Page 22 of Claimed By the Cowboys
“Well, right now, that stable isn’t fit to show company.” Dakota laughed nervously, giving Zeke a playful elbow to the ribs.
“Maybe we can give Miss Piper a proper introduction after Dakota and I clean up the place,” Zeke assured Maisie, who had already set into a pout.
“Of course we understand, don’t we, Miss Maisie?” I prompted her, welcoming her back to her seat beside me by brandishing her container of cut strawberries.
“Uh–huh.” She nodded absently before breaking into an excited chorus of, “Strawberries! Strawberries! Yummy, yummy, yummy!” Her momentary displeasure was already forgotten.
Both Zeke and Dakota replaced their hats on their heads and offered me a curt nod. I did my best to keep my eyes off their glistening abs, focusing on Maisie as they excused themselves, returning to their work.
I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
What was that saying?
Hate to see them go, but love to watch them leave?
Chapter 12
Piper
Iflopped onto my bed after a long day of food prep, housework, and running around the ranch with Maisie.
Clay had gotten home from his day of off-ranch meetings just as I had put Maisie into her pajamas. I passed her off to him for story and bedtime, trying not to linger on how delicious he smelled and opting to get ready to settle in for the night.
There were plenty of things from Emmy now lining the drawers of my dresser and hanging in my modest closet. We had even taken a quick trip to town one afternoon and picked up a few more pieces, but I would have been lying if I said I hadn’t been tempted to slip into the T-shirt Zeke had lent me on my very first night at the ranch.
I had secretly taken to sleeping in the faded blue cotton tee, which was so long on me, it was almost a dress. I looked at it, dangling from its place on the plastic hanger, the faint smell of juicy, tangy fruit that I still couldn’t quite place lingering on the worn fabric.
A bath, a little while with my book, some chamomile tea, and snuggling down into my bed sounded like absolute heaven.Before I was able to begin my nighttime routine, however, there was a light knock at my door.
Spinning away from my closet, I shut the door to hide my secret T-shirt treasure and smoothed my hair, doing my best to look put together before I called, “Come in!”
To my surprise, Zeke stood filling the doorway, his shaggy blond hair hanging into his green eyes.
“Hey, Piper!” He grinned, his hands reaching up for the top of the doorframe.
Seeing the tasty little peek of skin as his shirt raised reminded me of the buff guy buffet I’d been treated to earlier today. Zeke may have been covered in dirt, bits of hay, and god knows what else smeared on that perfect body, but I still would have liked to run my tongue all up and down that man.
Without Maisie to keep my thoughts from straying, my mind began to wander, churning up thoughts of what we might do here alone in my room. I had to pinch myself to return to reality because he was apparently talking, and I couldn’t understand the words coming out of his mouth.
“Well, what if I told you we could go see some horses right now?” Zeke grinned like a madman, offering me one of those massive open hands, and in that moment, I knew there was no way I could deny him.
“Sure.” I grinned, heat circulating through my body in a way that made just looking at the man feel sinful.
“Perfect. Let’s go, Pipes.” Zeke was still all grins as he yanked my hand and pulled me along after him. I happily shoved all thoughts of my book and a quiet night in, to the back of my mind.
Through the cool night and the chirping of crickets, Zeke led me down to the far end of the massive barn toward the horse stalls tacked onto the end, with their low metal roof and hugesliding door. We were still a ways from the building when a crack of thunder echoed and lightning lit up the sky.
In less than a second, the clouds opened, and rain poured down from the sky.
“Shit!” I shrieked, hurrying toward the barn, even though it was already too late. I was drenched.
“Gotta love a freak storm!” Zeke chuckled, taking my hand and pulling me along after him as we both sprinted to the barn. When we got to the door, he gripped the handle and shook, flinging the water off him as we stood under the tiny awning.
“So, you ever ridden horseback before?” Zeke asked, golden brows wiggling up and down as he laughed, still dripping water.
I rolled my eyes, shaking like he did. “Literally never,” I admitted, a little embarrassed. “Don’t tell Clay, though. He’d never let me hear the end of it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Zeke swore his secrecy, laying one hand over his chest to demonstrate his seriousness before rolling the sliding door to the barn open.
