Cowboy Take Me Away (Rough Riders 16)

“Was it?”

“Yep. I think the new manager was a little scared of her, to be honest.”

“Any of your kids ever hear the story of their Mama’s bar fight?” Charlie asked.

Carson shook his head. “I can’t be sure someone else didn’t tell them about it.” He leaned back in the booth. “Charlie, you seem all het up about retirement.”

“I am. I never had time for hobbies besides huntin’. Don’t think I’m the sort to take up golf. Don’t wanna be in Vi’s hair all damn day.”

Cal leaned forward. “I know what you can do. Start a senior citizens bull ridin’ circuit. As the father of PBR World Finals contender Chase McKay, I’ll bet you’d get lots of interest and sponsorships.”

“Piss off, Cal,” Charlie said. “I don’t see you offerin’ up any ideas on how you’ll be spendin’ your days.”

“I’ll be bangin’ my wife.”

“That’ll kill three minutes,” Carson said dryly, “then whatcha gonna do the rest of the day?”

“And you can piss off too,” Cal said to Carson.

Another round of beers arrived. Carson looked at Lettie. “You a mind reader?”

“I’d be blushing for sure if I was reading your mind, Carson McKay,” Lettie shot back. “I’ve known you since your brawling days. Not that I ever saw that trait passed on to your sons.” She winked. “They flirt with me just as much as you do.”

Carson snorted. “You’ve been flirtin’ with me for forty-some years.”

“And you love it.” Lettie sighed. “We were hot stuff back in the day, weren’t we?”

“Yes, we were. Hot tempered, hot bodied,” he grinned at her, “hot to trot.”

“Anyway, this round has been paid for. Enjoy.”

They looked at each other and shrugged.

“Did either Kimi or Vi mention the urge to travel?” Carson asked.

“We get to several of Chase’s PBR events during the year. Don’t know if the boy will make it to Vegas this year. But besides that? Not really. Vi mentioned it’d be fun to take a family trip to Disney World with Quinn and Libby and the grandkids.”

“That’d be my idea of hell,” Carson grumbled. “God knows I love the grandkids, but there are so many of ’em we’d have to rent out the whole damn hotel.”

“Kimi is content to stay home,” Cal said. “Says she traveled enough after she graduated from the nunnery.”

“What about Carolyn?” Charlie asked.

“That’s the thing. I don’t know. We’ve never really talked about it. Like Kimi she’d rather stay home. But I wouldn’t mind hittin’ the open road and seeing some sights.”

Carson remembered that was the exact moment he decided to buy a RV. That way he and Carolyn could take off whenever they wanted and they’d still have the comforts of home.

In fact, he remembered thinking it was the most brilliant idea in the history of ideas. And since he was feeling more than a little smug, he decided he’d keep this fantastic idea to himself, lest one of his brothers take it and steal his thunder.

He’d make the purchase a surprise. He had a few months to research the best model. Next summer he’d just drive it on home. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face.

But five months later, when Carson pulled up in front of the house and honked the horn, he hadn’t expected Carolyn’s expression to border on horror as she walked down the porch steps.

After hopping out the driver’s side door, he bounded up the sidewalk toward her. “Isn’t she a beaut?”

“What in…” She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. He recognized the posture as Lord give me patience but he’d seen it directed at the kids, not at him.

Maybe she was just stunned he’d done something so thoughtful.

“Sugar, come on and see the inside. You’re gonna flip. It’s got everything.”

His ears must’ve been playing tricks on him because he swore he heard her mumble, “Including a maid?”

He pointed out the front area. “The seats are plush. Like sittin’ in my easy chair drivin’ down the road. And above us? We just slip a piece of padded wood across and it becomes an oversized bunk.” He led her to the kitchen. “I figured you’d love the full sized stove and oven. And the table folds down so it can be a living area or an extra bed.”

“Handy. I can make whoever is sleeping there breakfast in bed.”

“Exactly.” He paused. Wait a second. Was that…sarcasm?

Nah. He had to’ve misheard her.

“Down here you’ll find the bathroom.” He led her down the short hallway and pulled the folding door open. “With a corner shower it’s bigger than standard. Same with the toilet.” He gestured to the cabinet beside the door. “There’s a compact washing machine and dryer in there.”

She didn’t seem too impressed.

“Check this out.” Carson opened the door to the bedroom. “A king-sized bed. And look at all the storage.”

“For laundry, cleaning and cooking supplies no doubt.”

“No, I think it’s mostly closet space. But you can put whatever you want back here.” He perched on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress. “Shall we break it in?”

“Right now?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You busy doin’ something else?”

“Actually, yes. I was about to bake brownies and I’m starting supper. But maybe later?”

He stood and kissed her forehead. “Sure. But do you like it?”

“It’s…something all right.”

Later that night Carson convinced her to return to the camper, expecting she’d want to explore on her own. He was pretty damn proud of himself for figuring out how to hook up the satellite TV without pestering his kids for help.

After being married for so many years, he was all-pro at seducing his wife. But the whole time he was making love to her—or trying to—she didn’t seem that into it.

He stopped moving and looked down at her. “Am I boring you or something?”

Carolyn opened her eyes. “No, it’s fine.”

Fine? That less than enthusiastic response made him more determined to feel her clinging to him and moaning in his ear as she came undone. He nuzzled her throat, scattering those little sucking love bites she loved so much down the arch of her neck. When even that didn’t create the shivering and moaning effect, once again he stopped moving. “What’s goin’ on with you?”