Marrying The Cowboy: A BWWM Cowboy Billionaire Romance (3 page)

Kate watched as Bruce ran the large bristled brush over the horse's
coat. He was so gentle with the animal, such a beautiful sight to
see.

"If you say so, love. Why don't you come on over here? Have you
ever ridden a horse before?"

She shook her head. "No. I can't say that I have."

Bruce beckoned for her. "You can come closer."

"I'm not sure about that." Kate nodded in the direction of
the horse.

"Paddington is a calm soul."

"Paddington? You mean like the bear?"

"Yes, like the bear. Now come on over here. I promise I won't
let him hurt you."

Kate inched closer to where Bruce stood. She moved slowly, not
wanting to make any sudden movements that would scare the horse.

She took Bruce by the hand and stepped closer to the horse. Bruce
took her hand and helped her come even closer to the animal. He
instructed her to hold her hand out slowly. When she did, she began
to feel more comfortable being in such close proximity to the animal.

She eventually touched his soft hair, running her hands through the
horse's mane.

"This is not bad."

"Not at all. One day, I will get you to ride."

"I would love that."

"Let's get Paddington back to the stables. I'm sure that Mother
has dinner ready."

"As a matter of fact, she does. That's why I came out here."

Bruce chuckled. "So you did not come out here for my winning
smile and my stellar attitude?"

"Definitely not those," she laughed. "But those
devastating blue eyes and the charming man behind the smile are more
than enough to keep me coming back."

"Dually noted. Follow me."

Kate followed as Bruce led the way to the stables. She admired the
way he navigated so fluidly in his surroundings. He put the horse
back in the stable, fed him, and did one last check of the area.

In that moment, watching Bruce do something he knew so well, she
found him utterly attractive. Even more so than usual.

"Woman, why are you staring at me like that?"

Kate sucked in her breath. Bruce was turned around, with his back to
her. How did he feel her eyes on him?

She was speechless, unsure how to answer. When she sat quietly, he
responded for her. Pulling her in to an embrace, Kate was immediately
struck by his woodsy scent. His strong body enveloping hers made her
soften into his hardness.

"I missed you."

Just that small confession from Bruce made her day.

"I missed you too. Coming to the ranch was a pleasant surprise."

"I thought that you would appreciate a home cooked meal. You
know, versus the swanky city restaurants with pricey menus."

She held her arms around him tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Good idea. I could use the time to slow down a bit."

A light kiss on the lips turned smoldering within seconds. She was
unable to think of anything other than Bruce's touch as his lips
locked with hers.

"Stay with me tonight."

She did not have to think twice. "Of course."

He backed off just enough, but it was obvious that he could not keep
his hands off of her.

"If you don't watch it, you may have to undress me right here
and now."

"Don't tease me like that, woman. All of this talk about taking
your clothes off, I just may take you up on the offer."

Kate considered it briefly, her body was hot with desire and she was
not sure how she was going to make it through dinner while she pined
away for the man across the table from her. Then she thought that it
would be just the perfect foreplay and decided that teasing him all
night would be a complete turn on.

"Why don't we get back to the house? I'm sure your mother is
ready to serve dinner."

As they walked toward the house, Bruce came up behind Kate, kissing
her on the neck. Why he had to tease her, she was not sure. It was
going to make it harder to get through dinner and the rest of the
evening, remembering the way his touch felt.

"There the two of you are. I was beginning to think that I had
to send out a search party to find you."

"No, Mother. I was just showing Kate how to get acquainted with
Paddington."

Mrs. Stanger, brow raised, commented. "Why don't the two of you
wash up? I'm putting the food on the table."

Bruce showed Kate to the powder room and he disappeared down the
hallway. Once she washed up, she found Bruce's parents in the dining
room. Bruce came in shortly after her and rushed up to pull out her
chair.

His parents looked on, smiling.

"So, city girl. How was your trip outside to the stables?"
Mr. Stanger asked.

"I survived."

Everyone at the table laughed and dinner was served. Over polite
conversation, mashed potatoes and pork chops, and a few glasses of
wine, Kate enjoyed her evening at the ranch. After dinner was over,
she offered to help Mrs. Stanger clear the table.

"Thank you, dear. We really love it when you come out to the
ranch."

"I appreciate it as well, Mrs. Stanger. Dinner was wonderful."

"Do you cook?" Bruce's mother was busy at work, washing
dishes.

"Not much. I'm always working, so I tend to get my food on the
go."

Kate swore she heard the woman suck her teeth. She sat for a moment,
trying to figure out a way to respond.

"Maybe you could teach me some of your best meals? I have
recently started thinking that it would be good to learn a few new
dishes."

Mrs. Stanger turned toward her, beaming. "I could certainly do
that." She stacked the plates on the drain.

"It would also be nice to invite your parents out here for a
dinner. Since you and Bruce are becoming so close. My husband and I
would love to meet your family."

"That would actually be nice. My parents are retired, so they
travel a lot now. I'll let them know that the invitation has been
extended."

Kate gave Mrs. Stanger a hand with the dishes.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question, dear?"

"Of course." Kate tried to hide the fact that she was a bit
nervous about what the question would be.

"How do you feel about marriage?"

Kate tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It felt like a trick
question.

"I think that it's right when the right people do it."

Mrs. Stanger looked on, waiting for Kate to continue.

"My parents have been happily married for over thirty years. I
look at them and I see what I would like my own life to be like. I
would love to model my own relationship after them, but I do
understand that each relationship is different. So I want to find
what works for me. Ideally, I only want to do it once, so I would
like to take my time and do it right the first time around."

Mrs. Stanger had been listening as she finished wiping down the
counters. "You young people have a huge misconception on what it
means to be married. It's not all about love and finding the right
one. There is no real fairy tale involved. Just a lot of work. But
that work is rewarding when you come home to the person that makes
you happy. When you build a life together and have something to show
for all of the sacrifice and the days when things weren't so great.
It's not the good times that make a relationship. It's the hard time
and the way the two of you fight through that make the relationship.
Does that make sense?"

"Makes perfect sense."

"Bruce loves you. I can tell by the way that he looks at you."

Hearing someone else point out what Kate knew to be true made her
gush with happiness.

"I love him too." Once the words escaped Kate's lips, she
knew that there was no turning back. She had put it out there to the
universe that she was in love with Bruce.

"I hope that the two of you make each other happy. He deserves
all of the happiness in the world. And I hope that you are the one to
make him happy. And that he does the same for you."

Kate's cheeks were warm, she knew she was blushing. "He makes me
very happy. Bruce has been the perfect man for me. I hope I make him
as happy as he makes me."

Just thinking about how happy she was with Bruce made her fill with
love. In that moment, she could not figure out why she would be
apprehensive about going in to a life with Bruce.

Mrs. Stanger patted Kate on the shoulder. "If you know that you
have a good man, the love of a good man, then everything else works
itself out."

"Thank you. I appreciate your kind words."

"Well dear, I am going to turn in for the evening. I will see
the two of you later. Have a good evening."

Kate smiled as Bruce's mother left the kitchen. She stayed there,
thinking about the wisdom Mrs. Stanger had just imparted. It amazed
Kate how his mother had known so much about how she felt about Bruce.
Maybe it would be worth it to let go a bit and go with the flow. She
definitely did not want to lose him because she was stubbornly trying
to make things work the way she wanted them to work.

It was definitely worth trying to make it all work out. She was sure
the love she and Bruce shared would be enough to make the two of them
figure something out. His work was increasing as well, and he would
be doing more traveling, so now they would have to mesh schedules and
share a few stolen moments when they were both in town.

"What are you thinking about?"

Kate was startled when she turned around to see Bruce standing there.

"Ah, nothing."

"That look on your face doesn't look like nothing." He came
forward, caressing her face.

"Us women were in here talking, putting away dishes."

"My mother can be a bit much. There is a firecracker behind that
petite, sweet looking woman."

Kate laughed, leaning her face in to his touch. "No really. She
has a lot of insight and she was simply looking out for her son and
his best interest. You know that at some point, Mama Bear has to make
sure the woman her son brings around has the best intentions."

Bruce wrapped his arms around her. "I think we are a bit too old
for that, but okay. Hopefully she didn't do too much damage."

"Not at all," Kate replied. "She actually gave me a
good perspective on everything."

"Do tell."

"She was just saying that things are good if the two of us love
each other and make each other happy. And basically, if we stay
focused on that and not the fairy tale, we will do well."

"I like where she is going with that thought process."

"Do you really?"

"I do. It's all that I've ever been trying to tell you. I simply
want to make you happy. No pressure."

Standing on her toes, Kate leaned in to kiss her beau. His lips met
hers, his hands began to massage her back.

A moan escaped her lips. Lips trailed kisses down her long neck, on
her shoulder, on the back of her neck. Heat was rising between them
and it dawned on her that they were standing in the middle of his
parents' kitchen.

"Wait, we are in the middle of the kitchen. Your parents could
walk in." Her words escaped her lips breathlessly.

"Does that matter in this moment? Is that what you are thinking
about when I do this?"

He nibbled on her ear, in the spot that he knew would drive her
crazy.

"No."

"Or when I do this?" He reached under her shirt, massaging
her nipples. It did not seem fair because Kate knew that Bruce was
trying to make her do his bidding. He wanted her right there.

"I want you, Kate. Right now."

This was one of those times when she knew it would make sense to tell
him no, not right now. They were at his parents' home, and they were
grown adults, not teenagers who needed to sneak and have sex. But
with his hands all over her, warm kisses landing all over her skin,
there was no way she could resist. She had been resisting all night.
From the kiss in the stables, to the way he was eyeing her at the
dinner table.

She simply nodded, letting him know he had the green light. Pulling
her hand, Bruce led her through the west wing of the house. They
walked out of some sliding glass doors, passing through the patio,
and out to the pool house.

Bruce opened the door, flipped on the dimmer, and slammed the door
behind them. "We have complete privacy here. I can make you
scream as loudly as you would like."

Biting her lip, she eyed her lover. He had her wedged between his
body and the wall, providing the perfect amount of pressure to leave
her breathless. Once she was in his hands, there was no letting go.
He was going to hold her there until she was completely satisfied.

She no longer wanted to hold back. She wanted to give him all that he
asked for. When he undressed her, Kate let it go willingly. Lost in
his eyes, in his touch, she let go and let Bruce have his way.

There was nothing like being in his arms. His kiss was passionate,
called forth all of her desire. She craved him, wanted more and more
of what she knew he would give. When he undressed her, dropping in
front of her, he threw one of her legs over his shoulder and drank
from her flowing fountain, evoking a leg shaking, earth shattering
release in her.

His tongue on her clitoris, flickering and begging her to cum over
and over again.

"Come to me."

Bruce picked her up, taking her over to the bed, laying her down as
he still left his face buried in between her thighs. She was not sure
if she could take anymore, but her body told her otherwise and gave
in to every one of Bruce's advances. Once on the bed, he held her
legs high in the sky and when their eyes met, she knew he was going
to go for intense pleasure.

When he entered her, she came unhinged. His hardened penis was
begging her to come and she did what she was asked. Pulsating, the
muscles in her walls spilled forth bliss. She grinded her hips,
feeling all of his guidance, all of his girth, filling her. Watching
his face made it impossible to keep any sense of control.