Imprisoned In A Cowboy's Heart (Two-Five Ranch Outlaws Book 1)

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  Karis faced him.

  Tanyon pulled her in until there wasn’t a closer to be had. “I missed you. I truly did. I don’t want to be apart from you any longer.” He’d never be able to live without her.

  Karis slipped her arms around his waist. “I miss you every day.”

  The way she cuddled into him set his soul aflame. His stubborn bull bucked to fight being tamed, but he was a champion bull rider, and his bull would be tamed. He wrangled it in with the thought of a future with Karis. “The other night was beautiful. It’s what I needed. I took you there on purpose, and it wasn’t to fight with you. It was to remember…to help me find you again. And I did. Honey,” he whispered. “I did because you were never lost.”

  She caressed the side of his face and smiled sweetly. “No matter what I said to you that night, I did too. I do want to be with you. Earlier, my silence hadn’t meant no, but you left before I could reply.”

  He smiled. “And if you leave after summer, I’ll… I guess I’ll deal with seeing you when I can, but you need to know it isn’t what I want for us forever.”

  “If I leave after summer, I’ll make a point to come here more often and stay for long holidays. I’ll stay until—”

  “Until you stay full-time.” She’d said if. His heart beat faster. He liked this much better than being stubborn. Tanyon took her hand from his cheek and kissed it. Her fingers curled around his hand, and he kissed them too. His heart abounded when she nodded and moaned softly. Tanyon kissed her wrists and higher up her arm. He cupped her face and gazed deeply into her eyes, his head tilting to kiss her as he moved in closer.

  Karis whispered, “Kiss me, Tanyon.”

  “I plan on it…”

  Someone cleared their throat then giggling commenced. They didn’t pull apart but both glanced toward the sound.

  “Damn time, old man.” Levi smirked. “Should we leave?”

  Tanyon asked, “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be on the trail.”

  “No, I’m not. You sent Dusty. Your memory slipping?”

  “I’m sure you should be on some trail. Have you decided at the last minute to take a swim?” He chuckled and pulled apart from Karis. Tanyon observed the other three guys and one girl. At least it wasn’t Emily.

  “No, I came down here to scope out a spot to set up the canopy for my party. What happened to your forehead, Karis? Did my brother lose his patience again?”

  “Levi! Shut up. You know better, squirt.” Tanyon scoffed. Shit, in a way it was his fault.

  “Your brother isn’t like that, Levi, and you better not be, either. I forgot to hook my seat belt. Wouldn’t you know a deer strolled across the road? I hit the dash.”

  “Wow, sorry. How bad is your truck…Tanny?”

  Tanyon glared at his brother. “I didn’t hit it. You better talk to your sister. She has other plans for your party. They’re already in place. She rented a hall in Wills Bend.”

  “What the hell for? She thinks she’s my mother. This is my party.” Levi glanced at the others with him. “Let’s head back.”

  “She followed Mom’s orders.” Tanyon called him over as the other kids ambled away. “Hey, don’t act like a little boy. Ronni said you and your friends can come back here, but they wanted to make a nice party for you. We all did. Don’t worry, she’s having food sent so you can party down at the lake all night, after Mom and Dad go home.”

  Levi stomped away, shrugging. “They should’ve asked me first.”

  “I agree and figured they had by now. Hey, take that bike back with ya.”

  Levi gave him a spoiled teenager frown then swatted Tanyon’s hat off the front of the bike.

  “Thanks, Levi,” Karis called.

  He nodded. “Welcome.” The girl with them got on the handlebars, and he rode away with the others chasing after him.

  “Levi acts like he’s sixteen. I rode bulls when I was his age.”

  “Levi isn’t you.”

  He took her hand and strolled closer to the shoreline. “Maybe I’ll go fishing tonight.”

  She chortled. “You don’t like fishing. In your words, ‘I don’t have patience to fish.’”

  “I’m trying to grow some patience.” He draped his arm over her shoulder. “Come on. There has to be something on the ranch to be fed or repaired. How’s your head?”

  “I’m all right. There’s no reason I can’t ride tomorrow.”

  He laced his fingers together to give her a boost onto the horse and picked up his hat from the ground. “Instead, come on the cattle drive in the morning. Check out how good this bunch of cowpunchers are getting. I’m proud of them.”

  She settled onto the horse. “I’ll be happy to. Make sure you tell them you’re proud.”

  He nodded then mounted the horse behind her. Karis brought his left arm around her. Tanyon smiled when she did. Her warm body up against his damp chest brought it all back now. He trotted back. “Are your mom and the kids ever coming?”

  “I texted Mom last night and told her not to come.”

  “Why?” Had she still planned on leaving? No, he couldn’t doubt this.

  “It’s easier this way. I didn’t want them here when you and I couldn’t be in the same room without bickering with each other. Neither she nor the kids needed chaos. My mom and I are making our relationship work. Her lecturing is the last thing I need.” She paused. “Besides, I had planned on leaving.”

  “Have you changed your mind?”

  “I don’t want to remember the anger making me want to go.”

  “I’m sorry. Invite them to dinner on Sunday?”

  She squeezed his hand. “Sunday’s dinner is for business, isn’t it? I have to go home for a long weekend though next week. As the kid’s guardian, I need to sign some papers.”

  “Can they be faxed? If so, have them faxed here.”

  “I still need to check on the kids.”

  Why did she have a solemn tone to her voice? “What’s wrong? No doubting. Remember?”

  “I’m not. Mom’s been having trouble with her car. I had a counselor quit. There’s my own paperwork needing to be dealt with, and hiring a new employee.”

  “Let me drive you to get them and take them back. I’ll have Cade cover for me if you can do it all in a day or two. The kids are welcome to stay with us the rest of the summer. It’d be cool all the way around.”

  “I’ll talk to them. It’ll take two trips in a week to take care of jobs at my business. Have you seen my keys?”

  Tanyon brought the horse to a halt when the barn came into view. “Is there a reason you don’t want your mom and the kids to come?”

  “I explained to you why.”

  He dismounted, stood beside the horse, and gripped her leg. “What’s going on?”

  “I’ll go get them next Thursday—”

  “Don’t change the subject.”

  “It’s her procrastinating, not me. Even before I asked them not to come this weekend, she kept making up new excuses.”

  “So do you. I’ll invite her.” He released her leg, took the reins, and they walked on.

  “Stop.” She got down and fell into place beside him. “If she agrees to your invite to visit on the following weekend, we’ll leave Thursday evening and come back Friday. If you won’t have a bunkhouse available, they can stay in my room. It’ll be like a sleepover. The kids will love it.” Karis took his arm. “In the meantime, I’ll schedule interviews for a counselor for two days when we take the kids home, if you and I can both be gone a couple days.”

  Tanyon stopped abruptly. “No, no, it’s fine. I’m not available to drive you on a Thursday though, but the two days sounds good when we take them home.”

  Karis sighed. “It’s all right. Thank you for offering.”

  “What’s your answer? Dinner Sunday?”

  “I’ll be there. I’m looking forward to seeing your mom and dad. Do they know we broke up?”

  “We broke up?” He grinned.

 
She shoved his arm. “I suppose there wasn’t an official breakup.”

  “Then it didn’t happen. I never mentioned it to them, but rumors fly in this family. They know, but I didn’t elaborate.”

  “Someone will have to mention it, Tanyon.”

  “If I can keep Max away from you, I’ll be all lovey-dovey at the dinner table. That’ll shut everybody up. No explanation needed.”

  “If you keep insinuating something is going on with Max, well, it’ll get you a slap if I hear it again.”

  “Max who?” He snorted a laugh, grasped her hand, and entwined their fingers. Life was good again with her hand in his. “Are we back together, baby?”

  She came to a stop and cupped his face. “We never broke up.”

  He winked. Before they parted ways near the house, he asked, “Want to run over to my parents’? I need to tell Dad the real reason I invited everyone for dinner Sunday.”

  “When are you going?”

  “As soon as I check the barns and talk to Fox and Cade to check their progress on the range today.”

  Before she could answer, a little dark-haired girl ran out the front door and held the railing as she took her time coming down the steps. Tanyon strode over and scooped her into his arms. “Hi, Nadia. When did you get here?”

  “A little while ago. Mommy left. Where’s my daddy?”

  “Dad’s still out on the job, honey.” He was ready to re-introduce Nadia to her, but Nadia waved her little hand, and her face beamed with a smile.

  “Hi, Karis. Long time no see.”

  “I know! Where’d you hear ‘long time no see’?” Karis chuckled.

  Tanyon lowered Nadia to the ground, and she replied to Karis with a shrug. “Did your mom drop you off without checking to see who was inside?”

  “Nope. Aunt Ronni came out when we pulled up. She’s making me a sandwich. I gotta go.” She rushed toward the steps.

  “Hey,” Tanyon called. “Wanna go to Grandma and Papa’s with us later? Your daddy won’t be back for a while. Did Aunt Ronni text your dad to say you were here?”

  “No, Uncle Tanyon, I texted him with Aunt Ronni’s phone. I’m a big girl now.”

  He pulled on her brunette ponytail. “Yes, you are. Go eat your sandwich, and I’ll come get you shortly.” He gave Karis a quick kiss on the forehead. “See you soon too. Wait, you didn’t say you were coming with me today.”

  “I’ll go.”

  “I’m never kissing a boy!” Nadia headed up the steps. “See you later, donkey tail.”

  “I’m right behind you,” Karis said, running up the steps behind her. She smiled at Tanyon before entering through the door.

  Tanyon grinned and strode to the barn whistling for his dog. “Get on over here, Sparky.” He patted him. “I got news for you, dog. One little girl won’t give you a moment’s peace.” Sparky whined to be let go. He released him only to have him run up the steps and scratch on the door as if he expected to do the same thing to the little girl. Ronni opened the door to let him in. He sent a text to Cade: I’m taking your daughter to Mom and Dad’s. I’ll let you know when.

  Cade replied a few minutes later: Good. Thanks. Heard you got caught all hot and bothered at the lake.

  Tanyon laughed: What of it? He strode outside and called for his horse before reserving a bunkhouse for Karis’s family. Whenever they arrived, it’d be available.

  ∞∞∞

  Tanyon got the booster seat out of storage and put it in the back seat of his truck. He lifted Nadia inside to scoot into it.

  “I can hook it.”

  He watched as she attempted the buckle, fastening it all wrong. Shaking his head, he patiently instructed, “Let me show you how it’s done correctly then you can.”

  “No, I can do it.”

  “You’re not doing it right. It’s not safe. You want to crack your head open in a wreck? Maybe we’ll run into an elk on the way. Look at Karis. She didn’t have her seat belt on when a deer ran out in front of us.”

  Nadia glanced out at Karis then lifted her hands away from the seat buckle while he fastened it.

  “Is this how you always hook it?”

  “Yeah, so what. My mommy does it this way.”

  “Figures,” he said under his breath. “From now on, you do it this way.”

  “Mommy does do it your way, but I like it my way.”

  “The wrong way, honey.”

  Nadia brought her hands together under her chin. “Bossy.”

  “Yeah, I am the boss. Deal with it, kiddo. You’re six. I’m an adult.” He rolled his eyes when he leaned up and out of the backseat. “Do I need to show you how to fasten it?” he asked Karis.

  “Yeah, maybe you should.” She got in the front seat, smirking.

  He grabbed the seat belt and brought it across her body slowly while skimming his hand over her plump breasts. He hooked it and brushed his lips across hers on the way out of the truck.

  Karis caught his hand and whispered, “Don’t be an ass.”

  Nadia kicked the seat. “Ha-ha, you said a naughty word, Karis. You said ass.”

  “Hey!” Tanyon squawked. “Your daddy will take you out behind the barn and use a strap on your fanny, little girl.”

  “No, he won’t.”

  He pulled his phone out and pretended to send a text. “Let’s see what he says.”

  “Don’t text and drive.”

  “I’m not driving yet. Should I hit send?”

  “No! Don’t tell him, Uncle Tanyon. I won’t say it again.”

  “Yes, you will, but okay, I won’t this time. Don’t let Papa hear ya though.”

  “Don’t tell him, either.”

  Karis sat there holding back whatever it was she wanted to say. Having her here made everything better, even if she did smirk at him for being cut down by a little girl. “What?”

  She chuckled. “Nothing. Shouldn’t we get going?”

  He glanced to the backseat then at Karis as he pulled out. He leaned over and lowered his voice. “What the hell happened to her?”

  “Influences of others in the first grade. I bet we haven’t seen anything yet. Welcome to my world. Wait until Mia and Austin get here. They’re typical for nine and ten-year olds.”

  He flicked his gaze to Nadia in the backseat with a book in her hands. “This is going to be a fun summer, eh?”

  Karis glanced back, muttering, “It’ll make you think twice about being a dad.”

  He jerked his gaze toward her. “Why? What do you mean?” His gaze swept over her.

  Karis widened her eyes. “No, wait. I didn’t… You know what I mean. Ever.”

  “You know I want a family one day.”

  “Me too.”

  “Are you having a baby, Aunt Karis?”

  “What?” She spun her head around to see Nadia. “No!”

  Tanyon smiled. He’d like to work on making a kid with her right now, or at least tonight. “Want to go for a ride later?”

  “Yeah, I do, Uncle Tanyon. Can I, Aunt Karis?”

  Tanyon gulped. Aunt Karis? He liked the ring of it. “Your dad will want to see you later, honey.”

  “Okay. I miss Daddy. When will he be home?”

  “He might meet us at Papa’s.”

  She did a fist pump with both hands in the air. “Yippee! Drive faster.”

  Chapter Nine

  On the way over, nervousness caught up to her. What had his parents heard pertaining to their breakup or non-breakup? Tanyon had been right. Rumors passed over the ranch like a dust storm with a forceful outcome. She’d soon find out. He’d hauled ass down the dusty road toward their home. Tanyon squeezed her hand. Her body not only welcomed his touch but needed it. Would it last this time without a new issue causing a blowup between them? “How’s your dad these days?” Karis had always liked Jesse’s slow, soft-spoken voice though he’d raised it a time or two. Dusty had the same type of exchange and was easygoing too.

  Tanyon slowed the truck down as they got closer. “He says
well, but my mom thinks differently. His hair is back.”

  Nadia snickered. “Papa was bald!”

  Karis noticed Tanyon’s impatience. “Papa was sick, Nadia. His medicine—”

  “Don’t say that again, okay, Nadia? He couldn’t help it.”

  “I’m sorry, Unc. Don’t tell—”

  “Little girl, if you don’t want people telling on you then don’t say bad things.”

  Karis released his hand and placed hers on his shoulder. “She’s a child.”

  He peeked into the rear view and sighed. “Look. They’re waiting for you, Nadia.”

  Oh, goodness, but Jesse had lost weight. He still had a handlebar moustache but a lot grayer. His hair too. Ruth’s had thinned. Being his caregiver had taken a toll on her, albeit her hair had a lot of her natural dark brown color. After all she’d been through, her eyes held a twinkle when she smiled. “How’s your mom holding up?”

  He directed his hand forward. “That says it all. She had home health aides a couple days a week. We all helped when we could. Ronni spent many nights here to give Mom some rest when Dad was sick with chemo. She’s coming around.”

  Nadia rolled her window down, waving and smiling. “Grandma! Papa. Stop, Uncle Tanyon.”

  “I am, honey. Look, it’s your dad’s truck.”

  Cade burst out the door with a cup of coffee in his hand. He sat down the cup, rushing on to open the back door. Nadia unhooked her seat belt and waited, ready with her arms out. “Hey, sweetheart. Come here.” Cade lifted her, hugging her tight against him. “I missed you so much, sweetie.” His parents surrounded him, both of them talking to Nadia at the same time.

  “It’ll be okay,” Tanyon told Karis.

  Karis nodded and smiled. “Let’s do this.” Dusty pulled up next. He came up to her and Tanyon and wrapped his arm around both of them. “Now we’re talking. It’s good to see you two like this. Good thing all you were doing at the lake was kissing on each other, huh?”

  Karis widened her eyes. There had been no kissing.

  “It was close to becoming something else until your little brother showed up. Get your head out of you know where. We’re not kids.” He clasped Karis’s hand and gave a narrowed glare his brother’s way.