Josh's Justice, Cowboy Romance (Bad in Boots, Book 4) Page 6

  Josh sighed and nodded. “Let me run Sabrina home, then I’ll come help.”

  * * *

  “You really like Josh, don’t you?”

  “Huh?” Sabrina peered over the clothesline as she straightened a bed sheet for Nan.

  “You heard me.” Nan set a couple pins in place on the sheet, then lifted a fitted sheet and laid it across the line too.

  “I like how he makes me feel.” Sabrina moved to pull her freshly laundered clothes off the line. Just as Nan had promised, the warm Texas sun had done its job, drying her top and skirt in no time. And they smelled good too, like fresh outdoors.

  As she folded her clothes, Nan stopped moving and pinned her with a look.

  Sabrina shrugged. “What?”

  “Aren’t you going to elaborate?”

  “Oh.” Sabrina grinned. “Just special. Josh makes me feel special.”

  Nan nodded as she snapped some dry towels down from the line. “I’m glad to hear it. Josh is a good man. I like that he makes you smile.”

  Sabrina inwardly snickered at the tame term. If Nan knew her inner thoughts about Josh she’d probably hose her down right in the yard. “Yes, he definitely makes me smile.”

  “I can tell. You haven’t stopped grinning since Josh walked you to the door this morning.”

  Sabrina sighed as she recalled Josh’s parting comment. The man knew just how to curl her toes.

  He’d walked her all the way up to the door of the Lonestar, his warm hand resting at the base of her spine. “I’ll be back to pick you up at three. Does that sound good? We’ll go wherever you’d like.”

  She clutched her dirty bundle of clothes in her arms and turned to him. “Thank you for taking care of me last night, Josh. And I’d love to see your place.” Tilting her head slightly, she grinned. “You know, a person’s home can tell you a lot about him. What will yours tell me?”

  He looked thoughtful as he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Probably that it misses me. I’m not there a lot.”

  Why wouldn’t he be there much? Did he enjoy spending more time with his family at the Double K? Kind of like Elise and Colt do? Sabrina knew her friend and husband had their own house, but they’d stayed at the Lonestar the entire time she’d been visiting. The fact Josh enjoyed spending time with his family wasn’t a bad thing.

  He adopted an intrigued look and hooked his hands at the base of her spine. “What would I find at your place?”

  She sighed wistfully. “Not you, unfortunately.”

  Josh flashed a pleased smile and his hold tightened. “I’ll bet it smells just like you. All warm and sweet smelling. Like a home should.” He dipped his head and inhaled next to her neck before he brushed his lips against hers in a tender kiss. Stepping back, he touched the rim of his hat. “Then my place it is. Just you and me, getting back to nature.”

  Nan cleared her throat, bringing her to the present. The knowing look on Nan’s face made Sabrina blush a little. Did she suspect more had gone on between Sabrina and Josh? Even though technically nothing had happened between them, the way Josh touched her and the things he’d alluded to doing with her last night definitely fell in the carnal category.

  Sabrina pushed her loose braid over her shoulder and tried to sound casual. “I’m excited to see Josh again. He’s coming to pick me up at three.” Why did I let Elise convince me to cancel my rental car? I could be there right now, helping with the camp.

  “So…” Nan began, tilting her head to the side. “I need to drive into town for some groceries soon. I could drop you off at the Double K around one. Would that make your smile turn megawatt bright?”

  When Sabrina shot her a huge grin and started to quickly gather up her clean clothes, Nan laughed. “All I ask is that you bring Josh by the Lonestar for an early dinner tonight.”

  Sabrina’s eyes widened as she crushed her clothes to her chest. “You knew I planned to stay the night?”

  Nan snorted. “Sabrina girl, some things just shouldn’t be passed up. Josh is a handsome man and a good one too. If you weren’t planning on it, I was going to pack your bag for you.”

  Sabrina snickered. “That’s sounds exactly like something Elise would say.”

  Nan shot her a smug look. “Why do you think we get along so well?”

  * * *

  Sabrina had asked Nan to drop her off at the entrance to the Double K. She wanted to walk the half-mile distance along the drive to the ranch house, enjoying the view along the way. Just as she reached the end of the drive, gunshots filled the air. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.

  Sabrina’s heart raced as she tracked the noise near the barn. She let out a breath of relief when she saw Josh gesturing to the row of targets behind him. She’d assumed more than one person was shooting until she saw Josh holster his gun. Wow, had he fired all those rounds? She was pretty sure she’d heard five shots in under a second.

  Josh stepped out of the way, then repositioned a teen boy in front of a target, which was a painted bulls-eye cardboard nailed to a post twenty five feet away. Once the kid lifted his gun, Josh straightened his elbow, positioned his shoulders, then gestured to the target for him to continue.

  After she put her backpack on the front porch, Sabrina walked over to lean against the barn and watch Josh in action. He still hadn’t noticed her, which suited her fine. She liked seeing him in his own environment, just being himself.

  Five teens now stood lined in a row at their own target stations. Each teen held an old-style six-shooter pistol at the ready.

  When Josh stood off to the side and called out, “Go,” they began firing, apparently competing to see who could hit his or her target with the most accuracy. Sabrina saw the bullets making holes in their targets but was surprised that they didn’t make the same loud sounds Josh’s gun had.

  “Wax bullets,” someone said from her right.

  Sabrina nodded to acknowledge the woman with short dark hair. She looked to be in her late forties. “Ah, that makes sense for safety reasons.” She shifted her gaze back to Josh and the gun belt hanging low on his waist. With his blue chambray shirt, cowboy hat and spurs on his boots, he could’ve been dropped into an old western film. Damn, he made a sexy cowboy.

  “That old west look suits him,” the woman commented, her gaze openly appreciating Josh’s backside.

  Well, who wouldn’t? Sabrina thought even as a twinge of jealousy flared. “I was just thinking the same thing. I’m Sabrina.”

  “Name’s Cynthia,” she replied with a nod, her pale blue eyes now scanning the teens. “The Kellys really did a great job today; taught the kids how to saddle a horse and rope a calf too.” She waved to Ben, who stood off to the side, ready to provide more ammo if needed, then nodded toward Josh. “Josh especially. He’s so patient with them. These kids come from some pretty sad home situations. Between the Tanner’s camp and the Kelly’s, I’ve never seen them smile so much.”

  The shooting stopped and Josh called out, “All right everyone, set your guns on your stations so I can check the results.”

  Sabrina could appreciate the kids’ anticipation as she watched him inspect each target. He finally pulled the one in the middle down and held it up, calling out, “Looks like Rebecca won.”

  The three boys and another girl congratulated the girl in blonde braids.

  Josh grabbed the box that Ben handed him and approached Rebecca. “As the winner, you get a new hat,” he said as he set a brand new beige cowboy hat decorated with a brown leather band on the girl’s blonde head.

  “Aw, man. If I’d of known there was a prize, I’d of tried harder,” the boy to Rebecca’s left said.

  Josh grinned. “You all get a memento to take home.” Pulling out a new horseshoe stamped with the Double K brand, he handed it to the boy, then walked down the line and gave each kid one.

  Once he finished, he said, “Thank you for coming to the Double K. I hope ya’ll enjoyed it.”

  The woman beside Sabrina approached the gr
oup, saying in a teacher’s voice, “Okay boys and girls. It’s time to head for the bus. Thank Mr. Kelly and Ben here for hosting you.”

  Rebecca touched the top of her hat and grinned. “Goodbye, Mr. Kelly, thank you for everything.”

  “Thanks, dude,” another boy with long bangs and a lip ring said in a subdued tone.

  Once each kid had said their thanks and goodbyes, the group asked Ben to walk them to the bus.

  The woman smiled after they walked away, then turned to Josh. “Thank you so much for doing this, Josh. It meant the world to them. I hope you’ll consider doing it again next year.”

  Josh tugged on his hat. “My pleasure, Cynthia. And yeah, we’ll definitely offer this camp again next year. We had a blast.”

  As Cynthia walked past the barn and waved to Sabrina, Josh’s gaze strayed to her leaning against the barn. A broad smile spread across his face. “How long have you been here? I thought I was coming to get you later.”

  “I’ve been here long enough to watch you in action. As for you coming to get me…” Sabrina approached, glad she’d dressed in jeans and an aqua blue short-sleeved button down shirt. She’d have been way overdressed in a skirt and heels. Stopping in front of him, she pushed her hands in her back pockets and rocked on her boot heels. “I thought I’d come to you.”

  Something flickered in Josh’s gaze and he gently tugged on her braid lying across her shoulder. “I like the sound of that.”

  Heated tension settled between them, ramping her heart rate. Now that they were alone, nervousness began to flutter in her stomach. She gestured to the target area. “That was fun to watch. The kids really seemed to enjoy it.” Glancing down at the gun on his hip, she continued, “My favorite part was seeing you dressed like an old west gunslinger.”

  Josh followed her line of sight, then met her gaze, a playful look in his eyes. “Ever shot a Colt 45 before?”

  She shook her head. “Never shot a gun in my life.”

  Grinning, he pointed to the middle wooden stand. “Then you’re about to learn. Wait there.”

  While Sabrina did as he asked, Josh replaced the cardboard target with a wooden one.

  He reloaded his gun with bullets from his belt as he approached. Snapping the cylinder closed, he took off his hat and stepped behind her, asking, “Which is your dominant hand?”

  She lifted her right hand and he settled the handle of the gun against her palm, curling her fingers around it. “Just hold it like that for a sec,” he said as he stepped flush with her backside and put his hands on her hips to turn them. “You’re going to want to stand like this.”

  “Okay, now what?” She asked over her shoulder.

  Instead of moving to her side like she expected him to do, he slid his arms under hers, lifting their arms together to show her the angle she should be holding each arm. “This hand will pull back the hammer and this one will hold the gun steady. Got it?”

  Once she nodded, he said, “I’m going to put my hands over yours the first time, so you’ll feel the kick and be prepared for it. Then you can do it yourself.”

  Sabrina faced the target and let her body melt into his arms. She enjoyed the feel of him surrounding her all over. She’d never felt so protected. “Ready.”

  “Now look down the barrel toward the target, then pull the hammer back.” He demonstrated, then put the hammer back in place so she could do it.

  Sabrina thumbed the hammer back, shifting the gun to center it on the target.

  Josh slid his finger over hers near the trigger, while his other hand cupped hers under the handle. “You’re going to want to aim down a tad, since these guns have a tendency to shoot up.”

  He tilted the gun down just a bit, then put pressure on her finger with his, pulling the trigger. When the gun went off, she flinched at the loud sound.

  The bullet at least managed to hit the edge of the wooden target. She grimaced. “Er, sorry I jerked a little. The gun’s much louder up close.”

  “Want to try it on your own?”

  She nodded and cocked the trigger to put another bullet in the chamber, then lifted her arms and positioned her hands around the gun like he’d shown her.

  Josh hadn’t moved from behind her, his warmth penetrating her clothes, seeping into her skin. She cut her gaze back to him. “Um, I am doing this on my own, right?”

  He flashed a smile. “Of course.”

  Sabrina had expected him to move away, but she kind of liked the idea he was there to back her up if she needed it.

  She started to lift her arms into a firing position when Josh’s hands landed on her hips. He shifted them slightly, but instead of letting go once he was satisfied with her stance, he slid his hands up her waist, skimming the sides of her breasts before he ran his hands down her shoulders to adjust her arms.

  “Better?” She sounded breathless. Clearing her throat, she blinked to regain focus and stop thinking about how much she enjoyed him touching her.

  “Mmmm, much,” he purred in her ear, resting his hands on her hips once more.

  “Are you really trying to teach me?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Just wanted to make your shooting lesson memorable,” he said before he stepped to her side and folded his arms. “Take your shot, Annie O.”

  She smirked, then focused on the target and pulled the trigger. Before Josh could move, she thumbed back the hammer and took another shot, and then a few more until the bullets were gone.

  Josh eyed the target and her shots’ close grouping, then jerked a suspicious gaze her way. “I thought you said you’ve never shot a gun before?”

  She shrugged. “I haven’t shot a real gun, but I’m pretty good with the pellet variety. I was raised with two older brothers, remember?”

  When Josh laughed, she said, “I heard you shooting earlier, but didn’t get to see it. Why don’t you show me your moves?”

  His eyebrows shot up mischievously and he took a step closer. “My moves?”

  She lifted the handle toward him, trying not to be drawn in by his suggestive undertone. “Reload, cowboy.”

  Josh’s lips quirked as he took the gun. “I could easily run with that one too—”

  She snickered. “Just show me what you’ve got.”

  His shoulders shook with amusement while he emptied the bullets. “You’re killing me.”

  Sabrina smiled. Flirting with Josh felt so natural.

  Once Josh loaded the gun, he started to lift it toward the target, but she gripped his arm and shook her head. Backing away to give him space, she said, “I want to see you draw and shoot. Why do I have this feeling you’re darn good at it?”

  His lips lifted in a cocky smile as he spun the gun into the gun belt holster without looking.

  “Thought so,” she murmured. “Go for it, cowbo—.”

  Before she finished speaking, he’d already drawn and unloaded all five bullets into the target.

  Sabrina gaped. She couldn’t believe how fast he’d moved. His hand was a blur, fanning back the hammer so fast between shots she hardly saw it. Shaking her head slowly, she exhaled a surprised breath. “Okay, I’m impressed.”

  “Then my job here is done,” Josh said, flashing a grin before he spun the gun back into its holder once more.

  Unbuckling the gun belt, he held it out to her. “Hold this for me while I help my family put away all this camp stuff.”

  Her fingers curled around the thick leather and gun handle so she wouldn’t drop it. “I don’t mind helping you clean up, Josh.”

  He quickly shook his head. “We’ve got it. Why don’t you wait for me on the porch. I’ll just be a few minutes.”

  Sabrina sat on the top step and spent ten minutes watching Josh and his family work together to put the stuff they’d built for the camp away in a storage shed beside the barn. While she watched, she absently ran her thumb over the gun’s handle.

  When she moved her finger along the bottom, the pad of her thumb seemed to catch on something. She glance
d down and saw the initials NA had been etched into the metal.

  Sliding the gun out, she inspected it closely and realized it was just like the gun in Josh’s childhood bedroom. Probably part of a matching set. Who was NA?

  What did Josh say the boy’s name was in that picture in his room? He’d called him Nick Austin. She stared at the initials once more. If this is Nick’s, then why does Josh take care of and use his friend’s gun, but leaves his own gun untouched and collecting dust?

  Sabrina lifted her gaze to watch Josh once more, only to find him standing on the bottom step staring at her running her thumb over the etching.

  She could tell by his suddenly blank expression that he didn’t want to talk about it, so she slid the gun back into its holder and stood, holding the belt out to him.

  Josh had put his hat back on, but she could see the look of hesitation in his eyes as if he was going to say something. Instead, he rolled his shoulders and walked the rest of the way up the stairs until he’d reached her level. Staring down at her, he took the gun belt and smiled. “Give me five minutes and we’ll head out, okay?”

  Once he went inside, Sabrina sat on the long porch swing and tried to picture what Josh’s house would look like. She found it hard to conjure specific images, but one thing she knew for sure, it would be a cozy, comfortable place. Would he be a neat freak or a bit of a slob? She turned her face toward the warm sun and closed her eyes, looking forward to finding out.

  * * *

  “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  Sabrina’s eyes fluttered open and she quickly sat up, eyeing Josh, who’d apparently showered and changed into a white button down shirt and Wranglers, complete with a silver and gold buckle. “Was I asleep?”

  Josh clasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Yep. You didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’m not surprised you took a catnap.”

  He picked up her backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Ready to go?” His smile made the butterflies in her stomach multiply tenfold as he held his hand out to her. Wow, with the afternoon sun shining directly in his eyes, the teal color was downright arresting.