Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders 12)

She started to retort when two raps preceded Quinn walking in. He cast a glance at the dogs snoring in front of the woodstove. “Did you drug my usual welcoming committee?”

“No. They spent the weekend in the barn, pacing, missing their cushy life inside the house, snoozing by the fire. You want a beer?”

“Sure.” Quinn placed a tinfoil-covered plate on the counter. “Libby made brownies.”

“Ooh. Yum.” Keely moved dishes around to make space.

Ben slipped behind the bar and popped the top on a bottle of Coors Light, nudging it toward his brother. “Before we get overrun with family, what’s up with Dad? I called him on the way home today and he said he couldn’t talk. He was figuring something out.” Ben winced. “Christ. Please tell me that ain’t married man code for him and Mom havin’ sex?”

Quinn laughed. “Nope. He was lookin’ at airline schedules.”

“Why? They goin’ to see Chase and Ava in California?”

“Nope. Gavin invited them to Phoenix.”

“Really? That’s…good. Isn’t it?”

“I hope so.”

His cousins streamed in. Kane and Kade. Cord and Colby. Colt and Cam. Brandt, Tell and Dalton. They all gave Keely a rash of shit before bellying up to the bar. He handed Colt a Coke. Then he set out the beer and popped the tops.

“Man, how do you remember everyone’s favorite beer?” Dalton asked.

“Must be the time he’s spending in the bar in Gillette,” Cord said. “Do you have an owner’s stake in it?”

I wish. “Nope. Cody and Trace own it. I help out when I can, but I mostly just hang out.”

“I don’t see why you don’t hang out in the bars around here,” Dalton said.

“Because the bars around here suck, dumbass.” Tell took a drink of his Coors.

“Maybe sometime me’n Tell will head that way since you like the place so much.”

Dalton had been saying that for a while, so Ben shrugged it off. “You should.”

“Besides, I’ll bet it ain’t your buddies that’re holding your interest. Got a woman stashed there?”

He looked at Kade, standing next to Colby, and blatantly changed the subject. “Rielle mentioned seeing Skylar last week. She said Sky had been sick. Is that why you weren’t around?”

Kade nodded. “Some flu thing. I’m just damn glad the girls and I didn’t get it.” He knocked on the wooden bar top.

“You sure the sickness wasn’t from Sky being pregnant?” Cam said slyly.

“Fuck off, lawman. Some of us know when to say when.”

“And some of us not so much,” Colby muttered.

“No way. Channing is pregnant again?” Kane asked.

“God no.” Colby also knocked on wood.

“Libby ain’t pregnant either,” Quinn offered.

“Ditto for Indy.”

“Add AJ to the not list,” Cord said.

“Did this conversation have a point?” Tell demanded. “Or all you gonna whip out baby pics next?”

“Yeah, cause you don’t have a picture of your nephew Landon in yours,” Keely inserted.

“We’re just tryin’ to figure out who’s pregnant,” Kane said. “Cause at least one woman in this family is always knocked up.”

All eyes zoomed to Brandt.

“What the hell? Jessie’s not pregnant.”

A beat passed. Then all everyone turned and looked at Keely.

She bristled. “What did I do now?”

“We’re just wondering…” Colt drawled.

“If you’ve got a bun in the oven?” Cord finished.

“I’ve got a whole package of them right here.” Keely whipped a roll at Cord’s head. “Jerk.” Then she pegged Colt with one. “Asshole. You telling me I look fat?”

“Put away the dinner rolls, Nolan Ryan. We ain’t sayin’ you look fat. We’re just tryin’ to figure out who Ma is knitting the new baby blanket for.”

“Not me. Jesus. Jack and I have only been married a year. And after I saw AJ in labor with Beau?” She shuddered. “Maybe never.”

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad.”

Keely threw another roll at Cord. “Not that bad? Didn’t AJ threaten to cut off your big swinging dick filled with demon seed if she ever saw it again?”

Cord smirked. “She didn’t mean it, trust me.”

“Kiss and make up with your big swinging dick, did she?” Colt said with a snicker.

More laughter broke out.

“How did we get on this subject anyway? I was hoping there’d be no baby talk for a change,” Dalton complained.

“We got on the subject because my brother was avoiding your question about the women keeping his interest in Gillette,” Quinn said.

Ben scowled at him.

“Or maybe he only wants us to think that. Maybe he really has his eye on a woman closer to home,” Keely tossed out.

Thanks a f**kload, Keely.

Quinn’s beer bottle stopped halfway to his mouth. “Ah hell. I should’ve seen that one comin’.”

“I’m confused,” Ben said. “Should’ve seen what one comin’?”

“Not what, who. You know, your hot, sexy, single neighbor, Rielle Wetzler?” Keely added, “How’s she doin’ with that bed and breakfast? I don’t ever hear anything about it, which can’t be good.”

Dalton stood. “Count me out of the conversation when it comes to the Wetzler girls.”

“And count me out of the conversation where you guys are tryin’ to marry off the last of us single McKays,” Tell said. “We like livin’ the carefree bachelor life.”

Ben noticed his married cousins exchanging smug looks after he, Dalton and Tell high-fived.

“Nothin’ goin’ on between me and Rielle. We’re friends. I’ve built some furniture for her. Done some repairs at the B&B. She keeps an eye on my dogs when I’m gone. Just normal neighborly stuff. Plus, she’s at least ten years older than me.”

Cord grinned. “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number. Trust me.”

“Maybe she does all that stuff because she wants to be more than just friends. You should ask her out,” Cam suggested.

“You might even get to put one of the beds you made her to good use,” Quinn teased.

“Very f**king funny.”

“Ooh. Someone’s sensitive.”