Chapter 24 #2
“So fucking perfect,” he murmurs, pulling out of me and laying me gently on the blanket beside him. Rolling over, he watches as his cum starts to leak out of me, before reaching up to push it back inside me.
“Holy shit, Cowboy, you’re gonna be the death of me.”
I groan as my alarm goes off the following morning, reaching for my phone to silence the most annoying sound in the world.
“Fuck early mornings,” I growl, tapping the button to turn the alarm off.
I look over, hoping to find Colton still in bed next to me, but I’m not surprised to see he’s already up, probably checking on The Last Lasso before we start the day.
Usually Mondays are one of my days to sleep in, but one of the local schools is bringing their students for a field trip today, so I need to be dressed and overly caffeinated by the time they get here at eight.
Field trips are some of our most chaotic days, and having over a hundred elementary students spread across the pastures always makes me a little on edge.
But watching their excitement as they see the pumpkins makes it worth it.
Forcing myself out of bed, I head to the kitchen in search of coffee. The smell of it hits me as soon as I step into the kitchen, and I smile. Walking over to the machine, I pick up the note Colton left for me.
Good morning,
I needed to run next door to make sure everything was under control before we start the day. You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you. The coffee’s ready for you. I’ll be home soon.
Colton
P.S. Last night was incredible. Pretty sure I’ll never look at a bottle of paint the same way again.
P.P.S. Knox is outside because he’s still covered in paint. I’ll help you bathe him when I get home before the school group gets there.
Smiling down at the note, I pour myself a cup of coffee and head to the front porch. Sitting in the chair that looks out over the property, I take a long, slow sip.
“Hey, Miss Louise asked me to tell you she’d like four more pumpkins delivered tomorrow morning,” I say, turning to Colton as he comes into the store the following weekend.
“I’ll make sure she’s taken care of,” Colton promises, walking behind the counter to grab a water out of the small cooler we keep hidden.
“Thank you,” I say, smiling as he trails his hand up my leg behind the counter before standing and taking a long sip of his water.
We share a look, and I know both of us are thinking about our night in the pasture last weekend before he says, “Hey, what do you think about coming to take a look at the house tomorrow? The furniture I’ve ordered is finally here, and I’ve decided I can’t let the squirrels run wild forever.”
“Oh my goodness, I didn’t think this day would ever come,” I tease. “But I’d love to. Did you ever get a hold of Andy?”
“Nope. And now that I’m done with fixing the outside, I can’t put it off any longer.”
“I’m proud of you, Cowboy,” I say with a laugh. “How are Diesel and the rest of the cows doing?”
“They’re good. I think they’ve finally gotten all settled.”
“That’s good.” I nod. “He’s really a big ol’ softie, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, he is,” Colton agrees, bumping his shoulder against mine.
I lean in, momentarily forgetting where we are, and I’m just about to pull him down for a kiss when the door blows open. We jump apart, and I look up, surprised to see Caroline Tyler standing in front of us.
“Well, I’ll be,” she teases. “Am I interrupting something?”
Colton offers her a small smile before grabbing his water from the counter. “Nope. I was just on a water break, but I’ve gotta get back to work. I’ll see you after a while, Lucy.”
Caroline and I both stare at him as he leaves, before Caroline runs over with a squeal. “Okay, well, I just came by to grab some pumpkins and say hi, but it looks like I’m getting a show too. That man is really something, isn’t he?” she asks excitedly.
I smile, trying to decide what to say. “I think that’s a bit of an understatement.”
She laughs, waving her arm at me. “Oh, girl. Trust me, I get it. When Theo came into my life, I didn’t even know what way was up. And you look pretty dazed and confused yourself right now.”
“So I’m not losing it?” I tease, and Caroline shakes her head.
“Nope, not at all. But I promise it’s worth it. Theo and I had a lot to work through, but I never thought I’d end up this happy.”
“Really?” I ask, curiosity clear in my voice.
“Oh my gosh, yes. But that’s a story for another time. Right now, I want to know about you and the cowboy.”
I hesitate, trying to figure out what to say, before deciding to tell the truth. “Well, it’s complicated,” I start. “He’s my brother’s best friend, and he's a good bit older than me, but I really like him. I guess you could say we’re still figuring things out.”
Caroline nods as I talk, reaching out to pat my hand.
“Oh, girl. I've been there. Well, not the brother’s best friend part, but the figuring it out part. And I know it sounds cliché, but it really will work out. And for right now, all you can do is enjoy the ride. If you can make it out to the other side, it’s pretty damn incredible.
And if not, you just have to believe that something better is out there. ”
As she talks, I realize she’s right. I can’t control how everyone around us is going to react to Colton and I being together, but I need to decide if it’s worth it. Immediately, I know the answer, and I feel a bit of peace rush over me.
Over the last week, I’ve driven myself crazy over wondering about all the possible ways this relationship could end.
Realistically, I know that there’s no way that the path we’re on won’t come without some resistance, and no matter how many times Colton reminds me that he’s serious about this, I can’t help but feel like I’m going to wake up one day and find that he’s changed his mind about everything.
I look up at Caroline and pull her into a hug. “Thank you. You’re right. Now, let’s find you some pumpkins while you tell me more about that grumpy fiancé of yours.”