Lucky Cowboy

by Heatherly Bell

  Sadie joined him in brushing Thimble because it seemed like the thing to do and she found the task soothing. She loved just being with Lincoln, side by side this way. They didn’t even need words as they quietly worked together. Finally, Lincoln saddled Thimble. Then he led Taco out of his pen, and they both went through the same process with him.

  “Where’s the horse you use for the rodeo?” she asked, listening to the bristle of the brush glide against Thimble’s coarse hair.

  “That’s Lucky. I keep him up the hill with the other cow ponies. He doesn’t work too hard, but I sure don’t want him to get a big head. Or get too soft.”

  By the time Lincoln gave her a hand to climb on Thimble, the sky had turned into a beautiful gray as the sun began its long slide.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Patience. You’ll see.”

  Sadie settled into the saddle, thinking that if it were true a person never forgot to ride a bicycle, the same could be said of a horse. All the riding she’d done as a younger woman came back to her and Thimble responded so well to the reins, Sadie began to feel like they moved together almost like the same person. They both followed Lincoln and Taco, first at a canter, then a straight-out gallop. Finally, after a few minutes, when it felt like they were surely miles away from the house, Lincoln slowed. He hopped off Taco, then came to offer Sadie his hand.

  She wisely jumped right into his arms, knowing he could take her weight. He did, easily, then held her in the circle of his arms.

  I love you, I love you, I love you.

  The words were stuck, weighed down with the worry she was moving too fast. Feeling too much. He needed time to catch up with her nearly lifelong love affair from a distance.

  “Sorry Hank was a grouch tonight. Something is going on with him and I intend to find out what it is.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s okay if he doesn’t like me.”

  But she wasn’t fine. Not okay. Somehow it still mattered too much that everyone like her. She needed to get over that.

  He tipped her chin. “You’re a fairly passable liar, you know.”

  Caught, she bent her head to plunk her hard head against his chest. “No, I’m not.”

  He chuckled, his hand gliding up and down her spine. “That’s one of the things I like best about you, baby. Your terrible poker face.”

  “Are you going to tell me why we’re here?”

  “This is my favorite spot on the ranch. All the acres and acres of land we have, and yet this patch right here is the best one to see the stars.”

  A thicket of trees stood a few feet away, and in this spot no trees blocked any of the view. Just a wide, open sky, with hues of pink and red as the sun finally set.

  “Aw, and you wanted me to see it.” She reached to run her fingers through his hair, not an easy feat given their size difference. “You know, that’s almost romantic.”

  “Almost?” he said, sounded disappointed. “Hey, I’m trying.”

  He towered over her, but she never felt intimidated. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she turned her head up to him. “And, baby, I love that you’re trying.”

  He pulled her down on the grass and settled her between his long legs. “See why I wanted you to wear jeans?”

  “Life on a cattle ranch is not compatible with wearing a dress.”

  “But please don’t stop wearing them.” He nuzzled her neck.

  “Eve said if I didn’t wear a dress no one would recognize me.” She laughed.

  “I would.”

  Those two words were laced with meaning and her heart swelled. They sat quietly as the sun disappeared over the horizon and they were surrounded by utter darkness and a bright spread of stars. They covered every inch of the velvet black sky.

  “You’re right. Beautiful. This is my new favorite spot, too.”

  “Where’s your old one?”

  “A place by the lake where a willow tree’s branches hang so low, they touch the water. It’s almost…spooky. But also, beautiful in the moonlight.”

  “I need to see that.” Lincoln pulled her closer, his strong arms around her waist, and he lowered his head to her shoulder. “I come here when I want to be alone. When I’m tired of obligations. I’ve never shared this place with anyone else.”

  She leaned against him, never feeling so safe. Secure. So…loved. The words were on her lips before she could hold them back.

  “I love you.”

  His body froze for a moment, but then he simply squeezed her tighter. “Say that again?”

  A spike of fear churned in her stomach, but he honestly sounded like he hadn’t heard her. Welp, she could take it back. She’d never been shy with the words “I love you,” telling her family and friends often. But with Lincoln, it was different. It carried a weight and hadn’t been as easy to say. Until now.

  Why not just speak the truth and get it over with? It wasn’t as if this feeling would ever change.

  “You heard me. I love you.”

  He still didn’t return the words, but she didn’t expect him to. He didn’t need to. This was her thing.

  Open up a vein and bleed. Take the risk. She felt his love for her. That was enough for now.

  He kissed her temple and spoke gently enough to sound like a whisper.

  “Baby, I’m new to all this. I’ve had relationships before. There were two, both with women from Oklahoma that I met on the rodeo circuit. Long distance, but I was faithful. I’m not sure they were. Both ended because something was missing. I wouldn’t leave Stone Ridge; they didn’t want to move here. But a million other small things were wrong, too. And I didn’t care enough to work on them. I’m not sure I ever really fell in love.”

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

  “I think sometimes I’m not hard enough on myself. I’m probably going to screw up sometime with you, and not just by bringing gum instead of flowers—”

  “No, don’t say—”

  “And you have to understand that with me…it’s one day at a time.” He turned her to face him. “But if you can handle that, Sadie, I’m in.”

  If a heart could shimmer, hers did at that moment, and surely as bright as the stars in the sky.

  I’m in.

  In some ways, those words were better than simply parroting “I love you.”

  “What changed your mind? Am I that great of a kisser?”

  “The moment I realized you wouldn’t tell me how terrified you were of tight spaces because you didn’t want me to feel bad for dragging you there. You were trying to take care of me even then. That’s a first for me. The way you care for Jimmy Ray, who’s a little punk unless he’s around you. Everyone loves you. You’re amazing in the way you care about everyone.” He chuckled. “And then…the kissing. The way you wreck me. Yeah.”

  He’d always been in charge, caring for his family at a young age. She wanted more than anything to change that for him. To give him a soft place to fall.

  “That’s all I want.” She leaned her head back, pressing against his shoulder. “I want to take care of you.”

  “You already do.”

  They did some more of the explosive kissing that changed their relationship in one single night. The pull between them felt almost flammable with intensity, but gratification pulsed through her to know it went deeper than physical. For her, it was deeper long ago. And then she’d locked the door on that dream and told herself that since she couldn’t have him, she’d need to find someone else.

  But she’d never found anyone like Lincoln. No one ever cared like this. She kissed him and kissed him until she felt salty tears roll down her cheeks.

  He wiped one away with his thumb. “Is this good crying?”

  She nodded. “This is what I’ve wanted for so long. I’ve been so lonely.”

  “Even with all these men chasing you?”

  “No one right for me.”

  He nuzzled her jawline. “I hope you know I’m not perfect. Not even close.”<
br />
  “Well, you know I’m not. I tried to plan my future husband’s life. Remember?”

  He gave her that slow easy smile that made her womb contract. “And what changed your mind about all your detailed plans?”

  “I heard what I must have sounded like.” She brushed away a tear. “That date with Judson? He was the male version of me, but on steroids. And he terrified me. He had such plans and came on so strong. He practically started naming our future children.”

  Lincoln scowled. “Hope you’ve told him about us.”

  “I didn’t have a chance. I avoided him at the fundraiser, but…I think he knows.”

  “You tell him, or I will.”

  “And what about Jolette Marie?”

  “What about her?”

  “Lincoln, she has a thing for you. It’s obvious. Are you going to tell her about us?”

  “Way ahead of you. Already did. And she’s fine.”

  Lincoln stood and held out his hand to pull her up. Once more he drew her into his tight embrace. “We better get going. It’s getting cold out here and we need to ride back before you freeze your cute ass off.”

  Chapter 15

  Sadie found Lincoln’s cabin to be nicer than hers. He lived not far from the house on the hill where Hank resided, and ranching operations took place.

  “This is roomy.”

  A one room cabin, but definitely larger than hers.

  “Used to be the house where all the cowboys lived years ago, before Hank, and later Jackson and I, were old enough to help.”

  All one room, with what appeared to be a bathroom toward the back.

  “No kitchen?”

  “Nah, I’m not much of a cook. And the place didn’t have one because the cowboys were always fed at the main house, or the food brought to them outside. Thought about putting one in, but instead I’m probably just going to break ground on a house in a couple of years. Got a few acres not far from here. At least, that’s what Hank and Mima want.”

  “Do you want that?”

  “Sure.” He shrugged. “Someday, it will be good for a family. A long way from now, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  She took in the cabin, not surprised by the shades of brown. Leather couch and chairs. The cabin screamed cowboy, with horseshoes on the walls, and many framed photos of rodeos and baseball. But she found a shelf filled with books, too. Quite a few dog-eared John Grisham legal thrillers, which made her smile. She also loved a legal thriller. In between all the books, stood a framed photo of Lincoln, Jackson, and Daisy. All three were much younger, Lincoln probably a teenager. Tall, but rangy, before he’d filled out. Jackson and Daisy were flanked on either side of him in a protective embrace.

  She picked up the photo and he came up behind her, arms wrapping around her waist.

  “I’d do anything for those two,” he said softly.

  “I know you would.” She set the photo down and turned in the circle of his arms. “And they’d do anything for you.”

  “Jackson probably would. Not so sure about Daisy some days,” he chuckled. “She thinks I’m standing between her and a great love affair with Wade.”

  “Wade? For real?”

  “She has a crush on him.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “Yeah, well, rodeo cowboys have a way of turning a young woman’s head.”

  “I guess I wouldn’t know.” She reached to tousle his hair. “I have a thing for a rancher.”

  “A rancher who’s a part-time rodeo cowboy.”

  “Either way.”

  He bent to kiss her, one hand on the back of her head, pulling her as close as two people could be. “God, baby. What you do to me.”

  “What do I do to you?” she whispered.

  He gave her an easy smile and tugged on a lock of her hair. “It ought to be criminal. I can’t stop thinking about you, thinking about being inside you again. Trying to figure out new ways I can get my work done faster.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

  “Not bad. Kind of addictive.” And with that, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to his bed.

  Clothes were quickly removed. Boots kicked off. Shirts unbuttoned. Pants discarded and bra and panties removed. But under the sheets, he slowed down and reached for her. His warm palm caressed from her stomach down her thigh in a gentle glide. There had never been a more intimate moment than in those seconds when Lincoln wouldn’t break eye contact as one hand continued to roam freely down her body. When he touched her core, she moaned, and his eyes darkened with smoldering heat.

  “I could hold you like this for a million years,” Sadie said on a sigh.

  “And I could hold you for a million and one.”

  Threading his fingers with hers, he held their joined hands above, while he moved over her. He kissed her, his tongue deep, and plundering. She took every last sweet ounce of him, seeking more. More of the delicious and fiery taste that was all male. All him. He lowered his mouth to her nipple and sucked first one breast then the other until she was one raw nerve of lust. In a frenzy, she stroked him until he groaned.

  He quickly rummaged for a condom in his nightstand and protected them both.

  “God, Sadie. Baby. So good,” he groaned as he pumped into her hard and fast.

  Like the first time, the pressure inside her built quickly. Wickedly. Helplessly, she arched against him, delicious pleasure rising like a tidal wave she couldn’t hold back. Her breaths came hard and fast and still she wanted more. He’d made her greedy.

  “Lincoln, please. Faster. Harder.”

  She clung to his shoulders, thinking she’d never felt anything this…big. Their connection, the two of them joined together, made her skin too tight. Powerful aches of heady tenderness tugged at her heart. Unrelenting. Moments later, she trembled as tremors of orgasm rocked her body.

  Lincoln held her close in the aftermath. “Gets better every time.” He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Tell me.”

  She didn’t have to ask what he meant. “I love you.”

  He got very quiet then, studying Sadie’s eyes, tracing the curve of her jaw. “Yeah.”

  And then he kissed her, so sweet and tender, she heard the words he didn’t say.

  * * *

  After dropping Sadie off, Lincoln headed straight to Hank’s to have a word with him. He found him in the kitchen with another drink, staring at his laptop, which he quickly shut when Lincoln walked in. Porn? No way. Didn’t sound like Hank, who was rather old-fashioned.

  He turned to Lincoln. “What’s up?”

  “I don’t like the way you talked to Sadie tonight.”

  “Hm. Well, wait until Jackson hears about this. You and Sadie.”

  “Why should it matter?”

  Jackson would have to get over it. Life goes on and all that. But the blame should stop. Maybe Eve shouldn’t have walked out on him, but she’d also given Jackson what he wanted. Because Lincoln had a front seat to that show, and he remembered. Jackson was torn between marrying Eve, and an invitation to move to Nashville that was received a mere week before the wedding. He hadn’t been raised to walk out on his commitments. Eve did it for him.

  If they’d all eventually forgiven Eve, they should also forgive Sadie.

  “We need to do whatever it takes to get him to come back home. And this won’t help. How’s he supposed to sit at the same dinner table with Sadie?”

  Lincoln scoffed. “Same as he would with Eve.”

  “He won’t sit at a table with Eve, either, and you know it. Sadie might as well be Eve. She drove Eve home instead of gettin’ Brenda, or one of us to talk some sense into her. Just weddin’ day jitters, I’m tellin’ ya.”

  “I thought we’d moved on.”

  He grunted. “Forgiveness is your grandmother’s department.”

  Except for Eve. Hank had forgiven her, easily, as if she had no real responsibility for her decision. His favoritism toward Eve verged on
the ridiculous.

  “I’m thirty-two years old and I’ll date whomever I want.”

  “Well, now, does this mean you’re finally goin’ to settle down?” Hank crossed his arms and leaned back. “You should have been the first headed to Trinity altar.”

  I love you.

  The words sent a spike of something he couldn’t quite name. Certainly not fear. He recognized that feeling. At first, he’d thought he must have heard wrong. Now, he reminded himself that Sadie loved everyone. He’d heard her often calling out to Eve, “I love you.” Heck, he’d even once heard her tell Jackson she loved him. But she’d never told him before tonight.

  “Take it easy, there. I’m not getting married anytime soon. Too bad if you don’t like it but I’m still not ready for all that. I’m just ready… for her.”

  He scowled. “I’ll apologize next time I see her.”

  That was too damned easy. No argument. Lincoln sat across from Hank. “Think maybe you’re drinkin’ too much lately?”

  “What’s too much?”

  “Somethin’ is going on with you. Admit it.”

  “Can’t a man have a drink now and then? When did you get so damned judgmental? Don’t you go to the Shady Grind for a cold beer every chance you get?”

  “And that’s more about bein’ around people than drinkin’. You drink alone, and far too much lately.”

  “Easy for you to say. You have a life. You kids were my life, and now Jackson is gone.”

  Lincoln scrubbed a hand down his face. “Jesus, Dad. Not this again.”

  “What?” He glared. “Am I supposed to just give up on him? And now, Daisy. I can’t lose another one of my kids.”

  “What about Daisy? She’s not goin’ anywhere.”

  “You never know, she might leave.”

  “You’re crazy. She adores you. Just because she works in Kerrville doesn’t mean she’s movin’.”

  “Yeah? And what if she’s not my daughter? My flesh and blood? Ever think of that?”

  “That’s what’s botherin’ you? It’s just a nasty rumor. People aren’t even talkin’ about that anymore. She’s a Carver through and through. Obvious to everyone.”

  “She looks just like your mother.”