Playing With Fire (Tangled in Texas, #2)(40)

“Don’t ‘hey, honey’ me, Jake,” Emily told him. “So I’m frustrating, huh?”

“Just kidding around with the guys, baby.”

“Uh-huh. Sure you were,” she said, moving closer to Jake and into a position where I could see her through the gate. And she didn’t look happy.

“Need something?” Jake asked, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

“Momma Belle just called and said she’s on her way over. If you think you can hide out in here like you did last time while that crazy-ass woman feels me up again, I’m going to make sure she’s the only one getting any action from me this week.” Emily grinned wide. “Then you’re going to find out exactly how frustrating I can be.”

The other men all snickered, while Jake gave her a solemn, “All right. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Emily put one hand on her hip and cocked a brow at him. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I’m not kidding, Jake. If you aren’t out here in two minutes, I’m cutting you off indefinitely.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Jake said, grinning, but eyeing her warily. “Because you can’t do that to me without me doing the same to you.”

“Oh, Jakey,” she said with a sinister gleam in her eyes. “You can’t cut me off. You don’t know who I’m getting it from.” Then she sashayed out of the barn, giggling to herself.

“Emily, that better be a f*cking joke!” Jake called out to her as she disappeared from sight. “Emily…?” He waited for her response, but there was nothing but silence. “Sonofabitch, that woman doesn’t fight fair!” He stormed out after his wife.

The others had been doing a terrible job at keeping a straight face, but the moment Jake left the barn, they all keeled over with laughter. I bit my tongue to keep from joining them.

Once they got themselves under control and finally left, I grabbed the bucket I came for and slipped out the barn door as well.



I wasn’t sure what to make of Cowboy’s comments, though they replayed over and over in my head. Had he meant what he said? Or was it him just playing some kind of sick game? I couldn’t bear to get my hopes up only to be let down when he realized he wasn’t attracted to me nearly as much as he was attracted to something he couldn’t have.

Trying to stay busy and away from Cowboy, I arranged the foam plates and plastic silverware in neat little piles. Hank rested at the picnic table, drinking a glass of sweet tea I’d poured for him. “Why don’t you go over and join the others, honey? Floss is bringing the last few things down now, and I’m about to pull the meat off the grill. We’ll be eating shortly.”

I stopped adjusting food platters and looked up at him warily.

He eyed me with what he must’ve thought was some understanding of the dilemma. “You don’t have to be shy. We’re all family and friends here, and we’re always happy to have a guest join us.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you. I’m glad to be here.”

Hank was a sweet man, but I still didn’t feel the need to confess the real reasons I was over there with him rather than with the others. Sure, one of those reasons was Cowboy. But the other had to do with something entirely different.

The fire.

Everyone hung out near the burn pit to ward off the swarming mosquitos. It had a stone edge and three thick logs sat in the center, covered with orange flames. Occasionally, the fire spit out embers with a crackle and a pop, but the group barely seemed to notice.

They looked content sitting in the flickering heat while having a quiet fireside chat. But I couldn’t bear the thought of being that close. Especially after Cowboy accused me of starting the pallet fire at the chili cook-off. I preferred to stay right where I was, watching them all from a distance.

Hank stood and headed over to the nearby barrel smoker. Ox and Judd joined him, holding out large steel pans, while Hank filled one with barbecue ribs and the other with a huge chunk of brisket.

Jake lounged in the shade of a tree, holding his sleeping daughter on his chest, while patting her back lightly with his large hands. They looked so comfortable and peaceful.

Actually, everyone did.

Cowboy was the only one making any real noise. He sat on a plastic chair bouncing Austin on his knee in time to the Bonanza theme song, providing all the sounds with his mouth. I couldn’t help but grin as he used the baby’s tiny hand to crack an invisible whip.

When Bobbie Jo took Austin from him—probably to keep him from getting whiplash from the way his head was lolling around—Cowboy stood and walked away from the fire. He passed by Jake and paused long enough to rub the back of his finger lightly against Lily’s cheek. It was sweet, the way he showed so much attention to the babies.

A clinking noise interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see Emily putting some beer and ice into a cooler. “Hey, Anna. Do me a favor?” She handed me the empty beer box. “Throw this into the burn pit for me, will you?”

My mouth opened, but I froze in place, unable to answer her.

Cowboy stepped in front of me and looked straight into my eyes. He read my expression and gave me a little wink as if to calm my nerves. “I’ve got it,” he said, then took the box from me before moving back toward the burn pit.

Relief washed over me, but it was only a temporary fix, since Emily stepped up beside me a second later and asked, “What was that all about?”