The Bull Rider's Valentine

by Cathy McDavid

  Pausing to examine his handiwork, he uttered a sound of satisfaction. “That’s better.”

  “I agree. Except for this.” She tugged on the waistband of his boxer briefs.

  Nate couldn’t remove them fast enough and bumped his head on the roof of the trailer in the process.

  “Careful,” Ronnie warned, humor lightening her voice.

  Both of them naked at last, he lay beside her and nestled her close. Starting at her knee, he slid his palm up her thigh, skimmed it over her tummy and continued until it came to rest on one full, pliant breast. Then, lowering his head, he breathed deeply before drawing a delicate nipple into his mouth.

  This was what he’d missed the most. Not just the sex, but the sight of her exquisite and lithe form, the heady scent of her skin and the delectable taste of her.

  “Ronnie.” He held back, willing the moment to last.

  She arched into him, small moans escaping her lips. “Hurry.”

  “No way.” He continued his exploration of her body. “I’ve been away a long time. I need to get my bearings first.”

  “Is that just an excuse to extend foreplay?” She stretched languidly.

  “Got me figured out, have you?”

  “You’re going to have to make the wait worthwhile.”

  He raised himself on one elbow and grinned down at her. “Challenge accepted.”

  “And then it’s my turn.”

  “Even better.”

  He did his best to please her—and succeeded, more than once. She was incredible to watch, her face taking on a rapturous expression and her skin glowing with a faint flush. He didn’t need to remember what she liked, he’d never forgotten.

  When she’d attempted to satisfy him in return, he refused her, saying, “Not yet. First I want to...”

  “What?” she murmured.

  “This.”

  Nudging her legs apart, he let his fingers explore. Tantalize. Delight. She held him when she peaked and called his name. Afterward, he cradled her close and pressed his lips to hers. Feeling tears on her cheeks, he drew back.

  “Are you crying?”

  “No.” She sniffed.

  “Why?” He brushed her mussed hair away from her face.

  “Emotional overload. There’s a lot happening in my heart right now. Crying helps me process it.”

  He could buy that. A lot was happening in his heart, too, that needed processing. “What can I do?”

  “I’m fine, really.” She snuggled closer. “Just give me a minute.”

  He did, running his fingers up and down her arm in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. Before long, she turned into him. Nate was content at calling it a night. Ronnie’s satisfaction mattered more to him than his own.

  She, however, had other plans and wrapped her fingers around his still-full erection. There was no stopping the groan that started low in his throat. She’d always had the silkiest of touches and a keen ability to predict his reactions.

  Nate reached the point of no return far sooner than he would have liked. “Not yet.” The words tore from his throat.

  “I could—”

  Pulling her on top of him, he positioned her so that she straddled his middle. Right where he wanted her. “You’re incredible,” he said as she guided him inside her.

  The sensation was immediate and all consuming. Nate didn’t resist. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

  With the bunk’s low ceiling Ronnie had to lean low over him, a position that brought her lips and breasts tantalizingly close. He kissed her with a passion denied for six long years. She responded by moving her hips and squeezing with her thighs.

  He and Ronnie had made love often. But this was different. They were hungrier. Needier. Perhaps their long separation was responsible. Or the undecided state of their future. Risk did add an element of excitement.

  “Touch me,” she said, her voice urgent.

  “Try to stop me.” He ran his hands down her slim back and farther, over the soft, rounded curves and smooth plains of her body.

  Delaying the inevitable became impossible when Ronnie surrendered to another shattering climax. He dived over the edge after her, losing a piece of himself as he did and knowing he’d find it in the recesses of her heart, next to all the other pieces of himself he’d lost to her.

  They lay quiet for several long minutes, arms and legs entwined, breathing slowing at the same rate. If Nate could hear Ronnie’s heart beating, he was sure the rhythm of his own would match. They were that much in sync.

  Soon, too soon in his opinion, she tried to extract herself. “I should probably leave.”

  “Don’t.” His arm circled her shoulders, and he pulled her back down. “Spend the night with me.”

  “What will Reese think? She might not like you having overnight guests.”

  “I’ll quit my job if it comes to that.”

  “Be serious,” Ronnie said, though she didn’t attempt to move away.

  “I’m pretty sure Reese won’t mind. It’s not as if we’re running naked through the ranch and corrupting innocent children. Though, if you want to run around naked in a more secluded place, I think that might be fun.”

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “Stay, Ronnie.” He shifted so that they were face-to-face, his eyes locked with hers. “I want to wake up with you here beside me.”

  Her expression softened. “We can’t re-create the past.”

  “Who wants that? Not me. Personally, I’m looking toward the future. We were both damaged by what happened, enough that we threw away what was, for me anyway, the best thing in my life. Neither of us can change that. But we’ve grown since then. Learned. Healed a little. In your case, you know what you want in life. I’m still working on that part, but I’ve made a start.”

  “How can we be sure we won’t repeat our mistakes?”

  “How can we be sure of anything? But I know I don’t want to continue the way I have been, refusing to put down roots or hold a job for more than a couple months.”

  She remained silent for several moments.

  He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t overthink this. Not tonight, at least. Tomorrow, we can analyze the heck out of each other.”

  “Let me think about it.”

  In the end, she stayed with Nate. He swore it wouldn’t be the last time, that he’d do whatever Ronnie wanted, whatever was required to continue this fresh start they’d been given.

  There were still obstacles ahead of them, problems to solve and old issues to be resolved. Nothing would change overnight. But if they were both willing to put in the effort, they just might have a chance.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nate came gradually awake, feeling cramped and crowded. His entire left arm was numb from lack of circulation. He didn’t care. Ronnie lay tucked beside him, warm and lush and...was she snoring?

  No, not snoring. More like a delicate snuffling sound as she shifted in her sleep. Very cute.

  She moved again, this time letting up a bit on the pressure to his arm. A thousand needles stabbed him as blood flow returned. Clamping his teeth together, he stifled a groan and waited until the intense sensation passed, not wanting to disturb her. She looked so content and slumbered so peacefully in the gray half-light of his trailer.

  They’d finally fallen asleep last night a little past midnight by Nate’s estimation. The long day, their incredible lovemaking and the emotional conversations before and after had taken a toll on them, and they’d both fallen into a deep sleep. That had been about six hours ago, according to the clock on Nate’s microwave. He would have to get out of bed soon and head over to the ranch house to assist Theo with his morning routine—which would certainly be affected by his fall yesterday and sprained ankle.

  If Reese had managed to convince her father to see a doct
or, Nate intended to offer his assistance.

  “You awake?” Ronnie murmured and turned beneath the covers in order to face him, a sleepy smile on her lips.

  “Yeah. Just.” He dropped a light kiss on her forehead and drew her nearer. “I hope you weren’t too cold.”

  “Mmm. Not at all.”

  “I don’t like leaving the electric heater on while I sleep. Too much of a fire hazard.”

  “You kept me perfectly toasty.”

  “Good.” Neither of them wore any clothes, and he’d worried the blankets weren’t heavy enough.

  She draped a leg over his and sighed. He very much liked the sensation of her smooth skin caressing his.

  “I suppose I should get going.”

  “You don’t have to,” he insisted, adjusting his own leg to allow for more contact.

  “I’d rather not hang around too long. My dad is the livestock foreman here, and employees have big mouths.”

  Nate didn’t argue with her. Only a skeleton crew worked on Sundays, but they might recognize Ronnie’s truck and report back to her dad. She was entitled to tell her family what she chose when she chose. She shouldn’t be forced into a position of explaining herself because they’d been careless.

  If she wanted him with her when she told her family, he’d gladly oblige. That, too, was Ronnie’s call.

  “Can I talk you into a shower first?” he asked, hopping down from the bunk. Moving quickly in the cold air, he switched on a light and rummaged through the pile of clothes they’d left on the floor for his jeans and shirt.

  “I’ll wait till I get home. Your shower’s really small. I’m surprised you fit.”

  He immediately imagined him and Ronnie crammed together in the tiny space, their bodies wet and soapy. The fantasy was an appealing one and something he’d like to try in the future.

  “Let me make you a cup of coffee for the road at least,” he said.

  Ronnie sat up as high as she could in the bunk, her head touching the ceiling. “That sounds great.”

  He helped her down and handed over her clothes.

  “Brrr.” She pretended to shiver. Or, maybe she wasn’t pretending. “It’s cold in here.”

  “Living in a trailer isn’t for the faint of heart.” Nate plugged in the portable heater and set the temperature to high.

  “Do you ever miss four walls and central heating?”

  “Sure.” He slipped on his socks and then buttoned his shirt. “Not enough to settle down before now.”

  She paused in the middle of zipping her hoodie. “Are you saying your wandering days are over?”

  “Possibly. That depends.”

  Her hands fell away from the half-zipped hoodie. “Look. I realize we spent the night together and that might give you reason to jump to certain assumptions.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not making any assumptions,” he said before she could warn him they weren’t picking up where they’d left off years ago. “But I do have one expectation I insist on, and it’s big.”

  One lovely arched eyebrow rose. “What’s that?”

  “I want to see you again, Ronnie.”

  “See me? Like a date?”

  “We’ll call it that. As long as, at some point, we sit or walk together, holding hands as we discuss where this, us, is heading.”

  “When?” She finished zipping her hoodie, not looking at him.

  “Later this week? Tuesday? Whenever you’re free. You name the day.” He went over to her, hooked a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up. “I’m not expecting a repeat of last night. Not until you’re ready, anyway. Your call. Of course I want that, don’t get me wrong. It was incredible. But I can wait. Hell, I’ve waited nearly six years.”

  “Tuesday’s good,” she answered softly.

  “Would you like to go to dinner?” He’d almost said lunch, not wanting to remind them both of their last dinner out on Valentine’s Day.

  “Okay.”

  “Is it?” He wished he sounded more confident.

  “Yes.” Her tender smile lit him up inside.

  While she washed her face and combed her hair in the small bathroom, Nate made them both coffee. He fixed hers in a travel mug, which he insisted she take with her and return later.

  Outside, he walked her to her truck. Making sure no one was in the vicinity to see them, he gave her a combination good morning and goodbye kiss that left him aching for more.

  Returning to the trailer after she drove off, he finished his coffee, made the bed and took a quick shower. After that, he checked on Breeze before starting toward the house. Enrico’s nephew was driving the tractor in the east pasture, delivering a flatbed trailer of hay to the horses. Nate couldn’t help thinking that was the job Theo had been attempting when he fell.

  Nate was pretty sure his feet weren’t entirely touching the ground during the quarter-mile stroll. It was hard not to feel good after the last twenty-four hours and look forward to the future. Still, he resisted getting too far ahead of himself.

  He was a realist and wouldn’t ignore the challenges he and Ronnie faced. On the other hand, he couldn’t help counting the factors in his favor: being gainfully employed, having a place to live—if not truly a home—meeting people he was starting to consider his friends, making a small contribution to Sam qualifying for Nationals and, best of all, having an upcoming dinner date with Ronnie.

  The door to the kitchen stood ajar, and he went in. Flora was there to greet him, bustling about as she prepared a breakfast of pancakes and bacon.

  “Morning, ma’am. Smells good in here.” Nate removed his cowboy hat. “Theo up yet?”

  The housekeeper frowned worriedly. “Señor McGraw and Señora Dempsey are in the living room.”

  “Is Theo okay?” Nate wondered if the older man’s injuries had worsened during the night.

  “I do not know.” She held her hands out in surrender. “He says he is fine. Señora Dempsey, she wants him to visit the doctor.”

  Nate wasn’t sure if he should interrupt Theo and Reese or leave them alone to work out their differences. The next instant, the decision was made for him.

  “Nate, is that you?” Theo hollered from the living room.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Come in here, will you?”

  Whatever Reese said in reply, Nate couldn’t hear. He glanced at Flora, who shook her head dismally and went back to cooking.

  “Hurry up,” Theo hollered again.

  Nate exited the kitchen and crossed the wide entry way to the living room, his boots echoing on the hardwood floor only to be muffled the next second by thick area rugs. Theo wore his bathrobe and sat at the wet bar, which struck Nate as a bit odd, considering he wasn’t supposed to drink and certainly not at this early hour.

  Reese occupied an easy chair near the bar. Visibly tense, she gripped the chair arms while her left leg beat a fast tattoo.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” Nate asked, approaching Theo.

  “Fit as a fiddle.”

  “He is not,” Reese insisted. “His arm is black and blue, his ankle is swollen to twice its normal size and he’s been having dizzy spells.”

  Theo shot her an angry frown. “You mind if I talk to my caregiver myself?”

  Reese stood. “Nate, please tell him he should see his doctor.”

  “I’m not letting you drive me to the emergency room,” Theo countered, “which is where we’d wind up on a Sunday as his office is closed.”

  “Dad.” Reese’s voice wobbled. “Quit being so stubborn. What if you broke a bone or tore a ligament?”

  “She’s not wrong, Mr. McGraw,” Nate said. “I can see from here that ankle is a mess. Why don’t I take you to the clinic in town? Just for a checkup. We can stop on the way back and watch Sam practice, if you want and Reese doesn’t object.�
��

  “Won’t work this time, young man.” Theo slammed a hand onto the wet bar. “I’m not a child you can manipulate with bribes.”

  Since Nate had indeed been trying to bribe Theo, he didn’t argue. “Will the nurse come here? Make a house call?”

  “No.” Reese swung around, her eyes alight. “But that new concierge doctor in north Scottsdale will. I have her business card.” She started to leave only to turn back around. “Thanks, Nate. You gave me a good idea.”

  “I didn’t say yes,” Theo called after her.

  She either didn’t hear him or chose not to listen.

  “Dammit, Nate,” Theo grumbled. “I thought you were on my side.”

  “I am. And by that I mean I’m on the side that keeps you healthy and safe.” He went over and placed a hand on Theo’s back. “Reese is right. Let the doctor look at your arm and ankle. It won’t kill you.”

  His shoulders slumped. “She’s going to tell me I can’t go outside anymore. Refuse to leave me alone for a minute. Before you got here, she found me in the courtyard and gave me a chewing out.”

  “Sneaking one of your cigars again?”

  “She has a fit if I light up in the house. She has a fit if I light up at all. A man’s entitled to at least one vice. Builds character.” They both chuckled at his joke, but the next moment, Theo sobered. “I hate this damn disease.”

  “Beats the heck out of the other option.” Nate was thinking about Allan, whose life had been cut far too short. “You want to be around long enough to see your grandchildren grow up. If you take care of yourself, you will.”

  The beginnings of a smile appeared on his wizened face, though it was a sad smile. “You’re the only one who doesn’t sugarcoat things with me. I like that about you.”

  “I like you, too, sir.”

  Reese reappeared, wearing a victory smile. “I reached the doctor. She’ll be here at ten thirty.”

  Theo braced his hand on the bar and struggled to a standing position. “Well, come on, Nate. If I’m going to be meeting a lady doctor, you’d best help me get gussied up.”