Page 9 of The Cowboy's Temporary Solution

Seri's arms tighten around my chest where she's been holdin' on for dear life since before the truck started moving.

"No worries there, baby, I've been doing this since Ruger Kelly started driving his dad's old Ford when we were eight years old. It'll take more than the old river road to buck my ass off the back of a truck."

"You were driving at eight?"

The shock on her face makes those turquoise eyes go wide and I've got half a mind to kiss her right then and there just to see her reaction.

Of course, Buck hits another bump in the road as he takes the turn into O'Hare's back lot too fast, forcing me to grip the edge of the truck bed under my ass with one hand and giving me an excuse to hang on to Seri with the other.

My hat almost goes flying, but between the John B. and Seri, I know which one I'd rather have my hands on.

Seri manages to catch the hat, laughing as it topples off my head and she catches it just in time to save me from Beryl's plight—who makes a quick jump and hits the ground with a roll in the dirt when his own hat catches wind and goes sailing.

"Is he okay?"

"No worries," I assure her, as the rest of us unload and head for the bar without waiting up for Bear, "that boy's been fallin' off of bulls since he was three, a little tumble at ten miles an hour ain't likely to be the thing that does him in."

Taking the door from Colt and holding it open for Seri; I take advantage of the opportunity to admire her as she walks past me into the bar's dark interior.

She never did give back my hat, and the way it sits loose on her head with her dark curls hanging in rows down her back has me thinking I should get her a hat of her own.

Then again, there's a visceral kind of reaction swelling up in me at the sight of her in mine. Almost as good as putting a ring on her finger when it comes to making sure every asshole here knows who she belongs to.

She's got another one of her sexy librarian outfits on today, with a dark gray skirt that hugs her curves and a blouse with buttons that oughta be getting hazard pay for the way they're straining to contain those full breasts.

The woman's had me mixed up all morning, for sure. I was proud as punch to introduce her around to everyone at the services as my own, but she's had my head full of thoughts thatshouldn't be allowed in church and especially not while we're trying to listen to the pastor give my dad's eulogy.

Funeral's over now though. There's plenty of things to get sorted before I lose her at the end of the week, but for the rest of this day, I'll be shooting whiskey with the guys, toasting-- and roasting-- the old man, and Serenity's still mine as long as the prying eyes of town are on us.

I plan on enjoying that as long as I can.

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I walk through the long hallway lined with old photos, steering Seri into the main saloon up front to where our party's gathering around a wide, round table with Rowan's sister, Callie, Bernadine, and a good dozen or so shots of whiskey already waiting.

Bernie's face breaks into a wicked smile as she eyes us approaching and a shiver runs down my spine as she knocks back a shot without taking her eyes off us.

5

SERENITY

Ranger slips his free hand in mine and Bernie's eyes shoot daggers where we're connected as we make our way through the bar to the big table where Bernadine and a younger woman are waiting on our group.

Several shot glasses of amber liquid are already on the table and they get emptied one by one as the group of men we rode over with start claiming chairs as well as drinks.

A woman who looks like she could arm wrestle Thor-- and win-- brings another round of shots to the table.

"Ya must be the girl Ranger brought home to keep his mama from meddling." The woman gives me a hard look that has me feeling uncomfortable.

"Virgie, this is my girl, Seri," Ranger drops into one of the heavy, wooden chairs and pulls me into his lap as he introduces me to the woman. "She's a historian. I'm sure she'd love to hear what you know about Slow River while she's in town."

Virgie gives me another glare, this one more curious than scrutinizing, then she looks across the table at Bernie and back to Ranger.

"Your mama had different plans for you, Ranger O'Leary. If you're gonna fuck with those, you better be sure you don't break her heart. That woman's had a rough enough go of it between your father and the lot of you boys."

"Nice to meet you there, Seri. I'm sure today's not the best time to get to know each other. Maybe you can come by later this week-- Range'll likely be happy to bring you by when he's had a chance to recover from tonight."

The Pereira brothers have already downed more than one round, and Flint is telling a story about Ranger's dad, a rodeo clown, and a bet that involved a naked horse ride into a bar in another town.

The men around the table erupt in laughter while I try to follow along without getting distracted by the hard muscle of Ranger's thighs under my ass, or the way he keeps one arm wrapped around my waist while he joins his brothers and the other men in sharing stories about the man who raised him while they down the endless supply of whiskey that Virgie keeps delivering to the table.

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