True Love Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

  With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him on a string of shouted “I hate yous” and “fuck yous.”

  He didn’t care how she felt about him. He just wanted her to do right by Emmy.

  It took him a minute to spot Trinity and Emmy across the courtyard lying on their backs on a bench with their heads at the center. Trinity’s legs draped off one end, her feet planted on the ground in a pair of sexy black strappy heels. Emmy’s feet hung off the other end in the new pair of purple tennis shoes he bought her.

  The anger washed out of him at the sight of the two of them stargazing.

  “I wish I had a baby sister,” Emmy announced, startling him. “Then I’d have someone to play with.”

  “I have three brothers,” Trinity told her.

  “That’s a lot of brothers.” Emmy didn’t sound like she wanted that many siblings.

  “With all of them, I wished I could be alone sometimes.”

  “Your turn,” Emmy prompted.

  For what, Jon didn’t know.

  Trinity pointed up at a star. “I wish I could sing like Adele.”

  Emmy tipped her head back to try to look at Trinity. “I can sing. Twinkle, twinkle . . .”

  Jon listened to her sing the whole song at the top of her lungs. She wasn’t anywhere near as good as Adele, but Trinity clapped for her at the end like she was.

  “That was amazing.”

  Jon leaned over the bench, his face inches from Trinity’s. Surprise shone in her eyes at his abrupt appearance. “I think you are absolutely the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.” He kissed her softly.

  “What about me, Daddy?”

  He stared down at his daughter. “You’re fantastic, baby.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Did you have enough to eat?”

  “I ate the whole brownie.” She held her arms out wide to show him how big a brownie she devoured.

  “Trinity spoiled you.”

  “It was sooo good.” And Emmy looked happy now that she was away from Steph.

  “And you didn’t save even one bite for me.”

  Emmy shook her head and pointed at her chest. “Trinity gave it to me.”

  “We need to work on your sharing.” He grinned down at her despite her lack of generosity where brownies were concerned.

  “Maybe she’ll bring you one next time.”

  He really hoped he got a next time. Which meant he needed to break the bad news to Trinity, who now sat on the bench turned toward Emmy.

  “It’s getting late,” she said. “We should get you home and ready for bed.”

  Wait. “What?”

  “I’m sure you’ve got something in your fridge I can turn into dinner while you give her a bath and read her stories.”

  “Trinity, you don’t need to do that.”

  “Thursday night is date night with Emmy, right?” She held out the edge of the skirt of her dress. “I wore my pretty dress to show her.”

  He was sure that sexy black number with the deep V neckline was just for him.

  She stood and held her hand out to Emmy. “We should go.”

  The apartment door behind him opened. “Jon,” Steph called out.

  He didn’t even bother to turn around before he followed the swing of Trinity’s hips as she walked away. He caught up and took her hand, ready for another date night in with her.

  What he wouldn’t give to have her stay the night with him, too.

  Chapter Fourteen

  By the time he finished bathing Emmy and getting her ready for bed, his whole house smelled like spicy beef and melted cheese. Trinity took the pound of ground beef, a tomato, the jar of jalapeños, a block of cheddar, and the bag of tortilla chips he had on hand and started turning them into oven-baked nachos. It wasn’t the Italian meal he still owed her, but it made his stomach rumble.

  The long drive home gave him time to let his anger wane. It still simmered in the background. He needed to give some serious thought to what he was going to do about Steph and Emmy. This couldn’t go on.

  “Did you pick your three books?”

  Emmy turned from her bookcase with four in her arms. “I can’t decide which to put back.”

  She gave him the sad face he couldn’t ignore and he caved. As usual. “Let’s do four then.”

  She dumped the books on her bed. “I have to say good-night to Trinity.” She ran from the room.

  He went after her and caught up just in time to see Emmy throw her arms around Trinity’s gorgeous legs.

  “Good night, Trinity.”

  “Thank you for dinner and the brownie,” he prompted her.

  “Thank you.” She tilted her head way back to look up at Trinity. “Will you bring me a brownie every time I see you?”

  “I’ll try, but sometimes it may not be possible.” Trinity leaned down and rubbed her nose against Emmy’s. “I had fun stargazing with you.”

  “Me too. Do it again next date-night-with-Emmy?”

  Trinity giggled. “Sounds good. Now, off to bed with you.”

  “You read stories, not Daddy.”

  “Sweet girl, Trinity just cooked dinner. She’s had a long day. I’ll read to you.”

  Emmy held Trinity’s hand. “No. Her.”

  “I don’t mind.” She opened the oven door, revealing two plates of nachos. “Why don’t you take yours and eat.”

  He stared into her beautiful blue eyes. “I’ll wait for you.”

  “You must be starving.”

  For her, yes. That dress. Those legs. Her sweet smile. All of it tempted him. She made him so damn hungry. “Let’s put her to bed, then have dinner together.”

  Emmy smiled with her victory and ran for her room.

  Jon stopped Trinity before she followed. Before he said anything, Trinity put her fingers over his lips. “Don’t thank me. I’m glad you called. I wouldn’t have wanted Emmy to spend another second alone while you drove all the way to town. Your ex is something else.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it. She was so good with Emmy when she was a baby. I never worried about things then. But now . . .” He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around how things had deteriorated to Steph not caring that she left their sweet girl alone like that.

  “It’s none of my business, but . . .”

  “What?” He really wanted to hear what she had to say.

  “If you don’t do something about it, it’s as good as you saying what she’s doing is okay.”

  He feared Emmy felt that way, too.

  Trinity leaned in and kissed him. Best thing to happen to him all night. “You’re a great father, Jon. She loves being with you. You brought her here to put her first. Do that.”

  He wanted to, but . . . “It’s complicated. Emmy deserves time with her mother.”

  “Does her mother deserve time with Emmy?”

  The turnabout took him aback. He hadn’t really thought about it in that way. He didn’t want to deny Emmy her mom. That relationship was important and essential. He loved and missed his mom and wished she was still here to give him advice and the support he could always count on. But if Steph couldn’t take care of Emmy and be the kind of mom she needed, maybe she didn’t deserve to see Emmy.

  Trinity patted his tight chest with her palm. “No one is saying cut her off completely from Emmy. But does she need to have Emmy for days at a time?”

  He sighed. “No. She doesn’t.” So many changes. Moving from California. His father moving. Renovating the ranch. Meeting Trinity. Now possibly taking on being a full-time single father.

  He could do it all. It was just a lot all at once and in such a short time. He needed his brain to catch up.

  “Looks like I’m facing another battle with Steph.”

  “Emmy is worth it.”

  “Absolutely.” No doubt. But he didn’t look forward to Steph fighting him for her parental rights. She loved Emmy, and despite how hard and unfulfilling she found taking care of her, she wouldn’t back down when it came to having he
r time with Emmy.

  “It doesn’t need to be a fight. If she can’t tend to Emmy’s basic needs and provide a safe environment for her, then you will.”

  He’d have to prove his case in court, and even when he did the courts tended to give parents a chance to prove themselves and often sided with the mother.

  His lawyer had advised him of that when they made the original agreement and the changes prior to the move.

  But after what happened tonight, he’d push the matter for Emmy’s sake.

  “I can’t let something like this happen again. I’ve given her several chances before, and it goes well for a few weeks, a couple months, then the effort becomes too much. She doesn’t pay attention to what or how well Emmy eats. She skips baths to get her to go to sleep because she let her stay up too late. Then Emmy is cranky and Steph is short-tempered and they end up arguing about stupid stuff. I want better for Emmy, but those things aren’t reasons that a court would take Emmy from her.” He raked his fingers over his head. “We keep ending up in this bad place, where I’m acting like the parent to both of them. I thought the move would be good for Steph. A fresh start. She could create a whole new life here. But she’s making all the wrong choices.”

  “Do you believe she can make a significant change for Emmy’s sake?”

  No, he answered easily. “I’m so tired of doing this.” He let his head fall back, then sucked in a breath and looked at Trinity again. “I’ll talk to my lawyer, ask him how I move forward with getting full custody. Her inexcusable actions tonight actually help me.” And if he could settle this without getting Department of Public Health and Human Services involved, all the better for Emmy.

  “I don’t want to push you to do something you’re not ready to do. I’m just playing devil’s advocate for you so maybe you see things in a new perspective.”

  “Oh, I’m looking at them from Emmy’s point of view. She told me during her bath that she was really scared when the can in the microwave started sparking. She didn’t know what to do. Luckily, I had her mom put a speed dial for me with my picture on her phone. All Emmy had to do was tap it to get me.”

  “You were just a phone call away. I’m sure that made her feel better.”

  “She shouldn’t have been left alone in the first place. She’s four.” It still made his heart ache and the anger flare to think of her all alone and scared. What if she hadn’t had the phone and Steph hadn’t come home for hours?

  Trinity held his arm. “Let’s go read her books and set this aside for tonight.”

  They walked down the hall and stood in Emmy’s doorway. She’d fallen asleep with the books spread out beside her and her favorite stuffed bunny under her arm.

  “She had one hell of a day.” Jon went to the side of the bed, kissed Emmy on the forehead, picked up the books and set them on the bookshelf, then returned to Trinity at the door.

  She gave him another soft, sweet smile. “You had a hard day, too.”

  He locked eyes with her and closed the distance between them. “Ending my day with you . . .” He didn’t have words to express how much it meant to have her here, supporting him, that the drama and chaos in his life hadn’t driven her away. “I really appreciate how you make everything better.”

  She placed her warm hand on his cheek.

  He leaned into her sweet touch and savored the feel of her skin against his.

  “I’m sorry Steph put you and Emmy through that tonight. You both deserve better.”

  “Amazing is standing right in front of me.” He slipped his hand into her hair and drew her in for a soft kiss that had her body melting against his, warming him up from the inside out. He touched his forehead to hers and stared into her smoldering eyes. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

  She kissed him again with the same sultry slowness.

  The connection between them felt like a tangible thing, growing and strengthening with each passing day and every moment shared.

  Reluctantly, he ended the kiss, took her hand, and drew her down the hall to the kitchen. She’d made dinner and he couldn’t wait to share it with her and a little more time alone together. He wanted to look at her beautiful face across the table, feel her presence surround him, and wallow in the peace she always brought with her.

  She took her seat at the table. He pulled the two plates of nachos out of the oven. They were warm, the food a little on the dry side but still edible when he set the plates on the table. He pulled the sour cream and two beers from the fridge, grabbed a spoon, and joined Trinity at the table. He sat next to her and she immediately reached out and squeezed his thigh, then spooned sour cream onto her nachos like they did this all the time.

  He cracked open her beer, then his. He held his up. She did the same.

  “To you. Beautiful inside and out.”

  Her soft cheeks pinkened and she tapped her bottle to his. “Thank you, Jon.”

  He loved that she took the compliment and let the happy feeling it gave her shine in her eyes and smile.

  They both sipped the cold beer and settled into the quiet kitchen and good meal.

  She picked up a meaty, cheesy chip and stuffed it into her mouth, leaving a dollop of sour cream on her lip.

  He brushed his thumb over it, then sucked it off, and smiled at her. “Mmm.”

  “Eat yours.”

  “I like watching you.”

  She gave him a sexy smile and stuffed the next chip she picked up into his mouth. He chewed and smiled at her, feeling the weight of the day disappear.

  “I’m sorry another date didn’t go as planned.”

  She locked eyes with him. “I don’t know. This is pretty good.”

  “Only because of you.” He let his gaze travel down and up her. Every part of him turned hot and desperate for her. “You wore another killer dress.”

  “I wanted to see you look at me just like that again.”

  He’d barely touched his food because all he wanted to do was soak her up.

  She abandoned hers and turned to him. “It’s a long drive back to town.”

  Disappointment hit him hard and fast.

  “Maybe I should stay here tonight.”

  Surprise and excitement rushed through him, making his eyes go wide. “Are you sure?” He hoped he wasn’t dreaming.

  She leaned in until their lips were inches apart. “If you want me t—”

  He cut her off with a searing kiss to let her know just how much he wanted her in his bed. “Make my night. Stay.”

  She stood and he followed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his. In her high heels, their bodies perfectly aligned. “Sounds like you’re going to make my night.”

  He swept his hands up her sides and around her back. She kissed him with a demand and urgency that told him she wanted this as much as he did. He backed her out of the kitchen and down the hall, still kissing her, needing to get her into his room and his bed. Now.

  Just to be safe, and so they’d have no distractions, he let her loose, closed his bedroom door, and flipped the lock. In the dark, he could barely see her face, but he caught the raised eyebrow.

  “Emmy sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and sneaks into bed with me.”

  Trinity hooked her hand at his neck and drew him close again. “That’s sweet.”

  Yeah, he loved it. But . . . “Tonight I want to be alone with you.”

  “Nice.”

  “You might not think that of me if you knew what I was thinking about doing to you right now.”

  She gave him a sexy, seductive smile. “Should I pick a safe word?”

  He pressed his hand to her beautiful face and brushed his thumb across her soft cheek. “I take instruction very well. Yes. More. Don’t stop.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you don’t ever want to say no.”

  She leaned in and kissed him once. “Then, yes.” She kissed him again. “More.” She kissed him again, this time with her tongue s
liding across his bottom lip. “Go. And don’t stop.”

  Maybe he really had finally met his match.

  The thought drove him wild and he dove in for a searing kiss that drove them both mad with wanting.

  Her fingers worked the buttons at the front of his shirt.

  He slid the zipper down her back, and the sexy black dress slipped right off her and pooled at her feet. He broke the kiss and stared at her pale skin disrupted by a black lace bra and barely there strip of panties that made his mouth water. “Damn, Trinity. You’re beautiful.”

  “You’re overdressed.” She slipped her hands inside his shirt at his shoulders and pushed it down his arms. Her hands went to his chest and ran over his skin as he worked his hands out of the cuffs. Those roaming hands of hers dipped to his navel and attacked his belt. He kicked off his shoes. She pushed his pants over his hips and took his hard length in one hand, rubbing it up and down over his boxers as he kissed her neck and cupped her ass in both hands and squeezed.

  She reached down and slipped off one heel and then the other. He undid the bra clasp at her back and pulled the lace right off her arms and sent it flying across the room. He spun her around, pulled her back to his chest, and filled his hands with her full breasts. She slid her hands over his thighs and held tight as she rubbed her ass against his throbbing cock.

  He kissed a trail across the top of her shoulder and up her neck to her ear. “I want you so damn bad.” He nipped her shoulder, then smoothed his tongue over the love bite.

  She moaned and slid her hand back between them and wrapped her fingers firm around his shaft. He worked her nipples to hard peaks, rolling them between his fingers as he walked her forward to the bed until her knees pressed against the mattress. He slid one hand down to her belly; the other massaged her breast. He kissed a trail down her neck and spine as he made her bend forward until she freed his aching cock and planted her hands on the bed.

  He tugged at her nipple and cupped her sex in his other hand, sliding his fingers over her hot, wet center. He wanted to feel her skin against his, but to do that he needed to rid her of the sexy panties. He reluctantly left that sweet spot and drew his fingers up and over her hip to her back, trailing them up her spine, then back down again until his fingers hooked in the strings holding her thong on and he pulled it over her round ass and down her legs.