Free Playing For Keeps (Montana Men) by Jaydyn Chelcee

Back, breasts,
chest, ribs, they were the ugliest puke yellow, healing, but still bad. I was
livid, because I’d had no idea. She hadn’t said a word.”
    Duel frowned. “When did you say this happened?”
    “Six years ago. Why? It doesn’t matter anymore. The
bastard who did it to her is long dead.”
    “David? Her husband?”
    “Yeah. The fuck! I’d kill him myself, if he wasn’t already
food for the worms.”
    Duel held up his hands. “Hey. You don’t have to tell me
anything you don’t want to share. Whatever happened between you and Sam is
between you and Sam, but Travis…think about it, old partner. How old is that
kid of hers?”
    “Hayley? I don’t know…five…maybe a little older. Why?”
    “Any chance she’s your kid?”
    “No…I…no. Sam would have told me if I made her pregnant.”
    “Would she?”
    Travis cursed beneath his breath. “No…I don’t know. But
crap…there’s no way Hayley belongs to me. I was careful.”
    “Careful enough?”
    “Yeah. Careful enough…I think. Hell, I don’t know. I used
protection, if that’s what you’re asking. Six years? Man, I just don’t think
Hayley’s mine.”
    “Maybe you need to find out.”
    Travis felt like he’d been pole axed. He stared at his
partner. Duel was about six years his senior, and right now, Travis felt like a
teenager being lectured by his father. “Shit. I…you know…I peeled the damn
condom off and tossed it away…then I…was there again, inside her. No rubber. I
mean…I’d just got off, but I needed…I just wanted to feel her around me without
that damn thing on my dick. But we didn’t finish, not a second time. The
fucking phone rang. What happened with Sam…what happened between us wasn’t
planned. It just happened.”
    “Yeah…it just happened. Babies have a way of just
happening too.”
    Travis looked at him, blinked. “God, are you always careful?”
    “Yes. Always. I have no intention of bringing a child into
this world with a woman I don’t love.”
    “I never thought...I have to talk to her. Hell, she won’t
even look at me.”
    “If you want her to notice you, you’re going to have to do
something to wake her up to the fact you’re alive.” Duel grinned and tested his
ear bud to make sure it was in place. “More than what you’ve already done, that
is.”
    “Yeah. I did that once, and she’s hated me ever since.”
    “What? Can’t hear you over the music.” Duel cupped his
ear.
    “Nothing. I don’t know what the hell to do to get her to
pay me some attention.”
    Duel shook his head. “Kiss her, for God’s sake. That
usually grabs a woman’s attention real fast.”
    “Kiss…her?”
    “Don’t tell me you’ve never swapped spit with the woman.”
    “Jesus, Duel. Right. Kiss her.”
    “Can it,” Duel ordered, “unless you want Sam to know what
you’re up to.”
    Samantha reached them and heaved a long sigh. “Fifte en
more minutes, guys. Molly will excuse herself. We see her safely to her
quarters, then she’s on her own. We return to the party and act as if
everything’s normal, stick around for another half hour, then we’re outta here.
We uh— ”
    Travis stepped closer, locked his fingers around
Samantha’s upper arms and molded his mouth to hers. For a second, she pressed
her fist against his shoulder, then gave into the pressure of his lips.
    “Shee-eet,” Duel
stuttered. “I didn’t mean here …now.”
    Samantha jerked back and stared at Travis as if she
thought he’d lost his mind.
    Travis wasn’t so sure he hadn’t.
    “What are you doing?” she cried. “Don’t you ever do that again!”
    Travis glanced at Duel.
    Duel shrugged. “You’re on your own, buddy.”
    “Coward,” Travis muttered.
    Sam’s face turned red as her gown. She glanced around
wildly. Her lips trembled. She straightened her shoulders and finally turned
back to face them. Her expression looked dark as a rolling thundercloud. “You
two are so not funny.”
    “Wasn’t