Breathless (Meadowlarks) (14 page)

I s
at, directly across from where, I swear on my life, Jeremiah was just sitting.

“What happened? I was sleeping and all of a sudden I heard the door slam,” Alex
said, kneeling in front of me while holding my hands.

“The
door slammed? I don't know why.” I curled my lip in wonder. “I think I was sleep walking. And you didn't put the damn cap back on the milk!”

Alex smile
d sheepishly and looked away. “Sorry. Bad habit.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” I
glanced over by the fridge and noticed the remnants of milk splashed all over the floor. A trail of milky footprints covered the hardwood.

“Pass me that dish towel, please.”

“I'll clean it, baby,” he said, getting up from his knees and reaching his hand to help me up. “Go start the shower, I'll be there in five.”

My mind
was racing while I stood under the captivating spray of the shower. I tried and piece together the events that had just taken place, or so I
thought
had just take place. Maybe I was overtired and I dreamed Jeremiah, imagined seeing him sitting on a chair in his kitchen.

“
It's okay
,” I whispered his words back to myself.

I don't think I should tell Alex, he will p
robably think I'm crazy if I do.

S
hould I tell anyone?

I close
d my eyes and leaned my face under the water, it stung the cut on my forehead and I winced from the pain.

“I don't think it's deep enough for stitches,” Alex
said, opening the shower door and climbing in behind me. “It's not bleeding anymore.”

“Good.
”

My eyes
hadn’t even closed for an hour before the alarm went off and Alex and I groggily woke up. Time to pack the truck for the drive to Buffalo, a mere sixty miles away.

Isaac stagger
ed out of his bedroom, rubbing his eyes and pouting his lips at me. “It's too early, mom,” he whined.

“Tell me about it. Get dressed and we'll stop for breakfast on the way,” I scruff
ed his hair with my fingers and smiled. “Time to wake up the princess. Hopefully she's in a better mood than you.”

“Where's Alex?” Isaac ask
ed.

“Outside packing the truck. Don't forget your backpack.”

“Kay, I'm going to help him.”

“Okay, buddy.”

*
**

Blaine produce
d his credit card when the grumpy older woman behind the desk at the hotel gave him the total for the two rooms he's booked. I'm baffled when she doesn't even same fazed by his ridiculous country boy charm and perfect smile. Instead she punched some keys on the computer and handed him four room cards.

“There you go. All set,” the woman
said. “Three twelve, and 314. Third floor.”

“Thank you,” Blaine
said in a raspy voice, and leaned in to squint at the tiny lettering on her name tag. “
Maureen
.”

“Enjoy your stay,” Maureen groan
ed.

So much for service with a smile; then again, I didn't see any golden arches outside.

Isaac pressed the button for the elevator as we all stood back, watching the numbers above our heads light up. When it reached the lobby it chimed as the doors opened. Isaac rushed inside and jumped, giggling.

“Isaac, don't do that!” Addison scold
ed. “What if you jumped so hard you got us stuck?”

“Well, we would still be on the bottom floor, Aunt Addy,” Isaac
said, sticking his tongue out.

Sarcasm.
I can only guess where he got that trait from.

“Isaac, see that?” I ask
ed, pointing up to the corner of the elevator. “That camera sees everything we do. You don't want us getting in trouble do you?”

“No, mom,” he frowns, and crosses his arms.

“Can you push number three, please?” I asked, bumping his arm with my hip, trying to get him to smile.

His frown change
d and he smiled as he pushed the button, closing the door and sending us up to the third floor.

***

“Oh, in the name of all things that are holy,” I gush
ed, gaping and wide-eyed at all the delicious man-candy that was currently walking around us.

Addison laugh
ed and hooked her arm through mine. “Welcome to the rodeo, baby.”

I
couldn’t even hide my goofy grin if I tried. I walked with her through the crowds, checking out every Stetson and pair of chaps in my current surroundings.

“I'm sorry I ever m
ade fun of you, this is just...holy freaking hot!” I laughed while checking out a cowboy that was leaning his back against a fence. His arms spread out across the top of the steel, looking far too gorgeous to be actually real.

“Ahem.” Alex clear
ed his throat. “We're right behind you, you know.”

“Just because
we're tied to the porch, boys—doesn't mean we can't bark at the cars,” Addison said, turning her head to look at Blaine and Alex and winked her eye.

“Woof, woof, baby,” I growl
ed as we pass the orgasm-on-legs leaning against the fence. Halfway through the tour of the grounds I caught view of a small building that houses bathrooms, and I turned to Addison. “I need to use the bathroom, can you take Scarlett?”

When I finish
ed I slipped my purse over my shoulder and unlocked the door. It flung open and Alex stepped in, pushing me almost back down on to the toilet.

“Alex! What the hell?”

He locked the door behind him and turned to glare at me, I stood up straight and gave him a dirty look right back.

“
Woof, woof, baby
, eh?” he said in a low rumble.

“Oh, I was
—”

Alex pull
ed my face into his and kissed me hard, taking my breath away, causing my knees buckle.

I pull
ed away. “You know I was kidding.” I panted as my legs trembled.

“I know that. I just had to walk behind you for almost an hour, don't you know how
hard
that was?” he whispered, pushing his body into mine.

“You are not getting some in the bathroom, Alex,” I snap
ped, irritated but totally turned on.

“No, but knowing you'll be walking around with wet panties because of me makes me almost as happy.” He grin
ned, and kissed me on the cheek before turning around and unlocking the door to leave.

I am able to maintain a somewhat straight face for the rest of the morning, and when the afternoon hits
it is time for Alex and Blaine to get ready for their first time team roping in this setting.

“You've got to be kidding,” I burst when Alex walk
ed out of the bathroom in our hotel room. Scarlett sat on the bed beside me and clapped her hands.

He turn
ed in a three-sixty and tipped his cowboy hat at us. “Well?”

“Well.” I smirk
ed. “
Woof, woof, baby
.”

“I thought you might say that.” He grin
ned. “If the boys back home could see me now.”

“Oh, they will!” I laugh
ed and pull out my phone to take a picture of him. “Pose.”

Alex
gave me his best western James Bond stance and I clicked the photo.

“This is going on Facebook, I hope you know that!”

Blaine and Alex walked in front of Addison, our kids and me down the hallway of the hotel.

“What a view, eh Cole?” I ask
ed, sighing.

“I never thought this would be us, I'll be honest,” Addison whisper
ed as an ear-to-ear smile shone across her face.

“You and I have far too similar thoughts, girl
.”

The stands around the outdoor area are just as uncomfortable as they look, and not something I should be sitting on while wearing such a short dress. I
glanced over and frowned at Addison in her jeans. For once I regret dressing this nicely.

Scarlett bounce
d on my lap and clapped her hands wildly when the first few riders entered and gave us all in the crowd quite the show.

I gasp
ed when one of the heeler's—I think that's what Blaine called them—lassoed the steer and it fell to the ground.

“Is it okay?” I ask
ed, loudly.

“It's just fine, ma'am,” an older man sitting a few feet away
said, smiling at me.

I smile
d back at him and held Scarlett tightly when Alex and Blaine were announced next. They sat on their horses inside a steel surrounding and reached their arms out to bump fists.

Just like Blaine said it would happen, Alex whipped his long rope through the air and it flew, hooking around the horns on the steer, turning it around while Blaine quickly tethered his lasso ar
ound both of its back legs. It was over in a flash, and my heart finally could resume beating. I realize people were cheering, which I assume is a good thing, and I stood to clap too. Whistling with my fingers in my mouth, beyond thrilled and relieved that they're both okay.

“Wow
! That was so cool!” Isaac shouted. “I want to do that too!”

“Oh, no, baby,” I tease
d. “Not you too!”

“Mom, that's so cool!”

Blaine and Alex finished with a time of fifteen seconds, which I'm told is quite an impressive duration, considering Alex hadn't ever done something like this professionally until now. They both haven't stopped grinning since we left the rodeo grounds, and Alex draped his arm over my shoulder while we walk into the lobby of the hotel to change for dinner.

“I'm so proud of you, baby.” I smile
d and kissed his cheek.

“Me too.” Addison smile
d, tears forming in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Alex, hugging him tightly. “Mom and Dad will flip when I send them the video I took of the two of you.”

I didn't even think of taking a picture or video, so I'm thankful that Addison did. We
took the elevator to the third floor and changed for dinner. A local steakhouse where many of the other cowboys go after a victorious day, so I've been told.

Alex change
d out of his clothes and put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“You should keep those in a drawer by the bed, baby. I might
want you to wear them again.”

“Oh, yeah?” He smile
d.

“Yeah,” I purred.

After changing into a pair of jeans, nude three-inch heels and a pale pink camisole, I quickly curled the ends of my hair and pinned half of it up, letting the rest spill over my shoulders.

The steakhouse
was packed when we arrived, and Scarlett was ready to have a meltdown so I was thankful we didn’t have to wait long for a table. The server brought Scarlett and Seth each a cup full of crayons so then could scribble all over the brown paper covering the table.

Looking around the huge restaurant I recognize a few faces from the stands earlier today, some cowboys too.

“Blaine Blackstock! I sure was surprised when I saw your name back on the lineup!” A man said and reached his hand out to Blaine, who quickly stood to shake it.

“Trace, good to see you, buddy.” Blaine smile
d.

“You're all good to go tomorrow then?” Trace ask
ed.

“I am,” Blaine
said and released his hand. “Trace, this is my wife, Addison. That's Alex, Riley, Scarlett, and this is my son, Seth.”

“Well, nice to meet you all.
I'm Trace Forrester. Blaine's biggest competitor.” He planted on the charm and tipped his hat to us.

“We'll see, Trace. We'll see,” Blaine
said as he shook his hand again. “See you tomorrow.”

“Good to have you back, Blackstock.”

While two servers were placing plates of food in front of each of us, Alex dropped his fork on the ground and bent down to get it. I felt his hands on my foot, they squeezed my ankle and slid my heel off. My body tingled at his delicate touch.

When he
sat back up, he brought my foot up with his hand and set it on his chair, right between his legs.

“Miss?” He said to the waitress. “Can I have a new fork please?”

I watched him expectantly, but he didn’t look at me at all, not even for a second. He pulled my foot right into his crotch, pressing it hard against his growing erection. My insides screamed and I wiggled my toes against his jeans.

Look at me, damn it!

But, Alex didn’t. He carried on a conversation with Blaine all while I was rubbing him with the full length of my bare foot. I cleared my throat, and pushed harder but Alex still wouldn’t look at me.