by Beck, J. L.
He let a chuckle slip out. “I did make it all clear before, Daisy, dear. So, just get to planning, you got 3 days.”
Her eyes rounded and she planted her hands on her hips. “What?”
Rand outright laughed now at her usual ‘Daisy Stance’. “Again…you heard me right.” He turned and went to the door. “Get your own shotgun wedding arranged, Daisy girl, ’cause you ARE gettin’ hitched!” he taunted in a true southern drawl.
“And where the hell are you going?”
He turned to look at her, his eyes gleaming with serious intent now. “I’m making certain arrangements myself, if you must know. Like first off? I gotta buy the shotgun myself!” He laughed with that deep resonant Rand laugh she remembered from way back when, as he went through the door and shut it behind him.
Daisy dropped her hands from her ample hips, as her eyes grew beady. “Now, just what the hell is that Aussie up to? Buying a shotgun? I swear…he’s on a first name basis with the bottom of the dammed deck!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Call the dogs and piss on the fire—let's go!”
MAGGIE
Jet drove cautiously and not at all the way Maggie assumed he would. With his brash personality and his wild ways, she would’ve expected him to drive his ridiculously enormous vehicle like the monster truck it was. But… Nope, he took his time and like Texans would call it, he damned near mosied along.
“So… How much college did you take?” he spoke after about twenty straight minutes of silence.
Maggie almost jumped at the sound of his deep voice. “What?”
He kept his eyes on the road. “You know? What subjects and how long?”
Maggie looked back at the road ahead. “I went forever and a day, and I studied…nonsense & trouble.”
His gaze swung over, his eyes puzzled looking.
“Yeah and I got my BA in BS,” she quipped.
His eyes widened and then he threw his head back and let out a huge laugh.
Again, Maggie jumped. The sound was so rich and gratifying, it gave her true goose bumps. Oh, Mags, as soon as this behemoth truck stops? You are gonna get out and run like hell to leather!
“Now…that may just be the first true thing you’ve told me since I met you!” His chuckling continued.
Maggie smiled. Keep ’em off balance. Something Mama Daisy told her once. Then she remembered the rest of that advice. Keep ’em guessing and make sure they’re hoppin’ on one foot at all times. She shrugged her shoulders, as she never really figured that second part out. But she knew just now she was making good on the first part. “So…what is it that you do?” she asked in a stiff sounding voice. “Other than flash that pearly smile, hit on women and drive a small time Peterbilt?”
His chuckling halted so fast, he needed to clear his throat.
Maggie immediately looked away, so he wouldn’t see her self-satisfied smirk.
“What?” he asked in a stunned voice.
Biting at her lip and stifling a giggle, she answered, “Ya’ll heard me.”
Jet shook his head. “I work a ranch.” His answer sounded short and clipped.
Maggie swung her gaze over and that reoccurring ping of pity gonged like a church bell in her head. Then her eyes took in all of the hurt looking cowboy next to her.
Long legs, molded inside his jeans like god decided to make the jeans to fit those particular set of magnificent thighs. Her stunned gaze moved up to a solid waist, tapered almost perfectly to fit a woman’s greedy arms, then on up to a wide chest, that might be too chiseled as if an artist decided to go too far while sculpting a walking god.
She gulped as her throat simply dried up.
Then, her transfixed eyes rose to his face. BAM! The thud hit her heart. His eyes were looking straight at her. The bored look gone again, and it its place? Deep blue orbs full of cobalt fire.
She tried again to swallow and found that she couldn’t. “I’m sorry…” The regret in her voice rang out.
He shook his head. “The very last thing you are is sorry, little girl.” His eyes locked with hers. “But, someday, you might just apologize for real, all right.”
Maggie’s eyes widened at the low toned threat. What the hell did that mean? She felt nervous now. First off, when this ride started, she felt elated, then smug, now she was all the way back to terrified. God damnit, her big mouth just never let up! Speaking nonsense, then making trouble! If she didn’t know better, she could almost believe that was what she studied in college and her education led her to pissing off the one man who could possibly get into her panties with just his smile.
Suddenly, he turned off the highway they’d been on for all this time and the dirt road stretched out in front of them. They rode in utter tense silence now and Maggie thought about trying to ease that, but she didn’t trust her own big trap, so she simply studied the landscape.
They’d now been on this dirt road for like thirty minutes and she found she needed to go to the restroom. She looked out at the long stretch of land, covered in sagebrush and spots of mesquite trees, with patches of grazing grass. It just went on and on. Her bladder wanted her to find a bathroom. Hell, an outhouse would even be acceptable just about now. “Um, Jet?”
He grunted as a response… Possibly still pissed at her.
“When are we going to be at the—um…Triple K?”
He finally tuned his head to look at her. “We’ve been on the ranch for like 45 minutes.”
Her mouth dropped open.
Jet stared at her face and laughed. His bad mood seemed to evaporate almost instantly. “Yep, it goes on for 50,000 acres.”
“Oh no…”
“What’s the matter?”
“I can’t wait for any more acreage,” she admitted.
Jet looked perplexed again; it seemed like Maggie kept him in that state perpetually. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I gotta—” She gulped while she knew her cheeks were flaming pink. “I need to…”
His chuckling grew. “I’ll give ya one thing, you’re damned entertaining if nothing else.”
“Well, you are gonna get a floor show if you don’t find me a place to pee!” she squeaked out.
His smiling faded and he looked panicked. “Oh crap. We got another few miles to go.”
Shaking her head, Maggie felt like she was gonna pop any minute.
He pulled the truck to a sudden stop.
Maggie almost slammed into the dash. “Oh!” she gasped and fumbled with the door handle.
Jet was already at the door, pulling it open, unfastening her seatbelt and grabbing her up.
Sucking in her breath, Maggie never knew a big man like him could move so fast.
He swung her around and searched the area. He then rushed along the road, up and over the dirt bank, then halted again. “There!” he shouted. “A big bush.” He set her down.
“No way!” Maggie griped, as she danced the Pee-O-Pee jig as her daddy used to call it when she was a little girl. “A bush?” she exclaimed.
Jet shrugged. “Well hell, there ain’t no Waldorf Astoria out here in the middle of—”
“Oh, holy hell!” she shouted as her bladder was just about done with the wait. She scurried around to the other side of the large shrub like plant. “Turn your back, Mr. Kincade!” she ordered as she tugged her jeans down.
Low male chuckling could be heard from the other side of the bush as she did her business. “Oh, shut the hell up you big…” She just realized she didn’t have anything to wipe with. “Um…Jet?”
“Yes?” he called back as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth now.
“I don’t—I mean there’s no…”
Huge laughter filled the air. “Yes, Miss sassy college?” he called out with a smug voice.
“Oooh, are you gonna get it when I’m through!” she yelled back.
“Promises, promises,” he taunted back, as he appeared next to the bush with an old-fashioned handkerchief in his hand. His head remai
ned up with his very amused gaze trained toward the road.
Maggie gasped at the sight of his boots mere inches away from her embarrassing squat on the plains of Kincade land. She groaned and went to grab it from his hands.
He didn’t let go.
Her eyes rounded as she tugged on the cloth. “What the hell, Jet?” she yanked on it again.
He stood like the gentleman she knew he wasn’t, as he steadily kept his eyes on his truck. “I want you to tell me why you seem to dislike me so much and I want the truth.”
Maggie’s jaw dropped open. “What?”
“You heard me. I want the truth as to why you’ve gone out of yer way to humiliate me.”
“Oh, for Christ sake!” she swore.
“I mean it. Tell me true or…” He chuckled. “Wear wet panties the rest of the way. Although, being around me I wouldn’t expect anything different.”
She stared up at him, his profile almost shining in the sunlight as she squatted beside him. Of all the visions she had since she met this big hot, too good-looking cowboy, this picture happening here wasn’t what she thought would ever transpire. She let out a huge breath and told the golden truth. “I think you are too used to getting your way, you’ve lived a playboy life and think way too much of yourself, knowing that because of your looks? Women will fall at your feet!” The last part, she actually shouted up at him.
He flinched a little and she could see he really absorbed what she just said, then she saw his smile as he let go of the hanky. “Well, seems to me, Miss Smarty Pants…that you are now like all those women as you are at my feet.”
Maggie gasped as he stepped forward and left the bush side to head away to his truck.
“Oohh!” She steamed. “Revenge is gonna be sweeter than jarred jelly! No holds barred now. It IS on!”
Arriving at the Triple K
Maggie had fumed all the rest of the way along the ride. He’d gotten her back for the public humiliation of the hyena parlor mishap all right. Her brain was in overdrive while thinking of ways to best him once again.
Jet looked like the cat who done licked his way to the bottom of the cream bowl. He no longer scowled as he drove the same way as before, in a slow unhurried style and he even turned on the radio for a while humming his happy way through three country songs.
Maggie sat forward in her seat as the big house on the hill came into sight. She focused on the high archway with the gold letters, TRIPLE K. “Wow, real nice.”
Jet followed her gaze. “It’s kinda’ small but we call it home.”
Maggie tisked under her breath. “Ever since I landed here in Texas, I haven’t seen anything small.”
Jet chuckled. “Nope, I guess you wouldn’t.” He gazed over at her and gave her a wink. “There’s more big things waitin’ for you, if you play your cards right.”
Maggie wore a beady-eyed look as she intended to give him a hurtful retort. She opened her mouth to give him a blast of belittling—then she saw him. “Oh!” she squealed with delight.
“What?” Jet jumped in his seat while looking surprised.
“Stop the truck over there!” she shouted as she pointed to the horse-training arena.
He shrugged while wearing a curious expression and did as Miss Bossy ordered.
Jet barely had the truck in park as Maggie hopped down the long drop to the ground and ran like her ass was on fire toward the arena where a bunch of the ranch hands were gathered while leaning against the fences to watch the practice. “Wade!” she called out.
The big Aussie turned and stared at her, then he too took off running toward her. Grabbing her up, he swung her around. “Yee fucking haw!” he shouted. “It’s my Mags!” He kissed her cheeks with exuberance and hugged her tight.
Maggie kissed his cheeks back and laughed like she wouldn’t stop, as he raised her up in the air and swung her all around.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BREA
Arriving back at Triple K…
Brea snuggled against Cole’s body for the last hour of the drive. She thought about a lot of things on the ride over. First and foremost—Cole’s marriage proposal. She’d come to the conclusion that he must’ve gotten carried away in the moment of passion. Oh, what passion the man was indeed capable of! She’d dreamt of him for all those months when she felt too scared to approach him while slaving away at the Flat Top Diner. But damn, she never dreamed of the real life cowboy being more than she fantasized about. In the few weeks she’d known him intimately, she knew now she couldn’t ever live without him.
So, it didn’t matter if he’d meant what he said about marrying her. He’d already said he loved her and he showed her every minute just how much. It was good enough for a girl who never expected this to happen so fast and it being even more wonderful than a dream.
The truck slowed as Cole nudged her. “Are ya awake, sweet Brea?” he asked warmly.
“Hell yeah, I’ve been awake, just enjoying your warmth.” She sat up and saw the familiar big archway to the Triple K.
“Looks like the boys are gettin’ ready for the events again.”
She gazed through the windshield and squinted her eyes. “The events?”
“Yeah, the rodeo. Jet is big on it and so are a few of the ranch hands. Why, Jet has made thousands in it.”
Brea felt shocked at this news. “But bull ridin’ takes discipline and hard work.”
Cole chuckled. “Yeah and he does it!” He shook his head. “He’s mostly lazy about the ranch work, but not about the rodeo.” He pulled the truck up about 100 yards from the 3 K arena. “Wanna watch for a few minutes?”
Brea nodded. “Sure, I think it’s fascinating.”
Cole grinned and tugged her close. “You do know I just asked, so I can grope ya in my truck.”
Brea laughed. “Go ahead and brand me, cowboy. I’m yours for the gropin’!”
They both laughed, then Brea squealed as he grabbed her boobs and began fondling her. “Yep, this here is called ropin’ the lush puppies!”
The couple kept laughing while their hands roamed all over each other.
Cole was busy thoroughly kissing her neck, as Brea’s panties just kept getting wetter and her breathing growing shallower. Then, she heard hollering and shouting.
He pulled his lips away as he must have heard it too. He sat up, as did Brea, both staring out through the windshield. Both their mouths popped wide open at the unbelievable sight near the arena.
Maggie was being twirled around by a big dark headed man. She kept laughing and he was kissing her cheeks.
Then, they spotted Kanda tugging her boot on while half running toward the arena. She halted to a dead stop, her face paling by two shades as she stared at the same sight.
“Holy shit on a crap cracker!” Cole muttered.
“What? Who is it?”
Cole looked angry. “God damnit all.”
Next thing they knew, Jet stalked over and stood by, while the couple continued to carry on with their hugging and kissing in front of everybody.
Everybody…being the entire population of the Triple K ranch, were all gawking at the scene with confused expressions or with animated curious glee, depending on what their opinions were.
“I think we’re gonna have something as nasty as the Alamo showdown right quick here, if someone doesn’t do something.”
Brea looked back and forth. “What? I don’t get it.”
“See that big man Maggie is hugging?”
“How could anyone miss him?” she asked with a bit of smart-ass in her voice.
“You need to listen and do what I tell ya.”
Her confused gaze shot over to him.
“See the look on my sister’s face?” He pointed Kanda out.
Brea gazed over at her. “Oh…”
“The big guy is her new man.”
“Oh!” Brea jumped as realization just smacked right into her.
“If I know my sister? Your little sis is about to get a mud hole stomped i
n her.”
Brea blinked her eyes as pure panic kicked in. “OH!”
“Go get her and take her into the house, and don’t stop for nuthin’!”
Brea nodded, opened the door and jumped down out of the truck.
Cole also made his way over to stop the fireworks, which looked to be his brother and the dynamite that was definitely his sister from going off. In turn, they were both heading to blow up the mountain, which certainly looked to be Wade.
CHAPTER TWENY-FOUR
“Bulldoggin’, it’s only for the big, bad and the brave.”
KANDA
Triple K Spread…
Kanda woke up in her own bed and stretched her body out. It’d been just a short while since she met that fine piece of man from down under and she’d learned now, this is what it feels like to have a man. She winced a little as her body felt so tender, so sore and sooo fucking fantastic! Not just any man either…only Wade Monroe. She felt around on the bed beside her where she knew he’d spent hours sleeping next to her and found the bed empty. She sat up and looked around. Her bathroom door stood open and she swung her gaze to the bedroom door…closed.
Where the hell is he?
She heard loud noises coming from outside and she wrapped the sheet around her, then made it to the window. She squinted her eyes to see clouds of dust blowing up from the roping arena. What the blazes? She rushed to her dresser and got out underwear, bra and some socks. Dressing frantically, she heard some loud hollering, so with one boot in her hand, she raced down the stairs and out the front door.
Kanda stood frozen. What the hell is going on? Who is the damned cute blonde woman Wade is hugging and squeezing? Her heart pounded in her ears as she stomped over to where they were. She and her brother, Jet, who stood on the other side of them, locked eyes for a second and she realized he looked almost as angry as she felt. Mmm, not another floozy of his, I hope!
Brea Plush came out of nowhere and plucked the pretty blonde up as the girl squealed at her, “What the hell, Brea?” she exclaimed.