Protector (Doms of Mountain Bend #1) - B.J. Wane Page 0,3

will act up so he’ll do just that.”

“Kathie. That girl lives to get in trouble with the Masters.” Shawn handed the pen to Dakota, thinking of the blonde who was an attention seeker, but harmless. “What are your plans now, Randy?”

Pushing to his feet, Randy said, “I haven’t been out of Idaho in years, and there are several places I’ve always wanted to visit. These will unlock the front and rear doors, and the smaller one goes to the storage closet in the corner.” He tossed down a set of keys and picked up the cashier’s check and signed copy of the sale. “You know how to reach me if you have any problems or questions, but seeing as you’ve been members since the doors opened, I doubt there’s anything you’ll need my help with. Thanks.” He held out his hand, and they each stood to accept his shake.

“Keep in touch.” Shawn released his grip, hoping Randy found the peace of mind he was looking for in his travels.

“Will do. I want to check out the second floor you’re planning on adding. I know several people have asked for private rooms but never thought of taking advantage of the high ceiling space to add an entire floor.” Picking up his Stetson, Randy settled it on his head and walked out without looking back.

“Poor bastard. Just another reason to stay unattached.”

“You don’t need another reason, Clay,” Shawn returned, reaching for his whiskey as he resumed his seat. “Last I heard, the sun rising each morning was enough for you to stay single.”

Clayton shrugged, lowering onto his chair with a thud. “Why settle for one piece of decadent chocolate when I can have the whole box?”

Dakota gave Clayton a derisive glance. “At least I have the excuse of scaring them off. Once they get what they want from me, they can’t scamper away fast enough, which is fine by me.” He reached for the bottle in the center of the table and topped off his glass then passed it over to Shawn.

Shawn capped it and rose to return it to the bar. Unlike his two best friends, he wouldn’t mind finding one woman he could settle down with. But, ever since the three of them had inherited a portion of Buck Cooper’s estate, his dates seemed more interested in learning why he continued working as a deputy sheriff, and with learning exactly how much the wealthy rancher left them. He didn’t waste his time telling them their foster parent had instilled in each of them a strong work ethic, taught them the value of earning their money, and to take pride in what they accomplish.

They had money, enough he could quit his job and work the ranch putting in fewer hours. But he loved the law, got a sense of satisfaction out of enforcing it so others could live in safety. Nothing pissed him off faster than seeing an innocent person suffer from another’s illegal actions.

Shawn grabbed his hat off the bar top and returned to the table, ready to call it a night. “Let’s head out. The architect will be here first thing in the morning.”

“I’ll be in court in Boise, so take notes for me, will you?” Clayton asked, scraping back his chair. “What do you think Buck would have said about us owning a kink club?”

“As long as we stayed this side of the law, he would have said go for it, the same as he and Miss Betty told us every time one of us would wrestle with a decision.”

Shawn still missed the big, gruff rancher who had taken the three of them in all those years ago. What he and Clayton and Dakota had suffered before coming to Idaho, Buck Cooper and his wife had made up for in spades. Buck taught them everything they needed to learn about ranching and farming crops in the Gem State, and Miss Betty had tempered the hard work and strict rules with unabashed warm hugs and lots of home cooking. The contrast between the rough-around-the- edges tough rancher and his soft-spoken, always smiling wife had at first amused them, prompting them to push their buttons. But it hadn’t taken long for them to learn their usual tactics of lashing out against the authority figures who had taken over their lives weren’t going to work this time.

Buck’s sudden death from a massive heart attack two years ago had devastated them and Miss Betty. When his will was read, leaving his wife