Free White Collar Cowboy by Parker Kincade Page A

her. Straight up, passion-and-picket-fence kind of love.
    Hell, he’d probably been half in love with her for years. He didn’t want to scare her away with a bended-knee declaration, not with everything else going on. She’d have enough to deal with once they had their talk. Finding out why her job was eliminated, going to the ranch, meeting his family. Oh yeah, she’d be overwhelmed enough as it was. One thing at a time.
    After a quick shower, Gavin threw on a T-shirt and jeans, and shoved his feet into his favorite, practically worn-out boots. Better to be prepared in case he decided to stomp around the barn a bit.
    His cell phone buzzed on the nightstand and he smiled when he saw the caller ID.
    “Erin!” he answered. “How’s my girl?”
    His twin sister snorted in his ear. “Cut the shit, Gav. Where the hell are you? I thought you said you’d be home today.”
    The oldest of six, Gavin and Erin were the first of two sets of twins. His youngest brother and sister were twins as well. He loved his three brothers and other sister, but sharing a womb had solidified the special relationship he and Erin had.
    Gavin glanced at the clock and grinned at her impatience. It was only nine-thirty in the morning. “I am coming home today.”
    Relief tinged Erin’s voice. “Just making sure. You’ve stayed away this long, I thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”
    Gavin cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear as he fastened his watch around his wrist. “Never. But, this time was important to me, I told you that.”
    “You did, but it doesn’t mean I’m not dyin’ to see your face.”
    “Same goes, honey. I’ve got a few things to take care of, then I’ll be headed your way.”
    “Sounds good. So, how goes things with the move?”
    Gavin went back into the closet in search of his belt. It had been so damn long since he’d worn actual pants, he felt out of practice at getting dressed in anything except board shorts. “I think it’s all in order. I had everything shipped to Mom and Dad’s. They’ll store my stuff until I decide if I’m keeping this place or not.”
    He cringed as those words slipped out. He rarely kept anything from Erin. He hadn’t mentioned his thought about selling the house to anyone, not even her.
    “Wait a minute. You’re selling the beach house?”
    If Gavin didn’t know better, he’d swear Erin was concerned about losing her favorite beach spot. He thought about the bed, remembering the things he and Lauren had done there. He thought about the times he’d held her as she slept, the showers they’d taken, the meals on the deck. He’d be hard pressed to give up the place that had given him those memories.
    “Maybe, I don’t know. It’s an option I’m looking at, but I haven’t decided anything concrete. It’s too far to live here full-time when I’ll be at the ranch every day.”
    “Mom and Dad want you to move back to the ranch.”
    Yes, he knew. Lord knew the house was large enough, but there was something about living in his childhood home, under the same roof as his parents, that didn’t sit right with him. “Not happening. Although I might take up residence in the cabin for awhile.”
    The cabin being a four-bedroom, two-bath, fishing cabin his grandfather had built. It was within the borders of the ranch, but only a fifteen-minute drive to the office instead of the hour and a half from Galveston. Truth was, he wouldn’t be making any permanent residence decisions until he knew where he stood with Lauren.
    “Clay will be devastated to lose his love shack,” Erin said dryly.
    Gavin matched her tone. “I’ll bet.” It was no secret Clayton used the cabin for more than fishing. “Anyway, there should be one more shipment from London this week, and then I’m officially a Texan again.”
    “Thank God,” Erin said. “Have you talked to Lauren yet?”
    Leave it to his twin to go straight to the heart of the matter. He’d told her about Lauren a few