Cowboy Up: A Contemporary Romance (The Cherry Series Book 1)

by Luna Starr

  “Fuck, baby,” he groaned. “You just squirted on me! So fucking hot.” He grabbed my hips and fucked me even harder. “So fucking hot that I’m going to shove this dick so far inside of you, I’m going to fill you up with my cum.”

  “Yes, Tom,” I whispered. “Fill me with your cum.”

  He thrust one more time and then moaned out loud as his cock pulsated and I could feel rivulets of his cum firing into me. Then he collapsed against me, spent and exhausted.

  ***

  We watched the moon rise higher in the sky. I wanted to say something about what was going on between us, but I also reminded myself that I didn’t have time for a serious relationship, not now—not when I didn’t know what my future held or how long I’d be here.

  Once we were back in the truck, he reached over and stroked my cheek as he kissed me softly on my forehead. “You haven’t said anything to me about what we’re doing,” he said, his words surprising me.

  “What we’re doing?” I repeated, although I knew what he was talking about.

  He frowned at me. “What we’re doing in as much as,” he started and then lost his train of thought. “Well, in as much as we’ve been sleeping together.”

  “Oh,” I answered with a quick nod. “Well, you haven’t asked,” I chimed back, mocking him slightly.

  He chuckled as he started the truck. “Okay, consider this me asking then.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Tom

  Good Lord, but what in the hell had gotten into me? I was asking her what we were doing about our relationship or lack thereof? I was the one bringing this infamous conversation up? Me???

  The girl had messed me up something fierce—that much was sure. Usually, I ran away from discussions about titles and what happened after I had sex with someone. Usually, I was the one who never wanted to see the woman again. But something was different with Summer. Something was different and whatever that different was, it had landed me right on my ass.

  “I’m not really sure what we’re doing,” she’d responded with an innocent smile that hid a less than innocent mind. The woman knew exactly what she was doing—driving me to madness! “But I think we’re headed in two different directions,” she’d added. “I’m not sure where I’m going or what I’m doing after the summer ends.”

  And then somehow, she’d changed the subject and said we had to get back to the ranch before anyone suspected anything. We headed home. That was an hour or so ago. And now, the moon was shining brightly through my window as I lay on my bed, hands behind my head, watching it track across the sky.

  I’d tried to sleep after dropping Summer at the door and kissing her goodnight, but all I’d been able to think about was the way that woman twisted me up. She was so hot and honest and vulnerable all at the same time. Brady was going to kill me when he found out that I’d disobeyed him and followed the interests of my dick instead. Even now, I knew I should leave her alone, but I couldn’t. She’d gotten under my skin and after I’d had a taste of her... well, there was no walking away from her at that point, even if it pissed Brady off. I didn’t think he’d fire me over it... at least, I hoped not.

  There was something about Summer’s vulnerability that called to my own. She’d touched a place that I avoided at all costs and I was starting to get a lot more comfortable there because of it. And yet, a pair of curious eyes had opened me up like I was a damned book. I sighed and closed my eyes.

  What was I going to do about her? She didn’t plan on staying at the ranch; it was a stopover to another life. A life like the one she’d come from. One that was a million miles from mine.

  All of this was going to come to a screeching halt and then I’d be left behind. And that was a thought that troubled me more than I could say. This was the reason why I never got involved with women. They were too much trouble, too much of a risk and I was better off alone. Sure, women were good for a fuck, but I hadn’t had a serious girlfriend for a long time. Not after the last one had screwed me so bad. After that, I’d decided I was just fine as the loner cowboy. It was a shirt that fit me real good.

  Until now.

  I opened my eyes and stared at the moon as I tried to figure out when the hell I’d handed my balls over to that damned woman. Furthermore, she was the one who’d lost her virginity to me! And yet, she seemed to be as calm as a cucumber while I couldn’t get her out of my flipping mind!

  I sighed and sat up. I needed to knock this shit off right now. That girl was going to get me in a heap of trouble, and not just with Brady. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a broken heart. I needed to let her alone so she could get her feet under her and move on with her life. I got up and took a shower. No point in waiting any longer for morning to come. Sleep had eluded me for the night apparently.

  By the time I got outside, the moon had set and the sun was pinking up the sky. Brady was already moving cattle around and I caught him by the fence. “You’re clearly feeling better?” I asked.

  He grumbled something which I translated to a “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “What was all that with Rue yesterday?” I asked. I’d been meaning to talk to him about it for a while now.

  He grunted and waved a hand for me to grab a bale of hay. I did and followed him, waiting for his answer. We fed the cows in silence but I wasn’t going to ask him again. He was the most damned stubborn man I knew. But there was also something serious in the set of his jaw and he didn’t run errands with Rue in general, so I knew something was up.

  “Damned doctor wanted to run some tests.”

  I folded up the baling twine and tossed it in the metal trashcan. “Wow, you actually went to see Doc? Consider me shocked.”

  “Ha ha,” he growled back.

  Clearly, he was in a mood but I wasn’t going to back down. Not yet. “What kind of tests?”

  He shook his head. “You name it, they ran it. Bunch of stuff showed up in my leg when we went in and it freaked them out. Guess they’ve never seen a cowboy before.”

  We were quiet as we walked back to the barn. “Brady, is it serious?”

  “You’d think so to listen to those doctors, but I’m fine.” He thumped his chest. “Healthy as a horse.”

  I eyed him in disbelief. Brady was like every other cowhand and rancher I’d known my whole life. Not a single one of them liked doctors or medicine. They believed in it for their cows, but if a good vet couldn’t diagnose it, they weren’t interested. I was going to have to ask Rue what was going on because I clearly wasn’t going to get anywhere with Brady.

  We worked all morning and I kept an eye on the thunderclouds moving across the sky. We had a ton to do and at some point, we needed to get the guests on horses and push these cattle out.

  “We gonna move these tomorrow?” I demanded.

  He glanced at the sky and put his hands on his hips. “Boy, I sure want to, but we’re supposed to get hammered again by another damned storm. Not sure Marlene would like driving the cattle in the rain with her high-society ways.”

  I laughed. “No. Don’t think she would, but she did come out to try her hand at ranching.”

  “True,” Brady answered as he cocked his head. Then he turned to face me. “What’s your girl up to today?”

  My back tensed. “My what?”

  He snorted and walked toward the house. “Don’t give me that. You think I’m blind? I’ve been watching you.”

  I looked away and dropped back so I didn’t have to meet his hard gaze. “I’m sure Summer’s helping Rue.”

  “Talk to her after lunch, see if she wants to jump that mare of hers and put on a show for Marlene. Girl’s good.”

  That was the strangest request I’d ever heard him make. We never did things around here for show, not ever. He’d been very vocal about the fact that this was a working ranch and if people wanted to come here to work, then that’s what they did. “Okay.”

  After lunch, I caught up with Summer while she was folding laundry.

  “Hey, Pos
h.” I leaned against the doorjamb and tried to stay cool even though I wanted to kiss the tendrils of hair that had come loose from her ponytail. Goddamn, but I needed to get over this… crush or whatever the hell it was, pronto.

  She glanced up and set a fluffy white towel on the stack. “Hey, Scary.”

  My gaze roamed over her and I didn’t hide my interest. She ignored me and kept folding laundry. “Brady wanted to know if you’d work Aria this afternoon.”

  She frowned and stared at me. “What? Really?”

  I shrugged. “Not sure what he’s up to, but we can’t put Marlene and those kids on horses and move the cows yet, owing to the coming storm. I think he’s worried they’re going to be bored.”

  She put both hands on the washing machine. “And he wants me to ride?”

  I shrugged, like Brady’s request shouldn’t have come as a surprise. “You’re something else, you know that, right?”

  She scrunched up her face in that adorable way of hers and then fidgeted. “I guess.”

  I stepped into the laundry room and then I couldn’t help it any longer—I had to touch her. I settled my hands on her hips. “You’re an amazing rider and you’re even more amazing to watch.”

  She stared straight ahead and I didn’t pressure her for a comment. She leaned into me, her shoulder on my chest. “When?”

  I lifted my fingers to her neck and massaged the cords of her muscles. “He and I have to work on the baler all afternoon, so anytime you want.”

  “What are you two up to in here?” Rue barreled into the room with an armload of sheets, startling us both and sending Summer scuttling away.

  “Oh, um, nothing,” Summer responded right away while I shook my head at her to let her know she was anything but stealthy.

  Rue shoved me out of the room. “You two are going to steam up my dry laundry.”

  I moved back to the door and gave her a wide grin. “Well, we wouldn’t want that to happen!”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Summer

  The barn was empty and I stood at the end of the alleyway for a minute and just breathed in the horses. I brushed Aria and saddled her, then took her out into the warm sunshine, eager to soak up the sun before the rain decided to come back again. When I took her into the arena and warmed her up, she was collected and behaving perfectly.

  I petted her and stopped in the middle of the arena.

  It was one of those perfect days. The air had that mountain crispness to it, even though the sun was high and the air was warm. I’d grown to like it here a lot, and not just the people. I really liked Colorado. There was a feel here; that laid-back-productive one. I liked it.

  Aria must have too, because she was less and less like her usual high-strung self. I reached down and stroked her mane, letting it flow through my fingers. “These ranch horses rubbing off on you?”

  She snorted and shook her head.

  I leaned forward to tell her my secret. “Because the ranch boys are definitely rubbing off on me.” Even if my time with them was limited. The more I thought about the impending end to the summer, the more bummed out I became. So, I shelved my depressing thoughts and focused on Aria instead.

  Her ears flicked back and forth and I squeezed my lower leg into her, pressing her up into a canter. We made a few more circles and on the last one, I noticed Marlene and her family standing at the fence at the far end of the arena, so I broke into a trot and worked my way over to them.

  “Good afternoon.” Marlene seemed like she was in a good mood. The kids were looking a little frayed around the edges, like maybe the ranch was softening them a bit too.

  “Hi everyone.” I halted Aria by Gracie and she asked if she could pet her.

  “Of course.” I loosened the reins and Aria sniffed and snorted her way to some pets and even a carrot. The twins crawled up on the fence so they could rub her ears.

  “Brady said we get to watch you jump today.”

  I grinned. “If that’s okay with you?”

  “Absolutely,” Marlene said. “We’re excited to watch you. This has been a great trip so far—and very relaxing—which we all needed.”

  “I’m glad.” I reached down and petted Aria’s neck.

  Marlene took a step back from the fence. “Don’t let us keep you. When Brady told us that you were out here riding and that we could come watch, we were too excited to wait.”

  I gathered my reins. “Actually, we’re all warmed up and I was ready to head to the fences.” I looked at Max’s twin, Marcus. “Can you open the gate for us?”

  He puffed up like I’d asked him to carry the royal crown and lifted up on his tiptoes to undo the latch on the gate, then swung it open wide enough to drive a tractor through it. We trotted through and Aria and I both flipped our switch into competitive mode. Her ears perked forward as we got closer to the jumps and I sat up straight, connecting every possible point between our bodies and wiggling my fingers so I could feel her mouth through the reins.

  Marlene and the kids took a seat on the leftover bales of hay that Tom had put beside the arena and I forgot about everything beyond the jumps. I forced Aria to take a circle so I could mentally ride the course one last time, then I moved her toward the first jump.

  We sailed over the makeshift jump like it was the Olympics and we had everything on the line. I loved that we rode like this every time. Aria didn’t phone it in, and neither did I. She clipped a pole on the last jump, but it stayed up. I sat back and grinned, then gave her a giant pet on her neck. “Good girl.”

  Marlene and the kids were clapping and I glanced over, a little startled to see Tom and Brady standing behind them. A blush crept up my neck and I trotted a circle to gather myself before I headed over.

  “That was fantastic!” Gracie said, standing and clapping heartily.

  “Thanks.”

  Tom winked at me and Brady gave me a nod. For him, that was high praise and I basked in it.

  Gracie petted Aria’s nose and I slid off. “Do you want to ride?” Aria was being so good that I knew she’d behave, even with a less experienced rider.

  She glanced at Marlene. “Can I, Mom?”

  Marlene arched her eyebrows. “Will she be okay?”

  I nodded and pointed toward the arena. “We should go back in there though.”

  I handed the reins to Gracie and let her lead Aria in. Brady walked off and Tom stepped closer, resting his hand on the small of my back. “You’re freaking fantastic.”

  I smiled as butterflies swarmed my stomach, but not the nervous ones that I got before jumping. But these butterflies were reserved for Tom alone. He made me lose the ability to think. As we stood there, looking at each other, I was suddenly afraid he was going to kiss me. I saw the thought cross his face too, then he dropped his hand and took a half-step away.

  “I have to go back to work,” he said quickly. “You working tonight?”

  I nodded, still mute and swirling from the emotions of the last few minutes.

  “If you’ll save me a piece of Sharon’s chocolate mousse pie, I’ll give you a lift.”

  I touched his arm. “I’d like that.”

  He winked and walked away as I turned to Gracie, who was eager for her first lesson. “Make her walk a circle so you guys can get used to each other.”

  She was beaming from ear to ear and the boys headed to the roping box to make dirt moats and castles. Marlene and I leaned against the fence. “Thanks for letting her ride. She’s a big reason we came here. She loves horses, but it wasn’t something I’d had any experience with.”

  “She’s a natural.” It was true. Aria was doing a good job of taking care of her, but Gracie had quiet hands and a natural seat. If Marlene and her family were staying longer, it would have been fun to give her lessons.

  Marlene crossed her feet at the ankles. “You are an amazing rider. Do you compete?”

  “I used to.”

  “And now?”

  I shrugged and bit my lower lip. I wasn’t sure
I should tell Marlene that I was barely scraping by now. “Who knows?” I said with a quick laugh. “I’d like to compete again someday though.” I smiled wistfully.

  “You’re good enough that you should definitely keep that dream alive.”

  I straightened, too embarrassed to keep talking. Competing was something from another life. I was lucky that I even still had Aria now. “I’ll go help Gracie.”

  “Sorry if I pried.”

  I shook my head. “You didn’t. I’m happy to talk about it... I just don’t know what’s next for me.”

  “Aren’t horses pretty expensive?”

  “Yes,” I answered with another sigh. “But I guess you can’t help loving what you love, right?”

  Marlene nodded as I walked away, suddenly feeling sad all over again.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Summer

  After an uneventful dinner, Tom dropped me off at the café with a quick kiss and a promise to be out front, waiting for me as soon as I was finished with my shift. I hurried in and got ready for my shift. The place was already buzzing with ranch hand chatter and a smattering of families.

  I was no longer a nervous wreck and I was getting better at the waitressing thing. If Sharon hadn’t saved my ass on a daily basis that first week, I would have been totally screwed by this point. It was good to have made a friend outside the ranch. Not that I was sure if I really had any friends at the ranch. Rue was helpful but she was more of a mother-figure than a friend, and Brady was just stubborn and fiery. Marlene and the kids were nice, but they’d be gone in a day or two.

  I thought about Tom… was he my friend? If not, what was he to me? I didn’t know. I mean, I knew I could trust him with details about me and my life, even though I hadn’t really told him much up until now. But there was also so much more to our strange relationship than just trust. I wanted him—more than I’d ever wanted another man before. I thought about him constantly and when I did, I felt hot all over. Something that felt a lot like… love. Or maybe this was just lust?