Page 28 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy (Cowboys of Collier #1)

Tricia

Life looked very different for me these days. I was a Collier wolf now and damn proud of it. True to his word, Thomas had officially welcomed me to the Pack the second Brady and I had accepted our fate and bonded through the exchange of blood marking each other forever.

He wasn’t a perfect mate by any means. He was often ill-tempered.

He could get obnoxiously protective over me even though we both knew I was fully capable of protecting myself.

It was okay though. I liked it when he got a little growly.

The important part was that my imperfect mate was perfect for me.

And I’d discovered quickly that make-up sex was worth every single argument.

*****

“I just need tonight to go perfectly,” I told Brady.

A piercing alarm had us both covering our ears.

“Oh no, the chicken!”

I jumped off the bed, still naked, and ran to the kitchen. Smoke was billowing from the oven. Brady grabbed a hand towel and started smacking it at the fire alarm while I opened the oven door.

More smoke poured out causing us both to cough.

“There’s no actual fire, just smoke. Come on, leave,” he said as he tried to drag me outside.

“We’re naked,” I shrieked between coughs.

There was no way I was going to run outside with no clothes on while this died down.

“Just open the windows,” I yelled over the alarm.

Fortunately, he listened.

The smoke began clearing out quickly.

“Good call, open more windows,” he suggested.

“Brady? Tricia? Are you guys in here?” Jessie yelled.

“I saw the smoke. Are they okay?” Sydney asked.

“We’re fine,” I managed to yell out. “Dinner is not,” I grumbled.

As the smoke lifted, the two woman stood there laughing.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at them.

“It’s not funny. This is my first time hosting family dinner. You know that.”

“A bit of advice. Next time have sex in the kitchen,” Jessie said.

“Jessie!” I screeched.

“What? I’m just saying, had you guys been going at it in here you would have noticed the smoke sooner. So I’m guessing you were in the bedroom. Boring. Spice it up and save the chicken next time.”

Sydney cracked up. “I mean she’s not wrong.”

“I’m out. I have no words. I’m just going to get dressed.”

“Good idea,” Jessie yelled after them. “Be sure to put that anaconda back in it’s cage.”

“What is wrong with you?” Syd asked her sister.

“Oh please. I’m mated to his brother. Pretty sure it’s a known gene amongst those Smith boys.”

“Jessie, stop,” I warned, but she wasn’t wrong. “I’ve completely ruined dinner.”

“Order pizza and call it done. This place should be aired out in plenty of time. But you guys and Peyton always fix the best meals. I wanted something nice for tonight.”

Sydney and Luke weren’t actually Smiths, but she was Jessie’s only sister and Luke was and only child, so they had been fully adopted into the family. I loved them both like sisters I’d never had. And I knew I could always count on them.

Sydney walked over to my refrigerator and started grabbing things from it until her arms were loaded.

“I’ve got it. Come on. We’re going to my place while this smoke airs out. I don’t care if you get dressed of not. Up to you if you want to do the slutty walk of shame through the neighborhood or not, but hurry. We don’t have a lot of time.”

I ran to the bedroom and got dressed, passing Brady in the hall.

“I think Syd’s got a plan,” I said, excitedly giving him a smooch before moving on.

Tossing on a shirt and a pair of lounge pants, I didn’t even bother with underwear.

“Sorry, no distractions allowed in my kitchen, and clearly you were one big distraction here. Come along, Tricia,” Sydney said as I grabbed some of the stuff she was carrying and followed her to her house.

“Sorry,” I mouthed to Brady on the way out.

“I’m never going to live this one down, am I?” I whined.

“Relax. No one needs to know,” Syd assured me.

“Speak for yourself. This is too good not to share.”

I groaned.

Together they helped me whip up some sort of stew. It wasn’t what I’d planned, but it smelled wonderful and would at least feed everyone.

A few hours later, the smoke was all gone, the table was set, and we weren’t eating takeout.

There was no reason for me to be nervous, but it felt like a big deal hosting all of Brady’s siblings and their families.

Everything seemed to go off without a hitch.

“This stew is delicious. You’re going to have to give me the recipe,” Peyton said. “Parker’s on his third bowl already.”

“It’s yummy, Aunt Tricia.”

I hated taking the credit for, but my pride allowed it anyway.

We had finished eating; the kids were playing in the backyard; and the rest of us settled into the living room.

The night was going just about perfectly until Luke sniffed the air.

“Why is it so smokey in here? There are no fires reported on the range that I’m aware of.”

“No, but there was a giant anaconda,” Jessie said.

I made the mistake of looking at Sydney as we all dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Peyton gasped and looked back and forth between Brady and me. I knew she knew.

“No! That’s why we didn’t have the chicken you were planning to make?”

We laughed until we cried as my cocky, handsome, wolf cowboy proudly winked at me.