by Sable Hunter
"Get out." She didn't mince words. "The father of my child has nothing to do with you. But, for your information: I was faithful to you until the day that I filed for divorce. If you had been honest with me, we might could have worked this out. I loved you at one time, and I did everything I could to make you love me." There was a lot more she could say, but she was tired. "But all of that is over; I have a new life to build for me and my baby – and you will not be a part of it."
After he was gone, Cecile locked the door and put that part of her life behind her. At least now she knew the truth – Bobby had been partially right. Carl was the one at fault, but she was the one that was a fool.
*****
"Hold him steady." The bullfighter gave Bobby a little help before the chute opened. "This is a wicked animal. Chicken-on-a-Chain is no easy ride. I'll be down there waiting on you."
Bobby tightened the rope around his hand. It was a new one, and he wasn't used to it. Hopefully, he wasn't making a mistake in using it today. This was it – if he won today, the bull riding championship was his. In the intervening months, since Ceelee left him, he had thrown himself into rodeoing and football. And he had excelled in both. The energy that he had been used to expending on chasing women now went into his sports and his studies. He had graduated cum laude from The University of Texas with a degree in architectural engineering. He had been drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and was to report to training camp in two days – in Dallas – where Cecile was – somewhere.
The bull lurched under him. Focus, Bobby. He wanted to live to fulfill his dreams – he had so many of them. And the dearest one was to get Ceelee back. He could have called Roscoe, but this time he wanted to do it himself. She hadn't been happy about being tailed and he didn't really blame her. But God had to give him a break somewhere – after all, he had been being very good. For him.
The crowd was screaming and the stadium was full of TV cameras. He wondered if Ceelee was watching. News reporters had been hounding him for days. His life was becoming more complicated by the minute. The air horn sounded and Chicken-on-a-Chain exploded from the chute. Bobby threw his hand up in the air and vowed to stick like glue to this whirlwind of hide and horn. Eight seconds might sound like a short time, but when you're in a churning mixer of heart-stopping danger….eight seconds was an eternity. He let his body relax – he didn't fight the bull, he allowed his spirit to rise above the noise and flashes of light from the photographers and view this as what it was – his chance.
This was his chance to prove to himself that he could do anything – be anything – obtain his dream. And when the horn sounded again, and the crowd went wild – Bobby knew hat anything was possible. He could have anything he wanted – and what he wanted was Ceelee.
"Chicken-on-a-chain? Is that like soap-on-a-rope?" Alex wasn't even trying to be serious.
He knew his brother knew exactly what he was talking about, but he played along. "No, it’s a bull. It's the bull that I rode to win Bullrider of the year." Bobby explained himself like he was talking to a third grader. Alex and Scarlet were building a house just about a quarter mile from the B&B and Scarlet's kidney function had improved to the point where she had been able to reduce her meds. Her body had accepted Alex's kidney just fine. Alex was in a good mood, to say the least. "You did good, Bobby. We're all proud of you.
Alex's praise pleased Bobby no end. "I was lucky, brother. I was using a new rope. And that was risky. It's a Brazillian – has a different feel than what I'm used to.”
"Waxed, I presume?" It took a moment for Bobby to get it. Waxed.
"Funny." At one time he would have cracked some sex humor right back at Alex. But that didn't come as second nature to him anymore. Sex had gone from a sport to the Stewart brothers, to something sacred and precious. Annalise and Scarlet satisfied their men in every way and Bobby had no desire to seek meaningless sex. He had lost his appetite for it.
"When are you leaving?" Alex grew serious.
"In the morning. I have a meeting with my agent at ten."
"An agent? Aren't you big stuff." Alex joshed with his brother.
"All the players have them. And I'll tell you after this rodeo win, I'm dreading the hype. I've been invited to four store openings, five TV interviews, fourteen parties and I've got three marriage proposals. And I haven't even got there, yet."
"You're going to do fine. We'll let you get settled and then we'll all come up and see you." Alex pulled Bobby into his arms for a bear hug. "I'm gonna miss you, buddy."
For a moment, Bobby was taken back in time. He still had memories of the first days that he had spent in the Stewart family. For months he had expected to be sent back, rejd once more; left to go hungry and be afraid of the dark. That fear of abandonment was so deeply engrained in him, it had made Ceelee's walking away from him even harder to bear. "Do you think I have a chance with her, Alex?" He didn't clarify who; he didn’t have to.
Alex let out a long breath. "If you love her like I love Scarlet – you've got to try. I have a sneaky feeling that it's all going to work out. I saw Annalise heading to the post office with a big envelope addressed to Cecile – and it wasn't a manuscript."
"How do you know?" Bobby wondered if it could be his letters.
"I asked." Alex winked at him and Bobby felt hope rise in his heart.
~ Chapter Nine ~
BOBBY DOES DALLAS. That was the headline that met Cecile's eyes when she opened the newspaper as she stirred her de-caf coffee. Soon she could go back to drinking her sweet elixer of caffinated brew. Breast-feeding was exhausting but when she held Jaidon close to her heart, it was worth all the sacrifice. It had been hard going through the final stages of pregnancy and delivery by herself. But she had made it.
Putting her little bundle of joy up on her shoulder, she read the words that both thrilled her and scared her to death. Bobby was here. "Jaidon, my boy – your daddy is painting the town." She read with a rapidly beating heart all of the personal appearances he was making – and the women he was making them with. She knew enough about the business to realize that most of these dates and photo opportunities were prearranged by his agent. Still, she was so jealous that she’d bet her pee was green.
Bobby's letters that Annalise had mailed had sent her into a tailspin. She couldn't get them out of her mind. The last one that she read was still lying on the table. Pulling it to her, she read it for the umpteetnth time.
Ceelee, My Love
I'm lying in the bed dreaming of you. I can't get you off my mind. I want you so badly. Please, I'm begging you – tell me what I did wrong. I would move heaven and earth to make it right for you. I have been faithful to you. I have not touched another woman – and I have no desire to touch another woman. My body and my heart want only you.
I feel so helpless. I want to reach out to you so badly, but I don't know how.&bsp You know where I am – I haven't moved. Please call me. Please write me. And if nothing else – dream about me – because I dream about you every night. I wake up with a cock so hard that I could pound nails with it and there's no relief for me in sight. Darling, I'm begging you – come back to me. Please. I love you, desperately.
Bobby
Could he mean it? He certainly sounded sincere. She kissed Jaidon on the top of the head and imagined telling Bobby about his baby. Would he be thrilled or furious? Well, there was only one way to find out. She had to put on her big girl panties and make plans. She still had his cell phone number, and even though she hadn't tried it – she knew that it would still be the same. But first, she had to see him in his element. Today was Sunday and she had tickets. Today, she would see Bobby play his first game at Cowboys Stadium.
*****
"I hear you," Bobby answered Andrea – although, he wasn't really listening. The woman was a maniac. She had booked him on so many shows and at so many events that he was plum tuckered out. She followed him all the way to the place where it was employees only. He stopped and waited politely for her to finish her though
t.
"Tonight, after the game – I need for you to make an appearance at the Ritz Carlton. Shay Monroe is in town and we want to get your picture with her. She asked specifically that you be there. We can't let this opportunity pass."
He just wanted some peace and quiet, but that didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon. "Sure. Whatever. Let me get out there and win this game or there won’t be anybody trying to book me anywhere."
Cecile sat in the nosebleed section. She had left Jaidon with her babysitter. Thank God for Tricia. If Cecile hadn't been lucky enough to find the middle aged angel, then her life would be impossible. Being a single mother was a hard, hard job. She was exhausted. As the players started to come on the field, the familiar strains of the song from the TV show Dallas began to play. It got Cecile's attention. And the words from the announcer's box got it even more. "Today we welcome Bobby Stewart to Dallas. We expect him to do as much for the town as Bobby Ewing did. Ladies and Gentleman – welcome ‘the Bull’ to Dallas!"
The crowd stood as one as Bobby ran on the field. The strains from the famous song filled the air. It probably had a different effect on Cecile than it did on everyone else. Her nipples peaked, her clitoris swelled and her whole body readieself for possession by one Bobby Stewart. The announcer's words sounded over the music. "He's a star – ladies and gentleman – in every sense of the word. He's a National Championship Bull rider, the toast of the town – there's even talk that he's gonna start making movies. Let me tell you one thing, ladies and gentleman. If the boy can play football today like we expect him to – then he's gonna become a legend. The words are everywhere – BOBBY DOES DALLAS – and we expect Bobby to do good by Dallas today!"
Cecile stayed on her feet watching him until he blended in with the other players. She wondered how his teammates were responding to all the hype. It was unheard of for a player to get so much attention before he had even made his first play – but then this was Bobby Stewart. He was a different breed.
She sat back down and tried to breathe. This was much harder than she thought it would be. All she wanted to do was run to his side, throw her arms around him and beg him to take her back.
But this Bobby was so different. This Bobby was fast becoming a star. What would he want with an over- thirty mother with stretch marks on her stomach and milk stains on her blouse? Damn! She should have used the breast pump before she left. Now here she was leaking milk like a faucet. Digging in her bag, she took a few tissues out and discretely tried to repair the damage.
Great! When she looked up, it only got worse. The camera had focused in on Bobby and showed him in a hug with one of the infamous Cowboy cheerleaders. It didn't do any good for her to know that fraternization between the two groups was severely limited and supervised. It still hurt to see him in the arms of any woman. Maybe she ought to leave.
Before she could decide anything, the game started. And soon, Cecile was as mesmerized as everyone else by Bobby Stewart on the field.
"Come on, come on." Bobby talked to the ball as it sailed through the air. So far, so good. He had made one touchdown and if God was willing and the creek didn't rise, he was about to make another one. Like poetry in motion, he stood and waited. Time slowed down. His blockers did their work and the ball sailed through the air with his name written all over it. Just at the right moment, he jumped in the air and caught it. The crowd went wild. He tuned it out – he had forty yards to sprint and neither hell nor high water was gonna keep him from crossing that goal line.
"Look at him ladies and gentleman. ‘The Bull’ is in the house! The Texas Longhorns did a good job on this one ladies and gentleman. Old Mack Brown is to be commended. Bobby Stewart is a Texas power house, a rodeo star and now he is all Cowboy. The winner of the Doak Walker Award, my friends, has brought a win to Dallas!” As Bobby crossed the goal line, the clock ticked its last second and the theme from Dallas started playing again. Bobby turned and looked back. His eyes went to the big screen and what he saw made his heart stop. Ceelee! The camera was focused right on her! She was here!
Not waiting to celebrate, or talk to any of the players; he fought his way to the sideline to talk to anyone with a phone. He grabbed one of the defensive coaches and started talking way too fast. "Get on the phone! Call anyone! You see that woman on the big screen? Do whatever it takes! I'll give them anything they want – but stop her! Stop that woman and detain her. I don't care if you have to tie her to a desk – do not let that woman exit this stadium!" The startled coach started his quest.
Bobby turned and watched her until the camera man moved on. God, she was here! She was here! She was here! Winning the game was good, but God in heaven – this was better! She had cared enough to come to his game and that was one of the sweetest gifts he had ever received.
*****
"Excuse me, miss. You're going to have to come with us." At first, Cecile didn't realize that the Security Guard was talking to her.
"Me? Did I do something wrong?" Cecile was a little frightened. What could this mean?
"You're not in any trouble, ma’am. I'm just supposed to take you to the office. That's all I know."
Cecile hesitated. "How do I know I can trust you? I don't know you."
"I figured that. Do you know Jerry Jones?"
Well, yeah. "He's the owner of the Cowboys."
The guard held out a phone with a video feed. When Jerry Jones started talking to her, she almost fainted. "Miss Fairchild. Everything is fine. Just go with the guard. You are perfectly safe."
Cecile still didn't know what the hell was going on, but she went. This had better be good. Her little boy needed her and she was still leaking milk like a sieve. The excitement of the game and seeing Bobby still had her blood singing through her veins. But this? This was just weird. There was no way that Bobby could know she was here. Could he?
It was worse than a salmon trying to swim upstream. Bobby needed to go in the exact opposite direction from where the crowd was going. And everybody wanted to talk to him. Everybody wanted to touch him. Four guards were trying to get him through the crowd and they weren't having a lot of luck. "Excuse us. Excuse us. Please, excuse us." Over and over again the guards held the crowd back, so Bobby could get to Ceelee. Finally, they broke through to where he could run to the office she was being detained. Opening the door, he motioned for the guard who was with her to leave. She had her back to him; she hadn't seen him yet. God, she was beautiful! Her hair was longer and her little body was as rounded and precious as ever. His hands itched to grab hold of her and feel the warmth of her skin. He fought for control.
"Ceelee?"
Warmth flooded through Cecile like the noonday sun breaking through the clouds. Slowly, she turned. Bobby.
She didn't move.
But he did. He still had on his pads. He was sweaty and tired and he looked good enough to eat. In two strides he was across the room. Without another word, he cupped her face in both hands and covered her mouth with his own. This was no ordinary kiss. Somehow, Bobby managed to pour more longing and tenderness into the melding of their mouths than she could have ever dreamed. He worshiped her.
Initially, she tried to resist – but her traitorous body and heart would not allow it. Her hands wavered desperately in the air for a moment, before finally settling on his broad shoulders, made even bigger by the football pads and gear. But even through all of the clothing and padding, she could feel him trembling. Her big, bad cowboy was shaking. With one hard tug, he hauled her closer to him, and his kiss changed from tentative and hesitant to demanding and dominant. Bobby was reclaiming his territory.
Bobby was scared to death. She was back in his arms; but for how long? He let his lips drag from hers as he gasped for air. Unwilling to part from her skin, he trailed his kiss down her neck until he could fit his face as tight against her neck as he could. "You're here! Thank God, you're here! When I looked up and saw your face on the big screen – I thought I was dreaming."
So that’s
how he knew. Cecile hadn't even noticed that she had been up there at all. Her eyes had never left him. And now she was holding on to him as tight as she had been longing to. "I couldn't stay away. I'm sorry how I treated you the last time we were together." From reading his letters, she knew that there had been some sort of misunderstanding. She still didn't know what it was – but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and a chance to explain. That is – if he wanted it.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm just grateful to have the chance to hold you again.” His words were said next to her skin. It was as if he was determined to hold on to her forever; Cecile had never felt so wanted.
But there was so much to say – so much to confess. And there was Jaidon. Her number on priority had to be Jaidon.
"I've got to go down for the post-game meeting. Will you wait for me?" He pulled back and locked his gaze with hers. "Please; say you'll wait."
"I have to be somewhere . . . " She began, but his face was so sincere, so dear – so full of supplication that she could deny him nothing. "I'll have to make a phone call."
"Good." He took her by the hand and began to pull her along. "The crowd's cleared out by now. Before, it was a madhouse. I didn't think I was going to ever get to you."
"You played a wonderful game." How inane.
For the first time, he smiled. God, what a beautiful face the man had. "Thanks. It means more coming from your lips than anyone else in the world." His legs were long and they hadn't gone far, before he realized that she was having a hard time keeping up. "Damn, baby. I'm sorry. Come here." Then to her consternation, he swept her up in his arms and began to carry her.
"Bobby! I can walk. I'll run a little if I have to. You don't have to carry me. What will people think?" Grinning; he showed her what he thought about anyone else's opinion.
