My Virgin Cowboy

by Sade Rena

  I reach the vehicle and pull my gloves on before gripping one end of it. “These go to the kitchen. We need to remove the old ones and replace them with this.”

  Denton, Wes, and Zack nod in unison, and each grab a corner so we can move the polished wood inside. We get both pieces in and begin demolishing the current fixture. While Denton and I work on that, Zack and Wes measure the walls, so Chance knows how to cut the material.

  We spray cork softener on the adhesive holding the old laminate surface in place. It’ll take about an hour for it to work, so to keep the project moving, we each commandeer a wall to complete while we wait.

  It doesn’t take long to catch a groove and move through the day. The guys install the shiplap, leaving the backsplash to be dressed in subway tile. Shortly after, Denton helps me detach the old counter and clean the frame for the new surface. We focus on this for the next four hours, placing the white oak design and making sure it fits.

  I step back to examine our work and be sure nothing seems off about it. Satisfied, I dust off the shiny new fixture and jump back in on the wall project. The guys secure the last panel in the kitchen and are on their way to the living area. I fall in line, picking up where they left off, only stopping if I need to re-cut something to a precise measurement.

  Before long, I glance up from setting the last piece of matte white shiplap and see we’re almost finished. The only thing left to do is caulk around the baseboards and molding. I step back and admire our hard work. I wasn’t sure if we could do it, but it’s looking like we did. Checking my watch, I notice we did so with an hour to spare. That’s the fastest I’ve ever completed a build, but I’m sure it’s only possible because of my boys. This was a multi-day job, and they helped make it happen.

  “All right, I finished sealing the counter,” Denton says from the center of the kitchen while wiping his hand on a cloth.

  “That’s good. We’re knocking out this caulking, then we’re good to go,” I reply.

  He nods. “Let me in on it.”

  “You must really like this girl,” Wes says as he works.

  “Hell yeah, he does,” Chance chimes in.

  “How far along is this thing you have with her?” Wes asks.

  “We’ve been hanging out for a few months-”

  “They’ve been more than hanging out,” Chance interrupts.

  “Get out of here,” Wes screeches. “She gave you another chance after what happened the first time?”

  I don’t respond.

  “Okay, so, we’re here putting in all this work. Does that mean you made it through this time?” Wes adds with his shoulder up around his ears.

  I nod.

  “How do you think you did?” Zack slaps me on the shoulder.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure,” I shrug.

  “What do you mean, you ain’t sure? Did you get to the finish line or what?”

  “Yes, we were together,” I snap.

  Wes and Chance mock me, and I suck my teeth at them. These two—always joking about something.

  “We were together,” Wes repeats. “Ya fucked, Parker, get out of here with all that proper shit.”

  “That’s because his girl is a writer. All that grammatical mess comes from her.”

  “Oh, whatever. I’ve never even read any of her work.”

  “Can you idiots get back to work and stop talking about my wife’s friend?” Denton adds.

  Chance restarts his work but continues talking. “We’re just glad our boy finally lost that card.”

  Denton shakes his head.

  “What?” Chance quizzes. “You know, like we do, there’s no logical reason for a twenty-five-year-old man to be a virgin still. It’s been time.”

  “The boy ain’t got to be whoring like you,” Denton barks.

  “I ain’t no whore.”

  “Yes, you are,” the rest of us say at once.

  “I’m just really good at sharing. My momma told me it’s caring,” Chance beams.

  “Bullshit. My momma ain’t ever say anything about passing around cock,” Wes snaps.

  Chance waves us off.

  “Why aren’t you sure?” Zack asks me while caulking the right wall.

  I shrug. “She seemed to enjoy it, but I keep wondering if she really did? And since we’ve gone there, it’s like the chemistry we have intensified. I just want to make sure she always has a great time with me,” I shrug and keep to my work.

  “I told you the other day,” Denton adds. “All you can do is pay attention to what she likes. You will never always satisfy her. There will be times when you come quickly or be too drunk to keep up. It happens. But if you know what makes her tick, then all the other times when you are on your game, she’ll love you. Every woman likes different things and needs to be touched in a way that fits them. Figure out what Renee likes and go with that. She’ll tell you what she wants, even if not with words.”

  Zack points to my brother over his shoulder. “See, he would know. He’s married.”

  Denton’s shoulders shake from laughter. “It’s ain’t about being married. It’s about being a good lover. When you’re married, it’s better, you’re more comfortable, and the trust is there. But any woman you involve yourself with deserves to be pleased too.”

  I tune out the rest of the conversation and let his words sink in. I trust my brother and his knowledge of how to be with someone. My friends always try to give advice, but neither of them has had real successful relationships in the past. So if I listen to anyone, it’ll be him.

  With the five of us together, we get the caulking done in no time. I’m standing on a ladder, installing a brand new chandelier just seconds before my phone rings, stealing our attention. I stroll over to retrieve it from my bag and see a text.

  Renee- Hey, how’s it going over there? We’re getting ready to leave. Should be there in forty-five minutes.

  Me- Okay.

  “That was Renee. She and Leah are forty-five minutes away,” I say to the room. “Let’s try to get all this packed up.”

  With as much diligence as we had earlier, we make haste at clearing everything. We throw out any trash, break down our equipment, and reload the trucks.

  I slam the back door on Chance’s pickup before walking around to the driver’s side window.

  “Is that everything?” he asks.

  “Yeah, that’s it. Listen, thank y’all for helping out, it means a lot.”

  “You know we got you. I talk a lot of junk, but whenever you need me, I’m down. Besides, I kinda like her for you, so it was no problem helping you impress her,” he teases.

  I suck my teeth. “I’m not trying to impress her.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Chance shifts into gear and pulls out of the drive behind everyone else.

  I wave them off, and they each honk their horns in response. My phone dings again, stopping me in my tracks. It’s Renee, telling me she’s five minutes out. I rush inside and grab the broom, doing one last sweep to get rid of any remaining sawdust or residual particles. After I clean the floor and wipe down the cabinets, I close the windows we opened earlier to air the space out.

  As I reach for the broom to return it to the kitchen, the front door flies open.

  “Hey.” Renee ejects her key and hangs it on the hook. “I didn’t think you would still be here,” she says.

  I smile at the sight of her. She doesn’t acknowledge my reaction; instead, her gaze travels around the room. Her mouth gapes open as she enters further into her home. She turns as she moves, admiring every corner of the living room.

  “Parker!” She pauses and faces me. “I can’t believe you finished all this today.” She looks over her shoulder and turns toward the kitchen.

  Thanks to the new open floor plan, I can watch her reaction from where I stand. My chest fills with pride in her excitement. To be the reason she’s sporting such a happy grin gives me so much confidence. I’m glad to be the one to do this for her.

  “Oh, my God.” Her hands g
o to her cheeks. “This is amazing.” She shakes her head in disbelief and trails her touch along her new walls.

  “You like it?” I ask.

  “Are you freaking serious? I love it. Look at the backsplash,” she says and rushes forward to examine that as well.

  “Great.” Really, Parker, that’s all you have to say is great?

  I walk over to where she stands, eager to be near her. Her back is to me, but she twirls the moment I’m close.

  She sighs, and her eyes soften when she stares at me. “Thank you. Everything came together perfectly. I wasn’t sure I could picture your vision, but-” she glances around. “You did a damn good job. How did you pull this off so fast?

  “I dragged Denton and a few of my friends into it with me. It was five of us.”

  “Wow. Please express my gratitude to them.”

  “Sure, darlin’.”

  She continues to survey the remodel with me strolling behind her. “I wanted to paint upstairs and change the floor in your bathroom, but we ran out of time.”

  “You guys did enough. I can figure the rest out later. When did they leave?”

  “A few minutes ago. I wanted to make sure I cleaned everything up for you first, so I stayed behind.”

  She stares at me with appreciation lining her eyes. “You didn’t have to do that,” she says as she inches closer to me.

  I meet her halfway. “I wanted to.”

  She’s in my space now, so close I can smell her perfume, a scent I’ve grown to love. Renee looks up, her eyes bulging from her head.

  “The chandelier,” she coos. “You know, I was just going to put up a regular ole lightbulb and call it quits,” she adds and wraps her arms around my waist.

  I chuckle. “And now I’m glad I decided to get it even though you told me not to. We don’t need another broken fixture, darlin’.”

  “When did you have time to get it?” She continues looking around. “Everything is just so beautiful.”

  “I brought it during our first trip to the hardware store.”

  Her chest puffs out as she realizes what I mean. “That’s why you were adamant about me, not loading or unloading the truck. You little sneak.” She smiles.

  I smirk. “Well, you were so devastated when yours fell, I couldn’t resist it. I wanted to surprise you.”

  “Why are you so sweet to me?” she asks, but I’m unsure by her tone if she wanted a legit answer.

  I stroke her shoulders. “I like you.” My eyes find hers, and warmth floods me.

  “You’re not alone in that.” Her voice is low, and her breaths short.

  “Good.” I cup her cheek and lean in to kiss her. “I want to ask you something?”

  “What’s that?” Renee stands on her toes, helping to bridge the small distance between us.

  “You were supposed to be unlocking the door and coming back out to help me carry this stuff-” Leah burst in from outside, complaining but stops when she sees us. “Oh,” she clears her throat.

  I sigh, my back buckling in disappointment. “Hey, Leah.”

  “Hi, Parker,” she singsongs.

  Renee’s brows knit together. “I’m sorry. Leah’s staying over tonight. We’re making it a girls’ night; pig out on food and clean behind you guys.” Her tone is apologetic.

  I nod and swallow. “It’s fine. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I lean forward and kiss her cheek, not sure if I should show my affection in front of my sister-in-law.

  Renee walks me out to my truck. I can sense she doesn’t want me to leave, and neither do I. A part of me wants to ask Leah to go so I can be alone with her. But I wouldn’t want to interfere with whatever plans they have. I hop in my truck and roll the window down so I can talk to her.

  “I suspect we won’t see each other again until the fair in a couple of days?” she asks.

  “Yeah, I’ll be working late getting everything together. And with the few cows that got hurt the other day, I’ll be trying to make sure they’re okay to take part.”

  She nods in response.

  “Hey,” I say.

  She answers me with raised brows.

  “You can kiss me now,” I flirt.

  Renee smiles and licks her lips before sticking her head through the driver’s side window. I claim her mouth with mine, stroking behind her ear. I love touching her and hearing the soft moans she makes when I do. I break our embrace, not wanting to keep her too long.

  “Aye. Wait.” I dig in my pocket for the spare key she dropped off earlier before she met up with Leah. “Here.”

  I place it in her palm and wrap my hand around hers.

  “Have a good night, Darlin,” I add, releasing her.

  She taps the roof of my pickup. “You too.”

  I wait for Renee to retreat to her porch and don’t drive away until she’s inside.

  “Damn it, Leah,” I huff as I drive home disappointed.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Parker

  My phone flashing on the other side of the room grabs my attention. I shut off the drill and set it down. Pushing out a deep breath, I remove my protective goggles and earplugs, putting them down beside my tools. I yank my gloves off and stroll over to see who’s messaging me. The hairs on my arms rise when Renee’s name flashes on the screen.

  Renee: What are you doing?

  Me: In my shop working? You?

  Renee: Have you eaten?

  Me: Not since breakfast. I’ll grab something once I’m done.

  I wait for her reply, but after a few minutes, I give up.

  “That’s it,” I say to myself.

  Renee never responds, and while I am curious, I resume my task. I’ve been working on this project on and off for a few weeks, and now that I’ve finished the most critical work on her home, I can focus on this.

  It’s late in the evening, and everyone has either gone home or are tucked away in the bunkhouse. This is how I like it. Quiet with nothing but the evening breeze and lingering moans of our herd. My shop isn’t too far from the stables and the rest of the farm, but far enough away that I have some solidarity.

  Most of the time, I wait until everyone leaves—sort of like tonight. There’s only me, my music, and equipment. It’s here where I created the plans for every building we have, even the projects I completed for the townsfolk.

  Dust flies as I slice into the wood and cut it to my desired size. I pick up a second slab and trim it to match the other. The island is almost complete and will be the perfect addition to the kitchen.

  I grunt when I lift the first piece to carry over near the rest of the build. I line it up, marking where the nails will go. As my music plays, I continue working, getting lost in the process. Seconds turn into minutes, and before I know it, time’s gotten away from me. This always happens anytime I dive into constructing something. Life ceases to exist, and I become one with my work.

  I’m placing the top tier of the island when I spot movement near the exit. I adjust my focus, narrowing in on the person in front of me. I smile and pause my music with my phone.

  She speaks and enters my workshop.

  I remove my earplugs. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you. What are you doing here?”

  Her hand lingers on the frame of the large barn door. “I had to bring Leah the charger she left at my house last night. And since you haven’t eaten, I figured I’d stop by Nikki’s.” She holds out a bag.

  I pause and gaze at her while trying to wrap my mind around her gesture. Why is she so good to me? She inches closer, peering at me.

  “Thank you.”

  She approaches me with a smile that reaches her eyes. “It’s never a problem.”

  Renee puts the bag in front of me. I rip off my gloves to wash my hand in the sink in the far corner. She’s peeling the plastic handles apart and digging out a Styrofoam container when I return. I stand behind her with a paper towel clutched in my grasp and wait to see what she brought me. I have an idea of what it is. She’s attentive that way, somehow remember
ing things about me.

  “A two-meat combo, mustard greens, baked beans and two pieces of cornbread,” I beam.

  She grins and passes me a fork. I accept it with no hesitation. My stomach was fine until this moment, but as soon as the aroma of Nikki’s special fills my lungs, it rumbles.

  “Sounds like I’m right on time,” she teases.

  I chuckle. “Where’s yours?”

  “I ate earlier.”

  I trace her features with my eyes before taking a bit and savoring the taste.

  “Mm... mm... mm.”

  “That good, huh?”

  All I can do is nod. Nikki’s is a staple in my diet, and no matter how many times I’ve eaten there, it never gets old. I continue to eat, still unable to respond to her question. She watches me, yet periodically darting her sights around the room. I realize she’s never been here before. The last time she visited, we didn’t make it past the stables.

  “So, this is where the magic happens?” she asks.

  I swallow. “Pretty much,” I answer and wipe my mouth with the paper towel.

  She nods with her brows raised. “What’s this?” She touches my current work in progress.

  I breathe in deep. “It’s an island. I plan to put it in the house when I finish.”

  Renee runs her finger along the unpolished surface. “It’s beautiful.” She stares at me.

  “Glad you like it.”

  “I swear, you’re a talented man.” She clasps her hands together.

  I continue to eat as she looks around. To see how interested she is in my work—in me—makes me proud. Her back is to me as she checks out the tools hanging on the wall.

  I watch her, my gaze tracing her arms down to the curve in her hips before zoning in on her bare legs. Her flowing skirt sits perfectly on her body, and I can’t tear my eyes away. My breath hitches and I swallow to push back the thought of how soft her skin looks.

  “Come take a bite,” I say after a beat.

  She turns, finding me holding out a fork full of greens in her direction. I expect her to fight my offer, but she doesn’t. In only seconds, she’s at my side with her mouth open to me. I stare at her lips as a chill travels my spine. Her eyes close while she waits for me to feed her. This is what I wanted. The reason she’s standing next to me. So why am I frozen like a deer in headlights? Why is my heart pounding so loud I hear it?