Page 68 of Cowboys Next Door

The elevator doors open on the fifth floor, and I step out, following the brass signage leading me to the left and guiding me around the corner to my room. Again, I find myself taken aback by the splendor of my surroundings.

Dropping my duffel bag on the elegantly made bed, I scope out the jacuzzi tub and steam shower with a shiver of glee as I pick up my phone again to make another call.

“Hello, beautiful. Have you arrived?” Eli purrs in my ear.

“I have, and I love this hotel,” I inform him. “Please tell me you didn’t spend a fortune on it.”

“I didn’t spend a fortune on it,” he parrots.

I laugh. “I don’t believe you.”

“That’s okay. As long as you enjoy yourself. Snap some pictures of you lying naked on that bed.”

“I’ll see what I can do. There’s a pool and a gym,” I say. “I might never get anything done.”

“If you need to stay an extra day, get a massage, or get room service—whatever—just put it on the room. They have my card.”

I sigh happily and flop onto the bed, staring up at the sconces on the wall. “Hey, thank you for watching Gran tonight.”

“I love hanging out with her,” he replies, and I don’t think he’s lying.

“I don’t know why Connor would pull something like this.”

“Don’t worry about us back here,” Eli tells me firmly. “Just do what you went there to do and hurry back to us. I have a meeting with three lawyers on Monday. Hopefully by the time you get back, we’ll have a whole plan to go at MVP and end this nonsense.”

“I hope you’re right,” I sigh. “Is Gran still awake?”

“No… do you want me to wake her up? She wanted to stay up for your call, but?—”

“No, no,” I insist. “Let her sleep. My phone is on if she happens to get up and wants to call, but I’m going to shower and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

“Dream about me… and what you want me to do to you,” Eli growls.

My thighs get slightly damp with his command. “I always do.”

We say our goodnights, and I lie on the bed a little longer, sleep overtaking me before I can get that shower in.

* * *

Sera squeezes me so hard, I can barely breathe.

I swallow gulps of air when she releases me from the hug, surprise overcoming me at such a warm greeting. I hadn’t expected her to miss me, honestly.

“Oh, my God! I thought you were living in a box or something! You freaked me out when you didn’t return my calls!” my former co-worker cries, falling into the wooden chair across from me. She hastily casts her laminated menu aside and reaches for my hands. “How have you been? Where have you been?”

“I told you I was moving to Montana, that I’d found my grandmother,” I remind her. “You told Tony that when you saw him.”

Sera’s smile fades slightly, but she shrugs. “Right. I’d forgotten I’d run into him. He’s not that memorable. What did you ever see in him?”

My mind instantly shifts to my three very fuckable cowboys, anxiously awaiting my return to Montana.

“Honestly, I can’t remember,” I reply with a shrug, and I mean it entirely.

Sera picks up her menu and starts to scan it. “So are you back visiting, or are you thinking of coming home?”

I shudder lightly at her phrasing. “Montanaishome,” I tell her, and her blue eyes widen.

“Really?” she laughs. “You’re a cowgirl now? You traded in your laptop for a lasso?”

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