Page 20 of Trig
No,our. She hadn’t gone into one of the extra bedrooms. My thoughts on how she subconsciously knew that room was also hers had me smiling. But my family started pouring in as I washed my hands. First, it was Cam and Lainey. He must have ridden his snowmobile over from his place to collect her at hers.
“Where is she?” Lainey asked as she stripped off her outer layers and let them fall haphazardly to the floor of the mudroom.
Cam grinned as he shed his own outerwear.
I pointed toward the ceiling. “Upstairs. She’ll be down soon.”
Lainey was five-two, but no one who wanted to keep breathing called her dainty or petite. She was a spitfire who rode a horse better than any one of us. She worked here onthe family ranch when she wasn’t competing as a damned good barrel racer. Because of her somewhat reckless spirit–which was pretty close to mine–it was a good thing she had so many brothers to watch out for her. She’d have been married to the dumbass quarterback from high school or joined a cult if we didn’t threaten the men that circled her like vultures. We had yet to find the man who was good enough for her. Or strong enough to handle her.
Her blonde hair stuck up every which way when she removed her hat. Her cheeks were flushed from the ride.
“I can’t believe you found her in a snowstorm,” she said. Her voice was loud, like usual.
Reaching out, I put my hand over her big mouth and murmured quietly in her ear. “She’s lucky to be alive so keep it the fuck down,” I warned.
Cam laughed. “Told you,” he said to Lainey.
When Lainey licked my palm, I pulled my hand away, then wiped it on my jeans.
“Yeah, I’ve never seen him like this before,” Cam added.
I looked down at myself. Realizing my shirt was barely buttoned, I got to work on it. At least my dick was no longer hard. My family was a great way to shut it down.
“You’re barely dressed. God, don’t tell me she’s naked up there. You just met!” Lainey said.
“I am not talking about my sex life with you. Ever,” I added, narrowing my eyes.
She picked up a cloth grocery bag she set on the floor when she came in. “Fine. Then I’m not sharing any of my cookies.”
“Do you really want to know about what his dick does?” Cam asked her, eyes wide.
Lainey made a fake vomit face. “Fuck, no.”
“Then I get cookies,” I told her, then leaned close. “I’m giving you a sister-in-law, remember.”
Her eyes widened, then she grinned. “Deal.”
The sound of more snowmobiles signaled the arrival of others.
Ma and Pops came next. While we took their coats and hung them up for them, they sat on the bench and removed their boots. They didn’t mention Ellie, but I could sense their excitement.
Buck, Bray, and Hayes came in next, arguing about whose snowmobile engine was bigger.
Colt and Shep came last, the others carrying what was turning into a big potluck into the kitchen.
Colt took my arm before I joined them. He wasn’t on duty today, but as sheriff, he could be called out at any time, especially in weather like this, although most people in Devil’s Ditch knew better than to go out and do something stupid.
Except Ellie. Another reminder that she wasn’t from around here.
Even though he was here for dinner, he wore a uniform coat and his gun belt. “Shep and I will swing by the stalled car after dinner.” Shep was a mechanic and ran the only auto shop in town. “Get the plate details. Ma said I had to ask permission before I pried.”
He was taller than me, but leaner. I had the heft needed to ride the back of a bull. He had the physique for speed. We were the two that looked the most alike, even though he was five years younger with Cam and Bray between us.
Where I was laid back–I had to be if I wanted to climb on the back of a bull–he was the serious one. He was wary of everyone. Cautious. He’d always looked before he leapt.
“Must be tough holding off,” I said with a grin.
He set his hand on my shoulder. “She’s your woman?”
