Page 57 of Christmas with the Cowgirl
“Now that’s a friend,” Miles had said when she’d shown the text to him.
“A friend who understands,” she’d said softly.Which had brought on another bout of the sweetest, hottest sex she’d ever imagined possible.
But it was getting late on Sunday evening, and reality was knocking on the door.And so was the awkwardness.What now?Did they just go back and act like nothing had changed?
And Dad.She was going to have to tell him…something.And no matter how often she told herself she was twenty-four years past the time when she had to account to him for everything she did, he was still her beloved father, and also her partner on the ranch.She’d have to say…something.And it was going to be a shock, after all this time, for her to tell him she’d…
She’d what?Given in to a weekend of fiery-hot, incredible sex?Or had she done something silly, like fall like a wounded oak for a man who would be headed back home, back to a place she’d hoped to never set foot in, probably right after the wedding?
She’d never been one to just put off thinking about things, but she tried now.She’d just have to deal with it when it happened.Whatever happened.
“What’s wrong?”Miles asked.
“Just feeling a little ridiculous.”
He frowned.“Why?”
“Because I’ve been a legal adult for two decades and I’m worrying about explaining my absence to my father.”
He smiled.“Only reason I’m not is mine is halfway across the country.”The smile faded.“But maybe I should be worried about explaining to yours?”
She stared at him for a long moment.And suddenly the absurdity of it all hit her, and she burst into laughter.For the second time this weekend, she laughed as she hadn’t for years.She was afraid for a moment that he would take it wrong, but now he was laughing too.
“I guess,” he said when they had to stop for breath, “there are some things you really never outgrow.”
And as it turned out, all the worry was unnecessary, to her shock.Because when they arrived back at the ranch, her father was happily ensconced in the living room watching a football game.The ranch looked as it always did, with no undone chores leaping out and nagging at her.
“That Jackson works pretty hard, for an actor,” her father said.“And you obviously taught Nic well when you were babysitting her, back in the day.”
“I…yes, he does…and she learned from her dad, like I did, not…” She floundered, not sure what else to say.She was about to dodge into the kitchen when her dad spoke again.
“Everything’s fine,” he went on as the game hit a pause.“They saw to everything.The most strenuous thing I’ve done all weekend was go out to check on the foal.Who is fine.Up and walking all over the place.”
“Oh.Good.”She sounded like an idiot, but she couldn’t seem to help it.She flicked a glance at Miles, whose expression was carefully neutral.
Her father unexpectedly let out a low chuckle.“Relax, Riley.I’ve known this was coming since you told me about the day you took him up to the overlook.So I’ll only say, it’s about time.”He shifted his gaze to Miles.“And I only have one thing to say to you as well.You take care with my girl.”
“Yes, sir,” Miles said respectfully.
He went back to his football game as if they’d done nothing more than discuss the weather.
It wasn’t until they headed back outside—she wanted to go see the foal herself—that Miles whispered to her, “Why do I feel like a teenager who just got away with something?”
Riley couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing.
“Another reason I approve,” her father called out from behind them.“That’s a sound I don’t hear often enough.”
Riley blushed then—she could feel it.But Miles called back into the house, “Then I’ll make it my mission to fix that, Mr.Garrett.”
“You manage that, you’ll have to start calling me Jim.”
“How about I start with James and work myself the rest of the way up?”
This time it was her father who laughed, and it warmed Riley’s heart to hear it because the sound had been rare from him as well since his injury.
“Speaking of work, I suppose we’d better get back to it?”Miles said briskly as he closed the door behind them.
They did, although to Riley it didn’t seem like work.At least not the way she was used to it, focused utterly on the goal of completing her mental list for the day.No, images kept playing through her mind, memories of the weekend, images of the man beside her, of his beautiful body sliding into hers, and her own body showing her she had never known it as well as she thought she had.She’d never imagined such feelings, such impossible soaring sensations were possible.She’d always been what she called based in reality, her imagination limited to solving problems, utterly grounded.
