avoid those temptations. "I suppose I could help you with that."
"Good, then you and I can make a plan to get you and Tucker back on track."
Tucker
“So, how’s it been? Getting adjusted to the bunkhouse?” I asked Trent as we rode along the west side of the property, checking fence.
“Not bad. It’s kinda like the barracks. I’m used to close quarters.” He looked a hell of a lot like Tristan, only his hair was dark chocolate and instead of long, he wore it clipped short. He had a kind of Superman charm about him.
“Well, we’re all glad you could come help out. Even though it seems like we’ve got plenty of hands, we don’t. The amount of work seems to have tripled since the show started.”
“Well, it makes sense. You lost my cousins by half because of what they have to do for the show. They might not see it, but the rest of us can. We really need to add another two or three ranch hands.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, especially during the tourist season. It took us double the time to do everything when we had to keep the city slickers alive.
“I’ll tell Clint. It’s a good suggestion.”
He nodded and gave me a sly look. “So about this whole no fraternization clause.”
“Don’t even think about it. The guests are off-limits.”
“Come on, you can’t seriously tell me that you’ve never had a wild night with someone staying here, no strings attached.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I can. When I need to blow off steam, I do that off the ranch.”
He sighed. “Is The Silver Spur still the only place in town?”
“Yep. And it’s not even technically in town.”
“You got plans? I could use a wingman, and my cousins are all boring married guys now.”
I thought about Sam and that kiss. Did I really want to go back down that road with him? Maybe, but the two of us weren’t anything more than former lovers. I couldn’t hang my hopes on Sam. Not yet.
“Sure. I could use some time away from here.”
“Great. I’ll meet you there after supper. I’m gonna invite some of the other guys too.”
Taking a deep breath to hold back my concern for exactly how much trouble we were all gonna get in tonight, I nodded. Then I caught sight of a patch of fence that needed fixing, and I was able to turn the conversation from my wingman services to the work we were paid to do. Thank God.
A few hours later, I walked into The Silver Spur, and the familiar scents of sawdust and beer hit me hard. It’d been a while. I saw Justin, Clay, and Trent all laughing together in a corner, two beer bottles a piece on the table. They waved me over, the conversation seamlessly continuing as I joined.
“So I said to her, darlin’, you ride me as well as you ride that horse, I might marry you.” Clay took a sip of his beer.
“What’d she say?” Justin asked.
“Nothin’, her husband came walking around the corner, and that was the end of it.”
“You tell them the part where her husband was the foreman of Wilde Horse Ranch?” I asked.
“I was getting there.”
“Sure, you were.” I chuckled and snagged the full beer in front of Trent.
“Hey, that’s mine.”
“You’re the newbie. You can go get a second one after you finish your first.”
Downing the rest of his bottle, he frowned but got up and made his way to the bar.
“New guy buys the next round!” Justin called.
Trent waved a hand in acknowledgment.
“I don’t miss being the new guy,” I admitted.
“None of us do. He’s doing a good job, though. I ain’t ashamed to say we need him.”
“Me neither,” Clay said.
The door opened, and a group of young, pretty women strolled inside. They were all tight jeans and fancy boots. I was sure they smelled nice and were soft and smooth. Trent was in luck. Until I recognized the one in the middle. Sera Ryker, out for a night on the town, and likely without her brothers knowing. I didn’t blame her. Those guys were so protective they gave bodyguards a bad name. But she was a little sister to me too.
I tried to keep one eye on her but give her some freedom too. She was a grown woman. Free to make her own choices. But if something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.
“Do you see what I see?” Justin asked.
“If you mean Sera out lookin’ for trouble, yeah.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine, but I