’d renewed her gymnastics during the night, and every time Grace drifted off Rose Marie woke her again. Grace knew it would be like that when the baby arrived in another six weeks and promised herself a nice, long nap that afternoon after she was done at the shop.
She sighed in relief when the icy cold air-conditioning of the shop washed around her as she opened the door. Grace wondered anew if anyone would notice if she snuck upstairs and lay down for a while.
“Guess who I just met,” Rachel Wolf said excitedly from where she sat at the lingerie counter with her laptop open.
Grace put her purse behind the counter then rubbed her lower back. “Who?”
“Maya just came by with Chance and Clayton Carlisle’s mysterious ladylove from Fort Stockton. Oh, my gosh. You should see her.”
Grace was flabbergasted. “Oh! Lydia? I met her at the grocery store the other day. Damn! Where are my brain cells going? I should have told you that days ago!”
Rachel laughed and said, “I’m right there with you, Grace. Don’t feel bad. I was sitting at an intersection the other day and completely forgot where I was headed. I had to call Eli and ask him. So, I met her and she is The Rancher’s Lady. She’s perfect for both of them.”
“I know, right? She’s going to fit in great with the other girls. But, you know, there is something familiar about her. I wonder if I’ve met her somewhere before.”
“It’s funny you should say that. I felt the same way. She’s going to be at The Dancing Pony tonight, since it’s Saturday. You going?”
Grace groaned. “Ugh. No. I’m going to bed early tonight. Rose Marie kept me up all night.”
“I guess it’s just going to be me and Eli then. Goody. I’ll have Lydia all to myself. Sort of.”
Grace chuckled and slowly walked back to the kitchen for a drink of water before getting to work.
* * * *
Lydia sighed happily with the simple pleasure of slipping into a brand-new, snug-fitting pair of blue jeans. Maya had introduced her to Rosemary Piper at Cheaver’s Western Store, and Rosemary had set her up with several outfits and a gorgeous, new pair of cowboy boots in a dark turquoise color. She slipped into the sexy western top that coordinated nicely with the tooled, embellished belt and the boots. Looking in the mirror, she anticipated her men’s reactions to her appearance.
She thought they might also like the little treat she’d had done for them at Madeleine’s Spa. Lydia was eternally grateful to Maya for stopping by there to drop off some brochures for the fabulous ladies’ boutique they’d visited earlier in the day. They’d discovered the waxing tech had a cancellation just a few moments before. Maya had giggled and told Lydia it was meant to be. So she’d gotten waxed, too.