a fire.”
“That’s Sister’s place.” Logic was up and moving in a second. “Call Bailey!”
He nodded and pulled out his phone. He wanted to go help, but he couldn’t leave his kids here. He couldn’t. They depended on him.
“Yo.”
“Fire.”
“Where?” Bailey was on her feet, he could hear it.
“Between us. Anderson’s already on the move.”
“Call the fire department. I’m heading to the barns.”
“Bailey! Wait! What if he’s waiting for you out there? The kids!”
“We’ll be okay. I have to get to the damn horses or my kids will starve.” She hung up on him, and Jericho called 911.
He hated feeling helpless, and that was how he felt. He was stuck here, waiting for the action to happen, and he couldn’t help.
Dammit. This was the story of his life, and he was getting tired of it.
Chapter 14
“I’m going over to see Jericho.” It was 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, and he wasn’t going to wait.
Monday had been spent at the sheriff’s office after dickmunch had come out to the ranch and started the fire.
He’d spent yesterday in Dallas hiring a PI and last night talking to the robotics club.
Logic was done.
“Um. Okay.” Bailey raised an eyebrow, something she could do as well as he could. “What for?”
“A booty call. A nice long, lazy booty call.”
“Oh Lord.” She threw up her hands. “Have fun. You’re both adults, right?”
“Right. Call if you need us, though.”
“Dave is off today. He’s gonna come hang out.” Her cheeks were red now.
“Oh-ho! We’ll have to compare notes when I come home.” Oh, this was great.
“No. He’s just coming to keep me from being immolated or worse.” She crossed her arms, tapping her foot madly.
“Use condoms. I would have given you some of the ones we bought at Walmart if I had known.”
“Oh, don’t even! You little fuck. You go. Shoo. Asshole boy.”
“I’m going.” He was going. Even wanting to see Dave’s face when he showed up wasn’t as important as going to do sweaty sex things with Jericho Yeager. He waved as he headed down to the truck, then drove over to the next driveway, bouncing down the “desperately in need of paving” driveway.
Jericho’s place was more like their family ranch had been when he was growing up. Bailey had done a shit ton with her cutting and barrel horses, and the Bar W ranch was higher class now. He thought maybe Jericho was still treading water.
It didn’t matter. That was Texas.
He grabbed his coffee and walked up to the house, then knocked on the door, bold as brass.
He heard super-melodic singing from deep inside the house, out toward the patio, so he headed in, the door unlocked.
“Hey, cowboy. You home?” You alone? You want to fuck?
“Anderson?” Jericho appeared in the kitchen. “Hey! You come for some of my mother-in-law’s cinnamon rolls? She dropped them by on her way to Greenville.”
“I did not.” He went right to Jericho. “I came to see if you had any plans for the day.”
Jericho’s eyes went wide, but he reached out to grab Anderson and pull him up against that hard body. “I do now.”
Oh thank God. “Excellent. I also have plans. All day. All day long.”
“Well, good on us.” Jericho tilted his head, clearly begging a kiss.
“Mmm… Yes.” He leaned in and brought their mouths together, tongue dipping in to taste the morning mint and coffee flavor of his cowboy.
Jericho reached up, hands sliding around his neck. The kiss went deep, dizzying. Need flared between them, and he moaned, leaning Jericho over his arm. He felt the heat sizzle between them, blazing.
“Wanna see my bedroom?” Jericho asked. “Lube and condoms are there.”
“Lead the way. I’m aching for some naked time.” He was hard and ready.
“I like your way with words.” Jericho took his hand and led him down the hallway—he had an impression of two smaller bedrooms, one all pink and purple, one neat as a pin and full of electronics—to a huge master that… well, shocked him a little. The bed was a California king, covered with soft bedding and huge pillows. There was one antique chest of drawers, two night tables, and then one wall was all bookcases full of books, with a double-sized chair and footstool backed by a floor lamp.
Someone was a big-time reader.
Was there anything sexier on earth? Oh, Logic could blow Jericho in that big chair, just let him take everything he wanted. He rubbed his belly, wanting to touch his cock, but that might make things go a little too fast.
Jericho stopped, laughing a little. “I