“If you don’t wanna do that, I’m sure Cam’ll let you bunk with him for the duration.”Cam wouldn’t look him in the eye.And right then, Colt had enough. “I appreciate it, but it ain’t gonna be necessary.”Cord frowned. “That’s a long damn drive. Especially with the weather bein’ shitty that time of year.”“I’m sure you guys’ll handle the weather and the calvin’ just fine without me.”Shocked silence. Then, Colby said, “Without you? What do you mean?”“I ain’t gonna be here.”“Where you gonna be?”“I’ll be in Hawaii.”His dad demanded, “For how long?”“For a month.”“What are you doin’ over there for a month?”“Sittin’ on the beach, whale watchin’, surfing. Maybe I’ll learn to scuba dive. Or golf. Whatever people do when they’re on vacation.”“Very fuckin’ funny,” Cord said.“Might be if I was kiddin’.”They all stared at him.“You can’t just schedule a damn vacation durin’ the most important time of the year in the cattle business.”Colt shrugged. Maybe it was childish, but he felt th
“That’s your first mistake. Never show ’em fear.” Colt gave Eliza a smacking kiss on her cheek and she giggled. “You wanna color at the table while Auntie Indy and me feed your sisters?”“Yay!”He looked at India over Eliza’s head. “The coloring books are…?”“All over the floor in the living room. There’s some on the stairs I think.”Colt swung Eliza around for a piggyback to the living room and she squealed with delight.India tried to put Shannie in her high chair, but Shannie arched her back and held tighter to the big hoop earrings in India’s ear. The kid was part crow; mesmerized by shiny objects. India took out two jars of pureed green beans and two jars of carrots and put them in a shallow pan of water already on the stove.“Okay, Eliza, here you go. Your colors and your favorite ‘My Little Pony’ coloring book. Make me something purty as you.”India turned and Colt was right there. In her face. Close enough to kiss.He cringed when he saw Shannie’s death grip. “Holy crap—”“Hol
“We start dating. Official like.”“Dating? Like you pick me up at my place, hold the door for me and take me out for dinner?”“Something like that.” Colt paused. “How long has it been since you dated?”Would Colt be pleased or pissed if she told him the last relationship she’d been in was purely sexual? When India thought about it…had she ever really just “dated” a man?No. She’d had sex with plenty of guys, hooked up with more than her fair share, but flowers, dinner, and moonlit walks? Not so much a priority in her younger years when she was drunk or high.Since she’d cleaned up, fixing herself was more a priority than getting fixed up with some man. And in the three years since she’d starting hanging out with Colt, she’d been content to be with just him. She hadn’t needed or wanted any other man.So what did that say about their friendship?It’s always been more than just a simple friendship and you were too stubborn to admit it.“Indy?”“Sorry. I don’t think I’ve done the dating t
“I might’ve been a drunk, Indy, but I ain’t never been blind to the fact you’re all woman.”“Sweet-talkin’ cowboy. There’s been no one since.”“No one? Not even a one-nighter?”“Nope. To be crude, I’ve been getting off with BOB, my battery operated boyfriend, or my own hand.” She gave him the same questioning look he’d given her. “What about you?”“I’m well acquainted with my own hand.”“Been dating Rosy Palm, have you?”He laughed. “Exclusively.”“But I’m talking about when it comes to sex with a person.You’ve made no bones about the fact you were a serious horndog with a bad reputation before you had a drinking problem.”“I was. I didn’t particularly care which woman I ended up fucking at the end of the night, just as long as I got laid. Just as long as I satisfied her to the point she’d tell every other chick in four counties what a stud Colt McKay was, so I wouldn’t have to work at all to coax any woman I wanted into my bed.”“Whoa.”“Yeah. And it worked. For years. Might sound c
“Twins were a surprise, that’s for damn sure. Not that I’m complainin’.” He smiled. “Much as I love our girls, I love spendin’ time alone with my wife, so thanks.”“You guys deserve it.” She picked up her overnight bag. “And you’re welcome. See you later.”“Huh-uh, not so fast. Tell me about this goodbye kiss Uncle Colt laid on you that impressed Eliza.”Dammit. “It was no big deal.”“So, it ain’t gonna bother Colt if I tell him you said that kiss wasn’t a big deal?”India spun around. “Don’t say that to him.”“Your words, not mine.”“Fine. It was a big deal, okay? A very, very big deal. And while I’m confessing, you should know he spent the night here too.”Kade’s eyes narrowed. “Were you two havin’ wild monkey sex while you were supposed to be watchin’ our kids?”“No! Colt and I aren’t having sex, which is why the kiss was such a big deal.” She took a deep breath. “Colt and I have had our…issues come to a head in the last two weeks. We’ve been friends for so long that it shocked bot
“A slow kiss,” he said, acting like he hadn’t heard her.“Five bucks.”He erased the gap between them, forcing her to meet his twinkling eyes. “One slow, deep, wet, kiss, for as long as I want.That’s my final offer.”“Do I get to pick where you kiss me, slow and long and deep?”“Ornery woman. You’re hell on my intention of bein’ a gentleman.”“If I preferred a gentleman, I’d be dating your cousin Blake.”Shit. That was the wrong thing to say. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—”“Think? Yeah, I get that a lot from you. Just forget it.” He scowled, shoving a hand through his hair. “Let’s just play the damn game and have some damn fun.”For the next ten minutes, India watched him from the corner of her eye. Didn’t seem like he was having fun. At all . He cursed every time the ball landed in the lowly five-point hole, which was a lot.She had to do something to make up for her bout of bitchiness.She could be fun. Playful.As Colt was about to toss the ball, she tickled his left side, from his hip to
She was nervous. Interesting.Colt pulled up to the back of the building.India said, “Is this where you tell me you had a great time and you’ll call me?”“No.”“You didn’t have a great time?”“I had a fantastic time.” He curled his hand around her jaw and turned her face to his. “I’d like nothin’ better than to come in, but we both know it’s better if I say goodnight here.”She kissed him with sweet regret. “I’ll see you at the meeting tomorrow night?”“Yep. And afterward, I want to do something with you.”“Not do something to me?” she teased.“Hold that thought for another twelve days. How about if we go out for ice cream?”A devious smile lit up her face. “With the no sex rule, you seriously think you can handle watching me lick an ice cream cone for more than thirty seconds?”The reality of her pink tongue lapping. Her mouth sucking.Watching her throat muscles as she swallowed the creaminess. No way. “Point taken. How about a—”“How about if you leave it up to me?”Colt frowned.
“We’re planting flowers!” the mud-pie maker exclaimed, throwing her hands up, flinging mud everywhere.“Cool. Can I watch?” He stepped inside, bracing himself for India’s reaction.She didn’t growl or demand he leave, like he’d expected, she smiled the angelic smile that twisted his guts into a pretzel. “Sure.Come on in. You can even help.”The bespectacled boy asked, “What’s your name?”“Colt. What’s yours?”“Hayden.” He gave Colt a thorough once-over. “Hey, are you Buck’s cousin?”“Yes. I am. Do you know him?”“Uh-huh. He’s my big buddy.”“Lucky for Buck. So, Hayden, think you can help me make one of these things?”Hayden beamed. “Yes. It’s quite logical, really.”The rest of the kids started talking all at once, offering suggestions. Crowding him, but he didn’t mind.India clapped her hands. “Okay, munchkins, listen up. Once everyone has soil in their cup, we’ll move to the next step, the fun part; planting the seeds.”“Carrot seeds?”“Eww. Gross. I hate carrots.”“No, Anton. Sunf