6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Colt
W orking on a ranch means we wake up before the sun. I make my way up to the main house to get some breakfast and coffee before my day starts. Rutherford Ranch is top-notch. They serve us breakfast, lunch and dinner during the week. Not to mention all the leftovers and ready to eat snacks that are kept on hand for us too.
I have worked on a lot of ranches, and Rutherford is the best one by far. You can tell they take care of their employees and take pride in the work we do here. I step up onto the front porch and the scent of bacon and fresh biscuits wafts through the screen door.
I make my way inside and greet everyone with a nod of my head and make a beeline for the coffee. I grab an oversized mug and fill it to the brim, draining the current pot. I notice the canister of coffee is gone from beside the coffeemaker, so I need to get another from the pantry. Putting my mug to my lips as I turn around, I almost spill my coffee all over me when I run right into Brynn.
"Did you really just take all the coffee that is left and not start a fresh pot, Cowboy ?" Hands fisted on her hips; she narrows her eyes at me.
"I don't make coffee, I drink it." I can't pass up the opportunity to irritate her.
"Okay caveman," she chirps with a roll of her eyes. "If you had any manners, you would've started a fresh pot. Guess you don't just work in barns, but you were raised in one too."
I take another slow sip of my coffee, and I practically see smoke coming out of her ears. I am getting way too much enjoyment out of pissing her off.
"What's the hold up?" A ranch hand asks from behind Brynn, his eyes glued to her ass. "We need coffee."
"Well, this asshole emptied the pot and didn't bother to brew another one," Brynn says as she thumbs in my direction.
"I was just getting ready to get another canister from the pantry. Firecracker here, stopped me." I can't hide the smirk on my face.
If looks could kill, I would be six feet under.
I walk to the pantry and grab a new canister of coffee and set it on the counter where it goes. I start the new pot and fix my plate for breakfast. Every ranch hand that comes into the kitchen, stares at Brynn, then makes a plate and starts shoveling food in. There is an enormous table in the dining room to sit and eat. I am heading that way when Blake beckons me over to the smaller round table in the kitchen.
"Hey foreman, you are welcome to join us."
I nod and place my plate down on the table and take a seat beside Brooks. "Good morning," I say before I dive into my breakfast. Momma Ann prepared bacon, biscuits, eggs, hashbrowns and gravy this morning. It is absolutely delicious.
Whitney looks up from her phone and says, "Hey B, you gonna join us or what?"
I turn to catch Brynn staring daggers at the back of my head. I wink and turn back to my plate, trying to hide my smirk. All I need is to be called out for teasing the boss's sister.
"Yeah, just waiting for coffee." I still feel her glare on the back of my head.
"I tried to warn you it would be all gone if you didn't get a move on," Whitney says as she tries to hide her smile behind her mug of coffee.
Once the coffee is finally brewed, Brynn comes to the table with her plate and mug. She looks around the table and grimaces when she realizes the only open seat is right beside me. She places her plate on the table and realizes she forgot a fork. She turns to head back into the kitchen, and that is when I notice her outfit. No wonder the ranch hands were staring .
"What the fuck are you wearing?" Blake growls.
"Get upstairs and change. I can see your ass cheeks!" Brooks bellows.
"In case you have forgotten, I don't have my luggage."
"Well, were those shorts leftover from high school?" Brooks asks with his eyebrows raised.
"No, you can blame these shorts on Whitney."
Whitney raises her hands in front of her and says, "I just brought her some of my regular clothes."
"I have never seen you wear those shorts. I would remember that," Brooks mumbles as he takes a bite of hashbrowns.
Whitney giggles, "Guess I should've taken our height difference in consideration when I was picking clothes to bring."
"Ya think?" Brooks screeches. "You can't go to the hospital with those shorts on. You are going to send the old geezers into cardiac arrest."
I laugh; I can't help it. Brooks can be funny as shit sometimes.
"Something funny, Cowboy ?"
"Just the fact that they are trying to have control over what you wear. I think we all know you will do whatever the fuck you want, Firecracker."
"Didn't take you long to figure that out, huh?" Blake asks as he drains the last of his coffee and stands from the table.
"I can switch pants with you. I don't have to be in the office today. I was planning to ride all day, but I can go home and grab more jeans." Whitney offers as she stands to clear her plate from the table.
"Please switch so I don't have to fire my ranch hands when they see you," Blake pleads.
"Fine, but only because dad might kill me if I walk into the hospital wearing these shorts. Bad enough I had to walk past everyone else already."
Brynn stands and goes to head in the direction of the stairs. Blake narrows his eyes and growls. It is then I realize he is staring at the ranch hands who are still seated in the dining room, their eyes glued to Brynn as she walks up the steps.
Whitney quickly follows before the vein in Blake's forehead explodes.
I finish my breakfast and coffee and chat with Blake and Brooks about what we are accomplishing today when Whitney and Brynn come back down the stairs. Whitney is now wearing the shorts, which hit mid-thigh on her. The jeans look like they are painted on Brynn's body.
"Happy now?" Brynn throws her hands out to the side and spins around.
Damn. Her ass is still on display, just in a different way.
"Yes," Brooks and Blake say in unison.
"Now that I am fully dressed, let's get out of here. I don't want to miss when the doctor is doing rounds. "
I stand to clear my plate and mug from the table so I can head to the barn to get to work. It is already hot as blue blazes out; it is going to be one long ass day.
"Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be around after we get Dad," Blake says.
I nod in understanding and make my way toward the front porch when I see Brynn putting her shoes on. She looks up from tying her shoe and says, "Get to work, Cowboy ."
"Don't worry, Firecracker. I am," I say with a smirk.
"My name is Brynn," she huffs.
I ignore her and make my way down the steps and toward the barn, whistling the entire way.