The Cowboys Heart 1

by Helen Evans

  Chapter Six

  I spent most of the day making phone calls, getting quotes on supplies for the repairs, trying to find a cheaper but same quality distributor of animal food and hay. Grandmother had fostered good relationships with the people she did business with, but I simply couldn’t afford to use them. If I ever found new ones, I would hope the people I’m cutting ties with would understand.

  When I wasn’t on the phone, I was answering the ranch hands’ questions and staring out the window, hoping Hudson’s meeting would end early and he’d surprise me with a visit. But so far, nothing. Each hour that passed, my hope dwindled a little more. I didn’t know why, though. We’d stayed up late last night chatting on the phone, getting to know each other. Thanks to that call, I knew he’d never been married, hadn’t had a serious girlfriend in almost four years, had three younger sisters, and his parents were still happily married. I also knew he hated his brothers in law because, he thought they were lazy bums who were mooching off his sisters.

  I’d been nervous to tell him about my divorce, but he’d taken the news well, hadn’t judged. Not that I really thought he would. I mean, I wasn’t the one who’d cheated, but still, I often wondered if I had been a better wife if Phillip still would’ve strayed. I shook my head. No. I would not take the blame for his actions.

  I moved away from the window and filled the sink with warm, soapy water to wash the dinner dishes when there was a knock on the door. I dried my hands and went to answer it, but there was no one there. That was odd. There was an unmarked white envelope on the porch though. I picked it up, flipped it around. No name. No address. “Hmm.” I glanced around, hoping to see someone, but everything appeared quiet.

  Closing the door, I locked it and then opened the envelope. There was a single sheet of folded paper inside. I read it aloud. “Miss Heather, we hope you’ve changed your mind about selling us your ranch, but if not, allow us to persuade you. One million dollars. Cash. You have twenty four hours to decide. Signed, the Jennings.”

  Anger sparked inside of me, and I crumpled the paper, shoving it into the trash can. What was wrong with those men? Didn’t they understand that no meant no? I rubbed my hands up and down my bare arms to stave off the shiver I felt coming on. They’d shown up here, uninvited, vaguely threatened me, and now they were leaving ominous notes on my porch. I feared to think what other lengths they’d go to. Maybe I should tell someone. But who? My dad? I feared what he might do. I could tell Hudson. No, I didn’t want to involve him in this mess. It wasn’t his problem, and he was already doing so much to help me. I didn’t want him to think I was too needy. I suppose I could call the police, but I’m not sure what they could do knowing I hadn’t been harmed.

  Sighing, I pushed the thoughts from my mind and returned to the dishes. But my thoughts wouldn’t settle. What if the Jennings became violent? What if they attacked Jamie or me? My hands started to shake, and I dropped a plate to the floor, shattering it.

  “Damn it.” I jumped back, out of the way.

  “If you hate the dishes that much, buy new ones. You don’t have to destroy them,” Jamie said as he came in from the side door.

  “Lock that door behind you,” I said, fear still niggling at my mind. “And I’m not destroying them. I dropped it.” I gathered the broom and dustpan and cleaned up the mess.

  “So, Mom.” Jamie leaned up against the counter, hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Dean is having some guys over this weekend, and he invited me.”

  I raised a brow, a small smile tugging at my lips. “And you want to go?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I know some of the guys, and they’re cool.”

  “Okay.” I dumped the broken glass into the trash. “Who is going to be there? What will you be doing?”

  Jamie groaned and rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Darren. Brett. Chad, I think. And we’ll just be hanging out.”

  I studied him for a moment, wondering if he was telling me the truth. I hated being skeptical of my own son, but he’d lost my trust more than once, so now I had to be that mom, the one who asked too many questions, was too involved.

  “And you swear to me you’re going to be staying at Dean’s house?”

  “God.” He shoved off the counter. “Yes, Mom. I promise we’ll stay at Dean’s house. It’s not like we can go anywhere.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek to hide my victorious smile. Dean and his mother lived on a rundown farm on the other side of town. It was a good two miles to the nearest neighbor and six miles to town. None of the boys were old enough to drive, and I knew how much Jamie hated to walk anywhere. My concerns were assuaged.

  “Yeah, I don’t care if you go. You’ll ride the bus over and stay the night?”

  “It’s not a sleepover,” he grumbled.

  “Oh. So you won’t be staying the night? Then how are you getting home?”

  He scrunched up his face in annoyance and shook his head. “I’m staying the night, but it’s not a sleepover. Guys don’t have sleepovers. That’s a girl thing.”

  “Ah,” I said, nodding in understanding. “Gotcha.”

  “But yeah, I’ll ride the bus. Can you come get me on Saturday?”

  I smiled. “Just tell me what time.”

  “Cool. I’ll call and let you know.” He grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. “Thanks, Mom.” He kissed my cheek and disappeared upstairs.

  It made me feel good to know he was making friends and settling in around here. Maybe he’d stop hating me so much now if he developed some sort of social life. I hummed his favorite childhood lullaby as I finished up the evening household chores. Checking to make sure all the doors and windows were locked, I headed upstairs, intent on climbing into bed and reading for a while before falling asleep. It’d been far too long since I’d been able to really relax and enjoy a book. For the first time since my divorce and the shock of my grandmother’s death, I felt at peace, like things truly would work out.

  ***

  I stretched out on the blanket and let the sun warm my face. Today was the day I’d been waiting for – my picnic date with Hudson. We’d rode to a secluded corner of my property and set out a blanket. I’d packed enough food for a small army, but I’d been so afraid I wouldn’t pack enough or that I’d pack something he hated, so I went with the, ‘more is better’ philosophy.

  “I can see the top of the tree from the hayloft in an old barn I no longer use,” Hudson said, breaking their spell of silence.

  “Uh-oh.” She laughed. “Do I need to worry about you spying on me?”

  He grinned, his dimples tempting me with forbidden thoughts. “No, I won’t spy on you. If I want you, I’ll just come over and get you.” He winked.

  My heart raced, and I leaned closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. “Well, for what it’s worth, I won’t put up a fight.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t make it too easy on me.” Hudson put his finger under my chin and tilted my head back so I was looking at him. Then he closed the distance, pressing his lips to mine. Hesitant at first, then when I welcomed him, he was more insistent.

  Parting my lips with his tongue, he kissed me slowly, deeply. My eyes fluttered closed, and I surrendered to him, savoring every movement of his lips, every flick of his tongue over mine. He gently guided me down to my back, bringing his upper body down over mine. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him to me, afraid he’d suddenly decide to get up and leave.

  “Heather,” he sighed, resting his forehead to mine, “you’re…” Instead of finishing his thought, he kissed me again. And that was totally okay with me. I could spend all afternoon kissing him. He was so self-assured yet gentle, unlike the way Phillip used to kiss me – on the rare occasions he did. Phillip had always been so rough, wanting to mimic the things he watched in his pornographic movies whereas I wanted someone to love me, to make me feel cherished.

  Hudson broke the kiss, his breaths ragged and strained. So were mine. He rubbed his finger over my lips, smiling. “I
hope you don’t mind that I just did that.” He laughed. “Suppose I should’ve asked first, huh?”

  Asked to kiss me? Did men do that anymore? The concept seemed so foreign. “I liked it,” I whispered.

  “So did I.” He rolled onto his back, tucked his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. “It’s so peaceful out here, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. “It’s so different from the city. I’ve wondered a lot lately why I ever left here.”

  He shrugged. “We all need to find our way, and sometimes to do that, you have to explore. Nothing wrong with that.”

  I let his words roll around in my mind, realizing how poetic and true they were. “Have you ever explored? Or have you lived here all your life?”

  “I’m a homebody at heart.” He turned his head to look at me. “I’ve wondered what it’d be like to go somewhere else, start over, but this is home. I really don’t think I’d be happy anywhere else.”

  “Makes sense.” I’d always thought the city was home, too, but now I realized it wasn’t. It was just temporary, a stop along my life’s path.

  “Do you miss it?” he asked.

  “Miss what?”

  “The city?”

  “A little,” I admitted. “Sometimes I miss the hustle and bustle. I miss my friends and my normal, nine to five job.” I chuckled. “But I don’t miss all the noises in the middle of the night or constantly worrying about Jamie being out and getting into trouble.”

  “Must be a culture shock for him to go from city living to living in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of horses and cows.”

  “I’m sure it is, but I think he’s starting to adjust,” I said, the memory of our conversation last night popping into my mind. “In fact, he’s going to be with some friends Friday night if you want to do something…” I trailed off, feeling foolish for assuming he’d be excited to spend his Friday night with me.

  “Why don’t you come over to my place? I can show you around my homestead, cook you dinner,” he offered.

  “I’d love that,” I said a little too eagerly.

  “Good.”

  We fell into a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I wondered what he was thinking, and it was on the tip of my tongue to ask when he spoke.

  “Have you ever considered selling?”

  She paused, her face burning and her heart hammering so hard in her chest. “Selling the ranch?”

  “Yeah.” He rolled onto his side and propped his head in his hand. His free hand settled on her stomach. “Not to be rude, but you don’t know much about running a ranch, so I guess I’m just curious as to why you’re keeping it.”

  I sat up, causing his hand to fall from my stomach. What was with everyone around here wanting me to sell the ranch? Was there something here I didn’t know? His question unnerved me, shocked me. “Does it matter?” I finally asked my tone bitter even though I didn’t intend it to be.

  “No, of course not.” He sat up and slid his hand along the side of my neck, bringing my lips to meet his, and then he kissed me. “Can I tell you something without you thinking I’m crazy?”

  I laughed. “I guess that depends on what you want to tell me.”

  He gave me his dimple laden smile, but his eyes remained serious. “We haven’t known each other long, but I’ve really enjoyed the time we have spent together.”

  “So have I.” I smiled.

  “I think I’m falling in love with you, Heather.”

  My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I hadn’t expected him to say that, but I couldn’t deny I was starting to feel the same way. I leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”

  “You don’t?” he asked, surprised.

  I shook my head. “No, because I feel the same way about you, and I know I’m not crazy.”

  His laughter wrapped around me, made me feel safe, loved. I sighed and leaned into him as he hugged me. I never once thought I’d find another man to love after Phillip, but I had, and it was just the start of a whole new life for me and Jamie, a life I was thrilled about.

  Chapter Seven

  Hudson and I had spent every day together, growing closer and closer. Every evening when he left, he told me he loved me, kissed me deeply. We had yet to have sex, but we were certainly headed in that direction. Maybe tonight would be the night. Jamie was sleeping over at Dean’s, and I was going to Hudson’s house for dinner.

  It was eerily quiet as I put the finishing touches on my make-up and double checked my reflection in the mirror. Butterflies filled my stomach, made me nervous. Tonight was the first night Hudson and I would truly be alone. Normally, when he was here, Jamie was upstairs. Nodding at my reflection, I flipped off the bathroom light and went downstairs. When I got to the kitchen, Hudson was standing outside the door, peeking in through the window.

  I laughed and opened the door. “Hudson, what’re you doing here? I thought we were going to your place tonight.”

  “We are.” He grinned and looked me up and down. “You look fantastic, Heather.”

  I glanced down at myself. “Thanks.”

  Hudson gave my cheek a kiss. “And yes, we are going to my place, but this is a date, and a gentleman always comes to the door and picks up his woman.” His eyes sparked with mischief and… Desire? My heart tripped a few beats before pounding loudly in my ears.

  “Well, whoever said chivalry was dead was wrong.” I laughed nervously.

  “Ready?” Hudson held out his arm, and I looped my arm around his.

  “Yup.”

  We stepped outside and I froze. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He’d brought his horse, but more than that, he’d hitched a cozy little buggy to him. It was big enough to fit just the two of us. “Wow, Hudson. You didn’t have to do all of this.”

  “Nonsense.” He helped me into the carriage, and then climbed in beside me, taking the reins into his hands. “Hope you don’t mind going the long way.”

  “No, of course not.” I snuggled up next to him, resting my head on his upper arm as he led us away from the ranch. He took a scenic route around my property, down what appeared to be an abandoned dirty road, and through the back end of his land. The sun was just beginning to set, and the air was still warm. It was a perfect ride. Silent, but romantic. The scenery was gorgeous. More and more I was loving it around here, missing the city less and less.

  “Here we are,” he announced. One of his ranch hands awaited our arrival, took the reins and disappeared. Hudson took my hand and brought me inside.

  His house was a two story log cabin. A floor to length picture window took up one entire wall in the living room, while a handmade, stone fireplace took up another wall. A small fire crackled in it, giving the large room a warm, cozy feel.

  “Dinner will be about an hour. Care for some wine?”

  “I’d love some,” I said as I continued to look around. His place was amazing. For a moment, I could picture myself living here, making a home and life with him. The thought of that had my breath catching in my throat, and I had to remind myself, again, to slow down. Just enjoy what we have right now. Don’t rush for something that may or may not happen. I’d made that mistake with Phillip, rushed the relationship, got married before either of us were ready. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

  Hudson came over to stand beside me, handing me a glass of white wine. I took a drink, savoring the sweet burn. I generally preferred a nice red, but this was good, too. “That’s me and my sisters,” he said, nodding to a framed picture on the mantle. “My mother thought it would be cool to have a group photo of them in their wedding dresses and me in a tuxedo. I think she wanted to wait until I was married, too, but she got tired of waiting.” He laughed.

  I smiled and studied the picture. He and his sisters looked so much alike – all of them with the same strong jaw and dimples. “You all look so lovely.”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, I much prefer my jea
ns and cowboy boots.”

  I playfully nudged him with my shoulder, taking another sip of my wine. “So, what’s for dinner?”

  “It’s a surprise.” He took my glass from me and set it on the mantle. Then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

  Slipping my arms around his neck, I leaned into him, welcoming him and his kiss like a woman starved for attention, which is exactly how I felt. I craved him, craved the way he touched me and kissed me and looked at me. “Hudson,” I whispered, teasing his lips with my tongue.

  “Hmm?” He groaned.

  “I want to make love.” As the words left my mouth, my face burned and my heart raced. I’d always been the one to initiate sex in my marriage – I had to if I wanted the intimacy. I later learned it was because he’d been sleeping with other women, but the familiar feelings of rejection surfaced.

  Hudson jerked back as if he’d been hit. “Now?”

  I nodded and bit on my bottom lip, afraid if I spoke again, I’d be tempted to take it back and apologize profusely. Slowly, a smile spread across his face, showcasing his dimples, and lighting his eyes.

  “Don’t move.” He left the room and returned a moment later with a thick quilt. He spread it on the floor in front of the fireplace and motioned for me to join him. I slipped off my shoes and settled on the floor beside him. “Is this okay?” he asked.

  “It’s perfect.” My heart still raced, and my breath was almost non-existent.

  “Good. That’s how I want this to be. Perfect,” he whispered a second before claiming my mouth in another soft kiss. But unlike all the others, this didn’t stay soft, nor did he pull away. Instead, he guided me onto my back, and slipped his hand up the hem of my shirt. His hand was warm and rough in all the right places, a result of years of hard work. I arched into him, wanting him to keep going. His hand travelled up, his palm cupped my breast. I moaned.

  “So soft,” he muttered, moving away from my lips and kissing along my jaw, down my neck. I tilted my head to give him greater access, running my fingers through his hair. He nipped at my earlobe, and I groaned. My ears were my weakness, and if he kept it up, he’d learn that very quickly.