Liar.
She knew Boone had placed two firsts in the rodeo over the past weekend. He was on fire. He was fine. Leaving her behind had been the right decision for him to regain his focus.
And she had to get on board with that. She had an early morning appointment. That had to be a good sign, right?
Piper ordered her chai and walked down Main Street, head up, scanning the street, still not quite able to believe that she had found her town even if she didn’t have her forever man. Even if she wasn’t his forever woman. She sipped her chai, determined not to fall into despair.
This was the hard part. It would get easier. She turned down Church and stopped. Blinked. No. She was hallucinating. She’d been thinking about Boone—when did she ever stop?—and she’d conjured him.
He paced out in front of the salon, which was not open yet. Quick, fluid strides, and even a block away, her heart lurched in her chest and then galloped wildly. Her breath pumped in and out as if she’d been running.
He was here!
It was all she could do to not toss aside her chai and start running toward him. Tell him she’d been stupid. A town without him would never be her home.
“Take a breath,” she cautioned herself.
Maybe he just wanted to check on her. Make sure she was okay. Boone was kind. Responsible. He’d always taken care of her when they’d been together. And he’d let her take care of him.
And she’d loved every wonderful minute of it.
She pressed her lips together to stop the trembling. She forced herself to walk instead of run. But oh it was hard. He looked so good. The dark denim clung to his butt and muscular thighs. His dark blue tee stretched across his broad shoulders and kissed his pecs and hugged his biceps. He wore a pale blue chambray shirt, open. And he was playing with his Stetson, worrying it through his hands as he paced. He jammed it back on his head.
As if he sensed her hungry perusal, he stopped mid-pace, spun on his heel and stared at her with an intensity she’d desperately missed.
Every cell in her body woke up.
“Don’t run,” Piper whispered, holding herself rigid. “Don’t cry. Cowards cry.” She remembered her father’s voice coldly making that statement so many times until she’d gotten herself and her soft heart under control.
She clutched her chai cup so hard it buckled a little. She gulped in a deep breath and took a step toward him. And another.
And then he was striding toward her. His long strong legs that could grip a thrashing bronc and bull and hang tight ate up the ground and spit it out.
“Piper.”
He stopped in front of her. Pale under his tan. His hands reached out to touch her arms and she leaned in toward him, melting. He barely skimmed her arms before jamming his hands in his pockets.
“Boone.”
“Is it…is it okay that I’ve come to see you?” His voice sounded strained.
She felt her heart clutch in her chest.
“I know you asked me to stop…texting, but I…I…Piper.” He stared at her with an intensity she’d only seen in him when he’d been looking at a hundred percent bull he’d been going to ride later. “I made a mistake.”
Her stomach dropped, leaving her feeling more than a little sick. Boone’s life was going well. He’d made a good decision for himself and wanted to tell her that, and she had to suck it up and wish him well. It hit her then how much she had still hoped that he’d come back to her. Want her.
“I thought that I didn’t deserve your love because I hadn’t accomplished everything I needed to yet. I thought I didn’t deserve my place on the ranch because I wasn’t bringing something tangible, something larger than myself to it.”
He tipped his hat back and leaned down to look closer into her eyes. Piper felt a hot spurt of tears as that move was so familiar.
“I missed you,” he said. “I feel like an idiot about so much—so casually uprooting your life. Not knowing what a true partnership really was even though I had the best example in my parents. You taught me that too, Piper, but it took me so long to wrap my head around it. To understand it here.” He lightly tapped on his chest.
Piper had no idea what to say. He looked so good. So real. So solid. And she felt like she was standing in quicksand.
“Am I too late, Piper?”
“Too late?” she repeated trying to keep herself from hoping.
He took off his hat again, ran his hands through his beautiful sandy hair that was springy under his fingers. He hadn’t cut his hair. God, she wanted to touch him.
“To fix this. To fix us.”
She lightly touched the tip of her tongue to her lips, still not wanting to hope.
“Why?”
His face closed down a little. “I deserve that.”
“No. I’m not trying to be bitchy. I just…I don’t know what’s changed.”
“Everything. Nothing. Me. I’ve changed. I’m changing. I want to keep changing with you. I said I regretted casually uprooting your life, but only the way I did it, not that I did it. The four months we were on tour was the best time of my life. Everything felt right. All the doubts I tried to push aside growing up about my place in the world were silent. You felt like home, Piper. Not the ranch. You.”
“Boone,” she breathed out shakily because she’d felt the same with him from the beginning and so much rode on this moment.
“I regret that I didn’t trust myself enough to hold on to you. I felt that I needed to be more, achieve more. I thought there was this place I had to stand tall in, and that place would signal to me that I’d arrived, but I had it all ass-backward. It’s not a place. Funny.” He laughed bitterly. “Growing up my dad was always the smartest person I knew. I admired him so much and wanted to be like him even as I resented him for setting the bar so damned high, but he was right. He told me my achievements were a process not an end game. One more point in his tally column.”
“I’m glad,” Piper whispered. She was happy Boone had a father he could admire and learn from. She knew all about the bar being set too high to ever clear. “Boone, it’s really good to see you.”
It was hard to see him though. Harder than she’d imagined. All she wanted to do was throw herself in his arms, accept what he would give her.
But she needed to be loved.
She needed to be a part of his life, a part of his family.
“But it’s really hard for me to see you and not want…to…” She sucked in a breath. “Not want to be with you again, but I need more from you.”
“I know. I can do that now,” Boone said eagerly. “I can prove…”
“Boone, a relationship isn’t a science project, and you’ve really caught me off guard and I have a client arriving soon so I can’t… I need to get myself together first.”
She clutched her chai like a lifeline.
The tension drained out of Boone like she’d pulled a plug.
“Piper, what I’m asking for is another chance with you. I won’t fuck it up. I promise.”
What was different? How had he changed? But she could tell that he had. He seemed more intense. Less carefree. More driven. She missed his smile. His dimples. The way his eyes would light up when he saw her, but this new brooding fire stole her breath and made her body liquefy—embarrassing since it was just past eight in the morning and they were on a public sidewalk.
“I just need a chance. Yes or no, and I should warn you that I don’t think I can accept no and will do everything in my power to change your mind, and I don’t give up easily. So yes or no?”
No-brainer. She should be terrified. But hadn’t she built her life on reaching for things that looked out of reach?
“Boone,” she searched his dear face. He looked so fierce and determined, and all her doubts and fears dissipated like morning mist. “Yes. But your timing sucks because I have a client arriving. Actually, they’re late.” She tried to cling to her professional side when all she wanted to do was ditch it, and drag Boone inside and
get skin to skin so she could finally feel warm and utterly alive once again in his arms.
“Nope. Your client’s right on time. And I booked out your day.”
She stared at him. The receptionist Emily hadn’t clued her in at all that the four appointments for today had been booked by the same person. Had she been in on it or had Boone been really creative? He did have a large family to call on for help.
“So this was a plan?” she asked, not realizing until she said it that she was teasing him a little. Hard to do when she still couldn’t breathe properly. When she still wasn’t sure what he was telling her.
“Step one in my win back Piper campaign.”
“How many steps are there?”
“Not sure. It’s a process. Probably will take the rest of my life.”
*
Step two involved his truck and a trip. No blindfold this time.
“I remember this place,” Piper said softly. “We had a picnic here.”
Boone leaned back into an indentation in a large slab of granite. The hill was large enough to provide views of the valley, rolling hills and the mountain ranges that hemmed it all in. He took a chance and reached for her, his hands loose around her waist. Piper stiffened for a moment and then nestled against him. He winced.
“What?” She tried to pull away.
“Nothing.” No that wasn’t right—he wanted to have a close and honest relationship with Piper. “I fractured a couple of ribs at Copper Springs in the short round yesterday. Still won,” he couldn’t help the brag, but he wanted Piper to know that he was skilled and tenacious and would take care of her, even as she took care of him.
“Boone.” She turned to look up at him.
“Not a big deal. Not the first time. Might be the last if I’m lucky at the finals in January, but I’m wrapped, and holding you feels amazing.”
Piper settled back, only more gingerly.
“So what changed your mind?” she finally asked.
“I don’t think I changed my mind, Piper. You were always the one for me. The minute I saw you I was all in, but had no idea what to do with how intense everything got so quickly so I did what I always did, just went with it. I deeply, deeply regret that I hurt you, but I can tell you that meeting you and spending the summer with you was the best thing that happened to me, and I hope that meeting me and spending the summer at least makes your top ten list.”
Piper turned in his arms. Briefly her lashes swept down, and then she looked up. Her eyes glinted with humor.
“Top ten,” she mused. “I’m not sure, Boone. I might have to think about that for a while. I have a really long list. Did you bring a picnic this time? A blanket?”
“Are you teasing me, Piper?” His voice edged with uncertainty.
“Definitely. But I am hungry. I haven’t been able to eat much.”
“Feeling pretty hungry myself. I was hoping to take you someplace for lunch if you’ll let me and if you want to go, but I wanted to take you back here first.”
“Why here?” Her fingers played in his hair, and the pleasure was so intense that he closed his eyes and nearly moaned. How he had missed her touch. Her laugh. Her play.
“It’s my favorite view in the valley. I used to hike here. Drive my truck here when I was older and taking a break. It’s coming up for auction. It’s not big enough to ranch, but big enough for other things.”
“Like what?” Piper asked leaning in to him and pressing a soft kiss against his jaw.
“You’re not even looking at it,” he breathed. Did that mean she didn’t like it? Wasn’t interested in buying land or being with him?
“Because I’m looking at you.”
He noticed that she was careful not to put her weight against him because he’d told her about his ribs—which was why he hadn’t wanted to tell her. But her lips whispering back and forth along his jaw were causing one hell of a reaction.
“Tell me about the land, Boone.”
“Would if I could think. You know what happens when you touch me.”
“Be strong. Focus.”
Boone groaned as she kissed a line down his neck and licked across his collarbone. Who the hell knew that was an erogenous zone before Piper?
“I was thinking I could start a small foundation to help fund a program for teens who’d gotten in trouble with the law or were struggling in school or at risk in some way and teach them rodeo and animal husbandry skills, and the basics of repairing a motor or an engine. Lots of kids out there who didn’t get a good role model in a father, and I got the best. It could be an after-school program, just a couple of hours each day so I could still put in a full day at the ranch, and I know so many cowboys who’ve retired from the tour who’d be willing to help one afternoon a week.
“Last time I was at Big Z’s I talked to the owner, Paul, about his policy on donations and helping out non-profits at cost, and got some good answers. Colt Wilder has helped build a lot of barns and other construction projects so he’d probably help us build a small barn here. Wouldn’t need to be big. And a corral. Some fencing for pasture.”
“You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
He nodded. “Over the past few years, yeah, but it always seemed out of reach and too soon for me to start thinking this way. I felt like I had to be able to do it all at once, but after a talk with my dad who helped me see how I was looking at my life ass backward, I realized I could start with just one piece. Like you did buying the massage chair. And then the tent, and a few weeks later, the massage table, then the Pilates whatever that I caught so much kinky grief from until a cowboy actually had the balls to try it.” He shook his head. “Fun times.”
“So the land first.”
He nodded. “Got enough saved for a good down payment. And an approval from a bank to carry the mortgage if my bid goes through. What do you think? Would you live here with me eventually when we saved enough to build a house? We could live on the ranch before that. I can convert one of the cabins or bunkhouses into a home for us or would you rather be in town?” Boone asked, a little nervous about her answer because he couldn’t imagine not living on the ranch unless it was here and with Piper.
“Depends on where you are.”
“With you. Always with you.”
“You said you could convert a bunkhouse or cabin,” she said softly as her hands played over his chest. “Would you teach me so we could build our home together?”
He nodded, so overcome with emotion that he hid his face in her neck and pulled her in tight—fuck his ribs. He ignored them, and knew Piper could feel his tears wet against her. He hadn’t cried since he was a kid, but somehow even that was okay with Piper.
“I think it’s beautiful here,” she finally said, her hands now soothed down his back. “You could also have recreational opportunities for the kids on weekends—backpacking, hiking, camping, fishing, snowshoeing. I heard it snows in Montana.”
Clearly she was giving him time to recover, but Piper, being Piper, her amazing brain was already adding on to his plans, and Boone felt so grateful he wanted to fall on his knees and thank God and the universe and every blade of grass in Montana that Piper was willing to take another chance on him.
“That’s only a rumor,” he said. God she was as smart as she was beautiful and he was beyond lucky. “I was thinking that if you were willing, we could stop by the ranch to have lunch with my folks. Riley’s back at college. Witt’s working at the hospital, Miranda will be at her gift store and their daughter, Petal, will be in school, but we could eat with my mom and dad. It’s just sandwiches and usually a soup in fall and winter, salad in spring and summer because everyone will be heading out to go back to work, but I want them to meet you. I want to show you the ranch. I want you to pick out the place where you want us to make our home. I’ve missed you, Piper. Missed everything about you. Please, please come home with me.” He cupped her beloved face in his hands just to feel her warmth and soft skin.
“Stay with me. Build a lif
e with me.”
“I’d love that,” she said quietly. She leaned forward to kiss him, but he stopped her.
“I love you,” he said. “I think I loved you from the beginning. I know I loved you when we were swimming in the hot springs pool in Ouray, Colorado, late June, and we had to jump out during the thunderstorm and we were running for shelter and you were holding my hand and laughing and you shared your towel with me. You’re special, Piper. So special, and I want to be your man. I want to make you happy.”
“You already do, Boone. You always have.” She sealed the moment with a kiss, a sweet one, that soon grew deeper, more passionate, more like a vow, and Boone felt his entire world went right again after so much had felt so wrong for the past three painful weeks.
He didn’t have the ring yet. But he had an idea. He’d sketched it out, snapped a picture and emailed Sky Wilder. She’d sent him some sketches back asking for his opinion. This week he was going to buy the diamond and flank it with Montana sapphires and when the ring was finished he was going to do it right, how Piper deserved. Totally romantic. A room at the Graff, roses, champagne or if the auction went well, maybe they’d bundle up and come here. Look out over their future and he’d get down on one knee and ask the most important question of his life.
“For a man who claims to live in the moment, you seem to have been doing a lot of thinking,” Piper said.
“Don’t tell anyone. Gonna ruin my rep.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
“So yes to meeting my parents?”
“You already had your answer.”
“Yes to bidding on this land?”
“Give an inch you want a mile.”
“I want a lot longer than that, Piper. I want to travel a lot of miles with you and each one will lead us, eventually, back here. What do you say?”
Piper slipped her hand in his. “Yes, cowboy, let’s go home.”
The End
Cowboy Come Home Page 17
