Rodeo Rancher

by Lauren Wood

  I kind of felt back for her, but at the same time it was hard to feel bad when I had wanted her to leave. I had wanted her to leave since I caught her in bed with Cece’s boyfriend. Now it was a weight lifted off of my shoulders, though I had more decency than to say something of the sort out loud.

  “I don’t know Casey. I am sorry to hear that.”

  “No you’re not. After the way you treated me out on the range, I am sure you had something to do with it. I know that you are done with me, you made that clear, but what I don’t get is why you are acting like you didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t know. Honest.”

  “Well, just so you know, I was the one that got you arrested at the bar. It serves you right.”

  It surprised me less than I would have thought it would. She had always been trouble, but now at least I knew that she was that kind of trouble. There was nothing good that was going to come from finishing up the conversation. I wished her well and made my way inside. I had a feeling that I myself might have one as well. It was a slim chance, but lately, anything was possible when it came to Cece.

  I got into my room, half expecting to see the same note and check in an envelope, but there was nothing. I called Cece to see if I could wake her up, but she never answered. I was forced to go to sleep by myself and I dreamed about the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. She was like a drug to me and the more I thought about her, the worst it got.

  By early the next morning, I was over at the ranch house, making coffee, waiting on Cece to come down. I didn’t have the nerve to go back up there and see about her. I was just going to wait it out.

  Carl came in not too long after I had started my second cup of coffee. He had a grin on his face and asked how the trip was.

  “It was alright.”

  “You got some big ass balls Dante, acting all nonchalant in here. I will give you that.”

  I didn’t know what he meant, but I didn’t have to wait long to find out. He was referring to what happened with me and Casey.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I hear that the boss lady went to see you one night a few days ago and you were in your tent, all cozied up to Casey. I hear that Cecelia was livid when she got back. She didn’t say a word to anyone for almost the whole day. You know that is hard for her. That woman likes to yak.”

  My mind was going a mile a minute and the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach was back. It was always so close to the forefront of my mind, but now it was the type of situation that I didn’t want to be in. I didn’t want Cece to think that something happened with me and Casey, though I had caught her in my bed twice. She just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Nothing happened, but what if Carl was right and Cece had seen it? She hadn’t said anything, but it would make sense why she finally got rid of Casey. I guess both me and Cliff were enough for her.

  Now I was dreading seeing her and instead of waiting for it to all blow up in my face down here, I went back to her room and knocked on the door after I realized that it was still locked. No one answered, but then I heard the water going in the shower and I figured I should see about that first.

  That door wasn’t locked, but I wasn’t welcome. Cece made it clear and actually threw something at me. “Keep your distance Dante. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. Just do your job and leave me alone! I don’t want to have to fire you too.”

  ***

  “I think we should talk Dante.”

  I turned around and looked at her warily. “I have been trying to for a couple of weeks now. You haven’t wanted to have anything to do with me for all of that time. Keep your distance is what you said. What do you want me to say?”

  “I know that I have been distance, but it came to my attention that some of the information that I got, may not have been the right information. Sometimes it is hard to disbelieve what you see with your own eyes. I thought I saw something between you and Casey, but now I know that it wasn’t something that you had a part of. You have to understand that I never wanted to believe it, but it is hard to see something with your own eyes and not believe it. I didn’t want to seem like the fool that would let you make up such ridiculous excuses.”

  “Why do you think so differently now?”

  “I talked to Steve and he told me what happened. I wish you would have told me, but I don’t think I would have believed you anyways if I am completely honest with myself. I knew that Casey was a troublemaker, but I never would have guessed that she was that way.”

  “Well I wanted to talk to you about it, but I didn’t think there was anything I could say to make it better. I know that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her. You are the only one I want Cece. That hasn’t changed.”

  “Even though I was a jealous cow to you?”

  I smiled and I loved the way her whole face brightened up with idea of m forgiveness. It had been far too long since I had seen that look on her face and I wanted to memorize it so I would never forget it.

  “Yes even though you wouldn’t give me a chance to explain. It has only been you since the first time we were together and I don’t want that to ever change. I was hoping that the truth would come out one day soon, but I am not going to worry about it too much. Now that you are mine again and we are talking, that is all that matters.”

  “So what do you want to do now that we are talking again?”

  I chuckled and sighed. She really was the perfect woman when she wasn’t pissed off at me.

  “I can think of many things that I would like to do with you and all of them involve me, you and a bed.”

  She sighed and moved towards me. “Why a bed?”

  “Because it has been weeks Cece and I want to take you properly.”

  She shivered in my arms and I kissed her for the first time in a long time. I had been so afraid that I wasn’t going to ever be able to hold her again, but she felt amazing in my arms, she really did.

  “You feel different. It has been so long that you feel different to me Cece.”

  She pulled back away from me and looked at me a little strange. “What do you mean by that?”

  I held her middle, pulling her back to me and there were definitely some changes in the way her body felt in my arms. It was hard to explain, but she felt a little rounder and her stomach was a little harder. I certainly wasn’t going to say that to her though.

  “I don’t know. You just feel different to me. Your boobs even feel different.”

  That got her smiling and she pushed my hand away from her mounds. “They are bigger now, but not by much. How could you tell?”

  That’s what it was, that felt bigger and I had to put my hand up there again to cup them and see if she was right. She was. So what did that mean?

  “I don’t know Cece, but I know this body better than my own. I could just tell right off the bat that something was different. Why do you think your boobs are bigger?”

  “Because my bras are getting tight.”

  I waited for her to say more, but nothing was forthcoming.

  “So, why is that? I didn’t think that they did that… Oh.” Now I see.

  Cecelia moved back a little and looked at me, waiting for my reaction. It took me a minute, but now I got it. “Are you?”

  I couldn’t even say the word because it was so foreign to me. I didn’t know what to say so I just pulled her to me and kissed her on the lips. I was happy and scared all at the same time, but I knew that I wanted this with her. It cemented us together forever and I knew that I was going to have to make it official. I owed that to her and it wasn’t like I wasn’t already thinking about it, but first things first.

  Pulling her after me, I took her upstairs and closed the door, locking it. “I need you Cece.”

  Her blue eyes darkened the color of the stormy sea. “I need you too Dante, badly.”

  Her hands went to her shirt and she started to undo it. I wasn’t waiting though, not able to endure her little show. I pulled the shirt open and hea
rd the buttons popping as I ripped it off. I didn’t care and once I got my mouth on Cece, she wasn’t going to care either.

  Epilogue

  Three Months Later

  Cecelia

  “So what are we doing here Dante? You know I don’t like surprises.”

  He smiled at me and told me that he wasn’t going to tell me a word. We had ridden the horses for a couple of hours and it seemed like now we were walking into dark nothingness and I was getting an uneasy feeling. It was late at night and pitch black, but he seemed just fine to let me worry about it all.

  I didn’t really care where we were going, as long as he was with me. All I could think about was how much I wanted him to just tell me already. I didn’t like the unknown, even though it was Dante.

  Everything had changed since I finally talked to Steve and found out the truth. Every time that I didn’t trust Dante, I was proven wrong and that was just another time that the same rang true. All I wanted from him was to be with him and now that I finally realized that I could trust him, everything had been so much better. I wish I would have gotten here so much sooner. It seemed like a waste, all of the mistrust and putting myself through agony thinking all of those horrible things about him for no reason.

  “I don’t care where we go Dante, as long as the ending is what I hope for.”

  I had only one thing in mind when we were together and now I wanted him so badly. When I thought about him, I knew that everything was going to work out. It took me a while to get there, but we were going to be a family soon enough.

  “I know what you want Cece and I promise that you won’t be disappointed.”

  His statement made me feel a little better and I started to relax a little bit, letting him guide me in the dark. Whatever it was, it would be good because it was from him. I was sure of that, if I wasn’t sure of anything else.

  My heart started to falter when we came through a clearing and I could see candles lit, as well as a blanket laying out with a picnic basket and some sparkling cider. He was always so damn romantic and this was no different. I turned to him and kissed him in the darkness that was no longer complete.

  “It’s beautiful baby. Totally worth the wait. You know how hungry I was. I was sure that you were trying to make me starve.”

  “Never Cece. I just wanted to have dinner with just the two of us, not with everyone else around from the ranch.”

  “I agree. I like eating with everyone like a family, but I like to be alone with you as well. It always feels so nice when we are together just the two of us. So what is the occasion for tonight? Why did you do all of this?”

  “I wanted to ask you something important and I wanted to make sure that everything was right.”

  I had a feeling I knew what he was about to do and I was so nervous that I asked for some sparkling cider first. He poured me a drink while I anxiously nibbled on a piece of cheese. I wasn’t hungry anymore, but I knew that I wanted to keep my hands busy before I did something that I would regret.

  “What did you want to ask me?” I already knew, but I wanted to prolong it just a little bit longer. This was a moment that I was going to remember the rest of my life. It was a story that is going to be told over and over again and I wanted to make sure it was perfect.

  Dante did just what I had always envisioned in my mind. He got on one knee with a small ring box in his hands. “Will you marry me Cece?”

  I shook my head, tears streaming down my face because I knew that it was going to be hard to actually get any words out. I moved down to kiss him and toppled him over. I fell onto his hard body and I could have sworn that I had fallen back in love with him all over again.

  “So it that a yes?”

  “Yes! Of course I will marry you Dante! I thought you would never ask.”

  I moved off of him because I was smooshing my burgeoning stomach. I didn’t mention that it took him long enough. I had hoped for this, months ago, but now, as he slipped the ring on my finger, our future family together seemed more and more a part of reality. Our new reality and it was one that I wouldn’t change for the world.

  ***

  I hope you enjoyed RODEO RANCHER. For more enjoyment, I have included some bonus stories along with sneak peak of my other books. Please check the table of content to choose what to read next.

  ***

  EXCLUSIVE BAD BOY SECRET BABY ROMANCE: BAD TO THE BONE

  Chapter One

  It was too easy. The feeling never went away and I was left with many regrets in my life. I wanted something different. Every day was the same thing. I woke up and showered. I put on my clothes and went to work like everybody else did. I saw the sheep moving through life with no purpose and it sickened me.

  The bench was uncomfortable, but it was the perfect way to see if I was under surveillance. The police and other agencies had fingered me for certain crimes without being able to follow it up in court. I had a contingent of lawyers ready and willing to do what I paid them for. If they couldn’t, then I could certainly find some other firm that would.

  It was a nice day with the birds chirping. The old man sitting near the edge of the lake was feeding the ducks pieces of bread. I wanted to shake the living daylights out of him. Bread was not good for their digestive tract. It would’ve been better had he brought along some rice. He was under the mistaken impression this was good for them or maybe he just didn’t care.

  Two things were a constant in life. Death and taxes were something nobody could get away from. I found a way to limit exposure to my revenue by squirreling my money away in tax havens like Caribbean Banks. Nobody asked any questions. Money was king with any accountant worth their salt.

  He stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd made up of mostly young mothers and dog walkers at this time of day. His suit was a beacon to others that he didn’t belong. He got some interesting stares on his way over to the park bench I was currently occupying.

  He was angry at the world and I could see the chip on his shoulder. It was easy to recognize these traits. I had been a study of human nature for too long not to see trouble when it was coming my way. He got my name from a vast network of underground contacts. It meant that he was in need of my services and was willing to pay a hefty sum to get it.

  The man with the dark hair sat back to back with me on the other bench. He seemed rather nervous, but his conviction was never in doubt. The way he carried himself had the air of sophistication and money. It also reeked of desperation.

  “I’m gathering you are Scarlet. I seriously doubt that’s your real name. I don’t want to play hardball, but this has to be done my way. Revenge is a dish best served cold.” I was getting this feeling and I was usually pretty good at reading people.

  “I got the file and I believe that I can help you with your current situation. It’s going to take a few days. I need to make sure there are no variables unaccounted for. I’ve never failed in the past and I don’t intend to start now. There is the formality of the money. I require half up front and the other half upon completion of the job.” I didn’t take anything more than they could afford. I made sure to check out my clients extensively before even mentioning a price.

  “Money is no issue. I’ve tried to let the courts handle this. It became painfully clear his lawyers are better than the system. My sister deserves more than to be forgotten. I blame myself for what happened. I won’t go into lengthy detail and it’s really none of your business.” His attitude was a bit irksome and I felt like he was trying to insert his own dominance. He was going to have to learn the hard way this woman had more bite than bark.

  “I’m sending you a discreet e-mail with instructions to send me the required compensation. I believe that I can get my hands on what you want. Try to refrain from mentioning this without some kind of code. There’s no telling if someone is listening in.” The black leather coat hugged my frame and it had been with me for as long as I could remember.

  “I did mention this will have to happen my way. I h
ave been through the wringer. I don’t want to make the mistake of trusting somebody to do what I can’t do. I want to see his eyes and I want him to know who’s responsible.” I was a loner. I enjoyed a certain amount of anonymity. The distraction of having somebody with me was going to cause some considerable angst.

  “Calvin I understand how what happened has affected you. Everybody deals with grief in different ways. Justice is in the eye of the beholder. The bible states an eye for an eye. This is a concept I can get behind.” The business I was in wasn’t exactly my first choice of vocation.

  I actually wanted to be a veterinarian until my whole family was slaughtered in a house invasion. I was only 13 years old at the time and I came home to find them lying in a pool of their own blood. I was traumatized and it sent me down a destructive path of least resistance.

  I had been clean for almost 10 years. It wasn’t easy getting the monkey off my back. It was only when I was in rehab that I met a man willing to take me underneath his wing. He was dying and the drugs had helped him to cope with the disease ravaging his body.

  This new client was trying to keep my undivided attention.

  “I want the same treatment for him. He needs to feel what it’s like to step into the shoes of his victim. I don’t care that it was in the heat of the moment. I want satisfaction. Having a hand in this will finally give me closure. This is one caveat not negotiable.” He wasn’t listening and I was tired of using a softer tone. I tried to keep my composure.

  “I’m reminded of a person I used to know. He told me getting personally involved with anything can only lead to heartbreak. Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The authorities will automatically finger you as the culprit. You need to have an airtight alibi for your comings and goings.” The blue jeans were a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I learned a long time ago my body could be a weapon.