5

When it is YOU, but he thinks, you’re HER and you really are her, but… Victoria

The branding camp came into sight. Victoria’s heart started to pound at just the thought of seeing Jude Payson again, after 3 months. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she tried to breathe out slow.

They came to a stop at the fence rail. Breen jumped off his horse and went around to help her dismount.

Damn, he is so sweet! Helping her on and off. She’d been riding a horse since she was five and she didn’t need the help, but she sure wasn’t going to be rude about it. It’s not every day a man acts like this. All well mannered and attentive.

Breen was fast on his booted feet as he helped her down and their chests met for a moment. His chest felt hard against her soft pillows of pleasure as Valeen called them. She bit at her lower lip and took in a scent that made her head swim. What the heck? Her body was simmering from the heat coming off of his. She looked into his dark eyes. That heated look she saw before glittered there and she sucked in her breath. He’s like his brother Jude, yet…not.

He halted too, and gazed at her face. “Um, Victoria—I wanted to say that—”

“Hey!” a voice called to them.

They both turned their heads to see Jude and Quinn walking up.

As if he felt reluctant to set her down, Breen sighed and allowed her boots to hit the dirt.

At the sight of her cowboy in his leather chaps and a chest hugging, blue double button shirt, she grew rigid with nerves and willed herself to act calm. After all, it’s not like we’re sweethearts or like we’re lovers—

Jude beamed at her while rushing over to pick her up and spin her around. “I’m so happy you made it!” he exclaimed and smothered her mouth with his.

The man of her dreams was kissing her with a fierce passion—a dream come to life! Her body melted to his as her senses left her. Her mind whirled with utter confusion. Oh, lord his kiss could melt freakin iron…WHAT? WAIT!

He pulled his searing lips away from hers and stared lovingly at her face. “I know you said you might not be able to break away but…” He grinned. “Damn, I missed you!”

Victoria couldn’t speak and she thought she might just pass out. Staring into the blue eyes of beyond, owned by her dream of a cowboy. The one man she had pined away for all this time, her chest felt heavy with fear. Jude was finally looking at her with the expression she’d yearned to see for so long. With a gut wrenching epiphany, she realized a certain redheaded witch of South Texas had been there before her.

VALEEN! That Jezebel! How could she have done this?

“Victoria?” Jude studied her face. “What’s the matter?”

Swallowing hard, she felt trapped. He thinks he’s been with me all along. But my floozy sister has already been there. “Um, well…” She bit at her lip and looked around.

The cowhands had all stopped what they were doing to stare at the couple.

She shook her head.

Quinn smiled. “What’s up Vic?” her brother greeted her.

Victoria always marveled at her brother’s keen skill in knowing her from Valeen. He seemed to be the only person on the planet who could tell. This made her pause…Was he around while Valeen had been playing this twin fling thing with Jude? If so, why didn’t he call her out on it? Her eyes narrowed at the wicked light in his eyes. DAMMIT! He knew? Why? “Hey, Quinn.” Her eyes grew beady. “Enjoying all the branding going on?”

Quinn tipped his hat at her. “There’s always more ways than one to brand, sis.” He grinned at her.

“Okay, well back to it!” He turned away and walked back over to the group of cowhands.

She glanced back to the man she came to see. “Um, Jude? I need to talk to you in—private.”

He titled his head at her, then gazed around as though he got what she was saying. “Okay. Get back on your horse and ride around that patch of bushes.” He pointed across the way. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He gave her a wink.

Victoria sucked her breath in at the flirtatious action. “Alright.” She turned and went over to her horse.

Breen was still by the horse staring at his brother. There was a gleam in his eyes.

Victoria got an odd feeling. He looks angry. I wonder what’s up with that? She mentally shrugged. Well, maybe she wasn’t the only one with sibling trouble. BUT…I doubt that one of these brothers pretended and lied while two timing the other! She clenched her fists. Breen’s expression softened as she neared. “Everything okay?” She nodded but pursed her lips.

He cradled his fingers to give her a boost up to her horse again.

“Breen. You don’t have to—” “Yes. I do.” He smiled.

BAM!

That smile went straight to her gut. What the FUQ? I came here looking for his brother, then as I leave, I’m feeling the hots for him? Victoria sighed. Maybe I’m just as much of a slut as my Bitch

Wrap of a sister! He boosted her up and she stared down at him. “You are just the sweetest.” A glimmer of something fierce showed in his eyes, but he only nodded in answer.

Victoria smiled down at him, then rode around the bush stand, like Jude had instructed. She sat on her horse and waited.

Within a few minutes, here came Jude.

Staring, she had to appreciate this impressive cowboy riding his horse. The man was too hot for leather. But somehow, her feelings weren’t the same as they were just an hour ago. Was it because of the fact that her sister had already dated him? Or, was it that his brother seemed much more interesting? She shook away the confusing situation of the state of her feelings. She needed to decide what to tell Jude. I could just say, it’d all been a mistake and that we don’t need to see each other anymore? She shook her head again. LIES! Her sister’s lies got her here in the first place and lies wouldn’t get her out of this. TRUTH? Eeek. What will he say when I tell him what she did? Have they done more than date? Is he totally invested in a relationship? Oh, man. The possibilities for disaster just keeps growing!

Jude jumped from his horse and rushed over to pluck her from the saddle of hers.

“Oh!” she exclaimed as her soft breasts met with his hard chest.

He then proceeded to crush her mouth in a breathtaking kiss.

Victoria felt a little heat in her body from the sexy passion in his blazing kiss but that progressed into panic, instead of desire. After all that daydreaming of just this thing and she was turned off now? Forced to put a stop to the very event she’d longed to experience! She could not pretend to be—well, Victoria—HIS version of her. Oh, damn it was all too much! Determined to tell him the cold, hard truth, she pushed at his chest.

He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. “What’s the matter with you?”

Victoria took a deep breath, then let it out with her words, “I’m not the Victoria you think I am.”

He pulled his head back. “What? Well, which Victoria are you then?” He chuckled as though she were teasing.

She tried again. “I’m—well.” What? I am Victoria, but the Victoria he knows is really Valeen. It isn’t as simple as just saying it aloud.

He chuckled and grabbed her cheeks. “You’re always joking around and playing games. It’s what I love about you!” He smothered her mouth again while his hands roamed along her waist and hips.

Panicked, Victoria didn’t know what to do next. The one thing that had ALWAYS been taboo was to be with any guy her sister had dated. OR…any guy who thought one Noble twin was the other. It just always made her want to throw up. She tried to pull away and he just held onto her tighter. She HAD to put a stop to this game and now. She stomped down onto his boot.

Jude let out a groan and let go of her. “What the hell?”

Victoria wiggled her body around as she attempted to straighten her riding top. “Listen to me for a second. My sister Valeen…” Her voice faded away at the look in his eyes. He looked like the wolf who’d caught Red Ridinghood in the forest…alone.

“You look hot in that outfit, Vic.”

Shaking her head, she tried again, “Valeen has been dating you, not me!”

His eyes widened. “What?”

Sighing through the side of her mouth, she again tried, “She knew I well…had a crush on you. She’s a mean vindictive bi—oh, never mind that part. She’s been leading you believe it was ME you were going out with.”

He titled his head at her. “So, you two are playing some kind of twin game?”

Vehemently shaking her head now, she denied that, “No! I just found out—today in fact, when I rode up here.”