Page 51 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

“Did you dance on tables?”

“I have done that.” He surprised her then, taking her by the shoulders and rolling her over, putting just enough delicious weight on her to make her want more of what she’d just had.

“Do you want to keep discussing my past? Or”—he sweetened the deal with a kiss, his tongue teasing hers—“the here and now.”

There was no contest.

“I’ll go with the here and now.”

Chapter Eleven

“I might know who shot the cow.”

Trev, Hayes, and Jordan exchanged glances as Burke casually lifted his beer to his lips.

“Gremlin went to jail last night. Got arrested right outside the Wolf Den.”

“And you think he did it?” Jordan asked dubiously.

“No. But he was telling the guys who arrested him that he had some information that they might find really interesting.”

“And from that you deduced the cow shooting.”

Burkey shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. “Nope. I deduced that from him saying, ‘I know a guy you’re looking for. The one who shot a freaking cow.’”

Jordan leaned forward. “Did you get a name?”

Burke shook his head. “Gotta wait until Gremlin gets out.”

“The cops will get it out of him,” Trev said.

“If he actually knows something.” Jordan wasn’t hopeful.

Gremlin was a save-your-skin kind of guy who’d say anything to get out of trouble.

Another exchange of glances between the brothers. Jordan had spent most of the day on the family ranch while Meg and Lil went to pick up their sister at the airport in Belgrade. From there, he and his brothers had gone to town for grocery shopping, where they’d run into Burke. They’d agreed to a quick happy-hour round before heading home, mainly because Burke was bursting at the seams in anticipation of passing along some secret information. It turned out to be better information than Jordan had hoped for—if it was true.

“Here’s the thing,” Burke said, tapping the table for emphasis. “Those guys Gremlin hangs with at the Wolf Den, they’d do things for money.”

“Think Gremlin will rat them out?”

“No. Especially after he sobers up. Wouldn’t be good for Wolf Den relations. Unless”—Burke shifted his jaw sideways as he thought—“unless he just heard about a guy who wasn’t one of them.”

“What did he get arrested for?”

“Tossed a beer bottle at Deputy Phil’s official rig when he drove by.”

“Maybe I should call Lil,” Jordan said.

“If the sheriff’s office had information, they’d call both of you,” Hayes said.

“True.” Jordan lifted his bottle in a short salute. “Thanks for the information, Burke.”

“Anytime.” Burke beamed over his beer. “I’ll hang out at the Wolf Den tonight and see if Gremlin shows up.”

“Appreciate it,” Jordan said. “Just don’t get yourself in any trouble.”

Burke made a sputtering noise.