Her Dirty Cowboys

by Roma James

  I nodded. I had complete confidence in my guys. If anyone could catch this person, they could. But yeah… that day couldn’t come fast enough.

  I couldn’t help but feel out of place as I stood and watched Logan, the veterinarian, check on the horses with Janessa by his side. Her uncle had gone out to the pasture to check on the cattle. Prescott and Cole had to leave for a while so they could go help respond to an accident on the state highway, but they were going to come back to pick me up after they were finished there.

  So that just left the four of us—Logan, Janessa, Becca, and me. And judging from the looks Becca kept tossing my way, she felt as out of place as I did.

  Dealing with animals up close like this was something we just weren’t used to. But maybe this was good practice. I mean, I’d need to get used to it if I was going to make a home on Cole’s ranch someday, right?

  It also didn’t help that the vet gave me the creeps. Not that he’d said or done anything to me, of course. If I didn’t knock him out myself, my guys definitely would have.

  But Janessa had mentioned a couple of times that he’d sort of tried to flirt with her, and I felt second-hand embarrassment for her just thinking about it.

  Not only was the guy so not her type, but anyone with eyes could see that she was only interested in Cade and Boone. But maybe this vet wasn’t good at picking up signals like that. He definitely seemed more at ease with animals than with other people.

  “So you see, they really are doing better,” Logan said, smiling as he reached out and rubbed Janessa’s back for a few seconds before letting his hand drop again. “But it’s good to give them regular check-ups like this. Can’t be too careful with all the craziness going on lately.”

  I watched as she took a step back, only for him to take another step in her direction. And then another step. Now he was definitely in her space.

  Becca and I exchanged looks. We needed to do something. We both stepped forward at the same time, and I cleared my throat, startling him into taking a half-step back in the right direction. At least that was a small victory. But he was still too close, in my opinion.

  “What time did you say Cole and Boone were coming back?” I asked, probably a little louder than necessary.

  Her face lit up—maybe because I’d just mentioned her guys, or maybe because she could see exactly what I was trying to do. Maybe both.

  “Soon, I hope,” she said, even though I already knew it would be sometime tomorrow at the earliest. Logan didn’t need to find out about that part, though. “Did I tell you, Logan? Cade, Boone, and I are together now.”

  Logan looked like he’d been about to say something but closed his mouth and frowned instead. “That’s… great news,” he said, obviously lying.

  “Yeah,” she continued. “They would be here now, but they had to go back and check on their place. Like you said, can’t be too careful—oh, God, that reminds me.” She lowered her voice, turning completely serious. “Did you hear about what happened to that guy from the USGS? Now that is crazy, right?”

  He nodded. “Hard to believe someone would try to hurt a guy like that. He’s lucky they got him to the hospital.”

  Janessa looked back at me and Becca, then nibbled at her lip for a moment before she continued. “Um, except… he wasn’t so lucky. He passed away this morning.”

  “What?” Logan’s eyes went wide as he sucked in a sharp breath. “I-I had no idea. My God, that’s… that’s…” He paused and took another deep breath, then closed his eyes for a few more seconds before he spoke again. “That’s unfortunate. And terribly sad.” He slowly walked over to his medical bag and picked it up off the floor. He was moving like he was in a daze. “I should probably go now. It was… was good talking to you again, Janessa. Just, ah… just let me know if you ever need anything.”

  We barely had time to say goodbye before he had disappeared out the stable door. “That was weird,” Becca said. “He’s… yeah. Weird.”

  Janessa nodded. “I didn’t know how he’d react to the news that I’m dating Cade and Boone. I hated telling him like that, but… what was I supposed to do?”

  “I think you handled it perfectly,” I said. “I mean, it’s not like you have any control over his reactions. And it’s better that he found out from you than…”

  “Oh, God.” She grimaced. “I hate to think of how the conversation would have gone if Cade and Boone had been here. Those three don’t get along very well at all.”

  I just nodded. Even without the whole Cade and Boone thing, Logan Hensley was… well, like Becca had said, weird.

  At least he was gone, though. Now all I wanted was for my guys to come back.

  Chapter 19

  Daisy Lynn

  We didn’t say much on the way back to Prescott’s house. The guys were as attentive and sweet as always, but I could tell there was something bothering them, something just under the surface.

  But if I was being totally honest, I didn’t mind the quiet ride. It had been such a crazy, stressful, weird day that a little peace and quiet seemed to do us all some good.

  Only once we were back safe and sound, comfy in Prescott’s big bed, did I want to bring up anything else that had happened that day.

  “I hope the wreck on the highway wasn’t too bad,” I said, nuzzling into Cole’s shoulder as I took Prescott’s hand and draped it across my stomach. God, I lived for moments like this. Quiet. Sweet. Loving. “You guys were gone longer than I thought you would be.”

  “Sorry about that, baby,” Prescott said, pressing a kiss against my cheek as his big hand moved from my belly to just under my breast. I fought back a smile, knowing where his mind and his hand were probably heading. “We probably should have called, but I didn’t want to worry you if it turned out to be nothing.”

  “If what turned out to be nothing?” I asked, all thoughts of hands and breasts and other fun things suddenly forgotten. “Is everything okay?”

  “You’ll have to forgive him, beautiful,” Cole said, sighing as he brushed a strand of hair back from my forehead and looked down into my eyes. “Prescott has been single for so long that he’s forgotten telling someone not to worry is like blasting a damn alarm.”

  Prescott groaned. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that we got another call while we were out. There was some vandalism out at the Winslow ranch.” I gasped, but he hurried to continue. “Nobody was hurt this time, thank God. They didn’t even go near the animals. There were some broken windows, slashed tires, that sort of thing. But…”

  He paused and looked over at Cole. Even without being able to fully see both of them due to where I was lying between them, I knew they were doing That Thing with their eyes. One of these days, they were going to have to give me a crash course on all their little looks.

  “But what?” I prompted as the silent communication dragged on for a few seconds. “Broken windows, slashed tires… what else?”

  “That was it, really,” Cole said, picking up where Prescott had left off. “But there was something about it. Usually with that kind of vandalism, they’ll let the air out of the tires or maybe poke a hole with a knife. These were long, deep slashes that went nearly all the way around each tire. And… I don’t really know how to explain it, but it feels like these things that are happening around town are being driven by someone’s emotions. This isn’t someone who is cold and calculating. This is someone who’s pissed off. Looking to send a message. Looking…”

  “For revenge,” Prescott finished.

  I felt a chill go through my entire body at that word. Revenge. Revenge could make people do crazy things. Bad things. Deadly things.

  That was almost scarier to me than if they’d said the person had been cold and calculating. At least that meant there was a plan somewhere.

  But anger? Revenge? Those were unpredictable.

  And the more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense. The crimes themselves—poisoning, arson, assault, vandalism, more poisoning—had
been unpredictable with no rhyme or reason that we’d been able to pick up on.

  Was it all just happening on a whim? Someone who was simply acting out in dangerous ways every time they got pissed off?

  That thought sent another chill up my spine.

  “It’s okay,” Prescott whispered as he and Cole both moved to wrap their arms around me. “We’re okay. You’re okay. We’re going to make sure it stays that way. I promise.”

  I nodded, because I really did want to believe them. I knew for sure they’d do everything they could to keep me safe. I didn’t doubt that for a single second. And I trusted them completely. I trusted them with my life.

  But I wasn’t naive. I knew they couldn’t be here watching over me every minute of every day.

  And that’s why I knew Prescott’s promise was impossible to keep. I just hoped we never had to put it to the test.

  I wasn’t sure what time it was when I woke up. I tried to raise my head to see the clock on the bedside table, but Prescott’s muscular shoulder was completely blocking my view.

  Which was perfectly fine with me. I’d take waking up like this—lying in bed with my guys on either side of me, our arms and legs entwined—than to an alarm clock any day of the week.

  I could tell that it was morning, at least. Super early, judging by the faint gray light that filtered in through the curtains. Too early to be awake, for sure.

  I tried to get some more sleep, especially since I didn’t want to wake my guys up. We’d all had a rough day, but theirs had been especially tough—first dealing with Nora, then that wreck, then the vandalism out at Derek Winslow’s ranch. If I hadn’t been so thoroughly wedged between them, I would’ve happily crawled out of bed and started making breakfast.

  That would’ve been a nice way for them to wake up.

  Except… that wasn’t what happened.

  What actually happened was that I’d tried to move just a little, just to test how tangled our arms and legs really were so I could see if making breakfast really was a possibility. And maybe it was their super sharp cop senses, or maybe they were just both that in tune with everything I did and every move I made, but my slight shift triggered some kind of protective response in them that made them squeeze me tighter and start pulling me in opposite directions.

  It would have been super adorable if it hadn’t made me feel like one of those wishbones you pull out of a turkey. It all happened so fast that it startled a half-gasp, half-squawk from the back of my throat.

  And then I was staring directly into Prescott’s deep brown eyes.

  Sexy eyes.

  Alert eyes.

  Concerned eyes.

  “What happened, baby?” he asked, thankfully loosening his grip on my arm and relaxing those leg muscles that had my thigh trapped between them.

  “Everything okay?” Cole asked from behind me as he also slowly untangled himself. “What time is it?”

  “Too early,” I said, giving him a sleepy smile. “I was going to make breakfast for you guys before you woke up, but…” I nibbled at my lip. “I, um… got stuck.”

  “You’re adorable when you’re stuck,” Prescott said, giving me a sweet kiss. “And I appreciate the thought, but you don’t have to get up early to do that. Sleep a little more if you want, hon. We can all make breakfast together later.”

  “Yeah,” Cole added, his hand skimming up from my hip to my side in a way that tickled and felt really good at the same time. “What’s the rush to get out of bed? We could sleep or… do other things.”

  “I vote for other things,” Prescott said, planting a trail of kisses from my lips down to my neck as he slowly moved his hand up my thigh. “And I can think of so many things.”

  For several long seconds, I didn’t say anything. I even started to lose track of time as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of their hands and mouths on my body.

  “Seems like…” I sucked in a sharp breath as someone’s fingers reached the top of my thigh and then teased around the folds of my pussy. I was already flooded with a wet heat, so ready and eager for everything they were doing. “Seems like we have a—ah—unanimous… vote.”

  I opened my eyes just as Prescott slipped a finger inside me, making me moan and arch my back. Cole didn’t skip a beat, lowering his head and letting his teeth graze the pebbled bud of my nipple to pull one more moan from my throat.

  God, it felt so, so good.

  It was only after my hips thrust up of their own free will that I realized I was being selfish. My guys’ hard cocks were pressed against me on both sides, and I wasn’t about to let an opportunity like that pass me by.

  I reached down, grabbing one with each hand, slowly caressing them as they kept their attentions focused on me. I gradually fisted them faster, harder, each stroke in time with Prescott’s finger sliding in and out of my tight entrance. He added a second finger just as Cole moved to my other breast, taking my nipple between his finger and thumb and gently squeezing and rolling it until I was panting for more.

  “Oh, God… oh, God…” My hips bucked against Prescott’s hand and I gripped both cocks harder. My guys rewarded me with deep, gravelly moans that only made me want more.

  “Fuck, baby,” Prescott ground out through gritted teeth as he moved his own hips in time with each stroke. “You’re so fucking sexy. Gonna… gonna make me come soon.”

  “Fuck yeah,” Cole growled as he looked up at me from where he was still teasing my nipples with his fingers, teeth, and tongue. “Gonna make us come all over that sexy body of yours, beautiful.”

  “Yes.” I nodded frantically. “God, yes… I’m so close, too. Just a… just a little… m-more…”

  Prescott’s thumb rubbed against my most sensitive spot and my whole world exploded. Every nerve ending in my body from the soles of my feet to the top of my head came alive and I cried out as my body rocked against him. I felt like I was floating—like I would have lifted right off the bed if my guys hadn’t been there holding me in place.

  “Oh, fuck,” Prescott groaned as hot jets spilled over my fist and onto my thigh.

  In my other hand, I felt Cole’s cock swell and throb as his own climax overtook him.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chanted as I finished stroking him.

  They collapsed on either side of me, lightly covering me with kisses as our bodies entwined all over again.

  Yeah, this was where I wanted to be. The only place I needed to be.

  Right here with my guys.

  Always.

  Chapter 20

  Daisy Lynn

  “Baby! Daisy Lynn!” My eyes snapped open at the sound of Prescott’s voice, but it still took my brain a couple of seconds to wake up.

  I blinked and tried to shake the sleep away as I raised my head up off the pillow. “What… what’s going on? Why are you out of bed? What time is it?”

  I turned and looked behind me, suddenly realizing I couldn’t feel Cole’s body pressed against mine anymore, either. And yeah, he was gone, too.

  “You have to get up, baby,” Prescott said, reaching out to help me out of bed but maddeningly refusing to answer any of my questions. “We’ve gotta get dressed. There’s been an emergency.”

  Suddenly, I was more awake than I would have thought possible. My feet hit the floor as a surge of adrenaline rushed through me, making my stomach flip as I tried to stay calm enough to figure out what the hell was going on.

  “What is it?” I asked, searching around on the floor for my clothes. Prescott helpfully fetched my bra and panties from opposite sides of the room while I grabbed the shirt and shorts I’d been wearing the day before. Whatever. It was an emergency. I froze as a thought hit me. “Oh, God. Is it Janessa? Is she okay?”

  He nodded, thank goodness. “She’s fine, baby, but—”

  Before he could get another word out, Cole burst into the room. He was already in his full police uniform, and Prescott was pulling his own uniform on a lot faster than I was managing with my simple T-shir
t and shorts.

  “Have you heard anything else?” Prescott asked him, frowning. “Any word on… have there been any injuries reported?”

  Cole looked at me for a split-second before answering, then shook his head. “Nothing reported so far, but they still don’t even have first responders on the scene yet. If it really is the way dispatch described, though…”

  “Yeah.” Prescott nodded. “I’m sure we’ll hear more soon. We just have to get there and then do our best to help.”

  I didn’t want to interrupt or seem pushy—this was their job, after all—but the lack of detail was killing me. “Who is it?” I asked. “Where do you have to go?”

  “The other side of the county,” Prescott answered, finally giving me something I could work with. “The Tate ranch.”

  “The… why does that name seem familiar?” I thought back, trying to place it. Did I even know anyone with that last name?

  I remembered just as Prescott opened his mouth to answer. “Janessa’s guys,” we both said at the same time.

  “Oh, God.” My eyes went wide. “Cade and Boone? What happened? What kind of emergency is it? Was it the—the same thing as Isaac?”

  I could barely bring myself to even ask, but I had to know. We were all finally fully dressed, and I still barely even knew what was going on.

  “Nothing like that,” Cole said. “It’s a fire. Their house… there was an explosion.”

  “Oh, my God.” My heart jumped into my throat as my feet stopped moving. A fire? An explosion? What did that even mean? “And we don’t know if they’re okay yet?”

  They both shook their heads as they ushered me out the door and into their patrol car.

  “I need to get to Janessa,” I said, suddenly feeling frantic. “She’s going to need me when she finds out.”

  “That’s where we’re taking you,” Prescott said, calming my nerves a little. “She’ll need to hear it from you if she hasn’t heard already.”