Cowboy Professor_A Western Romance Love Story

by Ivy Jordan

  “It’s good to hear that,” I said. “You know it’s rare for you to experience something so life-changing. I mean, most people come and have a lot of fun and that’s it. You can see that they haven’t really gotten the essence of the place. It’s different with you. I can see that. My father would’ve been so pleased. I know he would’ve loved to have met you. He always wanted city people to come over and really feel the ranch the way you did. It was his goal to have people appreciate ranch living a bit more.”

  She smiled. “That’s nice of you to say. He sounds like a very cool man.”

  “Oh, he was. So, other than the ranch, is there anything else you’re going to miss from here?” I asked. I suddenly wanted to know how she felt about me.

  “Thunder. I’m going to miss Thunder.”

  “Of course. Anything else.”

  She pretended to think it and she nodded. “Allison’s food.”

  “Naturally. That all?”

  “Jackson.”

  I laughed. “Well, maybe the two of you can meet up after this.”

  She giggled. “No thank you. Ah, I’m going to miss you, Travis,” she finally admitted.

  “I’m going to miss you too. So, did you ever expect the two of us to get together?”

  She shook her head and offered me a bittersweet smile. “Not at all. I never intended to have a fling with you.”

  “So is that what it is? A fling?”

  She sighed. “I guess so. I don’t really know what else it could be. Unfortunately I think that this is just the way that it has to stay. You and I are very different, even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes. We’re from different worlds and whatever this thing is that we have, well, it won’t work out in the real world. I do have strong feelings for you, more than I thought I would, but I’m not going to set myself up for disappointment.”

  “You really shouldn’t place so much stock in background, you know,” I said.

  “I know, but I’ve had trouble with this sort of thing before. Maybe it wasn’t with a cowboy, but in a way it was the same thing. Different backgrounds. It didn’t work out and led to hurt. I don’t want to do this again. I went into this with you knowing that it would never last. Just a holiday romance, and nothing more. It’s sad in a way, but it’s been incredible, and I will never forget what I had with you.”

  I considered telling her the truth then but decided against it. She knew who I was as a person, even if the part about me being a cowboy wasn’t true. Other than that, I had told her everything there was to know about me, and shown her my real self. My profession was nothing more than a title. It didn’t define me. But Harper wasn’t interested in that. She wanted a fling with a cowboy; that was what she wanted. And if she was so prepared to just throw it all away without even trying when there was nothing I could do about it. I also wasn’t going to set myself up for disappointment and hurt.

  “I understand,” I finally said to her. “I’ve had the best time with you though. I’m really glad that Jillian’s boyfriend broke up with her for a little while so that you could come with.”

  She giggled. “I’m glad too. They’re at least back together now so I don’t have to feel bad about being glad about their break up.”

  I looked at Harper and smiled. I hadn’t planned on being with her again. I figured it would be too hard. On the ride back home I had already told myself that our time together was over. But having her beside me and knowing that we still had some time to kill before dinner was too much for me to resist. I wanted to be with her again, even if I knew it was for one last time.

  “I want to be with you again,” I said. “I mean, we still have an hour until dinner.”

  She chuckled. “An hour? I’m so hungry. I definitely need something to keep my mind off the food.”

  I noticed that a small tear had fallen down her face, so I wiped it away and kissed her.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Harper

  I didn’t want to have sex with Travis again. I’d already told myself that I wasn’t going to do it again. I’d already played the scenario out in my head. If he asked me or tried anything with me, then I was simply going to turn him down. Now that it had happened, I knew there was no way I could say no. How could I turn down being with him one more time? I just couldn’t. I needed to be with him. I needed to feel him inside me. I needed to memorize every touch and every kiss so that I could take those memories back home with me. I felt a tear falling down my face but he wiped it away and soon his lips were on mine.

  Kissing Travis felt like coming home. It was warm and familiar. When we kissed, I felt as if all my problems melted and that the outside world disappeared. It was just him and I. As if we were the last people on earth. There was something different about the way he was kissing me this time. As we took off our clothes, I could feel him looking at me differently too. We knew it was officially our last time of being together, and there was a sense of passion intermingled with urgency and sadness that seemed to intensify it. Was he also trying to memorize my body in the same way I was trying to remember his?

  It was going to take me a long time to meet someone again after this. I wasn’t sure I ever even wanted to be with another guy again. How could anyone match up to the way Travis made me feel? He hadn’t even known me for long and yet I felt as if he knew every single part of me. He knew my body better than I knew my own. He knew exactly what to do with me. His fingers worked their way inside me, opening me up and getting me ready. He watched me as he touched me, and I didn’t shy away from his gaze. Every part of me wanted him and responded to him. I moved down on the bed and put him inside my mouth. I wanted him to want me as much as I wanted him and I was glad when I heard him groan at my touch. He had his hands on my head, caressing me as I moved up and down. When I pulled away, I climbed on top of him and we both sighed as he entered inside me. I moved slowly on top of him, not wanting the moment to end. He held onto my waist, as then I moved down and kissed him. We kissed the rest of the time, pausing only when the sheer force of the orgasm hit us both. The sex, while explosive, had been laced with a lot of sadness.

  We lay there for a while, just holding each other. The little clock on the bedside table showed that we still had fifteen minutes to go until it was time to meet for dinner. I watched the time move and wished it wasn’t going so fast. We didn’t say a word to one another. He just held me and I just watched the clock. Then, with five minutes to go, we stood up and changed. As we headed out, I looked at him sadly.

  “If only we’d met in another lifetime.”

  We made our way to the dining hall and I was sure that Allison and Mike knew what had just happened. They’d seen us arrive together and they could probably tell that there was something going on. Travis and I were usually so talkative with one another but this time the silence seemed to grow louder as the night progressed. We didn’t sit next to each other either. Instead I positioned myself between Jackson and Barry.

  “Hi, Harper. I’m sad Jillian isn’t here to experience this last dinner with us,” Barry said.

  I smiled. “Yeah, me too.”

  “Have you spoken to her?”

  “Oh yeah, a few times. She’s doing great. Her and Thomas are back together.”

  “They are?” Priscilla exclaimed. She clapped her hands like it was the best news she had ever heard. I reminded myself to tell Jillian how much this couple had loved her. In the short amount of time she had been here she had managed to make some proper friendships.

  “Yeah, they are. I’m so glad for her. He missed her so much and realized what a big mistake she had made.”

  “Oh good. She couldn’t stop talking about that boy. Well, you tell her that as soon as we are back home and settled, we will give her a call. I want to meet this boy.”

  “But don’t you live kind of far away?” I asked.

  Barry grinned. “Yeah, but we’re moving to NYC.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. I got a call this morning, actually.
One of the job interviews I went for has asked if I wouldn’t mind being positioned there. So that’s where we’re going. I’m so excited for a new adventure in life. You know, if we hadn’t come here, I’m not sure if I would’ve taken the job. I was so stuck in my ways. Stuck in a rut even. Being out here has changed all of that for me. It’s made me realize that there is this big open world out there waiting for me to explore it. And I’ve always wanted to go to NYC. I thought we were too old for changes, but now I’m not so sure. It’s all very exciting. And hey, now we get to see you and Jillian again.”

  I smiled. Why was it so easy for him and not for me? Why couldn’t I move here? Why couldn’t Travis move to me? But moving from one city to another city was easy. If Travis or myself had to move, the sacrifice would be too big, the change too much. “I’m so happy for you. You’re going to love it. It’s only the greatest city in the world. And Jillian is going to be so happy. Want me to tell her or should we make it a surprise?”

  “Let’s surprise her.”

  I smiled. “Great. We’ll exchange numbers before we leave and we can arrange something when we’re back. It’s going to be so strange being back in the city.”

  “So strange,” Barry agreed.

  The meal was absolutely delicious, just as I knew it would be and we all gave our thanks to Allison. Allison, Mike, and Travis all took turns to stand up and tell us how much having everyone meant to them. Allison was especially tearful—but I had a feeling that this was the way she acted after each group of people. I was sure that we weren’t anything special to her. But she called me aside and gave me a big hug.

  “Thank you for taking me shopping,” she said.

  I chuckled. “You don’t have to thank me for that. The pleasure was completely mine. I had so much fun that day. Anyway, I’m the one that should be thanking you for everything you did for me. Especially the clothes. Without them, I would’ve felt uncomfortable during my whole stay. I’ll make sure to leave them all in the room with you.”

  “Why don’t you take them with you? I mean, I know you don’t dress that way in city, but I know you’re planning on doing some riding. If you want, of course. I know they’re second hand now.”

  I smiled. I was going to miss hanging around people that were so down to earth like this. I couldn’t imagine any of my other friends, other than Jillian, being this way with me. They’d all be horrified to know that these clothes once belonged to someone else. I was glad that I didn’t care. I was starting to see the value in people over possessions in a way I had never really seen before.

  “I’m going to miss you, Allison. And I’m not just saying that because your food is so amazing. I’m saying that because I think you’re an incredible person. I’d love to keep the clothes. But only if you promise to visit me in NYC so I can take you shopping again.”

  She laughed. “You have yourself a deal.”

  I was just about to say something when I heard the sound of a spoon hitting against a glass. We turned around and saw that Jackson had walked up to the front of the group and was about to make a speech. I looked at Allison and rolled my eyes.

  “Oh dear. Here we go,” I whispered and we tried not to laugh. I quickly went to take my seat to see what it was all about.

  “Hi everyone,” Jackson said. I noticed that his accent had changed since the first shuttle bus ride. He now no longer put on a fancy cowboy accent, but spoke in normal docile tones. It was a lot better and much more relatable, but of course not nearly as amusing. “As you all know, I’m just a middle-aged accountant with no family. I lost my wife a few years ago, and she was never able to have kids. For a long time it’s just been me at home. Just me with my books and my movies. A simple life, but a bit of a sad one. Now, I’m not saying that so you’ll feel sorry for me. I’m just telling you the truth.”

  He took a deep breath before continuing. For a bit of a nerdy guy, Jackson was very good at talking to people and very dramatic. He should quit his job and look for a public speaking job. He went to get a glass of water and I wondered if he was really thirsty or if he was just trying to create more drama. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter.

  “So,” he continued. “I was on the computer one day, just scrolling through various websites, when I somehow came across the website for this dude ranch. I’m still not even sure how I came across it. Perhaps it was divine intervention or maybe the algorithms had just deduced that I would enjoy it based on my search history. I’d always been fascinated with this sort of lifestyle. And, as I’m sure you realized, I’ve been dreaming about it becoming a fully integrated member. Let’s face it: I want to be a cowboy despite the way I look,” he said and gestured to his belly. Everyone laughed. “So I came, and I have to say… I really threw myself into the experience. Maybe a little too much at times,” he said and glanced at myself and Travis. “But I had the time of my life. I could never have asked for a better place, or a better group. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for having me. I will never forget it.”

  No matter how annoying Jackson was during the stay, it was hard to stay upset with him. How could you fault the guy for coming out and living his dream despite his circumstances? I wondered if he had been different when his wife was alive. I realized that I hadn’t made much of an effort to get to know him. He wasn’t a bad guy. He’d done some silly things, but he definitely wasn’t a bad person. In fact, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride for him. He had come out to live his dream, and in so doing he had learned a lot about himself. I hoped the experience had changed him as much as it had changed me. Everyone clapped and whistled as he gave a bow. Then Mike stood up and gave him a hug.

  “It’s certainly been interesting,” he said to Jackson as a big grin broke out across his face. “So, how about we end things off with you giving us a little demonstration on one of the horses? You know, to show us how a real cowboy does things.”

  Jackson’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?” As it turned out, his arm wasn’t nearly as bad as he was making it out to be. He’d told everyone it was broken, but the moment he got on the horse he seemed to forget about it. Jackson loved attention, that was for sure.

  “Absolutely. You’re great on the horses.”

  “Oh yes please. Thank you,” Jackson gushed.

  We all took our drinks and went out to the field where we watched Jackson riding his horse in the moonlight. It was the perfect way to end things and it put everyone in a great mood. When it was over I walked over to Travis, and gave him a big hug. I didn’t know what else to do and I hoped that the hug would tell him everything that I couldn’t say out loud. He squeezed me back.

  “Goodnight, Travis,” I said and kissed him on the mouth. I didn’t care if anyone was watching us anymore. I figured they all knew anyway.

  “Goodnight, Harper. Thanks for everything.”

  I walked away sadly, wishing he would come back to the room with me. He didn’t, and I knew it was probably a good thing. I got changed and climbed into bed. Then, as I switched off the light, I allowed myself to cry a little. The experience was officially over.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Travis

  “Today is the day we celebrate as a nation. We urge you to wave your flags high and rejoice. Happy Independence Day to all!”

  I lay in bed looking through my phone, as endless videos and announcements made their way through the social media stream. Everyone was celebrating, just as they always did on the Fourth of July each year. It was a day I usually loved. I loved walking around my street seeing the flags that now adorned every house and every car. It was a day where everyone came together as one, and a day that always made me wish that every day could be Independence Day.

  But this time I wasn’t in the mood for celebrating. I wanted to go back home, but I had promised Mike I would stay for the month and I didn’t want to let him down. Now that the group had gone, there wasn’t all that much for me to do. I could now spend time on my book like I had always pl
anned to do and catch up on all the work that I wanted to get done before going back. Now that I had the time for it, I found myself unable to do anything. I kept staring at the screen willing the words to come. Or I found myself scrolling through websites for research and then realizing I had been reading without taking anything in. It was obvious why I couldn’t concentrate, and I knew that as long as I was out here, I would always have her on my mind. I wondered if I would always think about Harper when I came to visit now. As amazing as our time had been together, I had now tainted the place with her memories.

  I put my phone away and lay there for a while longer. It was early afternoon and I’d been avoiding leaving my room. Instead of working on my book every day, I’d spent most of my time working on the ranch. Mike and Allison told me that I didn’t have to but I wanted to keep busy, and I knew that they were grateful for the help. There was still a bit of work to be done after the damage from the storm, and I didn’t want Allison to have to do it. They’d mentioned Harper once but I’d shrugged it off and they hadn’t brought it up again. I was grateful for that because the less I spoke about her, the better. Today there was going no work. Allison had made me promise that I wouldn’t do anything that day. They never worked on July fourth. Instead, we were all going to have a barbeque, and enjoy the fireworks. While they didn’t set any off themselves, they could still see them from the ranch. That was the nice thing about the countryside: there were no tall buildings or smog to get in the way.

  I finally got out of bed and made my way outside. Allison and Mike were already there, and a selection of snacks lay on the table. They smiled when they saw me.