by Vicki Tharp
“And what would that be?” She managed to maintain a bored expression, even as a second guy jumped down from the chutes behind her, effectively blocking her in. If they frightened her, she didn’t show it. Levi shifted, ready to jump into the mix if need be.
“A kiss,” the asshole said, to a chorus of whoops and catcalls.
“A kiss.” She pushed up the brim of her black Resistol hat as if giving the ‘toll’ due consideration. She crooked her finger at him, and he took a step closer. She put her hands on his shoulder and said, “Close your eyes.”
The whistles got louder, and everyone laughed. Everyone except Toby over by the first chute. He looked like he was about to leap across the top of the rails and murder the guy. The asshole closed his eyes and puckered his lips. With her hands on his shoulders for leverage, Belle Brock drove her knee into the asshole’s nuts, dropping him in a fresh, wet, pile of manure.
The whistles and cheers stopped. Belle glanced around from face to face to face of her competitors. “Anyone else like me to pay a toll?”
The asshole still lay on the ground, cupping his balls and gasping for air, his friends shook their heads, the shock keeping their tongues in their head.
Toby grinned, looking thunderstruck.
Belle stepped over the downed man. Toby steadied her arm as she climbed up the chute onto Jettison’s back. Maybe the old bull had met his match.
The bull riders certainly had.
Turns out, Levi had been wrong about Jettison. The old bull hadn’t lost his touch, and Belle lasted less than two seconds before flying through the air and landing hard enough to have the wind knocked out of her.
The crowd in the stands went deathly quiet, and the other bull riders climbed to the top rail watching with concern. When she finally caught her breath and stood, the crowd cheered and stomped their feet as if she’d made the eight seconds on the champion bull.
Levi had to hand it to her. If he’d drawn Jettison for his first professional ride, he might have backed out. Levi didn’t stick around for the rest of the bull riding. He had an early start in the morning hauling Jettison and Toot Sweet back to the ranch.
The next morning, after a fitful night of restless sleep, Levi had that same urgency to get on the road he always had the morning after a rodeo had ended, only this time he wasn’t looking forward to the next city, he was looking forward to getting home.
Home.
He hadn’t had a place he could call home since he left for the circuit the day after graduating high school.
Home.
Where he had a roof over his head, a beautiful wife, an amazing kid, and a job that, while he didn’t love it, he could find a certain satisfaction in a hard day’s work.
His goal had always been to get back on the circuit after winning custody, but the rodeo that had always fit him like his favorite pair of well-washed jeans, now itched and scratched and chaffed.
And even if he wanted to go back to bulldogging... He didn’t have a horse.
Holy Hell. What the devil had he done?
16
Levi met up with Rusty at the fairgrounds to load Jettison and Toots Sweet. Jim Thomas and Bob Forney were busy loading No Bull’s other stock onto trailers to take them to the next rodeo. Most of the competitors had left the night before.
Earlier that morning, Levi had walked past Chunk’s stall to give him one last pat, but the stall had already been stripped bare, his horse long gone.
Probably for the best.
With his trailer loaded, Levi said his goodbyes and started pulling out. Off to his left, one of the guys who ran the pony ride was behind his trailer whipping the hindquarters of a small pony trying to get it to load into an already overcrowded trailer.
Levi threw his truck into park and stormed out, slamming his driver’s door. The man stopped whipping the horse long enough to glance up.
“You need help?” Levi asked, even though what he really wanted to do was yank that whip out the man’s hand and put a few red stripes across the idiot’s back to see how he liked it.
“The little shit won’t get in. It’s always like this. But I always win in the end.”
Levi didn’t know what it was that made him reach into his back pocket for his wallet. Maybe it was because the pony had the same stocky build and color as Chunk, even down to the white star on his forehead, or maybe it was the raised welts on the horse’s rump, or the ribs that stood out like bars on a jail cell, or the long hooves that had turned up at the toes like elf slippers from lack of care, or the big, brown eyes that looked at him for help. Maybe it was all those things. But Levi wasn’t leaving the rodeo grounds without that pony.
“How much?”
“He ain’t for sale.”
The man raised the whip again, but Levi caught the man’s wrist before the lash could rain down on the horse’s hide. Levi squeezed until the whip dropped from the man’s hands with a clatter. “I’ll ask you again. How much?”
The man’s knees buckled under the awkward angle Levi had twisted the man’s wrist. “Owh... Damn, man... Okay, okay. Two hundred bucks.”
Levi laughed but dropped the man’s wrist. “I’ll give you twenty-five. You’d be lucky to get that from a kill buyer, and you know it.”
“Seventy-five.”
“Fifty, and you throw in that beat-up excuse for a kid’s saddle.”
The man grumbled, but said, “I ain’t helping you get that little shit into your trailer.”
As if Levi wanted this man’s help. Levi counted out the cash, stuffed it in the guy’s shirt pocket, and took the pony’s lead rope in one hand and the tiny saddle in the other. By the time Levi made it back to his truck and stowed the saddle, the man was long gone.
The pony didn’t look like he’d have the strength to stand in the trailer and ride the entire way back, so Levi stuffed hay into a hay net and tied it inside the trailer, then spread out a flake on the floorboards so the pony could lay down if he wanted to. When it was time to load, Levi clucked twice, and the horse hopped in as if he knew better times lay ahead.
Levi secured the lead rope, giving the horse enough slack to lay down if it needed, but not enough to get himself tangled, then closed the trailer and started on his long drive home, feeling for the first time that weekend that he’d done something right.
* * *
Olivia had just sat down at the kitchen table with her lunch when she heard the chug of a diesel engine roll past the house. She jumped up and hurried to the door. Levi. She’d pictured this the whole weekend, how she’d stand in the open doorway, and wait for him to come to her, but somehow that’s not what happened. In reality, she found herself taking the porch steps two at a time and hitting the dirt at a run.
Turns out, almost a week away was about six days too many.
He made it out of the cab and she leaped into his arms. He laughed, his arms coming around her and holding her tight. “You miss me?”
She would have answered, but she’d already pulled him in for a kiss. Taking, tasting, devouring. She dropped her legs and slid down his body as he took the kiss deeper. He backed her against the tail bed, one hand sneaking beneath the hem of her shirt, as he straddled her leg. His fingers found bare flesh. She broke the kiss, closed her eyes, and savored his touch.
“Where’s Clementine and Joe?”
Olivia opened her eyes. Even in the midday sun, Levi’s eyes went dark and needy.
“Joe and Eleanor took Clementine to the park to play with kids. I’m expecting them back any minute.”
Levi nibbled his way up her neck, and whispered in her ear, “After almost a week away, a minute is probably all I need.”
The trailer shook, and one of the bulls let loose a long, low, bellow. Olivia said, “I think someone’s ready to get off the trailer.”
For a brief second, Levi buried his nose in the crook of her neck, and breathed in deep, before slowly backing away. “I’ve got a little surprise.”
“Oh yeah?”
&
nbsp; Levi took her hand, and she allowed him to pull her to the trailer door. It took a second for what she saw to register—a small chestnut pony, not Chunk. “Where’s your horse?”
Levi started undoing the trailer door latches, busying himself with offloading the animals instead of making eye contact. He untied the pony’s rope and led the poor animal out of the trailer. It was immediately obvious the animal had been neglected and abused.
“Levi.” She caught his arm and forced him to turn and look at her. “Where’s Chunk?”
“I sold him to an up-and-coming kid.”
“What? I thought you’d taken him to compete.”
“I needed guaranteed money. A lot of it.”
Olivia knew he wouldn’t have sold Chunk unless he thought he didn’t have any other options. And after the call she’d taken from his lawyer that morning, she knew he’d also done what he’d had to do. But that couldn’t have made it any easier.
“And this little guy?” Olivia stuck her hand out, and the pony nuzzled her fingers.
“He belonged to one of those pony ride guys. The guy was a certifiable dick, and I thought after a bit of quality care, the pony would be a good choice for Clementine.” His laugh stumbled and fell. “If I even have custody after this is said and done.”
“You will win,” Olivia said it like she believed it. Because the alternative wasn’t an option any one of them could live with.
“God, I hope you’re right.”
“Come on. We can put this little guy in one of the birthing stalls with the paddock out back until he settles in.”
They had released the pony into the stall with fresh hay and water when Olivia told Levi about the call from his lawyer. “Reynolds called this morning. Good news, I think. He wants us to meet with him first thing in the morning. He says he’s cautiously optimistic we might be able to avoid a court hearing.”
“No shit?” Levi looked too tired and worn to dare hope. “Did he say how?”
“No. He seemed pretty hush-hush about it. But there was an excitement in his voice that he couldn’t hide.”
A horn honked, and Olivia and Levi came out of the barn to find Clementine running toward them. “Daddy, daddy!”
Levi scooped Clementine up and swung her around, her peals of laughter infectious. “What did you call me, Pix?”
Instead of answering, Clementine wrapped her little arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. Olivia pointed at Levi and asked Clementine, “Who is this?”
“Daddy!”
“Oh, baby,” Levi said, his voice unnaturally thick, “I missed you.”
With his free arm, he wrapped it around Olivia’s shoulders and pulled her up against him, his lips pressing against her temple. When he released her, he was quick to wipe his eyes.
“I told you it was only a matter of time,” Olivia said. From day one, Levi had shown Clementine nothing but love, compassion, loyalty. He deserved this one small victory. Olivia smiled, but couldn’t help but think how devastated they would be if Reynolds was wrong.
* * *
Olivia was leaning up against the headboard and reading the latest edition of Farm and Ranch Magazine. It was an interesting article on hay crop fertilization schedules that she found intriguing until Levi entered the room, a towel slung low around his waist, his hair damp and dripping on his chest. Olivia’s mouth went dry while another part of her got incredibly wet.
She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t been looking forward to this moment all evening. Okay, okay. All week. Anticipation made her hands shake, and the pages of the magazine rattle. She dropped her eyes back down to the article, feigning disinterest. “Clementine asleep?”
Olivia turned another page. She read the next sentence three times, but she still didn’t know what it said. The door lock clicked. Levi’s towel hit the floor with a muffled thump. Olivia’s mouth started salivating. Sweet Jesus.
The edge of the bed dipped, and Olivia chanced a glance over the top of her magazine. Levi was on his hands and knees at the foot of the bed, stalking his way toward her. He snatched the magazine out of her hands and tossed it on the floor.
“Hey, I was reading that.”
Levi crawled closer, his large hands resting on either side of her hips. He leaned forward, his mouth, inches from hers. His smile grew when he said, “Not anymore.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and scooted her down onto her back until he could straddle her. He glanced at the T-shirt she wore, and mock glared at her. “Hey, that’s my shirt. I want it back.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
“Really?”
“I must insist.” He grabbed onto the hem and pulled it over her head, his eyes dropping to her breasts.
“Satisfied?”
He leaned in and dragged his tongue over one taut nipple, and then the other. “I plan to be. Along with you.”
“You’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for, cowboy.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m up to the task.” He eased back and started kissing his way down her chest, a hand roaming across her belly before trailing a teasing finger down the inside of her thigh. As much as she wanted the slow tease, she also wanted a quick, hard-pounding release.
Heat and heaviness settled at her core, and she reached into the bedside table for a condom. She tore the corner with her teeth, and said, “I need you now.”
He took the condom from her hand and quickly sheathed himself. Shifting positions, he settled between her thighs, his weight on his forearms. He kissed her on the lips, his mouth opening hers, his tongue diving in.
This is what she’d wanted, what she’d been waiting for. How could she have gone from wanting a no-strings fling to needing and wanting the strings and knots and entanglements that a life together would bring?
Her tongue danced with his. She reached between them and took him in her hand, enjoying the thick, heavy weight of him. Guiding him to her entrance, she dared to say, “I missed this. Missed you.”
“Mmmmpff—” his word became mangled as he slid into her inch by glorious inch. When he’d filled her, he paused, and his forehead dropped to her chest. His breath caught. “I missed you, too.”
He kissed her. It wasn’t with the hard, demanding strokes of his tongue that she loved and had become accustomed to. This kiss held a soul-piercing tenderness that she’d never expected from him.
Slowly, he began moving inside her, not the quick hard thrusts of a desperate need and passion, but a nuanced and controlled giving and taking. A sharing of their bodies, of their experience, of their want and need for each other. He took her hands in his, linking their fingers, and holding them above her head, his slow, sensuous thrusts rocking her gently.
“Look at me.” When she did, he said, “There you are.”
She found it hard to hold his gaze. The depth of the raw emotion she saw in his eyes was both sinfully sweet and exquisitely painful. He stilled inside her, drawing more of her attention. “I love how you’ve been there for me. I love the selfless way you’ve sacrificed for me.”
He kissed her cheek, her chin. “I love how we fit together, how we can laugh, how we can fight, how we can make up.”
His lips pressed against the pounding pulse at the base of her neck.
“I love how I miss you when we’re apart, and I love how you love me when we’re together. But most of all, Olivia Marsh, I love you.”
Her heart squeezed, and her chest refused to draw in air as he resumed the long, languid strokes. He’d effectively said he’d loved her before, but that was with an audience, that was when he was playing a part. But this was different. There were no court evaluators in the room. No judges, no lawyers, no acquaintances on the street. Just the two of them. He didn’t have to say those words unless he meant them.
His breath got ragged while he waited for her response, the pulse thrumming in his neck as he stroked in and out of her. She didn’t know what their future held. But whatever they had to fa
ce, she wanted to face it with him.
She freed her hands to cup his face. “I love you, too, Levi. I don’t want a divorce.”
His eyes closed, and a slow smile spread across his face. When he opened them again, he said, “Good thing. After I pay this next round of lawyer’s fees, I don’t think I could afford to give you one anyway.”
“Hey, you promised,” Olivia teased. “We haven’t even made the two-month mark, and you’re already breaking your promises to me.”
“How about I make you a new promise? One I can keep.”
“What...”
His thrusts got harder, faster, and as her orgasm built, and the tingling in her nerves increased, Olivia had a hard time forming words, much less complex thoughts and sentences.
Levi chuckled and bit at her earlobe. “I promise to always be there for you, to always love you, to always put our family first. “
As his strokes got erratic, and his breath blew hot against her skin, she knew that was a promise he would keep.
17
Levi hadn’t been able to eat a bite of breakfast before the meeting with Reynolds but he sure as hell wanted a swig or two or more of whiskey. Something, anything to calm that gnawing in the pit of his stomach, that hopelessness eating away at his soul.
He and Olivia were sitting in Reynolds’ claustrophobic office waiting for Reynolds to arrive. Levi glanced down at his and Olivia’s joined hands, her knuckles had gone white. Shit. He loosened his grip and rubbed the circulation back into her hand. “Sorry, babe.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “It’s fine. I’m a lot harder to break than that.”
“What the hell is taking him so long? We’ve been waiting—”
“Five minutes. We’ve been waiting five minutes. And we were fifteen minutes early. It’s okay. Every thing’s gonna be okay.”
He looked at her then. While he appreciated the support and her optimism, it fell flat to his ears. “You don’t know that.”
“I don’t. But assuming the worst isn’t going to help matters.”