11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
L exi stood looking out the back door as the sun peeked over the horizon. She adored her life on the road going to signings but also loved what used to be the peacefulness of the ranch. This morning, she didn’t feel peace. She was on edge.
Supper had been fun with everyone, but immediately after, Cowboy had called Booker out to the barn to check something. When they’d returned, Cowboy had shown them a camera that had been hidden high up in the rafters. Booker had instantly added another guard to patrol during the night. She couldn’t decide if it was overkill or if they really needed it.
The thought of having to shoot her brother was hurting her heart, but the possibility of him killing her mom had her willing to do whatever was needed. She would have never dreamed she might be faced with these choices.
Warm arms slipped around her, and Drew’s fresh-from-the-shower scent had her wishing for some time alone with him. He’d come to bed after his shift during the night, but he’d fallen right asleep. She’d left him sleeping because she wasn’t going to steal the small amount of shut-eye he had for her own selfish needs.
“I’m ready to settle this. I want to go to sleep with you after pleasing you for hours and wake up with you by kissing you awake,” he muttered.
She turned in his arms, placing her cup on the cabinet, then sliding her arms around him.
“Me too, but I’ll feel better about taking the time for us once I know we’re all safe.”
She toed up and kissed his lips. His closely cropped beard was an added sensation to the kiss. When everything was settled, she wanted to feel his beard against every inch of her skin, and she dreamed of exploring his, without any time limits.
Drew pulled away and stared into her eyes. She adored how he gave her his whole concentration when they were together.
“We need to talk to your mom about the space upstairs. Cowboy mentioned he wanted to go out to the closest cabin and install surveillance. How is the best way to reach it?” Drew asked.
“Horses, the side-by-sides, or the pickups. It depends on how quiet you want to be,” Lexi said, kissing the edge of Drew’s mouth and then moving over to fix him a cup of coffee.
She missed riding while she was away, but she wasn’t sure if she’d be allowed to ride yet. She’d do whatever the guys thought was the safest for everyone.
Maureen walked in with Compass trailing behind. Both were dressed, and Lexi wondered if it was a coincidence that they walked in at the same time or if they had spent the night together. It really wasn’t any of her business. Whatever her mom did was her business, but Lexi was ready for her mom to be happy again. If Compass could accomplish that, Lexi was all on board. Now that she’d found Drew again, Lexi couldn’t imagine her life without him. How they were going to make that work was something they’d need to discuss once the danger had passed.
“Maureen, after breakfast, I wonder if you could answer some questions about space upstairs. I noticed there seems to be some space unaccounted for,” Booker said.
Her mom nodded, then reached to grab a large skillet.
“Sure, if you’re talking about the space beside my sewing room, it was Clive’s room. It’s where all his mementoes and guns are.”
Lexi tried not to laugh at the look on Booker’s face. He was stunned that her mom just casually dropped that about a gun room.
“Umm, do you know how to get in there, honey?” Compass asked.
Oh wow! If he was calling her mom honey, things must have really progressed last night. Lexi wondered why her mom never mentioned her dad’s room, especially if there were guns in there. Did Cliff know the combination or how to get in there?
“Yes, I’ll show you after breakfast,” Maureen said while cracking eggs into her skillet.
Lexi was puzzled by how relaxed her mom was about the house. It was the exact opposite of how she’d expect her to be. Maybe having the guys here made a difference for her. Lexi felt a little better with them here, but she was still worried about what her brother might do.
She walked over and pulled the biscuits out of the freezer to heat up. Her mom made them in big batches. They had enough for a couple days but they’d either need to make more or buy bread in town. She’d seen the guys eat and they all had healthy appetites.
“After we check out the room, I’d love to ride out to the cabin if you think it would be safe for me to go along with you. I’ve missed riding.”
Booker nodded and grinned. “We can do that. I think we’ll be fine. So far, we haven’t seen any indication your brother is here. We’ll stay on guard, but staying cooped up in the house isn’t going to be good for us.”
Lexi finished heating the biscuits and added them to the table where her mom had placed eggs, bacon, sausage patties, fried potatoes, and some fruit. As they all gathered at the table, Lexi hoped they could make the ranch a safe place. She’d love to be able to come visit between signings. She adored traveling in her RV, but she also loved sitting on the covered back porch relaxing and reading a book.
Booker followed Lexi’s directions on how to saddle the horse he was going to be riding. Cowboy had ridden multiple times and grown up on a ranch. Booker was the only newbie to horseback riding.
He shook his head, thinking about Lexi’s dad’s room. Although it was a workshop and gun safe, Booker could see that if Lexi’s dad would have lived, it might have become a safe room. One wall had been partially reinforced with insulation and fireproof material.
They definitely had enough firepower now. Lexi had mentioned that her dad had collected guns, but Booker thought it was more than that. Her dad had been prepared for anything. Multiple guns and all the ammo they could need filled the shelves. Heck, if he wanted, they could all have ten guns each, and it wouldn’t make a dent in the stock of that room.
Once he had the horse saddled, Lexi showed him how to get on, and he mimicked her. He had to get used to the motion, but he so had this.
Lexi and Cowboy motioned for him to follow them out of the barn, and he tensed when the horse went faster. As they went across the pasture, he got a little more comfortable with the motion. Cowboy led the way with a map he’d drawn. He had told Lexi he’d lead to make sure his map was correct.
Booker believed it was Cowboy’s way of giving Booker alone time with Lexi.
Lexi waited for him to catch up and then they rode side by side.
“Since we both love books, tell me an author that you read everything from as soon as they release,” Booker said.
“Oh, that’s hard. I have so many. I’m crazy about Michelle Dups’ Crow MC and don’t even read the blurbs before I purchase. She has such amazing women characters.”
Booker smiled. It seemed they had some of the same tastes. “I read her too. She freaking made me cry with Noni’s book, and I had to leave where the guys were. I didn’t want them to ask me why I was crying. But the emotions that came through were phenomenal.”
“Your turn,” Lexi said.
“Have you read Cleo Browne? She released her first MC book a year ago February. I love Tuesday and Rhodie! I mean, it’s so laugh-out-loud funny I snorted pop up my nose the first time I read it. Whenever I’m down, I know I can re-read her books and laugh.”
Lexi giggled as she motioned to take the horses near a stand of trees.
“I love finding new-to-me authors because I never run out of books, and I can always find one to fit my mood,” Lexi said.
“I agree. Since I became friends with Nat and became one of her cover models, I’ve found a lot of new-to-me authors because her friends share books all the time,” Booker said.
He could just see Cowboy on his horse galloping ahead of them and a cabin in the distance. They were close to not having any privacy again.
“Lexi, you don’t have to answer now. But if we weren’t worried about danger from your brother, what would be your ideal life?” Booker asked.
Lexi guided the horse and slowed them a little. Booker gazed across the rolling prairie, mesmerized by the beauty. As they neared the stream, he saw bushes growing and a tree.
“I love going to signings and helping authors. I enjoy the RV, but ideally, I’d like a home base where I stayed the majority of the time. Then we would only use the RV if we couldn’t get back to our home base. I’d love for our home base to be the ranch because eventually it will be ours, but if you want to settle in Bluff Creek, I’ll do it. I know that I don’t want to travel full time once we have kids. At least, I hope you want kids.”
Her voice quieting at the end broke his heart. He reached for her reins and brought her horse and his to a stop. He wanted to make sure she knew how serious he was.
“Lexi, I love you, and I can’t think of anything that would be more wonderful than having a little one or two with you. Heck, as many as you want. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live. Where you are is where I’ll be. Home isn’t a place. Home is with you.”
The smile spreading across her face hit him right in the heart. He had no idea how he’d lived all these years without her, but he was going to spend the next forty to fifty years making up for lost time.