Wrangling the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch Book 3)

by Kennedy Fox

  “I guess,” he mumbles, entering behind me.

  I feel like I’m walking into a time capsule full of his past memories. Moving around the room, I take it all in. “I didn’t realize you won this much because you’ve acted like you weren’t a big deal. Gavin, I’m so impressed.” I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him close. “I didn’t realize I was dating a cowboy celebrity of sorts.”

  He shakes his head. “I’m not.”

  “But you are. Look at this. Wow. No wonder people try to reach out to you all the time for training and stuff.” I stand on my tiptoes and slide my mouth against his. We get lost in the kiss, in the moment, and the only thing that pulls us away is the sound of footsteps down the hallway. Not wanting to make it awkward, I create some space between us. A knock rings on the door, and it cracks open. She peeks her head inside.

  “I made pudding parfaits if you’d like some dessert,” she tells us.

  “Thanks, Mom. We’ll be right down,” he says sweetly. She slowly closes the door, and after a second, Gavin pops a brow at me and brings me back to him.

  “Right now, you’re the only thing I want for dessert,” he hums in my ear.

  “If we weren’t at your parents’ house, I’d consider it,” I admit. “But we better go downstairs before they get suspicious.”

  “This is true.” He grabs my hand and leads me to the kitchen, where we fill ourselves full of pudding and cake. It’s so good that I’m contemplating adding it to the B&B menu when I get home. Gavin and I watch TV with his parents until we nearly fall asleep. Both of us keep yawning, and eventually, we say good night, then he leads me upstairs. We fall asleep in his bedroom surrounded by all his accomplishments. To say I’m proud is an understatement.

  The next morning, we wake up to a breakfast that’s as big as the ones I serve at the B&B. We chat about the weather and Eldorado, and everything under the sun. When we’re done eating, Gavin leads me outside to the barn.

  “Want to go for a ride?” he asks.

  A smile fills my face, and I nod. “Absolutely. I would love that.”

  “Then let's catch some horses.” He grabs two lead ropes from the tack room, and I follow him out to the pasture where at least five quarter horses are grazing.

  “Choose whichever one you want. They’re all as tame as can be,” he explains.

  I walk with the rope behind my back and my hand out, the same way Kenzie and I did as kids with the trail riding horses. It works like a charm, and I snap the lead rope on the halter, then turn to Gavin.

  “Meet you at the barn,” I tell him with a hop to my step.

  By the time he walks inside, I’ve already saddled up, adjusted my stirrups, and am waiting for him.

  “Look at you! Hot as fuck!” he exclaims.

  I chuckle. “I thought for a second I was gettin’ rusty ’cause I haven’t ridden in a while, but putting on a saddle is something you never forget. It’s like riding a bike. By the way, this is a nice one.”

  “It was a prize saddle,” he explains, then points at the branding and the date burned into it.

  “You never seem to stop surprising me.” I meet his eyes, wishing he could see what I see.

  After Gavin’s ready, he gets in position, and we head down a trail that looks well-traveled. As we ride into the path that goes through the forest, I can’t help but grin the entire time. Beams of sunshine leak through the tree limbs as I follow him. Thankfully, a cold front came in over the weekend, so the weather is perfect. Eventually, we come to a clearing, and I see a giant pond with a canoe tied to a small floating dock. This is not what I expected.

  We hop off our horses and tie them to a few posts. Gavin takes my hand, and we walk toward the water. He sits, takes off his boots, and rolls up his pants before sticking his toes in the water. I follow his lead and lean my head against his shoulder as we look out at the reflection of the tall pines on the water.

  “Mom really loves you,” he says, smiling. “And I do too. I love you so damn much, Maize.”

  “I love you too, Gavin. You’re everything to me,” I admit.

  He turns and places his rough palm on my cheek, then dips down and memorizes my lips with his. Our tongues twist together, and by the time we pull apart, I’m nearly gasping for air.

  “Thanks for joining me this weekend. I know it was a big step,” he says, running his toes across the water.

  “We should visit more often. I can tell how much your parents miss and love you.” I steal another kiss.

  “You mean it? You’ll make the drive with me again?”

  “Yeah, I’d love that. Your parents have already adopted me and made me a member of the family.”

  He kisses my forehead. “Thank you.”

  After twenty minutes of enjoying the view, we put our shoes and socks back on. He stands and offers his hand. I take it, and the moment I meet his eyes, there’s not a doubt in my mind that he’s the man I’m supposed to spend my forever with.

  “One day, Maize, I’m gonna make you my wife.”

  I bite my bottom lip and smile. “That a promise, Cowboy?”

  “You better believe it, baby. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

  “Lookin’ forward to it,” I admit. He takes my hand, and we go back to the horses.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  GAVIN

  It’s been four months since Maize and I have been official. Today’s Maize’s birthday, and it’s the first time I’ll get to celebrate it with her, which means I’m going all out.

  Though she told me not to make it a big deal since she’s “only turning twenty-six,” I absolutely am. There might be ten years between us, but age is only a number. Without a doubt, I know my future involves her, and tonight, she’s going to know that.

  I was able to get off work early so I can get everything ready at my place. She’s always cooking for me and everyone else, so I’m returning the favor and plan to make her something amazing. While I’m no gourmet chef, I can follow a recipe.

  Since she loves food so much and has a thousand favorite dishes, I had to get creative. Seafood isn’t served regularly at the B&B, so I start there. She mentioned she loved shrimp when we visited my parents, so I found something I think she’ll love. Knowing her love for spicy foods, I’ve decided to make Cajun seafood pasta with homemade garlic toast. It’ll take me a good hour to cook the scallops and shrimp, so I hurry and take a shower, then get dressed beforehand. I want her to eat as soon as she gets here.

  Gavin: Dinner’s almost ready! It smells so good…can’t wait to see you.

  Though she slept over last night, and I saw her this morning at breakfast, I always miss her and want to be with her all day. It’s a sickness really—one I don’t want a cure for. With our busy work schedules, there’s never enough time.

  Maize: On the way! Had to do laundry and pack a bag since you never let me sleep at home anymore ;)

  I smile at her smart mouth, and hell, she’s right. I’m downright addicted to her body being next to mine and getting to kiss her before we start our days.

  Gavin: See you soon, baby.

  Ten minutes later, I hear the rumble of her truck and rush to the door. I open it and go down the steps to meet her before she gets out.

  “Allow me,” I say, opening her door.

  She takes my hand. “Ooh, well thank you. What a gentleman.”

  “Only the best for my lady.” I tilt my hat and press a kiss to her soft lips.

  She giggles, then I grab her duffel. Taking her hand, I lead her into the house and set down her bag.

  “Wow, you weren’t wrong. It smells amazing in here.” She lifts her nose and inhales. “Seafood for sure.”

  Reaching the oven, I take out the skillet, and her eyes widen.

  “You made this?”

  “Don’t sound so surprised.” I scoff. “I can cook. You just never let me.” After setting the pasta on the stovetop, I remove the garlic bread.

  “If it tastes as go
od as it smells, I’ll gladly put you in charge of the kitchen from now on.” She grins, eyeing everything.

  “Not sure I’d go that far. This took a lot of planning. I honestly don’t know how you make three meals a day for so many people.”

  “Lots of practice and prepping ahead of time,” she responds effortlessly. “Also helps that I have help.”

  “Now, I didn’t make dessert because I’m only so capable in the kitchen, but I did get Grandma Bishop to bake a cake for you.”

  “You didn’t!” She gasps when I uncover it. “My favorite! German chocolate cake with chocolate mousse.”

  I chuckle at how adorably excited she is. “Of course.”

  She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down for a kiss. “That was really thoughtful. I haven’t had that in years. Thank you.”

  “Anything for my love.” Lowering my hands to her ass, I squeeze with a smirk. “You look beautiful, birthday girl. I love it when you wear easy-access dresses for me.”

  Maize snorts. “Let’s see how good this meal is first before you get any ideas.”

  The table is set, and I pull out a chair for her to sit so I can serve her. Once our plates and wineglasses are full, we dive in, and I swear she’s seconds away from an orgasm when she takes her first bite.

  “Holy God, this is incredible,” she moans around a forkful. Before she even swallows, she takes another bite, inhaling it. “I’m gonna need this recipe. My parents would lose their minds over this.”

  I don’t admit that I’ve already spoken to her parents and told them what I was cooking. They’re anxiously waiting to hear all about how tonight goes.

  “Glad it turned out good,” I agree. “Don’t forget the garlic bread. I made that baby from scratch.”

  She grins, putting a piece in her mouth. “Mmm…so good.”

  “Did you have a good shift?” I ask when we’re almost finished eating. Though we text nonstop, I always like hearing her talk about her day.

  “Yeah, I did. My dad surprised me with flowers and balloons, as usual. My mom wrote me the sweetest card that made both of us cry. Kenzie bought me something that I’m currently wearing under this dress…” She waggles her brows. “And a few of the guests sang me ‘Happy Birthday.’”

  “Wow, sounds awesome.”

  “And now I’m ending it on a high note and get to be with the man I love.” She gives me a sweet grin, and I can’t stop the burst of happiness that radiates through me.

  After we finish eating, I take the opportunity to do what I’ve been anxious about for the past month.

  “What would you think about spending every birthday night with me?”

  “What do you mean?” She tilts her head in confusion.

  “And all my birthdays too,” I add.

  “Well, of course.” She licks her lips.

  “Forever?” I ask.

  She furrows her brows in confusion. Deciding it’s now or never, I stand and pull the velvet box from my pocket, then kneel in front of her.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” She turns her body to face me.

  “I have a special gift for you—well, two actually—but the most important one is this.” I open the box so she can see the diamond I picked out for her.

  “Oh my God…” she whispers barely over a breath as her eyes zero in on it.

  “I’m not looking for a girlfriend, Maize. I don’t need to date you any longer to know you’re the one for me. I want to fall asleep with you every night and wake up to you every morning. I’m ready to settle down and start a life with the woman I’m madly in love with. I want forever with you, baby. Now the question is if you’re ready for that too.”

  Maize licks her lips, her eyes catching mine for a split second before she looks back down at the ring.

  “I love you so much, Maize. Will you marry me?”

  Her hands fly to her mouth as tears spill from her eyes. She nods furiously. “Yes! Yes, I will marry you.”

  Her arms quickly swing around me, and she buries her face in my neck. I capture her to my chest and squeeze her tightly as my emotions start to boil over.

  “I love you,” she tells me, cupping my face, then kissing me. “I can’t believe you just proposed!” She’s half-laughing, half-crying, which causes me to chuckle.

  “I have something else for you, sweetheart.” I dig into my other pocket and pull it out. “This key is hypothetical since you already have a key to my place, but it’s a promise.”

  She takes it from me and squints. “A promise for what?”

  “A promise to build us a house with your dream kitchen so you have all the counter space and top-of-the-line appliances you want. But really, it’s a token that I’ll provide for you and our family, as well as support any goal you have in life. I know you want to stay close to your family and work, and your dad’s already helped me scope the land for us to build on.”

  Tears fall down her cheeks as she looks at me with awe. “I honestly can’t believe this is happening. It seems too good to be true.”

  I brush the pad of my thumb under her eye. “I know what I want, Maize. And that’s you. Since the moment we met, you’re all I’ve thought about. I’ve told myself that if I had the chance to be yours, I’d do anything in my power to make you happy.”

  “I love you with all my heart, Gavin. You make me happy.” She leans into my palm, and I kiss her once more.

  “Good.” I grin. “Wanna put on the ring?”

  Her eyes light up as if she forgot about it. “Yes! Oh my God, it’s so beautiful.”

  I slide it onto her left ring finger, and our emotions get the best of us.

  “I hate to ask, but…” She lingers on her words for a beat until our eyes connect. “You didn’t happen to ask my father, did you? I know it’s kinda lame in this age, but my family is—”

  “Traditional, I know,” I interject. “And yes, of course I did. I’m sure your mother’s pacing the living room waiting for your call.”

  Maize bursts out laughing and grabs her phone. “You’re probably right. Let’s quickly FaceTime them so we can dive into that cake!”

  Seeing Maize this happy is all I’ve ever wanted, and I’m not sure I could ever come down from this high. I knew it was risky to propose only months into us dating, but I’ve loved her much longer than that. I don’t want to waste any more time. When I spoke with her parents, they were shockingly supportive. Mila cried and John gave me a bear hug, which was hilarious considering I tower over him. But I’m damn glad I’ll be a part of the Bishop family now, even more so that Maize will be my wife.

  “Alright, you crazy kids, you have a great rest of your night,” Mila says with a knowing grin.

  John takes the phone and looks directly at me. “Remember what we talked about, son?”

  “Of course, sir.”

  He nods. “Good. Go have fun celebrating now. I have Sandra and Jane lined up in the kitchen tomorrow.”

  “Thank you. I love you guys,” Maize tells them before hanging up. “Wow, we get to sleep in tomorrow? When’s the last time that’s ever happened?” she teases.

  “Oh, don’t be getting any ideas, future Mrs. Fox…” I pull her into my arms. “There’ll be minimal sleeping happening tonight.”

  “Hmm…Mrs. Fox,” she tries it out. “Or you could take my last name and be Gavin Bishop.” She quirks a brow. “Or we could hyphenate?”

  “Not to sound biblical, but my wife is taking my name. If you wanna hyphenate, that’s fine, but Maize Fox sounds sexy.” I squeeze her harder.

  “Okay, Mr. Arrogant.” She rolls her eyes but laughs. “Bishop-Fox would be a mouthful.”

  “It would. Plus…” I lower my lips to her ear. “I can think of other things to fill that mouth of yours.”

  As soon as the words leave my mouth, Maize’s lips crash against mine. “Naked now, cake later.”

  “Fuck yes,” I growl, scooping her into my arms and carrying her to my room.

  “In my bed, tangled in my sheets,
naked underneath me…” I whisper against her mouth.

  “Forever,” she says in return.

  We rush to strip off our clothes and jump under the covers. My cock is so hard, but I need to taste her first. I slide between her thighs as they wrap around my shoulders, giving me full access to her sweet pussy. She fists her fingers in my hair, which I love, and I suck her throbbing clit between my lips.

  “Yes, right there,” she hums, tilting up her hips.

  The best part about being in love with someone is how much better the sex is. When those feelings started to surface with Maize, I knew what we shared was special. I didn’t want to acknowledge the void I felt before I retired, but it started to fill again when Maize entered my life. She’s the woman I’m meant to be with.

  I make love to my fiancée all night long. From the bed to the shower to the kitchen, and when we finally make it back to bed again, we pass out in each other’s arms. Everything’s perfect, and if someone had told me a year ago that I would be engaged to Maize, I wouldn’t have believed it.

  Goes to show what can happen when you don’t give up and keep fighting for the one you love. It’s even sweeter when the feelings are mutual, and her stubborn ass finally admits she wants to wrangle you in.

  But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Epilogue

  GAVIN

  ONE YEAR LATER

  “Did you turn on the heat?” Maize calls from the kitchen as I take care of our laundry in the living room.

  “No,” I answer with a chuckle.

  I’m folding clothes while watching the football game, but Maize’s hot flashes have me cracking up, especially in the middle of November.

  “God. Why’s it so hot in here?” She comes into view, and I nearly burst out laughing when I see she’s taken off her pants and shirt.

  Meanwhile, I’m in joggers and a sweatshirt since she’s turned on the air conditioner.