by Becky McGraw
No wonder his grandpa hadn't left him any money from his huge estate, if he knew how Jake went through money like water, and knew what a low life he was. Maybe the man wasn't so crazy after all. Jake was the one who had called him crazy, which could explain things, Karlie thought.
Tommy cleared his throat and asked Karlie, "So, does this mean I'm losing my cutting horse trainer?"
Karlie hadn't even thought about her job here, and how today's events would affect it. She liked it here, but Bowie felt more like home to her, and that was where Gabe was. The people there had welcomed her with open arms and seemed to care about her. She'd only left because she was afraid of Jake. Although she was still afraid, she felt better now that her sister was not with him, and since Gabe had warned him off.
But did she feel safe enough to go back now?
Karlie felt Gabe's arm drop on her shoulders and he squeezed, then looked down in her eyes with questions there too. Indecision warred inside of her, and she knew her decision would affect more than just this moment...it could affect her whole life. If she stayed here at the Rockin' D, that would mean she and Gabe were probably done. That was something she couldn't face, so she nodded then said, "Yeah, I'm sorry, Tommy...I have to go back to Bowie now."
Disappointment shown on his face, but he nodded too. Tommy wasn't happy with her, and she couldn't blame him. "I'm sorry if that comes off as flighty, and if I'm leaving you in the lurch," she looked into Gabe's blue eyes for encouragement and found happiness, along with something indefinable there. "I shouldn't have ever left in the first place...I was just scared," she said then looked back at Tommy. Sitting beside him, her sister's expression matched Tommy's, disappointment and almost anger.
A sudden thought occurred to her and she asked Katie, "What are your plans now, sis?"
"Well, since you left me in the lurch too, I've decided it's time for me to hang up my spurs. It's not the same without you, and if I'm not going to be able to find a partner as good, I don't want to do it, just to do it. I want to win, and without you that's not happening. Barrel racing is just a side gig for me...not worth staying for."
"I truly am sorry, Katie. I should have told you what was going on with Jake, but I was scared he'd hurt you too...he said as much. I had to leave because of him, but once I was out of that rat race, I realized I'm over it. We've had a good run, but it's time to look at other options."
Kate nodded, but didn't smile, and then Karlie asked her, "You raised Laramie from a colt, and trained him, why don't you talk to Tommy about training his cutting stock?" she suggested then gave her sister a cocky grin, "You're almost as good as me."
Besides, she thought, Karlie noticed the sparks going on between Tommy and her sister and she knew Katie wouldn't explore them unless she was forced to. More importantly, she could probably help him with Dixie, much better than Karlie could. The 'wild child' helping the 'wild child' would never work. But Katie was used to dealing with someone just like Dixie...Karlie.
Katie snorted then said, "Almost, huh? Laramie could out-corner JoJo with his eyes closed."
"I don't think so, sister mine...but you can think what you like, darlin'," she grinned and tilted her chin up.
"Well, I've had offers for him that were higher than you've gotten for JoJo, so he must be doing something right, huh?" Katie countered with a smug smile.
It was true, she'd gotten an astronomical offer for Laramie and had refused to sell him. Maybe she could contact that buyer now, and get seed money to start her own cutting horse farm. Her sister had a lot of options now that she'd decided to retire from the rodeo, as did Karlie.
"You're talking money, and I'm talking proof's in the pudding performance, baby," Karlie told her sassily, just to aggravate her. "That guy knew I wasn't gonna sell him JoJo...he said as much...so what if he was a prince. Besides, he wanted to convert him to a polo pony. That was ridiculous, and I told him that. I think I might have insulted him."
"Naaaah, you insult someone? That is what's ridiculous, sugar." Gabe hooted then slapped his thigh and leaned back laughing. Karlie elbowed him in the gut and he let out an oomph, then sat up again.
Katie chuckled, then started laughing, and Tommy did too. Karlie saw her sister put her hand on Tommy's knee and watched him look down at it in amazement then over at Katie. It was an unconscious gesture, Karlie knew, but so telling. "So, you gonna ask him Katie? You say you're always cleaning up behind me anyway, so why not take my place here?"
Shyly, Kate glanced up into Tommy's eyes and asked, "You need me to clean up her mess?"
He nodded then told her, "I'd love to hire you to take her place, if you're interested."
"Okay, that's settled then," Katie told him then grinned, before adding with a put-upon sigh, "Another Karlie disaster averted. Looks like you're off the hook, sis."
Karlie got up and went over to her sister, then pulled her into a big hug, saying against her shoulder, "I'm so glad you're okay, Katie...thank you for helping."
"That's what good twin sisters do when badass twin sisters get into trouble. I love you, Karlie," she told her with humor and affection in her eyes, when Karlie stepped back from her.
"Look, I'm older than you and can still kick your ass, don't be getting smart..." Karlie told her in a choked voice then added, "I love you too."
Gabe stood up and walked up behind her to say, "Well, if this love fest is over...we probably should be heading home," he said then kissed the side of Karlie's hair. Cole already has a head start on us...I told him to go ahead in the patrol car, that I'd ride with you."
"Won't matter, we'll be in Freddie," she said haughtily. "We'll catch up..."
"Hell no we won't, because I'm driving," he told her flatly and held out his hand. She pursed her lips then reached in her pocket and handed him the keys.
Katie let out a guffaw and then belly laughed. "Never thought I'd see the day," she said and hooted again. "Oh, god, you must have met your match, sugar, to hand over Freddie on command."
Karlie snorted, which made Gabe laugh and then they were all laughing again. It felt good to laugh again, it had been a long time since she'd had a reason, Karlie thought. Meeting Gabe had brought back that laughter. She sobered and then tiptoed to kiss his cheek and tell him, "Thanks for taking care of Jake, darlin'."
Turning to Tommy, she walked over there and kissed his cheek, "And thank you for hiring me, and helping today. My sister will do a good job for you and Dixie...I'll say goodbye to Dixie on my way out. I'm going to miss her."
"She'll miss you too, I think she sees a lot of herself in you," Tommy told her with a chuckle then invited, "You come visit anytime you want, sugar. You're welcome here."
"Thanks, Tommy...take care of my sister," Karlie told him with her eyes burning, then waggled her fingers at them, before turning to walk toward the front door with Gabe.
"You still have to pack your suitcase, don't you?" he asked when they got to the door.
"I never took it out of Freddie's trunk, in case I had to leave fast. I just filled up an overnight bag," she told him and patted the small bag she had over her shoulder.
Once outside, they walked around back of the house and hopped in a golf cart to head to the round pen, where she'd seen Dixie and Sarge. Karlie knew this conversation with Dixie wasn't going to be easy, but she was going to try to make her understand.
"Hey, sugar, Sarge in a better mood now?" Karlie asked her and slid out of the cart. Gabe stayed in the cart giving her room to talk to the little girl. She was thankful he had that insight.
"I think so, yeah...seems to be," she smiled and told Karlie, then pulled his leash to get him to quit sniffing horse hoof clippings. Dogs loved those, Karlie knew. "I need to talk to you, Dixie..." she told her and squatted down to pet Sarge.
"Oh, Lord...am I in trouble again?" Dixie asked with a little snort.
Karlie gave a snort of her own, a
nd she heard Gabe chuckle behind her, then she looked into Dixie's eyes and told her, "No, you're not in trouble...I wanted to tell you goodbye." Karlie figured she might as well come out and say it, nothing she did was going to make it easier after all.
Dixie's eyes teared up and she said in a whisper, "You're leaving?"
"I have to go back to Bowie, where I was before I came here...but guess what?" she said and forcing excitement into her tone.
Dixie raised an eyebrow, and asked suspiciously, "What?"
"You met my twin sister, Katie right? She's going to stay at the Rockin' D and train your daddy's horses. She' as good as I am at it, and I'm sure she'll let you help, and teach you to rope too. We were roping partners in the rodeo."
"She's not as much fun as you though...she's too serious," Dixie told her and her little lip poked out, then she looked down at Sarge and a tear tracked down her cheek, "Your taking Sarge with you aren't you?"
"Yeah, he's going with me, but I promise we'll be back to visit you and my sister a lot. Bowie isn't very far away...and maybe your daddy will let you come visit me there too. My friend Cassie owns a horse farm in Bowie, and teaches little girls like you lessons."
"I don't want you to leave...we're friends," Dixie told her and looked into her eyes. What Karlie saw made her cringe, the same disappointment she'd just left inside with Tommy and Katie...and hurt.
Dammit, Karlie never intended to hurt the little girl, but she had. Grabbing Dixie into her arms, she hugged her tightly, while Dixie put her arms around her neck and cried. Karlie wound up crying herself, then sniffed, before pushing Dixie back from her. "We're still friends, sugar. My sister has my phone number, and if you ever need me, or just want to talk, you give me a call, okay?"
Dixie held out Sarge's leash to her, with fresh tears in her eyes, then fell to her knees and hugged his neck, while he licked her face. She'd have to talk to Tommy and see if he'd get Dixie a dog. It wasn't her business, but it was obvious she needed one to help her find an object for her affection, and to teach her responsibility. Listen to her, Karlie thought, talking about responsibility, it was a first for sure.
With a kiss to Dixie's cheek, she took Sarge and loaded him into the cart beside Gabe, then she went to the barn to get her tack. When she came back, she loaded it in the back seat of the cart then sat behind the wheel. Gabe's eyes were filled with sympathy and compassion, and he rubbed her back, as she turned the cart back toward the house.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When they pulled into Bowie, it was nearly ten o'clock, and Karlie had her head back against the seat sleeping. Gabe didn't wake her up, he just drove to his new cabin and pulled Freddie up under a tree, beside his Camaro.
After letting Sarge out of the back seat, Gabe pointed him to a grassy spot to do his business, then walked to Karlie's door and opened it. Leaning inside, he picked her up in his arms and kicked the door shut, before he carried her to the front porch. She didn't wake up, which meant she was probably mentally and physically exhausted from today. She'd been through a lot for sure.
The automatic porch light was on, and Gabe fished in his pockets for the key Luke had given him. He hadn't had time to attach it to his car keys yet. Inside, he flipped on a light, then groaned when he saw the boxes he'd left scattered all over, exactly where he left them. The magic unpacking elves hadn't decided to pay him a visit. At least he'd set up his bed already, had even slept in it two nights. Carefully picking his way through the minefield of boxes, Gabe carried Karlie into his bedroom and laid her on the bed, then took off her boots. She stirred and snuggled her face into a pillow, but still didn't wake up.
Gabe went back out and called Sarge inside, then locked the door and turned out all the lights. He was tired too, and just wanted about ten hours of uninterrupted sleep. He had to be at the station tomorrow, but he was sure Cole wouldn't give him a hard time if he was late a few hours. He went into the bathroom and took a quick shower, then walked back into the bedroom and crawled into the bed behind Karlie. Gabe's heart was beating ninety miles an hour and his hands shook, when he pulled her back against him. When her soft curves molded to his body, he stifled a needy moan, as his body instantly responded.
Sliding an arm over her waist, he snuggled his face into her hair and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Honeysuckles swept over his senses, and he knew he in for a long night, but he wasn't about to wake her up. Karlie needed holding tonight, and that's what he planned to do...until she wiggled her butt against him and he went instantly rock hard.
Karlie put her hand over his at her waist and shoved it down to cover her mons, then sucked in a sharp breath. Gabe was a goner, and pushed her hair aside to kiss his way down her throat then back up to nip her earlobe, and whisper there, "You sure, baby...I know you're tired, I just wanted to hold you."
Her answer was another wiggle of her backside against him and a moan, before she turned in his arms and sealed her lips over his in a fiery kiss. When she eased her long leg over his hip and pressed herself against him, rocking her hips against his erection, Gabe groaned and pulled her closer.
"I want you inside of me, Gabe...I've waited long enough," she said in a sleepy whisper by his lips.
"Not so fast, baby...I'm doing this right," Gabe told her then gently pushed her shoulders to the mattress, before unbuttoning her shirt. He kissed her throat, then worked his way down the valley between her breasts as he loosened each button. When he got to the clasp on her bra, he grabbed it in his teeth, then tongued it open. Karlie pushed her hands into his hair and moaned, as he moved down the row of buttons, kissing her soft skin as each one slipped loose.
Working his way down to her navel where they stopped, he pulled the ends open, and ran his gaze up the expanse he'd uncovered, seeing her erect nipples cresting the most gorgeous breasts he'd ever seen. "God, you are so beautiful, sweetheart."
She giggled and said, "It's dark, Gabe...you can't see anything," then moaned when he moved up her body and took a hardened nipple into his mouth, licking it and laving it with his tongue.
He lifted his head to whisper hotly over her breast, "Don't need to see, darlin'...I can feel how damned beautiful you are," he told her then moved to her other breast to give it the same attention. "My imagination has been running wild for weeks now anyway," he admitted then licked down the center of her belly and around her navel, before placing a kiss on each hipbone. He unsnapped her shorts and told her, "Lift your hips, sugar..."
When she lifted toward him, he stifled a groan, Gabe wanted her so badly, he wasn't at all sure he could go slowly and do things right, but he was determined to try. He slid her shorts down her legs then off, and threw them on the floor. He kissed and licked his way back up her long legs, inside her thighs to the place he wanted to be. He ran his thumbs along the elastic of her panties near her core and he heard her gasp then her hips shot off the bed.
"Easy, baby...." he said then grabbed the elastic at her hips and shoved her panties down her legs and took them off. When he saw her peachy skin in the dim moonlight coming through the window, he knew he had to taste her. Sliding his hands under her knees he lifted her legs and put open mouth kisses along her inner thighs oh his way back up.
When he ran out of real estate on her long legs, he ran his tongue over her core then gave her an open mouth kiss there, and found her opening with his tongue. She mewled and shoved her hands into his hair, then Gabe moved up to flick the bud at the apex of her thighs with his tongue. She whimpered brokenly, then sat up on her elbows and told him, "Gabe...we can do that later...I need you now."
"Patience, sweetheart...lay back, I'm not nearly done yet...I want to hear you scream," he grinned and told her then put his lips over her bud and sucked. Karlie slammed back against the mattress and grabbed the sheets in her hand and twisted, then her muscles tensed and she screamed his name, as her body vibrated with her release. He stayed with her, until her tremors
became intermittent then stopped, then kissed her right above her mound and slid his body against her smooth skin, until he himself between her legs, then he captured her mouth with his and kissed her deeply.
Agitated beneath him, Karlie's breathing was coming in small short gasps, as she opened her legs wider and rotated her hips against him, which pulled a groan from him as he felt her wetness and heat against him. Pushing against his shoulder, Karlie put her long leg around his waist, then shifted her weight, and flipped him to his back and straddled him.
Gabe swallowed hard at the wildly erotic sight she made, sitting on top of him. Shoving her shirt and bra off of her shoulders, Karlie tossed them to the floor, then just sat there on top of him looking at him.
Then with her eyes glittering and wild, she told him, "Now, it's my turn to torture you, cowboy," then ran her hands over his chest and down his abs to the band of his underwear, before going lower and running her talented fingers over his erection.
When she palmed him and stroked up and down slowly, Gabe groaned and his hips shot off the mattress to move against her hand, because it felt so damned good. He clutched the sheets, as shards of intense pleasure worked their way up his body to his brain. Gabe was afraid he going to come before he ever got inside of her if she didn't stop.