Page 35 of Stirring Up Trouble
And then another went on to tell him he looked interesting in a cowboy hat rather than his doctor's coat. The mention of his normal work uniform did two things at once. It made me curious as to what the doctor version of him was like. It also made me horny as hell to picture him in that white coat and nothing else. We could play doctor. Maybe he’d give me a thorough checkup. It could be some sexy fun for us. But would he even be up for it?
I half listened to him talk as I took the dishes and went about cleaning them like Connie instructed us to. I didn't want to butt into his conversation, but I also didn't want to step away and have him think that I didn't want to be with him.
My mind floated as I pictured all the different ways Robin would fit into my life here on the ranch. I could see it all so clearly. As soon as the rodeo ended, I’d find a way to convince him to call this place home.
Operation: Keep My Boywas about to commence.
Thirteen
Robin
SeeingGriffin's name on my phone was startling. I wondered if maybe something had gone wrong at the clinic or if he needed me to come back early. There could have been any number of reasons why he was calling me.
None of the scenarios that ran through my mind were about the fact that the men of the Coleman Ranch had gathered to watch the rodeo and saw me riding. Then again, I had a feeling part of the reason that they saw anything at all was thanks to Bobby Allen tipping them off.
"Tell me again how you knew," I said to Griffin as I tried to speak over all of the men wanting to talk all at once.
He chuckled. "You know exactly how. Bobby Allen was beside himself knowing that you were going to be riding. He said that there was some type of show we should watch so we all piled up in Atticus and Sean's living room to watch it.”
"Could have knocked me right over when I saw you on that big beast." Atticus said.
"Be nice to May," I replied. “She's a sweetheart.”
There was silence, and then the sound of laughter echoed over the line.
“I don't believe for one second that that horse is nice. The commentators even said that she was a pain in the ass,” Beau stated.
"Language," Jackson said, as Dakota said, at the same time, "Swear jar!" I had no doubt that Dakota's swear jar fund would likely put him through college with the way Beau sometimes went off on a tangent. I myself had to be careful whenever I visited the ranch because the little bugger had ears everywhere and always knew when to catch someone.
"Well, I'm glad you all got to watch the show, I guess,” I told them, my voice full of sarcasm.
“It was a good performance,” Sean added. “And I think we're all just a bit shocked to see you look the way you did.”
"The way I did?"
"Yeah, all bada— You know what. Like you were the cowboy to beat. I've never seen you so self-assured," Griffin told me.
I frowned at the thought. "It was just riding. May did most of the work."
Corey chimed in that time saying, "We all know enough about ranching to know that that wasn't just the horse. Yeah, she had the speed, but the way you roped that calf was beautiful."
I fought the blush that wanted to come at the praise. I watched Blaze clean the dishes at the sink, his eyes trained on his task. I couldn't tell if he was listening or not, and I didn't want to say anything that would implicate us if he wasn't ready for that.
Sure, he told Connie, who I believed was as much family as anyone else to him, but until I knew that he didn't mind the Coleman Ranch guys knowing about us too, I wouldn't say a word.
“I'm not sure what y’all want me to say. Yes, it was a good run, and I had fun. I dressed the part since I'm helping work the rodeo. Whatever you're seeing isn't there.”
There were some protests, and then Griffin said, "Hey guys, I'm gonna take this for just a second. I gotta talk some business stuff with him."
The others told me good night as I heard Griffin move through the house. He was likely stepping out onto the porch. The man loved to pace when he had something to say. I could only imagine what he needed to tell me now.
For some reason, I doubted it was business related at all. There was something about the way he spoke, the way he wanted to single himself out. We talked about the veterinary clinic in front of other people all the time. There wasn't anything he would need to say to me that he couldn't say in front of them, which meant this wasn't about the clinic at all.
"Tell me what's going on," Griffin said.
"What do you mean? What do you think is going on?"
My reply made him groan. I could hear the steps from his boots on the wood planks.I was right about him pacing.
