Cowboy Read online

  She most definitely wouldn’t have been happy to learn Alex was back in town and back in my bed. The rivalry between those two went deep and way back, even before I was on the scene. Brittany could be a real sweet woman when she was happy and feeling secure, but Alex’s ghost had hung over us our entire relationship. Brittany might not want me for herself, but she would be enraged if I wanted Alex, and even worse if Alex was back in my life.

  I would have to look into it before I brought it up to Alex. I didn’t want to cause her any unnecessary stress in case it turned out to be nothing, and I didn’t want to freak out Brittany with accusations before I got everything I needed from her.

  I looked at Alex sleeping on the hay, her head in my lap, and stroked her long, thick hair. I vowed then that I would never let harm come to her, no matter who the threat was.

  Alex

  The next morning Ryder declared Rio healthy enough to be put out to pasture and I let him swing me around in his arms in celebration.

  He had appointments all day, and I still had to go to his parents’ place to work on their books so we had to go our separate ways.

  I watched his truck leave the yard from my upstairs bedroom window. My hand stayed up on the glass until a few moments after he left, thinking about how much my life had changed in the past few days.

  I hopped in the shower and scrubbed away my weariness. I hadn’t slept much last night, just a few hours with my head in Ryder’s lap on the hay. I got out of the shower feeling pretty refreshed, dried off, got dressed and started my day.

  Downstairs Mom had coffee and breakfast ready; Dad had already left to open the store.

  “Don’t worry, I didn’t send Ryder off with an empty stomach,” Mom reassured me. “A big, young man like that needs good food to keep his energy up.”

  “I knew you’d make sure he was fed,” I replied with a smile, dragging a couple of huge fluffy pancakes onto my plate, the steam rising in swirls above them. I put a couple pats of butter on them and watched it melt enough to add the syrup.

  “Wow, you’re hungry this morning,” Mom said, sounding pleased.

  “It was a long night,” I replied, not meeting her eyes.

  “It was a long weekend,” Mom smirked and paused. “So? Are you going to tell me anything?”

  I smiled to myself and answered her by shoving two huge pieces of pancake into my mouth and chewing slowly through my grin.

  “Okay, I get it. I’m just curious to know what my own daughter is up to. I hope I at least get invited to the wedding,” Mom said with a twinkle in her eye.

  I kicked her softly under the table and glared at her.

  “In all seriousness Alex, I want you to be careful. Ryder’s not the same man you used to know. Yes, you know him more than I do, but you also haven’t seen the way he’s been these past few years. I just worry about you.”

  I swallowed the delicious pancakes and said, “I’ll be fine, I promise, I know what I’m doing.”

  “Okay, I’m sure you do,” Mom replied and looked into her cup with a concerned expression on her face.

  I kept eating my pancakes, but with less enthusiasm. There was no way this wasn’t real, I knew he felt the same way, the love, the sex, this had to be real.

  It had to be real because it would destroy me if he ever turned his back on me.

  Pulling up to Ryder’s parent’s place, I was again struck with a severe case of déjà vu. I knew I couldn’t have been here in this situation previously, but I had the overwhelming sense that I was living some parallel life in which I had never left town.

  My car was still parked in the driveway where I’d left it on Thursday and I had to pause for a moment in amazement at how much the past few days had changed us both.

  I waved goodbye to Mom who had dropped me off and turned to walk up to the house. Ryder’s mother let me in and offered me something to drink.

  “I don’t mind a tea,” I said. “And I want to say sorry for skipping out early on Thursday and not showing up at all on Friday.”

  “Oh, we don’t mind at all Alex, we’re all family around here. We’re just thrilled to have you back, and to be honest, seeing Ryder so happy this week is the best thing we could have hoped for,” Sophia replied with a smile.

  “So do you need me for the job, or was this all an elaborate set up?” I asked in a teasing tone.

  “We really do need help sorting out the paperwork,” she said as she handed a mug of tea, a sly look on her face. “We were concerned about your intentions with Ryder at first, I can’t lie, but it’s just so wonderful that you and Ryder are so obviously meant to be together.”

  “I was worried that you and Mister... I mean Henry... might think things are happening too quickly,” I said with some concern.

  “It’s not like you’re moving in together or anything, we know you two will be smart about this, just enjoy it and let it follow a natural course. There’s no need to rush anything now,” Sophia replied quickly.

  I was alarmed at his mother’s reaction, it was positive, but I got the feeling that Sophia didn’t want it to move too fast. Was she just protecting her only child?

  Either way, I agreed and took my tea to the office to tackle years of disorganized paperwork.

  Just before noon Sophia stuck her head into the office and said, “I’m heading to town for a couple of hours, is there anything you need?”

  “No, thanks for the offer though,” I replied.

  “I left you and Ryder a light lunch on the counter,” she told me.

  “Oh wow, thank you Sophia, you really didn’t need to do that. You’re spoiling me, I should learn to bring my own.”

  “It’s no problem Alex, I know this is a boring job, I don’t mind making up for it with tasty food.”

  “Well, it is appreciated.”

  Less than thirty minutes later I heard Ryder’s truck pull in and my heart flipped like an acrobat at the sound. I ran to the front door and down the steps to greet him. As soon as he stepped out I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around him. He held me tight and I kissed him, breathing in the scent of him, a mixture of musky sweat and dust.

  Every time he held me close, I was home again.

  “Oh fuck darlin’, I’ve been dying to see you. I could barely concentrate on anything today,” he whispered into my hair.

  “Me too,” I said as he set me down. “Let’s go eat, I’m famished.”

  We walked slowly up the front steps into the ranch house.

  “So am I, but I don’t think I need to eat quite yet,” he said. He opened the front door and pulled me slowly to the office and the waiting couch.

  “What about your dad?” I asked nervously.

  “I don’t think he wants to join in,” he laughed, closing the door behind us.

  I rolled my eyes and laughed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I mean where is he?”

  “He’s gone to the auction sale in Big Rock, he won’t be back until dinner. Now come here, Alex before I fucking explode,” Ryder growled at me and how could I say no?

  I dropped to my knees and crawled to where he was lounging on the couch, his hard cock already out and in his hand. I looked up at him with a wicked grin. I pulled his jeans down as far as they could go, he still had his boots on and asked, “Is this what you had in mind, cowboy?” I licked the tip of his cock to emphasize my point.

  He groaned in response and leaned back, weaving his fingers in my hair as I gently licked his shaft and encircled his head with my tongue. His scent was stronger here, the musk and sweat of a working man. I caught a sweet undertone of my own juices mingling with his and felt a thrill course through me. I had marked my territory well, he was mine.

  I drew the head of his cock into my mouth, pushing against the inside of my cheek, letting him see its outline as I grazed the shaft with my teeth. He drew in a sharp breath and tensed up, bucking his hips slightly.

  At once I plunged my face onto him, feeling his length hit the back of m
y throat and this time I didn’t gag.

  I could feel his pulse in the throbbing veins and heat of his cock as I bobbed my head up and down on him. He started to ooze precum, it mixed with my saliva and I started to drool, the slick wetness making his cock shiny, the slurping sounds adding to the heat of the moment.

  He grabbed my hair hard then and stopped me from going all the way down. He was panting lightly, and said, “Your turn darlin’, I’ll save this for later.”

  All at once he flipped me over the back of the couch and pulled my jeans down, sliding them off of me. I arched up to accommodate their removal and gave him a good look at my rounded, perfect ass.

  He hooked his thumb in the string of my panties and slid them over my hips slowly, taking his time. I felt his fingers pry my pussy open from behind as he slid two in, then pulled them out slowly, reached around and let me suck them. He leaned in and spread my pussy lips wide and licked me lazily from behind, his tongue seeking my clit, drinking in my juices.

  I knew I wouldn’t last long once he hit my sensitive, over stimulated button, so I gripped the couch and pulled a pillow to my face to stifle my cries.

  He plunged his tongue in and out of my entrance rapidly, then took his time slowly licking my cleft until he teased my clit out of hiding. I could feel it swelling, the sensations almost painful, almost sending me over the edge immediately.

  He started sucking on it, slurping at it like a nipple, drawing it into his mouth, flicking his tongue on the swollen bundle of nerves. I felt pressure building up, almost like a need to urinate, but in a lower place. I tried to struggle away from his tongue, but his ministrations were relentless, he was a man on a mission. I could feel my clit fully engorged now, the pressure was so great, and I was about to let go.

  I moaned into the pillow and began saying his name again and again until it almost lost all meaning. My knuckles were white with the tension of my building need, when suddenly it broke loose; I exhaled and flooded Ryder’s face with my sweet fluid.

  He lapped at it, sucking in as much as he could get, relishing the taste of me. I whimpered and wiggled my ass; the feel of his tongue was almost too much for me to bear.

  Ryder pulled his jeans down even farther and positioned himself behind me, he was stiff, his cock standing at attention as he said, “I love looking at you, Alex. You’re so fucking hot, your cunt is dripping for me, you know your body was made for my cock.”

  “I do,” I moaned and wiggled again, giving him a show. “Your cock is the only one that makes me feel good, Ryder. Only you make me this wet, this hot.”

  He exhaled and slid his full length inside of me, I cried out, saying his name again. I backed myself up slightly and he slammed into me again and again, filling my velvety pussy to the limit. I shook my head wildly, enjoying the freedom only found at the end of Ryder’s cock, only his.

  He reached down and grabbed my hair, pulling my head back, keeping me locked on the end of him. I squirmed in pleasure and was about to hit my peak again when he hoarsely whispered, “Wait for me Alex, I want to finish together.”

  I pulled myself back from the brink and felt the rhythm of his entry, heard the wet slapping sound of our sex, and finally felt him tense.

  He stopped, and strained and said, “I’m coming, darlin’, come with me, baby girl. Come on my dick, let me feel your cunt milk me dry.”

  At his words I lost all control and plunged down into the sensation of being liquid, and time stood still for a moment. Each of us held our breath as our bodies collapsed and the tension was released. We were panting together, I could feel the weight of Ryder’s muscular frame pushing me into the couch.

  I revelled in the realness of it, I felt connected to him as my body supported his. He lifted off after a moment and helped me up. We wiggled our jeans back up in unison and I said, “You didn’t even take your boots off, cowboy,” in mock horror.

  He laughed and replied, “I couldn’t wait. But now I’m ready to eat something other than your delicious pussy.”

  “I need to get tidied up first, it will be pretty obvious if I look like I was just ridden hard when your parents get home. And open a window, it stinks like sex in here.” I flashed him a grin and headed to the washroom as he watched me with love and admiration naked on his face.

  Alex

  The rest of the week felt like a dream to me. I wasn’t sure at times if I was awake or asleep, and wouldn’t be surprised if I woke in my old apartment with Andrew next to me, snoring gently. If I had, my heart would have broken and I would have suffered for the loss of Ryder. We were becoming so involved in each other’s lives, losing him would be like tearing out my heart.

  He visited every lunch hour, except for Thursday when he had an emergency surgery to repair a Deerhound’s broken femur after it was hit by a car. Whenever I heard things like that, I was so proud of him, my man. He was saving animals and making people’s lives better through his work and that impressed me beyond anything.

  On Friday night I drove up to Ryder’s house after work and parked my car. He wasn’t home yet, so I sat on the deck on the back of the house and enjoyed the view. The woods surrounding the house were filled with birdsong and the evening sun warmed my face. I fell back onto the chaise and let myself fall asleep.

  I dreamed though, in it I was walking through the Harris Ranch west field, a couple hundred acres of alfalfa hay. I was dragging my hand through the long stalks of grass, watching the grasshoppers jump out of way like the red sea parting. I could hear something coming fast through the grass, but when I turned around, I saw nothing.

  The grass grew taller and taller, looming over me, and I was suddenly disoriented and lost. I started to run and I could hear Ryder calling me so I ran towards the sound of his voice.

  Suddenly Brittany appeared in front of me with a large knife in her hand. I stopped short and tried to back away. Brittany snarled. “You’ll never get him, you bitch.” She lifted the knife to stab. I struggled and woke to hands holding me down so I fought harder, tears streaming down my face.

  “Alex, wake up, you’re having a bad dream. It’s me, darlin’, wake up,” Ryder’s voice drifted into my head and I realized his hands were the ones holding me.

  My eyes snapped open eyes and I found his concerned face hovering over me. I threw my arms around his neck and started sobbing.

  “It was horrible Ryder, I was in the hay field and...” my voice trailed off as the details of the dream faded, but the underlying sense of impending tragedy loomed. I held Ryder tightly and wondered what I would do if ever did lose him. I shuddered at the thought and clutched him tighter.

  Later that evening Ryder surprised me by asking, "Do you remember that little place I took you to in Riverview before you left?"

  "Yes," I replied slowly, sipping my wine relaxing on the couch in front of the fire.

  "Well, grab your things, we're driving to Riverview,” he grinned and stood up.

  "Really? But that place was so…” I didn’t finish my sentence but my meaning hung in the air between us.

  "Cheap? Unsanitary? Sketchy?” he asked with a laugh. “Don’t worry, that’s not where we’re going. I made reservations at Salvatore’s, it’s the grown up version of Lucky Luiggi’s.”

  “Oh thank god, I don’t think my stomach could handle cheap Italian these days,” I replied and grimaced dramatically.

  I downed the last of my wine, Ryder closed the flue on the fireplace and we loaded into the truck for our romantic dinner in the next town over.

  The drive took around forty-five minutes and we filled the time with easy chatter. Andrew had never been this easy to talk to, I’d always felt like I had to act cool and sophisticated around him, fearing that my small town background would bore him.

  Ryder knew everything about me though, I didn’t have to pretend to be something I wasn’t and I didn’t have to try and impress him. I could even snort when I laughed; full belly laughs instead of a polite titter behind my hand.

  He l
oved it when I laughed like that, it always made him laugh harder and we fed off each other’s joy and love.

  We got to the restaurant on time for our reservation and were seated at a beautiful table near the front. Ryder ordered the chef’s tasting menu and a bottle of wine that made me widen my eyes in surprise.

  “I know a thing or two about a thing or two, darlin’,” he said, raising an eyebrow and making me laugh again. “I learned a lot over the years, you know.”

  “I know,” I replied, the sting of him learning so much without me around was getting less and less with each day. Our future together was bright enough to wipe out the misery of the time we’d been apart.

  “So when are you going to move your stuff in for good?” Ryder asked part way through the meal.

  “I got the impression that your mom’s not thrilled with us moving in together,” I replied, nibbling on a piece of steak.

  “No matter how free spirited she seems, she’s old fashioned Alex, she’s just worried about what people will think,” he told me, his brows knitted together.

  “I agree though, I think we do need to take it slow in that regard. It’s not about what people think, it’s about what we think. I’ve wanted to be with you for so long now, I don’t think we have to rush anything. I am yours and you are mine, no matter what happens,” I said, doing my best to keep my logical mind in charge. God only knew that my insanely passionate side was ready to move in, marry his ass, and push out a hundred babies for him… starting yesterday!

  “I don’t want to talk you into anything you don’t want darlin’, I just hate the thought of being at home without you there with me,” he said.

  “We’ll get there, Ryder,” I replied, grabbing his hand. “I promise. Just let me be the logical one for a little while longer. Besides, I basically live with you anyways.”

  “That is true, your toothbrush is in my bathroom and half my stuff is laying in a pile at the back of the closet so you could find space for your clothes,” he grinned and visibly relaxed. “I know we’re meant to be together, I can’t help being eager when I love you so much.”