Page 27 of Cowboy's Way

Truth be told, the roads around here wind around so much, what with all the lakes and rivers, that even with the GPS, I’m constantly getting lost.

“I’ll have Cowboy text you,” he tells me. “Have you met these guys yet?”

“Jesus, where aremy manners,” Beast cuts in, slapping himself on his forehead and giving me a big wink as the third man he is sitting with chuckles. “We have not been formally introduced.”

“That’s Beast, you can ignore him,” Demo says, shaking his head before indicating the other two men. “Monk and Frost. This is Faith—she’s the lady who moved in down the road from Cowboy. Frost is Risk’s cousin.”

It’s impossible to miss the emphasis he puts on ‘lady’, but I don’t have time to ponder the significance.

“You met Risk already?” Frost asks me, looking like he’s trying to put something together.

“Cowboy brought her to the pig roast they had the other night,” Beast tells him, obviously up-to-date on the gossip as his eyes darken when they look back at me again. “I’m always up for leftovers, but sadly, there didn’t seem to be any around last night.”

“There weren’t any leftovers,” I sternly reply to his innuendo as the other Saints seem to have frozen in place.

Monk’s elbow shoots out, catching Beast about the same time Demo lurches up from his stool to smack the man upside his head.

“Stow that shit, Corporal.” There’s no room for argument in Demo’s tone and it’s the first time I’m seeing this side of him; a far cry from his usual laid back demeanor. “Faith, as far as the job, if any of the men get out of line with you, I want to hear about it immediately.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” I reply, hoping to disarm the situation with a little humor. When his eyes harden again, I turn back to the rest of my breakfast instead of digging myself in deeper.

I mean, I think I’m funny, but I don’t want to lose the job before I get started.

*

After driving to the nearest mid-sized town, I finally buy myself a computer and hit the grocery store. On the way back, my phone rings and I try to still the flutters I feel when I see Logan’s name pop up on the screen.

“Hey,” I answer.

“Sorry to call … I mean, Demo said to text you the address,” he starts, sounding uncharacteristically awkward. “Did I hear him right? You’re going to work for the bail bonds business?”

“I need to get a job, and he kind of jumped into my conversation with Walt. Next thing I knew, he’s talking about probationary periods and flexible hours.” The last thing I want is for Logan to think I’m stalking him. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who does regular relationships, and we just met.

Granted, there was that whole licking me to orgasm thing, but he hasn’t exactly made a move since then.

Damn, I want to get laid. And not just by anyone.

By someone who will take their time and focus on me for a hot minute.

“Faith? Did I lose you?” he asks, raising his voice and I realize I was daydreaming.

“Sorry about that.” I squeak out the words. “What did you say?”

“Why don’t you let me know when you’re ready to go and I’ll pick you up at your dock?”

“Because I’ll still need to know how to get there on my own,” I answer before worrying that it sounds like I’m trying to distance myself from him. “I should be home in about twenty minutes though. I just need to put away my groceries, and then I can pick you and Bruno up, if you want?”

“Groceries? You cooking dinner tonight?”

“I can.”

“Sounds good. I’m going to leave Bruno behind today though. I saw some armadillo sign this morning and he’ll scare—”

“What now?” I blurt out. “I thought armadillos were in Texas or Arkansas? I don’t know, one of the schools has them as a mascot, right? I think there was a movie.”

The man doesn’t even try to hide his laugh. A loud, rich sound that I haven’t heard before, but it has me smiling along with him, even if it is at my expense.

“We have armadillos here, too. They can be a real problem because they attract bears and other predators that’ll just as soon go after my chickens.”

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