Page 11 of The Texas Ranger: Saddled Up
“They’re like kids who don’t have a babysitter.”
“Sometimes, but I like every single one of them. They’re fun and sweet, not to mention cute.” And she meant it. She loved hanging out at Oscar’s with the ranch crew. They were a load of rugged, rowdy men and some were like the big brothers she never had. Then there was Bear. She could always count on him, and she didn’t want to lose that.
But he wasn’t a big brother. He was a temptation that got harder to deny.
“You think they’re cute because you don’t share a bunkhouse with them. This morning, Sin stopped up the toilet and Grimes used up all the hot water.”
“Point taken. At least you’re not here to see the massacre of dinner in my kitchen. I burnt the chicken and murdered the apple pie.”
“It can’t be that bad,” he said with encouragement.
“Oh, trust me. It’s bad—very bad.”
“If a man’s into you, he’d eat a leather shoe to make you happy. Don’t settle for less.”
“I can’t envision you eating a leather shoe.” A flutter took root in her chest. “I’m sure there must be a dozen women in Fin’s Creek who’d love to be your girl so be careful what you say, cowboy.”
“And yet, there’s only one that means anything to me.”
How was it possible he could turn her inside out so easily? “Bear…”
“Aasia.” The tone of his voice when he said her name made her stomach quiver.
“I need to go. Can we talk later?”
“See you around.” He clicked off.
At this point, she wondered if the universe was trying to tell her something.
~*~
“When are you going to admit it to her? Yet, I guess if you can’t admit the truth to yourself first then how do you tell the woman you love how you feel?”
Bear narrowed his gaze on Echo who threw a dart and missed the center of the board by a hair’s width. “Looks to me you should focus on the board and not my relationship status.”
“It turns out I’m much better at giving relationship advice than I am shooting darts. Now, about you and following your heart.” Echo shot another dart and it barely hit the board.
“What the hell are you blabbing about?” Bear took his turn. Not doing any better or worse than Echo. He should have never called Aasia in front of them. He’d been trying to prove a point and it backfired.
“Dude, don’t act like you don’t know what I mean. When are you going to tell her that she’s got you in a chokehold?”
“Mind your own damn business.” Bear rubbed his fingers down his face in agitation.
Echo’s laughter mingled with the song from the live band. “It becomes my business when we can’t go anywhere without you looking at your phone every few minutes to check to see if she’s texted. You’re about as bad as Sin waiting for grub. He gets that googly-eyed expression like a puppy after its mama’s tit.”
“Hey, leave me out of this.” Sin shook his head and left the back room.
“You’re full of shit,” Bear said to Echo. “I’m not worried about text messages. We’re in the middle of an operation if you’ve forgotten. I’m keeping tabs on our targets.”
“Are you referring to Aasia or Fletcher?”
“Fletcher.”
“Is that why you’re spending so much time with her? All in the name of catching a killer?” Echo sat down at the high-top table and Bear joined him.
“Are you listening to yourself? When did nagging become part of your personality?” Bear had half a mind to go back to the ranch and take some frustration out on working the land.
“I might give you a hard time but honestly, I feel your pain.” Echo’s gaze flicked toward the outer room.
