One Night Rodeo (25 page)

Despite the frigid air, sweat gathered on his brow. Sweat also trickled down the crack of his ass and dampened his balls. He slammed into her, her wet heat easing each hard stroke.

Celia’s arms were around his neck, her short fingernails sunk into his scalp, the heels of her cowgirl boots digging into his ass. She panted, her breath indicating how close she was. “Kyle.”

“Hold on. I’m gonna tip you forward.”

As soon as he did that, she gasped. “Oh. Yes. Like that.”

“Squeeze me. Harder.” He rested his forehead on her shoulder and jackhammered into her. Near to that tipping point himself, he gritted his teeth and hoped he could hold on because it felt too fucking good to stop.

She stiffened, her grip on his head increased and she arched back, a sexy wail drifting from her mouth.

The clenching of her cunt around his shaft set him off. He shoved deep and stayed there, managing a hoarse grunt as her body milked his cock until he had not a drop of seed left.

A cold breeze and tickling fingers between his balls roused him. He jumped when he realized it wasn’t soft fingers caressing him but the fringe from her skirt flapping in the breeze. He chuckled.

“What?”

“I told you I’d make that fringe move tonight.”

Celia drummed his buns with her boot heels. “Smart-ass.”

Kyle kissed her. He could’ve gone on kissing her, if not for the fact she
was shivering. “Sorry,” he murmured. “Whenever I get a taste of this sinful mouth of yours, I don’t wanna stop.”

“I don’t want you to stop either, but I’m literally freezing my ass off.”

“Hang on.” Kyle pulled out and paused for a second before putting her feet back on the ground. He attempted to straighten her skirt before quickly redressing. “Let’s get you warmed up.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Kyle frowned. “No.”

“My panties are in your pocket. Give ’em back.”

“Nope. They’re mine. Besides you’d just be taking them off again in a little while, so I thought I’d save you the trouble.” He tugged her coat around her and tied the belt.

“So thoughtful.”

He pecked her on the mouth. “I try. Come on, let’s go home.”

Chapter Twelve

T
he carpet layers arrived early.

Celia knew it was silly to be nervous, but she’d never picked out carpet before. Kyle hadn’t cared—or so he’d claimed—but she really didn’t want him to hate it.

Rather than stand around the house and wring her hands because Kyle insisted on doing the cattle check himself, she headed to the horse pasture.

Mickey had designated himself king of her horse pack. Her other horses, Minnie, Coco, and Lazarus were used to Mickey. But Marshall’s horses, Bugsy, Capone, Scout, and Pixie were used to Capone being head horse. There was bound to be jockeying for position at feeding time, so she’d separated them. Better to let them get acquainted over the fence line first.

Although the day was bitterly cold, the sun shone brilliantly and not a breath of wind stirred. Celia bundled up—not her favorite thing to be so immobile atop a horse—but the weather demanded it. She saddled Coco and kicked her into a trot. She could spend hours on horseback checking out the lay of the land if there weren’t so many other things that needed done. She could spend the next two years getting the place up to snuff.

Too bad you don’t have that long.

It seemed her subconscious had taken to warning her of the six-month rule whenever she considered breaking it. Which happened all the freakin’ time since she’d finally admitted to herself she was in love with Kyle. She just didn’t know what the hell to do about it.

At times it seemed Kyle wanted more. Other times she felt he was eager to do the ranch work on his own and he’d be happy to see her taillights at the end of their agreed time together. So she decided that waiting to broach a possible change in their agreement was her best option. Wasn’t like she would fall out of love with him. And maybe if he wasn’t in love with her now, he would be in a few more months.

After her ride, she brushed Coco down, fed her some oats, and hung up her tack. She noticed Kyle hanging over the fence, talking to the horses.

She exited the gate and stood beside him. “What’s up?”

“Checking out my horseflesh. What did you find out on your frigid horseback ride?”

“There’s an old metal shed northwest of here that’d work as a calving shed if we got stuck out there.” She looked at him. “Any signs in the herd that we’ll have calves soon?”

“Explain signs,” Kyle asked without a hint of sarcasm.

“Teats filling with milk. Any cows laying down, getting up over and over, then looking for a place away from the herd?”

“Not that I saw. But to be honest, I wasn’t looking for those signs. I’ll do a teat check tomorrow for sure.” He sighed. “Thanks for not makin’ me feel like an idiot because I don’t know much about this stuff, Cele.”

She patted Minnie’s neck. “There’s a lot to learn about raising cattle. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know it all.”

“Seems like you do to me.” He raised his hand to pat Minnie too but she shied away from him. “I’d like these horses a whole lot more if we were facing off in the arena and they were trying to buck me off. I might stand a chance with them.”

“That’s crazy talk. They’re all very sweet.”

“Which one is pregnant?”

“Blue. She’s not here. I left her with Eli.”

“Why didn’t he bring her when he brought the others yesterday?”

“Since Blue’s due date is during calving, I didn’t want her to deliver when I couldn’t give her all my attention. Mares in the same pasture that don’t foal will try to steal another mare’s baby.”

“Seriously? I’ve never heard of that.”

“It happens all the time. This is Blue’s first foal. She’s so sweet-tempered and she doesn’t have the experience to fight off more aggressive mares. Since Eli has a pasture of pregnant mares, Blue is better off there.”

“Who’s the sire?”

“Mickey. The randy bastard mounted Blue before we could put her with Xavier.”

“Speaking of foaling…”

Celia met Kyle’s eyes.

“Let’s take a trip to town.”

She wondered if he’d bring it up. “I’ve been dealing with horses all morning. I’m a mess.”

“You look fine.”

“She’s probably tired.”

“We won’t stay long.”

“Why are you pushing me on this?” she demanded.

“Because you’ll kick yourself if you don’t.” He held out his gloved hand. “Come on. I’ll drive.”

Celia and Kyle scoured the hospital parking lot for Abe’s truck or Janie’s Prius before they entered the hospital.

She knocked on the door of Janie’s room, then poked her head in. “You decent?”

Janie was sitting up, a blanket-wrapped bundle tucked in the crook of her left arm. “Celia! I’m so glad you came.”

Grateful for the reassuring squeeze from Kyle, she kept hold of his hand as they entered the room. She gave Janie a one-armed hug. “I’m so thrilled for you.”

“Thanks. It is a pretty thrilling thing to finally get to see the fruit of my labors—ha ha.”

“Congrats, Mama. You look happy.”

“And Kyle’s here too,” Janie said as Kyle kissed Janie’s forehead. “Thank you.” She shifted to better show them the baby. “This is our boy, Tyler. All
eight pounds of him. According to the Mud Lilies gals, all this dark hair is the reason I had heartburn for six months.”

“He’s beautiful.”

Janie flicked a glance at Kyle and Celia’s joined hands and then her gaze moved between them. “Congratulations are in order for you two as well.”

“Thanks. We’re happy.” Kyle lifted Celia’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“Your brother is a jackass, Celia,” Janie said.

“I know.”

“He’ll come around, but probably not until he’s done fussing at me like an old woman and he’s got me and precious here locked down at the ranch under his watchful eye.”

“Some big changes in your lives, that’s for sure.”

“Changes we’re ready for this time around. Although I worry the one with the biggest adjustment will be George.” Janie frowned. “I’m not convinced he needs to be a house dog.”

“My mom never would’ve let me have Murray inside either. I threw a hissy fit when Hank and Abe got me a puppy but wouldn’t let me have him in my room.”

“I remember that,” Kyle said dryly. “You tried to enlist my help.”

“And you thwarted me, which was par for the course with us.”

“Then,” he emphasized. “Not so much anymore.”

Tyler fussed and Celia leaned closer to see if he’d open his eyes.

“Would you like to hold him?” Janie asked.

“Yes, please.”

Kyle released her hand. “I’ll be back. I’m just gonna go check on that one thing.”

The door shut.

Janie looked at Celia with surprise. “Was it something I said?”

Celia had no idea what Kyle was up to. “No. I think he’s paranoid that if I hold a baby I’ll want one of my own. Not that cajoling him into getting what I want has ever worked for me in the past.”

“But add sex to the cajoling and he’ll probably do damn near anything for you, won’t he?”

“The jury’s still out on that. Now hand that baby over.”

Janie lifted him and Celia tucked him against her body. “The kid does like to be very close to breasts.”

“He’ll be disappointed in mine.” Celia pressed a kiss to his forehead and inhaled the sweet baby scent. “So, Janie, you really ready for motherhood?”

“Yes. I’ve been watching Lainie and Brianna for the last year, so I’m not as shocked by it as I might’ve otherwise been. Labor was a bitch though. Holy shit. I wanted to brain Abe when he said,
Just breathe through it.
How about you try to breathe through a busted nose and a broken jaw, buddy.”

Celia laughed.

“It is amazing to watch Abe with Tyler, though. He’s just so…stunned by him.”

“He’s perfect. I’m thrilled for you guys.”

“I know you are, sweetie.” Janie drained a glass of water. “So you and Kyle?”

“Yep.”

“Typical Lawson response,” she muttered. “How did it happen?”

“Kyle and I had been dancing around each other for the last year.”

“You and Kyle have been dancing around each other for much longer than that, but go on.”

Celia didn’t comment on that observation. “After Devin’s concert in Vegas, we just looked at each other and knew. So we stopped dancing.” She answered Janie’s questions about Kyle’s inheritance and was relieved when her nosy sister-in-law didn’t press for more details on her supposed love match with Kyle. To ward off further inquiries, she talked about shopping at Harper’s store and the girls’ night out with Harper, Tierney, and the Mud Lilies.

“Sounds like a good time. I fear my girls’-night-out days are a thing of the past.”

“I doubt Garnet and Maybelle would let you get away with ditching them.” She patted Tyler’s little butt when he made a mewling noise. “When will you go back to work at the Split Rock?”

“I’m taking a couple months off. Two at least. Maybe three. Then we’ll be in the busy season at the resort. Renner can’t run the place without me.”
Janie smirked. “Plus I love my job. Lainie is happy with Brianna’s day-care place, so I’ve already reserved a spot for Tyler.”

“That’ll be handy.”

“I imagine when you and Kyle have kids you’ll be a full-time at-home mom, like your mom was?”

Celia’s mother had been a sweet, hardworking rancher’s wife. She remembered that’s how she’d always referred to herself—Rose Lawson, mother and rancher’s wife. She glanced at Tyler’s face. “I guess we’ll see. It’s a long ways down the road for us.”

“Be nice if you had your kids soon though, so they’d be the same age as their cousins.”

“Janie!”

She laughed. “I’m kidding. Anyway, you did get an invite to the baby shower Tierney’s throwing, right?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You have to come. You and Kyle. Even if you’re both still pissed off at Abe. Promise me.”

“You want Kyle to come? Aren’t baby showers mostly for women?”

“Oh, pooh. That’s old-fashioned. These days they’re coed.”

Celia imagined the look of horror on Kyle’s face if he was forced to play baby shower games. She grinned. “I promise we’ll both be there.”