Rocky Mountain Rebel (31 page)

Everywhere he looked people shuffled around the room or were seated at the massive family table. The after-dinner drinks had come out, bottles stacked to one side. Blake and their dad had cleared a space to play crib and were hard at it.

Vicki wandered through the chaos all wide-eyed, which made Joel smile.

He was glad she was having fun. That had become his number one goal over the past weeks. Jesse, on the other hand, had remained a standoffish stick-in-the-mud, going out of his way to avoid Joel during the most basic of chores.

The contrast burned, but there didn’t seem to be anything he could do to make things better.

Blake laughed, laying his hand down in defeat as he got skunked for the third time. “You have the best luck at cards, Dad.”

Mike Coleman raised his glass, the ice cubes clinking together. “You’re too easily distracted. Once you’ve got six kids, then we’ll get closer in skill level.
Ouch
.”

He rubbed the back of his head where Jaxi had elbowed him as she walked past.

Jaxi turned, her arms full of dirty dishes she was taking to the kitchen. “When your son figures out a way to carry and deliver the next three children, you can talk to us about having six kids, got it?”

She disappeared past the swinging door, and Blake and Mike exchanged glances. Mike cleared his throat. “So. You’re stopping at three?”

Blake shrugged. “Give her a few more months to forget childbirth, and she might change her mind. Right now she’s still at the
wake up in the middle of the night and punch me
stage. Like it’s all my fault she was pregnant.”

Mike laughed, but both of them got really busy when Jaxi reentered the room.

Blake rose to his feet. “Chores. Who else is joining me on this blustery winter day? Jesse? You’re up, aren’t you?”

Joel stepped forward. “I’ll come out—and Vicki, I want to show her something.”

If he’d expected his twin to say thank you for taking over the cold task, he’d have waited a damn long time. Jesse didn’t so much as acknowledge his offer, just went back to pouring a drink before he plopped down beside Travis, the TV remote in his hand.

Joel ignored him, although he did notice their dad watching with disapproval.

Vicki nodded. “Give me a minute to change?”

“Meet me in the west barn when you’re ready.” Joel grabbed his coat before joining Blake on the journey across the yard.

The snow had arrived in style a week before Christmas Eve, lying in thick drifts everywhere. They’d used the tractors to push the roadways clear. There were narrower trails between the barns, paths stomped down by the nephews’ enthusiastic feet when they visited Gramma and Grampa and headed to the barns for some all important fort-building and kitten-chasing.

Blake pulled on gloves, glancing over as they headed forward. “So, you and Vicki, things going okay?”

Joel nodded. “Yeah, she’s a great girl.”

“She is.” Blake cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I was an ass back when she first started hanging around.”

“No problem. You’re not
still
an ass, that’s the important part.”

Blake snorted. “Yeah, one at a time in any family, isn’t that the rule?”

“God, I hope so.” He couldn’t imagine if Travis was being a shit right now as well as Jesse. His twin was bad enough.

Blake asked him something, and he had to get him to repeat it, distracted by Jesse’s continued childish behavior.

“Are you serious about her?”

“Who?”

Blake cranked open the barn door and the heat of animal bodies and the sounds of the flock made him raise his voice. “Who the hell do you think I mean? The tooth fairy?”

Shit. “Vicki? She’s a friend.”

“Yeah, a close friend.” Blake passed over a coverall. “You’re being careful about sex?”

Good grief. “A lot more careful than my big brother who, if I recall correctly, had his wife pregnant before they got married.”

Blake had the grace to look a little embarrassed. “Yeah, well, slightly different situation.”

Joel paused in pulling up his coverall. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Don’t get your britches in a twist. I was a lot older than you when Jaxi and I got together. If this thing between you and Vicki is serious, that’s your business. Just, don’t rush. In the big scheme of things you both have a lot of time.”

Joel gave his big brother a smack on the arm. “Good to know your heart is in the right place.”

“Hey, I love the kids, and I love being married, but when I was your age, I wasn’t ready for it. I want the best for you, and for Vicki, whatever that means.”

Joel nodded. He’d been thinking about it a lot lately himself. “Thanks. I appreciate it, and you’re right. We’re young, and we’re not rushing, so relax.”

They divvied up chores, Blake taking off for the other barn to deal with the horses.

Joel snuck in a few tasks before the door opened and Vicki entered.

“Joel?”

He waved. “Over here.”

She hung onto the door, looking around cautiously.

He straightened up. Damn. He’d forgotten. “Don’t worry. This barn is full of sheep. And lambs, right now. Not a horse in sight.”

“Thank you.” Vicki paced forward. “Is it stupid that they are not the same thing? Sheep don’t freak me out.”

“Good, because you’re going to be getting a big dose of them for the next while.”

Vicki narrowed her eyes. “You making me do your chores again, Joel Coleman?”

“Of course. I’m no dummy.” He picked her up and spun her in a circle, her laughter streaming out louder than the bleating and rustling of the sheep.

“Put me down, you big oaf.” She banged on his shoulder with her fist.

First he kissed her lustily, taking pleasure in her eager response. Yeah, they’d had no lack of enjoyment in the bedroom. And on the kitchen counter, and in the shower… The list was getting rather extensive now that she had a private place with the apartment and a sturdier bed for them to play on.

He lowered her slowly, rubbing them together as he did so.

“Hmm, nice. Is that my Christmas present?” Vicki blinked innocently. “Or do I get more?”

Oh yeah. Now he didn’t want to do the rest of his chores. “You have more than one present, if it comes to that.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Sounds good to me. So, boss. What’s the lesson for today?”

It was the most brilliant of plans. “You get to wrestle sheep.”

Vicki stared in disbelief. “Really? Like, why?”

He grinned. “You’re not afraid of them, right?”

She thought it through, hard. “I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t usually have tons to do with them, but they’re just another stinky animal of the smaller and more shaggy variety.”

“I’m not even going to argue with you on the smelly part.”

That didn’t sound good. Vicki squared her shoulders and thought positive thoughts. “So far you’ve been an awesome teacher, Joel. I trust you. Do your worst.”

He took a moment to strip off the coverall he wore over his regular jeans and shirt before he grabbed her by the hand and led her deeper in to the barn. “My worst is going to make you happy.”

“Usually does.” She nudged him, pleased to see that sexy grin of his break out.

The past months had been incredible. He’d meant every word he’d said in the cabin about being there for her, and for the first time in her life she felt as if she had a best friend.

With bonus screaming hot sex. Life was about as good as it had ever been, and she owed it all to Joel.

She’d gotten a Christmas card from Lynn, and a phone call. Her sister was doing well, and still excited about the adventures every day brought. Vicki agreed. This was wonderful, finally moving forward.

Her future looked a whole lot brighter.

It was impossible to resist. She threw her arms around him and kissed him this time, trying to put a little more of how grateful she was into her touch.

He hummed but broke them apart, stroking her cheek as he smiled down. “As much as I hate to interrupt you, we need to keep moving.”

Moving forward. All the time. She totally agreed.

He led her to a pen that was four times the size of one of the horse stalls and held at least a dozen sheep.

She climbed up on the gate and peered in. “Lots of the furry buggers in there, aren’t there?”

“Yup.”

Joel stood beside her and rubbed her back.

Vicki waited, but he didn’t seem to be going ahead with the explaining bit. “So. This wrestling business…”

“Not really wrestling.” Joel pointed into the pen. “More like dancing with them, in a way.”

She followed the line of his finger and cursed. “Joel Coleman, is that my Christmas present in there?”

He nodded.

Damn. “You get the weirdest ideas. This is going to help me with my horse phobia, how?”

“Animals are animals, darling. Doesn’t matter if they’re horse or sheep, once they get used to having you around, they’re going to get up close and personal. I figure it’s easier to practice with the short smelly variety than the tall ones.”

Good point. “Exactly what does ‘get personal’ mean?”

“They’ll bump you.” He hip-checked her lightly, and she laughed.

“God, you’re insane.”

“Yeah, I’ve been told that before.” Joel rested his folded arms on the top of the gate. “You going to rescue your present before they unwrap it for you?”

“Good thing they aren’t goats. Those guys eat everything, right?”

“You don’t even want to know.”

Vicki eyed the gate, but opening it didn’t seem like a good idea. With her luck, half the beasties would get out before she’d get the thing closed. Instead, she climbed up and swung a leg over the top.

Joel grinned, taking the time to stroke her thigh. “Nice work jeans, by the way.”

The jeans in question had a hole in one knee from the last time he’d had her in the barn, and there was a worn patch on her ass she swore was from when he’d dragged her down the hallway and into her bedroom.

Vicki ignored him and crawled down the other side. The sooner she got her present, the sooner she could get to the part of the day when she gave
him
a present.

When she landed on her feet, a few of the sheep jolted and ran to the far side of the pen, but the rest were all too interested in the box in the middle of the space to pay much attention to her.

“They won’t bite, right?”

“Only if you bite first.”

“Jackass. So reassuring. A simple
no
would have worked.”

He chuckled but didn’t say anything else.

Vicki took a deep breath and stepped forward. One sheep moved aside, another. This was going to be way too easy. “Looks as if your little plan isn’t going to work. They’re parting like the Red Sea.”

Well, until that moment. She reached for the package right when one of the fuzzy beasts sidestepped and knocked her hand away.

She reached forward again, and this time one of them bumped her shins hard enough to rock her on her feet.

“Fuck.”

Joel laughed. “Watch it,” he warned.

Vicki spread her stance and braced herself to stay vertical. “Stupid things.”

“Hey, right now they have your present, and you don’t. Who’s the stupid one?”

She whipped back to face him. “You did not just compare my intelligence to a sheep, did you?”

He ducked behind the gate. “They’re actually very clever animals.”

Vicki laughed. “Oh man, are you in trouble.”

But first, she had this puzzle to solve. She glared down, slightly pissed off they were blocking her this easily. “Shoo. Go on, get out of here.”

“That’s it. Now don’t be afraid to give them a little guidance.”

“A kick in the ribs?”

“Sheep don’t fly very well. Just use your knees.”

And like that, it made sense. Vicki waded forward, applying pressure to the stupider beasts that refused to budge. It wasn’t as if she was hurting them, but it was enough to get the more stubborn ones out of her way.

“Open it while you’re in there,” Joel ordered.

God
. “Bossy, bossy.”

It wasn’t a big deal anymore. Now that she had the method of dealing with the sheep figured out, she had to work to keep her balance, but it wasn’t impossible by any means. She knelt to get at the packing tape, and ended up with a sheep staring her eye to eye.

She raised an elbow and used it to force him back while she stripped off the tape and popped the top open.

Inside a pretty pair of new cowboy boots gleamed at her.

“Oh, Joel.”

She rescued them from the box, nabbed the box with her other hand, and holding both high in the air, waded through the sea of walking cotton balls.

“You’re a pro.” Joel reached over the gate and grabbed her burdens.