Page 26 of The Cowboy's Off Limits Option

"You hanging out with Arch? Yeah. Of course I'm good with it." He shoots a look up at me like he expects me to find her question just as odd as he seems to.

I shrug, but it's not supposed to be a dismissal of Cal's question-- it's more of a"I want to know the same thing"kinda shrug.

Rowan and I have been buddies for fifteen years, we've been about as close as guys get to their friends out here for at least the last few of those. I expect him to know how to read my damn body language.

"Heck, as soon as I figured out who Arch's secret love was, I figured it'd only be a matter of time till we'd have to start sharing him. Might as well let you have him while you can."

Callie turns to look back at me and it's pretty easy to pick up on her unspoken message:What the fuck?

Suddenly, the confused look on Cal's face gives way to a bright smile as she throws her arms around her brother's neck and pulls herself up on her tip toes to hug him when he doesn't bend for her.

"Oh my God, thank you, Row! I thought you were going to be so mad."

Over her shoulder, I get another confused look thrown my way before he finally laughs and wraps his arms around her.

Rowan pulls Cal's feet off the ground, returning the hug and laughing more when she plants a hard kiss to the side of his cheek before he drops her back to her feet.

"Off,"he mouths at me as he climbs into the flat bed pick-up while Callie jogs back to me.

The diesel engine roars to life, but I'm not paying attention to Rowan anymore; I'm busy catching my girl as she flings herself into my arms.

Then I'm busy kissing her every bit as hard as she's kissing me.

Then I'm busy pushing Callie back through the open front door to safety before she can get caught between me and her brother's fist.

"What the actual fuck?!"

Rowan's shouting over the sound of the engine of his truck left idling in the driveway. When he gets to me, my back is turned to him because I'm trying to convince Cal to stay in the house and wait this out.

A hard hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me backward off my porch, making me damn glad it's only a one foot slab and I put down the new sod back in spring. Because I'm completely off balance and I land on my ass pretty hard.

"Rowan!" Cal comes shooting out of the house like her hair's on fire, running straight at her brother without concern for consequence-- like getting in the way of his fist as he swings for my head.

"Goddammit, Cal! Get off me!" Rowan yells, stumbling sideways and hitting the grass with one knee as Cal wraps her arms around his neck and clings to his back, screaming at him to calm down.

It gives me a chance to get back on my feet, but all Callie's screaming only seems to be making him madder. Despite her attempts to hold him back, he comes at me, arms outstretched, either to push me down again or strangle me-- probably depends on if he can get a grip on me.

"You said you were okay with it," I dodge his advance and step backward. My foot lands on a sprinkler head buried in the yard. Like stepping on a damn Lego-- sharp pain radiates through my bare foot.

I'm not dressed for a fucking fight. Hell! I'm not dressed at all.

"I'm okay with youwatchingout for her, asshole! Notmakingout with her."

Thanks to Callie's hand over her brother's eyes, I manage to dodge another punch, but Rowan's boot manages to connect with my shin in a side swipe that takes me back to my knees.

"You said you knew you were going to have to share him with me! Stop it, Rowan! Let go!"

Rowan manages to pry Cal's hand loose and twist out of her grip.

"I meantwe, Cal!Wewere going to have to share him-- withAllison, not each other!"

The name Allison stops both Cal and I in our tracks as we both wonder who the hell Rowan's talking about.

"Who the fuck is Allison?" I don't move fast enough and Rowan's fist glances off my chest.

"Allison Miller, man! The girl you were telling me about yesterday."

"I was talking about Calla! Why the fuck would you think I was into Allison Miller?"

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