by Hebby Roman
He cupped her jaw with a tender grip and kissed the tears away. “I don’t know, but I can promise you this, I won’t let anything happen to you.” He wrenched the glass from Addison’s grasp and placed it and his beer on the table, then pulled her into his arms. Wet warmth dampened his shirt and he tightened his hold.
They sat silently wrapped in each other’s arms for a long time. When Addison’s breathing steadied he knew she’d fallen asleep. He wrestled out from beneath and scooped her up. She moaned and nuzzled her head into his neck.
He carried her to the bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. With nimble fingers, he pulled off her boots and set them on the floor.
She stirred, then called out for him in a voice a little more than a whisper. “Sawyer? Would you spend the night? I’d rather not be alone.”
“Of course,” he answered without hesitation and slid into the bed beside her. The heat of her curves warmed his side as she laid her head on his chest. A perfect fit…as if she belonged in his arms.
Her breathing evened out again indicating she’d fallen back to sleep, but rest didn’t come easy for Sawyer. Thoughts of his emotional attachment to Addison kept him awake. He wanted nothing more than to comfort the woman, hold her until she had no more tears to shed, yet, simply being near her unleashed a longing he’d never known before. And it scared the hell out of him.
For the first time in his life, he was actually considering setting some roots.
If only his past would let him.
Chapter Ten
Sawyer woke with a start. The strange surroundings were vaguely familiar but it still took a moment to figure out where he was. Cloaked in a pink hue, the color stirred his memory.
Addison’s room.
A faint recollection of carrying the little lady to bed filtered in. And now she lay sound asleep in his arms. Blinking away the foggy fingers of sleep, he savored the moment and hugged her close, breathing in her trademark scent of wildflowers.
She wiggled her backside, snuggling into him, and he instantly grew hard as a rock. He shifted his weight, trying to relieve some of the pressure.
The last thing he remembered was a muffled plea that he stay. Stay? He never wanted to leave. This morning was proving no different. He glanced at the clock on the wall. 5 a.m. When he’d finally fell asleep, he’d slept hard. Rarely, did he make it through the night without waking at least two or three times.
Though he wanted this moment to last forever, Sawyer knew he should get going. He didn’t want Ramsey, or any of the other ranch hands, to start questioning his whereabouts. Especially with what they had planned. Plus, he wanted to take Black Jack out for a run.
He eased off the bed, then kissed her lightly on the cheek before covering the sleeping beauty with a blanket. Venturing into the kitchen, he put on a pot of coffee and then headed toward the door. Though he didn’t want to wake her, it felt a little barbaric to go without saying goodbye.
He searched the living room for a pen and paper to leave a note, but found nothing. Sawyer eyed a big bag of M & M’s on the kitchen counter. He quickly picked out all of the red candies and formed a small heart shape on the coffee table. Studying the artwork, he shook his head.
This is what women did. They made you do stupid, goofy things you never would have given a second thought of doing before. As he grabbed his coat, he considered scooping up the candy but changed his mind and rushed out the door.
Though early, the temperature was warmer than it had been, and Sawyer hurried to the stable. A ranch hand was getting supplies from the barn. Obviously caught off guard, the worker stared at him in surprise.
“Are you Billy or Cole?”
The young freckled-faced man peered at him with a suspicious glare before replying. “Billy.” He stole a glance at the house, then back at Sawyer. “Miss Addy know you are here?”
Miss Addy? The name didn’t fit. It conjured up images of a woman with little worry. Not the troubled beauty who’d stolen his heart. What he wouldn’t give to see Addison carefree.
“Yeah. She said I could take Black Jack out for a morning ride.”
The ranch hand shook his head. “Don’t sound right. You stay right here. I’ll ask Miss Addy. Cole get out here,” he called into the barn, but kept his gaze stationed on Sawyer.
“I’d rather you not wake her,” Sawyer drawled.
“Wake her?” His pale skin flushed, erasing the freckles. “Look Mister, I don’t know who you are or what you are up to, but I do know Miss Addy would never let anyone ride her daddy’s horse.”
Her father’s horse? An image of Addison’s face last night when he asked about Black Jack filtered through. Now he understood the fleeting expression. But why would she think him worthy, of all people, to ride the gelding?
* * *
Addison woke feeling more rested than she had in months. Languidly, she stretched noting she was alone in the large bed. She spared a glance at the clock, then rubbed her eyes, not sure she read the time right. 5:20 a.m.? She never slept in this late. Now all of her chores would get off to a late start. And where the hell was Sawyer?
She quickly dressed, then headed into the kitchen for coffee. She noted a pot had been freshly brewed and poured herself a cup.
“Sawyer?” she called out. No answer. She walked back into the living room and her stare caught on the red heart of candies on the coffee table. The sweet gesture tugged at her emotions.
Feeling a bit giddy, she rushed to the table and sat down on the couch. She traced a finger along the outside of the heart, then popped one of the pieces into her mouth. Followed by two more before she finally just brushed her hand across the table and scooped up the remaining M&M’s.
Cupped in her palm, Addison ate the rest, one by one, as she thought about her growing feelings toward Sawyer. What did she think the outcome of this would be? Love? Why was she even toying with the thought? The man was a drifter, certain to break her heart. However, last night she’d felt so safe. And so loved.
What the hell was she doing? She didn’t have time for candy-coated fairy tales. She should be focused on the return of her stock and tending to her daily chores. Speaking of which, she’d need to hire a foreman soon. She couldn’t continue doing the work she did and piling on what Jacobs had overseen. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day.
The chores certainly wouldn’t get done if she were to sit here all morning eating candy. She popped the last two in her mouth then stood and wiped her hands on her pants.
As she headed back to the kitchen, a thought filtered in which she couldn’t shake. What if she offered Sawyer a reason to stay? Even if whatever going on between the two of them didn’t work out, she still needed a foreman. And she trusted him. Especially after last night.
Addison walked to the sink to wash her hands and glanced out the window. Her stare was drawn to a trio of men looking as if they were about to have a showdown. In the middle of two of her employees stood Sawyer. What the hell?
She raced out of the house and hurried to the barn. “What’s going on?” she questioned, shifting her stare from one to the other until finally settling on Sawyer’s face.
Billy was the first to speak. “This guy says you gave him permission to ride Black Jack.”
Addison pursed her lips and faced the loyal ranch hand. “I did. Gentlemen, this is Sawyer Dawson. The new foreman. He’ll be taking Jacobs’ place.” She held her gaze on Sawyer. He quirked an eyebrow in question but didn’t object.
She turned toward the two ranch hands. Billy’s mouth was wide open in shock. And Cole stuttered a muffled, “What?” Though obviously caught off guard by the news, Billy extended his hand in welcome. A reluctant Cole followed suit.
“Jacobs is gone. He won’t be coming back. And just to give you guys an update, we will be opening the pasture up in the East field and closing this one.” She pointed toward the property line adjacent to Ramsey’s spread. “So I’ll need one, or both of you, to make sure it’s good. Also, check
the fence line in the calving pen and make sure there’s fresh straw and water in the lean-to. If all goes well, we will have it filled soon.” She dismissed them with a curt nod and the two men scurried off to tend to her request, leaving Addison and Sawyer alone.
“Foreman?” he repeated, as a bemused expression altered his features.
“Yeah, if you are interested. I know we didn’t talk about it, but you are going to be in the market for a job and I need the help. If you’re interested, the position’s yours. Pay is not much, but you will have a roof over your head and food in your belly.”
“Huh. Shake on it?” He held out his hand.
She placed her palm in his to seal the deal, but he pulled her into an embrace instead. Brushing his lips across hers, he kissed her softly. “Good morning.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Morning.”
“I didn’t want to wake you, so I left a note.”
“Yeah. Thanks. I ate it for breakfast.” She giggled, then kissed him again. “Just so you know this is highly inappropriate behavior. I run a tight ship. I can’t have my new foreman stealing a kiss anytime he pleases.”
“Oh? I assumed kissing you was one of the perks of dating the boss. That, and calling you Miss Addy,” he teased playfully. “Pretty much the only two reasons I was considering the job in the first place.” A crooked grin spread across his face. “You up for a ride? We can check out the East field.”
Chapter Eleven
After his morning ride with Addison, Sawyer kissed her goodbye and then jogged most of the way to the property line. Thoughts of working for her filled his head. Though she’d shocked him with the offer of a job as foreman, saying no to her hadn’t been an option. Any excuse worked as long as he got to be around her. However, he refused to take pay.
What lay ahead weighed heavy on his mind and worry started to set in. Perhaps he should try to move the cattle himself. Then, he wouldn’t have this paralyzing fear she may get hurt.
Once he stepped foot on Ramsey’s land, Sawyer slowed down to catch his breath. Heated from the run, he took off his coat. As he folded the jacket over his arm, he glanced at his wrist watch. Almost 7. Most of the ranch hands would have eaten and started work by now. Perhaps a few would have noted he was gone. Hopefully no one had questioned his absence.
He walked the fence line, checked on the mother and newborn, and followed up with the cows close to calving. As he was leaving the pasture, he noted Ramsey at the gate and headed toward him.
“You been out here long?”
“Most of the morning,” Sawyer replied without hesitation.
Ramsey narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips flat. Distrust clearly evident in his stare. “Slim said you weren’t in the bunkhouse when he woke.”
Refusing to be intimidated, Sawyer held his gaze. “I’m an early riser.”
“Slim also said you’ve been spending a lot of time near the property line. Is there something I should be concerned with?”
Sawyer shook his head. “No. Just checking the fence. You know cows. They’ll lean on anything to relieve an itch. Maybe Slim should mind his own business.”
“You’re probably right.” Ramsey released a forced chuckle. “I’ve been thinking about those cattle you put in the pasture yesterday. I reckon’ we should take them to auction today.”
Obviously the man was testing him. “If you like.” Sawyer shrugged. “I’ll load them up in the trailer.”
Ramsey folded his arms across his chest and gazed at Sawyer with a set jaw. “On second thought, I may just hold off a bit. Continue culling the herd like you’ve been doing. I’ll just keep a close eye on them, among other things. No use keeping around what doesn’t measure up to my standards.”
Sawyer nodded. He got the point. The implied meaning was hard to miss. Apparently, subtlety wasn’t one of the man’s finer attributes. “I’ll get right on it. By the way, there’s been a black truck circling around the back field. Thought you should know.”
“Thanks,” Ramsey remarked in a flat tone.
As Sawyer walked away, he could feel the man’s stare burning a hole in his back. The rancher was on to him. If not, he damn sure had his suspicions. Thankfully Sawyer had managed to play it cool. Now, all he had to do was get through the rest of the day without ramming his fist down Slim’s throat.
He headed to the stables to ready Sadie. Slim was waiting outside of the barn. A cocky grin was pasted on the man’s face.
“Boss says I’m with you today.”
Sawyer clenched his jaw. He should’ve expected this. Hell, Ramsey had all but spelled it out. Slim would be watching his every move. And what better way than to have them work together?
“I’ll be ready in a minute,” he growled, gritting his teeth.
He took his time saddling Sadie, then left the barn and started for the field. Slim followed closely, but Sawyer ignored his presence and focused on his tasks. After several hours and the help of two other cowboys they’d managed to thin the herd. Calling it a day, he returned to the barn and stabled the mare.
As the others headed in for supper, Sawyer made a beeline for his truck. Thoughts of Addison filled his head, as they had for most of the day, and he quickened his pace. For some reason he was drawn to her like no other. All he wanted to do was be around her. Even if only for a stolen moment.
“Going somewhere?” Slim called out.
Sawyer stopped abruptly and cursed under his breath. This man was becoming a real pain. He bit the insides of his cheek and spun to face the man. “As a matter of fact I am.” He turned back toward his truck, but decided the answer was a little too vague. Perhaps Ramsey would need a little more to chew on. “I’m headed to town. I’m sweet on a gal who works at the local watering hole.” Satisfied the information would be enough to justify his absence, he continued to the vehicle.
Instead of town, he drove to Addison’s ranch.
Chapter Twelve
Addison stood in the middle of her calving pen and studied the five jug lodging. She had to do something. All day long, she’d been consumed with thoughts of Sawyer. Longing for his scent…the gentle stroke of his touch…another kiss. Damn it. She was doing it again. Forcing herself to remain focused, she redirected her attention back on the pens.
With the heifer and calf, one of them would be full, leaving four remaining. She couldn’t wait to see them all filled. Over the summer, she’d added two calf gates and she was eager to see them in use. “Soon,” she mumbled under her breath.
The sound of gravel crunching drew her attention. Standing at the outskirts of the pen stood Sawyer. Her heartbeat quickened and a warm flush fevered her skin. A grin pulled at the corners of her lips and she struggled to contain it.
Silently, she chastised herself, questioning the man’s effect on her. Why was it every time he came around, she turned into a giddy teenage girl? Shaking her head, she waved him in.
“Counting your chickens?” He pulled her into a hug and grazed her lips with a soft kiss.
She kissed him again, then stepped back and pointed at the empty shelter. “Yes, before they’re hatched,” she admitted. “By the end of the month, I hope to have all of these filled.”
His brow furrowed and a concerned look shaded the green in his eyes. “Won’t be tonight. I wasn’t able to get the trailer. Ramsey’s henchman shadowed me all day. Slim’s been watching my every move.”
“Let me worry about the trailer. Perhaps it’d be better to put off our plans for one more day anyway. Ramsey is obviously suspicious of you.” Fear spiked her already racing pulse. “Think he had you followed?”
Sawyer shook his head. “No. I fed him a story about being sweet on the local barmaid. Since it wasn’t a lie, I’m pretty sure he took the bait.” He folded his arms about her again.
The heat of his hands gripped her hips and his mouth found hers. Feigning annoyance, she pressed her palms flat against his chest and held firm. “Barmaid, huh?”
The warmth of his lips trailed f
rom her mouth to the sensitive spot along her neck. Goosebumps prickled her skin. “Yep. Sassy little blonde. Doesn’t know a damn thing about serving drinks.”
Mortified, she replayed the night. A groan escaped her. “Please tell me you didn’t witness my first and last attempt at being a waitress.”
“I saw everything. You did a mighty fine job of collecting empty bottles and then dropping them everywhere. And there was something else…” He tapped his finger on his chin. “I wish I could remember…oh yeah…a kiss.”
“Must not have been too memorable. I’d better try again.” She rose on her tip-toes and pressed her mouth to his. She entwined her fingers in the hair on his nape and drew him closer, then parted her lips, inviting more. The kiss deepened into a dark hunger, leaving her breathless and yearning for more.
“Damn, girl.” He released a ragged breath and stepped back, desire evident in his stare.
Dizzily, she took a heady breath and tried to gain control of her reeling senses. Her body hummed from his touch and demanded more. She lifted a hand to her mouth as remnants of the kiss tingled her lips. Damn indeed.
He cast a quick glance around, then grabbed her hand. “C’mon. We’re going inside.”
“Good idea,” she said, stumbling on the words. They hurried to the house, but only made it to the porch before sharing a few more kisses, then entering the dwelling in a coil of limbs and frenzied heat.
“Are we alone?” Sawyer questioned.
Addison nodded, locking onto his forest green stare. Reading the blatant desire, she trailed a kiss to his neck, tasting the salt of his skin with the tip of her tongue.
“Good.” He kicked the door closed with the heel of his boot.
He braced her against the wall showering her with fevered kisses. His hand cupped her breast and a husky moan escaped her lips. Longing to feel his touch on her skin, she pulled up her t-shirt.