“Uh-huh. I’m just hoping you give out on your birthday.”
“You know it.” She leaned in, lips near his ear. “I imagine I’ll get at least a couple of happy, under-the-blanket orgasms during the movie, then I can ride you ‘til I scream.”
He blinked, his mouth falling open, his cheeks going red hot. “I’m so there.”
“Where? Not at the barn with the rest of us.” Maddie stood in the kitchen door, arms crossed. “Dads won’t let me see my present until you come down.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She wasn’t, though. Not a bit.
“Well, come on!” Maddie scowled at them, and Bodie chuckled, steering her toward the door.
Maddie grabbed their arms and they all ran down, the dads waiting impatiently. “Really? We have to send your sister to get you and your boyfriend?”
“Hush, Daddy Chris. Presents.”
“Okay, okay.” Daddy Chris nodded at Brandt. “Show ‘em.”
Brandt opened the barn doors, and the two colts came walking out, long-legged and beautiful, curious as anything.
Maddie stared, heading right for them. “Daddy Chris?”
“They’re from Katherine Lisle’s stock, baby. Their dam is Morning Glory Rises and their sire is Ritchie’s Last Song.”
“No shit? These—Daddy? The twins? For real?”
“Yeah, baby.” Daddy Chris looked so tickled. Then he whacked Brandt, who jumped.
“There’s something in there for you, too, baby girl,” he told Addie. “Go on.”
“In there?” She wasn’t sure what to think, and she went in, gasping as a sharp, tiny, scared bark sounded. There were two little, wiggling bundles of black and white in a dog crate, bright button eyes glinting.
“You remember, when you called me from the last trip in Afghanistan?” Dad came to her where she knelt to open the box, the puppies tumbling over themselves to get to her. “You said you wanted to come home, have dogs and babies, take pictures and have a real life.”
Tears stung her eyes at the pair of border collie pups who just settled in against her, licking and snuffling. Oh, they were adorable.
“They’re a boy and a girl, a breeding pair. Championship working line,” Brandt said, smiling like a fool.
“Oh, y’all.” She plopped her butt on the ground. “Bodie, love. You have to come see them.”
Bodie came on into the barn, kneeling down to have a look. “Gracious. Look at those bright eyes. They look like my Lucy when she was a pup.”
“We’ll have to name them. God, they’re so little.”
And soft. Fuzzy.
Cute.
“No, they’re pretty good-sized.” When she looked up at Maddie, her twin was scratching the colts’ noses, absolutely enraptured.
“You’re not paying attention, Mads.”
“She’s in love, baby girl.”
“They are pretty colts.” Her pups were cuter. Especially the one wallowing in Bodie’s lap. She had good taste.
“Lord, y’all.” Uncle Mark leaned against the barn, watching. “You boys did raise up two good women.”
“We did.” Daddy Chris looped an arm around Dad’s waist. “Good day, girls?”
Maddie looked up from the horses, grinned like an idiot. “Perfect.”
The little boy puppy was asleep in her arm, little face hidden in the curve of her elbow. “Y’all did good, dads. For real.”
“Good deal. You gonna help her take care of those pups, Bodie?”
Bodie chuckled. “I imagine I’ll need to. My dog passed away a year ago, so I have time.”
“You should name the little girl. This boy is going to be…Harry.” She moved over, leaned against her cowboy.
“As in fuzzy or Truman?” Bodie teased, letting the little girl dog chew his fingers.
“Truman. Which is even a better name than Harry.”
“There you go.” Bodie tilted his head, looking down at the baby girl dog. “We’ll call this one Maggie then, after Harry’s daughter. I don’t love Bess.”
Carrie Ann chuckled. “No, you love Addie, but Maggie’s a great name. Can someone feed the pregnant lady cake?”
Dad Brandt offered his arm. “Heck, yes. Chocolate or lemon?”
“Oh…” Carrie Ann stopped, frowned. “I. Oh. Bathroom. She’s tap dancing on my bladder.”
“Come on, honey.” Dad helped Carrie Ann on up to the house, and Mads put the colts away to hurry on after. Even new yearlings couldn’t keep Maddie from her pregnant friend.
“I guess I need to see what sort of set-up the dads left for the pups, huh?”
“Oh, I got it, baby. You go get cake.” Daddy Chris smiled, the look fond. “Maggie and Truman, huh?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You know you’ll call her Maddie about a thousand times.”
Bodie laughed, the sound downright evil. “Yes sir.”
Addie started laughing, then they were all howling like monkeys, the puppies barking along.
“Come on, honey. Let’s go get cake.” Bodie lifted her to her feet, and they handed the puppies over to Daddy Chris.
She kissed her daddy’s cheek. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”
“We love you, baby girl.”
“I know.”
She did. They’d never let her doubt it. Once.
When she turned to Bodie, he was watching them with a happy smile on his face. It was good to see, and she slipped an arm around her cowboy.
“Come on, girl. Cake, then…” He chuckled softly. “Our celebration.”
“Oh, God, yes.” She was having the best birthday ever. She couldn’t wait to make sure it ended as well as it had begun.
Chapter Eleven
The club was hoppin’, the little local Texas swing band packing them in, young and old. Hell, the band was why Bodie had brought Addie tonight. She liked to dance so much, and Bodie sure didn’t mind rubbing belt buckles with his girl.
He glanced across the table to where she sat laughing with Maddie, and the glint of the little gold horseshoe necklace around her neck made him smile. When Bodie made up his mind on something, he made it hard. She was his lucky charm, and he had decided to let go of his fear and just go with it. He loved her too much to miss out on a life with her, no matter what happened.
He stuck his hand in his pocket, feeling the tiny jewel box, relieved that it was still there. He’d bought the ring a couple weeks back, at the same time he’d bought the necklace, and he was tickled that Mr. Sturm at the jewelry-Western wear-boot and watch repair store had kept his secret all this time. Lord knew it was tough in a small town.
The ring was simple—a good-sized diamond on a tiny band. Classic, fiery. Fine. Like his girl. It looked delicate, but it was strong enough to hold up to her photography work, and her chewy new puppies.
Those little shits were something else. He and Addie had put a run in over at his house, food bowls and beds and tiny toys. He loved Maggie’s curiosity, Truman’s clumsiness.
“Huh?”
Maddie poked him again. “Beer, daydreamer. More beer.”
Bodie laughed, holding up his hands before she could poke anymore. “Okay. Be right back.”
Addie chuckled. “No poking my cowboy! Get your own!”
Maddie snorted. “What if I get myself a lawyer? A doctor?”
“Indian chief?” He heard Addie tease as he walked away.
Snorting, he got another pitcher of beer, since it was half price, and three new frosted mugs. Carl smiled at him from across the bar. “Seems like you’re awful serious about that Grainger girl, Bodie.”
“You have no idea, Carl.” He winked before heading back to the table. Everyone was about to see how serious he was. He just needed a slow waltz.
The lights were turning her hair bright, her little tank top showing off her pale tan. Her breasts bounced when she swayed the music, her arms up in the air, her smile shining so like the sun. It all made his chest hurt.
Her eyes met his, the look playful. “Here comes the beer man!”
“I try not to disappoint the ladies.” He plonked the beer down just about time the music changed. “Dance with me, Addie.”
“I’d love to.” She pushed up into his arms, gratifyingly eager.
Bodie swung her out on the floor, the butterflies in his belly making him a little queasy. He was afraid she’d say no.
“You okay, cowboy?” She looked up at him as he spun them, his hand on her hip.
“I am. Been waiting for a waltz.” He’d wait and give her a whole dance, too, before he signaled to the band to give the prearranged chingaling.
“Mmm. Long, short-short. Long, short-short.”
He hummed with her, waltzing her to the center of the floor at the end of the song.
She followed right along, looking at him as the band stopped. “I love that song.”
“I do, too.” He waved at the band, and sure enough he got his “da da da da”. Bodie pulled the ring box out of his pocket, his heart racing. He wasn’t given to grand public gestures, but he wanted all the damned gossipers to know what was happening. He made sure no one was right behind him so he could back of a step and get down on one knee.
“Bodie?” Addie looked at him, her eyes wide, so pretty and blue.
Thank you, God, he thought. Thank you for sending her home.
He had to clear his throat. “Um. Addie. I got something to ask.”
The whole place had gone quiet, and Maddie stood right behind Addie, dark brown eyes bright, maybe a little teary. He could see his buddy John behind Maddie, there for moral support.
“Oh.” She stood there, staring at him for a long second, then gave him one of those smiles, warm and sensual and easy. “So ask, cowboy. I’m made of ready.”
That was his girl, straight up and straight forward.
Bodie grinned, popping the ring box open. “I love you, honey. Will you marry me?”
“God, yes.” Addie didn’t make him wait for her answer, her auburn curls just bobbing away. She held her hand out to him. “Put the ring on me, Bodie. If the roof caves in, think of the story we can tell our grandchildren.”
The whole club just busted out laughing and applauding and he thought, maybe, the curse was fixin’ to be broke, just a bit.
“There you go.” He loved that about her, the way she just charged right in. Bodie put the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, and stood to kiss her, so happy he could bust.
His girl pressed close, kissing him like he was going to get laid tonight. Maybe more than once. Bodie could live with that.
A loud pop made him jump, made him wonder if the roof was about to cave. It was just Carl, opening a bottle of champagne. “Congratulations, y’all!”
He swung her around, and she squealed. “Cowboy!”
“I was worried you’d say no.” He kissed her again, but Maddie interrupted them this time.
“Smile for the dads,” she crowed, holding her phone out.
Addie, just like the girl she was, held out her hand, showing off the ring. Then she stopped, looked at it. “God, Bodie. It’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
Bodie chuckled. “It tickles me that you didn’t even look before you said yes.” Not a bit of mercenary in her, his girl.
“Rings are replaceable. Cowboys, less so.” When she smiled, her nose crinkled, the glittery stuff in her eye shadow catching the light.
Bodie kissed that nose just before the storm of glad-handing hit them. John laughed and pounded his back. Junior Walker grinned at him with both of those teeth he still had. Hell, it might have been a half hour before he saw Addie again.
Then Chris and Brandt came through the doors and everyone in the club stopped and looked. Bodie felt his upper lip start to sweat.
“Y’all! Look!” Addie didn’t hesitate, she headed right to her dads, but their eyes were on him.
Damn.
Bodie hoped to hell they weren’t after kicking his ass. He’d thought on talking it over with them first, but Addie was her own woman.
Chris and Brandt both stopped to admire the ring, then it was Brandt who came over to clap him on the back. Hard. “Surprised us, Bodie.”
“Yeah. She didn’t disappoint me, though, sir. Not a bit.” He met the man’s dark eyes. “I’ll take care of her, Brandt, I swear to God.”
“I know you will, son.” Brandt nodded. “If you’re up to the asking, then I know you’re up to the rest. You’re not a feller to take this kind of thing lightly. You’ve got more stones than I gave you credit for, and I apologize.”
Chris came over, stared him down. “I don’t approve. You’re too damn tall and not a bit of rodeo in you.”
He fought the smile that tried to curl his lips. “Well, I reckon that way you don’t have to worry on me traveling without Addie.”
“Yeah, but you’ll have freakishly leggy babies, man. I just don’t know.”
“Daddy Chris, I know you have weird life experience with this, but it’s sort of my job to have the babies, not Bodie’s.” Oh, wicked girl.
Bodie let the grin out, slipping an arm around Addie. “Thank God for that. I’m a weenie when it comes to pain tolerance.”
They all cracked up, the band starting up as the beer flowed freely. He stopped at two drinks, knowing he wanted to take his girl home and knowing that Peter Franklin, the new deputy, was eager to make himself a name and was sitting right outside the parking lot looking for easy DWIs.
Chris, Brandt and Maddie started distracting folks about a half hour later, letting Addie and him head toward the door. Lord, it took them forever to get outside. “So. Back to the house, honey?”
She pushed up against him, all soft curves and needy sighs. “I need you, cowboy, huh?”
Bodie slid an arm around her again, a motion that was starting to feel like breathing. “Yeah. I get that.”
He popped her in his truck, kissed her cheek, and hopped in, laughing as she found something driving and fast on the radio. She was singing along, bouncing and hot next to him as he pulled out, waving at the barney with the radar gun.
The deputy flipped him off, but it didn’t matter a bit. He couldn’t stop grinning, feeling like a kid at Christmas. Watching her sideways, Bodie thought of all the things he wanted to do to her.
“You look hungry, cowboy. Like you’re fixin’ to eat me up.” He loved how a few beers made her all redneck girl.
“I am. I’m hoping you’re ravenous, too.” God, she was pretty. He wanted her to suck him, wanted to slide inside her and ride ‘til morning.
“God, yes. I need you.” She slipped close, cuddling into him, hand dropping into his lap.
“Now, honey, we’ve talked about not running me off the road.” He wanted to stop and kiss, her, love her right there. They would be better off getting home, but it was pure temptation.