Galloping Hearts (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Texas Heat series: Book 2, Mitchell and Moira's story) by Amelia Rose Read Free Book Online Page B

groom the horses. They’d made sure they had jostled some of the other work around so most of the day could be spent lounging around.
    Miss Elaine had thought to have a picnic for all the hired hands and that was what she planned to do. She’d lined up the fixings for a proper pit barbeque with some of the cattle from the previous year. She also had a couple whole pigs in there too.
    Red had called on Billy and Mitch to help him with the cooking. What that meant was most of the day they spent around the pits, shooting the breeze and drinking ice cold beer. It was his first real holiday celebration where he felt welcomed rather than an obligation. There were a few times that Moira found a reason to come over and sit on his lap. She was sipping her own long neck down throughout the day. She would change it up with some sweet tea on occasion.
    One of the times she came over, she carried a tray of chilled watermelon. She offered each of the guys a piece before sitting down on his lap. Leaning back, she munched on her own piece of watermelon. He took the moment to sniff her hair. He loved the way her shampoo smelled mixed with the smell of the fresh country air. Before pulling back, he kissed her neck gently.
    Billy smiled but ribbed him. “Come on, man. In front of her older brother and daddy? Don’t you think you should save that for some other time?”
    He laughed as Moira threw her watermelon, hitting her brother on his t-shirt. Red laughed as Moira began lashing into her brother.
    “Make up your mind, Billy! First you get on to me for not dating… now that I am, you get on to my boyfriend for kissing me in front of y’all. Seriously.”
    Red shook his head. “Princess, you’re something else. Just because we didn’t want you to be an old spinster at twenty one doesn’t mean we want you getting fresh in front of us!”
    Mitch laughed. Apparently, Red had been a little more in his drink than he’d realized. Moira’s jaw unhinged as she turned a deep red. Mitch answered for her.
    “I apologize for offending your sensibilities and your daughter’s virtue, Red. It won’t happen again.”
    Red chuckled but Billy answered. “It isn’t her virtue we’re worried about… it’s yours.”
    He held Moira closer as he answered. “I’m willing to take my chances.”
    ******
    After the barbeque, Moira helped her family get the fire pit ready. They would light the fire after they did fireworks. Of course, some of the ones they had were brought across county – or state – lines but they would be beautiful. Plus, with the closest neighbors already invited, it wasn’t like they had to worry about the sheriff coming out for it. In fact, he might’ve been invited to see the fire works himself.
    What she hadn’t told Mitchell, and wouldn’t until a bit later, was that she’d set it up with her daddy, Billy, and Andrew to give him the day off. She wanted to spend the fifth of July recuperating underneath what she’d come to call their tree. It was no longer just hers and he looked just as calm as she felt when they sat there. She planned to pack a picnic and they would take enough stuff out to stay out with the horses for the day. She’d even planned to have Billy take a bucket or two of water for the horses out there in the morning in his truck.
    That night was as magical as the day had been. They sat around at dusk, watching as light ening bugs began to come out. She watched Mitch’s eyes as they widened in wonder. She couldn’t help but think it was odd that he’d never seen any lightening bugs. She went with the idea of what he said… he’d only known the Austin city limits growing up. She couldn’t recall seeing a lightening bug in all of her time spent in the city. Maybe it wasn’t as farfetched as she thought.
    When the fireworks went off, she stayed nestled in his side, looking to the sky, with her hand on his thigh. When the firecrackers were finished, they all moved to the bonfire. She sat with Billy