THIRTY-FOUR
COLT
“I fucking hate this horse!” I yell for what feels like the hundredth time as I try to get her to turn the way I want her to so we can separate this calf from its mama.
“I’m sure the horse fucking hates you, too,” Jamie jokes gleefully, picking up my slack.
One thing about returning to a ranch I’d left so many years ago was that I didn’t have a horse of my own like most of my brothers and sisters had. Instead, I have Calamity fucking Jane, one of the horses Jamie and Tate had brought back from auction earlier this year.
And she hates me. She tries to buck me off as often as she can and constantly nips me when I de-tack her each evening. I’m not one for pulling hard on reins or kicking too much, though I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have as good of a seat as I used to. I’m much more used to bulls now.
By the time we finally got a good portion of the calves separated from their mothers, weighed, and moved to their own pasture, my thighs were killing me.
Luckily, it’s starting to cool off now that we’re entering autumn, but it’s still hot enough that I’m having to wipe sweat off my face as we head up toward the Big House for lunch .
“Hey, do any of you all watch Gossip Girl ?”
“What the fuck?” Maddie grumbles.
Jamie snorts. “Can’t say I do.”
“The original show or the reboot?” Tyler asks.
“There’s a fucking reboot?” I can’t decide if I want Blair to find that out or not. “The original, I think. All their phones are old as hell.”
Tyler nods. “Yeah, I’ve seen it a few times through.”
Maddox and Jameson look at him like he’s grown a second head.
“Cricket’s doing,” Tyler explains, but I feel like that should’ve been obvious. I can’t imagine Tyler would sit down and willingly watch a show about a group of rich teenagers being cyberbullied just for shits and giggles.
“It’s honestly more entertaining than I thought it would be,” I admit. “The Brooklyn dude pisses me off though.”
Tyler smirks. “Yeah, he’s… interesting.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I press as we stomp up the stairs, kicking our boots off before following Maddox and Jameson into the house.
“Nothing,” he says with a grin.
Any other time I’d continue asking, and likely spoil the entire fucking show for myself if his smile is anything to go off of, but Blair steals my attention.
“Hey, pretty girl, I didn’t know you were here today.” I press a kiss against her forehead, breathing in the smell of her hair. My dick is half-hard from the scent of the shampoo she uses alone.
Maddox greets Austin similarly next to her with a grumbled, “Careful, Tex. I’m all dirty.”
Austin hums. “I know,” she purrs in a way that makes me shiver.
I’ve had Austin’s voice directed at me with that tone, and once upon a time, it probably turned me on, but the combination of it being aimed at my brother and the fact that my dick is a one-occupant ride nowadays has me disgusted instead .
“See, I’m not crazy,” Blair whispers. “She thinks the filthiness is hot too.”
“It’s weird,” Maddox says, overhearing her, but Austin chuckles.
“You don’t think it’s weird when I’m on my knees for you because of it. I bet Colt likes reaping the benefits, too.”
Blair’s cheeks pinken and it’s funny how shy she still is around my family when she’s so comfortable busting my balls when we’re alone.
I kiss my way across her cheek and down to her ear, making her shrug her shoulder to try and fight me off, all while giggling.
“What do you say we go home and I reap some benefits, mama?” I whisper, nipping her earlobe.
She shoves at my chest, wiping my spit off her ear with her shoulder.
“Down, boy. You’ve still got the whole afternoon ahead of you.”
“Nah, he can head home for the afternoon,” Maddox says from where he’s sitting on the floor between Austin’s knees with his head leaned back on her thigh.
Jameson scoffs. “What the hell? I never get an afternoon off.”
Austin’s nails scratch across Maddox’s head, pulling his hair back with them and making him groan.
“You can all have the afternoon off,” he says, standing suddenly and jerking Austin up off the couch. She squeals and laughs as he tosses her up over his shoulder and heads for the front door.
I look over to Blair with a raised brow. “Reaping the benefits?”
She grins. “Fine, cowboy. Let’s go.”
“I fucking hate all of you,” Jamie grumbles, plopping down on the sofa next to Tyler.
“Aw, Jamie, don’t worry. There’s gotta be a dating app for men like you somewhere. Daddies ’R’ Us? Dating Daddy?” I joke as Blair and I head toward the door, barely missing the throw pillow he throws at my head.
We pass by Tate on the way to my pickup.
“Hey, that horse of yours needs more training,” I tell her as I open the door for Blair.
“Jasper? Why were you even by him? You know he doesn’t like anyone but me.”
“No, I wouldn’t touch your wild-ass mustang with a thousand-foot pole,” I say as Blair climbs in the cab of the truck. “Jane.”
“Calamity,” Tate corrects me, but I roll my eyes.
“I’ll call her Glue if she doesn’t stop trying to buck me off.”
“You’re pulling on her reins too hard. How about I shove a bit between your teeth and yank?” she asks, crossing her arms.
I put my hands up in defense. I know how Tate feels about bits and I know I’d lose my balls if she ever saw me yanking a horse’s reins like that.
“I’m not, I swear. Ask Tyler. She just fucking hates me.”
Tate eyes me suspiciously. “Fine. I’ll ask Tyler what’s going on and then work with her a bit more, but if I find out you’ve been getting heavy-handed with her, I’ll have Blair fit you with a bit and see how you like it.”
Blair giggles, making Tate grin at her, like two conspirators. That’s… mildly terrifying.
“I ain’t getting heavy-handed,” I tell her again, a bit peeved that she thinks I’d purposefully hurt a horse. I wasn’t fucking Snow White like my sister was, but I also wasn’t an asshole. Well… not to horses.
She turns on her heel and marches up to the Big House and I close Blair’s door to round the front of the truck and slip behind the steering wheel, letting go of the argument with Tate.
I’ve got benefits to reap.