Short Rides (Rough Riders 14.5)

“I know. Just count yourself lucky that Jack will be involved in all aspects of raising your child. Your dad never changed a diaper. Not one.”

Keely could not wrap her head around that. All of her brothers and male cousins had no issue with diaper duty. “Didn’t you tell Daddy tough shit and suck it up?”

“We fought about it, trust me. I argued that he had no issue sticking his entire arm up a cow’s rectum and being covered—and I mean covered—in cow shit on a daily basis, but he gagged at the thought of one poopy baby diaper.” She rolled her eyes. “That was his generation. Be thankful Jack is of another generation.”

The front door opened and Jack and his mother entered the dining room, deep in conversation. Keely’s eyes narrowed. Correction. It appeared sweet Doro Donohue was ripping her son a new one.

“You’re back just in time, daddy-to-be,” Carolyn trilled. “There’s a ton of stuff to be hauled upstairs to the nursery.”

Jack flashed Carolyn a smile. “I’m sure Keely will want to show me everything before I become her pack mule.” He crossed the room and swept his hand over her belly as he kissed her. “You okay?”

“My ankles are swollen. And I’m tired.”

“Probably from a sugar buzz. How many pieces of cake did you eat?”

“One.”

“And how many pieces did you sneak in the kitchen?”

She swatted at him. “None of your business. Why?”

“Because you have a dab of frosting right here.” He licked the corner of her mouth. “Mmm. Sugary-sweet and tastes like guilt.”

“Hey, the baby likes cake.”

“I think my baby likes cake.” He murmured, “You know, we haven’t used frosting as body paint in a while.”

A throat cleared behind them and they both turned.

“Since you’ve had people in your house all day, I’m sure you two would like alone time.” Keely’s mom had moved to stand by Doro. “We’ll get out of your hair.”

“Ready to go whenever you are,” Doro said.

Jack frowned. “Where are you going?”

“Out to celebrate with Carolyn, Kimi and Vi.”

“Since Joan came to the shower she’s going out with us too,” Carolyn added. “Don’t worry. We’ve lined up designated drivers to pick us up at the Golden Boot if things get out of hand.”

“What?” Keely and Jack said simultaneously. Then Jack demanded, “Carolyn, are you seriously taking my mother out drinking?”

“Oh, pooh. Don’t look so shocked. This is a rite of passage for your mom; a woman becoming a grandmother for the first time. Who better to initiate Doro into that world than the McKays?”

“She has a point, Jack,” Keely said with a laugh.

“Don’t encourage her, Keely.”

“I don’t need your permission to not act my age, Jack Donohue.” Doro straightened her shoulders. “And I say don’t wait up for me either.”

The last thing Keely heard was Jack’s mom asking if Carolyn knew any single men.

“Now I need a damn drink,” Jack grumbled, walking to the bar to pour himself a Scotch.

Keely followed and hoisted herself onto a bar stool. “Looked like you and your mom were having an argument when you walked in.”

“We were.” Jack uncapped the crystal decanter and poured. “Seemed her sudden need for a trip to the store to buy antacids was a trick to have a private conversation with me about my business trip tomorrow.”

Keely glanced down at her hands.

Then Jack’s fingers were beneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You told me you were okay with this trip, buttercup.”

“I am. Or I’m not, depending on the hour.”

He waited, those mesmerizing green eyes both patient and concerned.

“I know it’s an important job. I know you’re only going now so you won’t have to go in the next three months. I know it’s only a week. I know I’m still three weeks from my due date.”

“You know all that, but...?”

“But there’s part of me that doesn’t want you to go. And no, I wasn’t complaining to your mother about it. I didn’t even mention it. What did she say?”

“That I’d better not be putting work ahead of my family. My dad did that and landed himself in an early grave because of it.” His jaw tightened. “Like I needed that f**king reminder, along with all the other things that are running around in my brain.”

“What kinds of things?”

He drained his drink. “Too much guilt and bullshit male stuff that’d make you roll your eyes and wonder if you married a man or a whiny pu**y.”

Keely slid off the stool and cut around the end of the bar to hug him—as much as she could with beach ball baby between them. “I know you’re a man. All man. So since we’re alone, maybe you oughta prove that to me a couple of times before you leave.”

Jack smoothed her hair away from her cheek. “You really up for this, cowgirl? It’s been a long day. You said your ankles are swollen.”

“Then how’s about if you make my pu**y swollen, so I really have something interesting to bitch about at the breakfast table tomorrow morning.”

“God, I love you.”

“Well, I am unbelievably charming and sexy as hell.” Keely kissed him and tugged his bottom lip between her teeth, just to see that spark of desire flare in his eyes. “We better do it all we can in the next three weeks, because it’ll be at least six weeks after baby D’s birth before we can have sex again.”

“Does that ban on sex include anal?” he asked.

“You are such a guy.”

He shrugged. “Just being practical.”

“Come on. Let’s do it on the recliner. I’ll even bring a piece of cake so you can lick frosting off my ni**les.”

One week later...

Keely prided herself on providing a full twenty minutes of random conversation before grilling her cousin Dalton about his love life. “So what’s this I hear about you and Addie Voorhees dating?”

Dalton shrugged. “We’re spending time together. I’ve known her forever. She’s sweet.”

“That she is. But isn’t she—”

“Please don’t say that you’re surprised because she’s a nice girl and totally not my type.”

“Wow. Defensive much? That wasn’t what I was gonna say.”