Dearest Cowboys Box Set

by Mia Brown

  “Who the hell is Dallas?”

  “Uh, hello? Who is this?” I asked. The voice was familiar but I couldn’t quite place it.

  “Darling, it’s me. Mary.”

  I froze. Mary? What on earth did she want? And how did she get my number? Hearing her voice was strange. Even though I had seen her the other day I had actually already forgotten about her. Then again, I had far more important things on my mind lately.

  “Mary? How did you get my number?” I asked her.

  “Your number hasn’t changed in years. I took a chance. Aren’t you happy to hear from me?” she asked.

  “Of course,” I lied. “Uh, how are you doing? Are you calling from Paris?”

  “I am. It’s good to be back again. Look, it was good to see you again but I realize now that I shouldn’t have shown up unannounced like that. That wasn’t right of me. I can imagine what a shock that must’ve been for you. I guess I didn’t think that one through. You had every right to ask me to leave. But…seeing you again…well, it did something to me. I guess I forgot just how much you meant to me. Do you remember how wonderful it was when we were together?”

  I sighed. “I remember how not wonderful it was when you left me without much of a goodbye.”

  “I’m sorry about that. It was a busy time for me and I was all about going after my dreams. That’s important, you know. You’re one of the people who I thought would understand that.”

  “Do you know I planned to ask you to marry me?” I wasn’t sure why I was telling her this. Maybe I was wrong before. Sometimes it was easier to talk on the phone.

  Mary gasped and then let out a squeal. “What? Are you serious? Oh Blaze. Did you keep the ring? Tell me you kept the ring.”

  I couldn’t believe she was asking me that question. Did she expect me to hold on to it in the hopes that she would come running back to me. “No, I took it back. What was the point in keeping it?”

  “Oh, you should’ve kept it. I would’ve liked it.”

  “You left me, Mary.”

  “Yes, but I came back,” she insisted.

  “You came back after two years. That’s quite a long time.”

  “The important thing is that I came back. And I asked you to come back with me.”

  I laughed. “No, you asked me to come back and have a bit of fun with you. But, like you said, nothing serious as we weren’t good for one another. Anyway, I thought you had a potential husband already lined up.”

  “I do. I do. I saw him last night actually, but it’s just not the same. Seeing you made me realize that you were the one I wanted all along.”

  I almost laughed at that. Mary didn’t want me. She just hated the idea that I didn’t want her. “Oh yeah? So are you moving back here?”

  “God no,” she said. “I love it here.”

  “Yes, well, I love it here.”

  “You’ll do great in Paris. Come on, Blaze, what do you say? Why don’t you join me? You can even go back to the shop where you go the ring if you like. Who knows, I might say yes,” she said and let out a giggle. Mary only giggled when she was trying to get her way. She obviously thought it came across as demure but it only seemed to come across as a cackle now. Why had I not seen all this before?

  “Mary, we’re over. I’ve moved on and I’m actually glad you left me. Seeing you again made me realize just how unsuited we are. I love it here. I love my work. I love the ranch. And I love my family. You have a different set of morals and beliefs to me and that is fine, but you should focus on finding a man who feels the same as you. I’m content with my life. I honestly wish you all the best though.”

  “Who is Dallas?” she called out in a nasty tone.

  I smiled. “Goodbye, Mary.”

  I cut the call and punched the air. I couldn’t believe that Mary was now trying desperately to get back together with me. I couldn’t believe that I no longer wanted her. I never would’ve imagined this scenario but I’m glad it was happening now. Speaking to Mary had only strengthened my desire to see Dallas. Dallas might hate me but at least she was real. I realized that I wanted to see her more than anyone else and that said a great deal.

  This time, I headed over to the local Chinese takeout and ordered us both some food. I had no idea what sort of food she liked but I got the impression that she wasn’t too fussy. Unlike Mary who had been on a constant diet when I was with her. With the food in hand, I made my way back to Dallas’s house. Once again I was pleased to see that there were no other cars in the driveway so I headed to her front door and knocked. I was nervous but I was glad that I was finally doing something about our situation. The door opened and Mary answered. This time she was wearing her gown and I wondered what was underneath.

  “Blaze?”

  I held up the bags. “I brought food.”

  Twenty-One

  Dallas

  I had spent most of the day thinking about Blaze. Actually, I had spent the whole week thinking about him. But with every day that passed where he didn’t contact me, I became sure that he wanted nothing to do with me. Then again, I was the one who had shoved him out the house the moment the sex was over. What was I expecting? I spent the days convincing myself that I didn’t want to be with him again and I almost believed it. Until, of course, he arrived at my front door again. And this time he was wearing his cowboy hat. I groaned.

  “I brought food,” he said.

  I nodded. “I see that.”

  “It’s Chinese. I hope you don’t mind. I wasn’t sure what you liked but I got the impression you were the sort of girl who ate anything.”

  I frowned. “Are you calling me fat?”

  “What? No. Of course not. Flipping hell, you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever met.”

  I stared hard at him to see if he was joking but he didn’t seem to be. I was the most beautiful girl he had ever met?

  “What about Mary?”

  He frowned. “What? How do you know about Mary?”

  “Oh come on, it’s a small town. And I saw her the other day.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, I bumped into her. Isn’t she your type?” I asked. I wasn’t sure why I was being so weird. Why did I care about his ex-girlfriends? Why did I care at all?”

  He laughed. “No, trust me. Mary isn’t my type.”

  “She said she was glad she got rid of you.”

  “I’m sure she did. Now, are you going to let me in to eat or are we going to stand at the doorway the whole evening?”

  I opened the door and let him in.

  “We’re not eating,” she said.

  “Ah, so you don’t like Chinese food? Dammit. I can go and get us some pizza again if you like.”

  I shook my head and pulled off my gown. I was wearing absolutely nothing underneath. I had worn the same thing the last few nights and I knew now it was because I was hoping he would visit again. Who was I trying to fool? “We’re not eating now,” I said again.

  I took his hand and led him to my bedroom. Sex in the living room had been nice, but I had a big comfortable bed and I wanted to make full use of it. I was very aware that I was naked while he was still fully clothed but I didn’t mind. I climbed onto the bed and ordered him to take his clothes off. I wasn’t like this with most guys in bed. In fact, up until now I had always been very demure. I usually let the guys lead me rather than the other way around. For some reason it was different with Blaze. I watched as he took off his clothes and told him to do it slower. He didn’t seem to mind that he was basically giving me a strip tease. I figured this was not something that was going to lead into a relationship so I might as well have some fun with it. I grinned at him. Man he was absolutely perfect. Every part of his body was just as it should be, as if he was carved differently to the rest of the world. Who knew that this had been lying underneath those clothes all this time?

  “Leave it on,” I said when he was about to take off his cowboy hat.

  “Really?” he asked.

  I nodded. �
��Oh yeah. Now come here.”

  “You’re very demanding, you know that,” he said as he climbed onto the bed to join me.

  I smiled. “You bring out the worst in me.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t call this your worst. This is your best. Definitely your best.”

  “Lie down,” I said and smiled as he did as I asked. I put him in my mouth and sucked. Gently at first and then with a faster rhythm. One of my previous boyfriends had wanted me to do this all the time to him and I had hated it. I had even convinced myself that it was not something I enjoyed. Now, with blaze in my mouth, I realized I was wrong. I had just been doing it to the wrong guy. I liked the way he felt in me, and the way he gripped my hair as I moved. I liked the soft groans that were coming out of him and the way he was losing control. I thought of the way he had treated me and how he was on Steve’s side and I wanted to take revenge. It was time for him to do something for me for a change. I stopped sucking and climbed on top of him. Then I took his hands and put them on my breasts.

  As I moved I made him caress me. I liked it when he squeezed my nipples, and I liked that his cowboy hat was somehow still intact. I took it off him and put it on my own head. Being with him was like finally losing myself to a place I had never been before. It was delicious and satisfying and I wanted it to go on forever. I rode him hard, and then leaned down to kiss him. Once again he had rough stubble and it felt good on me. The more he kissed me the quicker I was going to come, but I couldn’t seem to stop. With his tongue inside my mouth, and him inside me, I came harder and faster than I had the first time with him. He came just after me and I smiled as I watched the look on his face. It was good to know I could do this to someone.

  “Thanks for the food,” I said.

  Blaze laughed. “Does that mean you’re kicking me out so you can eat alone?”

  I wanted to say yes but I suddenly felt awful about it. “Uh, we can eat together. And yes, I do love Chinese. Thank you.”

  We made our way to the living room and I poured us both a glass of wine and heated up the food. It was delicious and exactly the sort of thing I would choose for myself.

  “You know, you keep ordering for me without asking me. How did you know I was going to like this?” I said.

  Blaze shrugged. “I didn’t. I took a chance. I figured if I phoned to ask you what you wanted you wouldn’t tell me.”

  That made me laugh. “You figured right.”

  “You really don’t like me, do you?”

  “You are working for my landlord. You know, the sleaziest man in the world,” I pointed out. Surely he must know how much I hated Steve by now.

  Blaze sighed. “Yes, I know. I took on the case before I knew it was you.”

  “That shouldn’t really make a difference. Forcing someone to get evicted is not exactly the nicest thing to do to someone.”

  “I suppose. So, say I wasn’t working for Steve, would you like me then?”

  I looked him up and down and shrugged. “Probably not.”

  Blaze laughed. “Fair enough. Well, if it’s any consolation, you are fantastic in bed.”

  I grinned. “As are you.”

  I wasn’t sure why things weren’t awkward with us, but they weren’t. However, I didn’t feel like talking. I still had my mystery man out there and I didn’t want Blaze to think that things were going somewhere with us. I had no intention of being in a relationship with him. Anyway, I got the impression that he didn’t want to be in a relationship with me either. He’d gotten sex with me by pitching up with food the first time, so he’d done it again. The man just liked to fool around. He was just lucky I was frustrated enough to let him do it to me. Instead of talking, I pu the TV on and found an old Western to watch.

  “You like movies like this?” he asked.

  “I’ll be honest, I watch them more for entertainment than anything else. I laugh at the parts that aren’t funny. And seeing as though you always choose my food for me, I’m choosing the movie.”

  Blaze chuckled. “You’re in luck. I happen to like Westerns. I found them hilarious.”

  I thought he was joking but he ended up laughing at all the same parts I was laughing at, and strangely enough we ended up having a good time. Then, when the movie was over, he said he was going to head home and I didn’t argue. I still didn’t like what he was doing, and I was still adamant that I was going to make his life and Steve’s life difficult. But for now, I was getting something from him and that made me happy. I took a shower and hopped into bed, and this time I slept peacefully.

  The following day at work, Madison knew right away that something was going on with me. This time, however, I wasn’t walking around with a sour look on my face and rushing to get more coffee. I couldn’t help how happy I felt. It had been one of the best sleeps I had experienced in a long time. I wondered if Blaze had also slept well or if he was the one who was tossing and turning all night.

  “You’re whistling,” she said. “You’re actually whistling. What happened? Something happened. Can I guess?” she asked.

  I laughed. “Nothing happened. I just had a great night’s sleep. That’s all. You know I’m always in a good mood when I sleep well. It really is the best feeling in the world.”

  “Ah, but there’s more to it than that.”

  “Okay, maybe a bit more,” I said.

  “Hmm, can I guess?”

  “You can try.”

  She gave me the once over and then nodded. “I’m guessing you slept with Will this time.”

  I turned to her in surprise and laughed. “Will? Why would I sleep with Will? Do you think I just go around sleeping with all the guys now?”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know. You’re acting all strange these days. You’re doing things that the Dallas I know wouldn’t normally do. It’s very refreshing but very confusing at the same time. And the last time you slept with Blaze you didn’t get any sleep so I figured you slept with another guy this time and Will came to mind. So, not Will? Blaze again?”

  I laughed. “Blaze again. Something is definitely wrong with me. I think I’ve lost my marbles.”

  “Well I hope you don’t find them again. It’s nice to see you so happy. It makes for a much more pleasant working environment.”

  “Hey, I’m not that bad.”

  “I’m only kidding. So, Blaze again, huh? I shouldn’t be surprised. The guy looks like he walked out of a fashion magazine. He’s gorgeous. Did he bring food again?”

  I nodded. “Yep. Chinese.”

  “Wow, I had no idea you were so easily won over by food.”

  I snorted. “You and me both.”

  “So, how was it? Let me guess… amazing? Otherwise you wouldn’t be whistling.”

  I nodded. “Amazing. Oh, and he wore the cowboy hat this time.”’

  “He did? Nice. How did you get him to do that?”

  “I made him,” I said in a matter of fact tone.

  She gasped. “Dallas, you continue to surprise me every day. Who have you turned into?”

  I shook my head and lifted my hands. “I have no idea. But I like this Dallas. She is very satisfied.”

  “Good for you. Hey, does that mean you’re a couple now?”

  “Hell no. He’s still the enemy.”

  She grinned. “Fine line remember. Fine line.”

  Twenty-Two

  Blaze

  I was at the family ranch again, and this time my mother was convinced that something was going on with me.

  “You look different.”

  I laughed. “I’m not wearing my suit, that’s all.”

  “That’s not it. Have you met someone?” she asked and Tyler kicked me under the table.

  I shook my head. “No. Do you know how hard it is to find women in this town?”

  “Darling, that’s nonsense. Raindrop isn’t that small, and there are plenty of women out there who would love a handsome and driven man like yourself. You’re just not trying hard enough.”

  I groaned. “Okay,
I promise to try harder.”

  “Actually, I met a lovely girl the other day and the first thing I thought was how well the two of you would go together,” she said as innocently as possible.

  “Mom, are you really trying to set me up?” I said.

  “Well why not. She’s young, pretty, and just the nicest girl ever. She’s a teacher and she’s so good at what she does. She’s very well known in the community and I think the two of you would look very cute together. Why don’t I set the two of you up on a date?” my mother insisted.

  “I can’t have my mother setting me up on a date. I’m old enough to find my own dates,” I said.

  “And yet you’re not dating,” she pointed out.

  “Your mother has a point,” my father said.

  I sighed. “Not you too. Look, I’m fine, I’ve just been very busy, that’s all. But I’ll meet someone. It will happen in its own time. This isn’t something you can force or rush. Things are different now. People settle down a lot later in life,” I said. My parents had gotten together at a very young age and they just assumed that everyone was the same.

  “You haven’t been the same since Mary,” my mother said.

  I was surprised by her words as my mother never mentioned Mary. She had always been the unmentionable. They didn’t like her when the two of us were together, but when we broke up they didn’t say anything either. I could tell they were worried that I would go running after her. So hearing Mary’s name now was unusual.

  “Do you know Mary was in town the other day?” I asked. I had no idea if they had seen her or if Tyler had mentioned it to her. Perhaps they did seeing as though they were bringing it up although I was surprised they were only doing it now.

  “Mary was in town?” my mother gasped. “No. You didn’t say anything to us.”

  “Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise to me too. It’s been two years since she left.”

  “What did she want? Is she still here?”