One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(4)

“Shit smells better than that perfume you took a bath in this morning.”

“Ladies, remember where you are,” Sawyer warned them. “You want to fight and argue, take it out in the middle of the road. Better hurry up and grab what you came in for, Betsy, because closing time is in five minutes,” Sawyer said.

“What the hell is that out there?” Betsy pointed. “Is it a motorcycle or a bionic steer?”

Her jeans and boots testified that she’d been working in the hay fields all day. Sweat rimmed the misshapen straw hat shoved down on her red hair, and her knit shirt and tight jeans hugged her curvy body.

“Four minutes now,” Sawyer said.

“Don’t get your undershorts in a wad, Sawyer. I’m not here to buy anything. I stopped by to see what all the fuss is about. I see Honey and Kinsey did the same thing.”

“What fuss?” Sawyer asked.

“This wild biker right here.” Betsy’s eyes did a sweeping scan of Rhett. “I do like the ponytail and the soul patch, and the tat is real nice.” She traced it with her forefinger.

“Oh really?” Rhett grinned.

She was kind of cute, but she was another feuding woman. Too damn bad Leah had to be thrown in the basket with the likes of these hussies. Of all of them, she would have been his choice to get to know better.

Betsy gave him the once-over. “That’s right. I happen to like trouble, so I came to see for myself. I think you might be a handful of fun.”

“Three.” Sawyer pointed toward the clock.

Betsy moved toward the door, brushing past Rhett. “I heard that you’ll be working at the bar. See you there tonight. And leave that cycle at home. I like a truck bed to play around in under the moon and stars.”

Kinsey smiled at Rhett. “You’ll have to overlook Betsy. She’s a Gallagher, and they are a coarse lot. They can’t help it. All those people over at Wild Horse come from moonshiners and probably outlaws.”

“And the Brennans”—Rhett raised an eyebrow—“what do they come from?”

“Preachers and God-fearin’ folks,” Honey said.

“That’s interesting. Halos and horns both right here in a tiny little town like Burnt Boot,” Rhett said.

“You got it.” Kinsey nodded. “We’d best get on out to River Bend. Granny will be throwing a fit if we’re late to supper. Don’t suppose you’d want to join us for a good, hot meal tonight, would you, Rhett?”

“Not tonight. My sister and her husband will be along in a few minutes with the rest of my things.”

Honey headed toward the door. “Will we meet them tonight at the bar?”

Rhett shook his head. “No, they’re going to drop my truck and keep going.”

“Too bad. I always like to meet the family,” Honey said.

Sawyer followed them to the door and locked it behind them. “Well, now you’ve been formally welcomed to Burnt Boot. If I was you, I’d steer away from both of those families. They mean trouble and I mean serious shit, not little, piddlin’ crap.”

“I thought the two families lived in neighboring towns, not on neighboring ranches.”

“River Bend and Wild Horse are ranches, but they’re both bigger than the whole area that Burnt Boot takes up. Their feud might die down, but it’s never ending. Everyone’s been so busy with hay crops and getting summer ranchin’ done that it’s been fairly quiet in town. At least until now,” Sawyer said.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Rhett asked.

“New tomcat in town. They are already checking you out. So on first impression, are you going to change your name to Gallagher or to Brennan by Christmastime?” Sawyer teased.

Rhett put up both palms. “I’m an O’Donnell. Born one and plan to die one. None of those hussies appealed to me. Betsy didn’t like my cycle. Honey and Kinsey were far too savage for my blood. The only one that caught my eye was Leah. Now that one, with those light green eyes and sweet disposition, that one I could go for.”

Three lovely women, very different in size and looks, pretty equal in their come-on power, and he didn’t feel the desire for a quick romp in the sheets with any of them. Hell, he didn’t even want to flirt with any of them, only Leah Brennan. That was not like an O’Donnell, especially Rhett, who had a definite way with the women.

Sawyer turned out the lights and headed toward the door. “Leah is the quiet one, and you know what they say about them.”

“Oh, yeah, that underneath there is a tiger waiting if some old cowboy is man enough to unleash it,” Rhett said, following him. “I’m starving. Take me home and feed me some of Jill’s good food before we have to go to the bar.”

“Jill can’t cook.”

“Well, shit. What are we having?”

“I made lasagna and she’s heating it up. But believe me, you won’t be disappointed in her abilities. Her baking is to die for. She can make cookies, cakes, and pies that taste better than Granny O’Donnell’s, but don’t tell Granny I said that.” Sawyer turned off the lights and unlocked the door. “Follow me. I’ll go slow so the dust don’t blow back too bad.”

“If she’s that good at baking, why don’t you tell her it’s good as Granny’s?” Rhett asked while Sawyer locked up.