by T. J. Kline
Sydney stood by, waiting for Scott as they released the bulls from the chutes and guided them back to the corral. The announcer informed the crowd that they were going to redraw the bulls since the animals had been in the chutes too long and explained the rules that kept the animals safe and healthy. Scott rode over to her at the gate and dismounted, pulling her into his arms.
“Are you okay?”
“Scott, what was he doing here?” She buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“I don’t know, but it was a joke to him. He made sure to catch my eye from the chute and give me that smirk.”
“Jen called the police already, so we’ll send them on to the hospital.” She shook her head. “It didn’t look good.”
Scott kissed the top of her head. “I think he got gored.”
She tipped her chin up so she could meet his gaze. “Scott, you tried to save him. Even after all that he’s done.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“I couldn’t just let it happen.”
“Scott.” Jen appeared at the gate. “They are loading in the next set of bulls. And the police are here.”
Sydney pushed him back toward the arena. “Go ahead. I’ll talk to the police.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
* * *
SYDNEY LAY CURLED against Scott’s chest. She inhaled the scent of him, humming in tune to the song playing quietly on radio. Scott’s fingers feathered over her ribcage before resting on her abs, her t-shirt bunching under his palm.
“When are you planning on telling me?”
She looked up at him, startled. “How did you know?”
“Jen told me.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Why didn’t you tell me that day at the pool?”
Guilt flooded her. Sydney wanted to be angry with Jen for betraying her confidence, but if she had told him, Jen wouldn’t have felt the need. “You’re not angry that I didn’t tell you?”
Scott tipped her chin up with the pad of his finger before running his thumb across her lips. “I wish you had told me.” His eyes darkened with sadness and regret. “But I also understand that you had to find out where we stood before telling me about our child.”
“I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want you to feel trapped. And that day . . .” She shrugged, her fingers splayed across his chest. “Everything fell apart, and it just wasn’t the time. You weren’t in a place to hear it.” Sydney raised herself onto her elbow and looked down at him. “Scott, I swear, I wasn’t going to keep you from your child. I was going to tell you before I quit.”
Scott laughed. “You’re crazy if you think Mike would have let you quit.”
Sydney tried to hide her smile. “That’s what he said the first time I tried.”
Scott rolled over her so she lay under him. She ran her hand over his stubbled jaw. “Princess, I wouldn’t have let you go either.” He brushed a curl from her forehead. “It might have taken me a little longer, but I would have figured it out.”
She smiled up at him. “I love you, Scott Chandler.”
His kiss was tender but desperate, as if she were an apparition that was bound to disappear. She held his face, tasting his love, savoring the feel of his body weighing on her, his hand still protectively covering their child. He wound his fingers into her hair and leaned his forehead against hers, slightly breathless.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. Thank God Derek stepped in and helped me see what was right in front of me all along.”
“How did that happen? I thought the two of you could barely be in a room together?”
Scott smiled. “Let’s just say that after a bottle of whiskey, Derek can get his point across. Even if it means a monster hangover the next day.” Scott nuzzled the hollow of her jaw. “You’ve given me back my brother as well as my heart.”
Sydney jumped as someone pounded on the door of the trailer. Most of the crew had headed to the rodeo barbeque and the dance. She could still hear the band in the distance, so she wondered who could be needing them now.
“Scott!” It was Jen’s voice. “Sydney!”
Scott jumped from the bed and hurried to the door. “What’s wrong? I thought you guys were going to the dance.”
“We were. The police came to inform us that Kurt didn’t make it.”
Scott reached for Sydney as she approached and wound his arm around her waist. “What happened?”
“They said that there was too much damage to the liver and spleen. He never came to once they left.”
Sydney buried her face in Scott’s side. “It’s finally over?”
THE MORNING OF the wedding dawned bright and breezy. It had been a whirlwind of activity on the ranch trying to plan a wedding in less than a month while keeping the stock moving from rodeo to rodeo. Sydney had asked Alicia and her mother to stay at the ranch and help her plan the event with Jen and Silvie. Against everyone else’s wishes, Sydney insisted on the ceremony being held in the corral at Scott’s cabin. Only Scott seemed to understand that she needed to close the door on the past and see the place of Valentino’s death in a new light with a happy memory.
The guests had begun to arrive and were being seated in the corral, waiting for the bride to make her appearance. She knew that Chris had already arrived, and according to her father and brother, Scott was becoming more nervous with every passing moment as he was greeted by several rodeo friends.
Sydney rose from the end of the bed and stood in front of the full-length mirror. The gown of white satin and tulle surrounded her like a cloud. The modest, princess-cut neckline was covered in beads and tiny pearls and cut in at the waist, giving the bodice of the dress a heart-like appearance. The full sleeves, while slightly impractical for a summer wedding, were made of delicate lace cut out and tapered to a tight cuff at the wrist. The tulle, accented with pearls and sequins, billowed from her waist to the floor, the train trailing behind her.
“Are you ready?” Sydney looked back and saw her father enter the room. She smoothed the skirt of the dress and noticed that her hands were trembling.
“I’m scared.”
Her father came and kissed the curls piled inside the veiled crown on her head. “Come here.” He led her to the large picture window that overlooked the corral. “Do you see that man out there?” He pointed at Scott, standing between the preacher and Derek. “He loves you and you love him. The two of you are going to have a child soon, and you’re going to adore him or her. That’s all you need to remember.”
She stared at Scott. He was gorgeous. He stood talking to Derek and Clay, his groomsmen, with this hair damp and curling beneath his black cowboy hat. Freshly shaven, he wore black Levis and boots paired with a tuxedo jacket, shirt, and vest. She had never seen him look more handsome. She smiled up at her father. “I love you, Daddy.”
“WE BETTER GO find those ladies and get this started,” Clay laughed as he gave Scott a hug and patted his shoulder.
Scott stood at the head of the aisle. He tried not to fidget, but he couldn’t seem to keep his hands still. He wasn’t nervous, but he was anxious to call Sydney his wife. Scott held his breath as Clay escorted Jen into the corral. His sister beamed, her smile spread from one cheek to the other. Derek, with Alicia’s arm in the crook of his own, smiled down at the woman walking with him. His breath caught in his chest as he saw Bill Thomas escorting his daughter toward him, a vision in white.
She was breathtakingly beautiful as she took another step, closing the distance between them. Scott felt as if he had waited for this moment since he had nearly run her over at the rodeo with his horse. Time seemed to stand still as Sydney approached him.
Her father slipped her hand from the crook of his elbow and placed it in Scott’s hand. He lifted the veil covering his daughter’s face and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Scott could see the tears shimmering in the man’s eyes. “Take good care of her, son.”
“I promise, sir.” Scott smiled as he stared down at the wom
an who had become the reason his heart beat.
The preacher began to speak, saying the words they had practiced the night before at the rehearsal, but Scott tuned him out. His entire being focused on the way her hair fell to her shoulders and curled around her cheeks. He could only think of the sweetness of her lips as he watched them move, repeating the vows to love, honor, and cherish him. Scott said the same words, wanting nothing more than to take her into his arms as he felt her hands shake in his own.
He slipped the ring onto her finger, forever proclaiming her as his wife, and kissed the band on her hand. “I love you,” he whispered.
A tear fell from her cheek, coursing to her chin, and he reached up to wipe it away with his thumb, not even thinking about the people surrounding them.
“I now pronounce you, man and wife.”
Their friends and family cheered as Scott pulled his bride into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. He curved his arm around her back and pulled her closer, branding her as his for all eternity.
Epilogue
* * *
“SYDNEY,” SCOTT CALLED as he shook her shoulder gently. “Come on, sleepyhead. Wake up.”
She stretched and yawned, opening her eyes, and rolled onto her back, smiling at the sight before her. Scott sat beside her on the bed, his black eyes shining. She reached up and touched his cheek.
“Your daughter is hungry,” he pointed out as the bundle in his arms mewed, letting everyone know she was not pleased.
Sydney scooted into a sitting position in the bed. Reaching for her three-month-old daughter in her husband’s arms, she opened her gown. Scott watched the tender moment as their child nursed. Kassie had quickly wiggled her way into her father’s heart. Any remaining desire to keep his love for his girls hidden was gone. Kassie’s eyes, as dark as his own but shimmering with the gold flecks that indicated the fiery temperament of her mother, had melted any remaining reservations.
“Are you going to stare all day?” Scott leaned over and tasted his wife’s lips. He could see the passion flame in her eyes. He smiled, knowing that he would never grow tired of the woman he had married.
Scott glanced down at the baby nursing at Sydney’s breast. “Lucky girl,” he teased, winking. Sydney wiggled her index finger at him. He cocked his head and gave her a rakish grin. “Now, woman, I cannot simply service you at the snap of your fingers.” He touched his lips to her own again, tasting the sweetness of her mouth as their tongues dueled. A knock at the door halted their kiss and Scott growled at the intrusion.
“Scott.” Jen’s voice sounded through the closed door.
Sydney laughed and pulled the blanket over her to cover her breast. “Come in, Jen,” Sydney called to her sister-in-law.
“Good morning.” Jen waddled in with her hand at her lower back, her very pregnant belly leading the way. “How is Kassie this morning?”
“Hungry again,” Scott remarked. He wished they could have had more privacy, even gone on a honeymoon, but Sydney’s pregnancy had prevented it. But once the mares foaled, he promised himself, they were going on a trip, just the two of them.
Jen leaned down and whispered into Scott’s ear. “What?” Sydney asked as Scott’s face broke into a broad grin.
“Hurry and get dressed.” He reached to take Kassie from her arms, his heart racing as he thought about how surprised she would be. “I’ll make her a bottle.”
“No, I’ll feed her,” Sydney argued. “Why? What is it?”
“Trust me. Just get dressed.” He slipped the baby from her arms and immediately heard her mewing protests. “Oh, you can wait two seconds for a bottle.” Scott reached for a nearby pacifier and slipped it into her mouth as he headed into the kitchen to prepare a bottle.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is,” Sydney muttered as she climbed out the bed, watching Scott leave the room.
WHEN SCOTT RETURNED, holding a bottle in his daughter’s mouth, he found Sydney dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, reaching for a hairbrush. “Not now. Come on. We don’t have time for that,” he grumbled.
“What is so important that I can’t even run a brush through my hair?” she asked as he herded her toward the door and out toward the back patio doors. Jen had followed them, and as they reached the barn he held Kassie out to her aunt.
Sydney opened the doors as he led her past the corral and to the barn. “Ready?”
She nodded and he slid the large door open. He led her to Cougar’s stall. As Sydney walked up, he pointed toward the mare. “He’s yours.”
Who is mine?
Sydney looked at the mare who would be foaling any day and noticed that she seemed thinner. She looked around the stall and noticed the small, smoky gray mound near one wall. She gasped as a small head lifted and stared at her with dark, liquid eyes. The colt unwound his long legs from beneath him and tried to stand. After several attempts, he finally managed to balance himself on four spindly legs. Sydney laughed as the young colt shook on uncertain legs before making his way to her, cautiously, curiously.
“Have you imprinted him?” She looked back over her shoulder at Scott in the doorway.
“We were waiting for you to do it.” He smiled down at her.
Sydney squatted on the balls of her feet, careful not to startle the foal. Slowly, he stuck his nose out to smell the stranger. Cougar nudged Sydney with her nose.
“You did good, mama.” She kissed the mare’s velvety muzzle as the foal nudged her in the chest.
She ran her hands over the fur of his neck and looked into his eyes. The eyes that stared back at her bravely were Valentino’s.
“They say the eyes are the windows to the soul,” Scott commented.
Sydney looked back at Scott as she continued to rub the foal’s legs and chest, getting him accustomed to being touched by humans. She knew he must have noticed the same thing she had. “What should we name him?”
“He’s yours. What do you want to name him?”
“Let’s see . . . what about Smokey?” She ran her hands over his forehead and ears.
The colt whinnied and shook his head. She laughed, amazed that he was just as opinionated as his sire had been. “Okay, picky, what do you think of Casanova?” She reached for one of his now sturdy legs and patted the bottom of a hoof. The colt nudged her neck with his muzzle and nibbled at her ear. “Casanova it is.” She laughed.
Sydney stood and stepped into Scott’s arms as they looked at the colt. “He looks just like Valentino did when he was born.”
“Valentino is a big part of him.”
Sydney leaned backward and kissed his lips tenderly. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome. I love you, Mrs. Chandler.” He grinned against her lips. “The smartest thing I ever did was ask you to marry me.”
“You can say that again,” she teased, her voice husky with barely contained passion. He raised his brow at her. “But the smartest thing I ever did was to say yes.”
She scooped a handful of grain from a bucket nearby and held it out to the mare. “You’ve got her eating out of the palm of your hand.”
Sydney smiled and gave him a sidelong glance. “The way you eat out of mine?”
Scott reached for Sydney’s free hand and brought her palm to his lips, nipping at the sensitive flesh. “Is that what you had in mind?”
Her limbs went liquid as she gazed into the black eyes that she had once thought belonged to the devil, eyes that still held the power to drown her in passion. “Not exactly.” She sighed.
Scott led her back into the house, past Kassie’s room where Jen was already rocking their daughter to sleep. He bent and scooped Sydney into his arms, carrying her to their room and shutting the door behind him with a worn cowboy boot. She saw where he was headed and pushed against his chest.
“Scott, we can’t. Derek will be here any second and Jen is just down the hall,” she protested.
“To hell with them.” Scott grinned mischievously. “We’re newlyweds. They’ll understand.�
�� Sydney ran her fingers through the curls at the nape of his neck.
“I love you, princess. I always have.”
“Always?” She asked, smiling. “I remember a time when you couldn’t stand to have me around.”
“I always wanted you around. I just didn’t want to admit it.” He pressed his lips to hers.
“I love you.”
“Princess, I love you more than I can even put into words.”
Sydney could see the truth shining in his eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, content to be held by her cowboy for eternity.
An Excerpt from The Cowboy And The Angel
CHAPTER ONE
“Angela, call on line three,”
“Can’t you just handle it, Joe? I don’t have time for this b.s.” It was probably just another stupid mom calling hoping she’d feature her daughter’s viral video in some feel-good news story. When was she ever going to get her break and get some hard-hitting news?
“They asked for you.”
She sighed. Maybe if she left them listening to that horrible elevator music long enough, they’d hang up. Joe edged closer to her desk.
“Just pick up the damn phone and see what they want.”
“Fine.” She glared at him as she punched the button. The look she gave him belied the sweet tone of her voice. “Angela McCallister, how can I help you?”
Joe leaned against her cubical wall, listening to her part of the conversation. She waved at him irritably. It wasn’t always easy when your boss was your oldest friend, and ex-boyfriend. He quirked a brow at her.
Go away, she mouthed.
“Are you really looking for new stories?”
She assumed the male voice on the line was talking about the calls the station ran at the end of several news programs asking for stories of interest. Most of them ended up in her mental ignore file but once in a while she’d found one worth pursuing.