Branndon Jr. (9 page)

Branndon
threw back his arm, aimed and got the kid right in the chest, knocking him back
and sending his hat flying into the snow.

He
began wailing and crying. Branndon ran over to him and got hold of his arm.

“Not
so funny now, is it you little punk? You touch April again, touch anything that
belongs to her ever again, or even look at her the wrong way and you’ll get
more than a snowball thrown at you.”

“I’m
calling the police.”

“Do
it, kid, and I’ll have them charge you with damage to property and personal
assault.”

Before
he knew it the kid was pulling out a cell phone and dialing.

“Dad,
you need to come deal with some guy who hit me,” he cried into the phone.

Chapter Eleven

Susanne
knew this had been a bad idea. Some other parent had been dropping off their
daughter when they’d seen the altercation and called her. By the time she got
there, Branndon and some guy were shouting at one another.

“You
threw a snowball at my boy.”

“I
sure did because he’d destroyed a puppet and cut this little girl’s hair,”
Branndon said, pulling April’s hat from her head.

“Looks
okay to me.”

“Looks
okay to you, well let me tell you I’m not surprised you’ve produced such a bastard
of a kid. The snowball was to teach him a lesson.”

“Oh
yeah, and how about I teach you one, too?”

Branndon
wasn’t quick enough and the guy got the first punch in and smacked him in the
jaw. The bus driver ran out of the bus and pushed the man away as Branndon
wiped his face.

“You
will pay big time for that,” said Branndon.

“Guys,
come on, and you, you should be ashamed of yourself,” he said to the boy’s dad.
“Don’t you know who this man is? This is Branndon Mckinney junior. He’s the man
who donated his kidney to his brother to save his life. This man’s a hero and
you go around hitting him. Shame on you.”

“I
had no idea. I mean I read about you and…” He put out his hand to Branndon.
“I’m sorry, please accept my apologies and I will pay for the puppet and for
any hairdressing services your little girl needs.”

He
turned around and hit the boy on the back of the head. “Probably best you don’t
go to school today, and if you so ever touch that little girl again, so help
you, you’ll be homeschooled.”

Susanne
ran over to Branndon. His lip was bleeding and dripping down his chin. She took
a tissue from her coat pocket and dabbed it.

“Uncle
Brannon’s a hero. He’s my hero,” said April.

“Well,
I think maybe the bus driver might have tipped the scale in my favor,” he said,
winking at the man.

“That
guy has more money than good sense. Now, who’s getting on the bus and going to
school?” asked the driver. “We’re already late.”

Branndon
picked up April and kissed her. She hugged him and then he put her back down so
she could get on the bus.

Susanne
put her arm through Branndon’s. “You really are playing on that whole donated
kidney thing a little too much,” she said.

“Hey,
it wasn’t me who brought the topic up.”

“True.
Good thing because I think he might have beaten you up some more.”

“Beaten
a Mckinney, you’re kidding, right?”

Susanne
hoped Branndon knew she was messing with him. “I don’t know how I’m going to
thank you for what you did,” said Susanne.

“Oh,
I can think of a pretty good way, and we have the house all to ourselves.”

****

“I
thought it was you who was supposed to be thanking me?” asked Branndon.

“I
know, but there’s something about the stables and the straw on my bare butt.”

“I
have just the thing to help you feel it scrape along your skin.”

He
slid inside her and then kissed her. They sat almost facing one another, legs
and arms entwined.

He
really had been her hero. Her knight in shining armor. She bit his lower lip,
still tasting a little of the blood that had been drawn when the man hit him.
Their bodies slapped together. Her nipples rubbing against his chest. She
outlined each one of his muscles with her fingers as he pushed harder inside
her. It was true, rough straw on her butt did actually feel good, but not as
wonderful as having this cowboy’s cock pounding inside her.

One
of the horses hit his hooves lightly in one of the stalls as if he was angered
at the intrusion in his stables. She wondered if this was what it would be like
to live here all the time, to be Branndon’s girlfriend. Waving him goodbye when
he headed off of the rodeo tour, then welcoming back with a round of great sex
out here in the stables.

He
pushed harder inside her, making her grasp and flex her toes. She was edging
nearer and nearer, and to take her over the edge, she ground her body close
into his, sending his cock scraping along her G-spot. She cried out and then
rested her head on his shoulder, biting into his skin as her orgasm rocked her
body.

Branndon
hadn’t come, but he slid out of her, turning her over until she was flat down
on her belly, the straw scratching her breasts and not her butt this time. He
ran his hands over her body before parting her ass cheeks and then gliding
slowly, inch by inch, into her pussy.

He
rode her hard, groaning and breathing heavily, sending up a mixture of his
aftershave and sweat into the air. She gripped the straw in her hands, not
believing she could come again this quickly, but she dug her toes into the
ground and moaned when her climax traveled through her pussy, into her thighs,
calves, and even her feet.

She
felt Branndon explode inside her. Even sheathed, she felt the warmth of his
release gush throughout her pussy.

They
lay together still, just the sound of the horses moving around in the stables.

“That
was one of the best thank yous I’ve ever had,” he said before kissing her.

She
rested her face on her forearms.

She
was and relaxed and glad that she’d phoned Mr. Mckinney and been given the
chance to live under the roof of the man of her dreams.

****

“Strangest
thing’s happened,” said his father.

“What’s
that?”

“I
twisted my ankle this morning.”

He
should have asked if he was okay, but his first and only thought was it was the
father daughter Valentine’s sweetheart dance that was taking place that night.

“I’ll
have to accompany April,” he said thinking out loud.

“You
sure you’re feeling okay? I mean you jumped in there pretty swiftly. I thought
you hated all that dancing and sugary sweetness with kids.”

“April’s
been through a lot lately and she’s been looking forward to this. It’s all
she’s been talking about so we can’t let her down.”

“I’m
happy to hear that, Branndon, and take lots of photos.”

“I’m
sure Susanne will and she’ll e-mail them to you. Betty taking good care of you
while you’re laid up?”

“Oh
yeah, my wife is fussing around. Now off you go and get ready for April’s big
night.”

“Okay
Pa, love you.”

“Love
you too, son.”

Branndon
ended the call. He hoped April wouldn’t have a problem with him standing in for
his father at the last minute. He knew she loved his pa, well, just about
everyone did. It was a dance, and beside the cheek to cheek sort of thing
Branndon did with the ladies while he was on the circuit, he didn’t know what
sort of moves they’d be required to do. But he wouldn’t let her down even if he
looked like an idiot.

He
might as well break the news to her and Susanne and get it out of the way. Branndon
walked along the hallway and heard Susanne talking and April giggling. He
knocked on the door.

“Can
I come in?”

“You
sure can,” said Susanne.

Susanne
and April were both lying on the bed on their stomachs and playing Chutes and
Ladders.

“I
have some good and bad news,” began Branndon.

Susanne
looked up at him.

“Pa’s
twisted his ankle and can’t make it tonight.”

Susanne
nudged April.

“But
he’s my sweetheart,” said April.

She
wasn’t crying or whining which surprised him.

“I
know that, but I’ve offered to stand in for him. I mean that’s if you’ll be my
sweetheart date.”

“What
do you think?” asked Susanne, looking at her daughter. “You think he’ll do?”

April
nodded her head.

Branndon
looked at his watch. “Then I’d better get washed, shaved, and put on my best
outfit.”

He
heard them giggle again as he closed the door. Branndon had the feeling those
two were up to something but he wasn’t quite sure what.

****

Branndon
hadn’t been choked up on many occasions in his life. The last time had been
when his mother had passed away and now he stood with the mother of all knots
in his windpipe as he stood and looked at April as she headed out to the
kitchen.

Susanne
had added some bows to her hair that matched the pink dress. She wore white
leggings and black shoes with pink bows that complimented the ones in her hair.
Branndon had never been a sentimental sort of guy, but he almost wanted to cry.

“Look
at your handsome cowboy escort,” Susanne told her.

“And
look at my beautiful sweetheart,” said Branndon.

“How
about I take a photo of the two of you before you head out,” said Susanne.

“You’re
not coming with us?” asked Branndon.

“Your
dad and Betty phoned to say they wanted to go and I said I’d join them.”

Branndon
shrugged his shoulders. “If Pa feels up to it I guess that’s okay.”

Susanne
grabbed her camera. Branndon put his arm around April and they both smiled as
she snapped away.

“You
two better get moving because the dance starts in an hour,” said Susanne.

“Let’s
grab our coats and I’ll get my hat,” said Branndon. “We’ll see you at the
school,” he said, kissing Susanne.

“Behave,
and no getting into any trouble.”

****

Branndon
didn’t want to let on but as soon as he pulled up outside the venue, he was as
nervous as hell. Even his hands were shaking. He hadn’t even acted like that
when he’d lay on the gurney about to head into the OR to give his kidney to
Brody.

What
if he was the worst dad date that evening? What if he let April down by saying
something wrong or doing something he shouldn’t? He’d be acting as a father
tonight. For the first time in his life he was well and truly out of his
element.

“Uncle
Brannon, let’s go,” said April, tugging on his arm.

“Sure,
absolutely.”

He
got out of the truck and took April’s hand as they headed toward the building.
Music and voices drifted outside and he shook again.

“What’s
the matter?” asked April. “You should have worn your mittens.”

He
smiled. April had obviously felt his hand shaking in hers. The kid was just
like her mom.

“Let’s
hurry inside. We don’t want to miss anything,” said Branndon, holding the door
open for her.

She
skipped ahead of him. Maddie, Brody and his father, Ted, sat outside the
auditorium behind a desk with name tags set upon it.

“Hi
April,” said Maddie.

“Glad
to see you’ve brought Uncle Branndon with you,” said Brody.

“Yeah,
Big Brannon hurt his foot,” said April.

“You
look so pretty,” said Ted.

“Here’s
a nametag for you, and one for you, too, Branndon. If you want to hang your
coats, the cloakroom’s through there and inside the auditorium you’ll find soda
and a buffet. The dance will start in about an hour.”

Branndon
felt his stomach do a flip.

“Johnny
who lived in the commune with my mom is here to play and sing,” said Brody.

“Can’t
wait to hear him,” said Branndon. “Okay, April, let’s go get rid of these coats
and get something to drink.”

“See
you later,” said Brody.

Branndon
ushered April to the cloakroom, held her coat, and hung it on a peg. He then
took off his jacket and hung it along with his cowboy hat.

He
knelt down and pinned April’s name tag on her dress and then attached his to
his shirt. He took her hand again as they made their way into the auditorium
which was already full. Tables with hearts and balloons were spread throughout
and a large one with food and drink sat on their left.

“Shall
we go get something to eat and drink?”

April
nodded.

He
handed her a plate and then took one for himself. Chips and dip, sandwiches cut
in the shape of hearts, and pink cupcakes iced with gooey frosting. Not his
idea of a meal, but this was April’s big night and not his. Once they had their
food and drink, Branndon led her over to one of the tables where another man
and his daughter sat.

“Hi.
I’m Branndon and this is April.” He extended his hand to the man.

“Bob,
and this is my little girl, Mia.”

April
started on the cupcake first. Branndon wasn’t sure if her mom would be happy about
that but wasn’t going to spoil things.

“This
your first time here?” Bob asked him.

“Yeah,
how about you?”

“Our
second. It’s lots of fun for the girls. You have other children besides April?”