Chapter 7
Willow
The Montana sky is spectacular tonight. The Milky Way visible as a pale river of light, more stars than I’ve ever seen from my condo in town.
I’ve stayed in this room several times. It’s beautiful, with cathedral ceilings, a king bed that feels too big, and floor-to-ceiling windows that during the day overlook the property. But right now, in the middle of the night, I don’t see any of it. Not really.
My brain is on overload. Between feeling unsettled and trying to figure out who is emailing me, my emotions are like a runaway merry-go-round.
‘J’ could be a first name, last name, or a nickname.
It could even be made up. I can’t think of a single person I know or have met in recent months that feels off.
And what really ticks me off is that I now feel unsafe in my hometown.
Personal safety is important, I understand that.
My parents taught me from an early age to trust my gut and always be aware of my surroundings.
But Wilderidge isn’t a mecca of crime. We’re known to keep our cars unlocked without worry.
Sure, there’s criminal activity here, but many arrests are from public intoxication or crimes against property, not stalking. And I’m not even sure if the emails from ‘J’ technically count as stalking, anyway.
Yet.
I take that stupid word and send it through my mental shredder to keep it from flitting around in my brain. No need to send it out into the universe.
Finally admitting sleep defeat, I tear the covers off me and immediately regret it. The air in the room is cool against my skin, the large comforter providing the heat that I needed.
I need some serious horse love. Hopefully, I can entice Duchess Blue to come visit. The other animals will follow whatever she does.
I find some joggers and a sweatshirt in the dark, several of which I threw into the hasty bag I packed.
Pulling my long auburn hair on top of my head, I walk downstairs, throw on my coat and boots, and deactivate the alarm with the code Bennett shared.
The house is so quiet that every sound feels amplified. I don’t want to wake anyone.
The door clicks shut behind me, and I notice that the temperature has dropped significantly.
The night air is crisp, kissing my cheeks as I walk across the pasture, my boots crunching against the frosty grass.
The smell of horse and cold earth drifts toward me, and the knots in my shoulders immediately loosen.
I catch the sweet musk of them on the breeze, a mix of hay and warmth that I’ve loved since I was a little girl.
Finally, a huddle of horses materializes in the darkness, where they graze near the barn.
The structure looks even more impressive at night, solid and permanent, a fortress against the darkness. Both sets of massive doors open despite the cold for proper ventilation, and its lights are on. That means at least one person is inside.
Thank you, barn gods. Everyone at Circle Ridge knows me, so having someone familiar nearby makes me feel less vulnerable.
It’s silly, really. When I talked with Tiff earlier, she told me that Circle Ridge is the safest place to be. Knowing that someone from my best friend’s and cousin’s inner circle is awake and nearby calms my nerves.
Tiff finally divulged more of what’s been going on with her family. We’ve been besties since elementary school, so we know each other’s secrets. When she and her brothers inherited money from a distant relative, she asked me to trust her and not ask questions. So I didn’t.
I can read between the lines, and I knew there was more to the story. But Tiff doesn’t keep secrets from me, so I knew that whatever the circumstances were, she couldn’t tell me. And I was fine with that. Even when Bennett bought Tiff a ridiculously large dude ranch because that was her dream.
I’ve always felt that there was more to Cannon’s role at Circle Ridge than ranch manager.
He just seemed way more invested in the safety of Tiff’s family than he should be, given that he’s the ranch manager.
Tonight she finally admitted that Cannon’s actually the head of security for Bennett rather than managing the property.
Looking back, Tiff and Violet both gave me so many hints about Bennett’s financial situation, but I never connected the dots.
And I’m not mad. Tiff’s brother and I grew up together.
I would never want anything to happen to him or his family.
I understand the need for privacy. And it’s not like my girls didn’t drop huge hints.
What I’m feeling has more to do with Cannon than Bennett. I think back to all the times he closed himself off. It makes perfect sense now. Getting close to me was not an option.
So I have to wonder… why now? What’s different?
A horse shifts somewhere in the back stalls, a quiet, unhurried sound that makes the whole world feel less sharp. The smell of fresh hay calms me instantly as I step into the barn’s main corridor.
“Hello?”
Cannon pokes his head out from the office at the opposite end, and even from sixty feet away, my heart flip-flops in my chest. A backward ball cap sits atop his dark hair. I’ve never seen him in a ball cap. He’s always got a cowboy hat on or does without.
“Willow.” He nods once, motioning for me to join him.
I head that direction, my insides heating. When I’m about ten feet from the office door, he steps into the corridor, filling the space completely with his yummy broad shoulders, muscular legs, and that assured stance that I’ve lusted over a hundred times.
Dark flannel stretches across his chest, sleeves rolled to his forearms. Light spills from the office, backlighting him in gold and making his blue eyes seem almost black.
“Hi.” His smile is wide. “Couldn’t sleep?”
I scrunch my nose and shake my head subtly. “Not really. You?”
“Nope. So I figured I might as well come out here and do some work.”
He motions to the small office before glancing back at me, his dark blue eyes intense.
“Tiffany told me your real role here, which I have to tell you makes a lot of sense when I look back at the last several years.”
“I have an NDA.”
“I get it. It’s for Bennett’s protection. He’s lucky to have you looking out for him.”
“Thanks.” Dark flannel stretches across his massive chest, his breaths slow and even. “How are you holding up?”
“I guess as well as can be expected.” I shrug, my puffer coat feeling restrictive. “But being caged in here at Circle Ridge is hard.”
He quirks an eyebrow, humor lighting his square jaw. “I wouldn’t exactly call 750 acres and a log cabin mansion caged.”
“You know what I mean. I have to be here. I didn’t choose to be here.”
“That’s one way to look at it, but another way to look at it is you’ve chosen to be with people that love you, who support you, and will continue doing that during a rough patch.”
Cannon walks toward me, pulling me close, and kisses the top of my head. He smells of leather and soap. “That’s what we’re here for.”
I lean back, an incredulous grin on my face. “You kiss me. You hug me. You claim me as yours. You have done a complete one-eighty, Cannon Sawyer.”
“Only in my outward behavior, not with my emotions. Nothing’s changed there.
” He pulls me to him, kissing me softly.
“I’ve wanted you from the second I laid eyes on you, Willow.
And when we find out who this clown is, he or she will learn to never look at you, speak to you, contact you, or breathe the same air as you for the rest of their life. ”
He tips my chin up, his dark blue eyes gazing into mine. Leaning down, his lips touch mine, feather-soft. My fingers curl into the flannel, and I lean into him, my lips seeking comfort from his.
The kiss turns hungry and desperate, our mouths opening, our tongues seeking. His hands roam my back, cupping my rear and giving it a slight squeeze. Cannon’s lips move to my neck where he dots my skin with kisses, chills from his movements racing down my body.
“I want you so fucking bad, Willow.”
“Same.” I pull back, my eyes darting back and forth between his. “But it’s been three years, Cannon. Why now?”
He scrubs a hand over his chin with a sigh. “Mixing work with my personal life is not an option for me. That’s how I’m made. It’s in the fabric of who I am. So, being with you couldn’t happen.”
A spark of worry floods through me. “And now?”
“I’m quitting my job here at Circle Ridge.”
I step back, almost slipping on the hard ground. “What??” I can’t contain the screech in my voice.
Cannon doesn’t even flinch. “Bennett asked me to give it a year, so I’m training Jake to take my place.
After that, I’m starting my own ranch security business.
” He backs me against a closed stall door, the smell of cedar and hay swirling around us.
“Which allows me to be in both your lives on a personal level.”
I stand on my tiptoes, my love for this man filling me with happiness as my lips meet his. Our mouths open, tongues sliding together. His mouth ravishes mine, his hard length pressed against my belly.
And ohmigawd, it’s divine. He’s huge and thick, and if I rub against him just a little, his dick hits my sweet spot through our clothes.
“You’re killing me here.”
I rub my pussy against his erection, harder this time.
“You’re playing with fire, Sunshine.”
“I want you right here, right now. Canon.”
“Our first time won’t be in this barn.” His teeth nip my lips, his strong hands running down my back.
“This is the perfect place, Cannon. Because you’re here. I don’t need flowers and candlelight and a bed. I just need you.”
He pulls me into the barn office and closes the door. It’s larger than I expect. There’s a dark leather sofa against the wall near the door, with a walnut desk sitting against the opposite wall, its live edge adding to the rustic feel.
Multiple video monitors are secured to the wall above it, showing different angles of the barn. There’s also a gaming-style monitor sitting on the desk with three open screens. I stop groping Cannon as soon as I recognize parking lot footage from Stems & Blooms.
“Did you find anything?”
“Bennett’s algorithm narrowed down found connections with a few vehicles.” He pulls me close against his muscular chest, kissing the back of my head. “I’m cross-referencing its findings with images.”
He penguin-walks us over to the leather sofa, spinning me around and kissing me with brazen need. “Sit.” His voice is low and controlled, the expression on his face hungry.
My damp center tingles as I do what he commands. He kneels before me, sliding off each boot and then my socks.
“You have the cutest damn feet.” He brings up my foot and kisses the top, his eyes hot with desire.
Why this makes me blush, I have no idea. “Thank you.” Good thing I just got a pedicure.
The muscles of his powerful build flexing, he grabs the ribbed cuff of my cargo joggers, tugging them down. I pop my hips up and slide the waistband just over my hips, where he takes over, edging the fabric lower. His large hands skim my legs, massaging my thighs reverently.
A rare grin stretches across his face as his thumbs tease the underside of my hipsters. “Did you know the little flowers on your panties are the same dark pink as your toes?”
Breathless, I mumble, “No. I just grabbed what was in the drawer.”
“Well, I definitely approve.”
His mouth bends forward and he kisses my lady bits through the cotton fabric. “I want to kiss your pussy, Sunshine. Is that okay with you?”
The flush crawls up my body a second time, but I don’t hold back. “Yes.”
“But that’s it for tonight. No sex. Not yet.” He inches my panties down over my hips, his breath hitching mid-removal. “Fuuuck, Willow. You’re so damn beautiful.”
He stares at my pussy, seemingly enthralled. Then, he bends over to kiss my center before removing my underwear completely. The way his eyes heat just about undoes me.
“I’ve imagined this so many times,” he murmurs against my skin, his breath warm. “But nothing compares to the real thing.”
Then his mouth is on me, worshipful. My head falls back against the couch, my eyes closing. Every stroke of his tongue, every gentle pressure, builds something inside me that feels bigger than just physical pleasure. It feels like finally coming home.
I thread my fingers through his dark hair, anchoring myself to this moment, to him. Three years of longing, of wondering what if, of watching this cowboy from a distance… it all melds into this perfect moment.
His tongue moves with devastating skill, alternating between soft and demanding, and I can’t stop the mewling sounds escaping my throat.
I reach orgasm quickly, eventually lying back lust-drunk. He slides my panties up then crawls up my body, kissing me slow.
“You are fucking mine, Willow,” he breathes against my lips. “That’s a fact.”
He pulls back just enough to look at me, his thumb tracing my kiss-swollen lips. In this barn office that smells of leather and hay, with danger lurking somewhere beyond these walls, I’ve never felt safer in my life.