Chalk it up to my agitated state of mind, but it was only then that I realized neither Troy nor Joe had on anything but boots and briefs and also that Joe had a hickey the size of a quarter adorning the base of his neck. No wonder Dad had thought we were all drunk.
“You did great,” I assured them. “Of course, Dusty was doing pretty well on his own.” I hugged him tightly. “You saved my life this time, didn’t you? I guess that makes us even.” Actually, I was still one up on him since that first shot would have undoubtedly killed him if I hadn’t spoiled Rufus’s aim. However, I chose not to mention it.
“Sort of,” he replied. “But I think it means you belong to me now.”
“Now, there’s a moot point if I ever heard one,” I declared. “I—”
I didn’t get the chance to complete that sentence because at that precise moment, the phone rang.
“Miss Angela,” Bull said when I answered the phone. “Is anyone comin’ to get me? I called the bunkhouse again ’cause I was so rattled I forgot to tell Rufus to have them bring me some frickin’ clothes when they came, but nobody answered the goddamn phone.”
“Well, Rufus was coming,” I said. “But he’s been…delayed. Mind telling me why you need clothes?” I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud. Bull sounded pretty desperate, and for some inexplicable reason, I didn’t want him to think I was laughing at him.
First time for everything…
“That girl I was with turned out to be a goddamn hooker,” he exclaimed. “I didn’t have the money to pay her—although I didn’t tell her that until after I’d done her. I just figured she’d drive me home and I could pay her ass then, but you know what that stinkin’ little cunt did? I got out of her car to take a piss, and she drove off and left me there with nothing but my shorts and my boots. The little shit got my clothes, my wallet, and my hat—although she threw my wallet out the window after she took all the money I had left. Now, why would she do a thing like that? I woulda paid her. Hell, I always pay.”
“Okay, okay,” I soothed. “Where are you?”
“The police station,” he replied. “The cops picked me up and wanted to charge me with indecent exposure until I told them my story. Now they’re just keepin’ me here until someone comes after me.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. “Let me get this straight. You told the police you’d stiffed a hooker and they’re letting you go?” Somehow the justice of that scenario escaped me.
“Dammit, I didn’t tell them she was a frickin’ hooker.” By this time, he sounded more impatient than desperate. “I told them my girlfriend dumped me—I mean, it happened to Troy, didn’t it? It could happen to me too.”
I was about to point out that he actually had to have a girlfriend before she could dump him, but somehow managed to refrain from commenting. “I don’t suppose any of the police can hear this conversation, can they? Because if so, they’re gonna know you lied.”
“They already do,” he said. “But they thought it was so goddamned funny, they didn’t have the heart to lock me up—said I’d already gotten what I deserved. You know, I think the cops around here must be in cahoots with the damned hookers. I mean, why else would they side with her instead of me? They ought to be lookin’ to arrest her butt for prostitution and for stealing my clothes instead of lockin’ my ass up, doncha think?”
Honest to God, the more he talked, the deeper he dug the hole. “Okay, Bull. Let me speak with one of the officers.”
The phone popped and crackled in my ear as he apparently set it down. “Hey,” he shouted. “Could one of you guys come talk to my boss?” I heard a chair screeching on the floor as though someone had jumped to their feet rather abruptly, followed by brisk footsteps. “Now, you watch your mouth,” Bull said in a loud whisper. “This ain’t no piece of ass. This is a lady.”
I had to press my hand to my mouth to keep from laughing as the officer took the phone.
“Yes, ma’am?” he said with barely concealed amusement.
After counting to three to regain my composure, I said, “I don’t suppose you’d consider giving him something to wear and keeping him overnight, would you?”
“Are you kidding? If we could’ve stood listening to him, we’d have arrested him. If it’s all the same to you, we’d like to get him out of here.”
“Actually, I have someone else here who needs arresting. Our foreman just tried to kill one of my ranch hands…and me. He’s also admitted to killing my husband two years ago.”
That certainly got his attention. “We’ll be there as soon as we can. And we’ll bring that other one with us.”
I could almost hear his unspoken question as to why it was that, having had a perfectly good murderer around to dispatch him, Bull had somehow managed to stay alive. Until that moment, I would have been hard-pressed to come up with a reply, but I knew the answer now. As far as Rufus was concerned, Bull was the model cowboy. I didn’t particularly care for him in general—and certainly not in the romantic sense—and despite his language, he had always shown me the respect due to a lady, albeit in his own inimitable way. Rufus had never had anything to fear for me where Bull was concerned.
I thanked the officer and hung up the phone, turning to survey the room. “Seeing as how everyone else is here, we should probably have a meeting or something. Where’s Calvin?”
“Oh, you know Calvin,” Joe said. “He’s probably still in his bed, snoring to beat the band. It’d take more than a pistol shot a hundred yards away to wake him up.”
I gave an involuntary shudder. “I’m so glad you guys were home when Bull called. Otherwise, things might have turned out a lot differently.”
“I was doing all right without them,” Dusty insisted as he hobbled over to sit on the side of the bed. “I could’ve taken him.”
“Sure you could,” Troy said with a smirk. “Right after Angie sat on him long enough for you to get up. That was one helluva crash when you hit the floor. I guess it’s a good thing your dick was soft or you’d have broken it when you landed.”
“I did bruise my nuts,” Dusty admitted, rubbing his groin. “Otherwise, I probably could’ve gotten up quicker.”
“You hurt your cute little balls?” I exclaimed, horrified at the possibility. “Let me see.” It was as good an excuse as any to get my hands on him again. Not that I truly needed an excuse.
“I’m going back to bed,” Dad announced. “This is too much excitement for an old man. Let me know how things turn out.”
Apparently if I was planning to marry Dusty, Dad considered it okay for me to check out Dusty’s groin injury, although he obviously had no intention of standing around to watch while I did it. Joe and Troy, however, had no such qualms and stood by, snickering.
“Why don’t you ask her to kiss it and make it better?” Troy suggested as I took Dusty’s scrotum in my hand to inspect it for damage. Just what I would have done if I’d actually found any bruises I had no idea, but for some reason it seemed important for me to give him my immediate attention. Actually, Troy’s suggestion wasn’t half bad. I didn’t think Dusty would like it very much if I were to put ice on it, for example.
“Why don’t you go fuck yourself?” Dusty shot back. “She’s doing a fine job without any help from the likes of you.”
“Ooh, he’s a bit testy, isn’t he?” Troy commented—he could certainly be a sarcastic little shit when the spirit moved him, but that was part of his charm. “I guess that’s the thanks I get for saving his ass. Must not have gotten laid before Rufus came barging in, huh?”
“Just goes to show what you know,” Dusty said with a smug grin.
“Oh, I get it,” Troy said with a knowing nod. “It’s because she hasn’t sucked your balls yet, and now they’re too sore. Too bad, Dusty. You know, you haven’t lived until Angie’s sucked your balls.”
“You must not have gotten l
aid tonight, either, or you wouldn’t be in such a pissant mood now, would you?” Dusty retorted.
“Well, it’s for sure nobody sucked my balls,” Troy admitted. “And I—”
“Speaking of sucking,” I interjected, glancing over my shoulder. “Joe, would you care to tell us what happened to your neck?”
Blushing a fiery shade of red, Joe stared at the floor, his fingers unerringly touching the spot in question. “Jenny wanted to pretty me up some. Said this was more…decorative.”
“You must not have shown her your dick then,” Troy said with a knowing grin. “She wouldn’t have said you needed decorating if she’d seen that.”
I had an idea she would’ve tied ribbons around his dick—once she recovered from the shock. I hadn’t completely recovered myself. That first glimpse nearly had my eyes popping out of their sockets. I couldn’t help wondering how long it would take Jenny to get used to it.
Maybe never.
“No, I didn’t show her my dick,” Joe growled. “I just met her. You don’t do something like that the first time you meet a woman.”
This time I had no hope of controlling my giggles. “Troy does. I saw his before we even got out of the truck.” I’d jacked it off too. Truth be told, I’d never seen an ejaculation with that much force behind it before. Apparently his sperm cells were as spunky as the rest of him.
Joe stared at Troy in patent disbelief. “Do you mean to tell me that as good-looking as you are, you still have to resort to whipping out your dick to impress a woman?”
Troy shrugged. “Hey, you use whatever works for you.”
It had certainly worked in my case—although to be honest, I’d been more taken with his ass.
The implications were obviously beginning to sink into Joe’s befuddled mind. “Damn… With my dick I could’ve had—”
“—all the pussy you could possibly want,” Troy finished for him. “I can hear them now: ‘Oh, Joe,’” he said, pitching his voice to a girlish falsetto. “‘My pussy is so hot and empty. I need your big dick to fill it up and stretch it ’til I scream.’” He paused, grinning. “Or something to that effect.”
Troy was certainly on a roll. All the excitement must’ve had his testosterone and adrenaline levels soaring—either that or he was still a little drunk. I was okay with that, though. Given the serious nature of the evening’s events, we all needed a bit of comic relief.
“Well, shit,” Joe swore. “Who knew?”
I cleared my throat. “That might not work with every woman, Joe. It might get you arrested.”
“You should ask them first,” Dusty suggested. “That is, if you could ever get the nerve to actually say something like that.”
I couldn’t see it happening myself. Joe wasn’t the type to toot his own horn, much less brag about his dick.
“You could make it a regular part of introducing yourself,” Troy said. “Hey, baby. I’m Joe Knight.” With a suggestive flick of his brow, he sidled up to Joe, sounding like some god-awful prick of a lounge lizard. “Wanna see my sword? It’s really huge.”
Joe gave Troy a shove and he staggered sideways, laughing his head off and nearly crashing into my dresser.
We probably could’ve carried on like that all night, but Rufus was beginning to stir. The thought of him getting his gun back and going on another shooting spree didn’t appeal to me at all.
“Hey, guys,” I said. “Think you could tie him up with something and make sure that pistol isn’t where he can reach it?”
“Sure you don’t want to kick the living shit out of him before the cops get here?” After all the banter, Troy’s expression was far more serious than I would’ve expected.
I stared at Rufus, lying there in the hallway. “I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind, but I think I’ll pass. He’s been in hell for years. Nothing I could do to him could possibly make him feel any worse.”
“Might make you feel better, though,” Dusty said.
“I don’t think so,” I replied, turning to gaze lovingly at him as he sat there beside me, unabashedly nude with my hand still caressing his sore crotch. “Besides, that’s your job now.”
Dusty sat up straighter, his brow rising in surprise. “Full time? You mean that’s all I have to do? Not rope calves anymore? Not mend fences?”
“Trust me, it doesn’t work that way,” Troy told him sadly. “She’ll still make you work.”
I aimed a withering glance at Troy. “It’s different when you marry the boss and own the ranch.” I turned back to find Dusty smiling at me, which wasn’t surprising since I had moved on from his balls to caress his stiffening rod.
“C’mon, Joe,” Troy said with a scowl. “Let’s get Rufus tied up and get out of here. If I have to stand around watching her playing with Dusty’s dick much longer, I’m gonna have to go fuck something.” He sounded downright jealous, which was something I hadn’t had to deal with in my entire life. I had no idea how to handle it—except with that cluster fuck thing.
Fortunately, Joe had a suggestion. “What about Rachel? You probably could’ve gone home with her, you know. You’re so damned cute you can get away with anything.”
Joe’s problem-solving skills were beginning to impress me. I thought perhaps he might make a good foreman.
Troy gave his chin a thoughtful rub. “Yeah. I could’ve fucked her. I mean, I liked her. Caroline was prettier, but Rachel was very nice—good dancer too. Hmm…” The wheels were turning visibly in his head. I couldn’t recall having ever seen him think that hard before. But then I hadn’t known him for very long.
Joe chuckled. “I’d be willing to bet she’s never had anyone like you in her life.”
I certainly never had, so it was a safe bet Rachel hadn’t, either. Troy was unique—both in looks and in temperament.
“I can’t remember her ever having a boyfriend,” I said. “You might actually be the first. She’s a veterinarian, so she could probably afford to keep you. Play your cards right and you could be a real boy toy if you wanted. She even has a swimming pool. You could lie around the pool during the day and fuck her brains out at night.”
Troy’s expression brightened considerably. “I’ll have to think about that.”
With incentives like that, Troy might not even stick around until Dusty could ride again. What with Rufus going to jail—or a mental hospital, which was more likely—pretty soon I wouldn’t have any cowboys at all, especially if Joe got together with Jenny.
I’d be left with Bull and Calvin.
Shit.
Chapter 28
Joe and Troy managed to get Rufus tied up without too much trouble, and I helped Dusty get dressed before the police got there. Fortunately, we were spared a visit with Bull. The police dropped him off at the bunkhouse before coming to get Rufus.
Rufus.
In his own crazed mind he’d been protecting me for years—whether I’d needed his protection or not. I’d missed out on so much because of him, and my husband had lost his life. I couldn’t help wondering what my life—and Cody’s—would’ve been like without so much interference. Cody had been a wonderful husband, but I’d never had the chance to have fun with all the cowboys we’d employed. We could have had barbecues and barn dances. Midnight rides on the range. Closeness and camaraderie, if not actual sexual contact. Simple hugs or a pat on the back would have been preferable to never being touched at all.
I’d loved most of the men who’d ever worked for us—each in his own special way and some more than others—but I’d cared about them nonetheless. Loved their goofy looks, their stubbornness, and their vulnerability. I didn’t so much regret the lack of romance as I did missing out on their friendship. Perhaps that’s why I had loved Cody so completely. From my perspective, he was the only man on God’s green earth who found me attractive and lovable and worthy of his friendship. We truly had been best friends as
well as lovers—laughing at life’s humorous moments as well as heating each other’s blood with a carefully aimed glance.
The similarity between Cody and Troy was simple yet so subtle I hadn’t put it together before. Both had come from outside Rufus’s range of influence and were therefore unaffected by his strictures. After Cody’s death, I’d been so stifled by those rules it was no wonder I’d gone overboard with Troy. Given the way I felt—as evidenced by the fantasy that had carried me away so completely—it was a wonder I’d kept my hands off him for even as long as I did. Believing that men found me unattractive in general might have had something to do with that, but apparently I’d been wrong about how they felt.
So completely and utterly wrong…
Rufus came to after they’d tied him up and the look in his eyes when he saw me nearly tore my heart out. I’d never seen such an expression of pain and anguish. No doubt he was convinced I’d betrayed him. After he’d “protected” me for so long, I thanked him by sending him to jail. He never said a word to me or to anyone else, but went quietly, barely heeding the officer who read him his rights.
Perhaps he was simply exercising his right to remain silent, but I’d expected ravings or recriminations—protests of his innocence at the very least. The complete and utter silence was even harder to bear. No, I wouldn’t have taken my revenge on him for what he’d done or what he’d tried to do, even though he’d killed my husband. Rufus must’ve believed Cody deserved to die for hurting me. In actuality, Cody’s only fault had been that at least one time—although I couldn’t figure out precisely when—he’d made me scream in ecstasy loud enough for Rufus to hear it. I couldn’t help wondering how short Cody’s life would have been if we’d been less discreet.
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