Page 31 of Claimed By the Cowboys
“Well, for starters, your hair is far too well kept to be your brother’s. It’s not sticking up and out every which way after being all sweaty under a hat. It just looks like you tried to make it appear artfully messy,” I began.
Montana’s hand moved absently to his hairline before I continued.
“Second, you’re wearing those ripped-up jeans and a T-shirt like a bad Halloween costume. You keep shifting and shrugging like you’re uncomfortable, and I’m pretty sure that shiny leather belt is more often worn with suit slacks than with jeans.” I snickered as Montana self-consciously smoothed a hand over the hem of the T-shirt.
“Not to mention, your scents are different.”
Conflicting emotions flitted across Montana's face. Was the idea that someone could tell the two of them apart that foreign to him?
“Really? You can tell all that?”
“Yeah, it’s not even that hard, honestly,” I laughed, not noticing I was drifting ever so slightly closer to Montana.
“Besides Clay and Zeke, no one has ever been able to tell us apart that easily before.” He watched me carefully, those big blue eyes fixed on mine.
“Well, I don’t know how to say this without sounding mean, but I think that anyone who couldn’t tell you apart just didn’t know you two very well—or they weren’t paying enough attention.” I shrugged.
I could see that Montana was drawing into himself, probably embarrassed and confused. Was he really this insecure about people being able to tell him and Dakota apart? I decided to try to lighten the mood.
“Plus, you may be identical, but Dakota has told me numerous times that he has an inch on you…”
Montana’s cheeks turned red as he stammered out his reply. “Now I feel like the asshole.” He scrubbed a hand back through his hair and turned his gaze to the floor. “Truth is, Dakota came into the kitchen smellin’ like you, and I got jealous.” He wiped a hand over his mouth and looked out the window, not ready to meet my gaze. “I told him you couldn’t tell us apart, because I was hoping that maybe… Never mind! God, I sound like such a jerk.”
His mild panic over the whole situation was actually kind of adorable, so I decided to put him out of his misery. “Montana Flint, if you want to spend some time with a gal, all you have to do isask.”
The two of us drifted slowly toward each other.
“I still can’t believe you could tell us apart so quickly...”
I shrugged playfully. “Get used to it. You’re not that hard to tell apart for me. Maybe those around you simply aren’t paying enough attention.”
Montana grimaced. “I'm pretty sure Zeke has the attention span of a bumblebee.”
“Oh, I completely agree. He's like a German shepherd who has feet and ears too big for the rest of him, and his brain hasn't quite caught up with him, capacity wise.”
A slow, pleased smile spread across Montana's face. “You've really been paying attention to us, haven't you, sunshine?” he muttered.
“Mmmhmm.” I nodded as our bodies drew closer.
“Piper?” Montana’s voice was soft and raspy as he began to dip his face down toward mine.
“Yes?” My eyelids fluttered as I pressed up onto my tiptoes.
“I would very much like to spend some time with you,” Montana rumbled, his eyelids drooping as our faces drew closer together.
“Pick some time to spend together, Monty, and it’s a date.” I grinned.
“I’ll check my calendar and get right back to you, sunshine, but for now…I was wondering if I might…” Montana trailed off, his eyes darting down to my lips and back again.
“You may have a kiss, Mr. Flint.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, one of his soft hands finding its way to cup my face. “Now I’m worried I may be the one with a limited attention span,” he murmured under his breath as we broke our kiss.
“Don't worry, my focus is on that adorable little girl who's currently on a kick of coloring all the horses in her coloring book bright pink, and she’ll be up from her nap soon,” I teased, taking a few steps back from Montana, all the tension gone out of the moment.
“Well, what other color should a pony be?” He scoffed a laugh.
“True, but just be aware she's probably going to ask to dye one of your real ponies pink one day….”
