"The same."

The song shifted tempo and he slowed them to a gentle sway.

"It was a beautiful wedding. I've never seen Keely so happy," Jessie murmured.

"Me either."

They stayed quiet in the moment, just dancing. The song ended and another one began. "I should go," she said, trying to slip from his embrace.

But Brandt's grip tightened. "Stay. We need to talk."

The last thing she wanted was to talk about the fiasco at the lake. "If in my drunken idiocy I forgot to say thank you for...what you did for me that night-"

"You said thank you," he replied tersely, "repeatedly, and that's not why I wanna talk to you."

"Well, thank heaven for that. Because God knows I haven't relived the most embarrassing night of my life in my nightmares enough times in the last four months."

"You're not the one who oughta be embarrassed."

"Can we please stop talking about this?"

"No."

She took a step back.

He jerked her forward again.

"Knock it off, Brandt."

"No. We are gonna talk about this now that you brought it up. Did Mike call you the next day?"

She knew he wouldn't let it go. "Yes. He didn't remember anything, okay? Not a single thing."

"That little fucking prick. Do you remember anything?"

Heat rose in her cheeks. "Some."

"What did he say when he called?"

"He asked me out again."

"Did you go?" Brandt demanded.

She glared at him. "What the hell do you think?"

He stared back, pulling that silent accusing crap he did so well. Once again she tried to get away from him, once again he didn't let her.

"Let me go."

Before Brandt answered, Dalton appeared. "Hey, guys. Mind if I cut in?"

"Get the fuck away, Dalton," Brandt snarled.

"Look, people are watching. Dad especially. I ain't gonna let either of you fuck up Keely's wedding reception by givin' Dad the chance to cause a scene. Which we all know he'd love to do. So back the fuck off, Brandt, and let me dance with Jessie."

"Fine." Brandt leaned in and kissed Jessie's cheek. Then he whispered, "This ain't over. Mark my words, Jessie. We will talk, even if I have to hogtie you to make it happen." He gave them both a feral smile and ambled off the dance floor toward the bar.

Without missing a beat, Dalton brought her into his arms. "I ain't gonna ask what the hell that was about."

"Smart choice, Dalton."

"I may be slow, but I ain't dumb."

She relaxed and let him lead. Her relationship with Dalton was more sibling-like than her relationship with Brandt. Dalton still called her every couple of weeks just to shoot the breeze. Last month he'd come over and helped her fix fence, regaling her with tales of his dating life, which always made her laugh.

"So, sister, you're lookin' good."

"You're looking dapper yourself, young McKay. Did you bring a date to the wedding?"

"Are you kiddin'? Bring a woman to a wedding and they immediately start hearin' wedding bells. And I ain't close to ready to settle down."

"The wild McKay boys are still goin' strong?"

"You know it." He danced them toward the stage. "Although, lately, Tell seems to be takin' a page from Brandt's book, actin' like a freakin' monk."

Jessie's pulse jumped. Dalton never talked about Brandt around her. "Oh really? A few months back someone mentioned Brandt seeing a woman from Hulett."

"Lydia? She's old news. They've been on-again, off-again for the last ten months."

Her immediate burst of jealousy was ridiculous.

"Something is goin' on with him. He's been a real dickhead the last month. I thought maybe he was pissy because he wasn't getting laid, but I ain't sure that's what's been bugging him. I wondered if he'd said something to you, 'cause he sure as hell ain't talkin' to me or Tell."

"I'm sorry, but Brandt hasn't been around much the last year."

A blush stole across Dalton's cheeks.

"What?"

"Nothin'. I just ain't surprised."

And then Jessie knew. Brandt must've told his brothers that she'd turned him down. No wonder Dalton never talked about Brandt around her. In fact, with their Three Musketeers mentality, she was surprised Dalton and Tell stayed in contact with her at all and they hadn't taken Brandt's side.

Tell approached, elbowing Dalton aside. "My turn. Your girlfriend is lookin' for you anyway."

"What girlfriend?"

He whispered something to Dalton that had him blushing beet red.

"Fuck off. I'd punch you in the mouth for even sayin' that, but Dad would love to see us mixin' it up, so I'm bein' the bigger man and walkin' away." Dalton made it two steps before he tossed, "Asshole," over his shoulder.

"Such a loving family," Jessie muttered as Tell took her hands.

"Miss us, doncha?"

She smiled. "Not touching that one."

He laughed. "So what's new?"

"You'd know if you ever bothered to call me." At his guilty look, she whapped him on the shoulder. "Tell. I'm kidding. Since my life is incredibly boring, why don't you tell me what you've been up to?"

"I've been hittin' as many local rodeos as possible, tryin' to complete my PRCA judges course."

Tell had been talking about doing that since the first time they'd met. "You actually followed through with it?"

"Yep. I got tired of waiting for the right time to get certified and they accepted me as a candidate because of my past rodeo experience. I've been studying DVDs and scoring the rides. Then they match how I scored them to the real scores to see how I did."

"It hasn't interfered with your ranch work?"

Tell scowled. "To hear Dad talk, I've all but abandoned the ranch. Hell. I'm gone one day, two at the most in a month. Brandt and Dalton ain't complaining. And since Brandt's pretty much in charge, he's the one I'm the most concerned with. The season's almost over. Dad's just pissy because I'm headin' to the NFR in December for a week's worth of hands-on classes."

Casper had always condemned any activity that took his sons away from the ranch. She remembered Luke saying that Tell could've gone pro in saddle bronc or bareback riding, but Casper wouldn't allow it. Of all Casper's sons, Tell was the peacemaker. So this new direction in his life, against his father's wishes, surprised her and she said as much.

"After Luke died, I realized that Dad wouldn't ever be happy again about anything any of us did. I decided to do what I want and he can deal with it."

Jessie studied him. Tell resembled Luke more than either Brandt or Dalton, but he had the same world-weary look she'd seen on Brandt. "Are things any better between you guys and your dad?"

He shook his head. "Worse, actually."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are." Tell smiled. "So let's look like we're havin' a blast out here on the dance floor, eh? That oughta really piss Casper off good."

She laughed.

As soon as the dance ended, she booked it to the women's bathroom. Halfway down the hall, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Brandt.

Why wouldn't he just leave her alone?

"Jessie. Wait."

She spun to face him, shrugging out of his hold. "What do you want now?"

"We need to talk."

"I'm talked out." She wheeled back around...and found herself pushed against the wall with Brandt in her face.

"Goddammit, this is really important."

"So is the fact I was on my way to the bathroom."

His eyes darkened and his grip on her biceps increased. "I'm serious."

"Fine. Spit out what is so important that I'm not even allowed to pee first."

He stared at her with that wordless threat.

She'd had enough of his tough guy attitude. "Let me go...or I'll punch you in the stomach."

His shock gave way to a smarmy grin. "Punch me? You? Sweet Jessie? I'll bet you've never hit another person in your life."

Mistake.

Jessie released a fast, hard uppercut to his solar plexus that immediately had him falling back to clutch his gut. She leaned closer and hissed, "I might not've hit a person, but I own a punching bag now, so back off."

A gasp echoed and she looked up to see Keely and AJ McKay staring at them in openmouthed horror.

Shit. "Sorry, Keely. I didn't mean..."

"To punch Brandt in the stomach? That was an accident?"

"Umm. No. I meant to do that. I didn't mean to cause a scene and I...really have to wash my hands."

Keely's gaze darted between them. "Okay. Don't be too long. I'm about to throw the bouquet."

Like that was an incentive not to run out of here screaming. Jessie watched Keely and AJ disappear into a dressing room and hightailed it to the ladies room, not sparing Brandt a second glance.

She hid out as long as she could-or at least until all the wedding guests were occupied with the tossing of the bouquet.

As soon as the coast was clear, she snuck out the back door and drove straight home.

Take that, Brandt McKay. I won't talk to you if I don't want to and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

Chapter Two.

Brandt couldn't believe Jessie had snuck out.

He really couldn't believe she'd sucker punched him.

Not a sucker punch if she warned you.

True.