Cowboy Casanovaa
Cash
The sound of my phone ringing woke me from my slumber. A feminine groan— groans—forced my eyes open.
“It’s too early.”
“Turn it off.”
I blinked away sleep as I leaned over the side of the bed, rifling for my phone. Maverick’s name disappeared from the home screen before I could answer it. It didn’t take long for the buzzing to start again, and the two girls in bed beside me to tiredly protest.
“Mornin’, sunshine,” I said with a chuckle, turning over to take in my bedmates. Tinleigh and Tinsleigh—twins. Double trouble of blonde hair, long legs, and curves meant for holding tight.
Man, were they fun.
“Where the hell are you?” Maverick’s voice held that familiar layer of annoyance to it that made me grin.
“Havin’ breakfast,” I said, as Tinleigh—no, Tinsleigh turned over and ran a petite, manicured hand over my chest, down my torso and toward the sheet bunched up at my hips.
My cock sang in response, desire sparking to life like fireworks in my veins.
I could practically hear Mav’s eyeroll. “You remember what today is?”
That was a dumb question. I rarely knew what day it was.
They all sort of just blurred together after a while.
But who needed a calendar or planner when you had Mav?
He wouldn’t let me miss anything. My cousin was nothing if not punctual.
In fact, he might be more than punctual…
not that there was a word for it. At least not one I could remember.
“Remind me again?” I asked, turning to meet the blonde’s gaze, her brown eyes swirling with mischief as her hand continued its dangerous path.
The first brush of her soft hand on my cock sent a jolt of adrenaline through me. My eyes rolled back, my head hitting the pillow as I laid against the headboard.
“Charlie and Ryder are doing the reveal for the baby.”
Oh, that’s right. Mav, Chey, and I had waited around most of the day and night while Charlie was in labor, but in the end, Charlie and Ryder wanted to spend the night just the three of them. Mav and Chey had stayed in with little Stormie Mae, and I’d gone out solo.
Not so solo anymore.
Tinl—no, Tinsleigh started up a slow, steady rhythm and I bit back a curse as my nerves turned to live wires. “When’s that again?” I got out, trying to stop the groan poised on my lips.
“An hour and a half. Don’t be late.” Mav’s voice rang with finality as he hung up.
Well, Shit. Didn’t leave me much time, but Big Daddy knew how to work under pressure.
Tossing my phone to the floor, I settled back more comfortably, my gaze taking her in.
“Who was that?” she asked, stroking my cock. Up and down, up and down.
I inhaled sharply through my teeth, before biting down on my bottom lip. “No one you gotta worry your pretty little mind about.”
Tinleigh rose up beside us, a pout forming on her lips. “Hey, I want to play too.”
I flashed her a grin. “Don’t worry darlin’, there’s enough Big Daddy to go around… Now, who’s ready to rodeo?”
Their laughter melded together, harmonizing into the most seductive melody. Goddamn, I loved twins.
My boots scraped against the brick and concrete lined steps leading up to Charlie and Ryder’s porch. I glanced at my phone for the time. 11:45 AM. Only fifteen minutes late, which meant, by my own standard, I was early.
Muffled voices met me as I pocketed my phone and grabbed the front door knob, easing it open quietly.
Ryder’s voice rose over the chatter. “We gotta wait til everyone’s he—”
And there’s my cue.
“Did someone call the doctor?” I crowed, loud enough to drag everyone’s attention to me.
Maverick’s signature scowl was painted on his face.
Ryder’s grin was tight, but warmth and laughter danced in his eyes.
Charlie and Cheyenne both smiled though—the latter’s brighter than sunshine.
Dad and Mama were there, along with Charlie’s mom and Cason, who stood off to the right of the couch while Ryder’s parents stood to the left. “Doctor Big Daddy is in the house.”
“Oh, dear heavens.” My gaze landed on Charlie’s mom, and I fought to keep the smirk off my lips.
She’d always been a cold woman, but, I don’t know…there was cold, then there was her. She was like a frost dragon who fed on Charlie’s insecurities. I didn’t like her. Never had.
I ignored her quiet grumblings as a much more welcoming voice joined the fray.
“Funcle Cash!” Cason darted from his spot, launching into my arms.
Warmth filled me. He was a good kid, and I loved hanging out with him. “How are ya, big guy?”
His face scrunched up, accentuating his freckles. “Hey, you never call me that. I’m little man.”
I ruffled his hair. It’d grown since Charlie chopped off the mullet.
A shame, to be honest—kid rocked it. “Well, now you gotta little…brother? Cousin?” I paused, trying to figure out exactly what they were.
It was like Mav and I, if you thought about it.
“Well, whatever little dude is, makes you not so little anymore. So you’re now my big guy. ”
Cason’s smile shone brighter than stadium lights.
“You wanna meet R—“
“No!” Both Ryder and Charlie shouted, startling the baby in her arms a moment. She rocked and shushed him easily enough. Motherhood looked good on her. But that wasn’t a shock after how easily she took over raising Cason.
“Alright,” Ryder finally said, loud enough for all of us to hear. “We better tell ya before one of us—” he snuck a grin at Cason “—slips.” Ryder and Charlie exchanged a glance. “Wanna do the honors, darlin?”
Charlie’s grin was full of mischief. “Welcome to the world, Railon Ryan Wright.”
My brow scrunched up for a moment as I went through the name. On the surface it didn’t sound at all inappro—a laugh bubbled up through me and out of my chest, loud as all hell. “Railon R. Wright. Railin’ her right. Fuckin’ love it.”
Stroker’s clap of approval sent a tidal wave of commotion through the room.
Even Maverick grinned as he and Chey laughed amongst themselves.
He held Stormie, looking more confident and sure of himself than I’d ever seen him.
And something tightened in my chest at that.
At seeing my cousin—my big brother, really—so happy. No one deserved it more than him.
Everything erupted into quiet chaos then, everyone fawning over both babies, talking, chatting, offering help wherever they could.
“So…Doctor Big Daddy?” Cheyenne chuckled.
“It’s gotta nice ring to it, dontcha think?” I said.
She rolled her eyes but one of her bright, easy smiles tugged on her lips. Mav sure as hell lucked out with her.
Mama brought a cake from the kitchen a few moments later—Mav made it for the occasion. Because, of course, he did. In all his extra free time, being a new father, a roper, rancher, horse trainer, and a cake baker extraordinaire apparently. The pieces were divvied up, and the chatter continued.
My gaze fell to Ryder and Maverick, holding their babies in their arms. It was pretty cool seeing them enter this new chapter of life together.
Only way it would be cooler was if I had my own little rugrat. But that shit wasn’t gonna happen anytime soon. No, I might be foolish, but I wasn’t stupid. I was careful with the women I slept with. Responsible—despite what anyone else thought of me.
Nope, there’d be no little Cash Juniors anytime soon.
A pang shot through my chest, forcing a frown to my lips. I don’t know exactly why, but the thought made me sad. I didn’t want a kid though. Did I? I took a bite of cake. Nah.
No, I had Cason if I felt that bad about not being part of the dad club. Kid thought I farted rainbows or something and was a riot to have around.
But as I continued eating my cake in silence, the echo of that pang wouldn’t go away. Man, could you catch hormones? Because I swear, I never was this sappy.
“I’ll be right back,” I grunted out to no one in particular, holding up my phone. But if anyone acknowledged me, they’d find no calls or texts on the screen.
I settled outside on the front porch, reaching for the snuff in my back pocket. The satisfying whack of smacking the can against my palm filled the air before I opened it up and scooped a finger in. With a sigh, I shoved it behind my bottom lip.
Growing up sucked. I mean, parts of it were cool, but well, I don’t know, things were so much easier when I was younger. My worries so much smaller.
“So, what part of the Cash system are you at with this latest conquest?” Cheyenne’s smoky voice to my right drew my attention.
My lips curved up into a grin. “Conquests,” I emphasized.
Her blue eyes widened. “More than one?”
I nodded, a soft chuckle escaping me at the sound of disbelief in her tone. “Twins.”
“Jesus Christ,” she scoffed. “You are somethin’ fuckin’ else, Mooney. I mean…twins? How can you keep up?”
I barked out a laugh. It was funny, talking to Chey was like talking to the guys sometimes. She wasn’t in the least bit fazed by my actions. “I don’t know. I just got Big Daddy energy.”
She snorted and nudged me with her shoulder. “You’re horrible.”
“I think you meant to say a legend.”
Another eye roll as she turned to lean against the railing, her gaze flicking into the open front door for a moment before landing on me. Something shifted in her gaze in that short amount of time, a thoughtfulness and sincerity that wasn’t there before.
“What’s goin’ on with you?” she asked.
I frowned. “Nothing.”
She tilted her head to the side, every inch of her face exuding unimpressed disbelief. “You’re actin’ funny.”
“I ain’t actin’ like anythin’.”
“Exactly.” She nodded. “You’re always actin’ a fool…but today, well it’s subdued.”
I shrugged, hunkering down a bit more into my stance as I leaned opposite her on the railing. “Today ain’t about me.”
“Again, how very un-Cash like. Everyday’s about you.”
Damn, she didn’t miss a thing. My lips pulled up into a grin, but even I could tell how unconvincing it was.
I blew out a breath and turned to stand like her so we both faced in. Ryder and Maverick held their babies still and that resounding pang went through my damn chest again. I rubbed at it, but the movement did nothing to absolve the pain.
“I don’t know… I guess I just thought it was gonna be us against the world for the rest of our lives. But Ryder’s got Charlie. Mav has you. Now y’all are parents… things are changin’...except me.”
“If you think we’re gonna leave you in a cloud of dust, you got another thing comin’ Mooney.” She nudged me in the shoulder. “Those are your two best friends. Your fuckin’ brothers basically. No one says you gotta have a baby or girlfriend to be part of the cool kids club.”
I huffed a laugh. “Good, cuz it ain’t happenin’.”
Though a part of me, a small, traitorous, stupid part of me, wondered if that would be so bad.
Cheyenne eyed me for a long moment. “I get it. If you were to ask me year ago if I’d be settled down with a kid I’d have told them to fuck off and poured myself another shot of whiskey.
I had no desire for any of that. The brick and mortar house, the guy, the baby.
Why would I want that when I could be wild and free and young? ”
I chuckled. “What changed?”
Her gaze went back to my cousin and the love and desire in her eyes charged the air with its intensity. “I finally had a reason to stop runnin’. To want more than just a string of hook ups or a casual fling. I wanted a life with Maverick.”
I nodded, a traitorous image swirling to life in my mind—long hair the color of raven’s feathers, eyes the color of amber, and miles of smooth copper skin.
Shut it down.
Funny how ten years had gone by but some things just never changed. I’d never rid my mind of her. Of ten summers ago.
“So are you still lookin’ for the right girl?” she asked, her gaze settling on me. “Or have you already found her and lost her, and now no one lives up to her?”
Well, damn.
Was I an open fucking book or something or was she just really damn astute? I never felt like I was that easy to read. It was a part of the persona, the facade. You couldn’t get hurt if you didn’t let anyone in right?
I tilted my head to the side and spit into the planter. “There was a girl once.”
She nodded. “And there’s no way of gettin’ her back?”
Nope, that ship had sunk, along with my heart, that summer day all those years ago. After that, I swore I’d never let myself get hurt like that ever again. Never bare my soul to someone only for them to stomp on it and leave it out like it was last week’s laundry.
You couldn’t break your heart if you didn’t have one right?
Chewing my bottom lip, I couldn’t help the scoff that escaped me. “Not a chance in hell.”