“Katie’s home,” he said with genuine regret. Didn’t matter that she slept like the dead; just knowing she was there at all made Mason feel too much like an exhibitionist. Which he wasn’t, no matter how many times he’d had sex out in the wilds of the ranch—or even the one time in the back of Nick’s Interceptor. “C’mon. Day’s a-wastin’.”
Katie was in the kitchen, sitting at the island sipping a cup of coffee, when Mason padded down the hall in socked feet, Colt right on his heels.
“Mornin’,” she drawled in a sleepy voice.
“You’re up early,” Mason said.
“Up late, actually.” She wrapped her hands around the mug. “I spent the night in the med barn with Angela.”
“You’re spending a lot of time out there.” Mason filled a coffee cup and turned back to her. “Do you want to be more hands-on with the horses, or is it all about your girl?”
Katie grinned, and her eyes lit up as a soft blush crept over her cheeks. “I love helping with the horses, but . . .”
“It’s all about the girl,” Mason finished with a grin.
“Yeah,” Katie said dreamily. “She’s just so . . . incredible. And gorgeous. And her heart is so big. Aside from you, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone with such a huge heart.”
“I’m happy for you, sis.” Mason put his cup down and pulled a pot out of the cupboard. “Have you eaten? I’m going to make some breakfast.”
She shook her head. “I’m good. I ate with Angela before I came home. I’m going to crash when I finish this.”
Mason chuckled. “How coffee puts you to sleep, I’ll never know. One cup and I’m wired for hours.”
She tapped a finger on the side of her head. “All up here.”
She rose from the island and placed her empty cup in the sink, and then she gave Mason a quick hug. “See you later, big brother.”
“Sleep well,” he said to her retreating back and went about preparing a hearty breakfast.
“Mornin’, Colt,” Katie singsonged. “Night, Colt.”
Colt chuckled.
Mason looked over his shoulder to find Colt was smiling at him. The dichotomy of fire that burned in his cool blue eyes and the taunting grin on his face weakened Mason’s knees.
He cleared his throat and turned around to collect himself. They were not going to have kitchen table sex while his sister was in the house.
After a breakfast that felt like foreplay, it was time to feed the mustangs and do herd checks. Mason walked out to the yard with Colt at his side, finally feeling relaxed with Colt and not actively trying to keep his distance from the man. Now he had a new problem: keeping himself in check until he could get Colt alone again.
Thad, who was feeling better and had an all clear from the doc for physical work, was loading hay onto a Gator while Brett filled up a second Gator.
“Mornin’, guys,” Mason greeted. “How is everything? Thad, you doing okay?”
“All good, boss,” Thad answered with a grin. “Glad to be back at it.”
Mason nodded. He got it. Any day he wasn’t out on the ranch working up a sweat was a bad day.
“Yep, all good here,” Brett said as he tossed a bale of hay into the bed of his Gator.
Mason watched him for a minute. Had Brett been talking to Gus about his property, trying to undermine Mason somehow? Or was Gus just trying to rile Mason up and into selling? Surely Trina wouldn’t put up with that if she knew. The thought of Brett making plans for the ranch without her knowledge didn’t sit right with him.
Brett cast his gaze Mason’s way, and his eyebrows lowered. “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Mason lied. “Just woolgathering. Didn’t sleep well last night.”
He turned to Colt, who wore a contemplative expression on his handsome face.
“I’ll just bring my truck over,” Mason said to Colt.
