Danny (Downton Cowboys Book 1)

by Miley Maine

  Barefoot, I made my way downstairs and got a fresh brew started, secretly praying that she wouldn’t wake up until the breakfast I was making was ready to be served.

  As I made her eggs and buttered toast, I battled with my own thoughts to not let them go where they wanted to end up. Daydreams about her being my wife--of us living here forever--were forcing themselves into my fantasies, rendering the current reality a much tougher pill to swallow.

  Just as I had hoped, she came downstairs a little after seven-thirty. She was wearing her jeans and shirt once again.

  The tea and coffee were ready, and breakfast was all set, and I was standing in the kitchen doorway with my own steaming cup. In hopes that she would be calmer now, I smiled.

  “Good morning, Danny.” Her tone was reserved.

  “Mornin’, Gigi. Did you sleep well?”

  Shrugging, she examined the table for a moment before heading straight for the teapot.

  “Thank you for breakfast,” she murmured as she poured herself a drink.

  “I waited for you, aren’t you gonna eat?”

  She turned around with the cup between her hands and sighed. “I think I’m going to finish this and head out.”

  “Out? Where?”

  “I can’t think straight with you around. You’re being far too kind, and it’s distracting.”

  “Distracting?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

  She swallowed the mouthful of beverage rather quickly. “Danny, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. Actually, I’m rather overwhelmed. But you—” Shaking her head, she gestured with one hand in the air toward me. “Just by being your wonderful self, you’re making it really difficult for me to think objectively about all of this.”

  “Are you saying I shouldn’t be a good person?”

  “No.” She raised her eyebrows. “You should be whoever you are; it’s amazing that the universe created someone like you.” She paused, visibly searching for the right words. “I’m the one who needs to make up her mind about this whole thing. You sprung marriage on me while I wasn’t even sure about staying, and what it would mean for you and this baby.”

  “I don’t understand. I am offering you and this child safety and stability and a lifetime of security with me.”

  “And I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all of this. I truly can’t even begin to thank you enough.”

  “Thank me? I don't want you to thank me!” I was beginning to get frustrated, angry that I was starting to feel like I was begging for her love. “I want you to tell me the truth, Gigi. Do you feel like I feel or not? Because if you do, that’s your answer. You’ll wanna stay.”

  “It’s not that simple.” She raised her voice an octave.

  “Yes, Gigi. It is.”

  I didn’t mean to scowl at her, but that was what my eyes decided to do.

  Violently setting down her cup on the counter, she sharply exhaled. “I have to go.”

  She marched quickly, passing me by as she launched for the stairs. I stood there motionless, incapable of reacting.

  And just like that…

  I lost her.

  The rest of the day was a blur to me.

  I remember driving her back to town, where she said she was going to catch a train back to her parents’ hometown. I recall flashes of me heading back to the ranch, and burying myself in work for God knows how long. Details were blurry, but when I saw Michael, he asked about her.

  “What happened?” He tried to get to me talk.

  I shrugged, taking a sip of beer. “She had to go to her parents’ house.”

  “You don’t wanna talk about it, do ya?”

  “Not really, Mike. We got a lot to do.”

  “Gotcha.” He solemnly stared at the can in his hand. “Well, me, the guys are goin’ to Billy’s tonight. They tried to call you, but you didn’t pick up.”

  “Who?”

  “It’s Tanner’s birthday, remember?”

  “Right.” I had completely forgotten. “I dunno. I got a lotta work to catch up on.”

  “Does it have to be tonight?”

  I scowled at him, and he stopped talking. “Suit yourself.” He took a sip. “We’ll be there the usual time at the usual table if you change your mind.”

  When I was done with work, I headed back to the house, and everything felt…barren.

  As I went upstairs to take a shower, I forced myself to think about what I wanted to eat. Yet, the only thought that plagued my mind was that I probably wasn’t to taste her cooking again.

  I headed back downstairs to realize that I had missed about seven different calls. She had left so abruptly, and I never got her number. Something inside me didn’t care to see who had contacted me or what they had wanted. I didn’t even check.

  Making my way to the kitchen, I realized that it was almost eight o’clock. The house felt exceptionally empty without her, and everything in the space around me reminded me of her.

  I desperately wanted to go after her, and if I wanted, I could easily find out where her folks lived. I was, after all, quite connected in the tri-state area.

  But that wouldn’t have been right.

  She wanted to be free to make her own decision, and I had to respect that. My heart ached for me to see her, to smell her perfume once again, to get lost in those emerald eyes, and forget all about loneliness and longing.

  That, unfortunately, was not an option.

  Without the slightest idea of what I wanted to make, I mindlessly grabbed a pot and placed it on the stove. As I stared down, I wondered if she was ever coming back.

  If she did, I would make her the happiest woman on the planet. I would marry her and help her through the pregnancy. I would paint a room all the colors of the rainbow and raise that child with her as my own.

  I knew I could do it.

  I grew up with a terrible father and a passive mother—I knew what not to do. I knew exactly what a child needed to thrive. I was aware of what I had to do to make them a functioning member of society, and a loving, caring human being.

  God was my witness; those were my intentions.

  If only she would come back.

  Standing there aimlessly, I realized that staying in the house alone was a terrible idea. Without any further thought, I put the pot back onto its shelf and walked out of the kitchen, pulling the t-shirt over my head as I climbed up the stairs.

  I simply couldn’t spend the first night without Gigi all by myself.

  Quickly slipping on a pair of worn-out jeans and a black tee, I was adamant about not returning back to this room until I was already dozing off.

  I don’t exactly remember how I got to Billy’s, but the popular bar downtown was buzzing with loud country tunes and drunken partygoers.

  The moment I stepped in, I was greeted with dozens of familiar faces, all smiling and shaking my hands, inviting me over to join them. With a forced grin and a heavy heart, I made my way over to the usual spot in the corner. The largest table, always reserved for me and my friends.

  “He made it,” Tanner smiled, rising from his seat to greet me.

  “Happy birthday, Tan.” I gave him a hug, struggling to conceal my despair.

  “Man, where have you been?” Graham chuckled as he passed me a beer.

  “Just life.” I raised the bottle before chugging down half of it in one go.

  “Hey, Danny.” A familiar voice came from behind my shoulder, and I turned around. It was Maribelle, an old friend whom I once dated for a few weeks. “Long time, no see.” She gave me a suggestive gaze.

  “Well, you know where to find me.” I gave her a reserved hug. “How’ve you been?”

  “I’ve been alright,” she grinned, reminding me of a time long gone. “Wanna dance?”

  “Not tonight, honey.” I slid onto a stool at the table.

  “Lookin’ blue, Danny, I can’t bear it.” She placed a hand on my shoulder.

  It made me uncomfortable, and I leaned into her ear. “It’s Tanner�
��s birthday, Mar, let’s not do this.” I whispered, conveying as much polite seriousness as I could muster.

  Tilting her head, she frowned as her eyes locked on mine. “Well, enjoy the night, cowboy.”

  Turning around, she walked away without looking back.

  “Damn, Boy.” Duke chuckled before taking a sip of his drink. “I wouldn’t kick ‘er outta bed.”

  “Well, you’re welcome to go after her,” I glared.

  “Woah, madder than a wet hen. What’s with him?” He chortled and turned to Michael, who quietly glowered at him.

  “I’m right here, Duke.” I raised my voice an octave. “Got somethin’ to say?”

  “Jesus.” Shaking his head in dismay, he sat back and raised both hands in a sign of surrender.

  The evening went by, plain and uneventful, with me unable to enjoy anything at all. And that was apparently setting the pace for the rest of my days without her.

  Everything had lost its appeal.

  As suns rose and moons glowed, it was all the same. Every day was a copy of the one before it, with nothing for me to look forward to.

  After a few attempts to spend days with employees and partners, and nights with the guys at the bar, I came to the conclusion that nothing worked in my quest to wipe Gigi from my mind or get her out of my heart.

  It all seemed too desperate and pathetic, and I was starting to feel doomed.

  Until one morning…

  I had gotten up at sunrise as always and made myself a large cup of coffee. As I drank it, I opened the tall window overlooking the front porch and the garden ahead, letting the morning breeze wash over me, giving me new hopes of mercy for my troubled soul.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled the aroma of coffee mixing with the fresh fragrances of wildflowers outside.

  When I opened my eyes, there she was.

  Standing in my garden, looking inside at me through the window.

  Swiftly setting down my mug, I rushed to the door, opening it as my heart raced to a million beats.

  We ran into each other’s arms, and as our bodies collided, I couldn’t contain myself. She smelled of morning dew and jasmine, and I closed my eyes as my hands traced the outline of her. It was then that it hit me how much I had truly missed her.

  “Danny, I...” she started.

  I shushed her, shaking my head to let her know she didn’t have to say anything. Not now.

  I didn’t want to think. I only wanted to feel her with me, on me, and all over me.

  Lifting her in my arms with ease, I carried her inside, my mouth hungrily locking with her cherry lips. Passionately, her lips pressed against mine, hands moving across my back as she wrapped her legs around my waist and pressed herself against me, erasing all thoughts of loneliness.

  She was here.

  I could hardly believe it and was overwhelmed with the urge to lean back, to use the tips of my fingers to trace every inch of her, committing to memory, but my body had other ideas, unable to believe she was finally in my arms.

  “Take me inside,” she whispered.

  Slowly, I kicked the door shut with the back of my leg and carried her up the stairs, drunk on the sound of her soft little whimpers. My legs remained steady as I moved down the hallway and into my bedroom, setting her down gently before she ripped my shirt off.

  A low growl escaped my lips as they found hers once more, tasting honey and vanilla in the back of my mouth, my bare chest blazing underneath her fingertips. Wordlessly, Gigi drew back and squirmed, trying to lift her shirt up over her head. After a few seconds, I helped her, running my tongue along her neck, down the slope of her chest and stopping at the waistband of her jeans.

  “I can’t believe you’re back,” I whispered, voice gruff with emotion. I looked up at her, at the bright white-yellow light pouring in through the open window and illuminating her in a halo of gold. “How—”

  Gigi pressed her fingers to my lips. “I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”

  She lowered herself onto the mattress and hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her jeans. Without taking her eyes off of me, she slid them off and chucked them into a corner of the room, leaving her in a plain white bra and matching panties.

  I swallowed, my eyes drinking in every inch of her tanned skin, using the tips of my fingers to explore, soft and warm to the touch. She was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

  And she had come back to me.

  “I want you, Danny.”

  Gigi made an impatient noise in the back of her throat, sat up and raked her fingers across my back, her movements clumsy, and a slight tremor going through her as she stopped at my sweatpants then tried to tug them off.

  “I can help with that, you know,” I said.

  “And you’re making me do all the work?”

  I smiled, pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, then yanked them off, catching the quick flicker of appreciation before she reached for me, our bodies colliding once more.

  In another few seconds, the rest of our clothes were gone, leaving naked bodies hot and pressed against each other. I ran my fingers along the curve of her hips then replaced them with my lips, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses until I stopped in front of her core, the smell of her doing strange things to my insides.

  “Yes...” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper but loud in my head.

  “I’ve wanted to taste you.”

  She looked at me, bit her lip and smiled. “I want your tongue there.”

  I pressed my mouth to her center, lapping up her juices, and Gigi groaned. She tossed her head back, let out a deep throaty moan and clutched the sheets at her side. I smiled on the inside, my heartbeat quickening as she squirmed.

  “Just like that,” she pushed, and I gave her what she wanted.

  Within seconds, she came apart beneath me, sucking in huge mouthfuls of air and peering at me through hooded eyes.

  “My turn,” she said.

  Suddenly, I was flat on my back, and she was on top of me, sweat sliding down her front, and down her back, her red hair draping like a curtain around her face. Her emerald green eyes searched my face before she lowered herself, and guided me into her, a hiss escaping her lips as she did.

  I held myself still, dimly wondering if this was some kind of sleep-addled dream until she began to move, her breasts bobbing up and down, fingers moving down the length of my chest before she gripped either side of my legs.

  And I was lost.

  Over and over, I thrust myself into her, the blood roaring into my ears.

  “Just like that,” she whimpered.

  “You like that?”

  “I love how you feel inside me!”

  I leaned forward and licked a path down to her breasts, took one nipple in my mouth, then the other, the pace between us growing frenzied until I could hear the echo of skin slapping against skin, and the creak of the mattress beneath us.

  The scent of her filled my room, and I could see nothing else, feel nothing else, but Gigi on top of me.

  Gigi was everywhere.

  I ran my hands over her face, traced the outline of her lips, then thrust deeper.

  She screamed, grinding against me harder until she was riding me like a stallion. A few more thrusts and grinds, and I reached down to play with her clit, sending her completely over the top. It didn’t take long for her to come, her moans echoing in the room, her pussy squeezing me hard. Her legs shook, and she held her position for just a few seconds before she started grinding again.

  “Inside me,” she whispered.

  I didn’t need anymore coaxing. I grabbed her waist, thrust a few more times and then burst inside her. I felt her pussy walls squeeze every last drop out of me, and as she fell on top of me, satisfied and spent, I held her tight.

  I wasn’t going to let her go.

  Chapter Eight

  Gigi

  As I lazily laid in his arms, I saw at the corner of my eye the beams of sunlight sneaking into the space
around us. They cast a magical intermittent glow, illuminating bits, and parts of the room I had grown to love.

  While his strong fingers gently stroked my hair, Danny fidgeted, and I felt his muscles slightly flex and relax underneath me. I was still intoxicated by his masculine scent.

  “Marry me, Gigi Mans,” he whispered.

  I lifted up my head to look at him, letting my wavy locks dangle, tickling his bare chest.

  “Say that other thing that comes before marry me,” I smiled.

  He let out a serene sigh. “I love you.”

  “And I love you.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes.”

  Crawling up a few inches, I reached to kiss his lips. He kissed me back, and this time, it was the most tender touch I had ever experienced.

  Within himself, he held the perfect balance between strength and gentleness. The way he made love to me was out of this world, and I had never felt so lucky before.

  I knew he was running late for work, but it was a morning to be celebrated.

  We were engaged.

  While he went to take a shower, I made my way downstairs and made us some breakfast. It was around eight-thirty, and so I whipped up some eggs and toast with roasted tomatoes. I served it with orange juice that I had found in the fridge.

  After he kissed me goodbye and headed out for his morning round, I went to call my mother and share with her the good news.

  “Where did you disappear to? I was worried sick.” She scolded me the second she heard my voice.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I had to return to the man I realized I can’t live without.”

  “Matt?”

  “Wha—Mom, no. Danny. Danny Downton.”

  “The rancher?” Her tone changed.

  “The businessman,” I defiantly corrected her.

  She tittered. “Oh, Honey.”

  “What exactly are you trying to do right now?”

  “Gigi, Sweetheart.” She paused. “When you told me who you’d been staying with, I didn’t say anything because you were back home. And I didn’t think you’d ever see him again.”

  “What?”

  “Back in the old house? Guess who was a friend of mine.”