A Cowboy's Song

by Megan Ryder

  Hands grasped her shoulders gently, pulling her back against a warm, hard body. A very aroused hard body. He hadn’t changed his mind. She almost melted against him, sighing in relief.

  “Did you think I had left? I wanted to make sure the fire was out, so we didn’t have to worry about it.”

  She turned in his arms, deciding to bluff her way out. “Of course not. I was just wondering if I should start a fire in here.”

  He arched his brow. “Do you know how to start a fire?”

  “Of course I do. I mentioned my family has a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, right?”

  He grinned. “Have you ever actually started a fire from scratch on your own?”

  She huffed. “Fine. Maybe not. But I’d figure it out.”

  He drew her against him, reminding her of why they were inside the dim cabin. “I think we can make our own fire for now.”

  He claimed her lips, reigniting the heat that hadn’t really gone away, just banked slightly thanks to her minor freak-out. She tugged at his flannel shirt, pulling it out of his jeans until she could slip her hands under it and feel the hard, warm skin underneath. He shivered at the initial touch of her cool hands but leaned in, encouraging her explorations. But the shirt only went so high so she started unbuttoning it, never breaking the kiss, until she could push it off, revealing his entire torso. She pulled back in that moment, needing time to just admire what her hands had been feeling. The sculpted muscle, the tanned skin, marred with a few scars.

  She ran her fingertips down a particularly nasty scar along his rib cage, and he shuddered. “How did you get this one?”

  His heated gaze followed her fingers. “A momma didn’t like us taking her calf from her, and she rammed me into the fence. It broke, and I got cut pretty good. Needed stitches.”

  Her hand drifted to another one on his arm. “What about this one?”

  He chuckled, the sound strangled in his throat. “I could lie down and tell you a story about every one of them, but honestly, Piper, you’re killing me right now. I need to touch you. I promise. Later I’ll tell you about each and every one of them, but please, take off that shirt.”

  She gave a slow and sexy smile. “Only if you take off your jeans, cowboy.”

  She blinked. Never saw a guy undress so fast in her life. And that included the time she and the girls on the tour went to a strip club. Damn. He really was eager. His cock peeped out from the top of his briefs, hard and ready for her. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband and tugged them off and she swallowed hard. He was definitely more than ready for her. Performance anxiety reared its ugly head. He was so damned sexy, and she had never been particularly comfortable in these sorts of situations, never really knew the right things to do. What if she disappointed him?

  Ty stepped up and tilted her chin. “Piper? You’re a little behind, darlin’. You with me?”

  Fuck her doubts. She was alone in a cabin with the sexiest man she had ever seen, and he wanted her. She wasn’t going to let her insecurities get the better of her. Not this time. She whipped off her T-shirt and found herself tangled in it right away. A low chuckle behind her and Ty extracted her easily. God, how embarrassing.

  “I’ve got the rest,” she mumbled. She kicked off her boots then slid down her jeans, hopping on one foot to pull them off, until she stood in her panties and bra while Ty stared, admiringly.

  “Don’t move. Not yet. Damn, you have the nicest lingerie.”

  “It’s Agent Provocateur. I love their stuff. Kind of a guilty pleasure.”

  “No guilt needed.”

  He reached out and traced the top of the cup of the pink bra with one finger, then dipped under it to tug the cup down so her breast popped out, plumped up by the bra underneath. He teased the areola with his fingers, gently stroking around, barely touching it until the bud tightened almost painfully, begging for a deeper caress. Instead, he gave the other side the same treatment until she almost wanted to scream, her body nearly quivering in her need for him to touch her, to hold her. She had never been with someone so methodical, so calculating in his pleasure, someone who took his time and treated her as if she were a treasure. She kept waiting for him to pounce, to get to the main event, so to speak, yet he seemed content to explore her and stoke the fires that threatened to rage out of control deep inside of her.

  Finally, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close and bent down and took a nipple in his mouth, nipping and sucking at it while she buried her fingers in his hair, gasping for breath and begging for more, or something. She honestly wasn’t sure at that moment, but he didn’t seem inclined to be in a hurry. She tugged at his hair, and he nipped her gently, a sharp bite of pain that sent sparks right down to the core of her and threatened to knock her right off her feet.

  Fortunately, he was holding her up, and he swept her right over to the bed, laying her down on her back and moving over her, never breaking contact with the tender peak. He transferred his attention to the other one, while his fingers twisted and plucked at the first one. She writhed under him, never knowing her breasts could be this sensitive. She felt like she could almost orgasm from that alone, something she had never done before, though, honestly, it was an effort orgasming with a man, period, without some direction and self-help most of the time. She didn’t think she’d need to give Ty any help, nor was she going to be in any position.

  He lifted his head and grinned, his lips swollen from the kisses. “Awfully sensitive, aren’t you?”

  “Damn it, Ty,” she cursed yet not really knowing what she was asking for.

  He chuckled against the soft skin of her belly. His hand reached behind her and unfastened her bra. “Let’s make you a little more comfortable, shall we?”

  He tossed it to the side and planted a kiss between her breasts. Then he started a slow, torturous journey downward until he reached the top of her bikini briefs. “I like the bows, Piper. Nice touch. It’s like a present I can unwrap. Only it’s not my birthday. Maybe it’s yours?”

  She arched her back, begging silently for him to continue, while his finger teased along the edge of her panties. “No, it’s no one’s birthday, dammit. But we could both have a reason to celebrate if you’d just take them off.”

  He rested his head on her thigh and traced his finger along the dampness on the crotch. She lifted her hips, begging for a deeper touch, but he pulled away every time she tried for more. “I was always the patient brother, the one who never went searching for presents, ripped open the wrapping, or shook the gifts to figure out what they were. Not even before. So, if it’s not my birthday, maybe I should wait.”

  She braced herself on her elbows and glared down at him. “If you want to fucking wait, I could find someone else. I’m sure there were plenty of guys at The Rock who would be more than happy to…”

  Yeah, that triggered Ty’s alpha side. She knew it was buried somewhere inside. He ripped the panties off so quickly she barely had time to mourn their loss, and he gripped her hips, gently but firmly, and settled himself between them, his shoulders holding her thighs apart.

  “No one will be getting anywhere near you except for me.” He just about growled the words, and Piper smiled.

  She reached down and patted his cheek. “Then play nice and I won’t have to look for someone else.”

  Without breaking eye contact, he ran his tongue through her slit from her opening up to curl around her clit. She groaned and laid her head back, eyes closed. She clenched her fingers in the coverlet on the bed and gave herself over to the sensations Ty was creating as he feasted, his tongue tracing her folds then licking at the bundle of nerves that made her twitch and cry out with abandon every time he touched it. Slowly, he traced her opening with a finger, rimming the entrance then slowly sinking inside, then back out to introduce a second one. Eventually, he was finger-fucking her with two fingers then three while he sucked, licked, and tongued her clit. She could feel a monster of an orgasm approaching, her body twisting and reach
ing for it. He curled his fingers, rubbing against the magic spot inside most guys couldn’t find with a GPS, written directions, and a map, and she exploded with a scream, arching high only to fall back after several moments, panting.

  When she finally regained some semblance of sanity, Ty was over her, fitting his cock just against her entrance. His eyes studied her for a long moment, and he brushed her hair back from her face. “You okay?”

  “Never better. Maybe it wasn’t either of our birthdays, but it could have been the Fourth of July.”

  He burst out laughing, a tight, strained sound. “You’re going to be the death of me, Piper.”

  She put her arms around him, feeling the tension in his body. She arched her hips, nudging him closer inside her, and wrapped her legs around his hips.

  “Take me, Ty.”

  He eased into her, slowly, a few inches at a time, his jaw clenched at the effort. She dug her heels into his lower back, pulling him into her as she arched her hips, silently begging him for more. He drove in, seating himself to the hilt in one final drive and paused, waiting for her to adjust, which was a good thing. She needed a few minutes, still a bit sensitive from her recent orgasm and it had been a while. But within a minute, she shifted her hips and he started to move, in and out, shuttling his hips faster and faster, holding her with one hand as he drove into her.

  “Harder, Ty. Faster,” she begged.

  He grabbed one leg and pulled it up and out, changing the angle, driving deeper. She kissed him, their tongues tangling as he fucked her, driving hard and fast until she clenched around him, the orgasm taking her by surprise. He followed her over with a roar, collapsing on her for several moments. He finally shifted to the side, taking her with him. She nestled in his arms, her head on his shoulders and contentment thrumming through her whole body.

  “Fourth of July indeed,” he muttered.

  “Where the hell did you find a condom out here?” she asked, the thought just occurring to her since she hadn’t even considered it earlier. “I’m grateful, don’t get me wrong, but how the hell did you find one here and please don’t tell me Tara and West have a stash.”

  He stretched. “Always prepared, though they probably have a stash. I didn’t want to look.”

  “Good idea.” Another thought crossed her mind. “Damn. We have to ride back to the ranch after this.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Piper was snuggled close to Ty, her head burrowed into his neck, making soft snuffling noises as she slept. He lay there for more than an hour, just enjoying the silence, the utter peace that came from being totally relaxed and having Piper in his arms. For once, he wasn’t completely exhausted from working all day, nor was his mind whirling from all the thoughts with the upcoming wedding and the song that had been plaguing him. He was completely and utterly content. An unknown and unfamiliar emotion, but one he could get used to.

  Idly, he let the melody for the song play over in his mind and the words started to flow, meshing perfectly with the notes until he had no choice but to get up. He slid out from under Piper’s head, slipping the pillow under her to mask his presence, and grabbed his clothes. He dressed quickly; the sun was setting, rapidly cooling off the day, so he started the fire in the cast-iron stove. He grabbed his guitar and headed outside.

  He fiddled with his guitar, playing with chords and words for about an hour until he had it just right. He took a deep breath and began to play.

  Planting new roots, watering dirt

  Growing from the places we were.

  Family photos were covered in dust

  The frames turned down until we became us.

  When the sun came up and washed me new

  I never thought it could look like you.

  But here we are standing face-to-face

  My beautiful light, I wouldn’t change a thing.

  He took a deep breath and a voice joined him for the chorus, blending perfectly in harmony.

  ’Cause your kiss covers my eyes

  From the things in the world that aren’t right.

  I wanna be with you all night

  And wake up with you next to me.

  If your heart is all I hold

  I’ll be the safest place it’s ever known.

  There ain’t a word I’ll leave untold

  To tell you how much you mean to me.

  I never planned on loving someone so deeply

  But ruined plans aren’t always a bad thing.

  Piper leaned over him from behind, draping her arms over his neck, and kissed his cheek. “You finished the song. It’s perfect.”

  He closed his eyes and laid his head back against her chest, feeling her heart beating, the soft strands of her hair tickling his cheeks. The sense of peace permeated his very soul. “I did. There are more verses. But I think it’s done. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  She shifted to sit beside him on the log. “Will you play it all for me?”

  He nodded and proceeded to sing the whole song, the words and notes echoing in the copse of trees that surrounded them. When he was done, he let out his breath, feeling a bit like he’d just herded a whole head of cattle alone, without a horse or Dundee. There was a long silence, eventually filled with birds and the wind. He finally glanced over at Piper, who had tears streaming down her cheeks, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. She exhaled a shuddering breath and smiled.

  “They’re going to love it. It’s perfect. It’s about all of you.”

  He flushed, heat rising in his cheeks. “Well, it’s really about Tara and West, how they each had a different plan for their lives and never expected to find their future here or love.”

  She laughed. “No, I understand that. But you all had plans too, different expectations out of life, and Redemption Ranch changed all of that for you. Helping you find a new path, new love.”

  “Well, for Chase and West, I suppose. I’m still not sure where my future lies.” He wasn’t sure exactly what to say, especially to the woman who was quickly becoming very important to him, and not just because of the music. But could they have a future, with her in Nashville and him in Montana?

  She shrugged. “I know I’ve said this before, but you truly have a talent, Ty. You should consider coming back with me to Nashville after the wedding. Check out the options there, see what you could do with your music.”

  She had barely finished speaking, and he was shaking his head. “I’ll be needed even more here, with West and Tara on their honeymoon. We’ll be moving the calves and their mommas out of the local pastures and into the summer lands and getting things ready for the guest ranch. No, I don’t have time to take off right now.”

  She sat back and gave him one of those looks he saw Tara give West when she was determined to get her way. “And when will it be your turn? West is happy here. Chase had his time on the road, pursuing his own happiness. When will you get to follow your own dreams, Ty? I doubt your brothers would begrudge you a couple of months.”

  He laid his guitar down and got up, moving to the stack of firewood as an excuse to avoid being too close to her, to avoid her seeing what was really in his eyes. “Chase was working for the ranch, putting his body, his life, on the line for the ranch, while West and I worked the line here. Maybe in a couple of years, if the guest ranch takes off, I’ll be able to take some time. But not right now.”

  He laid a couple of logs on the fire and stared at it, the sparks shooting up into the rapidly darkening sky. It was the right decision, for the ranch, for his brothers, for himself. It was too late, anyway.

  “You’re afraid.” Her words fell flat between them, like a bombshell. “Whether you’re afraid to leave the ranch or of failing, I’m not sure, but it’s not your brothers holding you back. It’s you.”

  He slowly turned on his boot heel and stared at her. She had seen to the heart of the matter too quickly, seen what he had tried so desperately to hide from everyone. Sure, everyone loved his music here in the small town of Granite Ju
nction, but he had never even played in the bigger cities of Billings, Bozeman, or Missoula. Hell, he hadn’t even been out of Montana in his entire life, not even before he was orphaned. It was easy being a big fish in a small pond. But in one of the biggest ponds in the world? He’d be another guppy, eaten up by a shark or, hell, even a trout could gobble him up. And worse than all of that, what if he wasn’t good enough? What if he truly was a guppy, not even good enough for an audition?

  Piper came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips to his back. “What are you afraid of, Ty? You can tell me.”

  He dropped his head, terrified of giving voice to his fears, as if it would validate them, make them real. But if anyone could understand, it would be Piper, the woman who fought her stage fright every day of her life, and still got on stage and performed, opened herself up for ridicule and insults because it was her fucking job. The least he could do was admit his piddling fears.

  “What if I suck?”

  “What if you don’t?”

  He gave a low, raw laugh. “That might be worse.”

  She laughed, squeezing him hard. “Trust me, that could be worse. But it could be great.” She pushed at him, turning him around in her arms until he faced her. She cupped his cheeks in her hands. “You don’t have to decide this now. Let’s just get you ready for the wedding.”

  “Hell no. We said we were going to do this together. You’re singing with me, lady. We have some practicing to do.”

  She hugged him tight. “Great. But it’s getting dark. Shouldn’t we be getting back to the ranch? Not that I’m looking forward to riding that damned horse right now, thank you very much.”