Meadowlarks (28 page)

             
“Addison?” No one is paying attention but her. “Can I talk to you outside for a sec?”

             
She smirks and wipes her mouth with a napkin.               “Of course.”

             
“Where are you going?” Riley calls after her.

             
“I'll be right back!” She smiles and follows me out the door, and the little bell dings when we leave.               “Everything okay?” she asks once we're in the parking lot.

             
I take her hand and lead her to the side of my truck, facing away from the building, with nothing but trees around the back.               “No, it's not okay,” I say sternly, trying to not to smile and to shield my face from her as we walk.

             
“Babe? What's wrong?”

             
I push her up against the side of my truck, putting a hand on the glass window on each side of her head.               “Listen here,
little miss
.” I narrow my eyes. “You can't just tease a man like that in a room full of people and not expect him to—”

She cuts me off by throwing her arms around me and pulling me into a deep kiss. I move my whole body closer to hers and press the hard ridge in my jeans against her. She moans quietly, and I
tongue her deeper. I'm not sure how long we're standing there, devouring one another completely. I lift her leg so it's resting on my hip and I push against her, desperate to be inside.

             
“Baby,” she breathes.

             
“I told you this was gonna happen.” I kiss her neck and shoulder, only stopping long enough to let each word out. Her skin is soft and sweet; I pull down the strap of her dress and gently bite her shoulder.

             
“I can't stand it anymore.
Please
, baby.”

             
I apologize to myself and the rage that's building in my pants, and I pull away from her slowly. Her eyes are closed, and she's breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly.               Composing myself, I pull her strap back up with my finger and smooth her hair over her shoulders.               “You aren't the only one who can tease around here.” I growl, and she drops her jaw.

             
“You. Are…So mean!” She pouts and runs her hands through her hair, turning around to look in the reflection of the dark windows, checking to make sure it doesn't look like she's just been ravaged—well,
almost
ravaged, anyway.

             
I chuckle, very proud of myself for getting her worked up, and not giving in and tearing off her panties to make love to her right here in the parking lot of Lake’s. And for not having an orgasm myself just from grinding against her beautiful body.               I kiss her softly.               “Can you walk back in there now, or should I carry you?”

             
“I can walk, thank you very much. You know, you're gonna get it later!”

             
“Mmm, I hope so.” I inhale sharply, anticipating
later
. Maybe she'll wear my hat again...

              It's in the early afternoon when we get back to the ranch. The girls talked about going riding, and Addison asked me if that was okay with me. I told her of course I didn't mind, what's mine is hers and besides, I think it would be fun to go out and see these city girls in a saddle.

             
Riley and Alex stay behind. He grabs a blanket from the house and lays it on the ground for her to sit on. We all know they need time to talk, so we're gone for what feels like a few good hours. Addison and Leah are gracefully riding Cylas and Roman. Leah actually rode with her in Maine, and she was quite enthused about showing off her skills. Zoe and Camille are each riding a horse for the first time today.

             
Jeremiah pulled out all the stops to play the best cowboy he could for the girls, wearing his hat and boots, even chaps. I laughed to myself when he walked out of the barn with them on. The girls all but fanned themselves at the sight of him, and he's now beaming while he's explaining all about Wyoming. I'm sure he's made some of it up, but they are eating it up like candy.

             
“Well, looks like you had fun,” Riley shouts over to us once we reach the gate, shielding the sun from her eyes with her hands. She's sitting on the blanket with her legs stretched out, wearing a long strapless dress. She looks beautiful, and Alex is laying down with his head on her lap. The sight of them makes me smile. I look over at Addison who looks like she's about to cry; she smiles and waves at them.

             
“Riley, Alex! You guys missed all the fun!” Leah says melodically as she pulls the saddle off Roman and slings it over her arm like a pro.

             
“Oh, yeah? I'm sorry I missed out on walking bow-legged for the rest of the day!” Riley laughs and points to Camille and Zoe who are walking slowly like they've ridden on a barrel for hours.

             
“Oh, shut up, Riley!” Zoe laughs and bends down to wipe the horse hair off the back of her jeans. “It was worth it.” She grins at Jeremiah, who is
Cheshire Cat
-smiling right back at her.

             
Addison's birthday is in four days, and tonight the girls are taking her out for a birthday/bachelorette celebration. I overheard a few random words like reservations, booze, singles, and chaps. Which only tells me two things: dinner and strippers. It will be a typical bachelorette party, I'm sure; the girls have been very secretive otherwise.

             
Jer and I bathe the horses and feed all the animals after our long ride. Alex is in the house with everyone else. He's been almost attached to Riley since she showed up, doting on her left, right and center. They actually look very happy together, and I hope everything works out for them.

             
“Alex took me aside earlier and asked me if Riley could stay with us until the baby is born,” Jer says while he fills a water bucket with the garden hose.

             
I had no idea she wanted to stay in Wyoming.               “Really? Wow...”

             
“Yeah. I said it was okay. I guess he'll be able to save some money to get a place of his own this way.”

             
“Jer, you sure? I mean, she's not due until when? June?” I try and remember the date she told us. June the fourth, I think it is.

             
He shrugs.               “It's a big house, needs life in it again.”

             
“What's she gonna do about her son?”

             
“He said since her parents are flying in for the wedding, they'll bring him then and he'll stay.” He fills another bucket with the hose.

             
Addison is in our bedroom getting dressed. When I walk in and close the door behind me, I have to lean against it because my knees almost buckle. She's standing in front of the mirror that's on top of the long wooden dresser, smoothing her hair with her hands. Her long red curls are flowing down her back, one side pinned back by a small silver comb with pearls on it. She's wearing a white cotton dress that ends mid-thigh, and it's completely strapless. A thin leather belt deliciously sits around her waist, and she's got the brown Dan Post cowboy boots I bought for her on.

             
“Do you really think I'm going to let you out of the house now?” I slowly walk over to her with my hands on my hips.

             
“Oh? This old thang?” She pulls the hem of the dress up to one side, showing even more skin than she already is. My heart starts to race at the sight, and I narrow my eyes at her.

             
“I miss you.”

             
She leans over the dresser and looks closely at her reflection as she applies mascara to her long lashes.               “I know, baby. I miss you, too.”

             
“No.” I sweep her hair from her back and stand behind her, leaning in to slowly kiss her shoulder. “I mean, I
miss
you.”

             
“Mmm. Mr. Blackstock, are you trying to seduce me?” she asks in a low, raw voice.

             
I don't say anything back. I trail my hands down her body, down to her bare legs and back up, lifting her dress with my fingertips. She's still leaning over the dresser; she's put the makeup down and is holding herself up with her palms flat on the wood. I can hear her breathing slowly but heavily, and she's got her chin resting on her shoulder to look back at me. Her white lace panties are barely covering anything, and I run my fingers up the back of her legs, over her behind and around her waist.

             
“Blaine, I...” She breathes. “You're going make me...”

             
She stands, and I turn her around and hold her hands together, putting them on my chest, over my heart.

             
“I love you, Addy.”

             
She kisses me, her hands in my hair, then holding my face.               “I love you, too. So very much.”

I exhale deeply, and she leans her forehead on my chin. “When I get home, you better be awake.” She looks up and me and grins.
              “Or else.”

I don't even need to know what
or else
could entail; she makes it sound so intriguing I'm actually considering falling asleep.

             
“Cole! You are fucking hot!” Riley beams when we walk into the kitchen; I even see Jeremiah widen his eyes at the sight of her.

             
“Blaine, are you sure about this?” Riley asks.

I smile.
              “Have fun! She's only gonna get one of these things.”

             
Riley is wearing another long strapless dress, her tan skin glowing either from the sun she got today or the pregnancy. Both, I'm sure.

             
Leah, Zoe and Camille are all wearing brightly colored cocktail dresses. They look like they should be endorsing bubblegum or Rodeo Drive or extras in another
Legally Blonde
movie. I can just see the local girls’ faces when these five walk in, a high-end motley crew indeed.

             
“Bye, handsome.” Riley kisses Alex's cheek, and he blushes. “Behave now, boys!”

             
I almost tell them to do the same, but I know they will. Well, Riley and Addison will without a doubt. The other three? Well, let's just say it wouldn't surprise me if they lassoed their first cowboy tonight.
Look out, men of Sheridan.

             
Jer, Alex and I play some poker and drink some beer. A baseball game is playing on the TV for background noise.

             
“She's having a girl,” Alex mumbles, looking down at his cards, and his forehead wrinkles. “Two pair! Ha!” He tosses his winning cards downs and laughs.

             
“Wow! Congratulations, man.” I toss my cards, too, pouting on the inside that I thought I had the game won with my two kings.

             
“Awe, yeah!” He wraps his arms around the stacks of blue, white and red chips and pulls them into his small pile.

             
“I mean about the baby.”
What a moron
. I roll my eyes.

             
“Oh, yeah. Thanks, man.” He grabs our cards and starts shuffling them. “Jer said she could move in for a while until I get my...
our
own place.”

             
“She's planning on living here for good?” I ask as I feel a little twinge of jealousy as I think of Riley spending all her time with Addison; between that and work means even less time for me.

             
“Well, maybe not forever. But she thinks this would be a good place to raise a kid.” He shrugs and deals the cards out to each of us. “Plus, she can sell real estate anywhere.”

             
“What about her son? What about his dad?” Jeremiah asks and tosses a card down, wanting to be dealt another.

             
“He's some dickhead deadbeat, never been around the kid.” Alex curls his lip like he's disgusted by the thought of him.              

It's midnight when Alex's phone buzzes. He answers it quickly.
              “Riley? Hello?”

             
I crack another beer and take a sip, curious as to why she's calling. I haven't heard from Addison all night.

             
“You're okay, though? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

             
Jeremiah and I both sit up in our seats and stare at him, waiting for him to tell us what's going on.

             
“Okay...yeah of course...twenty minutes. Bye.”

             
“What's going on? She okay?” Jer plays with some poker chips in his hands nervously.

             
“Yeah, she's just not feeling well. She wants me to pick her up at some club. And I'm the only one here who hasn't been drinking.”

             
I'm surprised and relieved when Alex tells us they're at the karaoke bar in town and not some strip joint. When we pull into the parking lot, the music is thumping out of the building.               Some awkward voice is almost screeching a
Stones
song, and we all chuckle to one another and open the door to the bar.

             
The inside is just like the bar in Cody, except it less western-themed and more flashing lights. There’s a big stage at the front with some scrawny kid up there who, judging by the group of kids cheering him on from a table near the stage and his Birthday Boy t-shirt, just turned twenty-one. The butchering of
Painted Black
ends, and Jeremiah is the first to spot the girls.

             
“Over there!” he calls out.

             
They're sitting together at a round table, all colorful and clapping kindly for the birthday boy, who stumbles over a chair while walking past them.

Poor kid.
I smirk.

             
Alex finds Riley and bends down beside her, holding her hand. She smiles, and I can read her lips that she tells him she's okay. When I get closer, I realize I don't see Addison anywhere.

             
“Where's Addy?” I pull a chair up and sit beside Leah.

             
“Oh, she's in the bathroom. She'll be out in a sec!” She grins like she's up to something mischievous and casually sips on her pink drink.

             
“You okay, Riley?”

             
“Yeah. Thanks, Blaine. I just felt a little light-headed.” She fans her face with her hand. “I think it was all the lights.”

             
Soft music starts to play, a guitar and a violin, and my eyes trail up to the stage. A beautiful voice starts singing, and I'm frozen.

             
Cowboy take me away...

             
How have I not ever heard her sing like this before? My hands are tingling, I have goose bumps on my arms, and I can't believe what I'm hearing.

She's smiling, slowly swaying back and forth and tapping her fingers on her thigh with the hand that's not holding the microphone.

              I'm so captivated I don't even notice that Leah crept up there with her and was singing in the background. All the kids at the birthday table are gaping, completely blown away, probably like everyone else in here. Riley is sitting back in her chair, a huge smile on her face, like she's witnessed this before. She seems thrilled to finally see her best friend open herself up and sing in front of people.

             
Addison gazes at me throughout the song. I don't even think I've been able to blink. She's a siren, singing to me, seducing me with her melodic chorus of adoration.