Slade and Kally: Letting Go of the Reins, Book 1

by AE Rought

  “Please don’t. It’s only lunchtime, and I want you to sleep in my arms tonight.”

  “Then you best get me out of this tub.”

  “As you wish.” His hands left me, and then he submerged the pitcher, filling it to rinse the lather from my hair and body. After the last pitcherfull ran from my skin, he gave me a loving, emotional kiss.

  Replacing the pitcher, Slade pulled the drain stopper and handed me a towel. I stood and wrapped it around me, while he dried my arms and legs with another. Then, he wrapped me in the towel, grabbed my pajamas and brought me to my room. Tossing the towels in a wicker hamper, I pulled on the nightclothes Slade had set out for me. He returned from his room moments later wearing flannel pants and T-shirt. I ran a finger along the lines of blue and white on the quilt, happy to be home, wishing I could climb back into my bed. “We can’t get under the blankets if you keep fondling them.”

  “But I thought you said it was lunchtime...”

  His grin was enormous. “I didn’t say we couldn’t spend the day in bed.” Slade disappeared into the hallway and then produced a tray of sandwiches and fruit. “I had these ready when you drove in. Thought we could eat them while we sat in bed and got caught up on the past couple weeks.”

  We nibbled and talked. Slade relayed the story of Rosie and the feather boa, and I laughed aloud. I told him about the war between me and the Poms, and he snorted. My blind date, his dance with Adelle was discussed, and any other awkward feelings were put to rest. After the sun had settled and the moonlight poured through the window, I snuggled down against Slade and yawned.

  “Need to sleep, don’t you.”

  “Yup. Can you fix that for me?”

  His smile was tender, and his eyes were tired. I yawned again. The distance I forced between us had strained us both. “I sure can.” He lifted the blankets and scooted under, holding them up for me to slide beneath his arm and snuggle to his chest. Warm bliss enveloped me when his arm settled down and pulled me closer. I felt his every inhale and exhale against my back. His heartbeat drummed against my skin, slowing with his breathing until sleep took him and then me into the sweetness of dreams.

  Slade and Kally: Letting Go of the Reins, Book 1

  Chapter Twenty

  Nothing was better than waking next to Slade. I lay there a long time in the dark before dawn and listened to his slow, steady breathing. Twitches in his limbs increased. The pace of his breathing quickened before he yawned and stretched beside me. “G’morning, darlin’.”

  “Good morning.” I rolled and greeted him with a kiss.

  He groaned and hugged me, pulling my head down to his shoulder. “I missed you. So bad.”

  “I missed you, too, Slade.” I wanted to wallow in his closeness, bury my face and smell his warm skin and faded cologne. “Can we just stay here all day?”

  “No, ma’am. We did that yesterday. Work calls. We got critters to feed, plans to make…” He arched up and straddled my hips, pinning me beneath him.

  “Oh, dang it.” I smacked a hand to my forehead. “I still have to mail Sue’s package too.”

  “Okay, then, sounds like our day is planned.” Slade climbed from the bed, grabbed a hand and pulled me up. “Let’s get a move on.”

  In no time we were dressed, and Slade was putting boots on in the foyer. The cat food bag I had missed in our impassioned reconciliation was obvious now, especially when he shoved the bowl down into the kibble to fill it. “Y’know, your cat might appreciate seeing you…”

  “I’d like to see him too.” I shoved my feet in my boots, grabbed my jacket and we stepped out into the frigid December dawn. Sunrise softened the shadows in the east and washed the outbuildings in weak light. Even in pale light, I noticed the hard packed path around the carpentry shed. Slade however ushered me out to the barn without giving me a chance to ask about it.

  He pulled the doors open and whistled to the horses. Jack whinnied, and Sunny swished her tail while Slade lit a battery-powered lamp for us to see. He pointed toward the rafters. “He’s usually up there.”

  Taking the bowl of food, I shook it and chanted, “Here, kitty, kitty.”

  The yellow eyes peeked over a rafter, and then the rest of my ginger kitty appeared. He looked at me a moment, sniffed the air suspiciously before leaping from the rafter to the divider over the stall, to the bales of hay and then landed on the floor. I stooped down, bowl held out. His steps were cautious, deliberate until he reached the bowl. Placing the bowl on the floor, I scooted closer while Slade readied the horses’ food, and when he entered Jack’s stall, I petted the tomcat’s head. “You’re my boy, aren’t you?”

  Slade snickered. “He’s been your cat since you came to the ranch.”

  After the kitty finished his breakfast, Slade walked me back to the house, where Rosie stood waiting beside the Jeep. My heart soared, and I let go of Slade’s hand to run and hug my dear friend. She squeezed me, before she pushed me back and gave me a stern look. “No call? No note?”

  My gaze fell to my feet, and I shoved my toe against the tire. “Sorry, Rosie.”

  Her bright smile returned. “Just don’t ever let it happen again.”

  “No, ma’am, I won’t.”

  Slade stomped his boots to get our attention. “Are you ladies going to be all right?”

  Rosie lifted the tailgate of the Jeep and we each grabbed a box. “We’ll be just fine.”

  “Then I’ll leave you to it and get the chores finished.”

  “We’ll have coffee and breakfast ready.”

  Rosie bumped me with the box. “Just one of the reasons he missed you.”

  I watched him walking toward his truck, where George stood waiting for him. Slade was gorgeous, and he was mine. “Just one of the reasons I missed him too.”

  Together Rosie and I emptied the Jeep and stowed the luggage and boxes where they belonged, except the Christmas package for Susan’s family. She nudged the box and regarded me. “I’m going into town later. They all know us at the P.O., and are very helpful with filling out labels and such. I can drop it there for you.”

  “I would really appreciate it, Rosie. Thank you so much.”

  In the kitchen we made a batch of breakfast mess and a pot of coffee while Rosie explained the Christmas traditions of the ranch. The timeshare ranchers gathered on Christmas Eve, and one of the male Carlsons would drive the sleigh around the Fourth Moon while the passengers sang Christmas carols and drank hot cocoa spiked with Pine’s homemade Irish whiskey. Then, everyone gathered before the fire, sharing Christmas tales and good company. And, on Christmas morning, they would return to exchange gifts.

  “Oh, Rosie, it sounds wonderful.” I could have teared up just thinking about the loving closeness they shared. “I can’t wait.”

  She covered my hand. “Me either.”

  Slade returned in time to eat breakfast with us, and before Rosie left, I hurried into the office, stuffed the remainder of Sue’s money into an envelope along with a short letter of thanks and fond Christmas wishes. In my highest hopes, I wished Sue and Jerry would use the money to come to the Fourth Moon for the holidays. I scribbled their mailing address on it and handed it to Rosie, who shouted a farewell to Slade, kissed me on the cheek and disappeared out the front door.

  In the office, I picked up the phone and dropped into Slade’s mother’s chair. My lover, my cowboy hero, peeked in the door and mouthed “Calling Sue?” My nod was enough to shush him and send him off to poke around in the fireplace. The metal of the rod clanked against the grate and soon the scent and crackle of pine drifted through the house. Dialing Sue’s number, I inhaled the scent deeply.

  Sue answered before the second ring. “Hello? Kally?”

  “Yeah, Sue. I’m home now.”

  “And you were supposed to call me when you got there.” Her tone carried her frustration from Michigan to Hulett with no lessening of intensity.

  I sighed. “When I got back, well… We ended up…”

  Her irr
itated tone disappeared, chased away by knowing laughter. “Ah ha. So, your, ahem, reconciliation was pretty passionate?”

  Whew! I was in my twenties. Why was I so apprehensive to talk to my sister about sex? “Um…yeah. But I didn’t call to talk to a sexual therapist. There’s a package on the way, a bunch of Christmas presents for the boys, and I also stuffed the rest of your money into a security envelope.”

  “Oh, Kally! You know you’re not supposed to mail real money…you should have just kept it.”

  “Well, Sue, I don’t have a checking account yet, and I haven’t been home long enough to talk to Slade about it. It was a bit impulsive.”

  “I’d say.”

  “Okay, listen, if this is going to be a nag fest, I am going to hang up. I have lots to do to get ready for Christmas around here.”

  “Sorry, but you have to admit it wasn’t the smartest move.”

  “No, it wasn’t.” I’d had enough of her nattering. “You want to know why I sent it? I was harboring a secret hope there’d be enough money for you and the family to come out here for a visit.”

  “Oh, honey…” She sniffed and I could picture her wiping her nose. “I’m sorry. We’d like to visit, we just can’t with Jerry’s work right now…”

  This discussion had not gone as intended and I didn’t want to deal with more heartache. “Well, look for the package and the envelope, call me when you get it, okay? I’m going to go now.”

  “I will, Kally. Try to have a good day.”

  “Bye, Sue.”

  The next week’s morning meals were my domain, cooking while Slade and the timeshares cared for the morning chores. Our afternoons were spent shopping for gifts and generally letting all of upper east Wyoming know Slade and I were back together and any lies Adelle had spread were nothing more. And in the evenings, I wandered down the timeshares’ drive to Rosie’s or Grace’s and learned handcrafts from them while I made a couple of Christmas presents.

  Though we did not make love again, our love for each other grew with every glance, every touch, every embrace. My heart swelled until I felt my ribs could not contain it.

  Slade and the timeshare gentlemen readied the sleigh, cared for the animals and prepared the home field cattle pen for the upcoming cattle drive. A few days before Christmas Eve, Red Baxter arrived to help drive the cattle from the back eighty to the more sheltered main pen. After the drive, the ladies had a massive meal ready of venison chili, beef stew, a pot of chicken soup Sue had taught me to make and loaves of homemade bread. At the table, Red apologized for his part in our temporary split.

  It had potential for being a very awkward moment for us all. Slade swallowed a too-big spoon of chili, his eyes wide. I patted Slade’s hand. “It’s okay, Red. I would have found out and been upset either way. You didn’t do anything wrong with following up on a friend’s request. I know now he only asked out of love and concern for me.”

  Slade sighed in relief, pulled me to him by the collar of my shirt. He kissed me deeply enough for me to get a sense of the amount of Tabasco he’d used. “I didn’t mean harm…I just—”

  “You just need to eat your supper.” I willed my understanding to reach him, to sink into his heart so he would know I had come to understand why he’d followed up on Matt’s background. “Next time, just make sure you tell me what you’re plotting on.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  After dishes were cleared, recipe books came out accompanied by bottles of beer and wine coolers. We’d decided to do something a little different for Christmas Eve at the ranch. Each family was going to find one dessert item and one party style finger food. It was going to be a fun night, not some fussed up affair and I looked forward to it.

  Slade woke early Christmas Eve morning with Kally snuggled to his chest and softly snoring. He fought the desire to crush her to him in the gratefulness he felt knowing she loved him. Instead, he lay a moment longer, listening to her breathe before the urge to move became too strong to be denied. She mumbled something when he scrambled over her, then curled into the warm hollow he’d left behind.

  Tucking the blankets around her, he caressed the silken strands of her blonde hair before scooting off to the bathroom. The cold tile chased away any remaining tired tendencies, and after using the facilities he checked in on Kally. Her back was to the room, her breathing was rhythmic and regular. Good, she’s still sleeping.

  He tiptoed through the room and down the hall to his own room, where he quietly opened the door and snuck in. With a last check of the hallway, he closed the door behind him. In the corner beside his dresser stood rolls of plain brown wrapping paper—a family tradition—and assorted tapes, ribbons and twine.

  Gathering up the wrapping necessities and a bag from his closet, Slade sat on his bed and wrapped the box his mother sent to him at Thanksgiving time. He pulled a decorative ornament he’d chosen for Kally while she was in Gillette and affixed it to the package, adding a tag with Kally’s name.

  He stowed the wrapping paper back in the corner and tucked the package under his shirt. After a second quick scan of the hall, he hurried past Kally’s door and down the chilly staircase to the living room. He stepped on the light switch power cord and turned the tree lights on. It was a beautiful tree, the prettiest in years, but in Slade’s mind, it was missing something. Slade had chosen the perfect spot to hide the ring box the day they decorated the tree, and he nestled the package in the pine boughs. The tree was complete, and Slade turned from it to stoke the fire.

  Hurrying through the house, he lit all the lights and candles, even turned on a potpourri warmer of Christmas pine and berries. He wanted the next two days to be magical for Kally, days neither of them would forget, and he’d seen a magazine article or two about setting the scene to create a mood. He wasn’t sure what it entailed until now—now he wanted everything to be perfect.

  Ready to head up the stairs, he saw Kally standing at her favorite window on the stairwell, looking out into the snowfall. “G’morning, Kally. Did you sleep well?”

  “I’ve never slept better in my life.” She turned to him, and he wished he could get a snapshot of her wild hair, rumpled pajamas and tie-dyed bull in her arms. “These last few days with your arms around me have been pure heaven.”

  “For me too, darlin’.” He nodded toward the stuffed animal. “What’s up with the bull?”

  She smiled sheepishly. “Well, I thought he might be nice to snuggle with on the sofa while you’re out doing chores.” A shadow of cracked porcelain passed over her face. Not the wounded kind, more a veil of sadness only he could see.

  “Is everything okay? I don’t want you to be sad today, Kally.”

  “Oh, I’m not sad…just missing the boys a little today. Before I met Matt, I spent Christmas Eve and Day with Sue and her family.”

  “Well then you go scoot your booty into the office and call them. Never mind getting breakfast, we can do it together when I get in.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He knew she genuinely enjoyed cooking for him, but family was more important than his belly getting full. “Of course I am.” He pointed to the office. “Now scoot!”

  The melancholy shadow disappeared, replaced with a grin. “Yes, sir.”

  Kally reached up to kiss him, and he felt the sweetest sensation of becoming one with her, of losing himself in her arms, her lips, her heart. Heaven truly could be found in a kiss. She pulled away, her slim fingers following the lines of his jaw. He echoed her motion, savoring every curve, every nuance of flesh and flannel. Then he smacked her rear. “Get over there and call your nephews.”

  She saluted him, her hand swinging wide to return the playful spank. “Getting right on it.”

  She disappeared into the office, and it didn’t take long for him to hear laughter and, “I’m glad you like it!” He smiled and then hurried to get dressed knowing George was probably waiting on him at the barn. At least with the cattle penned on the main ranch instead of a satellite pen the work would
go much faster.

  As expected, George was waiting, arms crossed, foot tapping and truck bed full of grain and hay. “Getting wrapped up in your girl are ya?”

  Slade’s gaze plummeted to the snow beneath his boots. Being chided by George was similar to a tongue-lashing from Pine and Slade braced for a reprimand. “Yes, sir.”

  George laughed then. “Good thing, damn good thing!” He walked to the barn with Slade to care for the horses. “My apologies, boy. I promised Pine I’d keep you in line.”

  “You and Rosie are doing a fine job of parenting, George.” He stowed the curry brush and replaced the buckets. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Heck! We’re honored to try to fill your folks’ shoes.” They climbed into the truck. “How are they doing on their business trip anyway?”

  “Last time I spoke with them, it looked like financing was going to be secured for the expansion Beau’s been pushing. And according to Mother, my brother has been causing quite the stir with the East coast ladies.”

  George snorted. “Certainly doesn’t surprise me. He could charm a snake outta its oil.”

  “So I’ve heard.” Slade had had to clean up a mess or two caused by Beau’s dalliances and didn’t appreciate his brother’s mythic Ladies Man reputation.

  George took a turn at driving the Dodge while Slade took up the post of pitching hay and pouring grain. He kept his eye on the livestock, ever mindful of Zeus, who’d been more than his fair share of cantankerous lately. He thumped his hand on the roof of the truck and George pulled to a stop and opened the door. “I think we should corral Zeus into the bull pen.”