The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love: The Colemans of Heart Falls: Book 3

by Vivian Arend

  It wasn’t until Lisa got up to chat with Tansy Fields at the counter that Karen laid a hand on Julia’s arm. “How did it go having Dad around last night?”

  Julia’s cheeks probably flamed bright red, thinking about her and Zach being overheard while they fooled around. “Kind of forgot he was there,” she confessed.

  Her oldest sister’s brows rose. “That’s…good?”

  No. Not really, but Julia wasn’t ready to explain the change in her and Zach’s physical relationship.

  There was a different topic she wanted to touch on. “He’s kind of oblivious at times, isn’t he?”

  “Dad?” Karen snorted, a very unladylike sound. “Um, yeah.”

  Julia took a big breath. “I’m sorry my presence means he’s visiting more often. It seems as if it’s tough for you to have him around.”

  Karen stared at her for a long time before letting out a sigh. “I don’t want to mess up your relationship with him by dragging in my baggage. You need to figure out on your own what you want in all your interactions with the Coleman clan. I like spending time with you, and I want you to enjoy yourself. That’s kind of where my thoughts begin and end.”

  “But you deliberately went out of your way yesterday to help make things go smoother. I saw that,” Julia said softly. “And I know it wasn’t easy. So, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Karen winked. “One thing you need to understand is we girls in the Whiskey Creek clan learned the hard way we needed to support each other. It doesn’t matter that I’ve only known about you for a short while, you are my sister. I will always be there for you.”

  Dammit. Tears were just around the corner. Julia had tangled thoughts regarding her mom and all the secrets that hadn’t been shared over the years. Now there were also mixed-up emotions regarding George Coleman and his attempts at getting involved in her life.

  Still, in spite of how confused her emotions were regarding her parents, one thing was crystal clear.

  Julia caught Karen by the hand. “What you’ve got as sisters is strong and real. I feel as if I’m cheating, being allowed to step into the middle of it, but no way will I turn it down. I feel very lucky to be your sister.”

  Karen blinked hard, her eyes as watery as Julia’s. When she scooted her chair over and wrapped Julia in a big hug, the sensation was amazing.

  The squeeze lasted for a good minute. When they finally separated just far enough to give each other a faint smile, Karen spoke. “There are things about Dad I don’t enjoy. I’m learning to be okay with that. I’m learning it’s okay to be angry about the past, but also that I’m allowed to control my future. I want good things going forward. That’s what Finn keeps reminding me.”

  Lisa returned to the chair on the other side of the table, glancing between the two of them with a knowing expression.

  “You guys need more chocolate,” she said decisively, placing a plate in front of them with three massive chocolate-covered, cream-filled doughnuts.

  Karen raised a brow. “Thanks. Did you bring a knife to divide the third one?”

  Instantly, Lisa claimed the extra doughnut. “Are you kidding? I need chocolate as well. Serious conversations linger on the air and can only be dissipated by the consumption of massive amounts of calories.”

  Julia couldn’t agree more. Their laughter was still ringing as she sank her teeth into the gooey treat. Chocolate and sweet whipped custard exploded onto her tongue right as a hand landed on her shoulder.

  Zach slipped into the chair beside her. “Looks delicious.”

  Her mouth was far too full to answer. He stared at her lips, which just made chewing and swallowing that much more difficult.

  “You picking up stuff for the ranch?” Lisa asked when she finally had an empty mouth.

  “Doubtful, considering Finn and Cody went to Calgary this morning,” Karen said, licking chocolate off her fingers as she eyed him.

  “Just looking out for my girls,” Zach offered slyly. “Need me to buy you another round?”

  “Maybe.” Lisa leaned forward, mercenary smile in place. “None of us are silly enough to turn down extra chocolate doughnuts.”

  He stretched his arm along the back of Julia’s chair. “Take your time. Maybe when you’re done, I can take you for a ride.”

  That last bit had been directed at her. Julia finally emptied her mouth and licked her lips clean. “I drove into town.”

  He shrugged. “We’ll come back and get your ride when we’re done. It’s a pretty day out there, and since Josiah’s entertaining your dad until dinnertime, we should enjoy your time off.”

  “You could always go do some yoga,” Lisa suggested.

  Zach’s grin flashed. “Maybe later. Hard to do a downward dog in Delilah.”

  By the time they’d finished the teasing and chatting, Lisa and Karen were both carrying boxes of doughnuts, with an extra one put aside to take to Tamara.

  Julia tucked herself into the passenger seat of Zach’s convertible, and a moment later, they were out on the highway, headed toward Highwood Pass.

  With the top down on the custom Corvette, the air temperature was perfect. The breeze through her hair made Julia feel alive. They didn’t talk or listen to the radio, just drove the highway as it rose and dipped, passing tall pine trees looming like towers, their dark-green needles contrasting against the blue sky.

  Here and there larch trees were turning colours, the needles brightening to yellow and orange. A few of the deciduous trees had begun to change as well, the occasional flash of red a bright contrast against a sea of green.

  Thirty minutes later Zach pulled into a lookout over the Rocky Mountains. Julia’s heart pounded with sheer joy at being alive, and her cheeks were sore from smiling.

  She twisted toward him. “It’s gorgeous out here.”

  His gaze darted over her face, lingering on her mouth. “Totally gorgeous.”

  She flushed.

  Her cheeks got even hotter when his thumb brushed the corner of her mouth. And when he leaned in whispering the word chocolate, she wasn’t sure if her heart was pounding from the adrenaline of the ride or the knowledge he was about to kiss her.

  His kisses were to die for. Shiver-inducing, tempting, and addictive.

  There was so much to enjoy in that moment, as she twisted toward him and tangled her fingers in his hair. Mindful of the previous night, she didn’t try to speed up, just enjoyed where they were right here and now.

  He was the one who took it up a notch, hunger rising. One hand stroking the side of her neck until he cupped her breast intimately. Simply holding her while his lips moved, as if he were attempting to memorize every inch of her mouth.

  When he separated them, she gasped for air, head spinning slightly.

  Zach opened his door, reaching back to extend a hand to her. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.”

  He led her down a wide path, the sound of birds rising over their heads along with a low rush of wind in the treetops. Neither of them spoke, just enjoyed the views and the rising sound of rushing water.

  Only five minutes later, they popped out of the trees. Over by the river, a small bench sat along the ridge, strategically placed behind a safety railing.

  Julia leaned forward until the waterfall below them came into view. “I didn’t know this was here.”

  Zach rested his elbows on the railing, gaze fixed ahead. “Most people in town head to Heart Falls instead of this one. This is just a little drop and tumble compared to how spectacular the falls are right by Silver Stone ranch.”

  “They are pretty amazing,” Julia agreed. She took a deep breath, the faint mist of the water washing her senses with the rich scent of moss and moisture. “But I like this type of waterfall as well. It’s wild and alive, dancing over the rocks.”

  Zach pointed upstream. “Definitely wild.”

  She followed the aim of his finger and watched with joy as a deer poked her head out of the trees. Sliding forward slowly, a pair of fawns followe
d cautiously.

  Julia glanced back at Zach. “You think they were born this year?”

  He dipped his chin, his gaze fixed on the trio as they made their way to the water to steal a drink. The happiness on his face was so clear, Julia was mesmerized.

  She’d rarely seen guys so open with their emotions. Well, okay, they tended to show anger readily, or frustration. But with Zach, he seemed to have no problem letting others see that things were okay. That he was having a good day, and wouldn’t you like to have a good day along with him?

  Kind of Mister Rogers in a western setting. She snickered in amusement, unable to stop herself.

  Zach bumped his shoulder into hers. “What?”

  He probably wouldn’t be pleased to know she was comparing him to the children’s performer, but then again—

  Maybe he would.

  All she knew for certain was spending time with Zach was a whole lot easier than she’d ever expected.

  They walked, and they drove, enjoying easy conversation, and the afternoon passed too quickly. He took her back to grab her car, and they headed over to Tamara and Caleb’s for dinner.

  The evening passed smoothly with all of her sisters working in unison, tag teaming on George Coleman when needed, but even that seemed natural. And it wasn’t necessary very often, because Grandpa George, or Geegee, was in a great mood. He had stories to share about his day with Josiah, and the little girls ate it up.

  With Zach at her side, and her sisters guiding the evening, the only thing really on Julia’s mind now was what would happen later when they got home.

  As much as she wanted to fool around again, being far too aware that her dad was on the other side of the wall was a great deterrent to rushing forward.

  When it was finally her and Zach in the bedroom, Julia found herself blushing madly. Folding her clothes as if putting them away as neatly as possible was vital before she joined him.

  He was tucked in on his side of the bed already, book in hand, glasses in place. Julia snuck glance after glance his way before he snorted, gaze still fixed on his book.

  “No matter how hard you look at me, I’m not going to disappear,” he warned.

  “Not sure if I want you to disappear, or my dad,” she confessed.

  Zach met her gaze, reaching over to pat the bed beside him. “Sweetheart, relax. Tonight is a cuddle night, nothing else.”

  She paused in the middle of pulling back the quilt. Frowned. “Oh, really?”

  “Uh-huh.” He flicked a finger at her journal resting on the side table. “Check your to-do list.”

  Confused, Julia settled, her back toward him. She flipped open her journal to where a brand-new bookmark had been inserted. It had a shiny surface, with a pastoral scene displaying a ranch and mountains and deer in the middle of a field. The shiny golden tassel pooled across her fingers.

  She turned it over to see what was becoming a familiar messy font. Zach’s handwriting.

  One day at a time. Look for the special moments.

  She was about to turn and thank him when she realized he’d put the bookmark in on the RULES page. He’d made adjustments and added some notes.

  The no sex rule had an asterisk beside it. Below, the note said *Unlimited hugs. Unlimited kisses.

  Her third point on the opposite page had two asterisks added, and the defining note below that said: **once a week until further notice.

  The hell? Julia twisted instantly. “What kind of rule is that?”

  Zach glanced over the top of his glasses. “What’s that?”

  Suddenly aware she’d spoken rather loudly, she lowered to a whisper. “Once a week? I thought we said last night we didn’t need to add fooling around to the schedule.”

  His expression remained bright, but a more serious undertone slipped into his eyes. “I was wrong.”

  16

  Somewhere between the conversation with his parents and watching the entire Whiskey Creek clan band together to make the evening go smoother, Zach had come to an astonishing conclusion.

  His decision to say yes to absolutely everything Julia wanted required an addendum.

  The only way they could build something lasting was if they put down a firm foundation, and while the fire between them was damn hot, he wanted so much more. A little bit of anticipation would only make things better as far as he was concerned.

  In the meantime, he needed to do his best to convince her they were together for far more reasons than to save his finances or because they were having fun in the bedroom.

  Although last night had been fantastic, and he couldn’t wait for round two, however and wherever that happened.

  But now Julia was staring at him, two spots of red on her cheeks, a crease folded between her brows. “Go on.”

  He shrugged. “I got to thinking. While there are some things that are fun to do every day—and yes, sex every day at some point in our relationship would be fun—right now I enjoy having something to look forward to. Also, we’re going to be around each other a lot, especially once you start working on the ranch. We’re still figuring out expectations and how to spend time together. Knowing pretty clearly that nothing will happen tonight means we can both relax and not start what if questions in our heads.”

  She twisted completely to face him, notebook abandoned. “Like, what if we get too noisy again tonight? Am I going to feel absolutely embarrassed, and then what if I want to tell you to stop, but then worry that you think I’m telling you to stop because I don’t like what you’re doing, and then what if that worry makes it so I can’t have a good time?”

  Wow. He blinked. “Okay, that was a far more on-the-nose description than I could’ve possibly come up with.”

  Julia smiled wryly. “Vivid imagination. I spend a lot of time wondering what if.”

  He waited as she put aside the notebook, carefully arranging it to be even with the edge of her side table. She dragged a finger over the ribbon then crawled under the covers and twisted until she was looking up at him. Big brown eyes, hair loose against the pillow shining in the light from the side tables.

  She wore another one of his T-shirts. Not the same one as the previous night, which meant she’d stolen into his drawers and taken what she wanted.

  He smiled at her. “You headed straight to sleep?”

  “I can’t read before bed in case I get caught up in the story. I’ve spent far too many potential sleeping times reading. Not a good thing with my line of work.”

  Zach put his own book away, and his reading glasses, before turning out his light. That left them bathed in the moonlight shining through the window.

  He twisted to face her, reaching for her fingers where they rested on top of the covers. “Are you mad?”

  “No.” There was enough light to see her frown. “A little confused, but honestly? Mostly relieved. I was pretty embarrassed this morning and any time I remembered George Coleman probably overheard us last night.”

  “I hear you.” He smiled. “Your situation is a bit different, but I will say my parents live to embarrass me and my sisters. I think they keep score, and at the end of each year, they compare notes to see who has managed to be the most obnoxious in each of our lives.”

  “Like what?”

  “Let me think.” Zach rolled slightly, hands under his head as he stared at the ceiling. His legs stretched all the way to the base of the bed, and as he adjusted position, he bumped knees with her.

  Julia shifted, but instead of moving away, she curled around him a little tighter. She’d done it almost instinctively, but suddenly stilled. “Is this okay?”

  No way was he letting her move from his side. Zach stretched one arm, lifting her slightly until her head rested on his chest and he could cradle her easier. “There. Now it’s perfect.”

  Cuddled together, intimate and warm and yet completely chaste.

  Definitely story time. “Oh, here’s a good one. Older sister number two had a steady boyfriend in high school. Family rule was no enter
taining the opposite sex in our bedrooms. Which simply meant when they wanted to neck, they had to do it in the TV room, which meant grossing out all of us other kids.”

  Julia snickered. “Even not having grown up around my older siblings, I imagine that was probably part of the fun.”

  “Definitely. But remember, this was the TV room, which meant if we wanted to watch something, that’s where we had to stay. After a while we learned to ignore them. Only mom wandered in one day and decided for some reason it was a great time for an additional sex ed class. She pulled out a condom and a banana, and the next thing we knew, Mattie’s boyfriend had vanished.”

  “Oh my God.” The light danced in Julia’s eyes. “That’s terrible.”

  Zach shrugged. He liked the way the weight of her against his body felt. He liked the way she was tucked up tight, and he had no desire to escape to a new position. “I suppose in the end, it wasn’t that bad. Ronan and Mattie have been married for over ten years now.”

  That got another laugh out of her. “I guess he knew what he was signing up for.”

  They lay quietly for a while. Julia trickled her fingers over his chest, almost as if she weren’t aware she was doing it at first. Then a little more boldly. “This all right?”

  He caught her fingers and brought them up to his lips. “You do whatever makes you happy. You take whatever you need to take.”

  “And what do you get out of this?” she asked, once again a note of disbelief in her tone.

  Hopefully forever.

  Zach hummed thoughtfully. “Unlimited kisses, unlimited hugs. That’s not a bad place to start. And we are going to fool around a whole hell of a lot. Don’t get me wrong, Julia. I didn’t permanently turn off the sex button—”

  He paused as she snickered.

  “Okay, bad wording. We’ll deal with the whole whatever sex feels good thing as it comes, but everything else happened quickly as well.”