Must Love Cowboys: This steamy and heart-warming cowboy rom-com is a must-read! (Once Upon A Time In Carly Bloom (good short books .TXT) 📖

Relief flooded Alice’s face. She placed her hand in his. “Deal.” And then she actually smiled. At him.

A weird, fluttery feeling expanded in his chest. It was probably just heartburn.

Chapter

Eight

Beau got out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the rack. He ran it haphazardly across his body, wrapped it around his waist, and swiped at the fog on the mirror over the sink. He could probably use a shave, but why bother?

It was finally Saturday, and he was just going to Alice’s for a little tutoring. What grown man shaved before tutoring? For that matter, what grown man went to tutoring?

He sighed. There was so much about this that he wasn’t looking forward to. For one thing, whatever tricks Alice had up her sleeve probably weren’t going to work. It was hard to be optimistic.

He stared at his face in the mirror. How could he look so different than he felt? He appeared to be a grown man, identical to his smart and capable brother. But his unaddressed dyslexia made him feel like a little kid. And he hated it.

He pulled out his electric razor. Maybe he’d shave after all.

A few minutes later, he stood buck naked in front of his closet. What should he wear to a tutoring session? There were starched and pressed dress shirts that he wore out to dance halls and whatnot. And of course, there were a ton of work shirts. There weren’t a lot of in-between clothes, because all he did was work and play.

He didn’t want to wear a work shirt. Half of them were missing buttons or had stains or ripped pockets. That was the nature of ranch work. But he didn’t want to look like he was going out on the town, either.

He abandoned the closet altogether and headed for his dresser, where he grabbed a clean pair of Wranglers from the bottom drawer and a plain blue T-shirt from the middle. Surely that wouldn’t look like he was trying too hard.

Trying too hard to do what?

He stepped into a pair of black Ropers, brushed his teeth, and picked up a bottle of aftershave. Then he set it back down. Aw, hell. It wouldn’t hurt to splash a little on his cheeks. Next, he turned around and examined his ass in the mirror, because women always talked about cowboy butts in Wranglers. It looked like any old ass to him.

His black hat would look good, but would it be too coordinated and planned? Probably. So, he grabbed the straw Stetson.

A snort came from the doorway, and he saw his brother’s reflection in the mirror, smirking. “Somebody’s hot for teacher.”

“Shut up. I am not.”

“You’re primping and preening like a girl getting ready for the prom.”

Beau breezed past his brother. “You’re crazy.”

“And you’re wearing too much aftershave.”

Dammit.

He should probably eat something before he left for Alice’s. “Do we still have any of that brisket left in the fridge?”

“Not much. Maybe enough for a sandwich.”

That sounded perfect, so Beau set about making one while Bryce leaned against the counter and watched. “Did Alice tell you to bring anything with you?”

Beau clenched his jaw and slathered mayonnaise on a slice of bread. “She didn’t mention it.”

“So, how much are you paying her?”

Beau finished off his sandwich with some spicy mustard and a slice of bread on top. “I’m not paying her.”

“She’s doing it for free? That’s nice of her. Not surprising, though. She’s always been a sweetheart. I feel bad for all the shit we pulled when we were kids. You should probably get her a gift or—”

“I should clarify that I’m not paying her in money, but believe me, she’s being reimbursed.”

Beau took a bite of his sandwich and thought about what it was going to be like to take Allie to a wedding. It probably wouldn’t be too bad. He’d have to dance with her. Surely, she wouldn’t turn him down if he was her date? He shook his head. With Allie, who really knew? She was definitely going to talk his ear off, all while bouncing that ponytail for emphasis.

“When you say reimbursed, you’d better not be talking about what I think you are. Because, brother,” Bryce said with a sigh, “that is a horrible idea.”

“What do you think I’m talking about?”

“Sex.”

Beau nearly choked on his sandwich. His feelings were jumbled around like letters on a page, but one thing he knew for absolute certain was that he was not exchanging sex for tutoring with Allie Cat Martin. The suggestion made him want to laugh hysterically, even though he was currently clenching his jaw and trying to swallow a wad of sandwich down his suddenly tight throat.

He forced the chunk of sandwich down and wiped his mouth on a napkin while avoiding eye contact with his brother.

He couldn’t have sex with Alice. For one thing, she wouldn’t want to. And for another, well, she wouldn’t want to. Even if he did make her blush now and then.

“I’m not having sex with Alice, Bryce. No need to concern yourself.”

Bryce slumped in relief. “Good. But if you change your mind, don’t do it before you’ve learned how to read. Because God knows you never hop in the same saddle twice.”

“I know how to read,” Beau said through clenched teeth.

“I know,” Bryce said. “I was just kidding.”

“And you’re a real knucklehead if you think I would have sex with Alice.”

“It was a logical assumption because you’re . . .”

Beau raised an eyebrow. “I’m what?”

“You.”

“It’s not logical to assume I’m going to bang the babysitter.”

Bryce laughed hysterically. “God. That sounds like a bad porno. And you have said absolutely nothing to dissuade my concerns, because you’re clearly still carrying that junior high hard-on.”

“I am not. And Alice wouldn’t want to have sex with me anyway.”

“You’re probably right about that,” Bryce said with a grin. “But if you’re a good boy, maybe she’ll let you