“Come on. Let’s spend some time getting to know each other better.” Ned tried to drag her from the house.
Finally, even Meghan looked worried. Everyone knew Ned had a temper, but they’d yet to see it unleashed on them. Jason, however, had warned them to be wary of his oldest brother. As much as Jason loved his family, he was smart enough to understand and acknowledge their faults. Bullheaded tenacity was one of them. Their love affair with guns and hunting anything on four feet another.
Gabby reached for her arm. “Ah, Ned? We really need Julia’s help with Meghan’s wedding planning.”
Meghan hurriedly added, “Maybe you could see her another time?”
In another lifetime, maybe. Ned and Gabby tugged on Julia’s arms, making her feel like a piece of rope in a tug-of-war. She growled and yanked her arm back.
He dropped his hand and rubbed his chin, considering. At times, his gruff features bordered on attractive. Rough, thick, but pleasant. Until that obstinate glint lit his dark eyes. He reminded her of a bear, but without the true bulk and smarts of a grizzly to back him up.
Foxes, she reminded herself, made do with their smaller size by being smarter than the average predator. Hell, she couldn’t beat him, but maybe…
The answer to her prayers arrived in a streak of speed. He shoved Itchy and Snitchy out of the way and slid past Ned with the ease of a skilled predator.
Gabby announced with breathless reverence, “Ty Roderick?”
Julia stared at her nemesis with equal amounts of desire, frustration and grudging relief. She threw herself into his arms and met his astonished gaze with a determined one of her own.
“Ty, sweetie. I didn’t realize you were coming today. I’m so excited to see you.” She kissed him quickly—ignoring the hum in her blood—and stepped back, pleased at this solution. Even Ned couldn’t fail to realize she was taken now. Maybe that would make him leave her alone.
Except Ned didn’t appear to care.
“This is your boyfriend?” He huffed and gave Ty a disapproving once-over. “Funny, you never mentioned him before.”
Ty stood a few inches smaller than Ned but still topped Julia by a foot. Strength and vitality vibrated under the breadth of his chest and tightly muscled arms. He smelled like chocolate, and she chalked up her sudden need to sniff him again as hunger and not desire.
Ty narrowed his silver eyes, glaring at Ned with a meanness that didn’t bode well. The sheriff was hard to rile, but when angry, Ty could tear a strip off a bear. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m her fiancé. Who the fuck are you?”
“Fiancé? No way in hell.”
Meghan interrupted, “Actually, Ned is Jason’s brother.”
“Jason?”
Gabby gave a nervous laugh. “Meghan’s fiancé. His family’s from Nowhere. Long line of Williamses in this area. All of them hardworking men who practically own the town.” Her subtle warning did nothing to sway Ty’s anger.
“Hunters?” he asked straight out.
“Hell, yeah. I hit anything I’m aimin’ at,” Ned bragged. His brothers nodded behind him.
Ty’s eyes flashed with more than anger, but with a fury that really worried her.
It took Julia a moment to understand, and she quickly corrected Ty’s misapprehension. “His family hunts, with a lowercase h.”
Ty’s gaze swung to her. “You sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Do you really think I’d be standing here so calmly if I wasn’t?” she asked, not happy he would question her common sense in front of her sisters.
Ty didn’t say anything, but his tension eased considerably. He turned his gaze back to Ned.
Julia had had enough. Meghan was damn well coming home with her, this instant. Ned could go to hell. Ty could lecture until he was blue in the face, but this wasn’t his problem, and—
He jerked Julia into his arms. “Well, well. Congrats, Meghan. I can’t wait to see what your aunt and uncle think of Jason.” He gave a tight laugh. “You know, Julia, it’s tough to keep up with all these hearts you keep breaking. Why, just a few weeks ago you wanted me. Now it’s Ned?”
If she’d had a gun, she might have shot him. “I don’t want—”
“To fight, I know,” he said smoothly and hugged her tighter. “I came to tell you I’m sorry. You want me? I’m yours. I think we should start with you moving in to my place, though. You know how much my folks want grandkids. Now how about we grab your sisters and head home in time for the spring festival?”
Gabby and Meghan watched the spectacle with their mouths open. Julia wasn’t sure what to do. Agree with Ty to leave? Or try to wrestle back control of the situation?
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Ned roared. “You ain’t leaving. The family reunion is next week, and Mama wants to see the gals at dinner tomorrow. Jason has to bring Meghan, and I’m bringing Julia.” He curled his meaty hands into fists, and that quickly Ty went from teasing to lethal.
He pushed Julia behind him. “You want her, you go through me.”
Ned took a step closer, apparently saw something he didn’t like on Ty’s face, and stopped. “Hell, I’m not going to fight you in front of the women. But none of you is leaving until after the reunion. You need anything, Meghan, call Jason. Julia, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gave Ty one final glare and left, his brothers in tow.
Through the front window, Julia watched Itchy and Snitchy climb into the cab while Ned grabbed a rifle from his truck. Lightning fast, he shot out each of Ty’s tires, as well as the tires on Julia’s SUV, leaving them stranded. With a one-fingered salute to Ty, Ned jumped into his truck and spun his wheels as he left.
“Uh-oh,” Meghan murmured. “I don’t think we’re going anywhere anytime soon.”
As one, she and Gabby turned slowly to regard Ty, who gripped Julia’s shoulders hard enough to leave marks. As if sensing her pain, he let go, and she faced him.
“Well, well. My two-timing girlfriend and her troublesome sisters. Now how about one of you pretty ladies tell me what the hell is going on before I turn feral and bite you?” His eyes smoked as they settled on Julia. “And not in a good way.”
Chapter Two
Ty didn’t know whether to spank Julia or kiss her senseless. Just seeing her again aroused him in a way he was hard-pressed to explain. Her scent, the feel of her smooth skin under his hands, her soft kiss, all of it made him want to throw her down on the nearest bed and fuck her until he couldn’t move. He wanted to tie her to him and make her admit she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Because he sure as hell couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Hearing that Neanderthal claim Julia had nearly ended Ned’s life. It had taken a lot of discipline to remain still. Ty didn’t like that loss of control. As town sheriff, he came into contact with conflict on a daily basis. He had a reputation as calm and collected. So why did Julia Easton tie him in knots?
At least the woman looked nervous. As she should.
“Well? I’m waiting,” he said in a quiet voice, pleased when Julia and Gabby jumped.
The three sisters were exceptionally popular in the clan. Meghan was the youngest, and at the age where she needed to explore. No one had balked when she’d left town for college on the outside. Still, this Jason business would need some explaining.