The Mobster And The Cowboy (A Cowboy Romance) (33 page)

Two months later…….

“Come on
, Melanie. You know you want to. Are you going to let me waste these tickets?” Ally asked her.

Ally had flown down to Florida a few days before
with the hopes of snapping her sister out of her depression. She saw the ad for the rodeo in town and thought it would cheer Melanie up.

“Since when are you into rodeos?” Melanie asked her sarcastically.

“I always liked them.”

Melanie just stared at her
, shaking her head.

“Ok
ay, but I know you like them. Come on, it will be good to get you out. Geez, you’ve been pathetic lately.”

Melanie had been living at her parent’s house for the past two months with no signs of moving. She didn’t want to go back to New York. She did want to go back to Texas but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. She’d been working from her parent’s house. She even joined a gym but she had hardly used it. She never had much energy for anything. Her heart still ached for Logan. Wasn’t it supposed to get easier? Didn’t time heal all wounds?

“Let me see those tickets.” She said to Ally.

Ally handed them to her and she studied them. She wasn’t sure what the name of the rodeo Logan’s brother was affili
ated with but she was sure, that wasn’t it. He’d never mentioned Florida.

She could go for seeing a rodeo. In her own mind she thought it would be a reminder of everything Logan. She
wanted to never forget him. Maybe that was the way of healing. Not forgetting, but remembering her one, for she knew there’d be no other, true love.

“Ok
ay. Let’s go.”

****

The arena was outdoors, at the fairgrounds. Melanie felt calmer just enjoying seeing people in their cowboy hats. She should have worn one too, she thought.

It was a cool night. Melanie wore a pair of black skinny jeans that hugged her ass with black high heeled boots and a lavender long sleeve, ribbed sweater top. Her hair was long and loose. She was definitely a looker and her sister who looked much like her but with brown hair was a cutie too. They were getting stares from the moment they walked into the fairgrounds.

Melanie and Ally stood at a counter talking, eating chicken fingers, and Ally was sipping a beer. The rodeo didn’t start for another half hour.

Melanie’s back was to the throngs of people passing by
. Ally saw a man ogling them. She rolled her eyes and was just about to tell Melanie when the guy came up to them.

“Hello
, ladies.”

Melanie knew that voice. She spun around. “Richie?”

“Melanie? Hi, darlin’.”

She giggled. “Were you hitting on us?”

He grinned. “Guilty. But in my defense.” He paused. “Okay, I got no defense.”

They all laughed.

He didn’t want to tell her that he was scanning for a chick to entice Logan with in hopes of getting him to forget the very woman he was staring at.

Melanie introduced him to her sister and they exchanged polite greetings.

“How you doing, sweetheart?” He turned back to Melanie to ask.

“Ok
ay. Oh, is Logan here too?” she asked with alarm.

Richie sensed her unease
. She had the look of flight on her face. “No. He’s not here.”

She began to relax. If he had said yes, she would have pulled Ally back to the car and drive
n away. As much as she would have loved to see him, she knew she’d break down if she did.

“What are you doing here in Florida?” he asked, wanting to get as much information for Logan as possible.

“My parents live here. I’ve been staying with them.

“Oh. Where are your seats?”

Ally took out the tickets and studied them. “I’m not sure?”

Richie looked at the tickets
. “Oh. On the side. Here these are better seats,” he said as he pulled out and handed Ally a pair of tickets.  He, as well as Logan and Brett always carried around an extra pair of tickets for good seats in case they met a chick or two they wanted to get to know as they walked around the arenas. They haven’t given any to women in months. It had just become a habit for them to keep a set on them.

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Ally said.

“How’s Kara? Is she here too?” Melanie asked.

“No, well, yeah. She’s down here in Florida but you know rodeos aren’t her thing. She’s got family here. She’s visiting.

“Oh, well, please say hi for me.”

“I will,” he said as he looked at his watch. “I gotta run
, darlin’. It was so good to see you,” he said as he reached in and kissed her cheek. “Enjoy the rodeo.”

“Be well
, Richie and thank you.”

He walked away smiling.

“These are great seats your friend gave us.”

“Yeah,” Melanie said as she scanned around.

They were above the
chutes. Yeah, Richie told her Logan wasn’t here but she couldn’t help but scan for him. Disappointed, yet, relieved she didn’t see him, she settled in to watch the events.

The Rodeo started with the grand entry, followed by the bareback bronc riding.

The chutes filled
up with a lot of cowboys. They watched the first chute, where a cowboy climbed in and the cowboys around and on top were helping him get settled. She watched him nod his head. The chute opened and out he came.

They watched the next three riders too. In fact
, that last rider held their attention and Melanie didn’t see who climbed in the chute next. She was talking with Ally when the next rider left the gate.

She glanced down and something about the rider was familiar. She looked down at the chutes and saw a little boy next to R
ichie. She looked up and saw Logan’s name on the electronic board.

She gasped with a hand by her mouth as
she looked back at the rider. It was Logan.

She froze. She watched him ride and she
watched him dismount with the help of two pick-up men who rode up along both sides of the bronc. The crowd cheered.

Logan wasn’t too far from the chutes when he dismounted. He knew he had a great ride and even managed to smile a little. He heard Richie calling him from the chutes. He looked to him in question.

“Look up behind me,” Richie said with a smile.

Logan looked up and so did Heath when Richie said that.

Logan did a quick scan then slowly scanned back.
Melanie was standing next to a woman. Everyone around was clapping except for Melanie. Her hands were suspended in a clap motion and she was staring right at him.

“Melanie!”
She heard her name from below, at the chutes. She looked down to see Heath.

“It’s me
, Heath,” he said grinning as he took off his hat and waved it at her.

She smiled down at him and waved. Then she looked back to Logan and realized he was wearing black chaps with lavender fringes.
She looked back to Heath, he had on an identical pair of chaps. She gave one last look at Logan.

“Come on
, Ally, we have to go.” She grabbed her sister’s hand and dragged her out of there.

Logan froze in place when he saw Melanie. Then he saw her grab the woman’s hand and he sensed she was going to flee. He moved. He ran to the chutes and climbed up. He hoisted himself up into the stands. People kept patting him on the back which slowed him down. He was so frustrated.

“Mel, slow down. You’re going to make me fall,” Ally said as they were behind the stands and moving toward the entrance. “What’s the matt-”

“Melanie.”

She heard his voice right behind her. She stopped and turned around to face him. Her eyes were watery. She was trying her hardest not to cry and not to fling herself into his arms.

“Mel, y
ou know him?” Ally asked.

She didn’t answer. She just kept staring into the most beautiful pair of hazel eyes she’d ever seen.

Logan looked from her to the woman.

“Logan, this is my sister
, Ally.”

“Logan? Isn’t that-” Ally began but Melan
ie stepped on her foot. “Oww, hey!”

Logan warred with himself. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and never, ever let her go. He quickly nodded Ally’s way in greeting but went right back to watching Melanie.

“I didn’t know you were
here. I’m sorry,” Melanie said and she turned to walk away.

“Melanie
, wait.”

She paused but didn’t turn to him.

“Don’t go.” He sounded desperate.

When she did turn
back around, she saw Richie and Heath running up behind Logan.

Richie stopped but Heath kept right on going to Melanie and
he gave her a big hug. She hugged him and kissed his cheek.

“Hi
, handsome.”

“Hi
, Melanie.” They hugged for a few more moments and Melanie smiled at hearing him pronounce her name correctly.

She looked up to Richie and softly said, “You said he wasn’t here.”

“He wasn’t. He wasn’t in the arena yet when you asked.”

Logan looked to Richie.

“Look who I ran into earlier,” he said to Logan sheepishly.

Logan looked from him then back to Melanie.

“Come on, buckaroo, let’s go get an ice cream,” Richie said. “Ally, why don’t you come join us?”

Ally looked from him to Melanie but Melanie didn’t give any indication what she should do either way so she nodded to Richie an
d the three of them walked away leaving Melanie and Logan staring at each other.

Logan broke the silence first. “How have you been
, Mel?”

“Goo, ahem
, good. You?” She found it hard to find her voice.

“I’ve been better.
You look great.”

“Thank you. So do you,” she said as she scanned from his face to his chaps.

She walked over to him and stared at his shirt as she brought a hand up to lightly touch it at the upper arm. It was a lavender button down. Then she lowered her gaze. “I like your chaps,” she said with a hint of a smile.

Logan fought not to crush her to him.

“I had them made up for you.”

“Me?” she asked disbelieving
ly.

“Yeah.
It was Heath’s idea. I think it was a great idea.” He smiled.

He looked around nervously then settled his gaze on her beautiful eyes.
“Can I buy you a drink?”

“Now? Aren’t you in the middle of a rodeo or something?”

He smiled. “Yeah…. After?”

She paused, he waited.

“I’d like that.”

His smile became wider and she saw the dim
ples she could only picture in her mind for the past two months.

Logan
spoke with Richie. Then he spoke with his brother and told him he couldn’t stick around for the rest of the rodeo. He then went into the stands and when he was at the end of the row where Melanie and her sister were sitting, he called her name.

Melanie was watching the action below when she heard Logan call her name. Sh
e looked up and saw him.

“You want to stick around and watch the rest of the events or do you want to get out of here
?” Logan asked.

“Get out of here.” She answered breathlessly as she rose up from her seat.

He nodded then looked to her sister who was still sitting, watching them.

Melanie turned to her. “Come on, Ally, we’re leaving.”

Ally climbed into the back seat, giving Logan the front passenger seat. Melanie drove her home, then took him to a nearby tapas bar.

Sitting in a booth at a small candlelit table, sipping white sangria and munching on chorizos, shrimp ajillo and Spanish potatoes, they kept the conversation light.

They spoke of Heath and rodeos mostly
, and her editing business, both not knowing how to address what needed to be addressed.

The sangria loosened them up so when there was a lull in their polite conversation Logan took advantage. “Melanie.” He reached his hand across the table and looked into her eyes.

She hes
itated, afraid, afraid that it was a dream. Afraid to give him her hand and then have it tossed back. She tentatively reached his hand. Looking from his eyes to their almost connection to his eyes then back to their now joined hands. God, it felt so good to feel his warmth, his protective embrace.

Logan squeezed her hand and continued to study
her eyes as he felt a warmth course through him.

“You’re a complicated man
, Logan Leitner.”

“Not complicated. Simple. I'm a simple man
, which is why it takes me a long time before I get it.” He was thinking back to the time he sprung a threesome on her to the stupid shit that came out of his mouth the last time they were together. She’d even had to point out to him how he treated her whenever they’d run into a drunk Linda.

Still holding her gaze, s
he saw his eyes get watery. She was trying to hold it together but a tear escaped her eye. She looked down at their hands.

He squeezed her hand again. He needed her e
yes on his.

She brought them
back up.

“I’m so sorry
, Melanie.”

More tears escaped her eyes and she sniffled.

“I’m ashamed of the way I treated you. I was wrong.” He paused. “I panicked. I thought I’d lose joint custody of Heath when things went down. The next morning, I realized I over reacted. I called you and texted you. I knew you were angry with me so I gave you a few days to cool off. I just never thought…” His breath caught and he looked down. “I never thought you were going to leave town.”

S
he squeezed his hand, to offer him comfort. He picked his head back up. She could see the pain in his eyes.

“I didn’t know what to do? I was hurt, I was angry. I just didn’t know what to do. Add
in what I witnessed beforehand, I was scared too.” She recalled to mind witnessing the cold blooded killing of Michael’s long time friend and bodyguard at the hands of Michael.

He nodded his head and released her hand as the waiter came by and stirred the sangria, then poured the rest of it in their glasses.

“Another pitcher?” he asked.

Logan looked to Melanie.

“No, thank you,” she shook her head.

“No
, thank you,” he said to the waiter and the waiter nodded, smiled and moved away, taking the empty pitcher with him.

Logan felt his phone vibrate. He took it out. Read the text and smiled. He looked up to her.

“Richie. He and Kara took Heath to dinner then brought him back to their room to play video games. Says he’s gonna sleep in their room tonight.” Logan loved how Richie was trying to help him work things out with Melanie. Logan’s hotel room would be unoccupied when he returned and maybe Melanie would go back with him and spend the night. He hoped she would.

She smiled up at him and the waiter came back before anything more was said.
Damn it,
Logan thought.

“Can I get you anything else?”

Logan looked to Melanie who shook her head no.

“No
, thank you. Just the check.”

The waiter had it all ready. He placed it face down and said “Whenever you’re ready.”

Logan whipped out his wallet and handed him a credit card.

On the ride from the tapas bar, they made small talk again.

Melanie pulled
up to Logan’s hotel, just on the other side of the circle, away from the valet, and put it in park.  

He watched her as she studied
the steering wheel.

She found
it hard to breathe. What if this was closure for him. Would she ever see him again? Her palms got sweaty and she felt her eyes fill with water.

“I, uh….
up until tonight, I thought I’d never see you again,” Logan said.

She turned to him and
sadly smiled as she swiped the tear away from her left eye.

He watched her and just as the tear in the right eye emerged, he gently swiped it with a finger. He placed his hand on her cheek and brought up
his other hand and placed it on her other cheek and came in close. He hesitated slightly, watching her, then he kissed her and when his lips touched hers she closed her eyes and savored his touch.

His kiss began
cautiously but when he tasted her lips again, he couldn’t help himself. He pried her lips open with his and snaked his tongue into her mouth seeking her tongue. He moved his hands down to her arms and swiftly brought them around her.

She threw
her arms around him, holding on and never wanting to let go.

“
Don’t go. Stay with me tonight?” he asked her against her mouth.

She wanted to but was hesitant.
What if it led to nowhere? She didn’t know if she could just walk away in the morning and never see him again, but on the other hand, if she was never to see him again, maybe one more night with him is what she’d need to hold on to what could have been, she reasoned, because she knew in her heart, she would never get over him.

He felt her hesitate and thought she was going to say no, so he did what his brother recommended once before.
He groveled.

“Please
, Mel. Please stay with me? We don’t have to do anything. I just need to hold you. I haven’t been right for two months, now.”

“Ok
ay,” she said as she nodded her head.

Logan let out a breath. “Yeah?” he was
so relieved.

Once she parked the car and got out, he was by her side, holding her hand all the way up to his room.

Inside the room,
they both felt a little awkward.

Logan took a deep breath and told himself not to think too much. To let things flow naturally.

“Do you want something to drink? There’s soda, diet soda, water, beer or wine,” he said as he looked through the mini fridge.

“Water?” she asked
, just as he knew she would and was bringing it out as she asked. They both smiled.

He handed it to her and she twisted off the cap and sipped as she looked around the room.

It was a nice clean room with modern furniture. She walked into the bathroom and when she came out she was smiling as she saw Logan watching her.

“It’s nice.” She said still smiling.

Logan couldn’t give a damn about the room. He took three long strides over to her and wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him. Some of the water from the bottle sloshed out and he took the bottle from her hand and set it down on the bureau. He brought his lips down to hers and kissed her. It wasn’t even soft leading to hard and deep. It was straight hard and deep with tongue.

Melanie melted into him, rubbing herself on him. She felt his erection and gasped when he rocked it into her. She felt that familiar heat course throughout her body.

“Logan.” She whispered his name as she brought her hands to his chest and started to unbutton his shirt.

He didn’t stop her. He wouldn’t sto
p her. He was relieved she wanted him. When his shirt was undone, she moved the two sides away and roamed her hands all over the hard planes of his chest.

He sucked i
n a breath when her hands lightly stroked his nipples and he brought his hands to the hem of her shirt and lifted it up. She complied by lifting her arms up and he tossed the shirt. He paused to look at her breasts in a black satin demi bra then brought his eyes down to her flat stomach. “Beautiful. Melanie, you are so fucking breathtaking,” he said as his hands began to work her jeans.

He wasn’t going to get anywhere with the jeans until he removed her boots. He picked her up and brought her to the bed. He sat her down at the edge and kneeled in front of her. He looked at her then he picked up her left foot
. He unzipped the boot and quickly removed it. Then he repeated the process with her right foot. He stood her up and brought down her jeans.

Once her jeans were removed, still kneeling, he brought his arms around her waist and put his cheek on her stomach. He stayed that way
just holding her while she stroked his head.

Logan
’s senses were on overload and he couldn’t be more overjoyed. He caressed her belly, moving his hand to her waist then her hip, reveling in the softness of her. He smelled her unique, sweet woman scent and he began to lick her belly button. The taste of her was exquisite.

As he continued to lick her belly, he moved a hand into her panties and caressed her mound. He pressed a finger firmly on her clit and as she let out a moan, he dipped that finger inside her
, feeling her wetness. He groaned as he removed that finger, then he brought it to his mouth and sucked it.

“Oh, you taste so sweet. I need that. I need you,
” he said to her. He brought his hands to her hips and began to move her panties down her legs. She stepped out of them and he flung them somewhere. He brought his fingers to her lips and opened her up. He stared at her sex and he grew harder with anticipation. With his tongue he took a long, slow swipe of her pussy from her opening to her clit.

She let out a moan as her legs
faltered.

He pushed her down on the bed and rose up. Looking down at her and without taking his eyes off her eyes, he brought his hands to her thighs and gently brought
her down to the end of the bed and spread her legs.

Once again he knelt down befo
re her and brought his mouth down on her and began to lick and suck her pussy. He sucked her lips one at a time as he moaned.

“Spread your lips for me
, Melanie.” He watched as her fingers with long lavender nails parted her folds and was rewarded as her clit made an appearance from its hood. It was swollen and he couldn’t wait to have it in his mouth.

A
t the same time he bit down on it, he shoved two fingers up inside her, massaging her magic spot.

Melanie bucked off the bed.

He felt her shudder against his mouth as her moans quickened and grew louder and higher pitched. As he rode out her orgasm with her, he moved his mouth to her opening and sucked her sweetness. Yeah, he missed her so damned much.

When h
er trembles subsided, he rose up and mounted her.

“Condom?” she asked him.

“I haven’t been with anyone since you, Melanie. You?”

“No one.”

He entered her in one swift move and stood still, reveling in the feel of her warmth. He was so afraid he would never feel her again.

He took her mouth with his as he began to move in and out of her with slow purposeful thrusts. He placed a hand
on her thigh and caressed it whiling moving it up and out and he felt himself sink in deeper. He continued the wonderful assault all the while lip locked with her. He moved a hand up to caress her breast, tweaking her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

She felt an energy zip from th
ere to her clit and she had spasmed as he sucked in her sweet, whimper.

Melanie was close, so close to having another body shattering orgasm and as soon as he placed a finger at her clit and swirled around as he pu
mped inside her, she began to go over the edge.

He broke the kiss to look into her eyes she kept open for him as she came and that calmness that he’d missed for the past two months came crashing into him. 

She involuntarily squeezed his cock with her pussy muscles and he lost it. He thrust another two times and groaned loudly in contrast to her soft sexy moans as he came hard.