Chapter Thirty-Four
Marina
I wake with the warm weight of Royce’s arm draped over me and immediately remember where I am.
I crack open one eye and glance toward the window, where tendrils of early sunlight curl through the curtains, spilling soft light across the room.
I need to go.
I start inching out from beneath his arm, trying to move slowly enough so I don’t wake him.
His hold tightens.
I feel his face burrow against the back of my neck, and his mouth finds my ear.
“You’re not sneaking out on me this time, woman,” he mumbles, his voice still heavy from sleep.
I sigh. “I’m not sneaking.”
“Sure feels like it.”
“I need to get home before Ryder wakes up.” I settle back against him. “And I didn’t want to disturb you.”
He goes quiet for a second.
Then he rolls over me, bracing himself on his elbows. “You’re going to make sure I’m awake before you leave my bed from now on.”
“From now on?” I blink up at him. “You do know that my mother isn’t gonna be here forever, right?”
He raises a brow. “No?”
“God, I hope not,” I say.
“Well, damn. Guess I’ll just have to find creative ways to sneak in and out of your place.”
He kisses me.
I smile against his mouth and try to turn my head. “I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
He laughs. “My mouth was on all kinds of dirty places last night, and you still kissed me.”
I gasp. “You did not just say that.”
He shrugs. “Just sayin’, your standards are a lot higher in the morning.”
I slap at his chest. “Get off me.”
He grabs my hands and kisses me again.
I try to squirm away, but he catches me around the waist.
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“That you’ll wake me before you leave.”
Another kiss, this time on my neck.
I finally sigh. “Okay, fine. I’ll wake you,” I say.
“Every time?”
“Every time.”
“Good.”
He kisses me once more, then finally lets me go.
I sit up and start gathering my things while he gets out of bed and walks over to his dresser. He comes back with a sweatshirt and a pair of gym shorts.
“Put these on.”
I hold up the shorts. “These are going to fall off me.”
He grins. “Sorry, baby. They’re the best I can do.”
I give him a look but pull them on anyway, followed by his sweatshirt, which hangs almost to my knees.
He watches me for a second. “Can I drive you?”
I shake my head. “No. Your truck sounds like a damn freight train. I don’t want it waking Ryder. I’m not prepared to answer any questions this morning.”
He nods. “Fair enough—for now.”
He steps closer, and I narrow my eyes.
“Don’t.”
He kisses me anyway.
I grab my boots.
“I’m leaving my dress. If that’s okay.”
He looks toward the pile of clothes. “Okay.”
I pull on my boots, give him one last look, and head for the door.
By the time I make it back to my cabin, the sky is just beginning to lighten. I unlock the door and tiptoe inside, pulling it closed behind me as quietly as possible.
I make it three steps.
“Good morning, baby girl.”
I freeze and slowly turn.
Mom is sitting at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee, grinning from ear to ear.
Her eyes drift slowly over me as she takes in the oversize sweatshirt and the shorts I’m struggling to keep up with one hand because they’re falling off my waist. The boots I was wearing when I left for the bar. Then back to my face.
“I’ll forgive you for not calling me last night,” she says, taking a leisurely sip of her coffee, “seeing as you look like you were a little preoccupied.”
I close my eyes. “I’m sorry, Mom. I lost track …”
Her grin gets even wider. “Oh, honey. You don’t have to tell me a thing.”
“That’s good because I’ve got nothing.”
I start toward the bedroom.
“Have a good morning, Marina.”
I stop. “Mom?”
“Hmm?”
“Does Ryder know I was out all night?”
“Nope. He went down at ten o’clock last night, and I haven’t heard a peep from him since.”
I exhale a relieved breath. “Thank God.”
She lifts her coffee. “You can just call me Mom.”
I walk away.
Behind me, I hear her quietly laughing.
By the time brunch is cleaned up, Ryder is practically vibrating with excitement.
Mom, Ryder, and I head over to the main house to wait for the transport trailer, and I find myself checking the driveway every few minutes, like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.
Rowdy is coming home today.
After all the upheaval that’s happened in my life lately, the thought of seeing my partner again makes something inside me settle.
We’re standing near the front drive when the dually and tag-along trailer finally appears.
“There they come!” Ryder shouts.
The huge rig rolls up the drive just as Evelyn, Earl, and Albert are returning from church.
Everyone gathers as the driver parks and climbs down. I walk to the end of the trailer and wait while he gets the rear doors open.
The familiar smell of hay and horse hits me before I see him.
“Hey, handsome.”
Rowdy shifts inside the trailer, ears flicking toward my voice.
I step inside and talk softly to him, giving him a few minutes to recognize where he is and settle before I coax him down the ramp.
“Come on, buddy.”
He follows me carefully, blinking against the sunlight.
Ryder immediately runs over. “Can we ride him?”
I shake my head. “Not today, baby.”
His little face falls. “Why not?”
“Because traveling is really hard on horses,” I explain.
“They have to stand up and balance the whole time they’re in the trailer.
They can’t sit down like we do. People get to sit in a seat, watch a movie, eat snacks, even fall asleep.
Horses have to work their muscles the whole trip just to stay on their feet. ”
Ryder looks at Rowdy with new concern. “So, he’s tired?”
“Very tired.” I rub Rowdy’s neck. “He needs a few days to rest and recover from the trip.”
Ryder nods solemnly. “Okay.”
“But you can help me feed him and give him fresh water.”
His eyes brighten. “Okay.”
That’s all it takes. Ryder moves closer, carefully stroking Rowdy’s nose.
“Hi, Rowdy,” he whispers. “I’m Ryder. You remember me?”
Rowdy blows softly through his nostrils.
Ryder grins. “He remembers me.”
“I think he does.”
He wraps his little arms around Rowdy’s neck as much as he can and whispers something else into his mane that I can’t quite make out.
Whatever it is, Rowdy stands perfectly still.
After giving him time to eat and drink, I lead him out to the paddock.
The second I unclip the lead rope, Rowdy stretches his neck, takes a few long strides, and then breaks into an easy trot.
I smile as I watch him move. Fresh air and open space. His own four feet beneath him. That’s exactly what he needs.
I rest my forearms on the fence.
“Same, boy. Same,” I mutter.
Shelby and Charli join me, and we stand shoulder to shoulder, watching Rowdy stretch his legs.
Shelby glances at me. “So … what happened with you and Royce at the bar last night?”
I look at her.
She raises an eyebrow. “He called Waylon, but he didn’t exactly give him any details.”
“Just a big, fat misunderstanding.”
Both women stare at me.
“Did you two work it out?” Charli asks.
I can’t help it. A smile spreads across my face. “You could say that.”
Shelby squeals.
Charli squeals louder.
I burst out laughing. “Aren’t we a little too old to be squealing like teenagers?”
“Fuck no,” Charli says immediately. “You’re never too old to squeal over a boy.”
“Or working out those misunderstandings,” Shelby adds.
“You guys are starting to sound like Ginger,” I say.
Charli laughs. “She is a wise woman.”
“Ginger is a whole experience,” Shelby agrees.
True enough.
The woman has never met a boundary she couldn’t climb over.