Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,20

worries.” He nodded. The kids had been up and down fifty times a night when they’d first arrived, scared or sick, crying or asking to sleep with him.

“Exactly.” Trace helped him make up the sofa, then plugged in his phone, giving Brent a look at the taut little backside. Yummy. “Do you mind if I borrow a towel? I could use a shower.”

“I’ll show you where everything is.” No peeking, either, even if he was desperately curious about Trace’s ink, what the dreads looked like wet.

Like, was that belly skinny or did it have lean muscles? Did he have ink all over? Or just on his arms and legs? Lord, that was an inappropriate line of thinking. He took Trace to the bathroom. “Towels in here. There’s toothbrushes and razors up here, and extra shampoo and all in the basket.”

“Thank you, man. I appreciate it. You mind keeping an ear out for Susannah?”

“I got it.” He could sit and read a bit. His uncle had sent a whole box of Louis L’Amour and William Johnstone novels from an estate sale somewhere in Albuquerque.

And maybe tonight when he was locked in his bedroom, he could spend a little quality time imagining what Trace looked like under all them clothes.

Chapter 5

Trace woke to the sound of crying, and he stood, immediately falling over the end table and crashing to the floor. “Coming, baby.”

Where the fuck was he? He crawled a second before he found his feet, completely disoriented.

Oh. Couch. Okay, he was in the living room at the ranch. Susannah was down…that hall.

“Coming, baby.” He heard Daisy crying, then Susannah and Caro started. Fuck. He peeked in at the girls first. “Shh. I’m going to get the baby, and then I’ll be right back. Okay?”

“I have to pee, Daddy. Where are we?”

“I’ll come help.” He had to get the baby, and he knew the older girls could wait.

“Okay.”

He ran to the next bedroom and scooped up the baby and a diaper, then ran into Caro and Susannah in the hallway.

“I showed her. My belly itches.”

“Okay, come on. Calamine. Suzy, potty. Shh, baby. I’ll change you.” Good Lord and butter.

“Hey.” Brent appeared, a pair of pajama pants slung low on his hips. God was cruel. No one should have something like that put in front of them when they were neck-deep in children. “I’ll get Daisy. You get the other two?”

“I’m on it. She’s wet.” He handed her over and went to the bathroom. Caro was blistered, and he dosed her with calamine and Benadryl and a dropper of children’s Tylenol.

“Suzy, did you go?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Okay, wipe, flush, and let’s go lay down again.” His head was beginning to throb a little.

“Okay, Dad-O. I’m sorry I cried.”

“Shh.” He didn’t blame her one bit. For a second there, he’d been fixin’ to burst into tears himself. “No worries. You were in Caro’s bed. You want to go snuggle with her? I’m in the front room on the sofa.”

“Her bed is nice.” She wandered with him toward Caro’s bedroom.

“She’s a good friend. You’re lucky.”

“I am.” She climbed into bed, and he tucked both girls back in, kissing foreheads. Caro seemed like she needed it too.

“Y’all sleep. I’ll make muffins in the morning.”

“I like muffins.” Caro yawned around the words.

“Dad-O makes the best.”

The girls curled together like peas in a pod.

“’Kay. Night, Dad-O.”

He didn’t bother to correct Caro; he simply covered them up and headed out to see if Brent needed relieving. If not, his ass was going back to the couch.

Brent was tucking Daisy back into her crib. He smiled over his shoulder at Trace. “Thanks, man.”

“Anytime. Night.” Lord, that was a pretty thing, the long line of Brent’s back. That was a fine sight to see, especially the way the small of his back became the curve of his ass.

He took a deep breath, turning away. Right. To the couch. Lalala. He yawned, his jaw cracking. Really, if that was the worst on the first night… He’d better not tempt fate.

Trace cuddled in. Tomorrow he’d have a bed. Susannah would too. It would be fine.

Before he convinced himself, he was sound asleep.

Chapter 6

“No. I know, Lisa. But you need to get that all cleared out. Sure. Look, I’ll go ahead and pay you for this week, and then we’ll revisit it.” Brent hated having to put anyone in a bind, but Lisa was just not wanting to do anything about that yard of hers, and he had rooms to clean out and calves to cull and—damn.

He