Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
HOLDEN
I haven’t been inside of my wife in two fucking days, and that’s about to change right now. My guys and I worked our asses off today to finish cleaning up from the fires and get everything ready to go for branding tomorrow, and that means that I’m headed home in time for dinner.
And for dinner, I plan to spread her wide and eat my fill of Millie.
Hearing her cuss those women out in her shop this morning was fucking sexy. I have no idea what got my girl so riled up, but after watching her claim me, show them her wedding ring, and then throw them out on their asses, I wanted to boost her up on that counter and sink inside of her right then.
She’s beautiful when she’s pissed.
I pull into the driveway and am walking through the door when I announce, “You have ten seconds to get nak?—”
I stop cold when I see a little dark-haired, brown-eyed girl staring up at me, and all my plans for the evening immediately shift.
“Uh, hey, Birdie.”
“Holden!” Birdie jumps up and runs to me, throws her arms around my waist, and squeezes. “You’re here!”
“I am.” I laugh and bend over to kiss her head. “I live here.”
“With Aunt Millie?” She frowns. “Why?”
“Because we’re married, sweetheart. Where is she, by the way?”
“She just went to the bathroom.” Birdie takes my hand and leads me to where she was sitting on the couch. “I’m watching Paw Patrol . Come sit with me.”
“Give me a minute, okay?” I get her settled and kiss her head again and then go in search of my wife. “Millie?”
“Back here.” I hear her muffled voice in the bedroom and find her in the closet. “I’m hanging laundry. Do you want your T-shirts hung or folded?”
My heart stops and then starts to hammer in my ears. Jesus Christ, no one woman should have the audacity to look like this.
She’s in shorts, the kind that barely covers her ass, and a white tank top. Her hair is piled in a messy knot on her head, and she’s hanging laundry out of a basket.
I’m not a misogynist. I do not expect my wife to do my housekeeping, cook my meals, and be at my beck and call.
But holy fucking shit, I want to fuck her.
Instead, I stalk over, frame her face in my hands, and kiss her like I’m starving for her, because I am .
She moans in surprise and then melts against me in that way she does, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“Laundry turns you on?” she asks when I come up for air.
“You turn me on.” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to wash my clothes, baby girl.”
“I’m doing it anyway.” She shrugs as if it’s no big deal. “And my plans were kind of changed because of Birdie. Speaking of which, I need to check on her.”
“She’s fine. She’s watching TV. What happened there?”
“Childcare fell through, and Bridger called me. It’s no big deal.” She brushes her fingers down my cheek, and I take her hand and press my lips to her palm. “You’re home sooner than I expected.”
“I worked my ass off so I could spend some naked time with my wife.”
Her eyes widen, and then she sighs. “I’m sorr?—”
Before she can complete that thought, I cover her lips with my own and then hug her close. “Don’t be. I’m still at home with you, and we can get naked later.”
“Deal.”
“Where are you?” Birdie calls out as she walks down the hall.
“In here, baby,” Millie calls back and grins up at me. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving,” Birdie says, and then giggles when I pick her up and toss her over my shoulder. “Hey! I’m not a sack of potatoes!”
“Yep. You are. I’m going to fry you up and have you for dinner.” I tickle her side, making her giggle. “Come on, let’s cook dinner while Aunt Millie finishes the laundry.”
“Can we have nuggets?”
“Honey, you can have whatever you want.”
I lower the little girl onto the kitchen counter so she can watch me bustle about the kitchen. After washing my hands thoroughly, I open the fridge. I took a shower at the ranch before coming home. I had a shower installed at the barn just for that.
“Okay, half-pint, it looks like there are, in fact, some nuggets in the freezer. But if I’m going to make those for you, you have to agree to eat some vegetables.”
Birdie wrinkles her adorable nose. “Ew. I don’t want vegetables. They’re bad for you.”
I grin at her, and she does her best to look innocent before she breaks down in giggles.
“You’re trouble, you know that?”
“Yeah, that’s what Daddy says, too.”
Bridger’s headlights pull out of the driveway, and I turn to where Millie’s curled up asleep on the couch.
She and Birdie fell asleep, watching a Disney movie. Neither of them woke up when Bridger arrived to pick up his little girl.
After I lock up, I lift my wife into my arms and carry her to the bedroom, get her tucked into the bed, and then take off my clothes and climb in with her.
Tonight didn’t go as planned at all, and there will obviously be no sex tonight, but I don’t really mind. For years, all I wanted was to be with Millie, just like this. Curled up together, holding her tightly in my arms, without any fear that my touching her could hurt her.
She murmurs in her sleep as she burrows down against me, sighs, and I kiss her hair before I follow her into dreamland.
“She’s good.” Vance is standing next to me at the fence line, our boots on the bottom rung, watching as Millie rides her horse in the pen, roping a calf.
She’s not just good. She’s fucking amazing .
I had no idea she could do this. How is it that literally every single thing this woman does turns me on?
My ranch is a hive of activity. The calves are in one pen, with their mamas in one next to them to help keep them calm.
I have all five Blackwell siblings here, my four sisters, all the Wild brothers with their wives and ranch hands, and several other families, as well.
Millie was good to her word, and her sisters-in-law have been manning the food tent all day, which they brought with them and set up from scratch, serving hot meals to all the cowboys.
Rem’s and Brady’s kids, along with Birdie, are running about, helping more than getting into trouble.
Hell, even Jake is in that pen, giving vaccinations.
“I had no idea that some ranches operate like this,” I say to Vance, who snickers next to me. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because it wouldn’t have done any good,” he says, shaking his head. “Your dad was stuck in his ways, and even though he didn’t have much to do with this part of the ranch anymore, there’s no way he would have stood for this kind of operation. Even if it did make his life easier and make the day go by faster. He wasn’t exactly worried about being part of the community, Holden.”
I let out a frustrated sigh and then look over to where my sisters are watching. They’re standing side by side, their eyes wide as they take it all in, and I can’t get what Millie said the other day out of my head.
They grew up on a ranch and never got to enjoy it.
I cross over to them and grin. “Are you ready to bolt yet?”
“No,” Dani says, shaking her head. “This is actually really cool. Millie explained a lot to us when we got here.”
“I’m on my way to help out with lunch,” Alex adds. “I don’t love hearing the babies cry.”
“It only hurts for a minute,” I assure her before I pat her shoulder.
Dad always tortured Alex the most with the animals because she was the softest at heart.
The prick.
“I can’t stay all day,” Charlie adds with a sigh. “I have too much work, but I wouldn’t have missed coming out for the world. Thanks for having us.”
“It’s your ranch, too.” I wink at her and then notice that Dani walks over to where Bridger’s tying Birdie’s shoe.
“Hey,” she says, getting Bridger’s attention.
He looks up, and his jaw tightens, but his eyes brighten when he sees it’s her. “Hey, Dani.”
“I just rented out the house across the street from yours. So, we’re neighbors now.”
“Oh, Dani,” Alex mutters next to me.
“Your brother told me you left Bozeman,” Bridger says with a nod as he rises to his full height. Dani shoves her hands into her pockets and looks down at the ground, then smiles up at my friend.
“I did. Since Dad died, and I had to come back here anyway, I decided to stay. I’ll be a teacher at the elementary school this fall.”
“Congratulations. I’m happy for you.” He smiles softly and reaches out to pat her shoulder, and Dani just shrugs, as if it’s no big deal, when I know for a fact that it’s a big fucking deal.
“Thanks. Well, I’m sure I’ll see you around. And I’ll see Birdie at school.” Dani grins at the little girl. “Are you having fun today?”
“Yes!” Birdie does a little hop, making Dani laugh.
“I’d better get back to work,” Bridger says, but winks at my sister before walking away, and Dani returns to us.
“And you think that’s not flirting?” Alex asks her twin sister.
“We’re just friends.” Dani lifts her chin, gives me the side-eye, and then turns to leave. “I’m going to see if they need me at the food tent.”
When she and Alex leave, I turn to Darby. “Do I have to kill Bridger?”
“Nope. It’s your sister that’s the problem.”
I scowl at my sister. “Why is she a problem?”
“Because Dani has put Bridger in the friend zone, and I’m pretty sure he’d like to be out of the friend zone.”
“ Darby. ”
“What? It’s the truth. Dani’s just too blind to see it, even though she’s crushed on him for years. Bridger lights her fire, if you know what I mean.”
She winks at me, waggles her eyebrows, and then stalks away, and I want to find something to stab in my eye.
“Come on, baby, let’s go,” Millie says, talking to her horse and catching my attention once more. Jesus Christ, she’s sexy on that animal.
The day goes so much smoother than normal. Within a couple of hours, we have all the calves branded and vaccinated, and then we’re herding them back out to the pasture. I ride up next to Millie and pass her a bottle of water.
“How do you always have water on hand?” She twists off the top and takes a sip. “It’s like magic or something.”
“Or something. I have to make sure you’re hydrated, baby girl.”
“Hey, Millie!”
We turn our heads when Levi rides up next to her, his eyes all shiny with appreciation, and I stare my man down.
“That’s Mrs. Lexington to you, Levi.”
He blinks fast at my hard tone, swallows hard, and then lets out a nervous laugh. “Sorry, boss. I just wanted to show your wife that the tiny calf she was worried about earlier is fine. See, she’s with her mama, safe and sound.”
“Oh, good. She’s so small ,” Millie says quietly, watching the calf. “I was hesitant to vaccinate her. But she seems okay.”
“She’ll be fine,” I agree, enjoying having Millie by my side. I’ve only had a few moments of panic, wanting to get her off of my land to protect her, but they’ve been fleeting.
Maybe setting everything on fire actually did the trick after all.
“No need to get territorial,” Millie mutters when Levi rides away. “I’m not going to run off with one of your ranch hands, you know.”
“I’d murder him if you did.” Her gaze whips over to mine, and then she laughs. “I’m not kidding, Rosie.”
“You’re intense, husband.”
“You’re mine. The sooner everyone remembers that, the better.”
“You’re welcome to come over to our ranch next week,” Remington says as he sits next to me at the bonfire. To my shock, when everything was cleaned up and put away, people didn’t automatically clear out.
They stayed for more food, music, and to laugh and hang out.
Hell, the Wilds even brought the little babies over to hang out, and Millie’s holding Ryan’s daughter, Lottie, kissing her little head.
I’ve never had so many people at my ranch for so long in my life.
And I don’t hate it.
“I appreciate that,” I reply to Remington. “But until I have a conversation with your father, out of respect for him, I’ll sit this one out. But please include your sister. She’d be devastated if she couldn’t go, and I know she’s going to say that if I can’t go, she won’t either, but we’ll talk her into it.”
He’s quiet for a minute, staring into the fire.
“You love her.”
“More than anything in the world.”
I meet his gaze head-on.
“My dad will come around, man. He’s just being stubborn.”
“He refuses to speak to Millie.” I sigh, watching as Millie laughs at something Lottie does. “She’s tried reaching out, but he won’t take her calls. She doesn’t deserve that.”
Rem shakes his head. “I’ll try to talk to him. In the meantime, what are your plans out here? Now that you’re actually in charge, what do you want to do with your operations?”
“I want to add more head to the herd. Beyond that, I’m not sure.”
He nods thoughtfully. “If you ever want to brainstorm it, I’m around. Not that I have all the answers, but we don’t do too bad.”
I narrow my gaze, thinking it over, and an idea starts to take root in my mind.
“You know, I might just take you up on that.”
“Good. Do. My wife’s flagging me down, so I’d better go see what she needs.”
He stands, and I do the same, looking for my own wife.
I find her, wearing one of my flannel shirts, standing with Summer, who’s holding baby August.
“I found this shirt in your truck,” Millie informs me. “I was cold. I hope that’s okay.”
“Doesn’t bother me at all.”
I fucking love seeing her wear my clothes. She can have all of them if she wants them.
“Hey, hold him for me,” Summer says, pushing the baby into my arms as she dances in place. “I have to run to the bathroom real quick.”
She hurries off, and I stare down into the somber eyes of the cutest little boy, with big blue eyes and dark hair.
“Well, hi there, little man.” I settle him against my shoulder and bounce him a bit.
“Why are you so good with babies?” Millie asks, watching me closely.
“I raised four of them,” I remind her as I kiss August’s head. I grin at him, and he smiles back. “You’re cute, aren’t you? Are you gonna be a cowboy someday? I bet you are.”
“Holden.” I glance at Millie, whose cheeks are now flushed, and the pulse in her neck is throbbing faster.
“Are you okay?”
“I think my ovaries just exploded.”
I narrow my eyes at her and lean in, still holding the baby close as I whisper into her ear.
“Rosie, there are dozens of people here. Your brothers are watching, and I’m holding an infant. I can’t exactly fuck you up against the nearest surface right now, so stop looking at me like that.”
She licks her lips. “Can’t help it. Holy hell, you’re hot with a baby. Your tattoos as you hold his little head? My clothes are about to fall off. Seriously, this should be illegal.”
I smirk. “Get it together, Rosie.”
“I’m trying.” She swallows hard. “Holden?”
“Who’s Holden?”
She narrows her eyes, but I know she loves it when I do that.
“Husband?”
“Yes, wife?”
“Do you want kids someday?”
I kiss August on the head and sigh when he rests his little cheek on my chest. “I never thought so. I couldn’t imagine bringing any children onto this ranch where my dad could get to them, but now that I have you…yeah. I could see myself with some babies. I could see you , round with my child. What about you?”
“Yeah. I mean, not today . I’m not in a hurry or anything, but…someday.”
I grin and lean in to kiss her sweet lips. “Someday.”
“You’re being a bad influence on my kid.” Chase approaches and holds his hands out for his son, and I pass him over. “Come on, August, you don’t need to be subjected to that smut.”
“Whatever. You make out with his mom every chance you get,” Millie calls after her brother, who just laughs as he walks away.
“Today was amazing.” My voice is rough as I pull Millie against me and wrap my arms around her, burying my nose in her hair. “Nothing like how we usually do things out here.”
“It sounds like it used to be really boring.” She leans her chin on my chest and stares up at me. “This is way more fun.”
“It is that. And there’s less cleanup after when everyone chips in to help.”
“You used to clean up alone?”
“Sure.”
“Nah, that’s not how we do things anymore. This is better.”
I cup her cheek in my hand and brush my thumb over her skin. “You just waltzed in here and shook everything up, didn’t you?”
I’m not just talking about today. She’s completely turned my life upside down, in the best ways possible.
“I—” She frowns. “If you want me to stay out of it, I will. I’m sorry. I just got excited because I like it so much, but I didn’t mean to take over. This is your operation, Holden.”
“Stop.” I tip her chin up and kiss her hard. “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to. In case you hadn’t noticed, I love having you here for this, and I never thought I’d say that because the idea of you being here used to terrify me.”
“Things are changing.” She shrugs and then grins up at me. “In a good way.”
“Yeah, in a very good way.”
“Hey, Holden,” Jake says as he approaches us. He’s got his arm looped around the shoulders of a young redheaded girl his age, who smiles up at him dreamily. “Thanks for having us out today. It was fun.”
“Thanks for helping.” I shake his hand and smile at his girlfriend. “Are you two out of here?”
“I have a curfew,” she says with a little shrug. “It’s annoying.”
“It’s okay,” Jake assures her and then turns back to me. “I can come back if you need more help.”
“I think we’ve got it. Everything is pretty much done. Thanks again.”
“You bet. Bye, Aunt Mill.”
“See you later, cutie.”
The young couple walks away, and I notice that she has her hand in his back pocket.
“Uh, Ryan’s had the talk with him, right?” I ask my wife.
“God, I hope so. They’ve been going together for more than a year, and they’re so cute, but there’s no way they’re not having sex.”
“Hmm.” I kiss her temple, and much to my relief, it looks like Jake’s departure is the beginning of everyone else deciding to head out, too.
“Today was fun,” Beckett says with a grin. “Good job, buddy.”
“It was all her,” I say, pointing to Millie, who preens under the accolade.
“Good job, Millie.” Beckett winks at her before walking away.
Eyeing Brooks gathering up his stuff, I figure now is as good a time as any to talk to him.
“I’m going to go catch Brooks before he leaves,” I say to Millie, kissing her head. “Give me a minute.”
“Take your time,” she replies. “I’ll say goodbye to your sisters.”
Brooks looks up at me as I approach. “It went well today.”
“Yeah, it did. Thanks for helping. How’s the truck coming along?”
I haven’t heard anything about it since I dropped the old Ford off to him the day before we lit the ranch on fire.
“It’s a mess, man.” He shakes his head and lets out a half laugh. “It’s going to be a few months before it’s done.”
“I’m not in a hurry. I appreciate you fixing it up for me.”
I’ll never get rid of that truck, no matter what. Millie gave me her virginity in the back of it.
When everyone has gone, and my ranch hands are off to their bunkhouse, I lead Millie to my truck and help her inside, then climb into the driver’s seat.
“I desperately need a shower,” she says with a sigh.
“We’ll get one.” I take her hand and kiss her knuckles. “And then I’m going to make love to you for about three days straight.”
“I’d better hydrate and eat something, too.”
I laugh and kiss her knuckles again. “Good idea.”