Josh's Justice, Cowboy Romance (Bad in Boots, Book 4) (3 page)

“Lightning was Josh’s horse,” Elise told her. “Colt traded a bull for her as a gift to me.”

“Yeah, he one-upped me on that one.” Josh’s lip curled in annoyance.

“You got the bull you wanted,” Elise said, grinning.

Sabrina saw the look on Josh’s face when Elise teased him about the bull, and her attention pinged to Elise for any recognition of his affection.
That’s not the only thing he wanted, Elise
.

“Come on.” Elise beckoned Josh. “I’ll show you our bull.” Pausing, she turned to Sabrina. “Hurry up, slowpoke. Dinner’s almost ready. Nan’s cooking a special meal tonight for our guest.”

Sabrina shot her a pleased look. “Just for me?”

“Of course you, silly. So get a move on and head over to the kitchen. Nan likes company while she’s cooking. I’ll meet you there once I finish up with Josh.”

Josh turned to her and pulled on the front of his hat. “Nice to meet you, Sabrina. Hopefully I’ll see you again.”

There he went again with that sexy drawl. It’s like he knew the sound melted her from the inside out.
You can bet on it
. She smiled. “Nice to meet you, too. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Even if I have to show up on your doorstep, Mr. Hunky Neighbor.

Once Elise and Josh walked off, Sabrina finished up with Lightning, then made her way over to the kitchen.

“Hi, Sabrina,” the older lady called out from her position near the stove. Her white teeth made a striking contrast against her dark skin as she gave Sabrina a broad, friendly smile. “Come on in and sit down. Tell me how you’re enjoying your vacation so far.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. I might be a guest, but I like to do my fair share.” Sabrina approached the sink and washed her hands. “How can I help?”

“I like you.” Nan beamed, gripping the skillet’s handle to turn over a piece of chicken. Nodding toward the cooked potatoes in a blue and white bowl near the sink, she said, “Why don’t you mash those up and then add some butter, milk, and salt and pepper.”

“Will do.” Sabrina picked up the bowl and used the utensil Nan had sitting in it. While she mashed the potatoes, voices outside drew her gaze to the open window.

Elise and Josh stood not far from the stable talking. He put his hand on Elise’s shoulder as he said something to her, then laughed at her response. He smiled easily with Elise, his expression intent as he listened to her. Yep, he definitely had feelings for her friend. The knowledge made her a little sad for Josh. He must really feel torn to be attracted to someone who’s already taken.

* * *

Dinner with Mace, Colt, Elise, and Nan was a treat. Her first night at the ranch, Sabrina and Elise had gone out to eat, and the other nights had been Colt, Elise and her eating together. Mace had joined them once before, but tonight they all enjoyed a special home-cooked meal with Nan, making it extra special.

At the end of the meal, Colt had turned quiet as he picked up Elise’s hand and kissed the palm. “The next two weeks won’t go by fast enough,” he said, his gaze earnest and totally engrossed in his wife.

Elise smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “They’ll go by faster than you expect, I imagine, since you’ll be so busy following the rodeo to a few towns.”

“Yeah, but you’ve
got
a distraction,” he complained with a half-smile, nodding to Sabrina.

“Oooh, to have a handsome man say I’m a ‘distraction’ and really mean it.” Sabrina fluttered her lashes wistfully and fanned her face.

“Elise, have you noticed what a smokin’
distraction
your friend is?” Mace said, eyebrows raised suggestively. “I’m not getting a lick of work done,”

Sabrina giggled and threw her uneaten biscuit at him. God, he was great for the ego, not to mention a lot of fun.

Just as a round of laughter spread around the table, the phone rang. Elise got up to answer it while Colt pinned a stern look on Mace. “You’d better learn to focus real quick, little brother. You’re running the ranch while I’m gone.”

“Ah, man, do I have ta?” Mace mock complained. He gave Sabrina a heated look. “I planned to play chase.”

Sabrina’s eyes widened. “You mean that’s not what you have
been
doing since I got here?”

“Nah, darlin’. That was just warming up.” He pushed back from the table and began to re-tuck his denim shirt into his Wranglers as if trying to look good for a date. “I might have to be the responsible one while Colt’s gone, but I’ll still have my nights free. Wanna go out with me tomorrow to Rockin’ Joe’s?”

“You really are a piece of work,” Sabrina said, shaking her head.

“Don’t encourage him. It’ll be like a match to kindling,” Colt warned in a dry tone.

Elise hung up, then picked up hers and Colt’s plates. “That was Josh. He has a few ideas for a new horse, but he’s going to come by tomorrow to look over the horses we already have. He wants to suggest the right one to mix in with the group.” She glanced Nan’s way and nodded toward the doorway. “Go on into the living room with the guys and relax. Sabrina will help me with the dishes. Thank you for another wonderful meal.”

“But she’s the guest,” Nan said, eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“Who’s very grateful to be here and will happily do her part.” Sabrina stood and shooed them on. “Now go take a break.”

Nan grinned. “It’s always nice to see the boys at the table.” She cut her gaze between the two men and finished in an admonishing tone, “It doesn’t happen near often enough. Colt, you be sure to tell Cade I expect him to visit soon.”

“Will do, Nan. Hmmm, I believe we’re being asked to make up for quality time. What do you think, Mace?”

Mace stood. “Guess we’re breaking out the Scrabble board. I don’t believe Nan’s delivered her special dose of whoopass on us in quite a while.”

Nan gave a deep belly laugh, her large breasts bouncing against her full–figured frame. “Come on, boys. Let the
master
show you how it’s done.”

Elise smiled after the men and Nan as she began to scrape off the leftover food from the plates into the trashcan.

“They’re very close, aren’t they?” Sabrina opened the dishwasher and began to rinse the dirty dishes Elise handed her.

“Yes, Nan helped raise Colt and his brothers when his mother left.”

“Ah, now I get it.” Sabrina nodded her understanding at the family-like atmosphere she’d seen between Nan and the men.

They worked in silence for a while until all the dishes were done. While Elise was making a fresh pot of coffee, Sabrina dried her hands on a towel and leaned against the counter. “Want to hear my epiphany on relationships?”

Elise poured the water in the coffee machine, then chuckled as she slid the pot in its holder and turned it on. “Knowing how picky you were about the men you dated in college, this should be interesting.” Pulling a chair out she sat, green eyes alight. “Have a seat and spill.”

“Picky? I just had standards,” Sabrina began, then gave a wry smile. “Apparently I don’t know jack. Before we broke up, Jeremy said I was too controlling. So here’s the deal I made with myself. For the entire summer, I’ve decided to disregard my usual reservations concerning men and ‘let myself go’ with the first man who trips my trigger. I won’t look too deeply or scrutinize, which is all I’ll expect in return. I’m just going to live in the moment.”

“Ah, now I know why you came to Texas. Appealing men abound.” Elise nodded, then winked. “Fair warning, Bri, cowboys are an especially irresistible breed.”

Sabrina shrugged, then brushed her long braid over her shoulder. “I’m not looking for Mr. Right to come from this adventure, but I made a promise to myself to not get caught in my normal hang-ups and I’m determined to stick with this plan. If nothing else, at least I can scratch this experience off my bucket list.”

“Look out Texas men!” Elise leaned in to whisper, “Is Mace your ‘project’?”

Sabrina shook her head. “I
love
flirting with that man, but as good-looking as he is, he doesn’t do it for me like your neighbor Josh Kelly does.” Sabrina held her breath and waited to see what kind of reaction she’d get from Elise.

Elise’s eyebrows shot up, but then her expression turned serious. “Josh is a great guy, and yes, he’s very nice on the eyes—”

“Why do I hear a
but
coming? Is he a womanizer or something—” Sabrina paused and quickly shook her head. “No, wait. I’m not supposed to ask.”

Colt’s phone started to ring, distracting them. Colt walked into the kitchen and swiped it from the counter.

Elise shook her head. “He’s not a womanizer that I know of. That’s not it—”

“I know Josh has a thing for you, Elise,” Sabrina said in a lowered voice once Colt walked into the hall to talk. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. If my interest in him makes you uncomfortable, I’ll forget about it.”

Her friend put a hand on her arm. “No worries, Sabrina. And, yes there was a bit of rivalry between Josh and Colt, but that’s in the past. It’s just that—”

“Elise, it’s your mom.” Colt approached from the doorway, phone in hand, a curious look on his face. “She couldn’t get you on your cell, so she called mine.”

“Excuse me for a second.” Elise took the phone from her husband. “Hey, Mom,” she said, then her face quickly pinched in concern. “Is he all right?” Colt put his hands on his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close, mouthing, “Your father?” When Elise nodded, he massaged her shoulders, giving her his support.

Sabrina’s stomach tumbled as her friend’s face grew pale.
What’s wrong? Not her dad too!

“When’s the surgery? I’ll be on the next plane out. I know he doesn’t want me to worry, but I want to be there when he wakes up.” Elise’s voice broke when she finished, “Mom, just in case… tell Dad I love him.”

Tears fell once she ended the call. Colt turned her around and pulled her close. Kissing her forehead, he said, “I’m going with you, darlin’.”

“But you can’t go,” she said between sniffles. “You’ve got all your travel plans made.”

Colt shook his head. “Mace can go in my place. You’re not going home alone. Just in case, I want to be there with you.”

Elise hugged his waist and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “This is why I love you so much, Colt Tanner.”

Sabrina’s heart swelled for her friend and the obvious love she and her husband shared. She stood up from the table when Elise let go of Colt and walked over to her, a worried look on her face. “My dad had some heart pains and when he went to his doctor, they wouldn’t let him leave for fear he’d have a heart attack. He’s on the verge of one with clogged arteries. They’ve scheduled an emergency angioplasty tomorrow.”

Sabrina’s eyes teared. “Oh, Elise. I’m so sorry. I hope the surgery goes well. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

Elise reached for her hand and shook her head. “Absolutely not! I’m only going to be gone for a couple of days. My dad’s as tough as nails. He’ll love the fact I’m there, but I’ll be ready to come back once I know he’s out of the woods.”

“Are you sure?” Sabrina didn’t want her friend to feel the need to accommodate her.

Elise squeezed her fingers. “Very much so.”

While Colt called to make flight reservations, Sabrina asked in a low voice, “You started to say something about Josh…”

“Yes, I did…” Elise began, then paused. Holding Sabrina’s gaze for a second, she pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, “Go for it, Bri. Grab life by the horns. You never know when you’re going to get thrown, so you may as well savor the ride while it lasts.”

Sabrina knew Elise was thinking about her father. She whispered back, “Your dad’s going to be fine. I know it.”

“I know he will.” Elise clasped her tight, then leaned away and smiled. “I’m sure Josh would be happy to keep you company while I’m gone. I’ll call him in the morning before I leave and tell him we’ll have to hold off on the horse trade until I get back. Then I’ll casually mention, ‘But I do have a houseguest who might be bored out of her mind while I’m gone…’”

Sabrina grimaced. “Um, I’d prefer not to be so blatant.”

“And acting on your ‘tripping trigger theory’ isn’t?” Elise snickered at Sabrina’s sour look before she moved over to the cabinets to retrieve some mugs. Glancing back at her, Elise sobered. “You changed after your dad died, Bri. Became more…contained over time. I’m glad to see you trying to open yourself up to possibilities.” Turning to lean against the counter, Elise continued, “How about this…since Josh is supposed to come by tomorrow, I just won’t let him know that I’ll be gone. When he arrives, you can explain the situation? That work better for you?”

Sabrina grinned. “Much. What time was he supposed to stop by?”

“He just said late afternoon.” Elise poured coffee into a cup. “That should give you plenty of time to dress to impress. I’m assuming that’s your plan.”

Batting her eyelashes, Sabrina adopted an innocent expression. “Why ever would you think that?”

Chapter Three

“Stood up before we ever got started. This is a new low,” Sabrina grumbled and looked at her watch.
Go figure I’d pick a man who can’t even show up on time on the very first date. Trigger tripping only works if he’s around to make it happen.
The Texas sun beat down on her, its heat making her skin sticky and wet. She must’ve uncrossed and re-crossed her legs for the hundredth time while she sat on the front porch steps. Leaning against the railing, she hoped she appeared to be just resting and not the wilted flower she felt like.

Granted, Josh didn’t know it was their first date or that she’d spent three hours getting ready, from deciding what to wear to her hair.
Three hours!
But he had made plans to meet Elise. It was six o’clock and the man still hadn’t shown. Remembering she’d heard the phone ring not too long ago, she stood and walked inside, then veered into the kitchen, where Nan sat reading the paper. “Was that Josh who called?”

Nan lowered the newspaper and shook her head. “No, hon, that was my sister confirming our dinner plans.” Her brown eyes held an apology. “I feel bad leaving you, but we’re celebrating her sixtieth birthday. Oh, speaking of which, let me get you a key to the house. There’s an extra one in Colt’s office.” She started to get up, but Sabrina shooed her back in her seat. “Let me get it. I’m antsy. Where in Colt’s office?”