The Cowboy's Girl Next Door: A BWWM Cowboy Romance (11 page)

Jess. She was furious with him, too, less for the punch, though. She knew enough about Kyle to know that he probably deserved that and more. No, it was the Miranda of it all, the nerve of him, flaunting his ex in her face like that. Was he trying to make her jealous? Was he making a point? Either way, it didn’t matter; she didn’t have time for him or Kyle or anyone. No one mattered, only her mares.

When Carmen finally returned to the house, she found Claire seated on the wide porch swing, a glass of cool tea in her hand, a bowl of freshly washed berries on the small table beside her. She sat with her daughter, putting an arm around her shoulder. Claire sighed.

“He’s gone.”

“Good,” Carmen said decisively. “Don’t know why you let that fool stay around for one minute, truth be told.”

“I know, Mom. I don’t know, either. I guess it was just nice to have someone here, you know, who knows me.”

“Don’t I know you?”

Claire laughed. “Yes, you do. I just meant…it was easy to be around him, you know, familiar.”

“Like a worn out shoe,” Carmen scoffed. “Tell me the truth: were you really thinking about taking him back?”

Claire shook her head. “Nah. He sank that ship on his own. I guess I just needed something to give me a little distance…to think.” She thought about Jess and Miranda and their easy conversation under the tree. “Maybe a little too much distance.”

Carmen sat back and put her finger under Claire’s chin, forcing her daughter to look into her eyes. “Listen here: there’s not a soul in this town now who doubts how that man feels about you. I don’t know what went down out there, but all anyone could talk about was how Kyle should have known better than to get between Jess Hardy and the woman he loves.”

Claire shook her head, wishing she could believe it and not daring to. “He doesn’t want me, Mom. That blonde he was talking to? His ex, someone he grew up with right here on this ranch. They seemed pretty cozy.”

Carmen laughed heartily. “Well, she seemed pretty cozy with the gentleman I saw her leaving with. Man by the name of Davies. Some big city big shot. Said they were engaged.”

Claire looked at her mother with surprise. “Why didn’t Jess say anything?”

“Cause he’s a man and you don’t listen well when you’re angry.” Carmen laughed again, then smiled and patted Claire’s knee. “Sleep on it, baby girl. It’ll be clear in the morning.”

*

The next morning brought rain and a visit from the vet, but no Jess. Claire kept herself busy, helping Pauline with the horses while the vet did his inspections. Thalia had been in heat for a couple of days, and she was eager to get out of the stall. When the rain lifted, Claire let her into the nearby corral, hoping that some more freedom to move would ease her discomfort.

Nothing would ease hers, though. The note on her calendar had sent her flying to the drugstore, and she was a nervous wreck from the moment she returned. Carmen encouraged her to get out for a while, to take a walk or go for a ride or do something with the energy that kept her pacing through the house. When she couldn’t take anymore of her mother’s nagging, she decided to go back down to the barn to check on Thalia.

Horatio was there again. The fence was broken, the corral rails, too, and the horses were gently nuzzling each other. “That damn horse,” she muttered, wondering how things could get any worse. Then she heard Jess’s truck pull up, and she cursed at her stupid luck.

“Raced over as soon as Jasper told me he’d gotten loose again.” He surveyed the damage, running his fingers through his thick hair before returning to the truck. Claire watched as he went to work immediately on repairing the fence. She walked over to where he was working and knelt beside him.

“Think we can do this without lawyers this time?” he muttered, a nail dangling from his mouth as he hammered the board in place.

“Yeah, I think we can,” she said quietly. “Jess, we need to talk about, well, about what happened.”

“I know, I know,” he sighed. “I’m sorry, he just got the scent, he can’t stay away.” He looked at her, eyes filled with longing but still tentative. “That horse knows what he wants, and I don’t see him mating with any others ever again. Lord knows Jasper’s tried…” His voice trailed off.

“I wasn’t talking about the horses,” Claire said, “although if Calliope’s condition is any indication, I’ll have two little foals around here this time next year.” She gave Jess a sad smile.

Jess shook his head and returned to his work. “Well, congratulations. You’ll have a herd in no time.” He made quick work of the fencing, then started toward the corral. “I’ll be out of your hair soon enough,” he said. “Just want to get this rail back up, and then I’ll take Horatio home.”

Claire took a deep breath. “We need to talk. About Kyle. About Miranda. About what happened.”

Jess looked down at his boots. “Is he gone?”

Claire nodded, whispering “Yes.”

“For good?”

Claire replied, “He was never really here, to be honest.” She took a deep breath. “And Miranda?”

Jess looked her in the eyes. “She’s engaged. She…well, I told her about you, at the berry picking. She was trying to help.”

He could see the confusion in Claire’s eyes, so he continued. “What she said, the way she acted: she did that for me, to help me see if you were still interested, if you were with that guy now.”

Claire frowned. “I don’t get it. Why not just ask me yourself?”

Jess let out a heavy sigh. “She did it on her own; I was as surprised by the way she spoke to you as you were, and just as angry afterward.” He leaned against the corral post. “I didn’t know how to talk to you about it. You made it clear you needed time; I wanted to give that to you.”

Now it was Claire’s turn to stare at the ground. “My Mom told me why you did it, what she heard about why you punched Kyle. Thank you for sticking up for me.”

“It was the right thing to do. He can say anything he wants to about me or my family, but you…” He hesitated. Could he say it? Would it scare her off? He took a deep breath.

“Look, Claire, this last week has been torture. Not seeing you, not touching you, not being able to comfort you or help with the ranch. You’re under my skin, lady, and I don’t ever want you to go.”

He stepped toward her and gently took both of her hands in his. “I love you, Claire, with everything I am and everything I have. Horatio knew his first time here, and if I am honest with myself, I did, too. My heart is home, right here, with you.” He brought her hands to his lips, gently kissing each one. “Say the word and I’ll leave you alone forever, good neighbors and nothing more. Just say something, my lady. I need to know where I stand.”

Claire’s eyes shone with unshed tears. “I love you, too.” She put her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss her, and he wrapped his arms around her to hold her close. She rested her head against his chest, soaking in his warmth and his love, hoping against hope that it was strong enough to weather the coming storm. “But Jess, there’s something I have to say.”

He squeezed her tighter. “You can say anything to me, darling, anything you want! Tell me to wash the dishes, clean out the stables, milk the cows you’re gonna get; I’ll do anything for my beautiful lady.”

The joy she heard in his voice was terrifying. She couldn’t do this to him, couldn’t break his heart so soon. He had to know, though. He deserved the truth. She stepped back from him, hands at her sides, and looked him in the eye. “Jess, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice soft and threatening to break into tears. “Baby, I’m so, so sorry. I’m pregnant.”

The wind rushed from him, and he had to grab hold of a fence post to stay upright. A baby? So soon? He looked at her, confused. “How? I mean, when? I mean, who?”

Claire was relieved that there was no accusation in his voice when he asked the last question. She stepped toward him and took his hand. “It was the night of the fire. I just realized it this morning, when I saw that my monthly was over a week late.

“I took one of those tests from the drugstore, but I need to check with a doctor to be sure.” She placed one hand on his heart and brought his to her belly. “I swear to you, this baby is yours, yours and mine. I won’t hold you to anything you’ve said, and I understand if this is too much too soon. I just had to tell you the truth, I needed you to know…”

He stopped her speech with kisses, lifting her to wrap her legs around his waist. He walked slowly, savoring her lips and tongue, hands cradling her firm bottom as he carried her into the barn.

“The horses!” Claire exclaimed, and he cursed under his breath before setting her on a worktable and fishing his phone from his pocket. “Jasper,” he barked, voice husky, fingers already starting to work on the buttons of her shirt, “get over here now and get those horses stabled.”

She pinched him, and before he hung up, he added, “and take them to Bar None. The barn at Heart’s Home is off limits for now.” He hung up and put the phone on the table, then returned to the object of his desire.

They exchanged slow, languid kisses as they made swift work of the buttons on their shirts. Jess kissed and licked a trail to Claire’s bra strap, using his teeth to work each strap from her shoulders before loosening the clasp to free her breasts. He dipped his head to kiss and suckle them, pulling from her mouth the moans he desperately needed to hear. This wasn’t where he’d been headed, though, and he grabbed a blanket from the table, lifted her again, and headed for an empty stall.

Claire laughed when she realized where he was taking her. “Really?” she squealed, secretly delighted at the prospect.

“I’m not wasting another second,” he growled. “If it’s good enough for the horses…”

This time she silenced him, slowly sucking his tongue in a long kiss that left them both gasping for air. He set her on her feet just long enough to spread the blanket over the bed of hay on the floor, and pulled her down onto it with him. Once he had her comfortably on her back, he began to give thanks, anointing her with gentle kisses.

“Thank you for this beautiful mind.”

“And these beautiful eyes that see me as I am.”

“For these lips that smile and tell me that I am loved.”

“For this heart that beats for me.”

“For this…”

His voice broke as he arrived at her belly, and Claire held her breath, afraid to speak. He kissed her there gently, then looked up, tears rolling down his cheeks. “You’re gonna have our baby. We’re gonna have a baby. You and me.”

Still holding her breath, Claire nodded vigorously. “Are you OK, love?”

He sat and pulled her to sit up with him. He took her hand in his, and raised his other one to caress her cheek. “I know this is really fast, but I know that this feels so right and meant to be. I’m more than OK. I’m solid, I’m over the moon, I’m on top of the world, and I’m sitting here with the woman I’m gonna grow old with, have more babies with and love until I draw my last breath on earth.” He leaned forward and gave her a tender kiss. “How does that sound to you?”

Claire beamed at him. “Perfect.” She pulled him back down to the blanket. No more words were spoken, but the barn was filled with sounds all the same. Zippers pulling. Boots dropping to the concrete floor. The rip of lace hastily removed, followed by a gasp from Claire as Jess’s tongue found its target. Jess’s moans as he entered her, claiming her finally as his and his alone, followed by Claire’s cries as he brought her to the brink again and again and again.

Words emerged only as he gave in to his building passion, pushing her to a final explosive climax as he spent himself inside her. “My lady, my beautiful perfect lady,” he whispered, his lips showering her with tender kisses.

“My perfect, precious love,” she sighed. “Welcome home.”

THE END

Note from author:

Hi

I really hope you enjoyed this story. I would really love if you could help support my work by giving me a rating on the store:)

YES, I WILL RATE YOU NOW!

Thanks so much for your support.

If you want to see all of my other Cowboy romances then
check out my page on Amazon here to see them all!

Monica x x