The Cowboys Heart 1 (5 page)

“That fence post there might need replacing.” Hudson came to
a stop and hopped off Nico. “It’s loose, see?” He put his palm on the top of
the post and it moved much more than it should. “It’s a cheap, easy fix. I’ll
grab a new post when I go to get the fencing.” In one swift movement, he was
back on Nico, and we were walking again.

“I miss riding,” I said after a length of silence. “I’ll
have to do this more often.”

Hudson glanced over and smiled. “If you ever want a riding
partner, let me know. I love to saddle up and spend the day in the wild.”

I grinned like an idiot. “How about tomorrow? I could pack a
picnic. We could head out after morning chores.” I couldn’t believe I’d just
asked him out. Even though it was masked as something else, in my mind, it was
a date.

“I actually have a meeting tomorrow afternoon with a horse
buyer. How about the day after?”

“Yes,” I blurted out, excited he’d agreed. Then I laughed.
“Sorry. Guess I’m just a little excited about getting out of the house and
exploring nature.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said seriously, his gaze locked on me.
“You’ve got a great laugh, Heather, and I admire your enthusiasm. It’s
refreshing.”

His compliment made my face turn a hundred different shades
of red. “Thank you.”

He gave a single nod, then guided Nico forward again. I
followed just behind, enjoying the view of him, letting my mind wander with the
possibilities of what our day date would hold. Obviously I’d been wrong about
his interest in me.

I
spent most of the day making phone calls,
getting quotes on supplies for the repairs, trying to find a cheaper but same
quality distributor of animal food and hay. Grandmother had fostered good
relationships with the people she did business with, but I simply couldn’t
afford to use them. If I ever found new ones, I would hope the people I’m
cutting ties with would understand.

When I wasn’t on the phone, I was answering the ranch hands’
questions and staring out the window, hoping Hudson’s meeting would end early
and he’d surprise me with a visit. But so far, nothing. Each hour that passed,
my hope dwindled a little more. I didn’t know why, though. We’d stayed up late
last night chatting on the phone, getting to know each other. Thanks to that
call, I knew he’d never been married, hadn’t had a serious girlfriend in almost
four years, had three younger sisters, and his parents were still happily
married. I also knew he hated his brothers in law because, he thought they were
lazy bums who were mooching off his sisters.

I’d been nervous to tell him about my divorce, but he’d
taken the news well, hadn’t judged. Not that I really thought he would. I mean,
I wasn’t the one who’d cheated, but still, I often wondered if I had been a
better wife if Phillip still would’ve strayed. I shook my head. No. I would not
take the blame for his actions.

I moved away from the window and filled the sink with warm,
soapy water to wash the dinner dishes when there was a knock on the door. I
dried my hands and went to answer it, but there was no one there. That was odd.
There was an unmarked white envelope on the porch though. I picked it up,
flipped it around. No name. No address. “Hmm.” I glanced around, hoping to see
someone, but everything appeared quiet.

Closing the door, I locked it and then opened the envelope.
There was a single sheet of folded paper inside. I read it aloud. “Miss
Heather, we hope you’ve changed your mind about selling us your ranch, but if not,
allow us to persuade you. One million dollars. Cash. You have twenty four hours
to decide. Signed, the Jennings.”

Anger sparked inside of me, and I crumpled the paper,
shoving it into the trash can. What was wrong with those men? Didn’t they
understand that no meant no? I rubbed my hands up and down my bare arms to
stave off the shiver I felt coming on. They’d shown up here, uninvited, vaguely
threatened me, and now they were leaving ominous notes on my porch. I feared to
think what other lengths they’d go to. Maybe I should tell someone. But who? My
dad? I feared what he might do. I could tell Hudson. No, I didn’t want to
involve him in this mess. It wasn’t his problem, and he was already doing so
much to help me. I didn’t want him to think I was too needy. I suppose I could
call the police, but I’m not sure what they could do knowing I hadn’t been
harmed.

Sighing, I pushed the thoughts from my mind and returned to
the dishes. But my thoughts wouldn’t settle. What if the Jennings became
violent? What if they attacked Jamie or me? My hands started to shake, and I
dropped a plate to the floor, shattering it.

“Damn it.” I jumped back, out of the way.

“If you hate the dishes that much, buy new ones. You don’t
have to destroy them,” Jamie said as he came in from the side door.

“Lock that door behind you,” I said, fear still niggling at
my mind. “And I’m not destroying them. I dropped it.” I gathered the broom and
dustpan and cleaned up the mess.

“So, Mom.” Jamie leaned up against the counter, hands shoved
deep into his pockets. “Dean is having some guys over this weekend, and he
invited me.”

I raised a brow, a small smile tugging at my lips. “And you
want to go?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I know some of the guys, and
they’re cool.”

“Okay.” I dumped the broken glass into the trash. “Who is
going to be there? What will you be doing?”

Jamie groaned and rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Darren.
Brett. Chad, I think. And we’ll just be hanging out.”

I studied him for a moment, wondering if he was telling me
the truth. I hated being skeptical of my own son, but he’d lost my trust more
than once, so now I had to be that mom, the one who asked too many questions,
was too involved.

“And you swear to me you’re going to be staying at Dean’s
house?”

“God.” He shoved off the counter. “Yes, Mom. I promise we’ll
stay at Dean’s house. It’s not like we can go anywhere.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to hide my victorious smile.
Dean and his mother lived on a rundown farm on the other side of town. It was a
good two miles to the nearest neighbor and six miles to town. None of the boys
were old enough to drive, and I knew how much Jamie hated to walk anywhere. My
concerns were assuaged.

“Yeah, I don’t care if you go. You’ll ride the bus over and
stay the night?”

“It’s not a sleepover,” he grumbled.

“Oh. So you won’t be staying the night? Then how are you
getting home?”

He scrunched up his face in annoyance and shook his head.
“I’m staying the night, but it’s not a sleepover. Guys don’t have sleepovers.
That’s a girl thing.”

“Ah,” I said, nodding in understanding. “Gotcha.”

“But yeah, I’ll ride the bus. Can you come get me on
Saturday?”

I smiled. “Just tell me what time.”

“Cool. I’ll call and let you know.” He grabbed a banana from
the fruit bowl. “Thanks, Mom.” He kissed my cheek and disappeared upstairs.

It made me feel good to know he was making friends and
settling in around here. Maybe he’d stop hating me so much now if he developed
some sort of social life. I hummed his favorite childhood lullaby as I finished
up the evening household chores. Checking to make sure all the doors and
windows were locked, I headed upstairs, intent on climbing into bed and reading
for a while before falling asleep. It’d been far too long since I’d been able
to really relax and enjoy a book. For the first time since my divorce and the
shock of my grandmother’s death, I felt at peace, like things truly would work
out.

***

I stretched out on the blanket and
let the sun warm my face. Today was the day I’d been waiting for – my picnic
date with Hudson. We’d rode to a secluded corner of my property and set out a
blanket. I’d packed enough food for a small army, but I’d been so afraid I
wouldn’t pack enough or that I’d pack something he hated, so I went with the,
‘more is better’ philosophy.

“I can see the top of the tree from the hayloft in an old
barn I no longer use,” Hudson said, breaking their spell of silence.

“Uh-oh.” She laughed. “Do I need to worry about you spying
on me?”

He grinned, his dimples tempting me with forbidden thoughts.
“No, I won’t spy on you. If I want you, I’ll just come over and get you.” He
winked.

My heart raced, and I leaned closer to him, resting my head
on his shoulder. “Well, for what it’s worth, I won’t put up a fight.”

He chuckled. “Don’t make it too easy on me.” Hudson put his
finger under my chin and tilted my head back so I was looking at him. Then he
closed the distance, pressing his lips to mine. Hesitant at first, then when I
welcomed him, he was more insistent.

Parting my lips with his tongue, he kissed me slowly,
deeply. My eyes fluttered closed, and I surrendered to him, savoring every
movement of his lips, every flick of his tongue over mine. He gently guided me
down to my back, bringing his upper body down over mine. I wrapped my arms
around him, holding him to me, afraid he’d suddenly decide to get up and leave.

“Heather,” he sighed, resting his forehead to mine,
“you’re…” Instead of finishing his thought, he kissed me again. And that was
totally okay with me. I could spend all afternoon kissing him. He was so
self-assured yet gentle, unlike the way Phillip used to kiss me – on the rare
occasions he did. Phillip had always been so rough, wanting to mimic the things
he watched in his pornographic movies whereas I wanted someone to love me, to
make me feel cherished.

Hudson broke the kiss, his breaths ragged and strained. So
were mine. He rubbed his finger over my lips, smiling. “I hope you don’t mind
that I just did that.” He laughed. “Suppose I should’ve asked first, huh?”

Asked to kiss me? Did men do that anymore? The concept
seemed so foreign. “I liked it,” I whispered.

“So did I.” He rolled onto his back, tucked his hands behind
his head and stared up at the sky. “It’s so peaceful out here, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. “It’s
so different from the city. I’ve wondered a lot lately why I ever left here.”

He shrugged. “We all need to find our way, and sometimes to
do that, you have to explore. Nothing wrong with that.”

I let his words roll around in my mind, realizing how poetic
and true they were. “Have you ever explored? Or have you lived here all your
life?”

“I’m a homebody at heart.” He turned his head to look at me.
“I’ve wondered what it’d be like to go somewhere else, start over, but this is
home. I really don’t think I’d be happy anywhere else.”

“Makes sense.” I’d always thought the city was home, too,
but now I realized it wasn’t. It was just temporary, a stop along my life’s
path.

“Do you miss it?” he asked.

“Miss what?”

“The city?”

“A little,” I admitted. “Sometimes I miss the hustle and
bustle. I miss my friends and my normal, nine to five job.” I chuckled. “But I
don’t miss all the noises in the middle of the night or constantly worrying
about Jamie being out and getting into trouble.”

“Must be a culture shock for him to go from city living to
living in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of horses and cows.”

“I’m sure it is, but I think he’s starting to adjust,” I
said, the memory of our conversation last night popping into my mind. “In fact,
he’s going to be with some friends Friday night if you want to do something…” I
trailed off, feeling foolish for assuming he’d be excited to spend his Friday
night with me.

“Why don’t you come over to my place? I can show you around
my homestead, cook you dinner,” he offered.

“I’d love that,” I said a little too eagerly.

“Good.”

We fell into a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our
own thoughts. I wondered what he was thinking, and it was on the tip of my
tongue to ask when he spoke.

“Have you ever considered selling?”

She paused, her face burning and her heart hammering so hard
in her chest. “Selling the ranch?”

“Yeah.” He rolled onto his side and propped his head in his
hand. His free hand settled on her stomach. “Not to be rude, but you don’t know
much about running a ranch, so I guess I’m just curious as to why you’re
keeping it.”

I sat up, causing his hand to fall from my stomach. What was
with everyone around here wanting me to sell the ranch? Was there something
here I didn’t know? His question unnerved me, shocked me. “Does it matter?” I
finally asked my tone bitter even though I didn’t intend it to be.

“No, of course not.” He sat up and slid his hand along the
side of my neck, bringing my lips to meet his, and then he kissed me. “Can I
tell you something without you thinking I’m crazy?”

I laughed. “I guess that depends on what you want to tell
me.”

He gave me his dimple laden smile, but his eyes remained
serious. “We haven’t known each other long, but I’ve really enjoyed the time we
have spent together.”

“So have I.” I smiled.

“I think I’m falling in love with you, Heather.”

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I hadn’t expected him to
say that, but I couldn’t deny I was starting to feel the same way. I leaned
forward and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”

“You don’t?” he asked, surprised.

I shook my head. “No, because I feel the same way about you,
and I know I’m not crazy.”

His laughter wrapped around me, made me feel safe, loved. I
sighed and leaned into him as he hugged me. I never once thought I’d find
another man to love after Phillip, but I had, and it was just the start of a
whole new life for me and Jamie, a life I was thrilled about.

H
udson and I had spent every day together, growing
closer and closer. Every evening when he left, he told me he loved me, kissed
me deeply. We had yet to have sex, but we were certainly headed in that
direction. Maybe tonight would be the night. Jamie was sleeping over at Dean’s,
and I was going to Hudson’s house for dinner.

It was eerily quiet as I put the finishing touches on my
make-up and double checked my reflection in the mirror. Butterflies filled my
stomach, made me nervous. Tonight was the first night Hudson and I would truly
be alone. Normally, when he was here, Jamie was upstairs. Nodding at my
reflection, I flipped off the bathroom light and went downstairs. When I got to
the kitchen, Hudson was standing outside the door, peeking in through the
window.

I laughed and opened the door. “Hudson, what’re you doing
here? I thought we were going to your place tonight.”

“We are.” He grinned and looked me up and down. “You look
fantastic, Heather.”

I glanced down at myself. “Thanks.”

Hudson gave my cheek a kiss. “And yes, we are going to my
place, but this is a date, and a gentleman always comes to the door and picks
up his woman.” His eyes sparked with mischief and… Desire? My heart tripped a
few beats before pounding loudly in my ears.

“Well, whoever said chivalry was dead was wrong.” I laughed
nervously.

“Ready?” Hudson held out his arm, and I looped my arm around
his.

“Yup.”

We stepped outside and I froze. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
He’d brought his horse, but more than that, he’d hitched a cozy little buggy to
him. It was big enough to fit just the two of us. “Wow, Hudson. You didn’t have
to do all of this.”

“Nonsense.” He helped me into the carriage, and then climbed
in beside me, taking the reins into his hands. “Hope you don’t mind going the
long way.”

“No, of course not.” I snuggled up next to him, resting my
head on his upper arm as he led us away from the ranch. He took a scenic route
around my property, down what appeared to be an abandoned dirty road, and
through the back end of his land. The sun was just beginning to set, and the
air was still warm. It was a perfect ride. Silent, but romantic. The scenery
was gorgeous. More and more I was loving it around here, missing the city less
and less.

“Here we are,” he announced. One of his ranch hands awaited
our arrival, took the reins and disappeared. Hudson took my hand and brought me
inside.

His house was a two story log cabin. A floor to length
picture window took up one entire wall in the living room, while a handmade,
stone fireplace took up another wall. A small fire crackled in it, giving the
large room a warm, cozy feel.

“Dinner will be about an hour. Care for some wine?”

“I’d love some,” I said as I continued to look around. His
place was amazing. For a moment, I could picture myself living here, making a
home and life with him. The thought of that had my breath catching in my
throat, and I had to remind myself, again, to slow down. Just enjoy what we
have right now. Don’t rush for something that may or may not happen. I’d made
that mistake with Phillip, rushed the relationship, got married before either
of us were ready. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Hudson came over to stand beside me, handing me a glass of
white wine. I took a drink, savoring the sweet burn. I generally preferred a
nice red, but this was good, too. “That’s me and my sisters,” he said, nodding
to a framed picture on the mantle. “My mother thought it would be cool to have
a group photo of them in their wedding dresses and me in a tuxedo. I think she
wanted to wait until I was married, too, but she got tired of waiting.” He
laughed.

I smiled and studied the picture. He and his sisters looked
so much alike – all of them with the same strong jaw and dimples. “You all look
so lovely.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, I much prefer my jeans and cowboy
boots.”

I playfully nudged him with my shoulder, taking another sip
of my wine. “So, what’s for dinner?”

“It’s a surprise.” He took my glass from me and set it on
the mantle. Then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

Slipping my arms around his neck, I leaned into him,
welcoming him and his kiss like a woman starved for attention, which is exactly
how I felt. I craved him, craved the way he touched me and kissed me and looked
at me. “Hudson,” I whispered, teasing his lips with my tongue.

“Hmm?” He groaned.

“I want to make love.” As the words left my mouth, my face
burned and my heart raced. I’d always been the one to initiate sex in my
marriage – I had to if I wanted the intimacy. I later learned it was because
he’d been sleeping with other women, but the familiar feelings of rejection
surfaced.

Hudson jerked back as if he’d been hit. “Now?”

I nodded and bit on my bottom lip, afraid if I spoke again,
I’d be tempted to take it back and apologize profusely. Slowly, a smile spread
across his face, showcasing his dimples, and lighting his eyes.

“Don’t move.” He left the room and returned a moment later
with a thick quilt. He spread it on the floor in front of the fireplace and
motioned for me to join him. I slipped off my shoes and settled on the floor
beside him. “Is this okay?” he asked.

“It’s perfect.” My heart still raced, and my breath was
almost non-existent.

“Good. That’s how I want this to be. Perfect,” he whispered
a second before claiming my mouth in another soft kiss. But unlike all the
others, this didn’t stay soft, nor did he pull away. Instead, he guided me onto
my back, and slipped his hand up the hem of my shirt. His hand was warm and
rough in all the right places, a result of years of hard work. I arched into
him, wanting him to keep going. His hand travelled up, his palm cupped my
breast. I moaned.

“So soft,” he muttered, moving away from my lips and kissing
along my jaw, down my neck. I tilted my head to give him greater access,
running my fingers through his hair. He nipped at my earlobe, and I groaned. My
ears were my weakness, and if he kept it up, he’d learn that very quickly.

Hudson moved away from me and grabbed the hem of my shirt,
lifting it off over my head. As soon as he had it off, I reached behind my back
and removed my bra. My nipples hardened under his gaze. He let out a shaky breath,
his gaze caressing me the way his hand had just did a few moments ago.

“You’re beautiful, Heather.”

I smiled and reached for him, pulling him back down on top
of me. Chuckling, he gathered my skirt and bunched it around my waist before
settling between my parted legs. I could feel his erection straining behind his
jeans, my thin, cotton panties doing nothing to mask the sensation of him
there. I braced my heels against the floor and lifted my hips, grinding against
him. He let out a throaty moan and pushed forward, pinning me between him and
the floor. His body was so hard and warm on mine.

Grasping at his shirt, I yanked on it until it was off. The
brief glance I got of his chest before he was on top of me again was
impressive. Tanned flesh, a dusting of dark hair, rippled muscles, flat,
defined abs. I had the sudden urge to lick ever glorious inch of him. Hudson
closed his mouth around my nipple, suckling it before moving to the next. The
sensations wracked my body, made me tremble in the best possible way.

He kissed down my stomach and back up again, stopping to
tease my breasts with his tongue, taking his time, teasing me in a torturously
fantastic way. “Kiss me,” I gasped, unable to take another moment of his
teasing.

His lips came down hard on mine in a bruising tangle of
tongue and teeth and panting breaths. Then I felt his fingers brush over my sex
and then slip under the elastic band. I gasped and lifted my pelvis, making his
thumb land on my clit, exactly where I wanted it to be. He rubbed me gently,
his pace steady and firm.

“Hudson,” I whimpered, my orgasm steadily building inside of
me. I couldn’t believe I was so close already. He’d barely touched me, but then
again, it had been a really long time.

“Trust me,” he said at my ear, his voice raspy and full of
need. He eased a single finger inside of me, and I clutched at his arms, my
fingernails digging into his biceps. “I’ve got you, baby. It’s okay.”

I closed my eyes and did as he said – I let go. I let him
touch me, give me pleasure, bring me to much needed, glorious release. My body
writhed against his hand, wanting him to go deeper while at the same time
wanting him to keep doing exactly as he was. Keeping his finger inside of me,
he pressed his thumb to my clit, rubbing it while simultaneously stroking my
inner walls. My orgasm was intense, physically draining me yet also making me
want more.

Hudson smiled, his eyes dark with desire. “You okay?”

“Mmm hmm,” I hummed, my eyes still closed, a satisfied smile
on my face. Even though I wasn’t looking at him, I could feel him. His body
heat rolled over me, his breath tickled my face. When I felt him move away, I
cracked open my eyes to see him unzipping his jeans, tugging them down over his
hips. I watched with fascination as he removed his boxers, leaving his manhood
bare and exposed to my gaze.

He was big, much bigger than Phillip, and a wave of fear
washed through me. What if it hurt? What if I wasn’t good enough? What if he
found me boring and decided he no longer wanted to be with me… Like Phillip had
done?

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you,” he said,
retrieving a condom from his wallet and rolling it down his length.

“You have?” I asked before I could stop myself.

He smiled and looked down at his erection. “Look at me, Heather.
Look how hard I am. Does it look like I’m lying?”

“No,” I breathed out, unable to take my gaze off him.
Everything about him was so perfect, so manly. I wanted to devour him.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

He sighed with relief and removed my panties then my skirt.
Lying naked in front of him like this made me feel vulnerable, exposed, but
also cherished. He looked at me with so much love and adoration, emotions I
wasn’t used to seeing in a man’s eyes. Kissing me, he settled between my legs
again, this time his hardness pressing at my entrance. I sucked in a breath
when he entered me, expelling it fast when he was all the way in.

Hudson moaned, resting his arms on either side of my head.
“You feel so good.” He nipped at my bottom lip as he began to move. Slow and
steady, his body perfectly aligned with mine like we were made specifically for
each other.

“Yes.” I met his thrusts with my own, both of us finding a
comfortable rhythm. Our moans and ragged pants filled the room while we made
love, our hands and lips exploring one another.

“I’m not going to last,” he said through clenched teeth,
“it’s too good.”

I wrapped my legs around him, tucking my feet under his butt
and rode his motions, both of us edging closer and closer to the brink of
ecstasy. My vision blurred, and the room started to spin. “Hudson.” I chanted
his name as if it would somehow anchor me, but it didn’t. I continued to feel
like I was floating outside of my body, unable to do anything but feel. And
holy God, did it feel good. So good.

“Come with me, Heather, please.” His voice was strained, and
he swelled inside of me, making me cry out with pleasure.

Seconds later, I came for the second time, Hudson doing the
same. He collapsed onto me, his face buried in my neck. I stroked his hair and
sighed. “That was incredible,” I said.

He laughed. “Yeah, it was.” Putting his weight into his
arms, he peered down at me. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” So much love filled my heart, I was
afraid I must burst.

“Dinner’s probably ruined.”

I laughed. “That’s okay. This is so much better than pizza.”

He smiled. “Mmm, I like the way you think.”

If I had my way, I’d stay right here all night, just like
this. And based on the way he made no effort to move, I’d guess he had no
intention of doing anything else tonight either.