Page 65 of Kicking Up Dust

THIRTY-FOUR

COLT

“I fucking hate this horse!” I yell for what feels like the hundredth time as I try to get her to turn the way I want her to so we can separate this calf from its mama.

“I’m sure the horse fucking hates you, too,” Jamie jokes gleefully, picking up my slack.

One thing about returning to a ranch I’d left so many years ago was that I didn’t have a horse of my own like most of my brothers and sisters had. Instead, I have Calamity fucking Jane, one of the horses Jamie and Tate had brought back from auction earlier this year.

And she hates me. She tries to buck me off as often as she can and constantly nips me when I de-tack her each evening. I’m not one for pulling hard on reins or kicking too much, though I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have as good of a seat as I used to. I’m much more used to bulls now.

By the time we finally got a good portion of the calves separated from their mothers, weighed, and moved to their own pasture, my thighs were killing me. Luckily, it’s starting to cool off now that we’re entering autumn, but it’s still hot enough that I’m having to wipe sweat off my face as we head up toward the Big House for lunch.

“Hey, do any of you all watch Gossip Girl?”

“What the fuck?” Maddie grumbles.

Jamie snorts. “Can’t say I do.”

“The original show or the reboot?” Tyler asks.

“There’s a fucking reboot?” I can’t decide if I want Blair to find that out or not. “The original, I think. All their phones are old as hell.”

Tyler nods. “Yeah, I’ve seen it a few times through.”

Maddox and Jameson look at him like he’s grown a second head.

“Cricket’s doing,” Tyler explains, but I feel like that should’ve been obvious. I can’t imagine Tyler would sit down and willingly watch a show about a group of rich teenagers being cyberbullied just for shits and giggles.

“It’s honestly more entertaining than I thought it would be,” I admit. “The Brooklyn dude pisses me off though.”

Tyler smirks. “Yeah, he’s… interesting.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I press as we stomp up the stairs, kicking our boots off before following Maddox and Jameson into the house.

“Nothing,” he says with a grin.

Any other time I’d continue asking, and likely spoil the entire fucking show for myself if his smile is anything to go off of, but Blair steals my attention.

“Hey, pretty girl, I didn’t know you were here today.” I press a kiss against her forehead, breathing in the smell of her hair. My dick is half-hard from the scent of the shampoo she uses alone.

Maddox greets Austin similarly next to her with a grumbled, “Careful, Tex. I’m all dirty.”

Austin hums. “I know,” she purrs in a way that makes me shiver. I’ve had Austin’s voice directed at me with that tone, and once upon a time, it probably turned me on, but the combination of it being aimed at my brother and the fact that my dick is a one-occupant ride nowadays has me disgusted instead.

“See, I’m not crazy,” Blair whispers. “She thinks the filthiness is hot too.”

“It’s weird,” Maddox says, overhearing her, but Austin chuckles.

“You don’t think it’s weird when I’m on my knees for you because of it. I bet Colt likes reaping the benefits, too.”

Blair’s cheeks pinken and it’s funny how shy she still is around my family when she’s so comfortable busting my balls when we’re alone.

I kiss my way across her cheek and down to her ear, making her shrug her shoulder to try and fight me off, all while giggling.

“What do you say we go home and I reap some benefits, mama?” I whisper, nipping her earlobe.

She shoves at my chest, wiping my spit off her ear with her shoulder.