I try not to laugh since she seems sincerely concerned about the calves. “I promise no calves are hurt during roping. It’s the same thing we do on the ranch. Look up a video, everyone is fine.”
She does and soon she’s laughing at the little calves runningaround.
Her phone beeps with an incoming text as we are watching. We both watch the text flash across the top of the screen.
Grumpy Not-Cowboy
No thunderstorms today. And your car is back. It was good to see you.
Her eyes raise to mine, a little fearful but mostly defiant. She thinks I’m going to have an opinion on who she’s talking to.
“It’s okay, Callie. You don’t have to look at me like that.” Relief floods her face. “I would like to think this is our first date and if it is, I’m hardly allowed to have feelings or opinions on who you’re friends or more than friends with,” I tell her, holding her hands in mine.
“Are you sure?” She looks a little like she’s holding her breath, her lower lip between her teeth.
“Callie, I want to earn the right to be possessive of you because you choose me, not because I bullied you into it. So, I am asking you, right now—are you giving me the chance?”
She nods her head yes and I reach up, pulling her lips from between her teeth, before leaning forward and pressing my mouth against hers.
She inhales sharply, and I take the opportunity to slip my tongue through her parted lips. She opens more to me, tilting her body my way, angling herself until she is between my spread thighs. Looping my hand in her hair, I gently tug, eliciting more gasps from her. Sucking her lip into my mouth, I bite it gently, before plunging my tongue back in, tasting her the way I have been dreaming of. Well, one of the ways I have been dreaming of.
My hand finds her waist and I hold her tightly, pulling her against my body, as close as our positions at the railing will allow.
We break apart, both of us breathing heavily, stunnedexpressions on our faces. We fit perfectly together. Her mouth against mine felt so right, so perfect, and I want to claim her now, make her mine. But I want her to be ready, and she isn’t yet. I need to take it slow with her. I want her to choose me.
I didn’t know until now I had competition but now that I know? I will make her mine. Inhaling through my nose, I get another shot of her vanilla and strawberry scent and my cock is instantly hard, as if the kiss wasn’t enough. She leans in, pressing the tip of her nose to mine.
“Yes, Cash, you have a chance.”
I smile before sticking my tongue out and licking her lip, making her giggle. As she leans back, she looks down at our bodies and sees my straining erection pressed against the zipper of my jeans. She looks back at my face and I cock a brow at her.
Got something to say, Hurricane?
Placing her hand on my thigh, she runs it slowly up my leg, getting closer and closer until right before she touches me. Then she lifts her hand and slides it under my shirt, rubbing her soft palms across my stomach muscles, tracing the ridges with her fingers. Leaning my head back, I groan, equal parts pleasure and frustration.
This causes more giggles.
“Very nice, Cowboy,” she sasses with a wink.
I drop her back at Lizzie’s so she can go to her job interview and drive over to the park. Sitting down on a picnic table and staring out over the land, I find myself excited for the future for the first time in a while.
I want to be worthy of her, I want to hold her in my arms, knowing I earned every minute I get to spend there. She is,by far, the most interesting woman I’ve ever encountered. I’ve brought dozens of women to my bed over the years, and no one has ever fascinated me the way Callie does. Maybe because she isn’t throwing herself at my feet, begging to worship me but I don’t think so. I respect no matter what they choose to do with their own bodies, and I have never judged a woman for jumping into bed with me or anyone else, so I don’t think it’s the chase—the fact that I have to work for it.
I want to be seen by her. I want her to see the public version of me and the private version and love us both. More than anything, I want her to stay, and to choose me. I want her in my bed, yeah. But what’s more? I want her in my life. I want to wake up to her laugh and fall asleep to her voice. That’s the part that scares the hell out of me.
Standing, I walk to the truck, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
Hey, you home? Figured we could hang for a bit before I head back to the ranch.
DW
Yeah, come on over. I’m throwing some steak on the grill. I have enough for two.
Pulling up in front of the small craftsman house on the edge of town, I’m proud that my best friend, the man I’ve known for most of my life, bounced back from his divorce and is making a new life for himself.
It would be nice if he met someone, but we both struggle with it. He’s so aloof and hard to get close to that women tend to not stick around to sort him out. I don’t think he has even been on a date since Indie left.
Bounding up the steps, I knock on the door, once, twice. I hear the dogs lose it inside, excited for a visitor. He pulls thedoor open half a second before two giant dogs come running out, nearly knocking me over.
