Page 44 of Wasted

They say love conquers all, but I knew we still had a lot of obstacles standing in front of us to hurdle. As kids, we'd always wanted the same things, but our paths had taken different roads, and I wasn't sure those roads would meet at the end anymore, but I wasn't giving up this time without a fight.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Taylor

Sucking in a deep breath of fresh air, I closed my eyes as a gust of cool wind wrapped around me. It was early morning, just after sunrise, and I was doing the same thing I'd done every morning since I was a girl—taking one of my horses out for a morning walk or sometimes a run.

My morning rides were what kept me sane all these years. It was the one thing I never had to give up until now. Soon, I would have to give up my horses and my home, so I was going to soak up as many early mornings and sunrises as I could before it was gone.

I leaned forward, ready to nudge my horse, narrowing my gaze when I noticed fresh truck tracks in the grass. I wasn't expecting anyone on the property, so either someone was trespassing, or Cole was here. I followed the tracks through the open fields, down the trail through the short wooded area, and then back into more open fields all the way to the back of my property line. I smiled at the big blue Ford sitting along the fence line.

Cole's words from last night echoed through my mind. He made it clear that he wanted to give us a real try. To see if we could let go of the bad parts of our past and move forward. But I'd spent so long convincing myself that I could never have him again that I was having trouble accepting that he'd ever be able to forgive me, even knowing the truth now.

Slowly leading my horse forward, I watched as the muscles in his bare back and arms flexed when he jerked the old rotted fence post out of the dirt and tossed it to the ground, but it was the way his jeans fit that nearly made me drool. The dark denim hugged the curves of his thick thighs and perfect ass.

Tugging the reins back, Raven eased to a stop, and I kicked my leg over her side and dropped to the ground.

"Somebody is feeling productive today." I chuckled as I strolled up behind him. Knelt forward, digging in the dirt and balancing a post in the hole, he twisted his head and strained his neck. A grin spread across his face when he saw me. "You know your property line is about eight miles that way." I pointed to the right.

His attention shifted back to the post and burying it in the ground. "My property doesn't have rotting fence posts." That was true because the Montgomery Ranch had always been profitable, and they could afford to pay ranch hands to help around the property. The Coleman Ranch hadn't been profitable in years, so I had to do it all myself.

"I would have gotten to that," I lied. If I wasn't selling the property, I might have, but now it would be someone else's problem.

"Now you don't have to," he said. "What are you doing out here so early?"

"I was out for my morning run with Raven and I noticed the truck tracks."

He stood to his full height and walked to the tailgate of his truck. "I figured you might notice that."

I followed him to his truck, stopping beside him. "So what can I help with?"

His face split into a smirk as his head turned, and his brows raised when his eyes met mine. "You want to help?"

"Of course I do."

"Well," he turned so his body was facing mine, "if you really want to help," his fingers curled into my black t-shirt, "you can," he pressed his body firmly against mine as his hands slid down cupping my ass just before he jerked me up wrapping my legs around him, "keep me company." He twisted, dropping me on the tailgate of his truck. "Let me take care of this. Let me take care of you."

I smiled. I wasn't sure I knew how to do that. I'd always been the one to take care of everyone else. "I think I'd be more useful helping dig holes or staple fencing." I shifted my weight to wiggle off the tailgate, but he forced his weight between my legs, stopping me from moving.

"Probably," he smirked, his hands cupping my face as his fingers slid around the back of my neck, "but today, you get to supervise." His mouth crashed against mine, and my lips parted, inviting him in as my hands curled around his waist. Our tongues tangled together as I melted into him, but then his mouth and hands were gone, and I grunted in disapproval. He smiled. "If we keep doing that, I'm never going to get the fence done."

I shrugged. "I'm kind of okay with that."

He laughed as he backed away. "How about," he pointed at me, "you help me, and then we camp out by the creek tonight?" My chest squeezed as the memories of all the nights we'd camped by the creek as kids rushed back. Campfires, s’mores, Cole singing whatever new song he was working on, sleepingbags, and, as teens, skinny dipping in the cool water on a hot summer night under the bright moonlight. "We could do a little fishing in the dark and maybe a swim." I hadn't been fishing since before Cole left for Nashville. I wasn't any good at it, but I loved fishing. "We can make s’mores and fall asleep by the campfire," he continued like he thought he still had to convince me.

"Should I invite Bailey?" She was a part of those memories until she met her first boyfriend, and they had their own sleepovers.

He flicked me a look. "Absolutely not." I laughed. "I love my sister, but it's you I want to spend time with, and she's an attention hog. I don't want to share you with her tonight. Plus, she already volunteered to handle the bar tonight."

"Of course she did." I rolled my eyes. "Someone forgot to tell her I'm the boss," I teased.

"So, is that a yes?"

The corners of my lips curled upward. "Yes." Even though I felt bad leaving Bailey to constantly open and close the bar, I also knew I only had a short time to figure this thing between Cole and me out, and it might be the last time I got to camp out of my property before it sold.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Taylor

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