21. Twenty-One
Twenty-One
Kyla
Rhett floated between events—helping cowboys, attending to Buckle, getting steers in the chutes. And I followed him, trying to hold myself together after hearing his voice in my ear.
I’m just getting started.
I had to figure out what was going through my head when it came to him. I loved the way he made me feel when we were together. I craved the sparks that flew between us and the complete mode of confidence that surged through me. I was an entirely different person. I was, as crazy as this sounded, becoming who I wanted to be.
How I wanted to feel .
Rhett made me feel . . .
Different.
The morning at the ranch was short lived, and even though Rhett assured me the Fourth of July was a busy day, I still missed his presence the moment breakfast was done. His mom, as promised, made a large breakfast, complete with everything you could imagine to eat. Once everyone had their fill, they made their way to their jobs for the day. Rhett and Wyatt left for the arena while Lachlan and the ranch hands went to get the daily tasks done. Abi, Grace and I stuck to the stables, helping Stetson with his chores and a few Mutton Busting runs at home before he was itching to get to the rodeo.
Abi dragged us into town to invest in my own set of boots and hat. Telling me they were more for fashion than work, she supported the decision to buy the white pair. I saw Rhett eye that yellow dress, and these would be perfect to match it, and the second he saw me in the stands I knew he liked what he saw. Just being scooped in his arms made my stomach twist. It even made me forget that I had seen David while we were in town.
He made it a point to come up to us while we shopped, saying, “I’ll see you at the rodeo,” before forcing me into a hug. Abi grabbed my arm and pulled me away, my nerves rising as he got further from us. From the moment we got back to the ranch—from the moment Rhett pulled me into his arms—I was watching for him, my mind consumed with the worry of what would happen once he showed up. I tried to spot him in the crowd, to no avail, and then once I was with Rhett that feeling seemed to vanish.
And he told me he wanted to kiss me. The memories from the day we got married, the time he kissed me in the rodeo arena, the heat that came with every kiss, flooded through my veins. I wanted to tell him he could kiss me, but we were walking a fine line, and I didn’t quite know what side to step on.
I knew which side I wanted to be on. It was telling myself I deserved it.
Stepping up onto the gate, I raised myself above the rest of the crowd to watch Rhett as he rode. Buckle shot out after the calf as Rhett swung the rope in the air for a matter of seconds before he roped the calf, jumping off the saddle with ease. I watched his every move. The way his arms flexed as he raised the calf in the air, his legs kept him balanced as he worked quickly to tie the legs. The way he raised his arms in one quick motion, standing and jogging back to his mare, fixing the hat on his head. The way his jeans pulled against him as he mounted. The way he looked over towards me, and winked . . .
The way he was everything.
Summer of Rhett Hartwell . . . my husband.
I didn’t even hear the commentary Wyatt was saying about his run. I was too enchanted by what I was watching firsthand. Rhett guided Buckle back to the arena and his eyes locked on mine. He jumped off, handing the reins off to someone else, before making a direct path towards me, only taking four or five long steps before his boot hit the metal rail and he rose. Removing his hat, he dipped his head and his mouth found mine instantly.
The kiss was deep and raw as his hand found the back of my neck, his tongue forcing my lips apart as he drank me in. I moaned against his lips, reeling in the feeling of him. I grew dizzy, fearing I would fall off the gate if it weren’t for his hand on me and my hand firm on the railing. The sounds of the crowd disappeared, the cheers and the roars—there was only us. The warmth, the buzz, the sensation of feeling . . . whole .
He broke the kiss and smiled, his nose gently brushing against mine as he pulled away. “Worth the wait,” he murmured as a corner of his lips tipped up when he bent to kiss me again, a sweet kiss that was just as knee weakening as the hungry one.
“And if ya’ll didn’t know.” Wyatt’s voice came back into my mind as Rhett jumped off the gate. “That is my brother’s wife. Ladies and Gentlemen, Kyla Hartwell attending her first Hartwell Hills Rodeo!”
My eyes were still locked on Rhett as he backed away from me, his chin motioning up toward the small “big” screen that sat next to the announcer box. I turned, only to see an image of myself, and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks, but instead of shying away I gave the crowd a small wave. I glanced at Rhett again, shaking my head slightly before eyeing the rest of the crowd.
“She has swept my brother off his feet and from my guess, she’ll always be here now to give him an award-winning kiss. That run put Rhett in the lead, actually beating his best time of 7.6 with a 7.2.”
My jaw dropped as I turned to Rhett.
He beat his time.
He tilted his head, and held his arms out, giving me the cockiest smile that warranted an even cockier one from me. He knew he beat his time the moment he raised his arms in the air after roping the calf, and the first thing he wanted to do was kiss me. Grabbing the reins, he waved to the crowd as he walked off, making room for the next rider .
Jumping off the gate, I made my way towards him at the end of the arena. He led Buckle with her reins as they walked slowly towards the back as another roper was getting ready to take his turn. The moment I got close enough to him, I ran, wrapping my arms around his neck, my hat falling from my head.
“You beat your time!” I exclaimed into his neck. “You beat it!!”
“I did.” He chuckled. “I had to get a winning ride to get a winning kiss.”
“Well.” I arched my back, leaning away from him. “You still haven’t won, technically. There are other ropers to—”
I was silenced when his lips met mine in another deep and sensual kiss.
“I beat my time and kissed my girl,” he muttered against my lips. “I won.”
My girl . . .
I raked my teeth against my bottom lip. “You did win, didn’t you?”
“I believe you dropped your hat,” I heard a voice from behind me, making me pull away from Rhett slightly. David stood there, holding my hat in his hands. “It’s new, isn’t it? Don’t want to ruin it. Don’t know why you picked a white one when brown would’ve been more practical.”
Rhett reached out and took my hat from him, placing it back on my head. I turned in his arms, standing off to his side, looking at David as he stood still in front of us. He had on a pair of jeans and a short sleeve button-up shirt. On his feet—to my surprise—was a pair of brown boots. I had to give him some credit, he was trying to blend in. That is, until I saw the ostentatious Rolex on his wrist, which left him standing out like a sore thumb.
“Enjoying the rodeo?” Rhett asked simply, his eyes beating down on David.
I felt his arm tighten around me as he pulled me closer. His body tensed as he held his ground, attempting to look like he wasn’t going to shoot David where he stood.
“Yes, actually. It’s my first rodeo . . .”
Rhett snorted. I looked up at him and gave him a small smile. I could feel that confidence Rhett offered leaving as David’s presence lingered there. The anxiety he always created wanted to beat it out so badly, and I was worried I would let it. I inhaled and swallowed, focused on Rhett’s arm around my waist.
“Not ours,” he retorted. “We met at a rodeo. Brings back amazing memories, doesn’t it, Baby?”
Baby.
David knitted his brow. “I honestly can’t picture Kyla willingly attending a rodeo,” he condescended.
“Well, to be fair,” I retorted, “you never let me go anywhere. I’m shocked to see you here.”
David’s eyes flew to me, and they narrowed. Normally, if I said something like that he would argue right back, telling me it was my fault I never went anywhere, but instead, he replied to me as if there was nothing wrong with the conversation.
“I told you I would see you here, this is the biggest event in the town. And I hear there are fireworks tonight.” David forced a smile.
“There sure is. We put on quite the shindig.” Rhett moved his free arm. I noticed Buckle’s reins for the first time since I found him. He tugged her a bit closer, only a few steps until her nose was right next to Rhett.
“Another reason to be interested in your ranch, Mr. Hartwell. Too bad you’ve been knocked off the leader position.” David stuffed his hands in his jean pocket and turned to the screen.
He was right, Jaxson had beaten Rhett by point one second, knocking Rhett to second place. Rhett didn’t seem at all phased by it. In his words, he had already won.
“Can I help you, David? Or are you just here to ruin the moment?” Rhett snapped.
“I’m just enjoying the festivities.” David looked around. “May as well take in the town while I’m here. I always get to know the area of places I intend to buy. This will make a great tourist destination.” I bit the inside of my lip. He did travel to places he wanted to invest in, that wasn’t a lie. But wanting to buy the ranch, that was a different story. Even if it was a cover, he was playing the part very, very well.
“We prefer our town to stay like it is—small,” Rhett added. “If you’ll excuse us, David, I have to get my mare settled in her stall before the bull riders go up. I hope you enjoy the rest of the rodeo, and I highly suggest you stay out of here, the livestock can get a little rowdy.”
Rhett’s arm slid from my back, latching onto my hand to pull me away from David.
“Kyla,” David said suddenly, causing us both to stop. “Could I talk to you in private, please? ”
I looked at Rhett and saw him furrow his brow. Before he could even open his mouth, I placed my hand on his chest, making sure that ring was in David’s line of sight.
“I’ll meet up with you, okay?” I gave him a soft smile, hopefully relaying that I was okay.
Giving David one more glance, Rhett gave me a nod, kissing my hand before letting go to lead Buckle away. Once his back was turned, he looked over his shoulders, his eyes dark from the rim of his hat. I folded my arms and looked back at David.
“What?” I asked bluntly, wanting this conversation over before it even started.
“I want you back.”
“Tough shit,” I snapped. Good start, Kyla. “In case you forgot—”
“You married a cowboy. Yeah, Kyla, a ring on your finger doesn’t prove that.”
“I have the marriage license if you’d rather see that,” I said sarcastically, thanking god Rhett had the courage to make the marriage legal.
David shook his head, his eyes closed tight as if he was searching his brain catalog for the exact words to say. “I was an idiot,” he began, his voice softening as he took a single step towards me. “I waited for you to come back, to come home, but figured out that you weren’t . . .”
“So, what, you had to track me down on your own?”
“Not like you made it easy,” he bit out, turning his head, his tone changing. The softness he had mere seconds before was gone. “You were actually hard to find. ”
“You’re admitting you looked for me?”
“Why wouldn’t I have looked for you? You’re my fiancé, Kyla. We were supposed to get married this summer. Instead, I find you married to some hick.” He raised his arm in the direction where Rhett had gone. I could still see Buckle in the distance, Rhett holding tight to her reins as he talked to another man.
“I married a cowboy . That cowboy swept me off my feet from the moment we met. He made me feel loved and cared for and worshiped .” I glared at him, pausing only to relish in the way his eyes flared when I spoke. “He loves me, David. That’s more than can be said about how you felt.”
I was even shocked with what came from my lips. David took a deep breath and took a single step towards me. I held my ground. His entire demeanor changed once I finished. There was a fire behind his eyes, one that was burning to take over. His line from earlier, “I was an idiot, I want you back” was all a part of his ploy. He took another step, a breath hissing through his lips as he got closer.
He lowered his head and as soon as his cheek was close to me, he whispered, “I know you haven’t been here for as long as you’re saying. I know your marriage isn’t real. It’s just to get me to back off, but I won’t be. You’re mine, Kyla.”
I pulled my head away and looked at him, pinching my brow. My heart faltered, my breath stopped. He had me. He had me backed into a corner and I didn’t know what to do from here. That courage I had found was gone—vanished—just like his fake smile and care. He knew exactly what to say to get a rise out of me and I hated that he was going to win .
I clenched my teeth to keep my jaw from quivering. I couldn’t let him see that he was getting to me. That the fear was still there. It still lingered no matter what I did, still made my stomach twist and the anxiety boil. I tried to force myself to think about the time I had spent with Rhett. Those were the moments when I felt safe and secure—the moments where I could be myself. But David reminded me it wasn’t real. It was only a temporary feeling.
But I couldn’t let him see that. I took a deep breath and swallowed, pulling the courage I knew was in there somewhere.
“I met Rhett at a rodeo in February in Arizona, he invited me to come with him and I had such an amazing time with him that I agreed. We got married in April after realizing we never wanted to be apart. Come to terms with it. I was never happy with you, but I am insanely happy with Rhett.”
Pinching his brow, David locked eyes with me.
“I know what you’re doing,” I continued, rolling with it. “Rhett knows what you’re doing. You’re not here to try to buy his ranch or enjoy festivities. But David, this game you’re trying to play, it’s not going to work.”
David inhaled, raising his chin to look down at me. “I’m not the one playing a game, Kyla. You’re the one who dragged Rhett into this. You’re the one playing the game. Not me.”
“You’re not going to twist this to be my fault.” I defended myself, willing the tears to stay back.
He didn’t deserve anymore from me.
“I’m not twisting anything.” He backed away and then smiled. The man actually smiled at me, turning back into the perfect person he wanted everyone to see. “It’s good to see Grace made it out to visit you. I’m sure your mom will be next; she’ll have to meet her son-in-law at some point.”
“My mother hasn’t spoken to me since I left you.”
“With good reason. She supported our marriage, not whatever this is.” He sighed, his hand waving around as he looked at the rodeo. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes, his fist clenching at his side. Silence for a few beats, David finally opened his eyes, fake tears pooling in them. “I still love you, Kyla. You still mean the world to me, and I will be leaving here with you.”
I was an idiot.
You’re the one playing a game.
I still love you.
I will leave here with you.
I shook my head and began to turn my body, “No, I think I’ll stay here with Rhett.”