Lassoed (Steele Ranch 5)

“Sweetheart, I’d bet my right nut they were all doing the exact same thing,” I told her.

She looked up at me and frowned, then laughed. “I happen to like that right nut.”

I swiped the tip of her nose with my finger. “Good to know.”

Natalie had finally fallen asleep around six—we’d made sure she’d practically passed out from pleasure—and didn’t wake up until an hour ago. Based on the fact that it was after noon and the trucks parked out front, I assumed we were the last to arrive.

Cricket and Sutton met us out on the porch. The weather was milder today, the storm having blown off overnight, and they left the door open behind them. Sutton was one scary looking guy. He’d even shot

point blank and killed a fucker who’d been after Kady. He hadn’t blinked an eye at it, and since last summer when it happened, he didn’t seem to regret it at all. Riley and Cord had, because they’d wanted to be the ones who took the guy out. With his close-cropped hair, tattoos and intensity, most people steered clear of Sutton. Cricket, however, had softened him. While I didn’t dare say that to his face, he’d probably agree. Our women were the best things that had happened to all of us. I gave Natalie’s shoulder a squeeze, for my own comfort and peace of mind instead of hers.

“You might not want to go in there,” Cricket warned, thumbing over her shoulder.

We stopped on the top step, Ashe right behind us.

“Why?” Natalie asked.

“I’m not fucking that pussy without a condom for two more months.” A voice shouted from inside. My eyebrows winged up at the very private words. Was that Boone?

I glanced at Sutton, who was slowly shaking his head, then at Cricket, who grinned.

“Penny is ready for another baby.” Sutton wasn’t one for many words, and his single sentence response explained it all.

“But I’m ready now. The doctor gave the go-ahead,” Penny countered.

“I’m a doctor and I say your body needs longer to recover. Tell me, kitten, are you picking a fight with me about this because you need my dick?”

It was quiet. Penny didn’t respond. I felt wildly uncomfortable for unintentionally eavesdropping. Cricket and Sutton acted as if this happened every time Penny and her men stopped by. Ashe and I had been to a few get-togethers with the group, but this was a first.

“Is it always like this?” Natalie asked.

Cricket laughed. “They don’t usually argue, but someone—or two someone’s—”

“Or three,” Sutton cut in.

“—usually has a quickie in the office or laundry room.”

“I heard about the quickie on the coffee table,” Ashe countered.

Sutton looked his way, face serious. “That wasn’t a quickie.”

I laughed, trying not to imagine what Cricket with her three men did not-so-quick in the great room.

A door slammed inside.

Cricket angled her head. “And there’s today’s quickie—with condoms.”

Sutton tugged Cricket back in the house now that the argument was over.

Natalie looked to Ashe, then me. “You’re not planning on dragging me off to some room for sexy times, are you?”

“Sexy times?” I loved that term. I tucked her hair behind her ear. “Do you want that?”

She shook her head, the wayward curl falling forward once again. “Everyone knowing we had sex last night? Fine. But I’m not getting it on just down the hall.”

She wasn’t an exhibitionist. Duly noted. I’d fuck her anywhere she needed it, including the laundry room, but I wasn’t bothered if it didn’t push one of her hot buttons. She was a wildcat in private and that worked for me.

The sound of a truck driving by had us turning. One of the ranch hands was driving by, heading down the driveway to the bunk house and stable area.