Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Rowe has eyes on him and we’re still digging, looking for anything we can flag for the police. He’s good at getting what he wants and not getting caught; I will say that. But nothing really new yet.”
“What about that other client? Rowe said she was getting threatening emails. Track those down yet?”
“He knew you couldn’t resist,” Quinn teased. “Glad I didn’t take the bet on how soon you’d call and start asking questions. Pretty sure Noah won the pot.”
“You guys bet on the dumbest shit.” Cole chuckled. He kicked off his shoes and settled on the bed, leaning against the headboard. “So, that client?”
“Yeah, Gidget tracked the emails to the woman’s coworker. He’s the one who’s been terrorizing her. Info has already been sent to her, and she’s telling HR. So easy. We got a new assignment today with a celebrity getting the same sort of treatment.”
“I can help with that one from here.”
“Sure. All the info is in our shared folder. It would give you something to do out there. I can’t imagine how you’d vacation on a ranch.”
“Right? You’re the only one who seems to get that.”
But he and Quinn were a lot alike despite the differences in their looks. Both of them found computers a safe place, and they shared a love of video games. Though Cole hadn’t played in a while, not like Quinn. The man always seemed to have the latest video games beat before Cole even unwrapped them.
Cole’s main hobby was working out; he was damn addicted to it. He wondered if JB had any gym equipment here. If not, maybe he could lift bales of hay or something. A chuckle escaped him at the image drifting through his brain.
“I’d go crazy out there.” Quinn rattled something in the background; it sounded like his chair. “But I will say that having JB around would be cool. Guy’s gorgeous. Tell me you at least noticed that.”
“You know I don’t swing that way, but yeah, he’s a good-looking guy.”
“And all those cowboys,” Quinn said with a sigh.
What was it with cowboys? Cole had talked to his younger brother prior to leaving town and heard the same comments about the cowboys. “Let me guess, you want a picture of JB on a horse.”
“Oh, hell yeah,” Quinn breathed. “Shane won’t care if I look. He’d probably want to see the pics too. You’re the one who’s out there in the boonies with the hot cowboy, and you can’t even appreciate it.”
But he could appreciate a good-looking man. Not in the way Quinn did, but he wasn’t blind. Quinn was right—JB was nice on the eyes with his tall, rangy body and shiny, blond hair.
Gidget’s voice came over the phone, and he realized Quinn had put him on speaker. “If you’d waited two more hours, I would have won the pot. You couldn’t wait, could you?”
Cole laughed. “Next time, I’ll hold off. I don’t have everything set up yet here, if there’s another wager on that.”
“Nope,” she said. “Just the phone call about work. I dumped a few things into your folder, knowing you’d want to keep busy. Nothing time sensitive if you want to try out this thing called vacation.”
“Thanks.”
They teased him a bit more and they discussed a few more items of business, then hung up. Cole spent the next few hours checking his equipment after the flight, and he took a short nap. He awakened when he heard noises coming from the other room.
Cole got up and walked into the small kitchen to find JB pulling marinated steaks out of the refrigerator. He grinned at Cole when he spotted him. “I’m hoping you aren’t a vegetarian.”
“No. Love a good steak.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. This is my special marinade. It’s a real hit at cookouts around here. I don’t know how long you plan to stay, but we’ll have to set one up before you leave. Nothing says fun like a group of drunk cowboys.”
Cole settled on a barstool by the small breakfast bar. “Anything I can help with?”
“Nah, I’ve already scrubbed up some potatoes, and they’re ready for the oven. It’s simple food tonight. Steak, potatoes, and corn on the cob.”
“Sounds great to me.” It did. His belly rumbled at the thought of food, and he realized he hadn’t eaten since last night.
“Come on out. I’ll throw these on the grill.”
Cole followed JB outside and sat in one of the lawn chairs next to the big egg-shaped grill and the hot tub. He watched as JB stretched the steaks out next to the corn still in husks, sunlight in his blond hair. He was surprised his gaze was drawn to the man when he had a hell of a view of a lake in front of him.
But his attention stayed on JB. He wore a pair of tight jeans and a blue T-shirt. Like Cole, he had ropey veins in his arms, and Cole would bet his fine form came from hard work rather than a gym. More than that, JB was proving to be an entertaining guy. Always a ready grin and an easygoing manner.