Chapter 30 #2
Dawson watched Caroline walk toward him as he tightened the buckle on his saddle. April came from the other way, leading her saddled and ready horse. “Uncle Dawson, Grandma wants me to go get the food.”
He tore his eyes from his girlfriend. “Okay, just throw the reins over the post there.”
She did, and then April started toward the house. She saw Caroline too, though, and she detoured toward her. Dawson once again couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman who’d crowded into his waking hours, infused herself into his morning running, and followed him into his dreams too.
She smiled at April, said something to her, and listened as Dawson’s niece spoke back to her. Dawson liked watching them, as Caroline had a way with kids and teenagers too, whether she could see it in herself or not.
When Caroline looked over to him, he busied himself with the saddle that was already ready.
“Hey, baby.” Caroline took a couple last steps to him, running her hand down Architect’s nose before switching her attention to him. “You’re going to be gone for three days.”
He grinned at her, a chuckle coming from his throat as something really warm settled in every nook and cranny of his body. “Are you saying you miss me already?”
Caroline’s head bobbled, like she might be saying yes and no at the same time. Dawson laughed, and he moved closer to her. “I miss you like crazy,” he whispered. “So kiss me while we’re alone out here, because my brother and niece are going to be back any minute.”
He snaked his hand up her arm to the back of her head as he guided her mouth to his. He sank into kissing Caroline, as it felt so natural and so good and so right. He sure hoped she felt like this kissing him, and he hated that he’d be gone checking the herd for the next three days.
The warbling of chickens entered his awareness, and Dawson broke the kiss. He stayed close to Caroline, existing inside the comfortable bubble they’d managed to create.
“What’s this one’s name?” Caroline asked, her voice soft, almost muted.
Dawson turned toward his beloved hens. He found Rusty, his big rooster with them, and they made him so happy. “Well, here we’ve got Lulu, Peach, Pearl, and Ruby.” He looked back to her. “My favorites, finally.”
“With Rusty.”
“Seems they’re palling around together.”
“I can’t believe you just let them run around like this.”
“They’re free range,” he said.
“But you don’t eat them.”
Dawson chuckled, as they’d had this conversation before. “They like it, baby.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “You’ll babysit the owls for me while I’m gone?”
She leaned into him as she wrapped her arms around him. “Yep.”
“Okay,” he said. “Duke’s kids are going to feed my chickens. I suppose I can survive away from this place for a few days.”
“You’ll be fine.”
He wanted to protest that he wouldn’t be, that he craved routine and disrupting it bothered him more than he’d told her, but he stuffed the words back down his throat.
“I’ve got the food,” April thankfully called, and Dawson stepped away from Caroline. Brandon brought his horse around from the side of the stable too, and the three of them would stay together for the next few days while they journeyed out into the hills to check on their cattle and dogs.
“Load us up, missy,” Dawson said. He whistled for Ruffin, and the dog perked up from where he lay in the shade. “Let’s go, buddy.”
Brandon swung into the saddle, and April collected her reins after putting the food in Dawson’s saddlebags. He’d made himself several sticky notes for what needed to be done when he returned, and he’d done all of the required items before this trip.
“All right,” he said. “We’re headed out.” He turned back to his horse only to find Caroline pulling her hand back from his saddlebags. His eyebrows went up, his curiosity off the charts. “What’s goin’ on here?”
“Nothing,” she said airily.
“Did you put something in or take something out?” He peered at her hands, but she’d folded her arms. “I need all the stuff I put in there.”
“I didn’t take anything.” She watched him with that familiar fire in her eyes.
Dawson grinned at her, because those eyes mesmerized him more than anything. “Caroline—”
“Just look when you get there,” she said. “Okay? Please? I don’t want you to see it right now.”
“All right,” he drawled. “Is this something I should try to open when I’m alone?”
“Not necessarily.”
“My niece is fourteen,” he teased. “You sure?”
Caroline huffed out her breath and then finally smiled. “Maybe the note.”
“Oh, there’s a note?”
“Are you going to flirt all day?” April asked from atop her horse as she shuffled it closer. “Or are we going?”
He looked up at her, catching her impish grin before she flattened it. “We’re going,” Dawson growled. He took a quick step to Caroline and swept his arm around her as he kissed her cheek. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Have fun,” she said. She raised her hand to April. “You keep him in line, okay?”
April grinned at her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Dawson worked hard not to roll his eyes as he swung into his saddle. “All right,” he said. “Lead us out, you.”
April threw him a grin and swung her mount around to do just that. Dawson couldn’t wait to get out into the wilderness and bask in the Texas sunshine. He couldn’t wait to let the wide sky above Three Rivers cleanse his thoughts and remind him of who he was.
And he absolutely couldn’t wait to see what Caroline had snuck into his saddlebag.