Her Four Cowboys

“Not really,” Adam said before looking back at her. “Just trying to keep the ranch running.” He looked around at the rest of us, raising an eyebrow. “Anyone got anything else?”

I shrugged. “Same as always, I guess. Just keep plugging away at the writing until I’ve got something good enough to publish.”

Austin took a sip from his stein and leaned back in his seat. “Like they said. Just working and keeping the place up and running.”

“Not a bad goal, I’d say,” Molly agreed as she picked up her tray and made for the bar. “I’ll be by with some champagne a little later.”

“Another year, guys,” Aaron said as he looked around at all of us. “It’s pretty nuts to think about, right? That we’ve spent our entire lives here in this town, and the years have gone by around us.”

We were quiet as we looked at each other and then out at the rest of the bar. This was the same group that we’d been surrounded by every other year of our lives. I knew that the three of them had never craved something outside of this tiny pocket of Colorado the way that I had, and I knew that they couldn’t know what it felt like to want something other than the life we had.

“Holy shit,” I heard Adam say, and I looked over to see him staring toward the door with his blue eyes wide and his mouth hanging half-open.

“What are you—” Austin turned to look in the same direction, and his eyes widened as well. “Holy shit.”

It was my turn to look, and I felt something akin to a balloon swelling under my ribs as I saw the woman walking into the bar.

Lucy looked as beautiful as she always did, but tonight… I didn’t know whether there was a star that could outshine her, covered the way she was in the silver fabric that hugged her curves like it was made just for her.

I’d never seen her in a dress like that. It was short, hitting her just above the knees, and covered in silver spangles that caught the light every time she turned. Her long, thick blonde hair was draped down over her back, and the way it flowed around her captivated my interest.

She had a coat draped over her, and her cowgirl boots came up to just below her knees, showing off another expanse of skin that looked so seductively smooth.

I couldn’t help echoing what my brothers had said before me as I took her in. “Holy shit.”

She walked up to the bar, leaning over to give Molly a hug and turned around to look in our direction. The smile that lit up her face sent little tendrils of heat sneaking through every one of my veins, and I couldn’t help feeling as though the flush was creeping up my neck.

“Oh,” Aaron said, his voice pitched a little lower than usual as he took her in. “Oh, she’s coming over here. Adam, move over. Make room.”

Adam didn’t say anything, simply sliding over down the bench as he leaned over his stein and looked into his beer, seeming not to either be willing or able to say anything as Lucy started walking over, a cautious smile spreading over her lovely face.

“Hey, Kents,” she said, holding her glass in her small hand as she looked around the table. “Can I sit with you guys?”

“Of course,” I said, reaching over and patting the spot on the bench next to me when none of my brothers seemed inclined to say anything. “Come ring in the new year with us.”

She sat down, and I felt the heat start to rise in me again as her bare leg pressed up against me. My jeans were thick enough that I couldn’t feel her skin at all against mine, but the simple knowledge that she was there was enough to make every single one of the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.

“You look amazing,” I said. “That dress is incredible.” The blush started rising in her cheeks, and I was entranced by the way the color seemed to make her pale skin glow under her freckles. It was going to be impossible to look away from her tonight.

“Thank you,” she said, reaching for her glass and taking a small sip. “I love New Year’s Eve. It’s my favorite night of the year.”

“Really?” I said, not paying much attention as my brothers began to talk amongst themselves.

“Yeah,” she said, running her finger around the edge of the glass. “I just feel like there’s so much hope in the air, so many possibilities. It’s partially why it’s the one night of the year anyone can get me out of my jeans.”

I blinked once at the words. I wasn’t sure if she’d known the innuendo for what it was when she’d said it, but I’d certainly heard it, and it had sent my mind diving straight for the gutter.