Chapter 11 #2
Bronco comes into the kitchenette and gives me a big grin. He pulls me into his arms without a word and kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in three years. “Missed you,” he murmurs when he finally lets me up for air.
I’m dizzy and blinking away black spots from my vision when I glance toward Ryan.
“I have to get back to my desk. Lazy Jack is supposed to be watching the monitors.” He rolls his eyes at the mention of his nickname for the new hire. We’ve been through three guys named Jack over the last nine months, so Ryan has taken to giving them descriptors to tell them apart.
“If you ever want to talk, I’m here,” I tell him.
“Thanks,” he mutters and tosses his can into the trash bin before leaving the room.
“What was that about?” Bronco asks.
“It’s kind of complicated, but Ryan is a good person. He’s really sweet.”
He grunts.
I roll my eyes. “Don’t worry. There’s only one man who has my attention.”
Menace barks.
“Okay, so two. Two of my best boys,” I say and give him a nuzzle.
I send a quick text to Aunt Elaine that I can’t wait to see her. She’s going to be flying back in tonight, but I’ll be spending the night at Bronco’s. She doesn’t ask me about that, and I don’t ask her how her search for an investor went. I hope she hasn’t signed any paperwork yet.
When we reach the ranch, I follow Bronco into the garage where he keeps the food in a deep freezer. Coming up behind him, I give him a big hug. He instantly stills. “What’s this for?”
“You’ve seemed a little sad today,” I whisper against his flannel. It’s not something easy to explain. It’s only a vague sense I’ve had. It’s the same sadness he seems to get around the anniversary of when we lost Vale, so I think it’s about my brother.
“I was waiting on a text message that never came,” he admits.
I wait for him to continue. He doesn’t, and I don’t press him for details. Instead, I promise him that I’m here for him. That I’ll always be here for him.
He twists around in my arms, the smile he gives me is my new favorite thing. It makes his whole face light up. “Let’s get you fed. You’ll need your strength for what I want to do to you tonight.”
I shiver at his words, already thinking about the night ahead. Is he going to bend me over the edge of the bed and sink deep into my body, the way he kept threatening to last night?
“I’m not the only one who’s going to need strength,” I tease in response and press a quick kiss to his lips before I grab the supplies. I’m gone before he’s even realized I’ve moved, and I hear him swearing under his breath as I leave the garage.
The campfire is already going when I walk down to it. Cord and Flint are arguing over whether Godzilla or King Kong would win in a fight.
“Where’s Ridge tonight?” I ask them when they try to convince me to get involved with their argument.
“He’s—” Flint starts.
“He’s running an errand for me,” Bronco interrupts, coming up behind me He says it so firmly, so harshly that it makes me think he’s hiding something.
“Well, that’s not suspicious at all.”
“What can I say? I’m a man of many secrets and many talents.” Bronco says as he settles to begin cooking over the fire. I don’t know if it’s ranch life or being outdoors, but the food just tastes better here.
The rest of the evening passes easily and joyfully. I chat with the boys while Bronco grills endless burgers and hotdogs for any cowboy who wants one. I toss Menace bites of my food.
Finally, Cord takes over the grill, and Bronco can rest. The first thing he does is settle into the chair right beside mine then tug me onto his lap.
“Don’t you want to eat?” I protest, my cheeks going warm.
Not that it matters. None of the cowboys are paying attention to us.
No one is acting like it’s odd for me to be on his lap with his hardness pressed against me.
It’s everything I can do not to rub up against him in a shameless display of need.
“I can eat like this,” he insists, taking a bite of his burger with one hand. His other hand rest possessively on my hip. I like the way he’s not ashamed for anyone to see us together, the way he holds me so tightly.
My phone buzzes, and I manage to pull it from my pocket. The moment I see the notification, I gasp. “Bronco, we did it! The auction is fully funded! Every cent we needed came in!”
Tears fill my eyes as shock and gratitude fill my heart.
I was so afraid to even hope this idea would work, and now it has.
The community center is saved. Dozens of residents will continue to live out their best years in comfort and safety with the loving people of Courage County watching over them.
The cowboys around us let out cheers as he smiles down at me. “I’m proud of you. You were the one who figured all of this out.”
“I’m just so happy!” I put my hands on his face and pull him close, giving him a kiss. I mean for it to be a quick peck since we have an audience, but he doesn’t care. Bronco takes control of the kiss, turning it into a passionate display of just how much he wants me.
“You promised me a good time later, cowboy,” I remind him quietly when I can finally breathe and think again. After a kiss like that, I’m not even sure I have the strength to walk into the house.
“And I will deliver that good time every time,” he says as he kisses me again. His tongue plunders my mouth and makes me slick between my thighs. His kiss has me so distracted that I never hear the truck door being slammed nearby or the crunch of gravel under boots.
But I do hear a voice, one I thought I’d never hear again, yell, “What the actual fuck, Bronco?”