Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Until now.
It’d all been shallow fun. Something amusing to pass the time until I was ready to push my business to the next level. Until something happened. I just hadn’t realized that something would be a mate and a pup at once. A ready-made family.
And right now, I didn’t make enough money to support them. I didn’t need much myself, but the three of us had no place to live because the bunkhouse sure as hell wasn’t suitable. When I’d won big at a rodeo championship the first year and helped my mother and put money aside for my sisters. After that, instead of buying a fancy truck like I’d wanted, Boyd had pretty much made me buy a piece of land in Cooper Valley. I’d grudgingly agreed because helping family was one thing, but what eighteen-year-old needed acreage? I hadn’t built on it, instead lived in the bunkhouse on Wolf Ranch and put any other prize money toward fixing up my Momma’s place and buying Lucifer, my first bull.
What kind of mate was I with land, a bull, and nothing else? It wasn’t like we could live in a tent. It snowed eight months out of the year. And we sure as hell weren’t moving in with Momma.
I shook my head, annoyed with myself.
No wonder Clio hadn’t given me the time of day. I’d been slow to grow my business because I didn’t need much, but it was time to get to the rodeos where I could work my connections.
Wes looked my way as he kept Remy lifted between his torso and the half-door. It was amazing how much the two of them looked alike with their fiery hair. Clio and JT were the same with their dark hair and blue eyes.
Wes answered my question with one of his own. “Oh? Which new girl are you taking to a concert in Idaho this week?”
I winced. That sounded like me. Working hard to play the field. But one visit to the mechanic, and I realized how shallow I sounded.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Actually, I found my mate.”
His eyes widened, and a slow smile crept across his face, which was pretty much beaming for my usually-grumpy boss. He’d found his mate, Joy, recently. He was always pretty fucking chill. Sometimes, he was downright grumpy. But since he’d found Joy, he and his wolf seemed… happy. “Oh yeah?”
I nodded thinking of how fucking pretty Clio was. While those gray overalls had never done anything for Ernie, with the belted waist they accented her lush curves. She was petite, but that gray cotton was stretched taut around her wide hips and full ass. With the zipper halfway down, I couldn’t miss how plump her tits were in a snug white tank top. I imagined what was underneath. Miles of creamy skin. Softness. That sweet scent. I’d like to lick and suck and fuck every part of her.
I cleared my throat and pivoted, so neither of them could see how my dick was getting hard. Now was not the place for that to happen, but I couldn’t fucking help it. “She’s the new mechanic at Ernie’s. Clio. And JT.”
“She has two names?” he asked.
At the same time, Remy said, “I know JT. He’s nice and smells special.”
“JT’s her son,” I clarified.
Wes hoisted her up, spun her around, and plopped her onto the top of the half-door, his hands on her waist. He leaned down, so they were eye to eye. “What do you mean you know him, baby?”
“He’s in my class at school.”
“How come he smells funny? Does he have a cat at home or something?”
She shook her head hard, her curls flying again. Then she tapped her chin in a way I’d seen Wes do a time or two when he was thinking. “No. He smells like… Lily. But better. Like… I don’t know, Daddy. Something special.”
Lily was Becky and Clint’s little girl.
“You mean JT’s a shifter?” Wes prodded then flicked a glance my way.
Remy scrunched up her face as she thought. “I don’t know. He doesn’t even go on top of the jungle gym, and I’ve been doing that since I was two.”
Wes smiled and booped her nose. “You sure have, but you know you gotta be nice and play in ways your other friends can keep up.”
“I know, Daddy.”
He lowered her to the dirt packed floor when she started to wiggle, clearly done with our conversation. “Time to run up to the big house. Marina’s waiting for you to make cookies.”
“Yes!” She pumped her fist in the air.
I couldn’t help but grin at how spunky she was.
“Ask her if she’s still okay working the bake sale at your school’s Fall Festival on Friday!”
“Okay!” She took off out of the barn like a streak, knowing she didn’t have to hide her speed here on the ranch.