Cowgirl Up

by Cheyenne Meadows

  He chuckled. “It doesn’t need to. I’ll just stretch out on the ground.”

  A hint of sadness entered her expression. “That’s not comfortable.”

  “Done it so many times in the past that it doesn’t bother me in the least.” He stood.

  Trinity snagged his arm.

  Peering down, he watched the wry grin appear.

  “I have a better idea.” She pulled two blankets from a bag and stepped toward the stall door once more.

  Confused, he asked, “Where are you going?”

  She paused with her hand on the bolt. “To sleep with my horse.”

  Of all the answers she could have provided, that one never crossed his mind. He blinked at her, totally thrown off balance by her practical solution, the generosity of giving up her comfy bed for one filled with straw, and the return of her spirit.

  “You take the cot. I’ll sleep with Legacy.”

  He protested. “It won’t be comfortable. Just take the cot and I’ll be more than fine on the ground.”

  She shook her head and entered the stall, nudging Legacy’s lips away from her ponytail. “I’ve done this a lot. Trust me. He likes to cuddle, so it’s a win-win for both of us.” Without preamble, she spread out her blanket along the left side of the stall, against the wooden barrier, then stretched out.

  Cody knew Legacy wouldn’t step on her for a couple of reasons. First, she chose an out of the way space to allow him ample room to move around. Secondly, a horse didn’t intentionally step on a person except in rare and extreme cases. If she spoke the truth, and he knew she did, Legacy spent more than one night watching over his mistress.

  Sure enough, Legacy snuffled Trinity’s belly, received a brief, but loving pat on the nose, then proceeded to lay down right beside her. As Cody watched, the horse groaned, then extended his body, resting his large head across Trinity’s middle. She placed her hand on his cheek, sighed, then relaxed.

  Well, I’ll be damned.

  Cody shook his head at the sight before his eyes. Who knew the big stallion needed a living teddy bear when he slept? The thought brought amusement and amazement.

  Afraid of disturbing them, Cody eased back, returned to Trinity’s cot, and reclined back. He found her pillow and blanket, adjusted both, then wiggled for comfort. While not exactly cushiony, the makeshift bed offered more than the hard ground. The scent of horses, hay, and clean night air filled his senses. Animals stirred now and again while crickets chirped.

  Peace and tranquility with Trinity just a few feet away. And safe.

  Tonight had been a revelation. Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

  Maybe, just maybe, if his cell phone would quit ringing for a bit, he could hang out with Trinity, dig a little deeper, and see where their path together might lead.

  Comforted by the thought, he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Cody woke up like usual, asleep one moment, awake the next. He remained perfectly still and opened his senses to ascertain his environment, a trick learned from the front lines and around prank loving SEALs while on base.

  The sound of horses stirring garnered his attention along with the scent of hay and straw. He opened his eyes and blinked at the subtle light of dawn streaming through the aisles from the open doors.

  Bewildered for a split second, he quickly recalled why he rested on a lumpy old cot in the horse barn.

  Trinity.

  Sitting up, he pushed the blankets aside, careful to remain quiet as not to disturb her if she still slept. He stood, then strode silently to the stall door and peeked inside. The sight before him made him smile.

  Sure enough, Trinity still slept, curled up against the western corner of Legacy’s stall. He’d stretched out fully on his side, his muzzle nearly touching Trinity’s chest.

  Cody shook his head and enjoyed the sweetness for a long moment. Legacy might not like people in general, but he obviously adored his owner. The love they shared couldn’t be mistaken, especially seeing them like this.

  Checking his watch, Cody realized breakfast would soon be upon them. For humans and four-legged companions alike. Trinity would have something in her cooler, but for the life of him, he’d rarely seen her eat something other than fruit or sandwiches throughout the season. Certainly nothing hot except for the couple of meals he brought to her the last two rodeos.

  Well, that’s about to change.

  Fine tuning his plan, he slipped out of the horse barn, headed toward the food vendors, and followed his nose from there.

  A few minutes later, he returned to find Trinity up and about, caring for Legacy as the big horse chomped down on his breakfast. Whether she woke on her own or Legacy demanded his food, he couldn’t tell. Either way, the horse seemed content and Trinity’s fluid motions as she brushed the straw from his body told him the unwarranted attack last night didn’t do much damage.

  Thank God. I’d kill the son of a bitch if he had really hurt her. Hell, he still wanted to beat Gary into a pulp for daring to steal an unwanted kiss let alone the other.

  Anger returned as he remembered the sight of Gary wrestling with Trinity. Cody shook his head to dispel the image, focusing on the present instead of the past. She needed a bit of pampering and care, not another lecture, especially after he behaved like a horse’s ass as well.

  Dressed in her wrinkled sweats, she exuded beauty. Even the pieces of straw clinging to her rumpled clothes didn’t deter from her natural allure.

  She glanced his way. “Good morning.”

  He read her face, found nothing of resentment or leftover fury from last night. Instead, he saw only perkiness, happiness, and spunk. Whatever life threw her way, he’d give Trinity credit for resiliency. He wasn’t sure he could rebound like she did.

  “Good morning. I brought breakfast.” He lifted his arms to show the two Styrofoam boxes.

  “Thank you.” She finished brushing Legacy, then stepped out of the stall, and tossed the grooming tools into a bucket. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  Cody shrugged. “I was hungry and knew you would be too. Besides, a person could wilt away to nothing living on sandwiches alone.” He waited as she opened up one of the lawn chairs, then took a seat on the rumpled cot.

  “They work just fine, but I am hungry this morning.” She took the top container, set it on her lap, then opened the lid. Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh my. Where on earth did you find biscuits, gravy, and eggs around this place?”

  He grinned, pleased to have not only caught her off guard, but provided something above and beyond. Something that she liked and appreciated, judging by the almost predatory way she stared at the still hot food.

  “There’s a small café on the outskirts of the grounds. Decided they would be better than a quick cinnamon roll from one of the trailer vendors.” He handed her a bottle of milk and some plastic utensils, then took the empty seat. “It smelled good anyway.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it’s going to be excellent.” She opened the cap on her drink and sipped. While replacing the lid, she met his gaze. “You’re full of surprises.”

  He shrugged and dug into his meal, savoring the flaky biscuit that nearly melted in his mouth. “I’m just a guy who likes food.” He made a mental note to return the next few mornings to sample more of the café’s products.

  “Not just that. Thank you for checking on me last night. For intervening. For staying with me even thought that cot is like sleeping on a bed of rocks.” She sighed. “You’re too good to me.”

  Her quietly spoken words hit him hard in the gut. She didn’t have anything to thank him for, he was only doing what was right. Especially since he’d been such a prick yesterday. “Not even close, sweetheart. You deserve so much more.”

  She tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Why do you say that?”

  He shoveled another bite in his mouth and chewed. “Because it’s true.” Taking his cup in hand, he loosened the top and drank deeply.

  She stared at her tak
e-out meal for a few seconds. “Cody, I think you’re overestimating me. I’m just me. Nothing particularly special. Heck, I don’t even know what I want to do in life or where I want to go. I’m just going through the motions right now and swimming through a mire.”

  Holding tight to his food, he stood, then scooted his chair closer so their knees touched. Sitting back down, he used one hand to cup her face. “You want to know what I see in you?”

  Her blue eyes met his.

  He saw the uncertainty in them and wanted to beat the shit out of Gary for not only spooking Trinity, but shaking her to the core. While he was at it, he needed to kick his own fucking ass too. “You’re beautiful. Smart. You care for your horse like no one I’ve ever seen before.”

  “He’s all I have.”

  The whispered words carried easily to him. “First of all, not everyone would put up with such an ornery hothead as Legacy. That says a lot about you.” He trailed his knuckles along her jaw line. “All you have to do is look around to see what all you have. Sure, he’s a big part of it, but there’s more.”

  Trinity nodded. “I didn’t realize how many friends I have until he fell. People started coming out of the woodwork. Because of you.”

  “I just made a couple of inquiries. No big deal.” He dropped his hand and gestured to the box on her lap. “But, if you don’t start eating, your food will be cold. And all the trouble I went through jogging from the café back here will be for naught.”

  She smiled and dug in. “Don’t tell me you actually ran in order to get back here before the food cooled?”

  “That would be telling.” He grinned ruefully.

  “Uh-huh.”

  For a while they ate in companionable silence. Guilt still weighed heavily on Cody’s shoulders. He didn’t even stick around to find out her side of the story, didn’t make time to go to her and apologize, and because of that, accepted some of the responsibility for Gary’s drunken attack. They seemed to get back on track last night, but a few hours’ sleep could have changed her mind set. She might not show any signs of blame or anger. That didn’t mean she didn’t harbor any. Best not to guess on this important matter and just get it out in the open.

  “Can you forgive me?” He asked the question pressing on his mind.

  She blinked. “I forgave you last night. Forgotten already. Things happen, life goes on.” Her lips turned up in a grin. “Besides, hot biscuits and gravy fixes just about anything.”

  Her attempt at humor didn’t go unnoticed. Cody worked to stay in the mood. “I thought only men were ruled by their stomachs?”

  “Must be contagious.” She finished her milk.

  He relaxed, the tension in his body easing significantly, knowing she spoke the truth. SEAL training included reading body language precisely. Hers shouted honesty and sincerity.

  Damn amazing she could look past his stupidity and lack of faith. He couldn’t, but wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He could only make sure she was safe, cared for, and no other bastard tried to harass her from here on out. She was his, at least for now, and he vowed to do his best to keep her sane, happy, and competitive throughout the long, drawn-out finals. Afterward, he’d get a whole lot more personal. See if indeed they fit together both figuratively and literally. He’d set his sights on her weeks ago and nothing short of her throwing him out would change his mind. She was too precious, too important to let slip through his fingers. Until he knew where their path led, he was sticking beside her like a raccoon to a corn field.

  Then, he’d carry her to his bed, lay her down, and proceed to kiss every inch of her glorious body. Only when she begged for release would he plunge deep and take them both to the edge and over.

  “What are you looking so serious about?”

  Oh, just about taking you to bed and keeping you there for a good long time.

  He shrugged, biting his tongue to keep from blurting out his thoughts.

  “Something smells good.”

  Cody glanced behind Trinity to spy Lacey walking toward them dressed in her typical jeans, boots, and western shirt. Her hair had been pulled back in a ponytail, like she’d just climbed from bed, gotten presentable, and made a beeline for the barn in order to care for her mare.

  “Cody brought me breakfast. Biscuits and gravy.” She held up the box. “Want some? There’s plenty.”

  Lacey shook her head. “No thanks. I grabbed a couple of bagels already.” Her attention turned toward Cody. “You’re here early.”

  “Yep.”

  “Why?”

  He blinked at her protective tone. As far as he knew Lacey was on his side, but this morning she seemed prickly.

  Trinity turned to face Lacey. “There was an incident last night. With Gary.”

  Lacey frowned as her lips thinned. “What kind of incident?”

  “He came back late, drunk, and wanted to pick up where he left off.”

  “That good for nothing jackass…” Lacey fisted her hands at her sides.

  Trinity waved her hand in the air. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Cody stopped by at the right time.”

  “I hope you had that useless bastard thrown in jail.” Lacey’s eyes snapped with anger.

  “Actually, no.” Trinity patted the cot beside her. “Sit down and I’ll explain.” When she did, Trinity continued, “He was drunk. Cody took care of him and called security. They carted him out of here. To call the police would have made a late night mess. Legacy was upset enough already. I didn’t need the cops and media running around disturbing not only him but the rest of the horses too.”

  “Trin…”

  “It’s okay. Really.”

  Lacey’s gaze landed on Cody. “Aren’t you going to talk some sense into her?”

  “I tried, trust me.” He blew out a breath. “She’s damn stubborn. But, I can promise this. She’s not spending any more nights alone in this fucking barn. Horse or no horse. Either she beds down with you girls or I’m bringing in another cot and camping out.” His attention shifted to Trinity.

  Her mouth fell open. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure there won’t be any other incidents.”

  “You don’t know that and I, for one, am damn well not taking a chance.” He kept his tone level, but serious, needing her to understand that he wasn’t about to fight with her on this. She averted her eyes, but didn’t say anything.

  Lacey patted Trinity on the back. “If I were you, I’d throw in the towel. Something tells me he’s not about to bend an inch.”

  “I’m not,” Cody reinforced.

  Trinity nodded. “I still think it’s unnecessary, but I won’t argue.”

  “Good.” He started making plans in his head. Even if he had to stretch out on the ground, he wouldn’t dare leave her at the mercy of Gary or any other human predator again.

  Lacey hugged Trinity. “It’ll be okay. Cody will make sure of it.” Lacey glanced at him, then back to Trinity. “Whoever’s dumb enough to take him on deserves the ass kicking he’ll get.”

  Trinity’s lips twitched.

  Much better. Cody didn’t take promises lightly, but when it came to Trinity, he’d take on the devil himself.

  Lacey finished her morning chores, cleaned up the area, and double-checked the latch on Candy’s stall door. Trinity had been quiet most of the time, even after Cody received a call and left to attend yet another rodeo animal. She’d tried to engage Trinity into conversation, but Trinity didn’t seem to be in the mood to chat. Understandable considering her long night.

  “I’m going to look around for a while. Do you need anything?”

  “No thanks. I think we’re fine.” Trinity peered up from the book she was reading. “And thank you for earlier. I didn’t realize how many friends I really had until recently.”

  Lacey waved her hand. “No biggie. We have to look out after one another. All part of the deal.”

  “Still. Thanks.”

  Lacey nodded, then set out on her destination.

  Sev
eral minutes later, she spied her target, in the sports medicine room, sitting on a table while a couple of bull riders were being worked over by the staff. Without preamble, she marched right over to stop right in front of him.

  As soon as he looked at her, she slapped Gary hard enough to snap his head. Pink splotching appeared instantly. His eyes narrowed and lips pinched. “What the fuck was that for?”

  The room grew silent and everyone stared at them. Lacey didn’t care. Instead, she glorified in the witnesses since she had every intention of reading him the riot act and wanted as many people as possible to know what he did to her friend.

  Uncaring if he suffered a hangover and headache or not, she raised her voice so all could hear clearly. “That was for Trinity. You remember her? The pretty, blonde barrel racer you’ve been harassing all season. Stole a kiss from her a couple of nights ago.” She paused dramatically. “Remember combing the barns last night, drunk, finding her, and attacking her?”

  The entire room collectively gasped.

  Lacey saw a flicker of regret cross his face. Not nearly enough. “Seems when one of the vets showed up, you had her on the ground, and was trying to rip her clothes off. She fought and struggled while you ruthlessly tried to rape her.”

  “I…”

  “Don’t bother to sputter out some moronic lie or excuse.” Fury drove her hard. “Because no one gives a fuck. You hurt her, scared her. Drunk or not, that’s a piss poor man in anyone’s book.”

  His jaw clenched, but he didn’t say a word.

  “Get this straight, you prick. You’re damn lucky. Anyone else would have called the cops and had your ass thrown in jail. So, shit for brains, time to take a lesson. Once is all you get. The next time you so much as utter a good morning to her, I guarantee the ax will fall. Hard.” Finished with her tirade, she glared at him for another moment, then spun on her heel to leave.

  Jared Winters met her at the door. “Well said.”

  She shrugged. “The least I can do.”

  Jared gave her a nod, then turned his attention to Gary. “Gary. In the office. Now.” His deep biting command told Lacey that Gary’s day was about to get worse.