Sweet-Loving Cowboy (Kinky Spurs 2)

“Just remember,” said Nash, moving toward the door, “Mom could walk in here any minute.” He glanced ov

er his shoulder with a typical smart-ass smirk. “You both might want to keep your pants on.”

Shep shoved Nash out the door. “For once, I actually thought you weren’t going to be an idiot.”

Nash burst out laughing. “A good brother warns of looming danger.”

His laughter eventually faded away as Shep shut the cabin door behind him. Harper chuckled too, but then found herself turned into Chase’s arms. The tenderness in his eyes made her quiet.

“You brought me dinner?” he asked.

She nodded, lacing her fingers around his back. “I thought you’d need a break.”

“You’re right. I do.” He brushed her hair off face, tucking the fallen strands behind her ear. “Will you come somewhere with me?”

Lost in the warmth of his gaze, she said, “I’ll go anywhere with you.”

* * *

Chase led Harper down the thin trail to the left of the farmhouse, passing by the horses grazing the field. He had walked this trail a thousand times growing up. So many of his childhood memories with Shep and Nash, and even Brody, were made right at this very spot.

When he reached the pond again, he spotted a fish jumping out of the water near the beaver dam at the far end. With the bag of their dinner in his hand, he stopped near the lily pads and turned to Harper behind him.

“Wow.” She smiled, holding Houdini in her arms. “It’s postcard pretty here.”

Chase watched the mama duck with her five ducklings that Houdini had frightened earlier swim by them. “It is that.”

When he turned to her again, her eyes became inquisitive. “How come you and Brody never brought me here as a kid? It’s so cool.”

“Because you’re a girl.” He pointed to the right toward the forest.

She followed his gaze and then laughed loudly, obviously spotting the sign on the faded tree house: NO GIRLS ALLOWED. There wasn’t anything fancy about the tree house. Ten feet by ten feet, it was made up of logs right off the forest floor, cut, and reinforced with more nails then necessary. The tree house had never been the best place to be in the rain since the space between the logs had never been filled, and the rain came through the small cracks on the roof.

“Did you make this?” Harper asked, drawing Chase’s attention back to her.

He nodded. “It’s my first log home.”

She gave a sweet smile then stepped forward in front of the tree house, with the forest hugging the back. She grabbed onto the ladder, then looked at him. “Will I kill myself if I go up?”

“Nope, you’re good. Go on up.” What Chase had learned in his teens was that his father had the wood sprayed and treated after Chase was done, ensuring the tree house would survive time. Only his father had not wanted Chase to know he helped a little, wanting him to believe he had finished the project on his own.

After she carefully climbed the ladder with Houdini in one arm, Chase followed her up and remained on his knees, unable to stand, and settled the blanket she’d grabbed from her trunk on the ground. She placed Houdini down first, and the puppy, obviously exhausted from the day, curled up in the corner away from the blanket altogether.

She gave the pup a kiss on the head. “He’s so sleepy. I take it he’s been playing all day?”

Chase gave a soft snort. “He’s had a busy day spending some time with Leah, and then Nash got him all worked up when he showed up.” The puppy began snoring, and Chase laughed. “It’s really is wild how he’s wide awake one minute and dead to the world the next.”

“That’s a lab puppy for you.” She smiled, then glanced around the tree house. “Is this where you and Brody used to spend all your time?”

Chase nodded.

She scooted forward on her knees until she reached the blanket, sitting cross-legged. “I’m insanely jealous right now. This would have been awesome to play in as a kid.”

“Yeah, we had fun here.” Tired himself, he lay down on the blanket, resting his weight on his one arm. He glanced around, knowing his career path began here. “I still come here sometimes.”

She gave him a cute smile. “Really? Do you and Brody play cops and robbers?”

“Funny.” He smiled back. “This is a good place to think when I need to.” He studied the wooden logs around him. “It reminds me of how I felt when I built this place.” He glanced her way and suspected his smile warmed. “I was so damn proud when I finished this tree house.”