Takin' the Reins (The Sterling Brothers #2)
Chapter One
He needed a piece of ass.
Jace was ready for this day to be over with. He wanted to go into town, toss some drinks back, and find a woman to fuck.
“Hey, princess, quit daydreaming and get the rest of the bales,” Colton, his other brother, hollered out.
Jace grinned and lifted his hand, giving him the one finger wave. Colton mimicked the act, and Jace laughed. He grabbed a bale of hay off the ground and tossed it in the back of the trailer. For it only being April, and the fact they were pretty high in the mountains, he was sweating bullets. But he liked this hard, rigorous work the farm put him through. It kept him in shape, and also kept his folks’ memory alive.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, and looked toward the house to see the oldest Sterling, Travis, walking toward them, his woman, Pearl, close behind. She held a basket, and Jace grinned.
“Feeding time, bro,” he yelled out to Colton.
“Oh yeah,” Colton said, and the two of them rounded the trailer to meet Travis and Pearl.
“I figured you guys were ready for something to eat.” Pearl handed over the basket. In her other hand she held a gallon jug of water. She handed that over to Colton, her pretty mocha colored skin flawless in the setting sun.
“If you weren’t with my brother I’d take you as mine, Pearl,” Colton said, opening the jug and drinking right from it.
“Watch it,” Travis said on a growl, and Jace started laughing.
Pearl was the best thing to happen to Travis, and Jace was glad his older brother had found someone to complete him. Travis had been hard as fucking steel before Pearl came along, and although he still was an asshole at times, especially to them, Jace could see the change in his brother.
“You guys nearly done with the order?” Travis asked.
Colton handed over the water to Jace, and he took several pulls from it before handing it back to the youngest Sterling. “Yeah,” he answered Travis. “We just got a few more bales to toss in the back before we head out to Shannon’s.”
“What’s you guys’ plans for tonight?” Pearl asked, but then when Jace grinned she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Do I even want to know?”
Jace shook his head. “Not unless you want to be scarred.”
Colton started laughing.
“You guys are bad,” Pearl said.
“Yeah, but only in the best way.” Jace winked at her.
Travis pulled his woman into an embrace. “I’m taking Pearl on a mini vacation this weekend. We haven’t done anything together, or been really alone since she became mine, and I think it’s due time.”
“Sounds good,” Colton said.
The possessiveness in Travis’s voice was clear, but then again it had been pretty instant from the moment he saw her. Jace had seen the change right away in Travis.
“Enjoy the food, boys,” Pearl said and grinned.
Jace watched Travis and his woman walk away, and this ache in his chest took root. He wanted that, wanted to have a woman that was incredible like Pearl.
“Travis is a lucky guy,” Colton said, and Jace nodded.
“Yeah, he is.” He looked at Colton. “You thinking about settling down soon?” They weren’t young enough that they shouldn’t be thinking about finding a woman and making a family. Hell, being in their thirties meant they needed to think about it pretty damn soon. But they’d been so focused on the farm and making sure it prospered, that honestly Jace hadn’t given it much thought.
“Man, I’m not looking for a woman. I don’t need to settle down.” Colton grinned. “I got it good just the way things are.”
Yeah, Colton was right. Although finding a good woman sounded pretty incredible, Jace was happy where his life was right now. He worked hard, and played harder.
“Come on, let’s finish this so we can go out and find something to help us wind down,” Colton said and grinned, the anticipation clear on his face.
Yeah, Jace needed to find a woman for tonight. He was hard up, hadn’t been with anyone in too damn long because he’d been so fucking busy.
Jace was the youngest Sterling, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to work hard and party harder, just like his brothers. He took off his Stetson and wiped his forehead with his forearm.
Being only a year apart from Colton meant they’d been close growing up. Travis had been more like a parent to them, policing them, making sure they didn’t get into so much shit. But then after their parents passed away Travis stepped up even more and took over everything. He made sure things ran smoothly, made sure they didn’t fuck this up, and Jace was glad they had him in their lives.
They ate before getting back to work, and when they started up again they busted it all out in a half hour.
“I need to get cleaned up if I want to pick up some pussy tonight,” Colton said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Jace wiped the sweat off his face with a rag and put his hat back on. They headed toward the main farmhouse, the one where Travis and Pearl were currently living. Jace and Colton had smaller houses on the property, away from the main house so they had privacy, but still close enough that they could get shit done.
But the truth was even if Jace had the opportunity to live in the main house he would have passed it up. That had been their parents’ home, and he didn’t want to have the remembrance of what he’d lost day in and day out—more than he already did—of watching his mother dying in her room. It was hard enough as it was. Travis was stronger than he was in that sense. Colton, too, for that matter.
“Shit,” he said, not realizing he’d said the words out loud.
Colton looked over his shoulder at him. “What?”
Jace shook his head. “Nothing.” Thinking about his mom when she was sick made him think about the depressing shit, the fact he’d lost his father, too, that it was just the three of them now. Well, four because Pearl was now part of their family. That had been years ago, when they’d been teenagers, and he shouldn’t be thinking about the sad things that had happened.
“Meet you back at your place in an hour?”
Jace nodded at Colton. They got into their trucks since it was a good distance from the barn to their places on the property. Once Jace pulled into his driveway and cut the engine, he climbed out and headed inside.
Tossing his keys on the table by the front door, Jace took off his boots, stood there for a second, and decided to just get the rest of his filthy clothes off. He wasn’t one for caring if he made a mess, but he had a cleaner come in once a week after Pearl commented on how disgusting his place was. She’d been right. He worked a lot, and cleaning was not something he cared much about.
Once he was down to his boxer briefs, he took his clothes into the laundry room and tossed them on the floor. What he could use was a stiff drink before he got cleaned up. He thought about his home, the small town that had been a constant presence in his life, that was a place he couldn’t see himself leaving, ever. Granite was a small town where everyone knew when someone was taking a shit. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but it was along those lines where everyone knew everyone else’s business.
He went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of scotch, a glass, and made his way toward the bathroom. The sun had already set, and although he could have just stayed home and gotten drunk, getting pussy would be easy at Dickie’s, the town bar.
He brought the bottle and glass to the bathroom, poured himself a few shots, tossed them back, and started the shower. While it heated up he stared at his reflection in the mirror. His darker blond hair had pieces of hay in it from the day’s work, and his scruff-covered face had smears of dirt on it. More sweat beaded his brow as the heat in the small room increased, and he lifted the back of his hand to wipe it off.
Jace might like the life he led, the women he fucked for a few hours, and his home on the farm, but if he were being honest with himself he’d admit he was lonely. He saw Travis and Pearl together, and although he only thought of Pearl like a sister, he was envious of his brother’s happiness.
Scrubbing a hand over his face as weariness claimed him, Jace contemplated just staying in, but no, he’d head out with Colton, because he knew getting some ass would help keep his mind off how utterly alone he truly was. He turned away from his reflection and got in the shower. Maybe one day he’d find a woman that he could look at and know she was his? Maybe he’d feel that connection Travis said he had with Pearl? If it happened it happened, and if not, well, he had enough on his plate to keep him busy, he supposed.
Chapter Two
“Seriously?” Lexi said, already feeling the buzz, but not drunk enough to think this was a good idea, or would be fun.
Alexandra looked at her, the bride-to-be having bloodshot eyes, a glassy expression, and rosy cheeks. Yup, Alexandra was drunker than hell. Good, this was her night to let loose and have fun, but that was also a reason Lexi thought going to the next bar would bring the whole night down.
“What?” Alexandra said, her voice slurred, her face showing she was happy, and having a good time. “You don’t want to go to DICK-ie’s?” She emphasized the first part of the word, her raunchiness coming through. Alex started laughing, which had the other three women who had come along laughing as well.
He needed a piece of ass.
Jace was ready for this day to be over with. He wanted to go into town, toss some drinks back, and find a woman to fuck.
“Hey, princess, quit daydreaming and get the rest of the bales,” Colton, his other brother, hollered out.
Jace grinned and lifted his hand, giving him the one finger wave. Colton mimicked the act, and Jace laughed. He grabbed a bale of hay off the ground and tossed it in the back of the trailer. For it only being April, and the fact they were pretty high in the mountains, he was sweating bullets. But he liked this hard, rigorous work the farm put him through. It kept him in shape, and also kept his folks’ memory alive.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, and looked toward the house to see the oldest Sterling, Travis, walking toward them, his woman, Pearl, close behind. She held a basket, and Jace grinned.
“Feeding time, bro,” he yelled out to Colton.
“Oh yeah,” Colton said, and the two of them rounded the trailer to meet Travis and Pearl.
“I figured you guys were ready for something to eat.” Pearl handed over the basket. In her other hand she held a gallon jug of water. She handed that over to Colton, her pretty mocha colored skin flawless in the setting sun.
“If you weren’t with my brother I’d take you as mine, Pearl,” Colton said, opening the jug and drinking right from it.
“Watch it,” Travis said on a growl, and Jace started laughing.
Pearl was the best thing to happen to Travis, and Jace was glad his older brother had found someone to complete him. Travis had been hard as fucking steel before Pearl came along, and although he still was an asshole at times, especially to them, Jace could see the change in his brother.
“You guys nearly done with the order?” Travis asked.
Colton handed over the water to Jace, and he took several pulls from it before handing it back to the youngest Sterling. “Yeah,” he answered Travis. “We just got a few more bales to toss in the back before we head out to Shannon’s.”
“What’s you guys’ plans for tonight?” Pearl asked, but then when Jace grinned she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Do I even want to know?”
Jace shook his head. “Not unless you want to be scarred.”
Colton started laughing.
“You guys are bad,” Pearl said.
“Yeah, but only in the best way.” Jace winked at her.
Travis pulled his woman into an embrace. “I’m taking Pearl on a mini vacation this weekend. We haven’t done anything together, or been really alone since she became mine, and I think it’s due time.”
“Sounds good,” Colton said.
The possessiveness in Travis’s voice was clear, but then again it had been pretty instant from the moment he saw her. Jace had seen the change right away in Travis.
“Enjoy the food, boys,” Pearl said and grinned.
Jace watched Travis and his woman walk away, and this ache in his chest took root. He wanted that, wanted to have a woman that was incredible like Pearl.
“Travis is a lucky guy,” Colton said, and Jace nodded.
“Yeah, he is.” He looked at Colton. “You thinking about settling down soon?” They weren’t young enough that they shouldn’t be thinking about finding a woman and making a family. Hell, being in their thirties meant they needed to think about it pretty damn soon. But they’d been so focused on the farm and making sure it prospered, that honestly Jace hadn’t given it much thought.
“Man, I’m not looking for a woman. I don’t need to settle down.” Colton grinned. “I got it good just the way things are.”
Yeah, Colton was right. Although finding a good woman sounded pretty incredible, Jace was happy where his life was right now. He worked hard, and played harder.
“Come on, let’s finish this so we can go out and find something to help us wind down,” Colton said and grinned, the anticipation clear on his face.
Yeah, Jace needed to find a woman for tonight. He was hard up, hadn’t been with anyone in too damn long because he’d been so fucking busy.
Jace was the youngest Sterling, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to work hard and party harder, just like his brothers. He took off his Stetson and wiped his forehead with his forearm.
Being only a year apart from Colton meant they’d been close growing up. Travis had been more like a parent to them, policing them, making sure they didn’t get into so much shit. But then after their parents passed away Travis stepped up even more and took over everything. He made sure things ran smoothly, made sure they didn’t fuck this up, and Jace was glad they had him in their lives.
They ate before getting back to work, and when they started up again they busted it all out in a half hour.
“I need to get cleaned up if I want to pick up some pussy tonight,” Colton said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Jace wiped the sweat off his face with a rag and put his hat back on. They headed toward the main farmhouse, the one where Travis and Pearl were currently living. Jace and Colton had smaller houses on the property, away from the main house so they had privacy, but still close enough that they could get shit done.
But the truth was even if Jace had the opportunity to live in the main house he would have passed it up. That had been their parents’ home, and he didn’t want to have the remembrance of what he’d lost day in and day out—more than he already did—of watching his mother dying in her room. It was hard enough as it was. Travis was stronger than he was in that sense. Colton, too, for that matter.
“Shit,” he said, not realizing he’d said the words out loud.
Colton looked over his shoulder at him. “What?”
Jace shook his head. “Nothing.” Thinking about his mom when she was sick made him think about the depressing shit, the fact he’d lost his father, too, that it was just the three of them now. Well, four because Pearl was now part of their family. That had been years ago, when they’d been teenagers, and he shouldn’t be thinking about the sad things that had happened.
“Meet you back at your place in an hour?”
Jace nodded at Colton. They got into their trucks since it was a good distance from the barn to their places on the property. Once Jace pulled into his driveway and cut the engine, he climbed out and headed inside.
Tossing his keys on the table by the front door, Jace took off his boots, stood there for a second, and decided to just get the rest of his filthy clothes off. He wasn’t one for caring if he made a mess, but he had a cleaner come in once a week after Pearl commented on how disgusting his place was. She’d been right. He worked a lot, and cleaning was not something he cared much about.
Once he was down to his boxer briefs, he took his clothes into the laundry room and tossed them on the floor. What he could use was a stiff drink before he got cleaned up. He thought about his home, the small town that had been a constant presence in his life, that was a place he couldn’t see himself leaving, ever. Granite was a small town where everyone knew when someone was taking a shit. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but it was along those lines where everyone knew everyone else’s business.
He went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of scotch, a glass, and made his way toward the bathroom. The sun had already set, and although he could have just stayed home and gotten drunk, getting pussy would be easy at Dickie’s, the town bar.
He brought the bottle and glass to the bathroom, poured himself a few shots, tossed them back, and started the shower. While it heated up he stared at his reflection in the mirror. His darker blond hair had pieces of hay in it from the day’s work, and his scruff-covered face had smears of dirt on it. More sweat beaded his brow as the heat in the small room increased, and he lifted the back of his hand to wipe it off.
Jace might like the life he led, the women he fucked for a few hours, and his home on the farm, but if he were being honest with himself he’d admit he was lonely. He saw Travis and Pearl together, and although he only thought of Pearl like a sister, he was envious of his brother’s happiness.
Scrubbing a hand over his face as weariness claimed him, Jace contemplated just staying in, but no, he’d head out with Colton, because he knew getting some ass would help keep his mind off how utterly alone he truly was. He turned away from his reflection and got in the shower. Maybe one day he’d find a woman that he could look at and know she was his? Maybe he’d feel that connection Travis said he had with Pearl? If it happened it happened, and if not, well, he had enough on his plate to keep him busy, he supposed.
Chapter Two
“Seriously?” Lexi said, already feeling the buzz, but not drunk enough to think this was a good idea, or would be fun.
Alexandra looked at her, the bride-to-be having bloodshot eyes, a glassy expression, and rosy cheeks. Yup, Alexandra was drunker than hell. Good, this was her night to let loose and have fun, but that was also a reason Lexi thought going to the next bar would bring the whole night down.
“What?” Alexandra said, her voice slurred, her face showing she was happy, and having a good time. “You don’t want to go to DICK-ie’s?” She emphasized the first part of the word, her raunchiness coming through. Alex started laughing, which had the other three women who had come along laughing as well.