Chapter 36
JULES
F inding Riley was harder than she expected. He wasn’t in the stables—she checked the tack room, feed room, and wash stalls. He wasn’t at the corral or in the other barns. But she also couldn’t find Lucky. And it was a safe bet that one was with the other.
She traveled over the rolling hills of the pasture to the shady tree that hung over the lull in the river: Riley’s favorite spot.
And there they were. Riley sat on the ground, his taupe-colored Stetson standing out against the lush green field and robin egg blue sky.
Lucky stood over him, his gangly legs looping around the cowboy.
Circling out wide, he gave a little hop before gaining speed on his reapproach to Riley. Then he lowered his head and slammed right into the cowboy’s shoulder. A booming laugh escaped Riley at the head butt.
A laugh escaped her as well.
The moment the sound passed her lips, she watched him sit up straighter and turn over his shoulder to find her.
His expression was warm, affection in those blue-green eyes.
But there was the familiar cautiousness there too.
As if she was one of the wild mustangs and he wasn’t quite sure what to expect from her next.
Lucky, on the other hand, bound towards her, his stride getting stronger with each passing day. She reached out and rubbed her hand along his back before moving to Riley’s side. She dropped down into the field, her shoulder bouncing against his.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” she offered, reaching out to trail her fingers along the back of his arm. “My dad was at my place when I got there.”
“He was?”
He flipped his hand over as her fingers reached his wrist. When she slid her hand into his, he closed his around it. He lifted their joined hands to his mouth, dragging his lips along her knuckles. The resulting chill reached all the way up to her heart.
“How did that go?”
“I actually went to see him the morning you got hurt. For the first time in a long time, we actually talked. I had his undivided attention, and it was hard. But needed. I missed him.”
Her face split into a wide smile.
His followed suit.
“I’m proud of you,” he offered softly.
She hadn’t even told him what they talked about. She hadn’t gotten to the best part yet. But he was supportive all the same. The love that blossomed in her chest threatened to spill right out of her mouth.
Instead, she said, “Today, he was bringing me a package from the magazine that showed up at his house. But I told him I had a more important contract to secure. One that I tried to ask Brett for just now, but he seemed to think it wasn’t his to offer anymore.”
Riley’s eyes widened. The corner of his mouth tipping even further. His head tipping to the side right along with it.
“You’re looking for a job? We do have one available, but it’s not the temporary gig previously offered.”
“It’s not, huh?”
“Nah. Turns out it’s a bit more involved. We had a change in roles, something about a new extension of the ranch including a wild horse rehab center. The wrangler job is now split with running this new project?—”
“Riley!” She threw her arms around his neck, knocking him off balance the same as Lucky had. He recovered quickly, his arms coming around her waist and turning her, so her legs fell across his lap.
“You are going to be perfect for this,” she added, twisting her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck.
“Think so?”
“I know so.”
“Well,” he continued as his hand trailed up her spine. “It means that we’ll need more help on the caretaker side of things for the ranch’s herd. And help with the wild horses when the wrangler is up at camp, or any other time they wish. I imagine the two positions would work very closely together.”
“Is that a fact?” she murmured, her focus fixed on the way his eyes appeared minty in the bright sun.
“Sure is. Think you’d still be interested?”
She bit her lip, worried he didn’t realize what he was signing up for.
“I’m very interested. I just… do you think you’ll get tired of me? Since I’ve gotten here, it feels like I’ve brought all my chaos with me. And you’ve taken it on, letting me rely on you so much. What if my chaos?—”
“You are the best kind of chaos, wild thing.”
He slid a hand up to cup her jaw, his grasp on her as steady as his voice. There was no doubt in his answer.
Before she could reply, he brushed a gentle kiss along her lips. It was the kind of kiss that settled her. Something only Riley seemed to be able to balance—causing her whole body to ignite at times, and then other times soothing her completely.
Behind them Lucky stomped a hoof and approached, nosing his way into their embrace.
Reaching down towards his ankle, Riley lifted a purple ball with a handle atop that she hadn’t noticed was over there.
He stood, pulling her up with him. And keeping one arm around her waist, holding her tight to his side, Riley wiggled the ball in front of the young horse’s face.
It didn’t take long for Lucky to take the bait, snatching it from his hand. Having successfully distracted the foal, Riley turned back to face her.
“Here’s the thing, Jules. I’m the type of man that will never tire of what he loves.”
Her breathing hitched. “Love?”
“Love. I am head over spurs in love with you. Have been for some time. It turns out, it’s possible for someone to take up residence in your heart after a single night.”
Jules blinked up at him, her lips parted in surprise. He loved her. And it made her feel freer than she ever thought was possible. She felt light as air, her own affection for him bringing every inch of her body to life.
But he wasn’t done. Taking her chin in his hand, he said, “So, here’s my offer. A life in Sterling Ridge. A job. A relationship. You can have all of it or slice up the offer to accept the pieces you’d like. And it will all be here between shoots. A place to call home.”
Tears stung the corner of her eyes, and she blinked furiously up at his ruggedly handsome and wholly patient face.
“This includes the job you leave for in just a few days,” he added.
“You know about that?” She gaped. “I’m sorry, there just wasn’t a good time to tell you, I only found out?—”
Riley shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize to me. It’s your job, and you do it well.”
“I’m not going though.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re not?”
“It was a last-minute change on their end. And you were in the hospital when they were demanding an answer.”
She shifted her weight to lean further into his embrace. That feeling of unrestrained worry from yesterday came rushing back, and she wanted nothing more than to feel his sturdiness. Proof that he was as fine as he said.
Looking up at him, she studied the concerned pinch that didn’t often grace his features. His jaw tensed, and she dragged her thumb along it, willing it to loosen.
“Jules,” he rasped, turning his face to press a kiss into her palm. “Please tell me that you didn’t turn it down because of me.”
“I did,” she started, pressing a finger over his mouth as he tried to protest. “And I didn’t.
I sat behind that ficus thinking about how I couldn’t imagine leaving if you needed me.
I wanted to be here for you and to make sure you were okay.
Then I also thought about what I’d say if you weren’t in the hospital.
And I realized I still wouldn’t want it to leave.
I’d miss you, and Lucky, and everyone and everything here.
There will be other trips, I can go to Argentina any time.
But I’m just starting to put down roots, to feel… home.”
She took a deep breath as Riley’s eyes shined back at her. “So, I accept. I want it all, everything you’re offering. I want the relationship and the job. A life and a home.”
Riley took her face in both hands and pulled her into an oxygen depriving kiss. His mouth consumed her with a hunger that spanned a year’s worth of waiting. And she melted right into it.
He claimed her with each crush of his lips, each pass of his tongue.
And she planted her roots further with each whimper that escaped her.
He dragged his mouth from hers, one hand continuing to cup her face, the other wrapping around to the back of her neck.
His thumb swiped back and forth at the base of her skull, tangling in her wind-swept hair.
“I don’t want you to regret this,” he whispered. “I never wanted you to have to choose.”
Sunshine exploded in her chest. And she felt it slipping outward through her broad smile.
“I know you didn’t. And that’s why it was the easiest choice I’ve ever made.
You never made your love feel conditional, never put an ultimatum on the table.
I knew I was free to make the choice I wanted.
And what I chose was to stay with the man I love.
I love you for that very reason and so much more.
I can be reckless and wild with you, but I know you’ll never be reckless with my heart.
So, it’s yours. It has been for a while. ”
His arms wrapped around her waist and held her flush to his chest. His face dipped to tuck into her neck. Something like relief seemed to wash over him, his body relaxing against hers. “We’re doing this thing, then?”
She laughed against his collarbone, gathering her hands around the back of his neck. “Oh yeah, we’re doing this.”