fuck buddy. The girl you hook-up with when you come back into town and there isn’t anyone around. Timberlynn isn’t a fuck buddy, and if you even think for one second I’m going to let you…”
I held up my hands in defense. “Whoa, Ty. Jesus, calm the hell down. I didn’t say I wanted to fuck her. I mean, I wouldn’t mind that, but I think she’s nice and I’d like to get to know her a bit. Then maybe have sex with her.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
He closed his eyes tightly, shook his head, and then looked at me again. He moved like he was ready to punch me.
I quickly took a step back, ready to flee. “I’m kidding! I really do want to get to know her better. And yes, I’ll admit it. I like her, and I wasn’t planning on telling you or Brock because I knew you’d make it a big deal. Exactly like you’re doing right now.”
“Did you hit your head or something?” Ty asked.
“No?” I said with a laugh. “Why?”
“You actually like a girl and want to get to know her. Like you want to know her beyond just sleeping with her?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Why is that so hard to believe?”
“You’ve never shown interest in being with one woman. Ever.”
With a half shrug, I headed toward Pogo’s stall. “You act like I’m gonna ask her to marry me.”
I stepped into Pogo’s stall and slipped on his bridle. When I glanced back at Ty, he was on the phone.
“Brock, you need to get to the main barn. Now.”
I rolled my eyes and led Pogo out of the stall and to the tie-up area to get him saddled up since the guys hadn’t gotten to him yet.
“Something is very wrong with our brother. He wants to get to know Timberlynn,” Ty said into the phone. “Yeah. No. Not like that. Yes. No, I’m serious. He admitted he liked her. I’m dead serious. You owe me a hundred bucks.”
He walked up to me and pressed the back of his hand to my forehead. I slapped it away. “Get the fuck away from me.”
“No fever,” Ty said, then swept his gaze over me. “He looks normal too.”
“For fuck’s sake, you two are assholes,” I mumbled as I put the pad on Pogo and then went to get his saddle. Jimmy came walking around the corner with Rosie saddled up.
“Got her ready to go for you, Tanner. You’ll just have to adjust the stirrups for Miss Holden.”
Jimmy was one of the ranch hands who had worked for my father for as long as I could remember. I swore the man never slept. He was up before anyone and last to call it a night, every single day. When I was home with a broken ankle, I bunked with him and Greg, and they taught me a thing or two about drinking, card playing, and how to be the best cowboy you could be. They were rough around the edges, but damn good guys. I saw why my father trusted Jimmy like he did.
“Thank you, Jimmy, I appreciate you getting her ready.”
He tipped his cowboy hat at me and replied, “It’s good having you back home, son. You got Pogo?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get him ready. Thanks.”
“Enjoy the ride. It looks to be a nice morning.”
I glanced past him out into the field and smiled. Although it was brisk out, the sun was shining full force, making it the perfect day to ride. “It does, indeed.”
When I didn’t hear Ty talking anymore, I turned to see he was nowhere to be found. Thank you, baby Jesus, he was gone. I finished getting Pogo ready and pulled out my phone. I told Timberlynn to meet me at the barn at eight. It was almost that time, and I suddenly felt nervous.
“Okay, you two. We’re taking a pretty girl out to show her the ranch. Pogo, no flirting.”
The seven-year-old gray thoroughbred snorted and bounced his head, almost as if he was offended. He was a retired racehorse my mother had rescued a few years back. He loved riding the trails but get him to an open pasture and he practically shook to be let loose. He was my second favorite horse on the ranch.
“Yeah, you act like you won’t, but I know you will.”
I walked up and ran my hand over Rosie. She was an eight-year-old standard breed mare with an attitude, but she was one hell of a