Sophie Oak - One to Keep

It’s not Stef’s work, though. He has the best luck when it comes to finding new artists. I wonder if he would let me buy that one. It would be perfect in the new offices.”

She felt a smile creep over her face as she made a decision.

“Sorry, this one is for a friend, and the other two are going into the auction pool for the Festival. But, if you like, I do work on commission. Feel free to contact my agent, oh wait, that’s me.”

Jen hauled out the other two paintings. She would do what she’d wanted to do with them from the beginning. She would share them.

“This is your work?” Sebastian studied each as she pulled them out. He had the same serious concentration on his face that Stef got when he contemplated a new work. Sebastian Talbot was a connoisseur. “You’re very talented. I believe I would hire you. My company prides itself on helping talented artists.”

“You can tell me all about it on our way to Bliss,” she explained.

His eyes flared. “But Stefan told us to stay in.” Jen shrugged. “And we’re going to do what he says? Here, help me with these. If we hurry, we can get out of here before he even gets out of the shower.”

A smile spread across Sebastian’s face as he picked up the canvases. “I believe we might get along, dear.” Jen returned his smile. She was probably going to get into serious trouble with her Dom, but she had the feeling it would be worth it.

Stef slammed out of Rye’s truck. He stalked around the horse trailer and slammed that door open. All around him the festival was starting up, and heads turned at the noise he was making.

Rye Harper’s eyebrows rose to the brim of his hat. “You are as touchy as Max today, Stef. You want to talk about it, or should I say her?”

The amusement in Rye’s voice irritated him. “I’m not touchy.” Rye’s twin Max walked up from the small corral he’d been putting up. There was a carousel wheel to attach the ponies to. That was where he’d made his mistake. He should have tied Jennifer up before he turned his back on her.

“That’s not what I heard. I heard there was a lot of touching going on last night at Trio,” Max said, smirking.

Rye slapped at his brother’s chest. “You stop that. Rachel said to go easy on him.”

Max snorted as he pulled out the ramp and stomped up. “Yeah, I got the lecture last night. Stef is confused, and we need to give him space and crap.”

“I am not confused.”

Rye’s hand came out to grasp his shoulder. “You got woman trouble, man. We’re all confused about women. Even after you marry

’em and get ’em pregnant, it doesn’t get easier.” Max led a pony down the ramp, one hand on the rope, the other gently patting its head. “Hell, no, it gets harder. And he doesn’t even have a brother to hide behind when the going gets tough.”

Rye’s lips quirked up. “I have to plead his case from time to time, keep him from sleeping in the barn with Q. Sharing has its advantages.”

Max hooked up the pony, giving her a little pat. “Stef isn’t going to share Jen.”

“Why not? He’s always shared before. I heard James was sizing her up last night. From what the grapevine says, James is very open-minded.”

“His mind is going to be opened by my fist if he tries it again,” Stef said before he realized he was being baited. “You two suck.” Stef picked up a heavy coil of rope and turned from his friends, preferring to get to work than stand around and listen to their juvenile teasing. In an hour or so, the tourists would be out in full force and there would be a line of kids a mile long waiting to ride.

The grounds crew had been hard at work. Main Street had been shoveled, and the park grounds were pristinely clean. The tents and stalls were going up all over the place. Generators were humming, and Stef could already smell popcorn and funnel cakes. This was one of his favorite times of the year, but he was in a foul mood. He knelt in the hay that Max had lined the stall with, his hand moving smoothly, working the rope.

“Shoe’s on the other foot, huh, Stef?” Rye asked, standing over him.

“No idea what you’re talking about.” But he had a nasty suspicion.

“Rachel. Nate and Zane. Hell, you’re practically the cupid of Bliss,” Rye stated.

Stef snorted. “Hardly. I merely let Rachel use the guesthouse, and Bliss needed a sheriff.”

“Yeah, and Rachel came up with that plan all by herself, and it never once occurred to you that Callie had been pining for those two for years. You can pretend all you like, but you have a hand in everything that goes on here. You make sure everyone in Bliss gets what they need even if you hide the fact that you’re doing it,” Rye said, his boot tapping with impatience. He stopped suddenly and knelt down to get to eye level. “Man, you can’t expect the rest of us to butt out.”

“I sure as hell can,” Stef replied irritably.

“Ain’t happening, man.” Max attached the third pony to the wheel and started to walk them around, getting them warmed up. “Nobody is going to stay out of it. You and Jen are all anyone’s talking about.”

“Damn it,” Stef cursed. He had to tie the knot for the third time.

His concentration was shot, but it had been for months. “Well, you should tell everyone that I’m not Jennifer’s boyfriend.”

“Really?” Rye asked, his voice rising in surprise. “After the way you carried on with her last night at Trio, I think people will be surprised.”

“I’m not her boyfriend. I’m her Dom.” There was a loud snort from Max. “You owe me ten, brother.” Rye cursed under his breath. He walked up to his brother and pulled out his wallet. His blue eyes were slits of irritation as he handed over the cash to his brother. “You’re a dumbass, Stef.” Stef tightened the rope, securing the gates of the corral, and got to his feet. “Why? Why am I a dumbass? Look, I like Jennifer.

Obviously, I’m attracted to her, but she’s only twenty-three. She’s intensely talented. She won’t stay in Bliss forever, and it would be wrong to tie her down.”

“Yes,” Rye said with a little fist pump.

Max frowned and handed the ten back.

“Explain, assholes,” Stef said shortly.

Max leaned against the truck. “See, Rye and I had a couple of bets concerning the state of your love life.”

“Classy,” Stef shot back.

Rye ignored him. “First, I thought you would do the right thing and cave. There’s no way you dominate that girl long term. You only like it because those subs tend to overlook your perversions. Jen is obviously a perv herself, so I thought you would get it.”

“I knew you were dumb as dirt,” Max supplied.

Rye shook his head. “He didn’t. Rach did. She talked him into it.

She thought you were a dumbass. She thinks you’re going to try to hide behind all the BDSM stuff. Now, we also had a bet on why you would potentially be such an idiot.”

“I said you were just afraid of commitment because you get so much tail at those clubs.” Max grinned as he adjusted his Stetson on his head.

“But I knew it was because your momma left you when you were a kid and then your dad left,” Rye said, as though he was mentioning the weather and not psychoanalyzing his best friend.

Stef felt his heart clench. It wasn’t true. He’d gotten over that a long time ago. He was glad she’d left. He wouldn’t have been raised in Bliss. He wouldn’t have found his home if he hadn’t driven her away.

Fuck. He was thirty-two. He was old enough to know that his parents’ divorce had nothing to do with him. He was old enough to be over it. His treatment of Jennifer had everything to do with her age and her talent and nothing to do with his childhood.

“Is he freaking out?” Max asked, leaning into his brother.

“I am not freaking out,” Stef shouted. “I’m tired of everyone being in my business.”

“Deal with it,” Rye said with a shrug. “Welcome to Bliss. We show you we love you by being all up in your business. Damn it, Stef, we just want you to be happy. Can’t you see that?”

“If you want me to be happy, stop talking about me,” Stef said.

The words felt stubborn. When had he stopped being open with Max and Rye? He used to tell them everything. He used to share everything with them, including women. When had he started to pull away from his brothers?

“No,” Max replied, his face a firm mask of mule-like confidence.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Stefan, are you all right?”

Stef brought his head around at the sound of his father’s voice.

“I’m fine. I thought you were staying at the house.”

“That was your idea, not mine.” His father was wearing a very nice coat, and he’d found some proper boots. He stepped forward with a smile on his face. “I always loved the Winter Festival. I wanted to come out. Hello, Maxwell, Ryan.”

“Mr. Talbot.” Max and Rye nodded their heads in unison.

A nasty little impulse took hold of Stef’s gut. He had a way to make Max very uncomfortable. As uncomfortable as he’d made Stef.

“You know, Max, Dad found out I’m not with Callie.” Max smiled. “I’m sure Zane and Nate were quick to tell him all about it.”

“He thought I’d been covering up my sexuality all these years because I was afraid to tell him about us.” Let Max stew on that. Max was usually a powder keg of anger. Questioning his sexuality would surely get him furious.

Max looked from Sebastian to Stef to his brother, his face slack-jawed. Rye doubled over immediately, but Max just stared for a moment. Then he sighed.

“Damn, I thought we could hide our love for a few more years,” Max said, his face lighting up.