Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders 7)

Ginger and Keely gabbed nonstop during the ride. Domini didn’t say a word, choosing to gaze out the window into the darkness, her hands primly folded in her lap, the picture of sweetness. Of innocence. Of perfection. Of total f**king hotness.

That’s what I like about you. How easily you take charge.

He half feared, half hoped she’d been telling the truth.

“Turn here,” Ginger said.

Ginger’s one-level ranch house had a detached garage off to one side and a wheelchair ramp running the perimeter. The sight of that wheelchair ramp caused Cam’s stump to twitch and the word never to echo in his head.

Keely said, “Hey. Isn’t that Buck’s rig?”

“What? Yes. But he’s supposed to be camping with Hayden.” Ginger yanked on the door handle. “Goddammit let me out!”

“Hang on.” Cam shifted his weight, getting out of the vehicle with his bum leg was harder than climbing in. By the time he’d opened the door, Buck met them in front of the patrol car.

Ginger nearly plowed Buck over. “Where is he? What happened?”

Buck set his hands on Ginger’s shoulders. “Whoa there, Red, settle down. Everything is fine. Hayden’s stomach was actin’ up again, so we canned the campin’ trip. No biggie. I gave him some 7-Up and soda crackers. He’s sleeping in his room.”

“Then why are you still here?”

“Hayden was worried about you. He said you never go out. He made a big ruckus about the never part of it.”

She muttered, “That little tattletale.”

“Anyway, I promised him I’d wait until you were home safely.” Buck glanced at the patrol car. “Maybe you oughta tell me why my cousin is bringing you home in a cop car.”

“Well, I had a little liquid fun with your cousin’s wives and then there was this bar fight…”

Buck squinted. “Is that Keely waving at me through the cage?”

Cam nodded.

“Then that explains everything. Thanks for bringing Red back. I’ll take it from here.” Buck steered Ginger toward the porch. She tried to jerk away from his hold, but he just yanked her flush with his body and spoke in her ear.

The second Cam was back in his patrol car, Keely bombarded him with excuses, explanations, and justifications, until he said, “Enough.”

She sighed despairingly. “Look. I know you’re mad as hell at me right now, Cam.”

“Yep.”

“I know I have no right to ask this.”

“Nope.”

“Just hear me out? Please?”

“Fine. You’ve no right to ask me…what?”

“For a favor.”

He laughed.

“I’m serious.” Keely spoke through the steel cage. “Even though I’m an adult, if I show up drunk, bloody and bruised at Mom and Dad’s, they’ll both have a fit. It’ll be a big ugly scene and I cannot deal with it tonight.”

“So what do you expect me to do? Run interference for you, Miz Adult?”

“No! Let me stay at your place. Please? Just for one night? I’m so tired I’ll probably crash and I promise I won’t be any trouble—”

“Trouble follows you everywhere, so no dice.”

“I get that your house is your haven, but Cam, you have an extra bedroom that no one uses. You won’t even know I’m there, I swear.”

“Keely—”

“Domini, help me out here,” Keely pleaded.

Domini faced him. “I think you should listen to her since she is letting you off the hook.”

“How is allowing her to crash at my place letting me off the hook?”

“If you just dump her off at your parent’s place, they’ll be angry you didn’t come in and explain why Keely is a drunken mess. If you escort her into the house, your parents will still be angry and expect you to explain why she’s a drunken mess. So calling them to say she’s staying with you is the best solution all around.”

Damn women sticking together.

“See? It makes perfect sense,” Keely said. “Except I’m not that much of a drunken mess.”

“Right.”

“Cam? Please? I’ll never ask you for anything ever again.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Please?”

He gave in. He always did when it came to Keely. “Fine. You can stay one night. But if one thing is out of place in my house, or if I see any other person besides you in my home? I will tell everyone in the family and the whole damn county what I saw at Colt and Indy’s wedding reception.”

Keely gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“Oh, I most definitely would. With absolute glee.” Cam flashed her a cocky grin. “So do we have a deal, little sis?”

“Yes, but I am entitled to point out you’re a lot meaner than my other brothers.”

“No, I’m just not buffaloed as easily as they are.”

Keely harrumphed and remained unusually quiet for the rest of the drive.

When Cam pulled up the driveway leading to his house, he experienced a sense of joy, a swell of pride, a feeling of peace. This place was the first thing he’d owned outright, finally obtaining the space, freedom and solitude he’d given up during his years in the army. He’d spent his adult years living in barracks or in tents with just a cot and a footlocker to call his own. Meals, showers, hell even sleep was a group affair.

Not here. Cam rarely had visitors and he preferred it that way. Sometimes on his days off he stretched out on his couch and stared at the walls in complete silence just because he could. He’d created an island of peace for himself even surrounded by the turbulent sea of his family.

He parked on the concrete slab and the yard light clicked on. His dog, Gracie, raced back and forth along the fence, yipping with excitement. Cam turned to Domini. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back and then I’ll run you home, okay?”

“I didn’t know you had a dog.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, princess.”

“The same could be said about me, Deputy,” she murmured.

Was that a…challenge? From sweet Domini?

“Are you gonna let me out, or what?” Keely complained. “I hafta piss like a racehorse.”

“Classy, Keely.” Grumbling under his breath, Cam exited the car quickly, wincing at the sharp pain in his hip. Upon opening the rear door, he heard, “—what I said about getting naked.”