by J. L. Leslie
I turn the television off and toss the remote on the couch. I look around the house at all the candles I’ve lit. I rush around and blow them out, knowing he should be here any minute.
I’m calling my seduction scheme off. I can’t seduce Kipton when a come to Jesus meeting is due.
I go into the kitchen and turn the Crockpot on heat so the stew will stay warm. I’m so angry; I doubt I can even eat. I prop against the counter and notice I missed a candle on the kitchen table. Annoyed, I blow it out and hear the front door opening and Kipton telling Angie goodbye.
When the door closes, I round the corner, ready to give him hell. He stands there, a cane in his hand. No rollator. I almost rush over to him and congratulate him. Almost throw myself in his arms because I’m so happy for him.
Then, I remind myself of his announcement. Of the announcement he made without even talking to me. Without even calling me afterward to give me a heads up.
“Did you burn something?” he asks.
“I lit some candles while I was cooking, but I blew them out.”
He walks with the cane, maybe even better than he did with the rollator. Perhaps it’s the confidence it gives him. Then again, perhaps knowing Wrangler is still supporting him is what’s making him walk like he’s ten feet tall and bulletproof.
I let him walk all the way over to me, his mouth hovering just inches from mine. He’s so close; I can smell his cologne, and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t make my thighs clench together with need.
“I saw your press release.” He stills, looking down at me to gauge my reaction. “I guess I didn’t realize you were so eager to get back to bull riding that you had to tell the whole world about it.”
“That’s always been the goal, Brynn.”
“I thought the goal was to walk again.”
I see his jaw clench. “I told you I wanted to ride again. I have,n’t lied to you about that.”
“Then, why didn’t you call me today? Why didn’t you tell me you were doing that? I’m press!”
“You’re in Chapelwood!” he argues.
“You know, my boss has been hounding me for a story on you. Pressuring me to do a full workup on your injury and recovery and I’ve been putting him off because I didn’t want to invade your privacy. I turn the television on to find you announcing to everyone, before you even tell me, that you have no restrictions and will be training so you can get back to the sport that nearly killed you!”
“Oh, bullshit, Brynn! It was only an injury! All bull riders get injured!”
I stomp away from him, going down the hall and to his room. I turn on his laptop, opening the internet browser, and going to YouTube. It only takes me a minute to find his video because, like his underwear ads, it’s gone viral. I shove the laptop into his free hand.
“I thought us being together was reckless and crazy, but our reckless love is nothing compared to the sport you love! I’m afraid you love it more than you love me! You watch that and tell me it was only an injury! Because I can’t sit back and watch the man that I love do that to himself again!”
I storm out of the house, not admitting to myself how much it devastates me that he doesn’t call my name. I get in my car and drive to the one person who can possibly give me some insight into him. His mama.
Angie and Neil are finishing up supper when she lets me in. I know she doesn’t care for me much right now, but since the day Kipton turned his spare bedroom into Willow’s room, she’s lightened up a little. Maybe she’s accepting the fact that I’m here to stick around and build a future with Kipton. Or maybe she’s really great at faking it.
“Can I talk to you?” I ask.
Her face softens. “Sit down, baby.”
I sit down on her couch and unload everything on her. And I mean everything. I tell her how I was hesitant to form a serious relationship with Kipton because of Willow and that I also held back because I’d gotten my tubes tied. I give her a speech about how much I love him and see my future with him, but that I’m terrified he’s going to kill himself trying to go back to bull riding.
“You mind if I give you some advice?” Neil speaks up, and I didn’t realize he’d been listening from the hallway the entire time.
“Not at all.”
“Kipton has always been driven by some kind of force. Not sure why. Kaler’s the oldest, and I think he thought he had to set an example for Tauren and Kipton. He was never really the daredevil, but always the responsible one. I put a car engine in front of him, and it calmed him. Tauren is only calm behind the wheel. Neither of those things worked for Kipton. He has to be walking the edge. He’s done it his entire life. Asking him not to rodeo is asking him to change. To not be himself. If you love him like you say you do, you love him for who he is.”
“And bull riding is part of who he is?”
“As much as I hate it,” Angie says. “I accepted it a long time ago. I was upset with him for doing that press release, too. Not because I don’t believe he’ll go back to the sport, but because I worry he’s going to push himself too far too quickly. He needs to go back when he’s ready, not when his sponsor believes he is.”
I sigh. “I don’t want him to go back at all.”
“I know I wasn’t happy when I found out about the two of you, but I can admit, I see how much he loves you. I won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed you won’t have any children together, but I’ll get past that. My son needs you, Brynn. As for the rodeo,” Angie says and pats my hand. “That’s between you and him. You’re at a point where you should be making decisions together. But I would pray on it before I asked him to cut out something he considers is part of him.”
I nod, unsure what to do. Because if I lose him to the sport he loves so much, I’ve lost part of me.
83
Kipton
I sit on the edge of my bed, laptop in hand, and watch the fucking video again. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it and replayed it. I ate the stew Brynn cooked and watched it on loop. I took a shower and watched it when I got out. And I’ve been sitting here replaying the damn thing until it’s etched in my mind.
It’s horrifying to see. I can’t imagine how my family must’ve felt seeing that. How afraid they must’ve been watching me being carted off on a stretcher.
I can’t sit back and watch the man I love do that to himself again!
I should’ve told her the words she needed to hear. Should’ve promised her I’ll never get on another bull without even having watched the video. But I’m no liar. I know as soon as I can, I’ll be competing again. It’s what we do. That very same video has thousands of comments from fans who are rooting for me, anxious to see me get back to the sport.
“How many times have you watched that?”
I look over my shoulder, and Brynn stands at my door. She crosses the room and takes the laptop from me, closing it and placing it on my nightstand.
“Enough times,” I reply. “Brynn, I can’t promise you ‒”
“I know,” she interrupts. “It’s part of who you are.”
I nod and lower my head, not wanting her to be disappointed in me. Not wanting to lose her. Her hands catch my attention first, grasping the hem of her sundress and lifting it up. My gaze instantly follows as she raises it over her head, exposing her body encased in light, pink lace.
The last time we tried this didn’t go so well. What if this time is no different? What if I can’t keep my dick up for some reason? What if I don’t have any stamina?
These questions race through my mind as she drops to her knees, resting her hands on my thighs. She bends forward and kisses my chest, working her way down my toned stomach and to the waistband of my boxers.
Her fingers slide in, brushing over the head of my cock, and I groan, fisting a hand in her hair. I’m already fucking panting, and she hasn’t even put her mouth on my dick. It’s hard as a rock, though, and I’m fucking ecstatic about that.
She sucks the mushroom tip into her mouth, a
nd I nearly come undone. I count to ten in my head, trying to keep from blowing my load in less than five seconds. She sinks down, taking me deeper until I hit the back of her throat, and I panic.
“Brynn, I can’t! I…I…”
I push at her shoulders and she releases me with a popping sound. I scoot back on the bed, distancing myself from her. I’m fucking embarrassed, humiliated.
Undeterred, Brynn reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra, letting it fall from her body. She slides her panties down and steps out of them, and I realize she’s barefoot, assuming she took her shoes off when she came in the house.
“Yes, you can. We can,” she assures me and straddles my lap. “We’re going to do this nice and easy, cowboy.”
Brynn gives me a light smile before kissing me, soft at first, but then the fire begins to burn us. I squeeze her ass, rubbing her against me as I ravish her mouth. Who cares if I come in five seconds? I’ll eat her pussy until she screams my name. Whatever it takes to please her.
She rocks against me, my dick coating her with pre-cum, the tip sliding up and down her seam. Finally, she impales herself on me, pushing all the way down until I’m seated to the hilt.
I swallow hard, a low growl escaping my throat. She remains still, not rushing me. Nice and easy like she said. She knows exactly what my body needs, and she’s giving me time. She’s so fucking perfect. So amazing.
I reach up and cup her face, my thumb tracing her swollen lips. She moves slowly, and it’s the most intense and incredible feeling I’ve ever experienced. More of an adrenaline rush any bull could ever give me.
I kiss her, nipping at her bottom lip before trailing kisses over her jawline and down her neck.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Kipton,” she whispers back, biting her bottom lip as her orgasm nears.
I slow our rhythm to an excruciatingly slow pace, fucking her deep. “You and Willow are everything to me. Everything, baby.”
Her eyes fill with tears, but she doesn’t look away as one rolls down her cheek. She continues to rock on me, and I know she’s close to falling over the edge. She’s going to take me with her.
“I will never leave you,” she promises. “Never.”
“Together, Brynn,” I say, nearly breathless, our mouths so close our breaths mingle, lips brushing against each other.
Her nails scrape against my skin, and I bruise her ass with my fingertips as we shatter the broken pieces of our lives and heal together as one. Our love for each other is fierce. It is reckless. It is forever.
84
Brynn
I wake up in desperate need of a shower. After our very intimate lovemaking, we fell asleep entangled in each other’s arms. I ease out of bed and hop in the shower, opting to take one here before heading home to get ready for work. When I get out, Kipton is awake and sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Your mama taking you to therapy today?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he replies. “Look, why don’t you move in? Enough of this running between your place and mine. I want you here.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? Just like that?”
I laugh. “Yeah. I’m renting my place. It’s not like I’ve put down roots there. Besides, you can use a feminine touch here.”
“So, this weekend, we’ll get your stuff moved in.”
“Yep. Then everyone in town can start talking about that. It’ll give them something new to whisper about in the grocery store,” I say and roll my eyes.
“I didn’t realize anyone was talking.”
“You don’t pay too much attention then. People aren’t quite sure if we’re dating or if I’m just helping you out for a story.”
He chuckles at this. “Damn, you’re doing a lot for a story.”
I smile. “I am good at my job.”
I kiss him goodbye and head to work. Surprisingly, Ronald doesn’t ask about another exclusive on Kipton. Maybe he’ll drop it. I do get a text halfway through my workday, though, that Kaler and Tauren are taking Kipton to the ranch to do some rodeo exercises. I can keep Willow until they’re done.
I text Jenna and ask what she knows about the rodeo exercises they’ll be doing. Her response asking if I want to crash their party makes me laugh.
I absolutely do.
After work, Willow and I stop and grab a couple of dozen donuts, figuring the guys might want a sugar boost after whatever the hell they’ll be doing, and drive out to the ranch. I guess this is going to be a family affair because Angie, Neil, and Helene are also here when I get there with Willow, and I know Jenna isn’t too far behind.
I approach slowly, the two boxes of donuts balancing on one hand and holding Willow’s hand with the other. I didn’t want to let her just run off since I don’t know what they’re doing.
“I can’t watch that another minute!” Angie fumes, somewhat talking to herself as she exits the barn. She spots Willow and smiles. “You want to go exploring with grandma?”
“Yay!”
“You can go,” I tell her and let her hand go, watching her race off to Angie.
“Don’t let them kill my son!” Angie calls out to me, shaking her head.
I walk into the bar and hear yelling, mainly instructions and cursing. I put the donuts down on a tractor seat and spot Helene sitting on a bale of hay. I look past her and gasp.
Kipton is on some sort of barrel that is strung up on the stall posts. Kaler, Tauren, and Neil are jerking and yanking on the ropes, doing their best to throw Kipton off. They succeed, and he crashes to the hay on the ground.
“What in the hell are you doing?” I yell, rushing over to him.
“It’s fine,” he says but he’s slow to get up. “The doctor said no restrictions. This is how I train.”
“Where is your cane?”
“He doesn’t need it right now,” Tauren says. “He needs to figure out how to keep his ass on that bucking barrel and not get thrown off like a pussy.”
“Tauren!” I scold, pointing my finger at him.
“Brynn, I got this,” Kipton says, kissing my forehead. He struggles to get back onto the contraption, his brothers and daddy offering no assistance. “Again.”
Horrified, I walk away and go sit with Helene. “No wonder Angie didn’t want to watch that.”
“They’ve been at it for an hour now. He doesn’t last more than three or four seconds. I would’ve gone walking with Angie, but my ankles swell something giant in this heat.”
“Aww, I remember those days.”
“Did I see you come in with donuts?” she asks, looking around.
I get up and bring a box over to her. She opens it, and I swear, she drools. She grabs out a crème filled one and moans in delight when she takes a bite.
“Only one!” Tauren hollers over to us. “The doc is already on you about your glucose levels!”
“You mind your business over there!” she calls back, and I giggle only to wince when Kipton hits the ground again. “He’s going to be paying for this training session later.”
“Definitely. I say we make Kaler and Tauren get on there. See if they can do better.”
“I’d like to see that.”
Jenna walks in, hearing the tail end of our conversation. “I’m down for that. Only we control the ropes.”
“Even better.”
She eyes the donuts Helene is guarding with her life. “Ooh, are those donuts?”
85
Kipton
I stand at Willow’s door, listening to Brynn read her a story before tucking her in. Her eyes are already halfway closed as she listens. Brynn finishes up the last few pages and kisses Willow on the forehead.
“Not yet,” Willow mumbles, closing her eyes.
I flip the light switch off as Brynn gets up and the small nightlight in the corner gives the room some illumination. She pulls the door behind her, but doesn’t close it.
“What do you need?” she asks.
I limp down the hall, my weight on m
y cane wobbly from my training session on the bucking barrel earlier today. Despite Mama’s objections and Brynn’s death stares, my daddy and brothers didn’t take it easy on me. I didn’t expect them to. A bull won’t be gentle either.
“I don’t need anything. Just going to take a shower.”
“Didn’t you take one when you came home? While I was gone to pack?”
I shake my head. “I just rinsed off the dirt and grime. I need a real shower now.”
I don’t look back, not wanting her to see the pain in my eyes. I spent half an hour in the shower this afternoon when I got home, but if I don’t get in once more before bed, I’ll toss and turn all night in discomfort. My aches and pains are nothing that some hot water and rest won’t soothe.
I slip into the bathroom and prop my cane against the bathroom sink. I rest against it slightly and tug my t-shirt over my head, grimacing in pain.
“Jesus,” Brynn mutters, stepping into the bathroom.
I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I have some bruises that have already turned a deep shade of purple and blue. I lost count of how many times I fell off that damn bucking barrel. I’ll fall off a shit ton more before I’m finished.
“Is this normal?” Brynn asks, unbuckling my pants and helping me shimmy them down my thighs.
“Yes. It’s part of training. I’m going to get battered and beaten up.”
Her fingers brush over a bruise on my shoulder. “Are you sure you’re ready? Your body has been put through a lot lately. This only adds more stress.”
“I don’t have any restrictions, Brynn.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re ready,” she argues.
I grab her by the nape of her neck and slowly tug her to me, feeling her resistance. I gently kiss her, not wanting to end the conversation but needing her to know I’m not putting on a macho guy front.
“I’m ready,” I promise and press a kiss to her forehead.