Cowgirls Don't Cry(95)

“No prob.”


Their breath came out in a misty white steam. “Damn, it’s cold out here.”


“Yeah, but it’s quiet.” Chase took a long swallow. “I’m not used to bein’ around so many kids. I ain’t gonna lie. It drives me insane.”


Brandt didn’t say anything.

“Shit. Sorry. I forgot that you’re takin’ care of Luke’s kid for a while.”


“Don’t worry about it. But there’s a huge difference between one kid and twenty-some kids.”


“So how is it goin’ with Landon?”


He shrugged. “Okay. Jessie’s been workin’ with him to get him to talk more. He’s adjusted to bein’


around kids in the daycare, but the first couple of days were sheer hell for both of us.”


When Chase kept quiet, Brandt said, “You wondering how come I was such a bastard and brought Jessie into this?”


“I’d be lyin’ if I didn’t admit it crossed my mind.” Chase looked straight ahead and drank. “So you’re livin’ with Jessie? At her place?”


Brandt leaned across the railing. “For now. Why?”


“Just curious. Seems everyone is pairing up and producing the next generation of McKays.”


“She’s already paired up with one McKay and that didn’t work out so good for her.”


“That’s probably because she was paired with the wrong McKay to start with.”


Not touching that one.

“What about you? I read all about the ‘Wyoming Wild Man’ in the rodeo magazines. Sounds like you’ve got a girl in every town and left a string of broken hearts across the country.”


“You know how the media exaggerates.”


“So none of it’s true?”


Chase grinned. “Oh, it’s completely true. The raunchier stuff don’t make the trade mags.” He peeped over his shoulder, then back at Brandt. “I gotta admit, I love havin’ a different girl or two every night if I want. They wanna f*ck a top fifteen bull rider and I let ’em. Win-win, right?”


“Right. Who’s the flavor this week?”


“Flavors—plural, as in Miss Rodeo Nevada and Miss Rodeo Montana. Damn good thing the states aren’t next to each other, huh?”


Brandt whistled. “You’ve always had a thing for them fancy types.”


“What’s not to love about big hair, tight jeans, high heeled boots, lots of cleavage and rhinestones?

Dude. I’m so there. Not to mention them queens can ride you hard and squeeze you dry. Ain’t nothin’ I like better than ridin’ double.”


“Watch yourself, Chase. You’re gonna run across one of them beauty queens whose daddy don’t like his little girl bein’ toyed with and he’s gonna get out the shotgun.”


“I can handle myself. And lookit you, B, goin’ all big brother on me, worried about me getting my ass full of buckshot.”


“Asshole. I’m worried about you bustin’ your ass and getting crippled up because you’re too stupid to understand you ain’t invincible and you ain’t gonna be able to ride forever.”


“True. But I’ll climb on a back of a bull as long as I can.” He took another drink of beer. “And the injury is healin’ fine, if my nosy-assed brothers asked you to grill me about it.”