Page 9 of Brazen

Or just get laid.

Yeah, either one. I needed to get my hands on one of those ripped cowboys Cooper Valley seemed to have in spades.

4

SAM

* * *

I found Wes in the barn by one of the horse stalls, holding up his daughter, Remy, to peek inside. The ranch had a new foal, and she was getting a lot of visitors.

“Sam, her name is Spirit!” Remy said as I approached. Her eyes were wide, and if she smiled any bigger, her face would split wide open. She didn’t focus on me long, her strawberry blonde hair swirling as she turned back.

“Hey, Remy girl,” I replied, then peeked in and couldn’t help but smile too. Mom and her new foal were doing well. Spirit was standing on spindly little legs at her mother’s side, safe and protected. “That’s a perfect name.”

It made me think of another mother who was fiercely protective. Clio. My mate. I liked that she went all Mama Bear over JT. Except she was human, and JT was definitely not.

Which reminded me of why I was here.

“Got the new shaft ordered?” Wes asked. He knew I’d gone into town to the mechanic shop for the part that broke, keeping us from baling hay. It wasn’t a crisis, but rain was due later in the week, and we couldn’t bale wet hay.

“Ernie was out. Gotta go back.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Was wondering if you’re okay with me going to the rodeo in Missoula next month.”

Wes was the ranch foreman. While Rob Wolf and his brothers owned the land, Wes was my boss. I’d worked on Wolf Ranch off and on since before I graduated high school. College hadn’t been an option since it had been too expensive. Instead, I’d worked the rodeo circuit–four years touring around riding on the back of crazy broncs, and I occasionally took a bull for an eight second ride if I needed some quick cash. In fact, Boyd Wolf had been somewhat of a mentor on the circuit but had since retired. I was successful enough to send back prize money for my mother and sisters. I’d even stumbled into what I wanted to do long term.

With some of the earnings, I’d bought a prized bull to start a cattle genetics business, breeding top tier bulls for ranches and rodeos around the country. Yeah, technically it was selling bull semen, but it could turn into big money, and that was what I needed right now, having found my mate. Making more sales and adding more bulls to my stock had been a someday thing because someday had been far in the distance, and I’d been enjoying my life. Out with friends, moon runs, and all the sex that went with it.

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.