Cowboy Heaven by Cheryl L. Brooks Page B

about helping you wash dishes or mop the floors. I never mentioned sex.”
    â€œWhen don’t you mention sex?” I drawled. “It’s your favorite topic.”
    â€œThat’s because I haven’t gotten any lately,” she grumbled. “Almost makes me wish I hadn’t thrown my ex out.”
    â€œAs I recall, that was one of your main complaints about him.”
    â€œTrue, but I thought I’d at least get a steady boyfriend once I got rid of him. These one-nighters are wearing me down.”
    â€œThat’s funny. I thought you liked it that way.” She’d told me more than once she preferred variety. Perhaps she hadn’t been referring to the men themselves as much as the limits of their imaginations.
    â€œNot really,” she conceded. “I’d like to have one long enough to be able to tell who was in bed with me without having to turn on the light.”
    â€œThat would be nice, wouldn’t it?”
    I didn’t think I’d like wondering who I was waking up with myself. Not that there was much chance of that. I could probably identify Troy by his scent alone.
    But perhaps Jenny’s sense of smell wasn’t as discriminating as mine.

Chapter 8
    That ability was put to the test a few hours later when Troy showed up in my bedroom, unheralded by anything but his cologne and the sound of his stealthy footsteps, both of which had me awake before he ever said a word.
    â€œAngie?” he whispered.
    â€œWhat’s up?” I asked with a yawn.
    His chuckle sounded delightfully wicked. “I’m surprised you have to ask that. I would have thought it was perfectly obvious.”
    â€œYes, but it is dark in here,” I reminded him. “You might have come to tell me Goldie was in labor.”
    â€œThat’s true, but she isn’t. I checked on her before I came in.”
    â€œSpeaking of which, how did you get in?” I could only imagine the fit Dad would throw if he ever happened to run into Troy on the way to the bathroom during the night. He’d probably have the big one—and blame me for it if he survived.
    â€œThrough the kitchen,” he replied. “Believe me, I checked out the best ways in and out of here this afternoon. It’s a good thing you don’t lock the doors.”
    â€œI’d have given you a key if we did,” I said. “Wouldn’t want to lock my boy toy out. That would be tacky.”
    â€œNot to mention counterproductive.”
    The bed dipped beneath his weight. Moments later, I heard his boots hit the floor, each with its own quiet thud. I hadn’t heard anything quite as comforting since Cody died, a sound that meant a warm, sexy man was about to join me in my lonely bed. Simply hearing it sent a quiver of anticipation racing through me.
    â€œI can’t stay too long, though. I told the guys I sometimes wake up during the night and have to walk around for a while before I can go back to sleep. I doubt any of them care if I’m not in my bunk, but someone might wake up and see where I went.”
    â€œWe can’t have that, can we? Especially if it’s Rufus. The other guys might not mind you visiting me at night, but you can bet your boots Rufus would tell Dad.”
    The idea of Rufus on a rampage made me giggle. Showing that much emotion was totally out of character for him. How he could put any feeling into the songs he played was a mystery to me. Perhaps music was his only outlet, or at least the only one he allowed himself.
    â€œWould it really cause that much trouble?”
    â€œNot so much for you. You’d only get fired. I’d be the one who’d have to hear about it for the rest of my days.”
    â€œYou aren’t exactly a kid, Angie.” He was being kind. No matter how you cut it, a woman of forty-two was middle-aged.
    â€œDoesn’t matter. Rufus would consider it his duty to report a daughter’s errant behavior