Page 23 of Rogue Cowboy
Never.We have cattle, horses, dogs and barn cats, but no songs about any of them, and no goats.Why goats?
Surrounded by goats.Not by choice.
LOL.That doesn’t sound stealthy.
Tell me about it.
Goats and yoga are a new trend—something to consider.
Never.But if you write a song about the combo, I’ll turn up the volume.
Never.
Chapter Five
“You’re staring atmy sister,” Rohan commented.
“You’re staring at me,” Cole answered, not surprised to find Rohan waiting at Riley’s trailer.
Yeah, they’d been friendly.Trusted each other on missions.But that didn’t mean Cole was going to go easy on Rohan.He should have been with his little sister in LA when a bunch of suits were set on turning her into something she wasn’t.
“What are you doing here?”Rohan didn’t bother to help Cole heft the saddle, saddle blanket or the grip accessories, but he was quick to take the keys, lock the trailer and pocket them.
“For real.I don’t buy the BS you told my dad and the rodeo committee.You met Riley once over six years ago—as a favor.She was a kid.”
Alone.
“Wasn’t BS.”Cole tempered his anger.
“Which part?You looking to try to buy us out or cut off our business with Wilder Dreams Ranch?”
Cole hadn’t thought of that.His paw-paw and cousin Elijah, who ran the ranch, didn’t operate underhanded, and he resented the insinuation.But he had to keep it cool for Riley’s sake.Things were heated enough.
“Jameson Ranch has a large stock-contracting business.”He wondered how much he should tell Rohan.“My uncle’s retiring from being a surgeon.Over the years he’s bought land in Montana and Wyoming.He and my cousin, Elijah, who’s foreman and more, wanted me to check out the operations in the area.See the land.”
“So, you’re not here for Riley.”
Rohan’s relief would be insulting if Cole cared, but what the hell?Cole walked back to the horse barn with long strides that Rohan matched.They were going to have to have this conversation soon anyway.He wasn’t going to stay a dirty secret, and Riley needed to face her past head-on and spit on it before she could truly reclaim her life.
“I’m definitely here for Riley.”
Rohan swore, pissing Cole off more.
“I detoured on my leave and met her in LA like you asked.”Cole crossed his arms and stared Rohan down, not interested in a pissing match.Riley was a woman.Rohan had no say over who Riley spent time with.
“You trusted me then.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have.”
Deep breath.He didn’t have a sister to protect.Not anymore.Maybe he would have been a dick about Carli.
“We spent a long weekend together—me on the couch,” he added, judging by Rohan’s thundercloud expression that he needed to, but damn.Rohan knew him—knew he wouldn’t take advantage of a girl on the cusp of becoming a woman.“She was magic.But too young, and I’d just reupped for four.I left her alone to pursue her dreams but kept in touch.”
“So now you’re here to what…see if you got a shot?”
He had more than a shot.And for a moment, Cole wondered if he should come clean, but it was Riley’s story too, and his first loyalty was to her.
“You said courting,” he accused.
