Chapter 32 – Cody #2
Shay rolls her eyes and kisses Caleb on the cheek. “What is it? Bleach? I’ve been cleaning all day, Cody.”
“I know. That’s why I want you to take a break. It can’t possibly be that bad.”
I swear Shay might swing on me again if she weren’t so tired and if she weren’t holding up her son.
I watch the little rivers of sweat travel down her neck and try not to let the sight of it arouse me.
I shouldn’t get all turned on by the sight of a woman cleaning my house with sweat dripping down her neck but it’s strangely hot to watch her all wrapped up and neurotic in her housekeeping.
“The fact that you can’t tell how bad it is scares me,” Shay says, her cute little nostrils flaring out in distress. Her round features are so soft and sensitive to me. I want her to quit glaring at me and start feeling some love again – possibly for the first time unless I stay optimistic.
“You know I’m clean at least,” I offer, hoping that she notices my tight black shirt, which I think makes my body look the most cut.
Shay gives me another withering look. “I have begun to question your cleanliness from what I’ve seen of this ranch.”
Cowboys don’t spend a lot of time sweeping, I’ll give her that.
The boys thought I meant stacking the beer cans when I asked them to clean up and didn’t consider taking them out to the city recycling center.
I offer Shay a weak smile and weaker justification.
I can tell she isn’t impressed in the slightest.
“It’s a dude ranch, Shay. They’re dudes.”
“I wasn’t aware having a penis prevented you from kicking your boots off.”
“They work their asses off in the fields.”
“I suppose a woman’s place is in the kitchen then?” she asks, giving me one of those looks like I’m about to step on a landmine.
“Will you come see my present?” Women love presents. Shay sees right through me. I worry for Caleb – he’ll have to learn how to get his mama on his good side quickly, because she’s pretty sharp.
She sighs. “Yes. Can I bring Caleb?”
“Of course he can. He’s my stepson.”
She gives me a soft smile. “That’s very sweet, Cody.”
“You know I love you both,” I tell her. And Shay’s smile lingers. I don’t know if she worked out some of her anger with me while she cleaned, but I feel as if this smile from her is genuine. This smile might mean more than her others.
Shay agrees to come with me as long as I wait for her to change into her sweaty clothes.
She looks so fucking sexy when she comes out ready to walk around the ranch.
I love watching Shay in a big black Stetson, especially when she has those sexy jeans on, short brown cowboy boots and a cute green top.
Caleb does his best to give his mama a tour of the ranch as we walk around. He points out the trees and the “sheeps” and the “mool” as well as the “TRACTOR”, a word he already has total mastery over, boding well for his future out here. As we get closer to the stables, Shay gets suspicious.
“I’m starting to get worried about this gift, Cody.”
I laugh and put my arms around Shay as I lead her into the stable. Her gift is in the last stall, all the way at the end.
“You have nothing to worry about. Trust me, Shay. You’ll love him.”
“Him!?”
I lead her all the way to the last stall and point. Shay looks at him – and squeals.
“He’s tiny!”
“Surprise.”
“That’s a horse?!” she says, squealing with infectious delight.
Caleb laughs and claps his hands together as Shay bounces him excitedly and rushes to the edge of the stall to greet her new pet.
He’s a buckskin quarter horse crossed with pony of some sort, technically – absolutely beautiful and a classic Western horse.
The pony has a warm gold coat, almost the same color as a white-tailed deer out east. He has a black mane and tail with some streaks of brown. He alerts to Shay’s presence instantly, but shows no signs of fear. This is good – I don’t think she knows much about horses.
“I love the white star on his forehead,” Shay says. “Aww… He’s such a sweet little guy.”
When Coleton first sent me the picture of him, the pony’s broad forehead and innocent eyes instantly made me think of Shay.
The boys told me that they wanted to sell him, but I couldn’t bear to part with him when he would be the perfect gift for Shay to welcome her to the ranch and make her feel like this place really is her home.
I want her to love me.
“What’s his name?” Shay leans forward to get a closer look. I don’t even mind that she isn’t staring at me right now.
“He’s your pony, Shay. You get to name him.”
“Jesus!” Caleb shouts out. I think that’s a name suggestion, but it’s pretty funny and random. I’m starting to realize that kids are always like that. Shay and I both laugh. She kisses her son on the cheek.
“We cannot name him Jesus,” she says as Caleb laughs along with her. “He’s so sweet…”
Shay sticks out her hand over the stall and the pony comes right up to her like they’re made for each other.
He takes careful, plodding steps with that sweet curiosity animals have about new people.
I can tell that he likes her, even if the boys said he had a bit of a bad attitude.
The pony licks her hand to greet her and Shay giggles before petting him on the top of his head.
He has a sturdy, short body, and I suspect that Caleb will have some time learning how to ride on him before he gets too big.
“You know what he reminds me of?”
“What?”
“Butter,” she says, patting him in just the way he seems to like. “I think I’m going to call him Butters.”
“That’s a cute name.”
Caleb chuckles. “Budders.”
“Butters,” Shay says affirmatively. “You look like Butters to me.”
He snorts and licks her hand again.
I’m so in love with this woman it hurts.
“I want you to be happy here, Shay,” I tell her. “I’ll lasso the moon if that’s what it takes…”
“I love him already,” she says, scratching between Butters’ ears. My heart sinks and twists up. I feel stupid for feeling so hurt over something so small. I wish she would find it so easy to say that she loves me.