Cowboy Read online

  We kissed and I loved him even more for respecting my need for keeping it slow. He was amazing that way.

  When we finished our meal we walked slowly back to the truck, enjoying the sweet spring evening.

  “What’s that?” I asked, noticing something strange on the side of his vehicle.

  “I’m not sure,” Ryder replied, breaking away to lope towards his pickup.

  I heard him curse and as I approached I saw deep gouges in the black paint along both sides of his truck. They appeared to be frenzied, multiple lines up and down the immaculate side of the vehicle, concentrating around Ryder’s business decal.

  “Oh my god Ryder,” I said, taking his hand. “Who would have done something like this?”

  Ryder didn’t answer at first as he scanned the area, his eyes dark with anger. “I don’t know who, but if I find out, they’re in trouble,” he said at last. “Let’s just go home, I’ll call my insurance in the morning.”

  The drive home was tenser than the drive here, and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that Ryder had somebody in mind when he looked across the parking lot for the suspect.

  I just hoped they would leave us alone now that they’d had their little fit of vandalism.

  And I hoped it wasn’t Brittany, I didn’t know what I’d do if I saw her again, especially if she were coming after us.

  Ryder

  I loved the simple joy in Alex’s eyes when I surprised her with dinner. I’d intended on giving her a promise ring that night, my grandmother’s and the first of a complete set, but she had seemed to want to slow things down.

  I could understand her worry, but I’d waited for her for so long that I wanted to make her my wife as soon as possible.

  Well, as soon as I could track down Brittany and get the divorce papers signed. I wanted to tie things up quickly so I didn’t have to tell Alex about it until after the fact. I had a feeling that was the source of my mother’s hesitation with us moving in together, and I did agree on some level. I wanted to make it official when I was free and clear to claim Alex in every way, emotionally, physically, and legally.

  The truck being keyed added to my gloomy mood, it put a dark stain on what could have been a perfect night. I knew for sure now that it was Brittany. She was lurking around, possibly following us, and letting me know that she was pissed about Alex being back all the while taunting me by refusing to sign the papers.

  My frustration had me all wound up so I ended up driving us home faster than I probably should have. Luckily Alex had no idea, so she kept up her chatter, drawing me out and making me laugh at her light humor. If anything confirmed we were meant to be together, this was it. The sex was beyond compare, our friendship gave us a solid foundation, but the magic she worked on my withdrawn, brooding personality was nothing short of breathtaking.

  I turned quickly to look at her, the lights from the truck dashboard lighting her face and giving her an otherworldly appearance. I couldn’t be in a bad mood with her looking so beautiful right next to me. I smiled and said, “You really are my little darlin’, aren’t you?”

  She slid across the seat closer to me, put her hand on my thigh possessively and said, “You know, coming from any other man, that would sound so cheesy. Coming from you, cowboy, it sounds perfect.”

  I smiled to myself and sighed as I drove us home through the dark night.

  Alex

  Sunday morning again found us lying in bed, limbs entwined, our bodies sticky with sweat from our exertions. It was late spring now and I was schooling Ryder on the ins and outs of gardening. He was doing his best to look interested as he stroked my collarbone with his forefinger. He’d told me I had the prettiest constellation of freckles there and he was connecting the dots, making dirty pictures with his finger and my skin.

  “Do you have a garden space picked out?” I asked, breaking his concentration.

  “I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe across the lawn near the tree line,” he said, smiling and kissing my neck. “It’s up to you really.”

  “I can’t believe your family owns over two thousand acres and we only have a tiny patch to work with,” I grumbled and frowned.

  “We could get the tractor and plough up a hundred acres of vegetables if you think you can handle it,” he laughed. “Anything for you, my sweet.” He tipped a fake hat at me mockingly.

  I slapped him and tried to roll away but he caught me and held my hands down, kissing me deeply. I tried to bite his tongue but he withdrew it.

  “Okay, we’re playing like that today, are we?” His eyes grew darker with lust and wicked planning. He encircled both of my wrists with one of his hands, reached over and grabbed the belt from my robe. With expert grace, he quickly had me trussed up to the headboard where I wiggled wildly, enjoying the sensation of being caught.

  “I believe you’ve done this before,” I said and suggestively bucked my hips and bit my lower lip.

  “Only with calves, ma’am,” he replied with a laugh.

  “Ryder! Now you’re just being mean,” I protested. “I’m not a cow.”

  “Of course not, but you do look mighty fine tied up like that,” he smiled and straddled my body. My breasts strained upwards as my hands were held over my head. I could tell by the way he raked his gaze across them that I looked delicious like this, all tied up and ready for him to please.

  “Come over here and say that closer, I might bite your tongue off after all,” I replied, fire rising in my eyes. I loved this play, I trusted him implicitly and knew he would never hurt me even if I was helpless and under his control.

  “Don’t make me gag you, darlin’,” he chuckled.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” I challenged and noticed the intense look in his eyes. “Oh shit, maybe you would.”

  He spread my legs open with his knee and looked at me as if inspecting his property. I squirmed under his heated gaze, not used to being so open and exposed.

  I started to relax when I realized he was stroking his long cock with one hand and seeking my wet heat with his other. I arched my back to receive him, and he rubbed my clit gently, all the while staring at my pussy and rubbing his thick cock.

  “Am I allowed to talk?” I asked, and stared up at him.

  He nodded yes, too intent on his task to reply with a word.

  “I want to feel you inside me Ryder, I want you to lift me up, slide your hands under my ass, and drive your hard cock into my pussy,” I moaned, surprising myself at the dirty talk but loving the way it made Ryder’s focus intensify.

  He jerked himself harder and matched his time with his finger on my clit.

  “I want you to shoot your load deep in my pussy Ryder. I want to feel your hot cum flood me, fill me up,” I said in a low, thick voice. I was getting close to orgasm now and my breathing was ragged with need.

  “I want you to fuck me hard, push your big cock into me Ryder, slide it in and flood me Ryder, please, I need your cock inside of me. Fuck, Ryder, fuck me, please,” I begged and moaned, writhing against him.

  He positioned himself at my entrance, locked his gaze on mine and said, “Beg me again, darlin’. Beg for my cock.”

  “Please, Ryder,” I exhaled and cried out, “Please fuck me, slide your cock inside of me and make me come for you.”

  He didn’t need any more than that, he slid his entire length inside slowly while I wiggled and pumped my hips up to get more of him. He thrust a couple of times and I wrapped my legs around his hips and pulled him deeper, writhing with the sensations.

  My wrists were sore and my shoulders ached, but it only enhanced the feelings of pleasure radiating out from my molten center. He stiffened his body and stared at me, lust and love battling in his eyes. He groaned and said, “I’m coming Alex, oh fuck,” and stopped all together.

  I felt his cock twitch inside me as my body filled with his hot seed. I bit his arm, the closest thing to my mouth, and came with him, stars exploding behind my eyes from the raw pain and ecstasy I felt througho
ut.

  He relaxed on top of me, rolling off half way, and reached up to untie me. He looked at me with surprise when he discovered that my hands had worked loose on their own.

  He looked at me, one eyebrow raised up in query. I grinned and said, “What’s a horny girl gotta do to find a cowboy who can tie knots around here?”

  After our morning distractions, we went outside to map out the perimeter of my little garden plot. We measured it all out and carefully marked the places for fence posts. I was feeling a little giddy over the prospect of growing something on Ryder’s land, tending a corner and marking my territory.

  I imagined caring for him, harvesting vegetables that had been grown with my own hands, with love, and feeding him. I would get such satisfaction being able to provide him with something of mine.

  We were walking back to the house when I noticed a flat tire on my car. We walked over, Ryder asked me where the jack was so he could change it, and I noticed it was slashed.

  “When did this happen?” Ryder asked, turning to look at me.

  “I don’t know, I drove it over here on Friday and parked it,” I said, knitting my brows together. “What’s going on Ryder? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “I’m not sure Alex, let me look into it and I’ll let you know if I find anything out,” he said and found the jack and spare in the back.

  He quickly changed my tire and promised to buy me a new set this coming week. Problem solved, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the number of things that had happened to us recently. I was seriously going to lose it if it turned out to be Brittany.

  Ryder

  I was so turned on by Alex’s receptiveness at being tied up. I loved the way she looked, stretched out and straining against my tongue and my cock. She seemed to take great pleasure being held down and fucked hard. Alex had matured in her likes, becoming more adventurous.

  I felt a small pang of jealousy as I imagined Andrew’s body covering hers, Andrew being the one teaching her and bringing her to her sexual maturity. I had to let it pass though, I hadn’t exactly been a saint during our time apart, and I shouldn’t let my jealousy get in the way of loving her now.

  The weekend had been a lazy affair, we hadn’t planned much beyond sex, eating and reconnecting. We’d achieved every goal effortlessly, and by Sunday, Alex was setting up her garden plot and talking about our future together. I loved this idea, it meant she was settling down, the more roots she had, the less likely she would run this time.

  I started to relax my vigilance and accepted the fact that she was mine, mine for good.

  I was pissed off by the slashed tires. I tried to pass it off as nothing for Alex, but I knew again that Brittany had been slinking around.

  I wondered when she had come up to the house, had she been there late at night, watching us through the windows? Had she seen us in the brightly lit house, me taking Alex on the kitchen table or over the back of the couch?

  The thought angered and aroused me, I wanted her to see me claiming Alex, wanted her to know that we were together now.

  It was such a fine line though, until the papers were signed, I couldn’t tell her to stay the fuck away from us as much as I wanted to. I hoped Brittany had seen me ravaging Alex’s beautiful body so she could see how little our marriage meant to me now.

  And then she’d sign the papers and fuck off out of our lives for good.

  Alex

  Red Rock Ranch was buzzing with energy when I drove up Monday morning for work. I wasn’t going to be stuck in the office though, I was going to be part of the cattle drive that day and I could barely contain my excitement.

  Ryder’s parents hired a seasonal workforce to help with the spring calving, sorting and branding so the parking lot was packed with people and trucks.

  Driving the hundreds of two-year-old steers to their summer pasture was one of the last activities before all the cowhands moved on.

  I would be helping a smaller group move 200 or so head up the north pasture where they would stay all summer, fattening up on the rich grass. They had access to another three thousand acres of range lease Ryder’s family had held for generations. I was hoping to get some photos of the area, as it was remote and only accessible on horseback and I’d never been there.

  Henry introduced me to the lead hand who would be in charge of the group for the day. There were five men in total, plus me tagging along.

  “Boss, I’m not sure we should take her that far out,” the lead hand protested.

  “She’s an excellent rider Wyatt, don’t you worry about her. Anything you boys throw at her, she can handle,” Henry said and grinned at me. “In fact, she could probably outride a couple of you on your best day.” Henry looked pointedly at one man standing a little farther from the group. He looked like he was in his fifties, he was slouched and dirty looking. He smiled at Henry and said, “Good one Boss,” without it ever reaching his eyes.

  I decided to stay away from him for the day and stick with Wyatt whose gentle eyes and easy smile made me feel at ease.

  We saddled up and Henry let me take Sophia’s mare out. As I mounted up, Henry told me, “She’s a really great horse, but she doesn’t get ridden enough. Sophia isn’t much into riding to be honest, she never has been. She’ll ride well for you, keep your hands steady on her mouth, don’t let her grab the bit, and you’ll be fine. If she spooks, all you have to do is pull one rein tight, get her head around tucked into the saddle, and spin her until she settles. It works every time.”

  He slapped the mare on the butt and we were off, me riding next to Wyatt with the other guys spreading out behind the cattle, directing them towards the summer pasture.

  “How long have you been working for the Harris outfit?” I asked Wyatt a few minutes into the ride, trying to make small talk to pass the time.

  “I’ve been pretty steady with them for the last few years,” he replied. “My wife just had a baby last year, and they give me time off to follow the rodeo circuit when I need it, so I’m pretty happy with them. Mr. Harris just promoted me to head wrangler this spring, that comes with a raise and a cabin on their place.”

  “Oh lovely, is it one of the guest houses past the main house?” I asked.

  “Yes ma’am,” he replied shyly.

  “That’s hardly a cabin Wyatt, those places are gorgeous... and if you call me ma’am again, I’ll have to kick you when we get off for lunch,” I said with a stern look.

  “Yes ma’am,” he replied and smiled at me. I moved to kick him playfully when I noticed the old cowboy staring at me.

  “What’s his problem?” I asked in a low voice, subtly gesturing towards the creeper.

  “Oh him. He’s new this year. My wife doesn’t like him either. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him,” Wyatt told me.

  I thanked him and we settled into easy conversation. Wyatt could fill up hours just talking about his little boy, and I loved hearing about it. It was nice to see Wyatt’s eyes light up with pride when detailing every little kick or gurgle his son made.

  I wondered what kind of father Ryder would be and my pussy warmed just thinking of it. I wished he was here with us today, it would be so easy to slip away from the group and settle in a copse of trees for an afternoon quickie.

  The herd was easy to guide, they were docile creatures, all bound to be eaten eventually. The creepy cowboy kept making comments about how tasty they looked, but when he said it, I caught him leering at me a few times.

  I shook my head and wished harder that Ryder were by my side. I was enjoying the leisurely pace and warm sunshine when I heard Wyatt cry out in warning.

  One of the steers had broken away from the herd and was running right for me.

  I tried to kick the mare, make her move out of the way, but the stubborn horse just shook her head and stayed firmly planted on the spot. The steer kept coming faster, a straight line for us, hundreds of pounds of scared cow.

  I screamed at the mare and I heard Wyatt
yelling, trying to get the steer’s attention. Without warning, the mare bolted.

  I gripped the reins and yanked back as hard as I could like Henry had told me, but the mare was running top speed away from the group.

  I was pissed now; I pushed myself down in the saddle and held on tight, trying to stop the runaway horse. I remembered Henry’s other instructions and loosened one rein while pulling tight on the other.

  The mare barely moved her head, she stumbled slightly but this seemed to give her a new burst of energy and she ran faster. I could hear Wyatt still yelling, but his voice was fading and the mare veered suddenly, heading for the tree line that bordered the pastureland.

  I wasn’t sure where we were, but I was certain there was nothing beyond this spot for thousands of miles. Adrenaline fueled my strength and I yanked one rein with all my might. I felt it give way and almost started sobbing when I realized I was holding the broken end in my hand.

  There was no stopping this horse now, so I just did my best to hang on. Several minutes later, the horse veered again, this time throwing my exhausted body from the saddle. I landed in the rolling position like I’d been taught, but I felt something snap in my ankle.

  The horse kicked her feet up, snorted and kept running.

  “Fuck,” I said to the silent forest. “Fuck.”

  I pulled out my phone and tried to get a signal, there were no bars. I pulled up the map app and tried my best to figure out where I was, but the area just showed up as a gigantic green blob with no detail. I didn’t even know which way the ranch house was or how far I’d have to walk.

  I found a branch lying on the ground a few feet away and managed to get to my feet. I yelled Wyatt’s name as loud as I could, but gave up after a few minutes, feeling like an idiot.