Naked Heat: Naked Cowboys, Book 7 by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Desiree Holt
very likeable, and he enjoyed listening to their banter around the table. He’d discovered they were so much more low key than the people he knew in the city and more relaxing to be with. In another life or another time, he’d enjoy their friendship. Still, it was pleasant to listen to their chatter and see the easy way they interacted.
“Well, folks.” Buck pushed his chair back, rising to his feet. “Great dinner, Cade and Georgie. I’d love to hang around more, but the farrier’s coming very early to check the shoes on all the horses.”
“Let your foreman handle it,” Matt suggested.
Amy laughed. “Are you kidding? Those horses are like his children. I have a feeling when I get pregnant, I’ll deliver in one of the stalls on a clean bed of hay and the vet will check me over.”
Her husband hugged her to his side and kissed the top of her head. “But it will be the best vet I can get, darlin’.”
“And I’ll make sure of it,” Matt teased.
Georgie had told Mac that Amy and Matt were siblings. The casual banter between them made his heart hurt as memories of Alicia came flooding back.
“Let’s get all these dishes cleared away,” Cyn said, “and then we’ll get out of your hair, guys.”
When she rose, her husband, Jesse, rose with her. Mac thought them an interesting combination. The apparent disparity in their ages didn’t seem to bother them a bit. His love for her was almost palpable, as it seemed to be with all these couples. Mac wondered if he’d ever get past his sister’s death enough to seek that out for himself.
“Just leave everything else,” Georgie told them. “Cade will give me a hand.” She winked at him. “Right, sweetie?”
“That’s me.” Cade chuckled. “The kitchen slave.”
Again, Mac noticed the casual chatter between the couples, the ease they felt with their partners and the others. He was suddenly aware that they were all leaving in pairs except for Nida and himself. And that Cade Hannigan, his ride, was engrossed in kitchen duty.
“Hey, Cade,” he called. “Can you take a break and give me a lift home?” He blew out a breath. “Damn, man. Sorry to drag you away. I knew I should have taken my own truck.”
He’d been worried about this from the get-go. Yes, left to his own devices he probably would have passed, which of course was why Cade had picked him up. Yes, he’d had a good time tonight and met people he really liked, but now he was in the awkward situation he’d been afraid of.
Cade finished stashing leftovers in the fridge and turned to him. “No problem. Just give me a second here.”
“I can take him home.”
Mac looked at the woman who’d spoken, unsure who was more astonished at the offer, her or him.
“Uh, do you live out that way?”
Was that a faint blush staining Nida’s face? He didn’t remember the last time he saw a woman do that.
“Close enough.” She gave an uneven little laugh. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this group spends half its time matchmaking. At least the women do. If we at least leave together, they can all go to sleep happy.”
Georgie came over and put her arm around Nida. “We really don’t want to embarrass you, honey.”
“Too late for that,” Nida joked.
“Listen,” Mac began. He wanted to smack Cade even though he really liked the man and he’d been a big help so far.
“It’s okay. Really. Let’s go so they can go to bed happy.”
“If you’re sure,” Mac said.
“I am. Come on, before I change my mind.” She waved at the Hannigans. “’Night, guys. Thanks for a great evening.”
Mac walked over to shake Cade’s hand. “Thanks from me too. This was a nice change.” He glanced at Nida and back at the man. “Even if y’all did a little manipulating here.”
“At least your ride home will be prettier than me,” Cade joked.
Nida had the big SUV again tonight, and he still marveled at how a woman that small manhandled a vehicle of that size so easily.
“Well, folks.” Buck pushed his chair back, rising to his feet. “Great dinner, Cade and Georgie. I’d love to hang around more, but the farrier’s coming very early to check the shoes on all the horses.”
“Let your foreman handle it,” Matt suggested.
Amy laughed. “Are you kidding? Those horses are like his children. I have a feeling when I get pregnant, I’ll deliver in one of the stalls on a clean bed of hay and the vet will check me over.”
Her husband hugged her to his side and kissed the top of her head. “But it will be the best vet I can get, darlin’.”
“And I’ll make sure of it,” Matt teased.
Georgie had told Mac that Amy and Matt were siblings. The casual banter between them made his heart hurt as memories of Alicia came flooding back.
“Let’s get all these dishes cleared away,” Cyn said, “and then we’ll get out of your hair, guys.”
When she rose, her husband, Jesse, rose with her. Mac thought them an interesting combination. The apparent disparity in their ages didn’t seem to bother them a bit. His love for her was almost palpable, as it seemed to be with all these couples. Mac wondered if he’d ever get past his sister’s death enough to seek that out for himself.
“Just leave everything else,” Georgie told them. “Cade will give me a hand.” She winked at him. “Right, sweetie?”
“That’s me.” Cade chuckled. “The kitchen slave.”
Again, Mac noticed the casual chatter between the couples, the ease they felt with their partners and the others. He was suddenly aware that they were all leaving in pairs except for Nida and himself. And that Cade Hannigan, his ride, was engrossed in kitchen duty.
“Hey, Cade,” he called. “Can you take a break and give me a lift home?” He blew out a breath. “Damn, man. Sorry to drag you away. I knew I should have taken my own truck.”
He’d been worried about this from the get-go. Yes, left to his own devices he probably would have passed, which of course was why Cade had picked him up. Yes, he’d had a good time tonight and met people he really liked, but now he was in the awkward situation he’d been afraid of.
Cade finished stashing leftovers in the fridge and turned to him. “No problem. Just give me a second here.”
“I can take him home.”
Mac looked at the woman who’d spoken, unsure who was more astonished at the offer, her or him.
“Uh, do you live out that way?”
Was that a faint blush staining Nida’s face? He didn’t remember the last time he saw a woman do that.
“Close enough.” She gave an uneven little laugh. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this group spends half its time matchmaking. At least the women do. If we at least leave together, they can all go to sleep happy.”
Georgie came over and put her arm around Nida. “We really don’t want to embarrass you, honey.”
“Too late for that,” Nida joked.
“Listen,” Mac began. He wanted to smack Cade even though he really liked the man and he’d been a big help so far.
“It’s okay. Really. Let’s go so they can go to bed happy.”
“If you’re sure,” Mac said.
“I am. Come on, before I change my mind.” She waved at the Hannigans. “’Night, guys. Thanks for a great evening.”
Mac walked over to shake Cade’s hand. “Thanks from me too. This was a nice change.” He glanced at Nida and back at the man. “Even if y’all did a little manipulating here.”
“At least your ride home will be prettier than me,” Cade joked.
Nida had the big SUV again tonight, and he still marveled at how a woman that small manhandled a vehicle of that size so easily.