Gabby poured her a cup of coffee as soon as she came in. “I put a little brandy in there for you.”

Jo took a seat at the small table as Gabby cut her a slice of the dark cake. “I use a devil’s food cake mix to make it. That’s why Rider likes it so much. That boy has a little bit of the devil in him,” she said with a wink.

“A little? Gabby, I feel as Rider’s aunt, you deserve to be told the truth.” Jo took a bite of the chocolate cake, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head. It was pure sin on a spoon.

“I’m waiting.” Gabby grinned proudly at her expression.

“Sorry. This is delicious.” She took another bite. When her eyes came back from heaven, it took a second to remember what she had been about to say. “Oh, I remember.” She leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. “He may have been a little devil when he was younger, but now he’s an angel in disguise.”

“Rider’s no angel.” Gabby slapped the table, laughing.

Jo took another bite. “I can prove it. I’m not saying that his halo isn’t tarnished, but it’s still there.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“You’ll see.”

They were still sitting there when Rider came out of the bedroom. Jo was on her third cup of coffee and her second slice of cake.

Taking a seat at the table, Jo gave him a bite of her cake as Gabby fixed him a plate and a glass of milk.

Jo screwed her face up at the milk. “You’re giving him milk instead of coffee? Here, you can have a sip of mine. It’s the best I’ve ever had. What brand is it?” Jo asked, giving Rider the evil eye when he took another sip.

“I don’t know what brand of coffee it is, but I’d say the brandy is about 90 percent. How many cups have you had?”

“A couple.”

“It’s her third cup.”

“Tattletale.” Jo glared at Gabby from over her coffee cup.

“I like her, Rider.” Gabby cut him another slice of cake after he wolfed down the first one.

“I’m in love with her.”

“No, he’s not.” Jo leaned back in her chair, pouting.

Rider frowned. “Yes, I am. I wouldn’t lie to you about something as serious as that.”

“Prove it.”

“How do you want me to do that? Tell me, and I’ll do it. Do you want me to get Diamond to help me get a divorce? I will.”

“No, you made an oath. I never expected you to marry me anyway.”

Rider’s frown drew so deep Jo ran a finger over the lines that marred his forehead.

“How do you want me to prove it, then?”

“I want the cake.” Jo lightly touched the extra cake that Gabby had made for Rider to take home.

“You want my cake?”

“Yep.” Jo took the last bite of her cake before airily waving her spoon around. “I want the cake.”

“And that’ll prove my love to you?”

“Yes, that’ll prove it.”

When he didn’t answer immediately, it was her turn to grow worried.

“Well?” she prompted him.

“I’m thinking. It’s a damn fine cake.”

When he started laughing at her expression, she playfully whacked him with her spoon.

“Yours, Bluebonnet.”

“Then I love you back.”

Jo was enjoying herself so much she didn’t want to leave, but when he kept rushing her, promising to bring her back for a visit, she unsteadily placed her hand on the table to brace herself.

Getting her legs back under control, she reached for the cake.

“I can carry it for you,” Rider offered as they walked to the door.

Jo refused, and then waited patiently as Rider hugged his aunt goodbye. Carsen came out of Delara’s room to give his own goodbye.

“Go ahead and start the car. I’m coming,” Jo told Rider, waiting for him to go to the car. Once he was gone, she gave Gabby a wink. “I told you I could prove he was an angel. Anyone who’s willing to give this cake away deserves his wings.”

Laughing, Jo walked to the car, making sure the cake was settled securely in the back seat before getting in the front and buckling herself in. Her head hit the headrest as he spun out of the driveway.

“Jesus, what’s the hurry?”

“I have a surprise for you.” He gave her a grin that never failed to melt her panties.

“What is it?” She shifted in her seat to face him, eager to hear about her surprise. “Is it a good surprise or a bad one?”

“A good one.” He laughed, getting into the game she loved to play.

“Is it bigger than a bread box?”

“A lot bigger.”

“Wow. Okay …” Jo tapped a finger on her chin as she thought. “Is it twice the size of a bread box or smaller than a car.”

“Bigger.” Rider sped up, getting on the interstate.

The rest of the way home, he fielded her guesses, not giving anything away. When they finally reached Treepoint, Jo was practically bouncing in her seat, anxious to get home to find out what her surprise was. The slowing of the car as they neared The Last Riders’ clubhouse had her looking at him.

“You need to go inside to get my present?”

“You have to come inside. It’s too big to carry.”

She hesitated. “This isn’t going to be like the last present you gave me, is it?” Jo asked as she got out.

“No, Bluebonnet. Nothing is going to spoil our night.”

She warily went up the steps. She really didn’t want the night to be spoiled.

She was slightly less nervous when Moon gave a sharp knock on the door as they approached, thinking he was being considerate to her by giving everyone time to stop what they were doing and get their clothes back on. Watching a Friday night party on one of the monitors in the security room was one thing. Full throttle was for the …

As Rider let her go first, Jo stepped inside, practically shielding her eyes. It was the cheers of “Happy birthday!” that had her emotions in a tailspin.

Balloons had been tied to the staircase, and when she walked through the crowd and saw Mag, she broke down in tears, running to the old woman. She dropped to her knees in front of her.

“You’re going to make me cry with the way you’re carrying on!” Mag’s rough pats on her head had Jo raising her shining eyes to hers.

“I missed you,” she said, wiping at her tears, self-conscious of everyone staring at her.

“I missed you, youngin. Go enjoy your party, and if you get a chance, sneak me one of those beers.”

“I’ll try,” she promised.

Jo took the hand Mick held out to her, lifting her off the floor.

“I’m glad you’re back.” The bear hug he gave her almost had her crying again. “There’re a bunch of Big Reds behind the bar. Don’t let Moon drink them all. He’s been drinking them since I brought them in.”

“I won’t.” She loved the big man. He had let her cry all the way to the hospital to see Mag after she had left The Last Riders’.

He looked over her shoulder at Rider. “I hope you treat her better this time,” he warned.

Jo leaned back against Rider. “Don’t worry; he learned his lesson.”

“I hope so. If not, I’ll remind him,” Mick was saying as Mercury walked by to watch a game at the pool table. Jo gave him a reprimanding glare. “You go open your presents, Jo. I’m in the mood for a good game of pool.”

“Trip is a pool shark,” Jo whispered as he started around her.

“Well, that’ll be an interesting game. I am, too.”

Jo spent the next hour talking to the others in the room until Rider dragged her to the couch where Lily and Shade were sitting, tired of following her around the room. Scooting over, he made room for her to sit next to him.

“Enjoy your trip?” Lily asked after she settled comfortably next to Rider.

Rider’s arm around her shoulders tightened. Jo turned her head to give him a curious look, seeing the warning in his eyes. Not understanding what he was warning her about, she became noncommittal as Lily questioned her.

“Shade said you went on a small trip, but he didn’t say where.”

Rider’s hand tightened across her shoulders again. She didn’t want to get Rider in trouble, but she didn’t want to lie to Lily either.

“We went to several states.” Technically, we had flown over several states, she soothed her conscience.

“Did you go anywhere out West? I’ve been begging Shade to take me, but he won’t.”

“Why not?” Jo looked at Rider out of the corner of her eye.

“I had a thing for cowboys when I was younger. I keep telling him he’s being ridiculous, but he keeps planning vacations anywhere but the western states.”

“You find cowboys attractive?” Jo couldn’t help prodding the devil whose wife was sitting between them.

Shade’s eyes narrowed on her innocent expression.

“I used to, but I don’t anymore.” Lily shot her husband a quick glance.

“I don’t blame you. I find cowboys attractive, too. There’s an old saying that a cowboy’s horse mirrors their soul.”

Jo had to bite her lip when Lily looked like she was about to swoon.

Jo nestled closer to Rider. He bent to nuzzle her neck, whispering, “You’re playing with fire,” before he nipped her ear.

Her hand went to his thigh. “It won’t be the first time.”

“Did you say something, Jo?” Lily asked.

Jo cleared her throat. “I was just asking Rider if he will take me out West the next time he takes me on a trip. I can just imagine him on a quarter horse with a Stetson. Can’t you, Lily?”

Her friend shook her head, laughing. “He’d fall off.”

Rider stiffened next to her. “I wouldn’t fall off.”

“You would. Besides, a cowboy needs to be able to throw a rope to catch the strays. If you tried, you’d tie yourself up.”

“I’ll have you know—”

“Rider, do you mind getting me a piece of a cake and one of my drinks?” Jo hastened to distract the man from the burgeoning brawl she had instigated.

Shade’s expression had turned deadly. Rider’s injured pride was going to land him in a world of pain if he wasn’t careful.

“Will you get me one? Just the drink.” Lily shifted to the side to let her husband up.

Shade hesitated, not wanting to leave his wife alone with her.

“How are John and Clint?”

“They’re getting bigger every day.” Lily took out her cell phone and started showing her pictures of her two sons.

When the men left, Lily gave a quick glance at Shade and Rider’s backs before turning back to her. “Hurry, tell me before they come back. How did he look on a horse?”

Jo gaped at her. “You know?”

“Killyama told me. She hates it when the men try to pull one over on us. So, did he look good?”

“Lily, he was magnificent.”

“For our next anniversary, I’m going to make Shade take riding lessons.” Lily turned to take another quick look at the men. “I want to tell you something, but I don’t want you to get mad at Rider. You promise?”

“I won’t get mad at him tonight. Plus, I’ll be too full to care. I’ve lost count of how many slices of cake I’ve eaten.”

Lily leaned over and started whispering to Jo, who had to control her reaction to what Lily was telling her. She wanted to take what was left of the cake and throw it at Rider.

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“We girls have to stick together, don’t we?” She kept tabs on Rider as he went from the table to the bar, where Shade was still waiting for Lily’s drink.

“Yes, that’s why I told you about the camera.” Lily nodded.

“Who’s working security tonight? Do you know?”

“Train and Diablo. What are you planning to do? If Shade finds out, I’ll be in trouble.”

“I have to tell Shade, or my plan won’t work. But I’ll make it a condition that if he does what I want, I won’t tell you Rider is a cowboy.”

Lily started wringing her hands.

Not wanting to get the woman upset, she scrapped the plan. “Never mind. I’ll find another way to pay him back.”

“No. I was just thinking. I changed my mind. You can tell Shade I told you.”

“You’re sure? You won’t get in trouble?” She wanted to know why, but she didn’t have time to ask since the men were almost back.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Jo excused herself after she forced down the cake, telling Rider she wanted to spend some time with Mag. Rider didn’t object, preferring to stay and talk to Shade and Lily rather than deal with the old woman.

Jo found a seat on the couch where Cash and Rachel were sitting with Mag. She tried to concentrate on the conversation, waiting for the moment she needed. The opportunity struck when Shade went to the bar for a beer.

“I’ll go get you that drink, Mag. I’ll be right back.”

Jo went to the bar, sliding through the crowd to stand next to Shade.

“I want a favor,” she demanded.

“Usually, when you want a favor, you ask.” He stared down at her with his harsh, impassive features.

Jo reached for every ounce of courage she possessed. “If you don’t do what I want, I’m going to show Lily the pictures of Rider I took of him in Texas.”

“What do you want?”