4. Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Colt
H oly shit. That woman hates me. I don't think I have ever pissed off a female so fast before with only saying one sentence. She definitely has the wrong impression, but I don't give a fuck. I am here to do a job and that is exactly what I will do. I don't have time to worry about the auburn-haired siren with eyes as green as emeralds. I don't have time to be thinking about how that white t-shirt clung to her chest, and how great her ass looked in those tight leggings as she stomped inside the house.
"Sorry about Brynn, she. Well, she hates this town," Brooks says as we walk off the porch and toward the barn.
"No problem; she doesn't have to like me," I say as we start to tack up our horses.
"She didn't have the same experience growing up here that me and Blake had. She was always the one no one understood. She wasn't like other girls. She used to love to play in the creek and hike, over playing with dolls or going to the movies. Guess that is our fault for making her out to be like a brother. Until Momma Ann started working for the ranch, she didn't really have much of a female role model."
"You don't have to explain her. I am not offended."
"Well, that's good. You need to have a thick skin around her. She's something else."
"She won't bother me. Promise." We mount our horses to go check out a couple of cows we saw straying from the herd.
By the time Brooks is finished checking out the heifers, it is almost dinner time.
"Whitney should be back at the main house any time; I'll catch ya later." Brooks takes off toward the barn to get his horse put away for the day. I wait for a little while longer as I watch the sunset. This land is absolutely beautiful. The sunsets are always vivid shades of pink, orange, and red. I feel settled here. I worry about being so far away from Callie and Millie, but I love it here.
I make my way toward the barn to put Honey up for the night, when something catches my eye. I see Whitney's car flying down the gravel drive. The front door of the main house swings open, and Brynn is standing there with her hands on her hips.
"It's about damn time!" Brynn watches at Whitney exits her car in a flash .
"I have missed you so much!" Whitney screeches as she flings her body into Brynn. I gotta give it to Brynn; she doesn't even move back from the impact. Whitney is a girl with curves in all the right places; I would definitely shoot my shot if I thought Brooks wouldn't shoot me first.
I shake my head at their theatrics and finish up in the barn. I am coming out of the barn, just as Blake steps up under the motion light. "Hey man, are you coming to dinner? Momma Ann already fed the rest of the bunkhouse."
"Nah, I think I am going to turn in early. It has been a long day."
"Alright, let me know if you need anything tomorrow. We have to go get dad, but I'll be around until then."
"Will do." I head to my old beat-up Chevy. I put the truck in drive and head in the direction of my small cottage. A nice hot shower and the leftover brisket Momma Ann gave to me earlier sounds like my kind of night.
I'm almost halfway through my latest mystery read and I can't wait to see how it ends. I love reading mysteries and whodunnit's. My favorites are the ones set in the gold rush time period.
I unlock my door and toe off my boots at the door. My feet are aching. I really need to invest in a good pair of boots. The audacity of Brynn to point out my well-worn boots. I mean, she isn't wrong, but damn .
I untuck my shirt and unbuckle my belt. The cottage is starting to feel like home. I haven't felt this way about a place since my momma passed. I shake the thought away and head straight to my shower, shedding the rest of my clothes as I go.
I clean my body and let the dust, sweat and stench from today circle down the drain. I wrap a fluffy white towel around my waist and head straight to the kitchen. I don't even bother heating the brisket, I just rip into it like a man starved. Cowboyin' is hard work and I eat a lot. We all do. I don't know how Momma Ann keeps up with feeding all of us throughout the week.
I finish eating my food and grab a beer from the fridge. I twist off the top and take a long swig. Nothing is better than a cold beer after a long, hard day in the saddle. I am already beat, so I decide to forego reading and go straight to bed.
I whip off my towel and hang it on the back of my bedroom door by my robe and climb under the crisp cool sheets. I don't know what this bed is made of, but damn, it is comfy. I have never slept as good as I did the night before. I close my eyes and inhale and let the day fade away as I exhale.
I wake up to the sound of a key in the lock. What the fuck? Who would be coming in the cottage in the middle of the night? I look to the beside clock and notice it is only 11:30 at night. Damn, I guess it feels like the middle of the night when you go to bed by seven o'clock .
I lay in bed and try to decide the best course of action. I could get up and find clothes, but what if it is an intruder? They could hear me rummaging in the dresser. Although, if it is an intruder, I don't want to be fighting naked.
Fuck. I peer around in the dark and see if I can find some briefs on the floor. Nothing in sight that I can tell, anyway. I am getting ready to just get out of the bed when the bedroom door flies open, and the light comes on.
There stands Brynn, in a skimpy little bra and underwear set.
What the actual fuck is happening right now?
Brynn lets out a startled scream. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Umm, I live here. What the fuck are you doing breaking into my place?"
"I didn't break in; I have a key," Brynn scoffs as she holds up a keyring.
"Still doesn't explain why you are standing in my bedroom half dressed." My eyes roam over her toned, muscular body. Damn. I now know why she didn't budge when Whitney tackled her earlier.
"My clothes are filthy from the airport and the coffee incident. I was going to take a shower," Brynn states as she narrows her eyes at me, not even trying to cover herself.
Confident as fuck .
"Could you maybe get to the part about why you are coming to my place to take a shower? There are probably more than enough bathrooms in the main house."
Brynn growls, she actually fucking growls at me. I don't know if I am scared or turned on. Maybe a little of both, honestly.
"Obviously, I didn't know you were living here."
"Did the big red truck outside not give it away?"
"You mean that hunk of metal actually runs?" Brynn folds her arms over her chest. Not in a way to cover up, more in a way of preparing for battle.
I roll my eyes, "Still haven't said why you are here."
"I already told you. I didn't know you were living here. Blake didn't tell me it was occupied."
"Okay, so why aren't you leaving?"
"I, umm," she shakes her head. "Sorry. I will get out of your hair."
A hint of vulnerability flashes across her face and I stand up to tell her she is welcome to stay here. Completely forgetting that I am naked. "Wait, I'm sorry. This is your family ranch. You are welcome to use the shower; you own it after all."
Brynn is speechless, her mouth is hanging open, and her eyes are glued to my body. My very naked body. "Oh, shit." I try to cover my dick. My boss's little sister just saw me naked. If the drool is any indication, she likes what she sees. I can't help but taunt her. "Like what you see, Firecracker?"
My words snap her out of her trance. She clears her throat. "I'll just be going."
"Okay," I say, hands still over my junk. "Sorry about the nakedness. Please don't fire me," I ramble.
Brynn looks back over her shoulder, her round ass on full display in her thong. "Don't tempt me, Cowboy ."
Those words coming out of any other woman's mouth would be flirtatious. But from Brynn, my balls shrivel up and sweat breaks out on the back of my neck.
"Goodnight," she singsongs from the living room, completely satisfied with herself.
Well, fuck me.