Borrowed Cowboy (Shadow Maverick Ranch) by Parker Kincade Read Free Book Online Page B

’Cause last time I looked, this fence isn’t gonna fix itself.”
    Clay pffed , pulled his gloves on, and went back to work. On a normal day, Pax enjoyed working alongside his brother. They’d worked together their whole lives, making words almost unnecessary when it came to getting shit done. They worked with a quiet efficiency that only came from experience and a sense of partnership.
    “You’ll never guess who I saw at Slick’s last Saturday night.”
    Not today, however. Today, it seemed Clay was more interested in running his mouth.
    Pax had sweat running into the crack of his ass, and he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in a week. A flame-haired beauty had plagued his dreams, causing him to wake at all hours with the hard-on from hell. He needed a shower. Wanted a drink. He wasn’t in the mood for guessing games.
    “The Pope?” He picked up the stretcher and with a few practiced movements, finished the repair.
    “Aren’t you the smart ass. No, funny guy. Reese Jameson.”
    He hesitated, his heart tripping over itself. “That right?”
    “You don’t seem all that surprised.”
    Pax shrugged and moved to the cooler to grab a bottle of water. His ball cap was soaked with sweat, as was the rest of him. He pulled it off and smoothed his hair back. Fuck, it was hot. His shoulders ached and he decided he’d had enough for the day. He dropped the tailgate on Clay’s truck and rested his ass on the edge.
    “Why would I be? She lives this side of Houston. Makes sense she’d be around.”
    “Yeah, well, she hasn’t been around in years, as far as I know.”
    “You keep tabs on all my old friends?”
    Clay gave him a wolfish grin. “Only the pretty ones. And damn if she hasn’t gotten prettier since high school.”
    She wasn’t just pretty. She was fucking gorgeous. “Yep,” was all he said as he finished his water and got to his feet. He’d ridden his horse out here after checking cattle and it was a long ride back. He wanted to get started.
    “Wait, you’ve seen her?” Clay asked.
    Every fucking inch of her. “She’s helping Lauren with the wedding.”
    “Oh. Damn. Small world, huh?” Clay rolled up the spool of wire as though he sensed Pax was done. “I’ll tell you man, that girl is like walking sunshine. All smiles and laughter.”
    Pax entertained the thought that he’d had something to do with her happiness that night, since she’d been with him the night before. She’d certainly been the cause of the satisfied grin he’d worn all day Saturday.
    “She was with some guy,” Clay continued. “Corporate type. Khakis and shiny shoes. Reminded me of Gavin.” Clay tossed him a wink, but Pax lost any semblance of playfulness at the ‘some guy’ part.
    His gut tightened. So less than twenty-four hours after he’d come inside her, she’d been out with another man. It shouldn’t bother him. Hadn’t he been the one to set the rules for their night together? He had no right to judge what, or who, she did. But, damn, it stung.
    “You guys were tight once.” Clay said as though he needed a reminder.
    Pax thought about how to respond. “We were friends, yes,” he said slowly. “Lost touch after awhile.”
    After the night that had changed the course of their lives.
    “Guess she’ll be around a bit, with the wedding being months away, huh? Wonder if she’d need me to do a private fitting for my tux.” Clay waggled his eyebrows. “I could get into that.”
    Pax drilled Clay with a stare. His brother was a known horndog, and, while Pax didn’t have a say in who Reese went out with, he damn sure had a right where Clay was concerned. “Don’t even think about it. Reese is off limits to you.”
    “Says who?”
    “Just leave her alone, Clay.” Pax shook his head to indicate he was done with this conversation.
    Clay tossed the spool of wire in the bed of the truck and turned to face him, arms crossed, smirk firmly in place. “You can’t be serious. You think I’m not good