It was late afternoon by the time Torin got home from her classes. She was tired and knew she'd need to spend the next few days studying. She'd never been so grateful to have someone helping her out with her house chores as she was to have Mia now. Her glance was drawn to the corral where Sloane was giving Mia a riding lesson. Brian and Jesse sat on the fence watching, and it seemed like the foursome was having a good deal of fun. In the other direction music blared and she could see Vince and Dom bent over under the hood of Sloane's explorer. Those boys and their cars, she thought with a smile.
Torin decided to wander over and say hi. The men were laughing at something when she walked up, and both seemed pleased to see her. Vince stood up straight and walked over. While he wiped his hands on a rag from his back pocket he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She was giddy with the excitement. He'd done it right in front of Dom! Torin would have swooned if she didn't think she'd look like a fool.
"What are you boys doin?" she asked when she knew her voice would be steady.
"Sloane's SUV here needed some new belts." Vince told her and walked back over to Dom. "How was school?"
"Long. The drive there is long, the drive home is long. I have an important exam coming up and so the next few days are gonna be a lot of studying." she grimaced slightly. "I wish Mia would enroll in some classes. Then she could ride with me."
Dom looked surprised. "You know Torin, that isn't a bad idea."
"I know yall aren't sure how long you're gonna be staying and all, but maybe she could think about it."
"We'll have to bring it up. That would be good for her." Dom smiled. "I have to talk Quin into going into town with me. Mia's birthday is next week and I want to get her something special."
"Her birthday's next week?" Torin exclaimed. "Why didn't anyone tell us? We adore birthdays! We'll have to start planning now." Torin began to walk away and caught herself. She turned and ran back to them, gave Vince a quick kiss, and then turned and ran off again. Both men just looked after her in amusement.
Supper was spent with Reilly filling the gang in on the adventures of the Sutherland brothers. Everyone got a good laugh out of it. Dom mentioned the possibility of enrolling in some classes to Mia, and she seemed to considering it. Quin's stomach had flip flopped at the idea. Did that mean they were thinking of staying? Oh, she hoped so. She'd fallen hard for Dominic Toretto, and didn't relish the thought of him leaving anytime soon in the slightest.
After dinner that evening the group made its way to the game room. It was actually becoming quite the ritual. They ate, cleaned up, and then retired to the game room to gossip, play video games, and wind down for the evening. Leon and Reilly were playing Halo, and kept pushing and giggling with each other. Sloane and Jesse were playing cards, and every time he lost focus, which was quite a bit, Sloane would draw him back into the game. Mia, Brian, Torin, and Vince were playing monopoly, in which Vince was creaming the others, and Dom and Quin were curled up on the couch.
Quin was leaning into him and he kept running his hands through her soft hair. He knew it relaxed her because he'd seen Ms. Martha do it enough when Quin had her bad headaches. Dom happened to catch a hint of bluish purple in his peripheral vision and frowned. "What's that on your shoulder?"
Quin looked at the offending item and shrugged. "Got kicked."
"Kicked? Who the hell kicked you?"
"One of the heifers." Quin told him. "Sometimes they don't want to move, sometimes they don't want to listen, and sometimes they get ornery when you're checking them over. She had a hurt ankle, I was looking it over and she got me with her hoof."
"Jesus Quin." Dom winced.
"Just part of ranchin Dom. People get hurt all the time."
"I don't like you getting hurt." he murmured.
Quin smiled. "That's sweet."
"You realize you aren't gonna beat me right?" Reilly taunted.
"One day I will beat you." he vowed.
Her voice dropped down to a low murmur. "I sure am sorry we were so rudely interrupted earlier."
Leon glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "Yeah. Me too." he sighed. He had a feeling he was gonna end up with a case of blue balls.
"I was thinking that maybe you should sneak down to my room later tonight." she said nonchalantly.
"That sounds like a plan to me Babydoll." he told her with a wink and saw the pleased expression come over her face.
"Good God Vince, what do you mean rent is fifteen-hundred?"
"You're the one who landed on Boardwalk O'Connor." the big man reminded his blonde friend.
Mia kept snorting as she tried to hide her laughter. Brian looked at her. "I don't know why you're laughing, he already ousted your ass."
"Your ears are the cutest shade of red." she teased.
"Well I think we should just give in. Vince has obviously won this round." Torin said graciously. "Next time will be another story all together."
"Sure it will." Vince said smugly. He couldn't remember ever enjoying just sitting around and playing board games like he was doing now. Coming to Texas had been the best thing for them. "Ya know what Brian. You did good."
"For what?" the other man was confused.
"By coming up with the idea to come here. You did good."
"Thanks Vince."
Vince just smiled. He looked over at Torin next. "You wanna go for a walk Beautiful?"
Torin nodded happily and off they went.
Dom wandered into the next morning before breakfast to find Ms. Martha humming as she cooked. "Good Morning Ms. Martha."
"Well, good morning to you Dominic." she smiled widely at him. "You just missed my baby girl Quin."
This peaked his interest. "Really? I figured she'd be out doing whatever it is she does by now."
"Girl had to come back and get the shot gun. Been news of a mountain lion taking down cattle on a ranch to the south."
Mountain lion? Shotgun? "Wait a minute, are you saying that Quin might run into a mountain lion while she's out rounding up, or catching cattle? Cattle, the mountain lion's food source?"
Ms. Martha chuckled. "Well, yes, Dominic. It's part of ranch life. She hates killing the poor beasts, so she takes tranquilizer darts out with her instead of shotgun shells."
Dom's mouth flopped open like a fish. He slammed it shut and went tearing out of the kitchen. "Sloane!" he bellowed as soon as he entered the stables.
She stuck her head out of the small office. "Good God Dom, what're you hollerin about?"
"Teach me to ride. Teach me right now, and give me a horse!" he demanded.
Sloane almost fell backwards out of her chair. So far Dom hadn't wanted any part of riding her babies. "Okay, I want you to calm down and tell me what the hell is wrong?" she said soothingly as she walked over to him.
"Quin, she's in danger. There's a mountain lion, and she's out there with only a tranq gun!"
Sloane blinked at him. "Um, Dom, she always uses the tranq gun. She doesn't want to kill the poor critter. She just dopes it up, and then they come out and relocate it."
"But it's dangerous."
"Well, sure sugar, there's some danger to it, but that ranch livin'. We've all been in the position to have to shoot a threatening animal. There are all sorts of dangers. Rattlesnakes, floods, lions, the rare bear, heatstroke, stampede, I could go on and on." Sloane noticed Dom looking a bit green. "Why don't you sit on down sugar." she ordered thinking the man was gonna faint.
"I want to learn how to ride." he told her. "I want to be able to go out and help Quin get her job done."
Sloane was shocked. "You want to learn how to ride so you can help with the ranch?"
"Yes."
She hid a quick smile. "Okay darlin' come back later today. I'm givin Jesse and Mia a lesson, we'll get you started too."
Reilly woke up and rolled over straight into Leon. She opened her eyes and grinned sleepily. What a night.
Leon woke up as Reilly moved into him and he grinned in remembrance. He snaked a hand out and captured her breast. He began to knead it gently, rolling the nipple between two fingers. He heard her sharp intake of breath and smiled again, pleased with himself. Leon moved quickly and took the hard, little nipple into his mouth. He ran his teeth over it and bit gently.
Reilly arched against him, and Leon, who'd become hard as soon as he'd bitten her breast, didn't hesitate to move into her warm and willing body. Their bodies moved beneath the blankets, and Reilly moaned low in her throat. The sound urged him on and he held himself above her as he thrust in and out of her warmth. Reilly wrapped her legs around his and matched him move for move. It wasn't long before she screamed his name as she came. He followed her soon after.
"Now that's what I call a way to wake up." she sighed.
"Am I gonna have to sneak back to my room so Ms. Martha doesn't ground us?" he teased as he kissed her ear.
"Naw, Ms. Martha knows we're big girls." Reilly assured him. "Plus, she's in the middle of making breakfast right now. She has no idea you're in here with me."
"Reilly, you and Leon come on down for breakfast." Ms. Martha's voice came from outside the door.
Leon started laughing hysterically as Reilly groaned and pulled the sheets up over her head.
Quin was working, Sloane was on a business call, Reilly was in town, and Torin was at school when Micah Davids drove up and parked in front of the house. Dom and Vince went out to meet him before he knocked. "Something we can help you with?"
"I came to speak with one of the McKennas, preferably Quin if she's around." the man said in a measured tone as he spit tobacco onto the ground.
"They're currently not available." Vince told the Sheriff.
"I see. Well, would you be so kind as to ask Quin to call me when she gets in?"
"Sure. We can do that." Dom said politely, and they moved back towards the other man's vehicle.
Micah looked at Dom for a moment. "You know, she's a pretty special woman."
"I think we can agree on that." Dom answered in a civil tone.
"She's too good for an ex con." The tobacco bulged out of his bottom lip.
"Maybe. But then, that's her choice to make."
"If you cared anything about these women you'd leave." Anger was now tinging Micah's voice, and his fists were clenched at his sides.
Dom stared at the man. It seemed that the sheriff had an anger management problem. "We're staying because we do care about these women, and they care about us. Until they ask us to leave we aren't going anywhere."
Micah spit a glob of chew on the ground. "Well then, you boys just be careful now. It can be mighty dangerous out here for city folk who don't know their way around." Micah smoothed the anger from his voice. "Yep, mighty dangerous. Let Quin know I came by." The man walked to his car and drove away at a leisurely pace.
"That a threat?" Vince asked as his eyes followed the vehicle.
"I think that was both a threat and a warning V. I think the Sheriff is gonna try to cause as much trouble as possible."