Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 107118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Bon,” he replied and stood to face Cowboy. “Allons.” Hush helped Cowboy to his feet. I moved to his other side. Cowboy managed to put his good arm over my shoulder, and he playfully said through a clenched jaw, “Anything to get you to touch me again, cher.”
I rolled my eyes. “You don’t have to get injured for that, cher,” I teased.
Cowboy smiled. “Good . . . to . . . know.”
Hush’s brow was furrowed. His attention was on the truck. But I knew his frown was a reaction to me and Cowboy. I couldn’t understand why, if what Cowboy had told me was right. If they shared women, then what the hell was so wrong with me?
I was starting to believe that Cowboy was full of shit. That Hush wasn’t just keeping me at arm’s length because he liked me. But that, in fact, he really didn’t.
Which was like a damn hammer blow to the heart.
Hush helped Cowboy into the truck. I thought he would ride back on Poppa’s old Harley, but Hush got in the cab too. As I pulled out of the yard toward my house, Cowboy put a hand on my thigh. When I looked toward him, I saw he had done the same to Hush too. “Well . . .” he managed to push out through his pain. “This is . . . cozy.”
Hush pushed Cowboy’s hand from his thigh. “Not the fuck now, Aub.”
Cowboy turned to me and smiled, not even bothered by Hush’s pissy comment. My chest warmed. I’d never known anyone like Cowboy. Never known anyone so free spirited. Someone who just seemed to want to make everyone happy.
And I’d never known anyone so closed off as Hush. At least to anyone but Cowboy. In fact, with Cowboy, he seemed weirdly dependent.
I stopped at my house. Hush opened the passenger door and helped Cowboy out. Cowboy staggered up the steps. I smoothed my hand over my cell in my pocket, almost calling Ky to send a doctor. But then I didn’t want Ky to know about Cowboy riding Pepper. I didn’t want to give him any excuse to pull Hush and Cowboy from my ranch and replace them with someone else. My heart rolled at the thought of them leaving. It had only been a couple of weeks, but I had gotten used to them being around. Cowboy with his easy flirtations and suggestive winks. And even Hush with his silence and permanent scowl.
They made me feel safe.
To me, that was worth its weight in gold.
Deciding to forget the call, I strode up the steps and entered my house. Cowboy was already lying on the couch. Hush was helping him out of his chaps and denim shirt, leaving him in his jeans and white wife-beater. I gasped on seeing the bruises already beginning to sprout on his arm and shoulder. His wrist was raw from the rope burns. “Cowboy,” I whispered, my eyes watering. “I shouldn’t have let you ride Pepper. I . . . I wasn’t thinking . . .”
“I wanted to, cher.” He grinned, only wincing when Hush placed a bag of ice on his arm. “Gotta be honest, it felt good to ride again.”
Hush made a low sound in his throat. Turning away, he announced, “I’m gonna go get the bike.” Hush left the house, and I couldn’t help it, but I sighed. I was sick and tired of his constant cold shoulder. I had done everything in my power to be nice to him. To talk to him. But he wanted nothing to do with me.
A fact I had to accept . . . even though the thought of it sent a slice of pain spearing through my heart. As if Cowboy could read my thoughts, he said, “He’s just quiet, cher. I promise. It’s nothing more.” He pointed to his arm. “And probably pissed that I’ve done this to myself.” He shrugged. “Been years since I’ve been on a bronc.”
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of pain pills and a glass of water. I handed them to Cowboy. He knocked them back, but then frowned at the water. “You got something stronger than water, cher?” I took a bottle of bourbon and a glass from my cupboard. “Just bring the bottle, darlin’,” he said, shooting me a wide grin.
I laughed. “That grin gets all the ladies to do your bidding, huh?”
He tipped his head to the side. “Don’t know. Is it gonna get you to blow off whatever you had planned tonight and play nurse with me here on this couch?”
“I hadn’t had anything planned, as you well know.” I sighed, shaking my head when he patted the couch beside him.
“Well then, you’ve got no excuse.” I sat down and watched him take a swig of the bourbon. He handed the bottle to me. “Get drunk with me, Sia.”