Colt rolled his sleeve back down. “She ain’t that expensive.”“Money’s relative when you don’t have any.” She sighed. “Look, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say nothin’ about me’n Trevor havin’ to pass on Gus’s place. It’s hard enough to know we’re losin’ out, and havin’ the whole county gossiping about our financial troubles would just make it worse.”“Don’t worry, Chass, I can keep my mouth shut and I’d suggest you do the same.”“Meanin’ what?”“Keepin’ things to yourself is a damn fine way to get to keep the things you want to yourself, know what I mean?”No. She had no clue. Chassie half-wondered if he’d overheard her conversation with Keely earlier this morning about having both Trevor and Edgard in her bed and in her life.Colt did a curious thing. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Sweet dreams, sweet little cuz. See you in the morning.” Then Colt re-crossed his arms over his chest and turned back to the window, gazing into the night.Feeling dismissed, Chassie cre
Dammit. She was such a sucker. “Fine. After you answer a question for me.”“Anything.”“Did you honestly believe I’d be that gullible? Just take the check and skip to the bank not questioning my sudden good fortune?”“Ah, actually, yeah, I had hoped that’d be the case.”A growl-like snarl escaped and she sidestepped him.“But I expected you’d at least hear me out and not be as stubborn as your daddy.”Chassie whirled, tired, angry, frustrated and ready to pop him one square in the mouth.Colt grinned at her. “Knew that one’d get your back up, Sassy Chassie.”Her old nickname brought a smile. “Funny, Colt the Dolt.”“Now that that’s out of the way, will you at least listen to me?”She sighed. “I suppose.”“First off. What I said wasn’t a complete lie. At one time Dag did send me money. I don’t recall how much. Coupla hundred bucks probably. Anyway, when I heard how badly you wanted Gus’s place, but couldn’t swing the down payment, I thought this was the least I could do to help you out
Trevor didn’t—couldn’t speak.“Hell, you ain’t mad, are you?” Edgard twisted the toe of his boot into a pile of snow.“Not mad. Just wonderin’ why you did it.” Wondering why Ed hasn’t said anything when they’d talked last night.“Time was running out. You were both preoccupied with family shit and I couldn’t stand it if we lost out on something important to all of us because of pride or fear or mixed signals. I waited until Chassie got home to discuss it because it’s her future too.”Trevor’s heart damn near danced out of his chest. Everything he’d ever wanted was within reach; he just had to grab it with both hands. He circled one arm around Chassie’s shoulder and the other around Ed’s. “Come on inside. Too damn cold out here.”In the kitchen, Chassie said, “Trev, what happened with your dad?”Trevor poured milk in Chassie’s favorite cup and put it in the microwave. “Pa’s fine.” He relayed the trip, detailing events even when he’d rather avoid discussing them.“Hope you didn’t have y
In celebration of his first year of sobriety, Colt McKay climbed on the back of a bull and rode for a full eight seconds.In celebration of his second year of sobriety, Colt McKay climbed in an airplane and parachuted out.In celebration of his third year of sobriety, Colt McKay had hoped to climb on a woman and end his self-imposed sexual abstinence of the previous thirty-six months.He imagined soft candlelight, soft kisses, a woman’s soft skin and a soft bed beneath him.At least that part of his fantasy had come true. Colt was in bed.He was even laying face down on a puffy tie-dyed quilt with a woman beside him. However, he was not basking in the afterglow of red-hot sex, rather, he was grimacing in pain from the sensation of a red-hot poker jabbing him in the butt for the millionth time.“Fuck. That hurts.”“Almost done. Two more quick stitches and you’ll be good to go,” Doctor Monroe trilled in that annoyingly chipper voice of hers.Go. Right. Where the hell was he supposed to
Do you want me to touch you like that? “I’m…” India blew out a frustrated breath. “Dammit, Colt. I’m sorry. So freakin’ sorry. I’m such a klutz. I didn’t mean to shoot you in the butt.”He merely stared at her.“What?”“You could kiss it and make it better.”“Funny. Does it hurt?”“Like you wouldn’t believe.”She winced. “I’m sorry.”“If you’re not gonna pucker up, I’d be grateful for some Motrin.”India leapt to her feet. “No problem.” She hustled to the nightstand for a glass of water and shook out two orange pills.“Here.”“Thanks.” Colt popped the pills and took a big drink. The second gulp left him sputtering and water droplets clung to the bristle on his cheeks.Without thinking, she wicked the moisture away with her fingers.“God. Your hands are so cold.”“Sorry.” India moved her hand but Colt caught her wrist.“Don’t stop. It feels good.”“It does?”“Yeah. My face is on fire.”When she stroked his face, from his forehead to his chin, he expelled a long sigh. India couldn’t tea
Colt’s cell phone vibrated. He checked the caller ID. Cam.“Hey. You out keepin’ the peace?”“Trying to. It’ll be a challenge later since it’s Saturday night.Got my fill of drunken cowboys fightin’ last weekend.”“That part of your duty ain’t gonna end anytime soon. Maybe you should’ve taken Dad up on his offer of workin’ with us.”“Fuck off.”He smiled, regardless if Cam couldn’t see it. Amused the hell out of him to tease his younger brother, just because he could.“This is the thanks I get for keeping your humiliation under wraps?”“Come on, Cam. Ranchin’ with the family ain’t that bad.”Cam snorted. “That’s rich, coming from you. How you feelin’?”“Sore.”“Could be worse.”“True. I could’ve been facin’ forward and she could’ve shot me in the dick.”“Ouch. Anyway, thought I’d give you a heads up. Blake will be there tonight.”“Be where?”“In India’s apartment.”“Why? Is he doin’ some remodeling for her after hours?”“No. They, ah, have a date.”The muscles in Colt’s gut tightened.
India threw the hairbrush in the sink. She snatched the gel from the cabinet and squirted the orange goo in her palms, rubbing it vigorously into her hair. Bah. It didn’t help. She still looked like a porcupine who’d lost a fight with a weed whacker. Plus, she needed to recolor the tips. The fuchsia was fading into a hideous bubblegum pink.What the hell did it matter what her hair looked like? It wasn’t like they were going to be in public.She froze. Was that why Blake wanted to cook for her at his place? Because the colorful tats and piercings were what most folks noticed and he was embarrassed by it?Not Colt.Why had everything circled back around to him?Because you hurt him. And not just from shooting him in the butt with the nail gun.That stupid voice in her head was mistaken. She had not hurt Colt McKay’s feelings by agreeing to a date with Blake. She and Colt were friends. That was it.Right?Wrong. Colt’s been more to you than just a friend, no matter how you slice it. And
“At my age, player behavior in a bar is considered a rite of passage.” He waggled his eyebrows.“How old are you?”“Twenty-six. How old are you?” He shook his finger at her.“And don’t pull that ‘never ask a woman her age’ crap.”“I’m thirty…something.”“And yet, you don’t look a day over twenty.”“Did you attend the same cowboy charm school as your cousin Colt? Or is it inbred?”“Cowboy charm is part of our DNA, darlin’. None of us can help it.” Blake’s smile faded. “Speaking of Colt…can I ask you something?”“Sure,” she lied.“Why haven’t you two dated? I mean, you are together all the time.”All the time was stretching it…wasn’t it? “We’re just friends.”“Might sound like I’m pandering to you, bein’s we’re on a date and all, but that’s probably a good thing you’re staying just friends.”That got her back up. “Why?”“Stubborn people like you two would kill each other.” He smiled. “Colt’s a good guy. He’s a great friend, actually, but I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that.”No, she