Triple K Set

by Beck, J. L.

  “Just never you mind!” Brea shouted as she dragged her toward the house.

  “Dammit, what’s the matter with you. Wade is just my—”

  Brea clapped her hand over the woman’s mouth to move her along the walk and around to the back of the big house.

  Cole walked up quietly while looking a bit too calm as stood beside a flustered Kanda.

  “So, what are ya doing here at the ranch, rock hunter?” Jet stood closer to Wade while looking combative.

  “I was just watching the practice,” Wade answered casually.

  “What the hell would you know about ropin’ and such? Don’t you spend all your time peeking under dirty rocks?”

  Kanda sucked in her breath. Aww shit! Nobody is gonna talk to my Wade like that, not even my stupid brother! She aimed to interfere when Cole grabbed her arm. She slowly stared over at him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She pointedly peered down at his hand on her arm.

  “Kanda dear, I think you need to stay out of it.”

  “Stay out?” She shook her head as if she didn’t hear him right. “The hell I will, Cole dear!”

  He gripped her tighter and motioned his head at the men.

  “As it happens, mate, I dabble in the rodeo a bit myself,” Wade told Jet.

  Kanda almost smiled and she would have too, if she wasn’t so damned hurt and confused.

  “Dabbled?” Jet threw his head back and laughed.

  Oh, this is not going to go well. Kanda sighed. She knew Wade to be a calm level headed man, but he won’t take to being pushed for very long.

  “What do you know about the damned rodeo?”

  Kanda bit at her lip. I know he could outride all three of us Kincades, so I will bet he’ll be tough to beat.

  The look in Wade’s eyes changed from friendly to unreceptive as she watched. He got a glare she never saw before as he stepped closer to Jet.

  “Oh, shit,” Cole whispered under his breath. “I didn’t realized how big he was till he stepped up to Jet like that.”

  “What’s your top event, cowboy?” Wade asked with a disregarding emphasis on the word.

  Jet smirked. “Bulldoggin’; it’s only for the big, bad and the brave.”

  Several ranch hands chuckles echoed from around them.

  Kanda felt panic growing in her stomach “Oh, no…they are so not gonna—”

  Cole tugged her closer to his side. “I want you out of this, let your brother handle this no good piece of—”

  Kanda stomped down on his boot as hard as she could.

  “OWW!” Cole exclaimed with pain, “What the hell did you do that for?”

  Kanda glared at him. “It don’t matter what it looks like. That man is decent and if anyone disrespects him? I will snatch ’em baldheaded and sandpaper their asses!”

  Wade and Jet must’ve heard her loud voice and glanced over at them.

  When Wade caught sight of her, he grinned at her.

  Kanda recognized the same warm, sweet look in his eyes as she’d seen last night. Nah, I don’t know what’s going on, but he isn’t a two-timer, this I’m sure of.

  Jet stepped up to get his attention again. “So, what then? You challenging me to a round of bulldoggin’?”

  Wade turned to gaze at him while he looked amused. “Well, I don’t know? Tisk. Shouldn’t I be quaking in my boots, since you seem to be a champion and all?”

  Jet harrumphed while looking madder than a hornet with his wing all bent out of shape.

  “Jet—?” Kanda called out as Cole tugged her back some. Her glaring gaze again shot over to him. “You do that again and you’re gonna be missing some fingers, baby brother!”

  “Larry!” Jet shouted out as he kept his disdainful gaze locked onto the Aussie.

  “Yes, boss?” the man called back from the arena area.

  “Is the chute ready and the barrier up?”

  “Yep! The event is all set up, in fact.”

  Jet tilted his head in an aggressive way at the big man standing in front of him.

  Wade smirked and grabbed a coin from his jean pocket. “Heads goes first.”

  Jet glared beady-eyed at him as he nodded.

  Wade tossed the coin up and smacked it down on top of his other hand, then pulled his palm away. “Tails. Guess you go first…champ.”

  Jet scowled at him, then nodded and they both turned toward the ring chute.

  “Wait!” Kanda called as she twisted out of Cole’s grip.

  “Damnit!” Cole swore as he tried to grab her again and missed.

  “Wait up!” she called out.

  The men turned toward her.

  “Stay out of it, sis,” Jet seethed.

  “The hell I will. Steer jumpin’ isn’t a safe sport!”

  Wade smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Kandy. I’ve been to the rodeo before.” He gave her his trademark wink.

  She bit at her lip.

  He reached out and tousled her long dark hair, all gentle-like. “It’ll be okay. I got this.”

  Kanda swallowed heavily and took a step back. Cole was right, like usual. She knew men needed to be men and she wasn’t about to make him look like a coddled baby. But damn, it scared her to death. The Triple K stabled the biggest, baddest bulls in all of mid-Texas.

  Her brother was already up on the horse behind the barrier rope. The hazer horse being ridden by one of the ranch hand’s stood next to him.

  The steer was snorting and grunting loudly as Slappy stood to the side with a stopwatch.

  Larry blew the whistle as both horses and the steer came forging out.

  Jet immediately jumped from his horse and tackled the steer by its horns. It twisted back and forth, then he dug in his heels into the dirt and tossed it over on its side.

  Larry blew the whistle and Slappy stopped his watch. “Hot damn! Three point eight seconds!” he shouted with awe in his voice.

  Kanda sighed. “Dammit, he would have to best his own time today!”

  Cole snickered from beside her.

  She shot her blazing gaze over at him.

  He held his palms up at her. “Hey, I can’t stand my brother, but blood is thicker than—”

  “What the hell is happening?” Brea and Maggie rushed up to them, while both seemed to be out of breath.

  “They’re bulldogging,” Cole answered her. “And, I thought I told you to—”

  “He’s my brother!” Maggie shouted at him.

  Cole shut his mouth while looking surprised.

  Kanda heard what the blonde just announced and clasped her hands together with glee as she hid her grin. She wanted to dance a jig and shout out her relief, then tell Wade she never doubted him. Then she noted the chute was being fixed again. Her eyes widened as she gawked at what stood inside of it. “Is that—that’s…” Her breath caught in her throat.

  “Yep, it’s Samson.” Cole nodded.

  Both Brea and Maggie looked over to where the brother and sister stared.

  The biggest bull any of them had ever seen in their lives thumped inside the chute.

  “God damnit, Jet!” Kanda yelled. “I am gonna’ skin him alive and use his hide for a fucking saddle!” She bolted forward to stop this insanity.

  Cole grabbed her up full-bodied, completely off the ground with his big arms around her waist this time. “No, little sis. You wanna let your man down by cutting him in front of the entire ranch?”

  Her struggles stopped. “But, he ain’t—I mean he—”

  The whistle blew and they all stared over as the big Aussie came out of the chute on his appointed steed along with the hazer horse… A bigger horse than the first time, considering the size of this particular bull as it successfully kept Samson moving toward Wade.

  Wade hopped off and grabbed the horns, flipping Samson clean over on his side, legs out straight. The poor bull even seemed to lose his air.

  The whistle blew and Slappy gasped as he stopped the watch. “Three point seven!”

  Gasps came fro
m all around.

  Wade got up and dusted his jeans off as poor Samson lay winded and stunned behind him.

  All the ranch hands gaped and mumbled, then broke out into respectful applause.

  The Kincade siblings and Maggie and Brea headed for the fence.

  Wade grinned warmly at Kanda.

  “How in the fuck?” Jet yelled from beside him.

  The group and all the hands stood around quiet now, while staring at the dust covered pair.

  “Well…” Wade glanced down at Cole’s belt buckle. “I’ve got one of those for every day of the week. The biggest one was for bulldogging.” He shrugged his wide shoulders innocently.

  Jet’ jaw dropped.

  Kanda, Cole and Brea all started laughing.

  Maggie stepped up on the fence and hugged Wade.

  Jet glared at them as if he wasn’t already angry enough.

  “Aww, big brother, that reminded me of Sydney all over again!”

  Jet’ eyes widened as he gazed over at Kanda and Cole.

  They both nodded their heads at him.

  Jet then seemed to breathe out a huge breath of relief.

  Maggie stepped back down and turned to Kanda. “Brea here told me—well, about…” She stuck her hand out. “I am just so happy! Why, Wade hasn’t had a girl in–”

  Wade plucked her up from where she stood and sat her on his shoulder, effectively cutting off any further personal information which might come from his little mouthy sister.

  “Eeek! Damnit, Wade! I’m not 3 years old anymore!”

  Everyone broke out into peals of laughter as they all turned from the arena and headed up to the big house. Cole and Brea held hands. Wade carried Maggie around his shoulders, with Jet and Kanda in the rear.

  Standing at the top of the wide steps, stood Mable Kincade with her arms crossed over her bosom… Her expression stern and disapproving.

  They all halted and their laughter died away as they stared up at the matriarch of the Kincade spread.

  “Well?” she asked and nodded her head to Wade. “Good timing rock—nah, I’m not gonna call you that anymore, since you bested a rodeo star and the biggest bull to ever live. This calls for a party!”

  The group all glanced at each other and back up at her.

  “Let’s have a barbeque big enough to smoke out our neighbor who lives only 5 miles away!” she suggested with a huge smile on her face. “A real genuine hoedown with line dancing on the quad out back and good eatin’ overflowing on the tables. I mean, God damnit! I haven’t seen this many young puppy love filled faces since 1986!”

  The group let out laughter and giggles as they all made their way into the big house.

  CHAPTER TWENY-FIVE

  A low down, panty pilfering, no good—gloriously delicious, hot cowboy sundae.

  MAGGIE

  In the Kitchen at the Big House…

  Maggie helped Brea bring out all the meat as they both seasoned slabs and slabs of beef.

  Ranch hands kept coming in and grabbing up the huge trays, while others came in and raided the barbeque sauce.

  Country music blared in from the back of the big house as the two women got all the potato salad and the macaroni salad bowls covered and ready.

  “Well, that’s it. The rest of it is out at the tables already. I sure am glad all the men helped get this ready, so we had time to get primped.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “You mean put on the war paint and hunt for beefcake?”

  Brea’s mouth popped open, then she laughed. “Holy stars, Maggie. You sure picked up some wild speech at that stud ranch, didn’t ya?”

  She grinned. “Yeah, sometimes I do get carried away with it and my big mouth just keeps…” Her voice faded away as she saw the chicken hawk cowboy standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb as if he had no care in the world. He probably didn’t either, she thought with annoyance.

  “Yeah?” Brea prompted when she didn’t finish what she’d been saying.

  Maggie laughed a little and shook her head “Never mind.”

  “Okay then, I gotta go find my hunky cowboy. Are you comin’?”

  “Yeah, I just gotta…wash something off me…first.”

  Jet gave her a wink as he watched Brea leave through the backdoor.

  “So, you make a habit of skulking around much, cowboy?” Maggie taunted.

  He raised his brows. “Skulking?” he asked as he strolled forward toward her. “This is my home, Miss College and nobody skulks in their own house.” He stepped right up close to her and smiled. “Although, if you instead, meant stalking?” He shrugged his wide shoulders. “Then yes, I am guilty.” He leaned in close and seemed to take a whiff of her. “It’s what all animals do when they have a scent of what they want.”

  Maggie gave a small shiver like always when he got too close. He was a hunk of good-looking man all right and he sure did smell good. She batted her eyes innocently at him. “Well, hell. You aren’t a bit shy, are ya?”

  Jet chuckled and stepped even closer. “Never been accused of that, no how.”

  Maggie smiled sweetly up at him. “If you think that just because I’m blonde that I’m EVER gonna fall for such a load of shit? Then, you are as dumb as you act.” She leaned in close and blew on his lips. “Just remember now, sweet pea, females are the hunters in most animal packs. Get too liberal with this one…and you may just lose…some of your big manly parts.” She struggled to keep up the cold front.

  Truth be told, his lips were just as yummy looking close up as his bod just now looked. Maggie needed to ignore all that male magnificence for sure, because she knew the scoreboard and the yardage of this type of linebacker. Let him make a tackle and then score? You will get left at the 50 with no chance at a turnover. She had seen it in high school and college with boys and men just like him, and she wasn’t about to let him play football with her heart!

  Jet looked affronted as he pulled his head back and stared at her—perplexed yet again.

  “Yep. See?” Maggie continued, even as her heart fluttered at the way his eyes reflected the light from the torches glowing through the windows in the kitchen. “I am not interested in being a notch on your belt, nor a cut on the old bed post.” She fumed at him while her hands remained firmly on her hips. “I am waiting for more than that…” She lifted her chin up. “…Better than that!” She took a big step away from him, then turned around and sashayed her way out through the back door. Probably leaving a very befuddled handsome cowboy in her wake.

  ~~* * * * ~~

  The very LOW hoedown at the Triple K…

  The music blared as couples hooped and hollered, clapping their hands and boot stepping. The smell of charcoal smoke, whiskey, cigars and sweat filled the Texas evening air.

  Brea and Cole stood way off to the side, slow dancing as if the song playing wasn’t a fast paced honkytonk tune. They gazed into each other’s eyes and were grinning like mad.

  Maggie saw them and smiled. She moved around the dance area and then spotted her big brother.

  Wade easily spun his lady around and laughed loudly as she tripped and he instantly caught her, then raised her high above him like she was an itty bitty thing. Watching his expressions, she knew he was totally in love with this Kanda woman. Oh wow, finally after all this time. He might just settle down.

  When they danced out of her line of sight, she sighed. It must be something to be in love like that. The sweet tender thought flew right out of her mind as she was being spun around by one of the cowboys. Again. She thought she might toss her cookies several times over by now…she’d been spun so often with each song by many of the ranch hands.

  Although, this one did have a nice smile and flashing green eyes. Cute… Still, he was no Jet though. She shook her head for the tenth time, catching herself comparing every guy to him. For one thing, ever since she told him off, back in the kitchen—he was nowhere to be seen… Not that she’d been looking! No way. She tried to convince herself and it wasn’t wor
king.

  Damnit all, now she was falling into the habit of lying to herself.

  Of all the luck, to finally find a guy who warmed her up and occupied her thoughts? He turns out to be a scoundrel. A skirt-chasing, panty pilfering, no good, low down—hot cowboy fucking sundae! Damn him! Why couldn’t he be her dream man? Instead of a single girl’s tidal wave of sinning shame? Sincere only in the category of being untrustable, only after her—

  The cowboy dancing with her just grabbed her ass—Maggie’s eyes grew beady. She kept a plastic smile pasted on her face and she could see the dancing cowboy believed he’d done right. Like she approved of it! Jumping on me like white on rice! Being groped by a total stranger like she was nothing but a rubber doll with no brains! Her temper was already flaming after her face off with Mister Chicken Hawk earlier and what little patience she had for the male gender in general was all gone at this particular point in time.

  Maggie waited until the no good ass grabber spun her again, then tugged her closer toward his body. Abruptly, she raised a knee and got him, just about where the family diamonds resided.

  At the exact second, when everyone dancing clapped and shouted, YEE-HAW! the stunned cowboy let out his air and doubled over with a pain-filled grunt.

  Maggie pursed her lips and walked away from the grabby cowboy. “Yee-fucking-haw.” A smile curved along her mouth as she never even looked back. Maybe he’ll think twice next time he gets the grabbies! She went over to the punch bowl and stood in line to get a drink. Knee kickin’ all these cowboys was thirsty work! She let out a small chortle.

  One of the hands, Billy or Bobby, she couldn’t recall his name, stopped in front of her with a glass in his hand. She remembered him from this afternoon when all the hands were helping in the kitchen. He was probably all of 18 years old and looked as if he’d seen an apparition when his eyes caught hers…like he was almost scared of her.

  Maggie felt odd about this kid and studied his face, then she figured out what his expression reflected… An absolute look of worship.

  The shy cowboy walked up to her and stretched his hand out with an offered glass of punch. “If—you care to, ma’am?” he stuttered and then tried to smile. “So, ya—don’t have to wait in line?”