Chapter 16
Caden
I breathe in a long deep inhale as my body slowly rouses to consciousness, my forearms wrapped tight around Winter’s waist as I hold her back against my chest.
I lower my face to her soft pink curls and savor the moment as my breathing regulates, heat spreading slowly down my abdomen because this is what I’ve been needing for the last few weeks.
I keep her enveloped in my arms as I reluctantly lift my head from the pillow, glancing toward the closed navy curtains in my bedroom and taking a guess at the time.
Warm winter sunlight streams softly under the ledge, and given the fact that I’m still half asleep, I guess that my body is back on ranch time.
It’s got to be no later than five in the morning, which means that my parents and brothers will all be awake, and with the sun starting to rise all of the ranch-hands will be ready to work.
Technically I’m not supposed to do ranch-related work during game season, because anything that could harm the team’s rank is frowned upon, but I’m pretty sure that a little tractor-driving and riding in the valley will be fine, so I told my dad that I’ll help out with anything we’ve got going on while I’m back in Kentucky.
I lower my head back to the pillow, careful not to wake Winter as I gather her closer.
She’s wearing the top that she had on last night, but her pants are off because my body’s volcanic, and I’m wearing nothing but my underwear because I’d burst into fire if I had to wear pyjamas.
I close my eyes for another minute, totally relaxed as I caress her waist, and then I breathe out a quiet sigh, heaving myself upright without jostling her body.
I reach over to the bedside cabinet and grab my ballcap to cover my hair, setting it backwards after I shove my fringe back and rolling my shoulders as I step to the floor.
I glance around the room for a pair of pants and grab my jeans from my luggage seeing as I didn’t unpack last night. Then I haul them up my quads and make my way to the kitchen, stretching out my biceps.
Maverick glances at me with vague disinterest as he leans casually against the wooden counter, the local newspaper in one of his hands and a mug of coffee in the other.
He’s fully dressed in his brown jacket, pair of Wranglers, and go-to riding boots, and from the look in his eyes it doesn’t look like he got much sleep last night.
I give him a sceptical glance and he raises his brow, daring me to say something.
“Never mind,” I mumble hoarsely, my morning-voice painfully deep as I grab two mugs from the cupboard.
“Coffee’s in the machine,” Maverick states, tossing the paper to the counter as he finishes his drink.
“Thanks,” I murmur, and I pour myself a cup as I glance at the shelving.
Winter doesn’t really drink coffee so I scan the boxes until I find herbal tea, tearing open the pink sachet with my teeth and then dropping the bag into her mug. I pop the lid on the kettle, pour in some water, and then wait for it to boil so that I can head back to our room.
“We’re driving the rest of the cattle down from the upper valley later this morning,” Maverick tells me. “It’s a couple of hours’ ride, if you want to join.”
I glance over at him as I pour the water. “I’m heading to the paddock this morning.”
He meets my stare, silently understanding. “Winter’s going to show you the horse.”
My shoulders swell as I look away from him, still not sure how I feel about a horse that’s so temperamental. In general, I don’t mind. But when it’s working with Winter? I’m not so sure.
“Yeah,” I admit.
He glances out at the valley. “She hasn’t tried riding him yet.”
I pick up our mugs, following his gaze. The morning sun has fully risen. “Yeah, she told me.”
He rests his palm against the counter. “She was waiting until you got home before she tried it.”
Then his gaze meets mine and my cheekbones grow warm, because the fact that Winter waited for me means fucking everything.
It shows how much she trusts me, and that’s something that I’ll never take for granted.
I clear my throat and look away from him. “She mentioned something about that last night.”
Maverick chuckles quietly and bumps us shoulder-to-shoulder, and I tighten my grip on the mugs so that they don’t overflow.
“Okay, get out of here,” he rumbles teasingly. “I’ll see you up the valley after you’ve been to the paddock.”
And then I’m making my way back down the corridor, nudging the bedroom door open and stepping inside. I take a slow drink of the coffee when I see that Winter’s still asleep, and then I place the mugs on the bedside cabinet before easing the door quietly closed.
I take off my ballcap and pants, dropping them over the soft brown armchair in the corner, and then I gently lift back the covers so that I can get in behind Winter.
She stirs lightly as I envelop her, her smooth legs tangling with mine beneath the sheets, and there’s a little smile in her voice as she traces my tattoos and whispers, “Caden.”
I can’t help but smile as I kiss her cheek. “Hey, baby,” I whisper back to her, and she turns gently in my arms until we’re face to face, her dimples deepening.
My chest rises as we share a smile.
In my world, the sun rises twice.
She leans up under the warm quilt and I hunch down to meet her, pressing a firm kiss against her lips as my broad palms squeeze her behind.
I keep the kiss going, long and hard, until I’m rolling her onto her back, knowing that we’ve got a long day ahead of us and we need a private moment before her session.
“One more minute,” I rumble, because I can’t stop kissing her as she grips my jaw.
“One more minute,” she agrees in a whisper, smiling up at me as I lower back down.
I slide my hands up the back of her shirt and the bed creaks quietly as I grind against her, until I drop my weight and steel my jaw, breathing hard as I gain my restraint.
We can’t get intimate before Winter rides because it could make her sore when she’s in the saddle, so I roll onto my side and haul her closer, threading my fingers through her hair as she peeks up at me.
A smile-crease tics in my cheek and I nudge her nose with mine before kissing her gently.
“Hey,” I rumble, and she laughs softly as she caresses my biceps.
“Hey,” she whispers back to me.
“I made you a drink, if you’re thirsty.”
She lifts slightly onto her elbow, peering over my pecs so that she can check the nightstand, and I chuckle as she pushes me onto my back, crawling across my chest so that she can pick up her mug.
She dips the tip of her tongue into the pink liquid, and I laugh quietly as I stroke her back.
“You’re like a kitten,” I murmur, and she giggles happily as she puts the mug back down.
“Are you coming to the paddock with me after breakfast?” she asks, her Southern voice even sweeter in the morning, and her cheeks blush softly as she searches my eyes, as if she thinks there’s a chance that I wouldn’t do that for her.
“Of course,” I tell her quietly, squeezing her hips as she straddles my quads. “Indoor paddock this morning, right?”
“Yeah, we’ll use the indoor paddock.”
We have a lot of outdoor pens to practice riding in at the ranch, but when the winter weather hits, Carter always uses the sheltered paddock for the horses.
It’s warm and spacious, like a hollowed-out barn, and it’s the perfect place to ride when the weather’s unpredictable across the valley.
I slip my hands up the hem of her shirt and gently caress her waist as she traces my forearms, her gentle fingertips warm and soft as she trails them over my dark tattoos.
“What is it?” I ask her quietly, sensing that there’s something on her mind.
She shakes her head and her lashes flutter. “I’m just nervous, is all.”
“About riding?” I ask gently. “About riding Carter’s horse?”
She twists her lips to the side, stroking the scripture on my forearm and exhaling quietly.
“I just can’t help but think, what if he doesn’t want to be ridden?
I’ve been trusting Carter’s gut feeling, ’cause he’s always been right when it comes to the rodeo, and I know that I’ve built up a really strong bond with his horse…
but what if, as soon as I mount the saddle, he’s back in the mindset that he had a month ago?
What if our bond is totally one-sided, and once I’m up there, he bucks me off? ”
I sit up slowly against the wooden headboard, and I caress Winter’s waist as she shifts on my lap.
“I’m going to put a bunch of soft mats down on the sand for when you mount him,” I begin quietly.
“And I’m going to be right by your side – not behind the railing.
If you feel like he’s going to buck, you’re going to dismount and jump, straight into my arms. Doesn’t matter which side you choose to climb down – I’ll be there to catch you.
And if something feels off when we get to the paddock, you tell it to me straight, because we’re not going to risk your safety.
Maverick told me that he’s got two other horses who are crazy about you, so if you change your mind about Carter’s horse, that’s A-okay. ”
“I feel stupid,” she breathes out quietly, one of her soft curls unravelling beside her cheek. “I’ve spent the past month working with this horse, and usually that’s as long as we need to train them… but I don’t even know if he’ll let me ride him.”
I cup her jaw in my hand, stroking her protectively, and she slowly lifts her gaze to mine, her beautiful eyes wide with worry.
“Hey,” I murmur, “good things take time. Don’t doubt yourself, Winter. And I’m going to be right by your side.”
“But everyone thinks that he’s a bad horse,” she whispers, looking really panicked now, so I drop my forehead down to hers and feel her energy instantly relax.
I keep one hand gripped around her waist and reach for the bedside cabinet with the other, fumbling until I find what I’m looking for, and then placing my Bible carefully between us.
Winter blinks at it for a moment before bringing her shy gaze back up to mine. Her pinkie brushes against the cover, curious as to where I’m going with this.
“You don’t need to listen to what everyone around you is saying,” I murmur.
“There’s this quote that your dad told me, and it’s one of the best things that I’ve ever heard.
He said, ‘why seek validation from people who crucified the perfect man?’ People can say anything, but that doesn’t mean that it’s good or right or true. ”
Winter’s beautiful eyes search mine before she peeks at my hand and picks up the Bible, holding it securely against her chest as I gather her closer against my own.
I press a kiss against her temple, my voice deepening as I caress her nape.
“Other people’s opinions are just other people’s opinions. Listen to your gut, because God will always guide you.”
Winter looks up at me from under her lashes, and her tiny dimples pop as I cup her jaw.
“Yeah?” I murmur, unable to fight my smile as she kisses my lips.
“Yeah,” she whispers back to me, laughing as I can’t resist kissing her dimple. “That was really well said. And I know that you’re right. I don’t know why I get these doubts sometimes – I’m so full of faith, but the doubts still come.”
“It’s natural,” I murmur, pulling her into my side as I lay us back down. “But the doubts are sometimes put there by other people. We should persevere in our faith.”
She peeks up at me with that gorgeous smile, laughing softly as I stroke her curls.
“How are you so perfect?” she asks, and I shake my head, trying not to grin. “I’m serious!” she laughs. “How did I get so lucky?”
I press a kiss to the tip of her nose, chuckling quietly as she giggles.
“Winter,” I say softly, “I’m the lucky one.”