The Cowboy's Wish (The Govain Cowboys Book 3)

by Janalyn Knight

  An ache settled on his chest at the thought of her rebuffing him. It was the same ache he'd felt all week while he'd been unable to talk to her or text her. The only communication between them had been to set up the meet to exchange the bull. Yesterday, he'd put the animal in one of the pasture pens, away from the ranch house. Lennie would come pick him up with her truck and trailer.

  The silver coffee carafe wasn't filled yet when Dylan arrived in the dining room, so he walked into the kitchen to grab a cup.

  Annie smiled and opened her arms for a hug. "You're up early. I'll bet you're after coffee. Let me get you some, honey."

  Dylan grinned and leaned against the counter as Annie bustled around the kitchen. He loved the cook like a favorite auntie and couldn't imagine life without her.

  Annie returned to his side, handing him a steaming mug. "So, tell me why you're up with the sun this morning."

  He sighed and took a sip of the hot black liquid. There was nothing like Annie's coffee in the mornings—deep and rich and just right. "This needs to be kept quiet. I’ve been seeing Lennie Duncan, and she’s got it in her head that us Govains are too high and mighty for her, and she won't see me anymore. I plan on changing her mind about that today." He took another swallow. "The idea that it might not turn out that way got me awake this early, I guess."

  Annie patted his arm. "You're sweet on Lennie, huh? You be yourself, honey. Talk about who you are. It'll be all right, if she's got any sense in her head. And I'm pretty sure she does."

  Dylan nodded, taking a long gulp of coffee and setting the nearly empty mug down. "That's kind of my plan. I sure hope it works. I really like her, Annie. I always have."

  Heading to the sink with his cup, Annie said over her shoulder, "She's a good girl. Takes care of her folks. I'll say a little prayer for the both of you."

  Smiling, he pushed off from the counter and left the kitchen. Annie's prayers were nothing to sniff at. He was sure they'd gotten him out of scrapes when he was a rowdy teenager.

  The bull Lennie was picking up needed feeding, so he headed on over to the pen where they’d put him temporarily. Due to the nearby windmill, there was water onsite. As usual, his mind returned to Lennie. His body responded at the same time—his chest tingling, his crotch suddenly tight. She was beautiful, whether in her Wranglers and boots, or that tiny yellow bikini. Her laugh, her crazy grin, her hands exploring his chest as he held her against him in the cool water—these memories were precious.

  Lennie had always been the girl he found most interesting—even in grade school. He'd never been able to get her attention, though. Not until this summer. Dammit! Today, their conversation—it had to work. Lennie needed to realize that he was just like her—a simple rancher. His family didn't live some flashy lifestyle. It wasn't their way. He and Lennie had everything important in common. Somehow, he had to make her see it that way.

  The bull raised his head as Dylan pulled to a stop outside the pen. When the feed sack rattled in Dylan's hands, he came jogging over. The young bull was well-muscled and beefy, but not big and lumbering as he would be in a few more years. After pouring the cubes in the feeder, and now satisfied in the bull's well-being, Dylan headed back to the house and breakfast.

  LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Dylan glanced at his rear-view mirror from his place on the side of the road and spotted Lennie's truck and trailer approaching. He rolled down his window and waved, then pulled out on the pavement and got up to speed. Lennie came behind him at a comfortable distance. His heart sped up as he envisioned her behind the wheel, competent, yet so beautiful, stern in her rejection of him, but a kind person when it counted. God, how he wanted her.

  Looking again at his mirror, his stomach churned, burning with the tension of the morning. He'd kept busy, killing time, at the barn tending his saddle instead of eating lunch, but the wait had gotten on his nerves, and he’d left early, arriving at the intersection a full half hour before the scheduled time of two o’clock. Practicing and rewording what he would say to Lennie had done nothing to calm his nerves.

  At last he approached the pasture gate and, after opening it and driving through, Lennie entered and shut it behind them. Ten minutes later they pulled up to the pen. The bull went on high alert as the trailer rattled to a stop.

  Dylan got out and walked over to Lennie's window. When she lowered it, he pointed to the distance and said, "You can pull over there around the side while I go get the gate open. I’ll run him down the alley and load him up."

  She nodded and put the truck in gear. "Got it."

  Damn. She was definitely all business. Cutting across the pen, he arrived before she did and swung the six-foot gate wide to the inside.

  Lennie stopped ten feet away so he could swing the trailer gate open, then she backed flush to the sides of the pen. He headed down the alley toward the pen and opened the gate where the bull waited, watching Dylan with interest. Dylan walked around behind the bull, waving a long stick-like stock whip in the air as the bull walked with unhurried steps in the direction of the alley gate.

  Lennie waited out of sight at the truck, ready to slam the middle trailer gate shut on the bull as Dylan ran him in, which would trap the bull in the front of the trailer.

  The bull entered the end of the alley, and Dylan shut a gate behind them, leaving the trailer as the only opening the bull would see. Tapping the animal sharply on the butt, Dylan called, "Get up there!" and the bull jumped into the trailer, hurrying to the farthest end.

  Lennie pushed the center gate hard, and with a loud clang the latch slid home.

  The bull snorted and bobbed his head, then settled down.

  That had been easy. Dylan flashed a grin at Lennie wanting to share the moment.

  Lennie smiled, then looked away quickly, heading for the cab of the truck.

  She pulled the trailer forward so he could shut the back gate, but before he did, he called, "Lennie, don't leave yet." After closing the gate, he walked around the trailer as she opened her truck door and stepped out. He stood in front of her, his heart beating so hard it probably moved his shirt and met her gaze. What he saw gave him hope. There was vulnerability in her eyes though he saw her determination, too. He had a chance. "Lennie, I want to tell you about me. I don't think you really understand who I am."

  She took in a sharp breath and turned her face away.

  He touched her shoulder, and she turned to him again, that vulnerability and pride even more in evidence. "Please, give me a minute. Okay?" Holding her gaze, waiting for her to respond, seemed like an eternity.

  At last, she nodded.

  He blew out a breath. "Thank you." Pausing, he gathered his thoughts. "Lennie, I love ranching. I love working with cattle, and horses, and living in the middle of nowhere. I could have decided to build a house here on the ranch and work for my brother for the rest of my life. I may have even been happy with that.”

  He stopped, wanting to be sure of his words. “You maybe won't understand this, but I feel a calling. I don't want the way of life I love to fade away. I want to teach kids how to be good at ranching and farming so that they can be successful—carrying on this wonderful life into the future."

  She kept looking at him so he continued. "My family doesn't live a lavish lifestyle. We don't go fancy places and spend lots of money. We're just ranchers, and we love our home and our land like ranch people everywhere do."

  He reached out and took her hands and she didn't resist. "You say we're too different but I don't think we are. Yes, we Govains may have more money than you do, but we're alike in all the important ways. Won't you please consider that? I want you in my life, Lennie." He squeezed her hands. "Now, I'll text you tonight. Look for it."

  A tiny smile played across her lips. "Dylan, thanks for everything, and give my thanks to Caleb again. Having this bull will make a world of difference for us."

  As she drove off, he shut the pen gate and hustled to his truck, exiting the pasture. His nerve endings buzzed as he followed in her wake down
the country road. His speech had gone better than he'd hoped. Grinning, he turned on the radio. Annie's prayer must have worked.

  DYLAN HURRIED THROUGH dinner, barely tasting the spaghetti, one of his favorites of Annie's meals.

  His mom handed him the French bread garlic toast. "Don't you want a piece? You skipped lunch. What's gotten into you, son?"

  Crap. He didn't need to answer questions about that bull. "Nothing. I got busy working on my saddle. I've neglected the thing since I first went to Tarleton, and it needed going over." He took the buttery slice and dropped it on his plate but his mind returned immediately to the upcoming text to Lennie.

  She'd looked so good today. Wranglers were meant for men, but they sure showed off her curves. Her t-shirt, though loose, didn't hide what God had given her. She was cowgirl-sexy way down to her dusty boots. He couldn't resist her and didn't try.

  His mom eyed him and he knew she figured something was eating at him. "Honey, why don't you call your friends—go out and have some fun."

  Hmm. It might be a nice cover if Lennie decides to start spending time with me. "Good idea. I might do that."

  He'd showered before dinner so when everyone left the table he headed straight for his room.

  Before he made it past the family room, Caleb caught his attention and gestured toward the office. Once they were alone, he asked, "How did it go with the bull today?"

  "Just fine. He loaded right up, no problem. Lennie said to tell you thanks, again, for lending them the bull."

  Caleb nodded. "She’s welcome, of course. How did your talk go with her?"

  "She didn't make any comment, but she didn't storm off either. I told her I'm texting her tonight, and she didn't tell me not to."

  Caleb shrugged. "Seems to me she's giving you a chance."

  Dylan grinned. "That's what I'm hoping."

  Back in his room, he laid on his bed and scrolled to Lennie's number. Knowing she worked late on the ranch, he hoped she was home for the evening. He punched it and held the phone to his ear.

  "Lennie here."

  Her voice sent chill bumps racing across his chest. "Hey, are you at the house? I know you work late."

  She gusted out a breath. "I'm in. Just got here. Haven't showered or eaten yet. You?"

  "I did all that. I'm lying on my bed and thinking of you."

  While he waited for her to say something, he envisioned her, hot and tired from her hard day's work.

  Into the silence, he said, "You can go ahead and start. Put me on speaker. Do you shower first or eat?"

  "God ... shower. I'm always a mess when I get in. Hold on."

  The phone rattled and he assumed he was now on speaker.

  "Can you hear me, Dylan?"

  "Yep, loud and clear."

  "Okay."

  Her boots thudded, one after the other, and he closed his eyes. What would she take off next? "What are you doing?"

  "What do you think?"

  "Hm, taking off your shirt."

  She barked a laugh. "You're bad. I'm getting ready for my shower, and that's all you need to know, cowboy."

  "Is that a zipper I hear?"

  "Dammit!" but she laughed.

  He grinned and waited a minute. "You ready now?"

  "I am. Time for me to go."

  "Wait! Don't hang up. Leave the line open and lay me on your bed. I'll wait for you."

  "Seriously?"

  "Seriously. I have absolutely nothing else to do and besides, I'll be thinking of you the whole time."

  She laughed. "Fine. It's you who'll be bored."

  "Never happen."

  Crackling sounds hit his ear and he was sure she'd just chunked him on the bed. Yummy. He could imagine all sorts of things while lying on her bed. His thoughts turned to her naked body stepping into the shower. Her bikini had given him a fair idea of what she would look like, but his mind now filled in the glorious details. He had to unzip to make room for his sudden growth as his fantasy continued and he hardened and throbbed. He imagined her strong capable hands slathering soap across her breasts, sliding over her taut nipples and down her flat belly. His cock jerked, and he groaned. This was driving him mad but he couldn't stop. Her wet hand slipped between her thighs and ducked in and out, sliding up and down, pleasuring her. His pelvis thrust forward and he clutched himself hard. She moaned, moving her fingers faster and so did his hand. Squeezing his eyes shut, his beautiful Lennie before him, he exploded, moaning her name through his clenched teeth.

  He took off his shirt and dried himself, shaking his head. Was he a teenager for God's sake? He hadn't done anything like this in years. But Lennie ... Lennie got to him as no other girl ever had.

  As his heart beat took its time returning to normal, he wondered what her bedroom looked like. He'd told his mom she could redecorate his room when he went off to college. She'd updated it to a man's room, though it still showcased his rodeo trophies and buckles. Had Lennie done the same thing with her room, or did it still resemble that of a teenage girl? He kind of hoped it did. She'd been so hot in high school. But she didn't date much back then. She'd stayed busy on their ranch, was what he'd heard.

  Damn, as much as he'd tried to convince Lennie they were the same, she had a valid point. Her life had been much harder than his. She had shouldered a heavy burden even as a girl, and with her brother out of the picture now, she was the real breadwinner of her family.

  The phone crackled again. "You there?"

  "You bet."

  "I can't believe you sat there the whole time I was in the shower."

  Guilty as hell, he grinned, "I kept busy."

  "Well, I sure can't have you on speaker while I fix my plate. A Govain on the phone? Not hardly. Be quiet while I go in the kitchen."

  Off speaker now, he listened silently.

  Her mother's voice said, "Hi, honey, who you talking to?"

  "Daisy. I'm just making my plate. Thanks for leaving dinner out, Mom."

  "Always do. You're welcome."

  A utensil clacked on a glass plate several times and then silence. In a minute a door closed.

  "Okay, I'm in my room. Dammit, I feel like I'm sneaking around. Wait, I am sneaking around. Govain, you're bad for me."

  He laughed. "But I'm worth it. What's for dinner?"

  "Beef, what else?"

  "Funny. Go on, tell me."

  "Green beans, one of my favorites, by the way. Round steak and gravy and fried potatoes."

  She spoke with her mouth full. She must be starving. "Damn, your mom can cook. I love fried potatoes. I could make that my whole dinner."

  Through another bite, Lennie said, "I have to say, I do love my momma's cooking."

  Her fork scraped the plate again and he said, "I miss you."

  After a lengthy silence, she said, "Unfortunately, I miss you, too. I say unfortunately because I promised myself I would never see you again, and the way I feel about you is making that very hard."

  It sounded like she stabbed the plate hard and he laughed, both because she sounded so chagrined and because he was happy with her words. "You can't quit seeing me, Lennie. We're meant for each other. You'll see that if you just give me a chance."

  She sighed into the phone, but waited until she had an empty mouth to speak. "I don't know what to do with you, cowboy."

  He laughed. "I have some ideas."

  "You'll never change. You have the confidence of an Angus bull."

  It was his turn to sign. "Not really. I worried all week about how my little talk with you would go. You mean a lot to me, Lennie. I don't want to lose you."

  At last she said, "We'll see, cowboy."

  Heart speeding, he pinned his hope on those three words.

  Chapter Five

  THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Daisy called and asked Lennie over for a beer. Damn, did she need some girl time! Knocking off a little early, (if you could call five thirty early) she took a quick shower and headed over to her friend's apartment in Ft. Stockton.

  Daisy, dark hair
ed and pretty as the flower she was named for, opened the door with a flourish. "Well, it's about time you came to see me."

  Lennie smiled. "I know, I know. Thanks for the invite. I'd never take the time on my own."

  "That's why I called," Daisy tossed over her shoulder as she led the way into the kitchen. "Catch me up on all your sins." She reached into the fridge and handed Lennie a beer. "I haven't heard from you in days, and that means you're holding out on me. Tell me what's up."

  Following Daisy to the living room, Lennie sat beside her on the couch. "This past week was miserable. I didn't realize how much I liked Dylan. Deciding not to see him anymore messed me up."

  Daisy rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot, I swear. Dylan's had an eye for you since we were kids. Sure, girls have always been all over him and he's dated a lot, but he doesn't have a bad reputation. He's a nice guy."

  "Yeah, he is. I just can't help feeling, I don't know, like uncomfortable with the disparity between us."

  Daisy took her time before answering, swallowing her beer and looking out the window. "Honey, nothing's ever perfect. Knowing someone cares about you is important, though. Don't forget that."

  "I'm not. Most of all, I guess I'm scared. I can't figure how this thing with Dylan will turn out. I remember Nic and, Daisy, I never saw what he did to me coming. I thought he really loved me. Why did he stop? What's wrong with me?" She felt again the anguish that had nearly consumed her after Nic broke up with her. Her gut clenched. No, she couldn't go through that again.

  Her friend grabbed her hand and twined fingers with her. "Not one damned thing is wrong with you, honey. Don't you ever think that. That sorry bastard missed out on the best thing that ever happened to him." She gave Lennie a hug and continued, "You put that thought right out of your head. You're gorgeous and sweet and as intelligent as they come. Any man worth his salt would be proud to have you." She brushed Lennie’s bangs out of her eyes. "Why do you think Dylan's been after you all these years? You're the pick of the litter, and you remember that."