Callum (Cowboy Tough Book 1)

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “I don’t think we’ve all been formally introduced,” said his mom. “Glen and Marie Monroe and this is our son Callum, and this is Olivia.” “Beautiful setting isn’t it,” said his mom as Brad’s voice boomed out again. “Oh look who just arrived? Sloan and Kyle. Oh would you look at his cute suit and that bow tie,” his mom said.

  Callum had to admit it was adorable. His nephew was going to break hearts one day. He noticed Aiden, the oldest of the Nolan boys, walking toward her. He couldn’t help but see the way they glanced at one another but didn’t speak. Sloan wasn’t one to hold grudges over previous family wars so he wondered what was going on there. He didn’t take his eyes off Aiden as he stopped and chatted with everyone. He and Callum had been in the same class at school and were always getting into fights. He must have noticed Callum staring at him because he looked his way. Their eyes locked in much the same way they had just before they exchanged punches. It was at that point that Callum knew why his father kept saying that Kyle reminded him of someone. Kyle’s father was Aiden Nolan. He’d bet his last dollar on it. If and when his father ever found out there would be hell to pay.

  Shit.

  “Something wrong?” Olivia asked him and he realized he’d sworn out loud.

  “Just thought maybe cowboy boots aren’t really appropriate for this venue.”

  He squeezed her hand and winked at her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Olivia was in awe of the beautiful venue and the flower draped gazebo. Even the music that was playing put her in a dreamy state of mind. An older man played guitar while a woman in her mid-twenties sang love songs while they waited for the bride’s arrival.

  “Who is that hot babe?”

  It was Callum’s brother Ryan who’d asked that question. He was the only dateless Monroe brother and Olivia had caught him eyeing just about every woman who wasn’t with a guy.

  “How many times have I told you not to refer to women like that,” said Marie.

  “I know but she is smoking hot,” Ryan said.

  “I think she’s the niece of Bobby McKenna’s. He’s our local country and western singer by the way,” Marie told Olivia.

  “They both have wonderful voices,” said Glen.

  “Voice of an angel,” said Ryan. “I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to introduce me to her later?”

  “I can,” said a woman sitting the row behind. “I’m a friend of the family.”

  Olivia had to admit the girl singing was pretty and she’d even seen Callum glancing her way when she’d jumped up on the stage. The long floral dress she wore was somewhat transparent and was blowing around in the slight breeze that had picked up. She glanced at Callum who seemed to be mesmerized and she knew it wasn’t just because of her great voice. Holy crap, she was jealous. That meant she had deep feelings for Callum. She’s thought she was falling for him but now her jealousy had definitely confirmed it.

  He looked at Olivia as if he knew what she was thinking. He was about to say something when the Wedding March began to play and everyone stood and turned toward the aisle.

  The cutest little girl was heading down it, dressed in an adorable ankle length pink dress with real flowers weaved through her hair. Children. How she’d always wanted them, but Mark had banned even the thought of her getting pregnant. But now he was out of her life and she was falling in love with a new man. The thought of having a child with Callum excited her and made her look toward the possibility of a future for the first time in forever. Yeah, she one day wanted a baby with this man. A little girl just as cute as the one now walking by.

  “I do hope we get a granddaughter next time around,” Olivia heard Marie whispering in Glen’s ear.

  The bride, Melanie, who Olivia hadn’t met yet, walked a few paces behind her. Her dress was stunning and she’d looked like every bride should on their wedding day, beautiful, happy and looking forward to her life with the man of her dreams.

  A tear fell from Olivia’s face. Once upon a time she’d been that bride. No she wasn’t going to cry although it was perfectly okay to do that at a wedding. This was going to be a happy no tears day.

  Melanie arrived at the groom’s side and they held hands.

  “Welcome to the union of Melanie and Daniel. We thank you for coming here and sharing this special day with this wonderful couple who are about to start life’s journey together. Would you all sit and we’ll have our first reading done by Melanie’s cousin,” said the judge.

  A young man stood and began to read a poem, his voice clear and loud as it traveled on the breeze. Callum slipped his hand onto Olivia’s knee and intertwined it with her own as the young woman began to sing about love and finding the one. Callum squeezed her hand tighter.

  The couple began saying their vows and soon they were slipping rings on each other’s fingers. And then the first kiss.

  “I’d like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. King,” said the judge.

  Brad stood, wolf whistled, and then clapped and encouraged everyone else to join in before he took the microphone from the judge.

  “If you’d all like to make your way over to the marquee we have lots of wonderful food waiting for you and then we’ll dance the night away to the voices of Bobby and his sweet niece Aubrie.”

  “Hope you like to dance,” Callum whispered in her ear.

  She wasn’t that great at it but the thought of being in his arms or brushing up against his body gave her goosebumps of the very good kind.

  Chapter Thirteen

  So far the Monroe’s had been on their best behavior. Callum was pretty sure his dad’s ribs were sore from all the elbowing his mom had inflicted upon him. He knew his dad well. In fact, he and Callum shared the same sort of cynical humor and for that reason Callum knew most of the remarks weren’t meant to be a put down to the Nolans but just a way of teasing his mom. One thing Callum couldn’t fault was the food. He’d eaten way too much. A photographer arrived at the table.

  “I’m taking photos of everyone so we can put together a DVD for the bride and groom as a keepsake.”

  Callum put his arm around Olivia and they leaned in toward one another as the guy took the snap of the whole family. Aiden Nolan walked by with his arm around a young woman who was giggling at whatever he was whispering in her ear. Callum immediately glanced at his sister to see her reaction. He knew his sister well enough to know hurt when he saw it. Sloan suddenly stood up.

  “Could you watch Kyle for me, I need to go to the restroom,” she said.

  “We sure can honey. Everything okay, you look red in the face all of a sudden,” said his mom.

  “Fine, just need to use the ladies room.”

  Sloan left and then he saw Ryan standing next to Aubrie at the bar. He shook his head. Ryan was a little like Aiden Nolan because both were hardly subtle when they wanted a woman.

  “Hey Kyle, you enjoying the wedding so far?” Callum asked his nephew

  He made a mumbling sound and Callum couldn’t believe how fast he was growing. It seemed like only yesterday that his sister had announced she was pregnant.

  In fact, as big brother, it was up to him to see that his little sister was okay. He guessed the going to the ladies room was just an excuse to leave the table after seeing Aiden. If he knew her as well as he thought then she was probably crying her eyes out someplace.

  “I’m going to use the men’s room,” Callum said, standing. “I promise I’ll be back before the music starts,” he told Olivia.

  Dancing he wouldn’t miss for anything. Dancing cheek to cheek, body to body. Stop it or you’ll be as hard as a rock.

  He made his way through the tables that were placed around the dance floor and remembered the exact direction his sister had headed. In fact, it was the same way Aiden and the young woman had been walking.

  Callum walked by the stage where the wedding had been and then spotted what looked like a beach cabana. He saw a woman’s back pressed against the window. It was the woman that had been with Aiden
because he recognized the dress. By the sound of her groans and moans, he guessed that Aiden was in there fucking her.

  He didn’t see his sister anywhere and he didn’t want to run into Aiden and have him think he’d been some sort of pervert listening to him having sex with a woman. Shit, if something like that ever got around town, Callum would never live it down.

  None of those Nolan boys had ever been able to keep their dicks in their pants. Wait a minute who was he to judge them? He’d done a load of that himself and he knew Ryan and Shane had too. In fact, he wouldn’t be too surprised if Ryan had his cock deep inside Aubrie right now. He turned around and ran straight into Sloan who had tears running down her cheeks.

  “Callum what are you…”

  She stopped in mid-sentence and looked over his shoulder. Callum glanced and saw Aiden and the woman running out of the cabana laughing and holding hands.

  “You didn’t lie when you said your dick was the biggest in town,” she said.

  He turned back to his sister.

  “Is that why you’re crying?” he asked her. “Aiden Nolan.”

  “No, don’t be so stupid. Why would I cry over that pussy loving Romeo?”

  “So why are you crying.”

  “It’s a wedding and I’m a single mom who’s dateless.”

  “There are plenty of cute guys here who would love to date you.”

  “Yeah, like they’re lining up to go out with a woman who breastfeeds and changes diapers. And not to mention my pussy isn’t what it used to be since I had a baby.”

  “Wow, way too much information.” He pulled her in close and let her sob into his chest.

  “It’s going to be okay Sloan, you are the best mom in the world and you’re doing great. You’re going to school, you’re going to have a great career and your son is going to grow up to be a fine young man and love you for all the sacrifices you’ve made by being a single parent.”

  He was going to ask her outright if Aiden had fathered Kyle but like he’d told Olivia, everyone was entitled to their secrets. And which reminded him, he needed to get back to her because they were going to dance the night away and maybe they might end up in their own cabana.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “If I could have everyone’s attention please,” said Brad. “We’re about to start our entertainment for the evening and I’d like to introduce a friend of mine and somewhat of a local celebrity, Bobby and his niece Aubrie and her band who are going to play and keep you on your feet, so let’s drink and celebrate the wedding of these two beautiful people.”

  Olivia looked around, hoping to see Callum. She hadn’t seen either him or Sloan and she hoped nothing was wrong. She’d taken over babysitting duties and was bouncing Kyle on her lap.

  “Never mind Kyle if they don’t come back soon because we’ll get up and dance, okay.”

  He gave her a little smile as he slapped his legs with his fists.

  “Good evening everyone. I’m happy that Aubrie and I have been asked to play for you. We will be taking requests so if you have a favorite song just head up here and we’ll be happy to oblige. Okay, Mr. and Mrs. King if you’d like to step on up here for your first dance as husband and wife.”

  The couple took to the floor and danced cheek to cheek and soon other people were going them. Glen and Marie returned to the table.

  “Are you okay looking after Kyle for a little longer, Glen wants to show everyone how well he dances,” Marie said.

  “I’m fine,” Olivia said.

  She watched as they took to the floor and were soon moving around like they were professionals on Dancing with the Stars. Olivia felt someone touch her back and looked around to see Callum with Sloan.

  “You missed me?” he asked her.

  “I sure did.”

  “Why don’t I take Kyle from you and then the two of you can dance,” Sloan said.

  Sloan’s eyes were red, her face puffy and some mascara had smudged under her lower lashes. It was obvious she’d been crying. Callum offered Olivia his hand. She took it and soon they were on the dance floor as Callum pulled her in close.

  “Sorry I was gone for so long,” he said, close to her ear. “But I guessed my little sister needed me.”

  “Is she okay?” Olivia asked.

  “She’s fine, well at least for now.”

  “Anything I can do? You’ve all been so kind to me I’d love to do something for Sloan.”

  “Just be a good friend to her but enough about her, let’s turn our attention to us,” Callum said, spinning her around and making her laugh.

  He pushed his body into hers and she felt his erection bump her belly and then he slipped his hands down onto her butt.

  “I don’t know about you but I think if we keep this up, we’re going to need to head home pretty soon.”

  She smiled. The thought of dancing with Callum and then going home and making love with him, made it seem like she was the princess bride today. Unfortunately Bobby and Aubrie chose that moment to switch to a fast song and they very reluctantly pulled away. She’d never line danced before but it looked like that’s what they were about to do. They stood next to Glen and Marie and the best she could do was follow along with them and Callum.

  She remembered hearing Achy Breaky Heart on the radio. She’d often listened to music as a way to escape her life with Mark. Once she’d even found herself dancing when he’d gone out of town on business for three days. Callum signaled to her that she was doing great. She had to admit she’d never had so much fun since she was in high school. Glen and Marie were pros and Callum’s dad was right, he could teach people a thing or two about dancing as his cowboy boots clipped along the floor.

  The music changed and soon Callum had hold of her and they were going around in pairs and moving so fast that Olivia was sure she’d lose one of her shoes. All she saw was a blur or cowboy hats.

  “You were a natural born dancing at that and I think we should go to the Wagon Wheel next weekend,” Callum told her as they walked toward the table.

  “And it will be a date. Remember I told you I’d let you know if it was,” Olivia told him.

  He pulled out the chair for her and she sat. Slices of cake had been placed on each plate, and a glass of what looked like champagne, filled each glass.

  “Make a wish everyone as you eat the first piece,” Marie said. “That’s what I did when I was young and next thing I know I met this handsome cowboy so be warned.”

  Glen kissed Marie on the cheek. “So that’s how you got me to fall in love with you, hocus pocus.”

  Olivia did make a wish as she took her first bite of cake. She wished she’d stay as happy as she was right at this very moment.

  *****

  Olivia hadn’t wanted to but Callum had encouraged her up to the front of the marquee where the bride was about to toss her bouquet. She turned around and looked at him almost as if she was looking for support. He put his thumb up to her as more single women pushed and shoved to get a better position as the Nolan bride walked to the front.

  Callum saw Sloan and the woman who’d been with Aiden Nolan standing side by side already starting to elbow one another. Oh yeah, his sister had it bad for Aiden and he hoped she’d either get over it or tell him how she felt. Had she even told him that Kyle was his baby?

  Callum’s mom held Kyle and she and his dad stood close to Callum.

  “Would you look at our daughter. Looks like she’s going to fist fight that young woman. Oh, look out here comes the bouquet,” said his dad.

  Callum watched as it flew through the air, the girls screamed and suddenly it looked more like a football huddle than a wedding reception. Seconds later he couldn’t believe his eyes when Olivia raised her hand in the air and there in it was the bouquet minus a few flowers or two.

  “Look out son,” said his dad, hitting on the back. “That’s about sealed your fate.”

  *****

  Olivia had put the flowers in a vase the minute she’d gotten bac
k to Callum’s place. Despite the broken stems and missing petals, they still looked stunning. She’d had no intent on catching the bouquet. In fact, she’d been busy standing there with her mouth open while thinking how stupid the females were acting to try and catch what was essentially just a bunch of flowers. But then she’d looked up and while the other women had been tugging and pushing in a huddle, the bouquet had simply fallen her way. She’d raised her hand and as if my magic, the stems had hit her palm. She didn’t believe in the story of the person who catches a bride’s bouquet being the next person to marry. She’d never marry again and that was fine with her. Right now just having a man like Callum who was caring and protective around her was all she wished for.

  “I’m guessing that Brad Nolan paid a lot for those flowers and the whole wedding,” Callum said. He snaked his arms around her and kissed the side of her neck.

  “It was the most lavish event I’ve ever been to,” Olivia said. “Everything was beautiful.”

  “It was but not as wonderful as the woman I’m holding right now.”

  He pushed her hair aside and began to unzip the back of her dress, his fingers tickling her skin as he did so. Callum gently eased the dress off her shoulders, allowing it to slide down her body and eventually onto the floor. He planted tiny quick kisses across her skin while undoing her bra and let it fall. Callum nuzzled her neck as he eased his hands either side of her panties and carefully slid them down her thighs until they rest on top of her feet. She kicked them off and felt Callum’s arms wrap around her body. She was warm and safe and never wanted this particular moment in time to end because it was the happiest she’d been in forever.

  Callum walked his fingers down her belly, over her navel and into her pubic hair. She closed her eyes as he pushed them downward, finding her clit. Soon he was massaging it, teasing it until it was throbbing and erect. She placed her hands behind her, finding his head and shoulders as he bit playfully into her neck. The stubble on his chin rubbed against her skin as his finger dipped lower and pushed into the opening of her pussy.