Branded as Trouble (Rough Riders #6)(123)

“Tattoos aren’t bad, but look out for the piercings.”


“Son, there’s just some stuff I don’t wanna know.”


Chapter Twenty-six


Colt unsaddled Laramie and brushed him down. He was dragging the packs to the back door when he saw her motorcycle parked in the driveway. He dropped everything and tore around the side of the house.


India sat on the steps, head in her hands, looking lost.


But she was here.


“Indy?”


Her head snapped up. “Colt!” She dropped the bundle in her hand, leapt to her feet and ran. Launched herself straight into his arms and peppered his face with kisses. “I missed you, you dickhead. I missed you so goddamn much. Don’t you ever ever ever take off and leave me like that again, do you hear me?”


He laughed. He laughed and swung her around until she started laughing too.


“Oh God, stop. I’m dizzy.”


“It’s okay. I gotcha.” He sat on the steps with India straddled on his lap. He picked up the bundle and it jingled. “What’s this?”


“A present. I realized I never did any romantic dating type crap for you. I didn’t bake you cookies, or surprise you with a picnic—”


“But the caramel incident counts as romantic. So does the whipped cream. And you showin’ up buck-assed nekkid except for a pair of boots counts as the height of romantic behavior.”



“Yeah? Anyway, I wanted to give you something tangible, so I brought you a bag of tokens from the pizza place in Moorcroft where we had our first date.”


“As a token of your affection?”


“Pretty pun-tastic, huh?” She gave him a small head butt. “See?


I knew you’d get it. You know me so well, Colt. Better than anyone ever has.”


“Same goes. So you have to know my meeting with Ginger Paulson—”


India put her fingers over his lips. “You don’t have to explain. I was a jerk. I trust you. Period.”


He nipped her fingertips. “I’m gonna tell you anyway. Her son Hayden is Buck’s little buddy. Hayden wanted to do something special for Buck, and Ginger thought I could give them some ideas.”


“That’s all?”


“Yep. So now—”


“Now you need to listen,” India blurted. “First, I’m sorry. For not defending you, for acting like a lump of shit when Cat spewed all those horrible things about you. I lashed out at you when I should’ve lashed out at her. It’ll never happen again and I’ll beat the living shit out of anyone who casts doubts on your character.”


“Including my mother?”


India snorted. “She’s not afraid to come out swinging, that’s for damn sure. But then again, neither am I. It surprised her that I’d fight for you.”


“That’s a little extreme, but apology accepted.”


“Second, it was a cheap shot, questioning your commitment to sobriety after our fight. I should be your safe harbor, not the crashing waves dragging you down.” India fiddled with the button on his shirt. “I’m the one who had doubts about whether I could hold it together after you left. I, ah, had to call Bert.”


“Ah Indy.” He rested his forehead to hers. “You okay?”


“Now? Yeah. Then? No. I was a mess. I needed help. I wasn’t too proud to ask for it. That…feeling had been building for a while and I ignored it. So the near relapse reminded me I’d gotten cocky. I thought I had addiction whupped, but I don’t. I never will.”