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)
JB shoved a hand through his sweaty hair, only now realizing that his hat had been knocked off in the many times Cole had pushed him down. “No coyotes. Just me and Cole.”
“But I swear…” she started with a huff. She sounded close to stomping her foot. JB could only shake his head. Mrs. Roberts was barely a hundred pounds soaking wet. How she managed that shotgun without it knocking her on her ass was a miracle.
“You sure you’re wearing your seeing glasses, Mrs. Roberts? Not your readers?”
She pulled off her massive coke-bottle-lens glasses and peered at them for a second, her wrinkled face scrunching up before she shoved them on again. “I think these might be my readers. I should go in and get my others.” She looked up at JB, appearing to squint now. “You okay, dear?”
“Right as rain. You have yourself a nice day,” he said with a final wave as she turned to walk toward her house.
“Are you fucking shitting me?” Cole asked in a voice barely over a whisper.
“Nope. That was Mrs. Roberts.”
“Does she shoot at you often?”
JB shook his head as he headed over to the fence to finish replacing the rails. “No, but I’ve heard she likes to shoot at the coyotes that occasionally wander through the fields.”
Cole’s mouth opened and closed once, but no sound came out. The poor guy didn’t look completely convinced, but he kept his thoughts to himself. JB wanted to ask about that damn kiss, but he swallowed the questions. Cole looked upset enough, and he might need a little time to process all of it. JB was still working on it all as it was.
They finished the fence without further comment and silently rode to the garage again. Cole made a quick excuse about getting back to his research before nearly running toward the guest house.
Yep, the afternoon had turned into a serious clusterfuck, and JB had zero idea how to fix it.
The only thing he was sure of was that he wanted more kissing. He just didn’t know if Cole would be willing to give it another try.
Chapter Eleven
Cole paced the living room, trying to pull his scattered thoughts together. He didn’t know what was more distracting at the moment—a mostly blind old woman shooting at them or the fact that he’d kissed the fuck out of JB.
Probably the kiss.
Though the gun-toting grandma wasn’t settling either.
No, he had to stop thinking about the kiss. It didn’t matter. Didn’t mean anything. There was too much strange shit happening on this ranch. JB’s life was clearly in danger, and he didn’t seem to be taking it as seriously as he needed to. He needed help.
Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he walked into the bedroom he was using and closed the door. JB had returned to his office. There was plenty of normal ranch work to keep the man busy while Cole made his call.
The phone rang three times before a familiar, laughing voice answered. “Cole, it hasn’t been a full week yet. Life can’t be so bad on the ranch that you want to come home already,” Rowe teased.
Cole rolled his eyes at his boss and sat down on the end of the bed. “It’s actually not that bad.”
“You’re kidding me?” Rowe gasped. Cole could hear some muffled conversation that he couldn’t quite make out. Rowe’s voice returned with, “Hold on a sec.”
“Hey, Cole! Rowe’s got you on speakerphone now,” Noah suddenly greeted. “He says you’re adapting to ranch life.”
Of course Rowe’s boyfriend was right there. Even when they were at work, the two men usually weren’t too far apart. “It’s not bad. Well, it is hotter than Hell here, and it’s not even summer yet, but I got to ride a horse.”
“Holy shit!” Rowe swore.
“You left your computer?” Noah laughed in disbelief.
“No! Wait! I bet he was still using the laptop while riding the horse,” Rowe joked.
Cole let out a long, heavy sigh. “Are you two done?” He’d expected this, and he had to admit that he’d kind of missed it.
“Maybe. I just can’t believe it. You on a horse,” Noah said with a chuckle. “That’s crazy. I know you’re active, that you work out, but the fake date you had with Monique is one of the few times I’ve seen you out of the office. I was beginning to think you were permanently attached to your keyboard.”
“Quinn and Gidget miss you,” Rowe tossed out. “They’re trying to hurry the cops along, but you know the cops work at their own pace.”
“Which is slow as hell,” Noah grumbled.
“I miss them, too. Miss everyone at the office. But I’m sure you’re managing fine without me.” Cole straightened where he was sitting, shifting enough so that he was ready to spring to his feet. “Unless you need me to log on—”