Her Prada Cowboy: McCulloch County Series #1 (12 page)

“Who is who?”

“Don’t patronize me woman!  Who have
you been out with the past three nights?”

Shannon gaped at him.

“Jarrod, I have no idea what you are
talking about!”

“Every time I have phoned you after
nine in the evenin’s this week, you didn’t answer your phone.  Who have you
been with?”

“How does me not answering my phone
automatically equate to seeing some other man?”

“Just answer me!”

“Babe, I have been so tired these past
few days, I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.”

“By nine at night?”

“More accurately around eight
already!”

He walked around the desk and lifted
her chin to glower into her eyes.

“You are mine, Shannon.  Remember
that.  I do not share what is mine!  Especially not you! Do you understand?”

“Yes Jarrod.”

“If you’re asleep when I phone, you
phone me the moment you wake up the next day!  Is that understood?”

“Yes Jarrod.”

“Even better, phone me before you fall
asleep. Understand?”

“Yes Jarrod.”

“And stop sayin’ ‘yes Jarrod’!”

Shannon laughed and wrapped her arms
around his waist and hugged him.  He tugged her under his chin and breathed in
her fresh Jasmine flavored perfume.

Chris peeked in after a brief knock
and startled when he caught the intimate embrace.  He knew there was something
going on between them, he just never realized it had gone that far already. 
Shannon desperately tried to draw out of Jarrod’s arms, but he held tight.

“Sorry to interrupt.   Our bankers are
here, Jarrod.  I’ve set them up in your boardroom.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Shannon scowled at Jarrod the moment
Chris closed the door behind him.  She slapped him on his chest

“What must he think?  You can’t just
grab me while we’re at work!”

“Me grab you?  This time I plead
innocent!  You were the one that hugged me.”

She blushed and sank down on her chair
with a groan, holding her head in her hands.  Jarrod chuckled and leaned over
to kiss her on her hair. 

“I am in meetin’s the whole day until
around six, but I am stayin’ with you tonight. We can go to dinner on the way
to your apartment.”

“Why don’t I rather cook something for
us?  I have to pop in at Global Media around three.  I’ll go home from there.”

“You want to cook for me?”

“You don’t think I can?”

“Oh, I am sure you’re a good cook. 
It’s just …”

So intimate.  So married like. So …
what I wanted!  Damn!  Where did that come from!  When did wanting and needing
her turn into thoughts of … permanency?  Yeah right, as if I did not know!

Jarrod stared into her eyes, his heart
running away it was beating so fast. He spun around and strode to the door.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

Shannon stared after him, wondering
what spooked him that he ran away so quickly.

He is so sweet when he is jealous.

Oh, you are so screwed, doll face!

Don’t I know it?

Hells bells, you’ve got it bad! You’re
even agreeing with me!

Shannon
and Rosa colluded to arrange a birthday cookout party for Jarrod for the past
month.  His birthday was the next Saturday, which also celebrated her tenth
week of pregnancy.  She knew she would have to tell him and tell him that
weekend.  Her breasts have noticeably grown bigger.  She was surprised that he,
who was so enamored with her breasts, has not noticed it as yet.  When she got
dressed in the morning she turned sideways in front of the mirror and noticed
her belly becoming quite rounded.  Bennett warned her that as she was expecting
twins she would start showing and would be quite big towards the end.

Noah assisted her to pick out his gift
and would bring it with on the night of the party.  He was also appointed to
issue the invitations to all their friends.  Chris was responsible for inviting
the rest.  Shannon made it very clear that she would not tolerate any of his
prior … agreements … at the party.

Dylan was responsible for arranging
everything they would require for the outside barbeques as well as the meats. 
Noah was also responsible for arranging drinks.

Rosa, Shannon, Melody, Sheila and
Noah’s mother were responsible for all the salads, side dishes and dessert.

They had everything under control. 
The only problem they still have not managed to find a solution for, was how to
keep Jarrod away from the ranch until everything has been set up and the guests
have arrived.

Everyone suggested that Shannon keep
him in Houston.  She shot it down, knowing that he would then want to take her
out to a special dinner.

In the end Chris mentioned that it has
become tradition between his brother, Reed Jarrod  and him to go out on the
prairie the night before either of their birthdays.  They went ‘horny toad’
hunting.

“Horny toad hunting?  You have got to
be kidding, right?”

Chris chuckled and wiggled his
eyebrows.

“By the time we start huntin’ them,
they appear as bi’ as dinosaurs.”

“Aah, so you actually go on a drinking
party and justify it by calling it ‘hunting’?”

“Somethin’ like that, yes.  I did not
suggest it this year, yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because of you.”

“What do I have to do with it?”

“We thought he would rather want to be
with you.”

“We are not attached to the hip,
Chris.  We … see each other.  We have not even put a name to what it is that we
have.  Besides, it is the ideal solution!  Talk to him this morning still,
please.”

She got up and walked towards the door
of his office.  She turned and scowled at him.  She pointed a stiff finger at
him.

“Just don’t get so drunk that you are all
useless at the cookout.”

“Rosa did warn you that Jarrod is not
bi’ on birthday parties, right?”

“She mentioned something like that,
yes.”

“Clearly that is not goin’ to sway you
in any way?”

“Nope … you just get him to agree. 
Tell him you spoke to me and I am fine with it.”

Chris shook his head when she
disappeared through the door.  Not put a name to it, my ass.  Jarrod has never
been exclusive with a woman before. Never. He also had no compunction to openly
flaunt his possessiveness for her. He picked up his phone and dialed Jarrod’s
cell number.

“Hi Chris.  Problems?”

“No, just phonin’ to fix our horny
toad huntin’ party for Friday night.”

Jarrod was silent for a spell and
Chris smiled.  He just knew what was coming.

“I …er … am not sure I am up to it
this year.”

“What?  Don’t tell me you’re gettin’
too old?”

“Careful, cuz.  I can horny toad hunt
you under the table any day.”

“I’m not so sure.  With my party in
January, both you and Reed looked way worse for wear than I did.”

“Yeah, you would think so.  Especially
as it was him and I that had to lift you on your horse, you were so out of it.”

“Well, we’ll take it easier this
year.  Shannon made me promise that we would not get drunk as skunks.”

“You spoke to Shannon on this?”

“Yeah.  Shouldn’t I have?”

“And she is fine with it?”

“Yip.  So what time Friday?”

“Let’s hit the trail at two, but brin’
Shannon with when Rocco brings you.”

“I suppose you aren’t comin’ to the
office tomorrow then?”

“No, but I’ll be in most of next
week.  I should finish the changes on the software by tomorrow.  We need to get
the launch finalized.  I received another threat today.”

“Email again?”

“Yeah.  Reed is already lookin’ into
it.  Any specific orders for food for Friday?”

“No.  You choose.  We’ll brin’ the
horny toad juice.”

Jarrod just chuckled and ended the
call.  He immediately phoned Shannon.  She picked up within the second ring.

“Hi, Babe.  This is a surprise.  You
never phone this early.”

“Mornin’ doll face. I believe you are
fine with me goin’ horny toad huntin’ on Friday.”

“Why would I not be?  It is not as
though they are going to turn into busty blondes, now are they?”

“Well, there was this one year on
Reed’s birthday … a redhead and two blondes, if memory serves me right.  With
those two, one never knows what you’ll find under a shrub.”

The silence was deafening and Jarrod
smiled.

Good!  I was worried I am the only one
with a possessive and jealous streak in this relationship!  Wait …
relationship?

“Are you ribbing me, Babe?”  There was
a definite iciness in her voice.

“Well, maybe it was two redheads and
one blond … I can’t remember … we were quite willin’ to share.”

“And there flies your whole defense
about not being a womanizer and a gigolo out the window!  I guess that means I
will see you when you come to the office on Wednesday next week.  Enjoy your
birthday … you … you horny toad!”

“I was kid … Shannon!”

She put the phone down in my ear!

He dialed her number again, but as
expected, she did not answer.  Nor did she,
when he phoned her in the
evening, nor the next day or evening.  He phoned Chris, highly annoyed.

“Shannon had a … reaction to a joke I
made on Wednesday and is ignorin’ my calls.  Sayin’ she will only see me next
week.  You better make sure you brin’ her with tomorrow.”

“No problem, cuz.”

He
chuckled when he put his phone down.  His cousin has lost his bachelor status. 
Whether he knew it, or not. 

Chris
cursed Jarrod.  Why did he not warn him he told Shannon about the time they
took girls with on a ‘hunting’ trip?  How was he supposed to know what he was
allowed to divulge and what not? He glanced worriedly at Reed that sat
chuckling across from him in the chopper.

“Er … what exactly did Jarrod tell
you?”

“What are you trying to hide, Chris?”

“Nothin’!”

“Something about a redhead and two
blondes.”

“Actually it was two redheads and one
blond.”

“Thank you, Reed!”

“So there are women on these trips! 
Why did you never give me that little tidbit of information?”

“Shannon, that happened when we were
still in our twenties!  I swear, it was the only time!  We realized horny toad
huntin’ and chicks did not go hand in hand.  In fact … it was quite a
disaster.”

Reed chuckled with Chris.  “Yeah … did
not do much for our reputations!”

“What do you mean?”

“We … er, the horny toads … er …”

“Yeees?”

“The horny toads … er …disabled our
ability to … er … perform.”

“You couldn’t … hahaha … perform.  And
he tells me you even shared … ooooh!  I am going to murder him!”

“Now Shannon, it is his birthday. 
Maybe he just needed some … reassurance.”

“Him … Jarrod Parker … needs
reassurance?  Are you kidding?  Do you know what women see when they look at
that damn cousin of yours?  They don’t even care if there is another woman with
him!  They still flirt with him.  If anyone needs reassurance, it’s me!”

“Shannon, the fact that the two of you
are exclusive should be reassurance enough.  He has never, and I mean ever been
exclusive with any one woman before.”

Nor did he have a baby with any of
them!

Which you still have to tell him
about, doll face.

I know … I know!

Jarrod was waiting for them when they
arrived at the airstrip, his face grim. He noticeably relaxed when Chris
assisted Shannon from the chopper.  He walked into her and wrapped her in his
arms.  He turned his back towards his cousins and his lips covered hers. 

His lips were warm and intoxicating,
slowly stroking her to ecstasy. His tongue swept past her lips and made
sweeping, swirling motions inside her mouth and immediately drew hers into his
mouth.

Shannon’s hands closed around his
sides.  Her body already suffused with heat that his wicked tongue evoked.

He plundered ruthlessly.

He plunged deeply. 

The invasion sensual and full of need.
He fisted his hand in her hair to hold her head in place.  He sipped from her
mouth until she was breathless.

She moaned and he deepened the kiss.
Slanting his mouth back and forth over hers, driving deeper, sipping
erotically.   

Reed cleared his throat loudly behind them
and Shannon stiffened.  She had completely forgotten about them!  Jarrod ended
the kiss leisurely and looked deep into her eyes.

“I am seriously annoyed with you,
woman.  Once we are back, we are havin’ a lon’ talk about your tendency to
ignore my calls when you’re angry with me.”

“Excuse me, Cuz.  Is this goin’ to
take much longer?  Chris and I wanna know if we can start on the huntin’ so
lon’?”

Jarrod turned to them with his arm
still around Shannon.  He scowled at them.

“As the official elder one of us all,
I am sorely tempted to cancel this trip.”

“Oh no, you don’t!  I brought a bundle
of chick flicks for Rosa and I and you are not going to spoil our fun!”

“Heaven forbid any man should
interfere with women and their chick flicks, Cuz.  C’mon, let’s go.  James is
here to take Shannon to the house.”

Jarrod
grumbled.  He hugged and gave Shannon another drugging kiss before he joined
his cousins and got on Hades.  They waved as they galloped away over the
prairie.

They
rode out to the furthest outpost on the ranch.  There was a cottage
specifically built for the winter months when they worked with the wild
stallions on the prairie.  It had three large bedrooms with numerous bunks, an
open lounge and kitchen area and a massive porch with a build-in barbeque
grill.

Some of the modern luxuries were added
over the past few years specifically for their ‘horny toad hunting’ trips.  The
older they got, the less appealing ‘roughing’ it became.  They preferred to sit
on the porch and indulge in the ‘horny toad juice’ and just be … men.  If a
horny toad managed to scuttle on the porch … well then they would hunt him
down.

“So, tell us more about Shannon, Cuz? 
What is she to you?” Reed asked once they were settled on the porch, each with
a beer in the hand.

“What do you mean what is she to me?” 
Jarrod frowned at his cousins.   “I would have thought it was quite clear? 
Exactly what all the others were.”

“Yeah?  And what was that exactly?”

“You know … sex, with her, good sex …
damn good sex.”

“Aaah … therein lies the problem,
cuz.  How sure are you that it is just about the sex?”

“Of course that is what it is about! 
What else would there be?”

“Well, we were thinkin’ you would be
tellin’ us.”

“I don’t know what you’re on about. 
We have good sex and …”

They laughed and he glowered at them.

“We might have believed you if … and
this is a big if, cuz, you treated her the same you did all the others before. 
We have never in all our lives seen you kiss a woman before.  Never.  You
always waited until you were alone with them.  You have never been exclusive
with anyone before. Since meetin’ her, you’ve not even smiled at another woman!”

“Yip, just as Chris says.  You were
noggin’ Shannon somethin’ fierce when we arrived.  I was nearly knocked on my
ass I was so surprised!”

“Yeah, well, maybe things are slightly
different. 

I
just can’t seem to get enough of her.  But I suppose eventually that will
change as well.”

“Yeah?  No jealous or possessive
thoughts ever?”

“So what if I do?  I don’t happen to
share what is mine.”