Page 21 of Claimed By A Cowboy
Still, she left my arms ready to run from me—from us.
Waking up with a sore body, my skin marked from her, I am a man on a mission. I don’t bother with a shower because I don’t want to wash her off of me. Pulling on some jeans and some boots, I am rushing out the door in just a tank top when I see I am too late.
Wynn slams the door on a taxi just as I take off running towards the bunkhouses. I skid to a halt when the tires of the taxi spit gravel and dirt at me. Good thing I didn’t take a shower, I am a mess. I shout her name and think of running after her, but I know I won’t keep up.
“Fuck, what do I do now?”
“Morning, brother,” Tye calls as he saunters past me, munching on a bright green apple.
Inspiration hits me and I shove him with a hoot. Turning towards the stables, I hit the dirt in a sprint. Sliding into the stables, I head straight for just one stall. Only one horse can help me today and I think she knows it.
Before I even get to Hyde’s stall, she is stomping. Her head sways up and down, as if she is agreeing to my little favor. I am without an apple or carrots, but she doesn’t seem to care.
“Morning sweetheart. Need you to do me a solid. Me and my girl will spoil you with apples, I just need to get her back here.
Saddling her quickly, I lead her from the stables, my heart pumping in my chest. Just as I hoist myself up, the skies open up with a warm downpour of rain. Hyde kicks up on her hind legs and I think she is going to dump me.
Instead, she lets out the happiest whine I have ever heard her give. I aim her towards the road and the girl takes off. It seems I found her secret. Not just green apples make her happy—this filly likes running in the rain.
“That’s good, sweetheart, now get me to our girl.”
Patting her as she puts her head down and takes off, I laugh. I feel freer than I ever have before. More than when I was on my Harley. More than when I was riding broncs and bulls on the circuit. And it’s not just because of this fast filly taking off like lightning.
It is because I am not giving up when things got hard. Maybe I get Wynn to come back. Maybe I don’t. Hell, maybe she comes back and we spend a few more days together and find we cannot tolerate one another. I don’t think so, but anything is possible.
Anything is possible because I am making a go at something. I want Wynn in my life, and not trying for it, not fighting for it would have been another thing I gave up on. I just cannot give up on the two of us. Not when this woman makes me feel the way she does.
“I think I am going to marry her, Hyde. Wouldn’t that be something? Me and her on our own ranch, with a bunch of your friends. A few little cowboys of our own? God, can you even imagine?”
Just thinking of spending not just one night, but a lifetime of nights with Wynn fills my chest with an ache. I want her at my side. And I want to be at her side. I want to prove to her she can stop running. That she does not need a place to call home.
A place is just a place—but we are one another’s home.
“My girl made a damn fine cowgirl. You sure liked her, didn’t you, sweetheart?”
Hyde neighs and I lean into her, petting her flowing main as we both get soaked in the rain. I see the road up ahead and my heart flip flips. I don’t see taillights and fear despite her speed, Hyde is not fast enough.
It is a warm day out with plenty of sunshine, but the rain has brought darker clouds with it. It pours in heavy sheets and for a few moments, all I see is gray. I pull back on the reins, slowing Hyde down as we reach the main paved road.
My heart goes still when I see it. It’s the same car I saw leaving earlier. Not a taxi, I realize. Just one of those rideshare folks. The purple light in the back window gives that away. It is parked on the side of the road, the little black car almost swallowed up in the dark sheets of rain.
“Whoa girl, slow down. That’s our girl there. God, I hope nothing is wrong.”
I no sooner voice my worries when the back door swings open. That huge, overstuffed bag is thrown out, spilling all her things on the gravel side of the road. I give Hyde a kick to hurry her up, worried something really is wrong in that car.
“I will pay double, for fuck’s sake. I don’t control the weather, good sir! It is my fault you stopped, it is not my fault it is raining out. You wanker!”
Sitting atop Hyde just a few feet away, I start to laugh. That’s my girl. Giving the driver her best sass. Watching through the heavy rains, I see her step out, slapping her new Stetson on top of her head. There is no signs that she cares about being soaked by the rain, or ruining her new hat.
Slowly Hyde approaches her dark figure on the side of the road. This irritable horse knows this is our girl. Coming to a stop, she jerks her head at Wynn as the car pulls off, leaving her stranded on the side of the road.
“Need a lift somewhere, honey?”
Wynn whirls to face me, her hat nearly flying off her head. Tipping her head back, I watch her smile slowly. That smile. God, that smile that lights up her pretty eyes and makes my heart thump, thump, that is my smile. I am calling it now. When we have a little girl, she is going to use that same smile to wrap me around her finger.
I sure as hell am wrapped around Wynn’s finger.
“Hey, cowboy. Nowhere on that brochure for Iron H Ranch did it declare frequent monsoons. No, sir, it in fact said to expect beautiful sunshine and cool nights under the stars.”
