Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,65
sideways at his mouth now.
“Uh-huh. You fry the shells and fill them with creamy goodness.” He caught his lip between his teeth. “You know, the part you lick out.”
“Uh-huh. Licking.” Brent was staring harder.
“I like to use my tongue.” God, he felt daring.
“I can tell that. Not sure you’ve really seen me use mine,” Brent said.
“Oh…” His belly clenched, and his balls drew up.
“Yeah.” Look at that slow grin. “I’ll show you.”
“Tease.” He cleared his throat and wiggled. “I’m so in.”
“Good deal. Once everyone is in bed, baby.” Brent’s voice had gone deep and rough.
He nodded, even though he wanted nothing more right now than to climb Brent like a jungle gym. God, this man did it for him in a huge way.
“Dad-O, can I have a little milk?” Susannah asked from across the way. She meant warm milk, which he made for her when she wanted to go to bed and go right to sleep.
Right. Fatherhood. No adult touches until the little ones are down. “You can. Does anybody else need some?”
“Me, Dad-O!” Caro exclaimed.
“I’m okay.” Jakob was still in the mudroom. “Daddy Brent, will you help me take the puppies out one last time?”
“I will.” Brent hugged him with that one arm, then climbed up off the couch.
“Okay, two milks for my two girls.” He grabbed a saucepan to warm up the milk.
“I’d take some,” Curly said. “Haven’t been getting to sleep as fast as I like.”
He knew that was because Curly was sleeping so much during the day, but he nodded. “You got it. Thank you for all your help today. Susannah adores you.”
“It was a fun day. I’m all off my schedule.” Curly gave him a tired grin, and he could see how old Curly felt in that moment, how worried.
“You’re a good man.” He poured the milk out for Curly first.
“Thank you, son. I try, but I’m gettin’ old.”
“I’m glad you’re here with us, old or not.” He handed the old man his drink.
“Me too. Makes my heart glad to see Brent happy.”
Oh. Oh, that was cool. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Curly drained his milk. “Where the hell did Hal go?”
“I think out to help with the pups.”
Curly’s frown cleared. “Right. Well, I’ll get him to wade with me to the bunkhouse. Let me get him a muffin.”
“Curly? You stay here now, remember? Over in Granny’s space? Remember?” Brent shook his head. “You don’t have to wade in the weather.”
“I’ll send Hal and them the rest, okay?” There were a half-dozen left.
“Thanks. He’ll love that.” Curly wandered off a few minutes later, Hal making sure the old man found his bed.
“Is he okay, Dad-O? He seems sad.”
He smiled down at Susannah. “I think he’s tired, baby girl.”
“Should I tell him I love him?”
He smiled and picked her up, taking her to the hallway. “Tell him, baby girl.”
“I love you, Curly!” Susannah shouted it into the dark hallway.
“I love you right back, Suzy Q!”
Oh, good man.
She giggled madly, clinging to him as they tromped back to the kitchen. Brent came to kiss her on the cheek, holding two yawning puppies. “You love me too, baby girl?”
“I love you so big, Daddy Brent. You and Dad-O and my sisters and brother and puppies and cowboys.”
“You’ve got a lot of love, baby girl. I love that about you too.” Brent wandered to the pen to put down the pups so he could go help Jakob with the other two.
One of them peed immediately on the puppy pad, and Trace laughed.
“At least it’s on the pad, right, son?” Trace asked Jakob, who hooted, and it sounded so much like Brent.
“Yessir. That’s way easier to clean. I was thinking. You know that office chair thingee Daddy Brent put in the garage?”
“You mean the carpet protector?”
“Yeah. If I put it under the pen and put puppy pads on it, could I move them to my bedroom?”
Trace looked to Brent, not sure what to say. It was a little room for a bunch of smell. On the other hand, Jakob had to be tired of sleeping on the floor.
“We’ll go to the Walmart tomorrow and get those crates, buddy. Two can fit in each one. That way during the day Caro and Susannah can see their pups too.” Brent gave Jakob a hug. “You’re good to them.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I’ll make sure everything is off the floor.”
“Good deal. I like the idea of putting the chair roller under the crates too. Just in case. Good solution. Go on and get ready for bed