Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
Winston
He knew Robyn was getting tired, though she didn’t complain. She didn’t really have to. The moment she’d laid her head against his shoulder, he’d known she was pretty much done for. Still, taking the time to stop now would mean he wouldn’t have to come back in the morning.
Entering the Ranch store had him a bit gob-smacked. It appeared Derek Hawkins not only knew how to outfit a resort, he knew how to supply a store. Socks with the Ranch’s logo hung on racks as did thick, wooden paddles emblazoned with the double Rs seen on the iron gates out front. A glass cabinet offered everything from bejeweled butt plugs to complicated-looking contraptions he’d only seen in BDSM clubs. The dichotomy of frilly dresses for Littles and crotchless-spandex panties was entertaining as hell. He’d have to come back, but for now, he only needed to see if the store stocked more than toys, whether they be for adults or Littles.
“Hi, I’m Becky. Can I help you find something?” a young woman asked.
Winston appreciated the quiet tone she used, evidently obviously realizing that Robyn was asleep.
“I hope so. Nurse MacIntosh mentioned you carry ankle braces? Robyn twisted her ankle and while it’s wrapped, I’d like to go ahead and get a brace in case we need it. Oh, and do you have an ice pack that won’t drip all over the place when the ice melts?”
“We do,” Becky said. “Let me go get them for you.”
“Thank you.” When she disappeared down one aisle, Winston took the moment to look around a bit more. Spying what had to be the largest collection of stuffed animals he’d ever seen, he walked closer. When Robyn stirred as he reached out to spin the rack, he whispered, “Shhh, you’re okay.”
When she settled with a deep sigh, he knew that if he didn’t win her heart, she wasn’t going to have to die to haunt him. Not becoming her Daddy would haunt him every day that he walked this earth.
Then don’t lose her.
“That’s the plan,” he muttered, slowly spinning the rack. When the rack stopped, he felt as if the fates were on his side. I mean, of all the possibilities in the world, this was the only one that fit.
“Are these what you’re looking for?” Becky asked, holding up a couple of boxes.
“They are, and I’ll also take that, please.” He tried to point with the pinkie finger of the hand pressed against Robyn’s back where he’d been slowly running it up and down her spine.
It took a few shakes of his head, but Becky soon had the correct stuffie in her hands. When he started to reach for his wallet, she shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Just give me your name.”
Winston did and accepted the bag she tucked his purchases in.
“Come back sometime,” Becky said.
“You can bet on it,” Winston said with a grin.
Robyn had to be really out because she didn’t even stir when he adjusted her to open the truck door. Instead of setting her in the passenger seat, he slid her to the center from the driver’s side before climbing behind the wheel and then buckling her belt. Her head instantly went to his shoulder. He felt as if he could drive around for the rest of his life and be happy just having her at his side.
Getting her out of the truck was a little more difficult, but he managed. At the front door, he didn’t have to jostle her again as the door opened and an elderly lady stared up at him.
“Oh goodness, what happened?”
“She twisted her ankle and evidently the excitement of the day was a bit much.”
“Or else she was too excited about the day to sleep much last night. Oh, my name is Ethel by the way. I’m a guest here.”
“I’m Rooster, and also a guest here.”
“Now that we’re properly introduced, tell me how I can help.”
“Have any clue where her room might be?”
Ethel smiled. “I do. She was sweet enough to offer tours this morning. Just follow me.”
That was exactly what Rooster did, following Ethel as she led the way up the stairs. It turned out Robyn’s quarters were on the third level which he guessed had originally been an attic. Derek had explained the difference between those staying at the Ranch and those staying at the B&B so he made sure not to do anything that might cause Ethel to have a stroke. As much as he’d love to pull Robyn’s dress off, he knew he didn’t have the right, even if he replaced it with a nightgown. Instead, when Ethel pulled back the quilt and sheets, he simply tucked Robyn beneath them, glad her shoes had already been removed. He took one of the throw pillows and propped her injured ankle on it before nodding to let Ethel know she could pull the covers up.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Ethel said, which surprised him a bit. When he looked over, she smiled and patted his shoulder. “I may be old, young man, but I can tell you care for her and won’t do anything she or you will regret. I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Yes, ma’am, and thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome. Have a good evening.”
Once Ethel left the room, the only items of clothing Winston removed were Robyn’s apron and the cute vintage detachable collar. He knew she wouldn’t want it crushed in her sleep. The only thing he added was the stuffie he pulled from the bag. Slipping it in beside her, he smiled and bent to kiss her forehead. “Sleep well, little bird.”
Her little purr was precious, but what squeezed his heart was when her arm draped around the stuffie and she pulled it to her chest as she turned onto her side.
In the kitchen, Winston found the macaroni and cheese, spooning a portion into a bowl and putting it in the microwave. While it heated, he picked through the finger sandwiches which were delicious but it took a dozen to make him feel as if he’d even had a single sandwich. He ate the pasta and had to admit, Connor knew what he was doing. After making sure he’d washed the dishes he’d used and put away the remaining food, he snagged what looked like an orange and cranberry scone and reheated a cup of coffee he’d found in the bottom of a thermos on the counter. He was about to take his dessert outside when he wondered if he’d be able to hear Robyn if she called out. The third floor was a bit far unless she screamed which he knew she’d never do.
“She’s gotta have something around here,” he said, leaving his dish on the counter and scanning the kitchen. Finding nothing, he moved into the living room, then the dining room where several small table and chair sets had been placed and then thought of the small reception desk.
“Bingo!” He grinned at finding an old-fashioned bell, the kind someone could twist the knob and then release it to let the ring sound. Grabbing a piece of paper with the B&B’s logo at the top, he wrote a note. Carrying it and the bell, he took the stairs two at a time and once in Robyn’s room, put both on the nightstand beside the bed. It was also where he’d set her phone when he’d found it in the pocket of her dress.
He spent a few minutes just watching her breathe and then figured she might think that creepy if she happened to wake up and catch him. He did, however, kiss her cheek before leaving.
Outside, with the swing rocking, he drank his coffee and ate his scone as he looked out over the land. The openness of this country, the beauty found in nature’s hills and mountains, in the trees towering above him, far outshone the skyscrapers he’d left. Here he could see not one star, but millions. The lights of the city didn’t compete with the moon. Instead, here, the moon bathed the land in a soft light that calmed one’s blood. The aroma wasn’t of humanity but of nature. When he saw the silhouette of a bird against the sky, he smiled and lifted his coffee cup. If that wasn’t a sign that he needed Robyn to welcome him into her flock, he didn’t know what was.
He spent another hour just swinging before fatigue began to draw him under. Returning to the quiet house, he locked the doors and then realized he had no clue what room he’d been assigned. Chuckling, he looked in the drawer and found the registration book. He found his name beside a room marked, not with a number, but with a picture of a bird. Beneath it was the word Nighthawk.
“You can fight it all you want, little bird, but the love of all feathered beings with the power to fly is obviously in your blood.”
Running his finger down the list, he saw Ethel was in the Calliope Hummingbird room, and two couples he hadn’t met had the Great Horned Owl and the Northern Cardinal rooms. Without any numbers, he wondered how he was supposed to find his room but when he started to close the book, he noticed there was a diagram on.one of the front pages. Studying the layout of the house, he discovered Ethel had a first-floor room. That was nice and it only went to prove how much she already liked her hostess when she’d climbed not one but two flights of stairs to make sure Robyn got to bed safely. The other guest room on the ground floor, which had a picture of Meadowlark on it, was empty. Robyn’s other guests’ rooms were on the second floor but he didn’t see his room. Starting at the top of the diagram, he took it slower and when his finger settled on a picture with the word Nighthawk beneath it, he grinned.
“Couldn’t have asked for anything better,” he said when the diagram showed the room to be on the third floor. It was at the opposite end of the attic from Robyn’s, and was most likely smaller than the others, but he didn’t care. He’d be right down the hall if she needed him. “I owe you a bottle of your favorite whiskey, Mr. Hawkins.” He closed the book and tucked it back into the drawer.
Retrieving his duffel from where he’d dropped it earlier, he climbed the stairs yet again. It was all he could do not to whistle, but he didn’t want to wake anyone in the house. Instead, he actually paused on the second floor landing and removed his boots, tucking them under his arm before going further. He resisted the urge to check in on Robyn again and instead found his room. It was indeed small, but large enough for a double bed, a washstand that served as his night table and a small dresser. A row of hooks would have to serve as his closet. Winston didn’t give a damn. He’d have slept on a pallet on the floor using his boots as a pillow if it meant sleeping anywhere near his little bird.