This Love (Cowboys & Angels 6)

“Now, now. Let’s not get carried away, Lee. This is new for Cord. I don’t want him running out and jumping into the lake to try and get away.”

I scoffed. “Harley’s right. I think I am falling in love with Maebh.”

Silence.

Waiting for them to let that soak in, I sat down at the bar and sighed.

“Are y’all done screwing around yet?” I asked.

“Did you…did I hear…oh my gawd! I have to go call the girls!”

Groaning, I heard Tripp say something to his wife before coming back on the line. “Cord, listen, I think it’s freaking amazing that you’re feeling this way. I always knew when you found the right woman, it was going to put you on your ass.”

“That’s for sure. It’s weird. I mean, I’m freaked out, yet at the same time I’m so damn happy it doesn’t bother me that I’m freaked out. I’m more afraid that the bubble will break, and I’ll go back to being a dick.”

“You won’t. Now, let’s go through some of those issues. First things first. Make her breakfast and bring it up to her. Women like that romantic shit.”

“Okay, what should I make?”

“Pancakes. Fruit if y’all have any.”

“I can do that, Mom always leaves stuff for pancakes up here.”

“Now, the next thing on the list. Making love to her. Is she ready?”

I laughed. “Considering we almost got there twice yesterday, I’m going to say yes. She’s also told me she wants me on more than one occasion.”

“Okay. Don’t get crazy. You have to go slow and remember that this is her first time, let her tell you how fast or slow to go.”

Nodding, I took everything out for the pancakes and got to work on them. “Right, I got that.”

“Use protection,” Tripp said sternly.

“What the hell, bro. I’ve never forgotten a condom.”

Tripp laughed. “Trust me, you’ll almost forget. Trust me.”

“No way. I’ve always housed the hose before I curl the toes.”

“What?”

“I cover my stump before I hump.”

“Jesus.”

Smiling, I kept going. “When they go into heat, I package my meat. I wrap it in foil before I check the oil.”

“Please stop.”

“No glove, no love.”

“Cord, I’m going to drive up there and punch you.”

I laughed as I poured four small pancakes onto the griddle. “Sorry, I got carried away. Anyway, I always wear a condom.”

“Good. Do you think it will be today?”

My stomach dropped. “If I have anything to say about it, it will happen in the next hour.”

He chuckled. “You know I have to say it.”

I closed my eyes and groaned. “You really don’t.”

“Payback is a bitch, bro.”

Sighing, I flipped the pancakes. “Fine, I’m a little blue fucking person. Are you happy?”

“Say it. Wait, where is my recorder? I need to document this.”

Why I even bothered to call my brother was beyond me. The only thing he’d managed to do was calm my ass down, and now he was going to harass me.

“Okay, let’s hear it.”

Groaning, I pulled the phone away and motioned like I was slamming it on the counter.

“Cord?”

“I’ve been Smurfed.”

“I get to pick which Smurf.”

“Hell no! Trevor already tried to pin me with Greedy Smurf. The name-giving is my job!”

“Ha! You can’t give yourself a Smurf name.”

“Who says I can’t?”

“The rules!”

I pulled my phone back out and stared at it for a good thirty seconds. “There are no rules, you motherfucker!”

“There are now, and you can’t Smurf yourself. Now, I think you have to be Gutsy Smurf. The whole accent thing and all.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s Scottish, dude, not Irish!”

“Close enough.”

“Why can’t I be Jokey Smurf? Everyone knows I’m the funniest.”

“Who is everyone?”

“Everyone! Like all of Oak Springs. Our family, our friends. It’s perfect for me. I declare I’m Jokey Smurf, and you can’t do anything about it because I started this tradition.”

“This is the most ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had,” Tripp mumbled.

I couldn’t help grinning. “Then it’s settled.”

“You wait until you get back home, dude. Payback is a bitch.”

“I believe you already said that, bro.”

“Go make your girl breakfast. Enjoy your day, asswipe.”

Flipping the pancakes onto a plate, I replied, “I intend to. Thanks, Tripp. Later.”

My finger hit End, and I dropped my phone onto the counter. I turned to get out the strawberries, then washed and cut them up. My phone buzzed and I looked down to see I had a text from Tripp. When I opened it, I lost it laughing.

A picture of Gutsy appeared on my screen.

“Eejit,” I said in my best Irish accent. I placed everything on a tray and headed back upstairs to the woman who was either going to drive me insane or kill me when I finally made love to her. I was honestly fine with either of those outcomes as long as she was involved.

Walking back into the room, I cleared my throat, hoping to wake her up.

Maebh stretched and let out a long moan that went straight to my cock. I was still in my jeans from last night, but Maebh had managed to get my shirt off.