Cowboy Redemption (Down Under Cowboy Book 6) (15 page)

After a long day of helping my dad out on the farm, I put Roxy in my car and we drive home.  I am exhausted, sweaty and covered in dust.  Today we worked the horses and then moved some cattle with Jeremy’s help in the helicopter.  Even though he is in his sixties now, dad can still ride a horse as well as Ava and me.  Roxy spent the day indoors with my mum, helping her to do some housework.  I imagine Roxy would have made more mess for mum to clean up, but she didn’t mind at all.  When I stopped in to pick Roxy up, mum asked me to drop her off next time I’m working with dad.  Apparently Roxy gave mum plenty of laughs and kept her company all day.

“You’re such a loveable girl, aren’t you?” I coo to her.  She moves off the passenger seat and onto my lap as we pull up in the garage.

“Come on, girl.”  I lift her from the car then place her on the ground so she can do her business before we go inside.  She sniffs the ground, does a wee, then sniffs the air and barks.  She sniffs and barks again.  It is cute, hearing such a brave noise come from a small puppy, but she seems concerned about something so I walk toward the house.

“What is it, girl?  A snake?  What are you worried about?”

She growls and barks again.  As we round the corner and climb onto the porch, she barks again, louder, sharper.  Then I see him.  Leaning against the veranda, his legs are crossed at the ankles, his arms folded over his chest.  I blink, convinced I’m dreaming.  He is still there when I reopen my eyes.

“Kye?” I whisper.

He walks toward me.  We are both silent, the only noise is coming from Roxy, who continues barking at him.

I crouch down and rub her neck.  “It’s okay, sweet girl.  It’s okay.”  She moves to my ankles and stands guard, still unsure.

“Hey, darlin’,” he says quietly.

“You’re really here?” I ask, not believing my eyes.

“Yeah, baby.  I’m really here.”

I reach up and cup his face, desperate to feel him.

“I know I don’t deserve it, Kennedy, but can you give me a moment of your time?” he asks sincerely.

“Yes.” 
As if I would ever say no to this man.

With legs like jelly and shaking hands, I open the door and walk inside with Kye (and Roxy) following.

“Do you mind waiting while I wash my hands?  I’m filthy.”

“Go ahead.  Take your time.”

“Help yourself to a drink, if you want one.”  I go into the bathroom and wash the dirt and grime off my hands before splashing water on my face.  My heart is thudding in my chest, my anxiety is making my hands feel clammy.  I’m incredibly nervous. 

“Toughen up, Kennedy.  Go back out there and see what he wants.  You can do this,” I whisper to myself in the mirror.  Drying my hands and face, I walk back out into the living room to see Kye sitting on the lounge and Roxy sound asleep in his lap.

I’m pretty sure my vagina just swooned.

Forcing my feet to move, I round the couch and sit on the edge.

I stare at Roxy, her eyes closed, her tan little eyebrows twitching occasionally as she dreams. 
Traitor.

“What’s her name?” Kye asks, stroking Roxy’s back.

“Roxy.”

“She’s cute.”

“She is.” I nod.  “How did you know where I was?” I ask, not wanting to beat around the bush.

“I went to the Retreat first and saw it had been shut down, so I called into Jack’s house and he told me about the Retreat and you moving here.”

“Okay.” 
That makes sense.

“I know I messed up, Kennedy.  I know I did and I’m so fucking sorry.  I can’t promise I’ll never mess up again, but if you can give me a second chance, I promise I’ll never walk away from you again.”

Tears burn the back of my eyes.  I know I shouldn’t let him off so easily, but I also know what my heart, mind and soul want.  They all want Kye.  I have made mistakes in the past, so I am certainly not one to judge.  If I was never given a second chance, I wouldn’t have my sister and her family in my life, so I know exactly how important second chances are.  Yes, Kye hurt me by leaving without giving me a proper explanation. But he also came back, apologised and asked for my forgiveness.  He made a mistake.  No one is perfect, after all.

“I missed you so much,” I tell him.

“Baby, you have no idea how much I missed you.”  He tugs me into his arms and hugs me tight, careful not to squash Roxy.

“Got something else I want to confess,” he rasps in my ear.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I love you, Kennedy.”

A lone tear runs down my cheek.

“I love you, too, Kye,” I choke out.

He pulls back and grabs my face, kissing me passionately.  Just as the kiss gets heated and his tongue slides in my mouth, Roxy decides she doesn’t want to be left out.  She jumps up and begins licking our necks and faces.  I start laughing and Kye chuckles.

“Someone’s jealous,” Kye mutters.

She gives a little yap and them licks Kye’s stubbly chin.

“I think she likes you,” I say.

“I think she needs her own boyfriend,” he murmurs.

“Ha ha! She’s a bit young for that.” 

I sigh contentedly and curl up cuddling Kye with Roxy in between us.  As we lie there, Kye opens up about his struggles with alcohol and his time in jail.  He also tells me about an idea he is hoping to get off the ground here in Pine Creek.  A football coaching clinic.  It sounds amazing and I’m more than willing to help him out in any way I can. 

Hours later, I take Roxy outside for her to go to the bathroom, then she curls up in her puppy bed and I go into the bathroom to take a quick shower.  The water is a welcome relief to my dirty skin and I scrub my entire body three times in an attempt to get all the grime off.  Just as I’m washing the soap off, the shower curtain is slowly pulled open and Kye stands there, completely naked and
hard…everywhere.
 

My nipples instantly go hard and my stomach clenches.  Damn he looks good.  I move slightly to the side, granting him permission to his unspoken question.  He steps in, his body touching mine.  Water drenches his body and I watch the beads roll down over his chest and further down his stomach before reaching his erection.

Bringing his mouth down on mine, he kisses me sweetly, deeply.  My back hits the wall and he boosts me up, gripping my arse. I wrap my legs around his waist and he pulls back slightly, breaking the kiss.  I feel his cock at my entrance and he looks deep into my eyes.  As I take his cock, inch by inch, slowly, he whispers, “I love you, darlin’.”  Then he fills me.  I am full of him.  And it feels
so fucking good.

Up against the wall in my shower, he makes love to me.  Slowly, softly, sweetly.  Water pours down over us, mixing with the sweat our bodies are producing.  My cries and Kye’s grunts fill the room, the sound of our skin slapping together, producing the most beautiful musical ever created.

As I close my eyes and arch my back, my body convulses and I come apart, knowing with all my heart and soul that he is
the one
for me.  I’m so glad I believe in giving people second chances.

“Mornin’, beautiful.”  At the sound of Kye’s husky voice, I push my arse up against his morning wood.  He responds with a push of his own and I moan, my voice thick from sleep.  His arms tighten around my waist and I sigh.  I don’t think I will ever get sick of this feeling.  The feeling of contentment and sheer happiness that waking up each morning with the love of my life brings.

Kye rolls me toward him and begins kissing my neck.  I move my chin, giving him more access and my blood begins to heat.  My fingers stroke up and down is muscular back and down over his gorgeous tight arse.  He moves to settle himself between my legs and his cock sits snugly against my heat.

“I love waking up with you,” I whisper the truth in his ear before nipping at his lobe.  His hair tickles my chin and I blow it out of the way.  “You need a haircut,” I tell him, threading my fingers through his locks.

“Babe, I’m trying to make you hot.  You shouldn’t be thinking about my hair,” he chides and I can feel his grin against my neck.

“You don’t need to try to get me hot.  I’m always hot for you,” I say.

He thrusts against me, and I moan when he rubs me just right.  “Fuck yeah, Kennedy.”

Just as things go from heated to scorching, a cry sounds through the tiny white intercom beside my head.

Kye sighs and sucks my neck one last time.  “Later,” he promises.  Then he climbs out of bed and tugs on his pyjama bottoms before going in to tend to our baby girl, Molly.

“Good morning, daddy’s princess,” I hear him saying to her.  She babbles back and I smile.  It is hard to believe she is six months old already.  Time is just going by so quickly.  In the two years since Kye came back, he has managed to build an amazing clinic and give me the most beautiful baby girl I have ever laid eyes on.  She has a tuft of blonde hair that is slowly turning brown like her dad’s, her eyes are dark blue and her smile could light up a room.  Her cheeks are chubby and she has the most delicious fat rolls on her arms and legs.  Simply adorable.

I make my way out to the kitchen and pour myself a coffee.  Roxy comes trotting over and I give my big girl some love.  She has grown into the most beautiful dog.  She is extremely placid and tolerant with us, but also incredibly protective.  I was concerned when we first brought Molly home from the hospital, but Roxy has loved her from the beginning. 

I pour Kye a mug and then he appears in the doorway, our baby girl propped up on his arm.

“Morning, beautiful girl,” I say with a smile, holding my hands out to her.  She comes to me and I kiss her chubby cheeks, revelling in the giggles she rewards me with.

“You want your breakfast, baby?”  I sit her in her high chair and then sit down opposite her to feed her the bowl of muesli she loves.  While she is eating, Kye makes my toast and then leaves us to have a shower. 

While Kye does all the practical side of things at the coaching clinic, I take care of the paperwork.  Since having Molly, I have worked from home, but I usually try to get down to the clinic at least one day a week.  Mainly because I love seeing Kye in a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top, displaying all his muscles, while he runs around with the kids, getting covered in sweat.  It is a sight to behold, I swear.

Starting the clinic up only took Kye four months.  He was lucky enough to secure a massive amount of sponsorship from different organisations, so his own monetary outlay wasn’t that expensive.  As the clinic has grown in popularity, so has the sponsorship.  The Kye Austin Football Clinic is sponsored by clothing companies, sporting goods manufactures, banks and sporting broadcasters.  Kye’s old football club, the Canberra Raiders, also contribute to sponsorship and often send some of their players out here for workshops and talks, which has been hugely popular among the kids.

After dressing Molly in a cute little bright yellow sunflower printed dress, I leave her with Kye while I change into a pair of shorts and a polo shirt.  Once we are all ready, we climb in the car and drive to the clinic. 

As we pull up, I am not surprised to see Oscar out on the field, practicing his goal kicking.  He has been in the program since Kye started.  In fact, he was the first to sign up.  Oscar’s passion for football hasn’t waned at all, and Kye thinks he has a real natural talent for the game.  They often spend extra hours doing drills and tactics training, which Oscar thrives on.  He is determined to play professional football
just like Uncle Kye
, he tells anyone who will listen.

“Hey, Oscar,” I call, pushing the pram over to where he fetching the balls he has already kicked.

“Hey, Aunty Kennedy, Uncle Kye, Molly,” he calls back.

“Show us what you got, boy!” Kye shouts out.

Oscar grins big time and then crouches down to position the ball on the kicking tee.  He takes a few steps back and off to the side before quick-stepping forward and launching the ball.  It sails through the goalposts with pinpoint accuracy and I clap like a loon.  Molly giggles and claps too, while the boys just shake their heads in amusement at us.

“He’s so good!” I tell Kye, even though he already knows.

“Good job, bud.  Keep it up,” Kye tells him and Oscar visibly basks in the praise.

We watch him practice for a few minutes longer, then Molly and I give Kye a quick kiss before we head into the office to work for a few hours, while Kye heads out onto the field to set up for the days clinic.

I sit Molly down in her little playpen and spread some toys out for her, and then I get to work.  I open mail, pay bills, send out invoices and reply to emails.  When Molly starts to get bored, I quickly finish updating our social media page and then pick her up and take her outside for a few minutes of fresh air.  Carrying her in my arm, I make my way over closer to the field where Kye is training a group of five teenage boys.

“I was just coming to the office to see you,” Ava says, bounding up to me.

“You look mighty happy this morning,” I say dryly.

“I’m always happy,” she replies.

“Hey, kiddos,” I say, smiling at my nieces and nephew.

The twins, Jagger and Lila are almost four years old now, and Haidee had her fifth birthday two weeks ago. 

“Watch me kick, Aunty Kendy,” Jagger says, booting a football.

“Good job!” I tell him.

He smiles proudly then runs off with his sisters to get the ball.

“Oscar is doing so good,” I tell Ava.

“He’s got a real talent, doesn’t he?” she agrees, holding her hands out to take Molly.

“Yep.  Kye says he has a promising career ahead of him, if he wants it.”

She nods thoughtfully and then changes the subject.  I know talking about Oscar leaving upsets her.  If she had it her way, she would have her babies live at home for the rest of their lives!  But I also know my sister, and I know she would move heaven and earth to make her children’s dreams come true.

“I better get back to work.  I’ll see you guys this afternoon.”  After giving Molly a kiss, she hands her back to me and we go back inside to finish off the paperwork.

“How’re my girls doing?” Kye asks, coming up behind me and kissing the back of my neck.

“We’re good.  Just finished up here and now I’m going to take Molly home for her nap and get ready for the barbeque this afternoon,” I say.

“I’ll see you when I get home around four.”

“Okay, babe.  Have a good day.” I go up on my toes and touch my lips to his.  The kiss is short, but, as always, powerful with the emotion enveloped in it.

“Bye, Molly-moo.”  As it always does, my heart beats funny when he kisses her.  She babbles to him and slaps his face.  Laughing, I make my way out to the car and home, mentally making a list of everything I need to do this afternoon.

~*~

Our family has grown a lot in the last few years.  Looking at all the kids running around today, it is sometimes hard to believe.  

“Mum!  Tell Charlie to play properly,” Banjo shouts.

“Boys, stop bickering,” Jules replies tiredly.  Her two boys are so full on she swore she wouldn’t have any more children.  But then just last month along came little Daisy.  Now she says she wouldn’t mind another girl, because every girl needs a sister, especially with those who have brothers like Banjo and Charlie.  Watching the boys wrestle each other to the ground, I happen to agree with Jules!

Olive, Max, Brooklyn, Haidee, Jagger, and Lila, run through the tables and chairs, squealing and playing chase.  Glancing around, I’m not surprised to see Oscar kicking his football about in the backyard away from all the younger kids. 

“Can you just watch Molly for a minute, babe?  I’m just going to grab a drink.”

“Sure, darlin’.”

On my way across the lawn at mum and dad’s, I pass Laura and Luke arriving with their brood.  The minute Sebastian and Ella spot the other kids playing, they take off over to them, leaving Laura and Luke shaking their heads in amusement.

“Hey, guys.”  I wave on my way past.

“Hey!  Where are the gifts going?”

“Oh, you didn’t have to get them anything,” I chide.

“It’s your parents sixtieth wedding anniversary.  Of course we’re going to buy them a present,” she replies, rolling her eyes.

“I know, I couldn’t help myself either.” I laugh.  “I can take it inside if you like?” 

She hands me the wrapped box and I set it on the table with the other gifts.  After getting myself a can of drink, I go back outside to join the party.  Sienna and Zeke have arrived with their kids, Ivie and baby Raine.  Kye’s mum, Maryanne is also here and Molly is loving the attention she gets from her.  We are hoping to convince Maryanne to move here, and the way she dotes on Molly, I don’t think we will have any trouble at all.

Our family may be large, but the amount of love surrounding us is something everyone here appreciates.  We love unconditionally and accept each other beyond measure.  Remember to always give people a second chance.  Everyone makes mistakes and everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves. 

This love, this life, this family, is my redemption.

The End

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Cowboy Redemption
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