37. Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Seven
Abi
Cash’s lips were hot on mine as he kissed me, his fingers dancing on my spine as they worked their way up my shirt. My skin tingled, my insides melting completely as his hands moved to my front, working on the buttons of my shirt. Last night was an almost terrifying experience. I hadn’t had sex in so long, and my nerves told me everything that could go wrong. Cash took those nerves and threw them out the window with every kiss, every pulse, every touch. And tonight, it was as if we had been doing this for years. His lips knew just where to go, his hands knew the right amount of pressure to put on me, and our bodies moved flawlessly together.
The chill of the air hit my skin as my shirt fell to the floor, his lips finding my collar bone as he worked on my bra strap.
“Abs, you…you are…dammit, Abs…you have no idea what you do to me,” he whispered in between kisses.
“You know,” I moaned as his tongue trailed up my neck. “You are the only one who calls me Abs.”
He stopped and looked at me with heavy eyes. “Do you want me to call you something else?” He raised a single brow. “I’ve never been one for nicknames.”
“No.” I shifted, moving my hips against him, feeling his hard length through his pants. “I love it when you call me Abs.”
Tilting his head back, he moaned. “Fuck Abs.”
“Just like that.” I stood, taking a step back to remove every stitch of clothing I had on as he watched me. Unlike last night, I didn’t cover myself. I let him take me in, his gaze gliding up and down my body, before I fell down to my knees in front of him. I played with his belt buckle, the entire time our eye contact never broke. My hands felt along his strong thighs as I slowly pulled his Wranglers down to his feet, tracing the scar on his left leg, silently wishing I could have been there when he got hurt. I wouldn’t have left him alone. He would never be alone again.
I kissed his scar, feeling his skin twitch under my lips. He fell backwards on the bed, his back hit with a thump, his hands still laced in my hair. I could take him right here, having him completely naked in front of me, but I crawled over him, my tongue and lips teasing as the shock went straight through my body. We had all night, but like I told him—I craved him.
I kissed up his abdomen, searching out all the other scars he mentioned. How had I missed them last night? Each scar I found received a kiss before working my way to his lips, claiming him. The heat pooled as I felt his cock touch my most sensitive area, a gasp left my lungs.
“You want me.” He stated, not a question. “I can feel it.”
“Yes.” I whispered, kissing him hard, making him know exactly how much I wanted him.
“Abs.” He moved, one swift solid motion bringing me to my back. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone as much as I want you.”
“Show me,” I begged, my hand tickling down his chest to his length, finally guiding him to me. “Show me how much.”
With the simple plea, he growled, and his fingers, his tongue, his body showed me exactly how much he felt, how much we craved each other, and how perfectly we fit. How we molded and breathed as we both shook and exploded at the same time. The intimacy that flowed through us only proved that we both felt it, that this was right—and there was nothing between us. No regrets, no walls…just us.
After, when we were both spent, our bodies still shaking, I lay in the crook of his arm, my fingers trailing the lines of his chest. We hadn’t moved from each other, keeping the heat alive between us. He was a gorgeous man. His skin was the perfect tawny color, his eyes deep and endless as he stared into me. He had the most defined jawline, and the small amount of facial hair he had didn’t hide it. He was tired—I could see it in the way he breathed—but his eyes, as they searched me, told me he wanted so much more.
Reaching his hand up, he gently moved my hair from my forehead, kissing my skin.
“Let’s stay here,” I whispered, kissing his chest. “Like this, all night.”
“All. Night.” He reiterated. “We have all night.”
I hummed, scooting even closer to him, my legs tangling up in the sheet even more than they were. “Not just all night, every night. Every day.” I closed my eyes, feeling the sleep willing to take over.
Cash’s heartbeat picked up, and his fingers trailed down my spine.
“Every day?”
“Mmhmm.” I tilted my chin to look at him, already finding his eyes locked on me. The beating of his heart and his stare reminded me of the topic I still had to bring up. I wanted him every minute of every day, by my side—and even though I was pretty sure I had made my decision when it came to the ranch, I still had no idea if that’s what he wanted. Hartwell Hills was home. I didn’t want to leave it; I just didn’t want to own it. “Okay…” I moved, sitting up in the bed, tugging the sheets with me.
His hand dropped to my leg, his thumb beginning to draw slow sweet circles on my skin. “So much for staying like that all night.”
“Well, I have something to talk to you about.”
His eyebrows raised.
“You know my parents are retiring.”
He nodded.
“And you know they want to give me the majority of their half of the ranch?”
He nodded again.
“Where does that leave us? If I take it?”
“If you take it? I thought it was already decided?”
“I don’t want it. Not the percentage they are offering.”
There. I admitted it out loud. I didn’t want the ranch.
He shifted, raising his arm to place under his head, tilting it just so to give me his full attention. “What’s on the table now?”
“I would have thirty, Rhett fifteen and Wyatt five. Lachlan still has his fifty. That’s not changing.”
“And you don’t want thirty?”
I shook my head. “No.”
He brushed my hair from my face. “Why not? You’re brilliant at running that place, I’ve seen you. Lachlan would probably lose it if you didn’t run it next to him.”
“Lachlan will survive,” I grumbled, slouching into him.
“He would but…I’m still confused why. Abi…your life is Hartwell Hills.”
“That’s just it. My life was never supposed to be the ranch.” I sighed, feeling the tension boil under my skin. I swallowed, sniffed and looked at Cash, deep into his eyes to find the courage. “When Sylas died…I didn’t grieve. I did the only thing I knew how to do. Be the best mom I could be to Stetson, and work on the ranch. I trained with my mom on the finances, soon taking over for her completely, and I took over Sylas’s jobs. The animals, the horses, the supplies, the schedules…everything he did became my job, and I had to do it well. I had to replace my dead husband while also mourning for the same dead husband, and all I wanted to do was…”
I stopped, and let the tears well up.
“Cry,” Cash said, taking his thumb to brush away a tear that had already fallen.
“I didn’t cry. I didn’t budge. After his funeral, I picked myself up and did what I had to do. No one really knew what I was feeling because I got so good at putting on a happy face but…I know if I take the ranch, I’ll have to keep pretending and I can’t do that anymore.” I sniffed, raising my hand to wipe away the last tear that fell from my cheeks. “I don’t want my life to be the ranch. I want this life. I want to travel with you and Stetson and come to rodeos and just…be here with you.” I sighed. I looked at him, his single eyebrow raised, his mouth a thin line that was still somehow kissable. His chest rose and fell calmly. I placed my hand on his chest, feeling for his heartbeat. Seconds ago it was fast, but now, it was steady. “But I don’t want to leave the ranch. It is home.”
“We won’t leave it.”
“We?”
“You think I’m leaving you now? If you’re at the ranch, so am I.”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “I hate to admit I don’t even know where you live.”
“Montana. I have a place in Bozeman, but I’ll sell it.”
“You’d be willing to move to Hartwell Hills?”
He gave me a single nod, his hand that kept my leg warm moving to cup my face. I leaned into his touch.
He kissed me sweetly. “If that’s where you are, that’s where I am. Remember—I was thinking of taking on extra clients. You did offer the arena to me before. You’ll still have some sway in what happens to it right?”
“Sure, but…” I chuckled. “I don’t want to own the majority of it. Rhett should have it. He loves that ranch more than anything.”
“And what do you want?”
“The stables.” I said, absolutely no hesitation to my voice and my heart skipped a beat when Cash grinned. “When we took on boarding horses, Rhett said he’d do the job. I was already running the finances, the stables, the goats, the calves—all the animals. Lachlan was always out on the land, so he didn’t have time to take that job on, neither did I, really. Rhett did, so he offered. But how many times did you actually see Rhett in the stables?”
“Never. Well—maybe once.” Cash huffed a laugh.
“It was always me, and I loved it. I like taking care of the horses. I like sitting with them and walking with them when they are colicky. I love brushing them, bathing them—I even enjoy mucking out the damn stalls. I don’t want to be in charge of the numbers anymore. I want to focus on the animals, mainly the horses, but I can still work on the livestock. I could even manage the arena bookings, if they keep coming. I would be more than happy to keep doing that side of it. Just as long as we can still attend rodeos.”
“Most trainers don’t go with their clients.”
“You enjoy it.” I narrowed my eyes at him, my hand falling to his chest.
“I do. I’ve always loved the rodeo scene. I especially love it when you’re here.” His hand ran up and down my back, creating those tingles I was beginning to love so very much.
“I would have to plan things accordingly, but it could work—if Rhett agrees.”
“Seems to me like you know exactly what you want. You just need to talk to Rhett when you get home.”
I nodded. “My dad wants to sign the deed when I get back. We were supposed to sign it before I left, but he agreed to let me have this weekend.”
“What about your parents? What are their plans?” He shifted and scooted up slightly on the headboard, raising his arm over his head.
“Traveling. He talked about buying a small house in town or building a smaller one close to the lake. My mom does love the lake.”
“And the main house?”
I shrugged. “If they’d let me, I’d still live in it. It’s home. I don’t want to leave it. Hell—I’ll agree to still make breakfast for the ranch hands.”
“And me?” He raised a brow. “Us?”
“Well…” I shifted moving close to him. “I’d hope you’d move in with me. That is, if you want to.”
“How many times do I gotta say where you are, I am?”
I leaned against him, cuddling close as his arm wrapping around my shoulders, his lips finding mine as if a magnet pulled us together.
“You’re serious?” I whispered. “You’d uproot your entire life for me?”
“Abi….you are my life. I’m not uprooting anything. I’m planting myself where I belong.”
The following morning, our bodies were still humming from desire and lack of sleep. I sat on the edge of the bed as Cash showered. Our bags were packed, and Quinn had already texted, telling us she would wait for us at the stable.
Me
I need to talk to you when I get home. Leave a spot open for me on your busy schedule?
Lachlan
Everything ok?
Of course that’s what he would say first. My grumpy ass cousin was still caring.
Me
Yeah, I just figured something out and need to talk you.
Lachlan
I can guess what it’s about. We don’t need to talk, I approve.
Me:
You have no idea what it’s about.
My phone rang in my hand seconds later.
“Texting is fine,” I sighed into the receiver.
“You don’t want the ranch,” he said instantly.
I swallowed. “Not thirty percent of it.”
“You don’t need my approval, you know, but I get it, and well…I approve.”
“I don’t need your approval, but you approve. Make it make sense Lach.” I shook my head, seeing my cousin clearly in my mind. He was most likely out in the field already, his hat blocking most of the sunrise—guaranteed he didn’t shave.
“You won’t be going anywhere though, right?” he asked, his voice heavy.
“No, I just need to talk to Rhett…and Dad. We’ll be back tonight so I’ll catch Rhett before he and Kyla settle in, then Dad in the morning.”
“Need me there?”
“I mean, not if you approve already.” I chuckled. Imagining my cousin leaning against a fence shaking his head at me.
“I approve of all of it, not just the ranch you know.”
I looked at the bathroom, just in time to see Cash walk out, towel around his waist. He gave me a cheeky smile before leaning down to his suitcase, pulling out his Wranglers and a small orange medicine bottle. “I would keep him even if you didn’t approve of that.” I smiled, keeping my eyes on the man I loved the entire time. Cash winked, shaking the medicine above his shoulder as he disappeared back into the bathroom.
“Oh, I know. Just know I’m putting the man to work.”
“Not if it goes the way I want it. But…I’ll need to talk to the new owner first.”
I could basically hear his eyeroll. “See you tonight, Abi.”
“Bye, Lach.” I grinned to myself, the blush rushing to my cheeks.