Free Sassy Shifter Brides: Complete Series - BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Mail-Order Romance by Anya Nowlan Page B

But it had taken just one visit from his darling half-sister to remind him why none of it was going to work. And now, well, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He couldn’t go and see the gorgeous, breathtaking, chocolate-skinned beauty without dragging her into bed, and he couldn’t spend a minute without dreaming about it in vulgar, delicious detail. All in all, it meant he was just going to need to smoke a lot more cigarettes to get through it all. Maybe a nice keg of whiskey while he was at it.
    Women. Can’t get away from them even in Idaho.
     
    “So what are we going to do?” Deacon asked, crossing his arms over his burly chest. Out of the four of them, Deacon certainly was the most serious and down to earth. And well, Rake knew he usually got what he wanted, due to rightfully making everyone else feel inadequate in comparison. It was hard to argue with the hardest working man around and come off looking like a winner. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was going to lose this one. There was only one option – turn it into a win-win. Rake put out the cigarette and exhaled, watching the smoke plume and be blown away by the slight breeze. He looked at the cattle, and a thought hit him. Something that could solve most of both his and Deacon’s problems in one fell swoop.
    “What if I don’t sell them to you, but rent the horses you need. And, to make the deal sweeter, I’ll do the run for you.” Rake cocked a brow at Deacon, leaning forward with his elbows on the knees of his worn jeans.
     
    “Now why would you do that?” Deacon asked, understandably doubtful. It was a long drive – at least a good week going up and coming back down again. But that was just what Rake was banking on. If he wasn’t close to Liza, he wouldn’t have to worry about controlling himself.
    “Hell, I’ve been meaning to get out of the ranch. Need to clear my head, you know? Warren’s wedding and the town starting to grow has given me stuff to think about, and I can’t do it if I’m constantly fussing about with the ranch,” Rake said, a soft murmur entering his tone. He wasn’t lying, in that sense. Warren’s wedding had suddenly put things into perspective. How he was getting older day by day and still didn’t have a woman to share his life with. He’d worked hard all his life, especially now what with Shifter Grove and the horse ranch, and he was a solitary creature. But seeing the joy Kacey brought to Warren, well, it made a man think. And having Liza enter his life had made everything all the more clear. Meeting her had been a blessing until his pride had turned it into a curse.
     
    The chemistry he had with her was electric, making him stand up and take notice. Not only was she curvy, tall and built to be dragged into his bed, she was also whip-smart and sharp as a hot knife cutting through butter. He’d looked her up on SassyDate (based on Warren’s loudmouthed gushing about the dating app for shifters and humans alike), and they’d been talking ever since. With each day, he grew more anxious to see her. He was sure Liza hadn’t told Kacey, but he’d actually invited her to stay over for a few weeks anyway, even before her invitation came through. The twisting in his gut told him that she was the woman for him, or at least she could be if he gave their relationship a chance. He’d been more than willing to do that before the Whiteplains lions laid the cold shower of a surprise on him. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and his lion roared with irritation from deep inside him, clawing at him to get out. Frustration. Pure and utter frustration. He needed to get away. He could damn near smell her in the air – that maddening jasmine and honey scent she’d worn at the wedding. It made him wild, even wilder than usual, and that was no small feat for him.
     
    “What do you say? I’ll do the whole run for, say, 600 bucks? You just need to send someone up with supplies so I don’t have