A minute later, he tossed her on her mattress and stared into knowing eyes. After the hike uphill, he doubled over and panted trying to get his breath.
He pursed his lips and dared to look up. Damn it. She stared at his cock. Right now, it demanded notice. Damn it. He wanted to spank her ass for the wrong reasons, and he wanted to do it when she turned eighteen.
If she pressed him much more, if she challenged him further, he might. But he would wait forty-eight hours to do it. God help him, if he could get away from her right then, he’d stay away until she turned legal.
“What’s wrong, Kane? Can’t keep up with a little thing like me?” She crossed one leg over the other and smiled sweetly.
“Damn if I’m not right about you.” He took a deep breath, slowly let it out and rolled his shoulders back as he tried to stand again. His erection still throbbed against his dirty jeans, the pants he left at his bed when he climbed between the sheets only hours before the latest Peyton-episode.
She acted uninterested as she studied her fingernails. “You know, I’m not as innocent as you boys want to believe.”
“Peyton, go to bed.” He walked out and shut the door behind him letting out a sigh of relief when he made it out of her room without touching her. He chewed the inside of his jaw and leaned his head against the door.
“I’m turning eighteen in two days!” she screamed.
Braden and Evan topped the stairs then. Braden narrowed his eyes on his brother. “Tell me, please God in heaven tell me, you didn’t lay a hand on her.”
He clenched his fist and stomped down the hall. “Hell, no. In case you haven’t heard, she’s going to be eighteen in two days. I’ve waited for three months. Two more days won’t kill me.”
Peyton smiled to herself as she overheard the most beautiful words she’d ever heard leave a man’s lips. She flattened her palm against the door and stared at it. She knew it. She pegged Evan for an easy mark but Kane haunted her. The way he watched her made her uneasy, and the way he told on her for things, made her think he did it for her own good, because he cared.
Maybe he cared too much.
Peyton fell on the bed and snapped her fingers. Yes, two more days and she’d give new meaning to sexual harassment. She’d chase these boys from one side of the ranch to the other.
Less than forty-eight hours, and she didn’t give a damn if they played their games or not. They weren’t going to call age-restrictions as their reasoning. Fuck them. Oh yes, her day was coming and soon. With any luck, she’d see one or two cowboys coming too.
Chapter 3
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ here.” Kane blinked as he stood in the breezeway of the barn.
“It’s a Corvette,” Braden stated, his green eyes sparkling almost emerald.
“Really? Fooled me.” Kane’s sarcasm drifted into the loft where Evan peered down with a grin as he tossed a few hay bales over the rail.
“Ask him why he’s giving her a seventy-thousand dollar car. You’re gonna love this.” Evan stepped on a few boards, and then jumped out of the loft.
“I know why he’s doing it,” he said as he watched Braden survey his purchase.
“Braden, you’re acting like our dads used to act, or so the story goes. All of ‘em wanted to control Mom. Now you’re no different. You think by buying expensive gifts for Peyton, you’re buying a little insurance. You’re hoping she’ll do things our way until she graduates.”
“It’s worth a try.”
“It’s worth nearly seventy grand to keep her in line?” Kane rubbed his chin. “I don’t think so. Something else going on here?”
“Hell, no.”
“You responded too quick to the question.” Kane peered inside the car. “This is sweet.” He dared to even look. Then he dared to sit, turn the key and crank it.
He bent his ear and listened to the hum of six hundred and twenty horsepower. He didn’t know much about engines but he realized this little baby had plenty of get-up and go. He shook his head and stepped out of the sports car. “Hell, why not buy everybody one?”
“It’s not your birthday,” Evan pointed out.
Kane grunted.
Braden readjusted the ridiculous rope holding the bright red ribbon in place. The top of the car looked like it held the world’s largest squishy tomato on top rather than a beautiful bow with satin and silk ribbons.
“He likes her a little bit,” Evan reported.
“You don’t say.”
“It’s from all of us, you two helped pay for it too.”
Kane shook his head. “The dropped bomb.”
“Yeah, I took it out of the farm account.”
“Perfect. Where Peyton is concerned, you just don’t care, do you? Hell, why not sign over the ranch? For that matter, give her your damned horse. It cost about as much as this car.”
Braden shrugged and then poked him in the ribs and pointed toward the main gate leading into the property. Peyton’s car sped toward them. “Come on. Let’s hide over here.”
Before anyone protested, they crunched down in a nearby stall. They heard the four-door sedan move closer and closer. The engine died, sputtered to a stop like it typically did, and a loud shriek rang out as her tiny little feet carried her straight into the barn.
“Oh…my…God…” It wasn’t Peyton’s voice. Wrong footsteps.
Kane rolled his eyes. Braden obviously didn’t bank on Vicky. Just what they all needed today of all days.
Peyton’s best friend provided cleavage whenever she showed up at the place, and she was cute in an annoying sort of way. He’d noticed she continued to show up more and more frequently. She must’ve planned to move in too.
Vicky turned eighteen many moons ago so he’d already noticed her. He flirted too. It drove Peyton mad so he did it more than he might have if she didn’t give a bone. Boner. He could think it now.
Eighteen. The sweetest number in the world. He wanted to share all sorts of sentiments with her now, as a birthday present, if for no other reason.
Peyton, for once, must’ve been speechless. They all peered over the ledge and watched in amazement.
“Peyton, is this yours?” Vicky emphasized nearly every word she spoke.
“I…I…I…”
“Well, is it? Did anyone else have a birthday?” Vicky probed. Kane let out a huge sigh and blew their cover. Evan poked him in the ribs, and the men stood at one time.
“Surprise,” Braden smiled and waved his arms as if to say ta-da.
“It’s hers?” Vicky squealed.
“Yes, Vicky, it’s hers. Don’t you ever shut up?” Kane snapped.
He didn’t know why but having her there ruined the surprise for him, and he quickly decided she didn’t have good looking boobs either. They were supported by a push-up bra. He might tell her he finally noticed. Yes indeed. He was pissed she decided to spoil their surprise.
Peyton blinked. “I…I…I…”
“Can you speak, girl?” Braden asked.
“I…can’t…accept this,” she said finally.
“You can’t?” Kane wondered why. Did she plan on leaving?
“No. I can’t let you spend this kind of money on me.”
“You do know we’re the kind of folks with money, right?” Braden asked.
“He means they’re rich,” Vicky translated.
Her eyes darted from Evan to Braden to Kane and back to Kane before she moved onto Braden again. “You really want me to drive this machine?” She waited for an answer. She stared at the brother who liked to live like on the edge. Kane grinned. His thoughts exactly. She’ll need a chauffer.
Kane would’ve liked nothing better than to provide a provocative answer. No, I want you to drive me, I’ll handle the machine. He resisted the urge. Hell, maybe he didn’t even think it. He understood she needed his approval, more or less, so he tried to nod with it.
“Sit down in it. You’ll change your mind.” He had a hard time taking his eyes off the sleek metallic tint coat. The jet stream blue would look mighty fine pulling in their driveway with the top down. The image in his mind’s eye tempted far too much, and he almost saw her pulling through their gates now, her blonde hair free falling into a wild wind.