Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(68)

“I’ll be there,” Allie nodded. “Go on back to the store. I’ll take her home and get her warmed up.”

“We need to talk,” Blake whispered.

“Nothing to talk about.” Allie took off her work boots and slipped her feet back down into the rubber boots.

“Later.”

“Probably not,” she said.

He pulled a heavy jacket from the rack and held it out to her. “I tell you, it’s not what it looked like. Take my coat. You can’t go out there without something to keep you warm. That rain is cold.”

She shook her head. “I come from sturdy stock. I’m not sugar or salt, so I don’t melt in cold rain. See you in church tomorrow.”

“And you and your brother are welcome to come home with us for lunch,” Katy said as she escorted Irene out onto the porch. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

“We’d love to have Sunday dinner with y’all,” Toby said.

“Tell Deke, too,” Katy threw over her shoulder.

“You sure you want to do that?” Allie asked Blake.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, would we, Toby?” Blake said. He turned to his brother. “Now can you please get rid of yours and Deke’s women so we can take a drive around the ranch? It might be sleeting, but you can still see what I’ve gotten done around here.” Blake talked to Toby but most of it was for Allie’s ears.

“Lookin’ forward to it, ma’am.” Toby nodded toward Allie.

Blake laid a hand on her shoulder. “I did not…” he started.

She shrugged it off.

“I don’t care.” She closed the door behind her.





Chapter Twenty



Is that the woman that’s got your heart in a twist?” Toby asked.

“What makes you think that?” Blake asked.

“You’ve got that look in your eyes.”

Blake shrugged.

A lot of good it would do him if he did fall in love with Allie. She’d declared that she didn’t care. Just when he was contemplating hanging up his wild ways and entering into a serious relationship with a decent woman, she said that she didn’t care. Blake Dawson, the player, had been played.

“What’s on your mind, big brother?” Toby asked. “What happened in that bedroom?”

Blake shook his head. “I’m not totally sure, but I believe the tables got turned on me and it’s one strange feeling. I don’t want to talk about it right now. We don’t have time for women.”

“Except for Laneys and Lisas, right?”

“Not even for that if we’re going to get this place in shape in four years like we said we’d do,” Blake said.

Toby headed for the kitchen. “Man, I’m not goin’ celibate for four years, not for this ranch, not for you, and not even for God. And you ain’t, either, because when you go a month without a woman you get cranky as hell.”

“Who’s goin’ a month without a woman?” Lisa asked. “We’ve been poutin’ because y’all weren’t here to share this breakfast with us and now it’s time for us to go. We’ve both got appointments at eleven in Wichita Falls and the roads are probably getting icy. But don’t pout, darlin’s, we’ll be in touch. You can’t get rid of us. We know where you live.”

Laney wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck and laid her head on his chest. “Next time, darlin’, I’ll prove that lust can get rid of that love bug faster than hittin’ delete on the computer. You boys stay ready and maybe we’ll see you at the bar in a couple of weeks.”

Lisa tiptoed and kissed Toby on the cheek. “It was fun. It was real. It was real fun, but next time, talk your brother into joining us.”

“I’m not into the kinky stuff.” Toby chuckled.

“Then we’ll get Laney to join the party and call it an orgy, not a threesome,” Lisa said huskily. “Mmmm, thinkin’ about that makes me go all soft and mushy inside.”

“We could invite Deke if we’re having an orgy,” Laney said.

“Dammit!” Blake doubled up his fist and hit his palm with it as soon as the women were gone. “I don’t want those two comin’ around here. I’m trying to build a relationship with the community, not start a whorehouse.”

Toby laid a hand on Blake’s shoulder. “Amen to that and I won’t let it happen again. I had too many beers and wasn’t thinkin’ straight. Let’s go eat breakfast if those two women left anything for us. And then we’ll take a look at what you’ve done. I’d planned on helping you clear off some mesquite or repair fence but it’s rainin’. I guess we could tear down the ceilings in the hall and living room,” Toby said.

“And put up the new,” Blake said. “Even if my carpenter doesn’t come back, that would be a start. You any good at bedding and taping?”

“I got the bedding part down real good but like I said, I’m not into the kinky shit. Why wouldn’t Allie come back?”

“I’m not sayin’ another word except to say that you have not lost your touch with these biscuits, brother,” Blake said.



Lizzy met her mother, grandmother, and sister at the door. She clucked her tongue like an old hen or an old woman when she saw her grandmother wearing jeans and a sparkly top, with a yellow rain slicker flopping open with every step. “I’m not even going to ask. I’m going to work and we’ll talk about it this evening.”