The first-best thing was obviously Libby. As a father, it made sense, and she knew he loved his daughter beyond reason. Second best to that? She’d take it.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

One Week Later

Hank checked the shoes on his horse, using a pick to work caked mud free from the hooves. He’d been quiet all morning, fighting back yawns.

Even so, it was a good morning. He’d been out late with Becca. They’d driven into Casper to catch a movie—horror, his favorite—then promptly ignored the movie and made out the entire time. They’d managed to make it back to her house and get upstairs before the clothes came off. She’d sucked his dick so hard that he’d seen stars, and he’d gone down on her for what felt like hours. He’d made sure she’d come twice before taking a breather, and when they finally went to sleep, it was with his hand between her thighs, possessively holding her against him. He’d woken up incredibly early to be home in time to start the day’s chores, but he knew his brothers were bound to say something.

They always said something.

Caleb was the first one to speak. He leaned against the stall door, watching Hank as he worked, and then politely coughed. “Late night?”

Hank looked up at his brother and glared.

A moment later, Jack was there, his expression a little more gleeful. “Didn’t see you in your bed last night.”

“Why were you checking?”

“I slept on the couch. You know, because of all the uncle sleepovers we’ve been having.” Jack grinned, looking like the cat that ate the canary. “We’ve been watching your kid. Least you can do is spill a little of the beans.”

He wasn’t wrong; they had been watching Libby more often. Not every night, because he wasn’t a shithead, but once or twice during the week, he wanted to have alone time with Becca, so he’d bribed his brothers to watch his little girl. “I paid you for that, too. Couple of hundred.” He worked a chunk of mud free. “You’re the most expensive babysitter ever.”

“It’s because we have to watch Frozen seventy times in a night,” Jack said. “Hazard pay.”

Caleb snorted. He watched Hank work for a moment longer and then tilted his head, regarding his brother. “You might wanna slow things down. Don’t wanna give her ideas.”

That made him straighten. He knew his brothers were just looking to get under his skin, but he was irritated at how effective those particular words were. “Give her ideas? Like what?”