Hard-Riding Cowboy (Kinky Spurs 3)

Nash scoffed at his older brother. “Never going to happen, brother.” At the thought of the looming headache that was going to bring, Nash poured himself another small shot. Once he polished it off, he said, “I can handle the likes of Clint Harrison.”

Chase’s eyes shone with amusement. “What of Megan, can you handle her?”

Nash snorted dryly. “You both know Megan isn’t exactly a woman that you ‘handle.’” Because she could push back as much as Nash could push forward. The game between them had worked for a long time.

Not anymore. A baby changed everything.

“Yeah, she’ll keep ya honest,” Chase agreed with a soft nod. He poured another shot then tossed it back.

The goats began bleating. One jumped on the other’s back, with the horses watching on like they were some crazy creatures that were not meant to be understood.

“Some brotherly advice,” Shep offered. “A girl like Megan, she’s got it all. Every night she has dozens of men hitting on her, offering her the greatest sex of her life.”

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?” Nash frowned.

Shep’s mouth twitched. “All I’m saying is, be the man who doesn’t offer her that but offers her more.” The phone inside began ringing, and he strode off to answer it.

Nash sat back against the rocking chair again, watching the goats bouncing around in excitement.

“You’re going to be all right.”

Nash glanced sideways, finding familiar warmth in Chase’s eyes. “Yeah, I know. I’m blindsided to hell, but it’ll work out.”

Chase propped an ankle over his knee, staring at the pasture. “Megan’s good for you.”

“That is without question,” Nash agreed. Everyone knew he and Megan had a thing. His brothers certainly knew that he wanted Megan. Nash had never been shy about that.

“Are you together now?” Chase gently asked.

Nash ran his hand across his tired eyes again. “When I woke up today, I was chasing her like I’ve always chased her. Now, I don’t know anything.”

Chase rose, maybe sensing that what Nash needed most of all right now was time to think. “The universe seems to throw a lot of wild wrenches into your life. But this is a good one.”

&nb

sp; It was no secret Nash had been struggling since his forced retirement. His rodeo days were behind him. Chase, out of anyone, knew that Nash hadn’t been able to find his footing since the life he’d worked hard to gain was suddenly ripped out from under him. Even Nash knew he’d been breathing but not really living, trying to find the thing that lit him up like bull riding did.

Right now, he wasn’t sure of anything. The only thing he did know was, everything was changing and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it.

* * *

The end of the night had come far too quickly. Megan exited the bar at three o’clock in the morning to journey up to her apartment, and found Nash sitting on the hatch of his truck in the parking lot.

Her heart fluttered like it did every time he set those intense eyes on her. The bar had cleared out over an hour ago, and Megan had closed up, sending her staff home for the night. Her cowboy boots clicked against the cement, and she couldn’t hear a single car out on Main Street. This time in the early morning, River Rock slept.

The air was warm, but a slight breeze cut through the stifling summer air. The simmering way Nash’s gaze lit up when she reached him added to the summer heat. His typical smart-ass smile was nowhere to be found now. “I thought you’d left,” she said, to break the silence.

“I paid Shep and Chase a visit.” He patted the spot next him. “Let’s talk.”

She hopped up onto the gate, her legs dangling next to his. She slid her finger along the jagged metal of the keys in her hands, not used to feeling uneasiness in her chest. There had never been a day she didn’t have a plan or know exactly what her next steps would be.

Until now, of course.

Maybe sensing that, Nash slid his strong fingers over hers fiddling with the keys. “How long have you known about the baby?” he asked gently.

“I’m eight weeks pregnant now, and I’ve known for about three of those.” By the working of his jaw muscles, he didn’t seem to particularly like that fact.

“Are you certain?”