Home on the Ranch: Oklahoma Bull Rider

by Christine Wenger

  She slid off her pants.

  “Those are sexy,” he said. “Black lace. Nice.”

  Fancy lace bikinis and lacy bras might have seemed unnecessary to her before because no one but Sara would see them since Michael’s death, but they made her feel good when she needed a boost.

  Jesse kissed a path up her stomach to her bra, then pulled the straps down.

  “More,” she whispered.

  “I know what you want.”

  He kissed the mounds of her breasts and bared them to the cool night air.

  “Beautiful,” he murmured.

  He teased a nipple with his tongue, then he gave the other equal attention.

  Beautiful? Sara felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. This couldn’t be her, making love on the grass with a hunk of a cowboy, a gentle bull rider who was so great with her son.

  She wanted to feel his weight, his naked body, on her.

  He tugged on her underwear. “You, too, Sara.”

  She got the message.

  Sliding out of her bikinis and bra in record time, she waited not-so-patiently as he opened a condom with his teeth.

  “Sara?”

  She knew what he didn’t ask, what he wanted, what she wanted.

  “I want you, Jesse.”

  They kissed, and she glanced down and saw how hard and big he was.

  He was about to slide the condom down his hard length, when she asked, “Can I do that?”

  He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. “Sure.”

  Sara felt dizzy, drunk, like she was about to faint. Was this an estrogen rush or a sexual high? Whatever it was, she didn’t want it to stop.

  He pulled her on top of him, and handed her the condom. She had to sit up and straddle his legs.

  Rolling the sheath down his erection was the sexiest thing she’d ever done in her life. She felt like a woman again, a participant, and not just an object.

  Jesse grunted, and said, “Don’t move, Sara, or this is going to be over before it starts.”

  Grinning, she knew she was actually turning Jesse on! She didn’t want to compare him with Michael in the least—that was unfair—but making love with Jesse was...fun, and hot, and...she just didn’t have the words to describe it.

  In one smooth motion, he pinned her under him. He kissed her gently, and it almost brought tears to her eyes.

  “Spread your legs for me,” he whispered.

  “I want you, Jesse. Now. Hurry!” If he didn’t get moving, she was going to explode.

  He chuckled. “Let’s take it slow.”

  “In your dreams, cowboy!”

  When he slid into her, and they began moving together, Sara wondered if sound would carry, since the lake was so close. If so, all of Camp Care would hear her scream in pleasure.

  Jesse smiled down at her, and sighed. “Enjoying yourself?”

  “You know I am. You?”

  He grunted, nodded and waited for her to catch up.

  And they reached the pinnacle together, and slowly drifted back to earth. Sara didn’t know when she’d felt so thoroughly sated, so happy and joyful after sex. She’d been a willing participant and she felt sexy and cared for.

  Then the fire sirens blared. The real ones. They were coming from Camp Care.

  “Hurry! Get dressed, Sara! We have to go!”

  * * *

  Sara’s heart beat fast and frantically in her chest. She had to get to Mickey. The sirens were so loud, she couldn’t even think.

  Stumbling up the path to the camp shoeless and without underwear, she was grateful for Jesse’s help that kept her upright and running.

  Staff were scurrying toward the wrangler bunkhouses.

  “Where’s the fire?” Jesse asked a man running by.

  “Don’t know yet.”

  “Sara, all ramrods and rovers were assigned tasks in case of a fire. The information area is the recreation hall. Let’s go there.”

  They both were out of breath when they got there.

  “Lori...where did it start?” Jesse asked.

  “Bathhouse. The one between 12 and 13.”

  “Were any kids in that bathhouse?” Sara asked Lori.

  Lori nodded. “But they’re okay. Everyone is okay. It was an electrical fire. The boys ran and told a ramrod. Mickey was one of them. The ramrods who were present handled everything. Right now, the Beaumont County Fire Department is on their way to check on things.”

  “Where’s Mickey?” Sara asked Lori.

  “All the wranglers are back and settled in their respective bunkhouses.”

  Sara turned to leave. “I have to see my son.” She took off at a run.

  Jesse ran after her. “Wait!”

  She ran as fast as she could, trying to ignore the stones digging into her bare feet. She was just about to open the door to Bunkhouse 13, when Jesse put his hand on the door and held it shut.

  He took a deep breath and let it out. “Think about what you are going to do and say. Remember, his peers are living with him, and they are going to watch your every move and watch Mickey.”

  “Other mothers are here with their sons on scholarships, and they—”

  “They are not my concern right now, Sara.”

  “What? I just want to make sure Mickey is okay.”

  Jesse held his palms up in the air. “He’s okay. Didn’t you hear Lori Floyd say that none of the kids were hurt?”

  “I want to look at him.”

  “How about if I get him and send him out?”

  “Would you?”

  “Make it quick, Sara. Tonight we are going to talk more about the Cowboy Code.”

  “Thank you.” Right or wrong, she wanted to see Mickey for herself.

  Jesse opened the big wooden door to the bunkhouse and stepped inside. Sara heard Jesse shout over the yelling and talking from the boys. “Wrangler Mickey Peterson, can I see you for a minute?”

  Sara could hear Mickey running down the squeaky plywood floor.

  “Mickey, your mom wants to see you outside,” he whispered.

  The door opened, and Mickey walked out onto the steps.

  Sara wrapped him in a hug. Then moved away and studied him. “Mickey, are you all right? Are you hurt?”

  He shook his head. Then he put his hand on the door to go back inside.

  She was relieved that Mickey was okay, but she was annoyed with herself that she had been off with Jesse when it had happened. She’d never forgive herself if something serious had happened to her son.

  She wanted to spend more time with him, have him communicate with her with yes or no answers, but Jesse was probably right. Darn it. Let the boy go.

  “Mickey, are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, looking him over again.

  Mickey nodded, then with a wave goodbye he disappeared through the door.

  “Sara, listen at the door,” Jesse said.

  “Who was that, Mickey, your mommy?” she heard someone say. The question was followed by loud laughter.

  Jesse raised an eyebrow at her, then stuck his head back into the bunkhouse. “Okay, wranglers. Get out your copy of the Cowboy Code, and read it again. Oh, and Ronnie the Roving Ramrod, you can go now. I’ll take over.”

  He turned his attention back to her. “That ought to keep them busy.”

  “You know, Jesse, if we weren’t doing yoga and uh...making love out by the lake, you would have been here when the bathhouse caught fire.”

  “Ronnie the Rover was here. He apparently took care of it efficiently. What’s your point?”

  “My point is...oh, I don’t know...you should have been with your wranglers, and not with me.”

  “So, we ramrods don’t get a break?”

  “You’ve had a lot of breaks already,” she said. Maybe
she should just keep quiet. She was digging herself into such a big hole she might not be able to get out.

  Ronnie the Rover opened the door and stood on the top step. “I wrote some notes in your ramrod logbook. Mostly about the fire. The kids were all okay, and in fact, some of them even alerted staff. That’d be J.B., Ty and Mickey. They are Camp Care heroes.”

  Sara felt as if a bolt of lightning went through her. “Mickey is a hero?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ronnie said.

  “Did he talk?” she asked hopefully.

  “No, ma’am. He tugged at my arm.”

  The lightning fizzled. “Maybe he’ll talk soon,” Ronnie said.

  Ronnie the Rover nodded, and turned to Jesse. “Will you need me tomorrow night?”

  He looked at Sara and didn’t crack a smile. His sky blue eyes were stormy. “No, but thanks anyway, Ronnie. I’ve had a lot of breaks already.”

  Chapter 12

  Sara let the hot shower rain down on her later that night. Her feet were filthy, cut and bruised, so she sat down on the little chair provided in the stall and soaped them up.

  Okay, maybe she was wrong in telling Jesse that he had a lot of time off, especially when he was spending the time with her.

  She owed him an apology.

  Her thighs were sore from riding Midnight and from making love with Jesse. She thought about how gentle he’d been, and how much fun lovemaking could be. Adding more cold water, she turned her face up to the shower and let it cool her heated skin.

  And she hated to admit it, but Jesse was right about not calling Mickey out of the bunkhouse. His fellow wranglers heard her and teased him—that made her feel horrible—but for heaven’s sake, she had to see for herself that he was all right.

  Maybe she should just give in and listen to Jesse. Maybe she hovered too much over Mickey. If she wasn’t working off a scholarship, she’d be back in Henderson Falls, and would never know what Mickey was doing and therefore she wouldn’t fret over him.

  Yes, she would.

  Her therapists had all told her to give Mickey some time and space, and maybe then he’d talk. Easy for them to say when the boy saw his father die. The first officer at the scene said that he’d heard Mickey screaming, but by the time he got to Mickey’s side, he’d stopped and wouldn’t answer his questions.

  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD. Mutism. She hated those words, those letters, that diagnosis.

  And Jesse had the nerve to think that he could help Mickey with his horses, with Black Beauty and the Cowboy Code. But she had to admit that he was right about a couple of things.

  Sara turned off the water and grabbed her towel. She felt better, although a little cranky. Drying off, she sighed and made a resolution to listen to Jesse...sometimes.

  * * *

  As Sara swept the floor of her bunkhouse, she had time to think.

  A week had slogged by since the fire, and Sara hadn’t seen much of Jesse, and they’d barely spoken to one another. Sara didn’t know if anything was really wrong between them; they were both just busy.

  She hated to think that he was the type to be mad and not say anything, but she wanted to clear the air.

  Sara got up, worked the three meals, and in between, she watched Mickey ride. She was pleased to see Mickey still reading Black Beauty during meals, but she really wanted him to interact more with the other boys.

  But that was okay. She was grateful to Jesse for everything.

  She was also grateful for the fact that Jesse had showed her how to make love. Slow and joyful was Jesse’s version of sex.

  With Michael, it had almost seemed as if he didn’t know she was even there. It was quiet and quick and left her unsatisfied. Jesse had left her both completely satisfied and wanting to make love with him again.

  Every time she saw him in the food line, or walking around Camp Care, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She felt his gaze on her, too.

  But considering what they’d shared, small talk in her food line wasn’t what she wanted now. She wanted...darn...she didn’t know what she wanted. Maybe she longed to make love with Jesse again.

  A summer fling just wasn’t for her. She decided that she wasn’t the type.

  Again, it crossed her mind that Jesse might be mad at her. Sara didn’t think so, but she never apologized to him for his being right on several counts, and she was being so stubborn.

  Jesse seemed to be the type to come right out and tell her if he was mad.

  You’ve had a lot of breaks already.

  What a stupid thing to say since Jesse had spent most of his breaks with her. He didn’t even come to their favorite spot and do yoga anymore on the grass where they’d made love.

  And she missed him.

  The next time he came through in the food line, she was going to ask Jesse to meet her at “their place”...tonight.

  * * *

  There were two more weeks left of July, and Jesse had been busy arranging for the rodeo at the end of the season. His brothers agreed to transport several bulls here and the three of them would perform an exhibition—for the staff and the wranglers.

  Jesse was going to have Bunkhouse 13 do an exhibition of horse riding. Mickey on Socks would lead the way.

  He had plans for the other bunkhouses, but he needed to work with them more.

  And he’d been so busy, he barely had time to eat and sleep and talk to Sara. He missed their yoga on the grass above the lake. Hell, he wanted to talk to her and make love with her again.

  Maybe someday Sara would really understand how she had been hovering over Mickey because of the car accident.

  Mickey was all she had, and Jesse understood why Sara acted the way she did with her son, but it wasn’t right. The boy needed to grow, needed some space, and, above all, he needed more friends.

  Jesse had told her all that, but she just got mad.

  Jesse lost his mom at a young age. When his father crawled into a liquor bottle, which he’d just recently come out of, it was like Jesse had lost him, too. Mickey lost his father to a horrific accident at a real young age. It was like Sara had lost her son. He could understand the struggle, the pain, the feeling of being lost and struggling to find balance. He got that all, but Sara needed to let Mickey grow a little, let him interact with his peers, let him live and enjoy life, and that was also exactly what she needed to do herself.

  Now, how was that evaluation from a cowboy who was trying to get a degree in animal husbandry and ranch management?

  He couldn’t take all the credit. He’d read the file inside and out on all his wranglers, but particularly Mickey.

  He checked his watch. Dinner was in a couple of hours. He was going to do some talking with his wranglers, and when he went through the line that night, he’d make arrangements to have some private time with Sara.

  After the flag-raising ceremony and the Pledge of Allegiance that morning, Bunkhouse 13 was called to dinner first because the rovers had deemed them the Honor Bunkhouse today, the neatest of them all.

  Usually, Jesse would let his wranglers go first, but he wanted some time to talk to Sara.

  “Since I nagged you wranglers to clean your areas, I think I should be at the head of the line,” he announced, then heard a chorus of objections.

  “Awww...that’s bogus!”

  “Totally bogus!”

  “But, Jesse, we did all the work!”

  Jesse laughed. “I’m the ramrod, and what I say goes! Now get behind me, and make a nice line.”

  There was more good-natured grumbling and big smiles from his wranglers who didn’t speak.

  He could see it on their faces that they wanted to join in the group that was teasing him, but nothing.

  But Jesse wasn’t going to give up. In his opinion, his nonverbal boys were on the verge of a breakthrough, and that included Mickey.
>
  The door to the chuck wagon opened, and he could see Sara at the first station. She was probably dishing out scrambled eggs.

  Their eyes met, and she smiled. That did his heart good. She was glad to see him.

  “Wranglers, give this cowboy some room.”

  There were some kissing sounds from the boys, and Jesse gave them a stern look. Mickey’s eyes twinkled. The boy knew that Jesse’s objective was to talk to his mother.

  Jesse quickly closed the distance between them.

  “Sara—”

  “Jesse—”

  “Go ahead,” Sara said.

  “Can we meet to talk?” Jesse said.

  “Absolutely. That’s just what I was going to ask you,” Sara said. “For some time.”

  “Our yoga spot? After dinner?”

  “About seven,” Sara added.

  Jesse nodded. “See you then.”

  Jesse motioned to his wranglers to go through the line, and again he was subjected to kissing noises.

  “’Bout time, Jesse.”

  “Jesse’s in love with Mickey’s mother.”

  Jesse held up a finger. “Knock it off.”

  When he looked at Mickey, the boy looked surprised, but not displeased by the idea of his ramrod with his mother.

  Talk, Mickey. Just talk.

  “Hi, sweetheart,” Sara said to Mickey, as she ladled eggs onto his plate. “You have your book, huh?”

  He nodded.

  Mickey had Black Beauty with him. He was almost done with it, and sometimes, Jesse could see his eyes beginning to water while reading some of the story.

  That touched Jesse. Mickey was in there somewhere, but he was still traumatized due to the accident. Jesse would give all the bulls and cattle on Beaumont land, if only Mickey would talk.

  How quickly he’d come to care about this little family! He really enjoyed spending time with them both and wondered if he’d found with Sara what both of his brothers had found with their wives.

  The rest of the wranglers were let in, and the noise level rose considerably. Jesse spent his breakfast eating and watching Sara.