Page 32 of Claimed By the Cowboys
Montana shuddered.
Chapter 16
Clayton
Ididn't like how quickly Piper was integrating into our household.
Maisie had taken to her pretty much immediately. Usually when I said goodbye, she would pout, stomp her feet, or get upset. Now, when I told her that I had to go to work, she went straight to Piper with a smile on her face.
Zeke was following her around like a lovesick puppy. I wasn't an idiot. I knew how he acted when he got laid. He had been swaggering around the house with the biggest grin on his face. It was like a peacock constantly preening.
So, either he had found a new genre of porn and was taking matters into his own hands nonstop, or he had stuck his dick in the omega.
Neither was a particularly pleasant option to think about.
I had been finding more and more reasons to come home early. Usually, I was the first one out and the last one in, because there was so much work that needed doing on the ranch. I wanted to spend more time with my daughter, but that would be pointless if my daughter lost her home because I couldn't keep the ranch running.
For the first time in a while, I was home for dinner.
When I entered the house and pulled off my boots, a delicious smell hit my nose. I was a cowboy, and I knew steak when I smelled it.
“Daddy Clay!” Maisie screeched in that happy, excited voice as she launched herself at me. She was the main reason I worked so hard. I wanted to give her the best of everything in life, no matter how much work it required. A small part of me also felt guilty that she didn't have a mother and was missing out in that regard, so I possibly overcompensated.
My daughter grabbed my hand and started tugging me in the direction of the kitchen. The kitchen and dining room were open plan, so we could sit at the table and watch what was happening in the kitchen at the same time.
Zeke and one of the twins were already there, nursing a beer each, whereas the other twin was standing in the kitchen with Piper, helping her prepare the food.
Piper looked radiant. Even I could admit that. She wore a bright yellow sundress that floated around her thighs, her auburn curls piled up on top of her head.
“You're free from your desk before dinner instead of working yourself to the bone?” Montana asked. “Are you feeling okay? That doesn’t sound like the Clayton Blackwood I know.”
I shrugged. “Look who’s talking. I just wanted to close the laptop and have some family time. Is that a bad thing?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Sure, that’s believable…”
His tone made it clear he thought I was spewing bullshit, but I didn’t have the energy to get into it with him.
“Hey, Clay!” Piper beamed from the burner. “We’re making steaks, baked potatoes, and a few sides for dinner.”
I nodded. That was a good dinner, as far as cowboys were concerned. When Piper had first shown up, I’d been worried she was going to try to feed us some fancy city food, like quinoa.
Frankly, I had no idea what quinoa even was. Nor did I have any desire to learn. We were all simple guys—meat, potatoes, and the occasional vegetable would keep us happy.
The cheesy fruit still haunted my nightmares.
“Beer?” Dakota asked from behind the kitchen island, heading to the fridge.
“Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled, taking the offered drink and heading to the table. Our entire pack was so comfortable around Piper now, it baffled me.
Maisie clambered up onto her booster seat next to me, a juice bottle in her hand. She constantly tried to emulate what my pack mates and I were doing, so when we had a beer, she needed her bottle of juice.
She was like an adorable little mini me.
“Why don’t you grab the potatoes?” Piper asked Dakota.
“Your wish is my command.” He grinned, grabbing an oven mitt.
I was a country boy who was raised right, so I understood being polite, but at the same time, we hired this omega to do the cooking and look after our child, so why was she bossing around one of my pack mates?
